The Marvelettes: FOREVER and FOREVER MORE

[longtimefan]

What a blessing that with these seven discs, we now have the opportunity to own the full Marvelettes discography! A few years ago, I would never have dreamed this could have happened. THANK YOU X 1000 to Harry!!!!

This is not a complaint, but to be really "complete," I'd love to know the identify of the "lead" singer on all of the tracks in FOREVER: VOLUME 1. Gratefully, I see that the "lead" had been indicated in the annotations for all of the tracks in Volume 2.

One easy way to provide us fans this information would simply be to list the tracks on which WANDA sings lead. We know that there are fewer on Volume 1, and that the remainder would then be led by GLADYS.

Thank you in advance!

[johnjeb]

Good suggestion. I had wondered the same thing when I got Volume 1. There are songs on the pink album that I always thought were Wanda but am now learning that they are Gladys. Looking forward to getting Volume 2 - hopefully for Christmas - and having the leads identified.

[motony]

I think they are both distinctive vocalists, like most from the 60's.I guess you could be fooled from the LP Hits of 62" as Wandas name wasn't on the back of the LP in the liner notes.

[144man]

Doesn't "Don't Forget the Motor City" identify the leads?

[kenneth]

For the Please Mr. Postman LP, I believe it is:

Angel - Wanda
I Want A Guy - Wanda
Please Mr. Postman
So Long Baby - Wanda
I Know How It Feels - Wanda
Way Over There
Happy Days
You Don't Want Me No More
All the Love I Got
Whisper - Wanda
I Apologize

All not id'd are Gladys. To me, they are sometimes hard to tell apart though Gladys has a roughness to her voice, especially on the early LPs.

[longtimefan]

Thanks, Kenneth! A great start!!!!!

[kenneth]

I'll try Marvelettes Sing...please correct me if anyone thinks I'm wrong.

Mashed Potato Time
Love Letters
The One Who Really Loves You
Twistin' the Night Away - Wanda
Hey Baby - Wanda
Twistin' Postman
Good Luck Charm - Wanda
Slow Twistin'
Lover Please - Wanda
Dream Baby - Wanda

Gladys unless indicated otherwise. On some of these, it's a little hard to tell, especially Hey Baby and Lover Please, I think it's Wanda but she's singing more like Gladys. Comments welcome!

[longtimefan]

Thanks, Kenneth! We are getting there thanks to YOU!

p.s. Yes, it IS Wanda on LOVER PLEASE and HEY! BABY.

[BayouMotownMan]

Many times it is hard to distinguish between Wanda and Gladys. They trade leads on Lockin up My Heart, As Long As I Know he's Mine and Keep Off No Trespassing among others

[kenneth]

Thanks guys. Here's my take on Playboy.

Playboy
Mix it Up
Beechwood 4-5789
I'm Hooked
I Think I Can Change You
Forever - Wanda
Someday, Someway
Goddess of Love - Wanda
You Should Know
[[I've Got to) Cry Over You

Guess Wanda only had two leads on this one. I almost thought it was Wanda on "You Should Know," but I'm sure it's Gladys sounding a lot like Wanda and even doing a falsetto in the chorus!

[kenneth]

And finally "Marvelous Marvelettes"

Strange I Know
I Forgot About You
Locking Up My Heart - Both
Which Way Did He Go
Silly Boy
It's Gonna Take a Lot of Doing
Smart Aleck
My Daddy Knows Best
Too Strong to Be Strung Along
Why Must You Go

I don't hear Wanda on lead on any of these. Maybe this is when she was starting her family and left the group for a while [[or did she just not tour for a time?). Of course, she is pictured on the cover. You do hear her on the backgrounds of "Which Way" "Silly Boy" and especially "Daddy".

[reese]

And finally "Marvelous Marvelettes"

Strange I Know
I Forgot About You
Locking Up My Heart - Both
Which Way Did He Go
Silly Boy
It's Gonna Take a Lot of Doing
Smart Aleck
My Daddy Knows Best
Too Strong to Be Strung Along
Why Must You Go

I don't hear Wanda on lead on any of these. Maybe this is when she was starting her family and left the group for a while [[or did she just not tour for a time?). Of course, she is pictured on the cover. You do hear her on the backgrounds of "Which Way" "Silly Boy" and especially "Daddy".

I think Wanda was briefly out of the group early on, somwhere around late 1961/early 1962, when she was pregnant with her first child.

[motony]

and thats why they[[Motown)did not list her name on the back of Hits of '62 and she sang lead on 1/2 the LP! The Marvelettes were blessed with 2 lead singers from the start.That really worked well in doing LIVE shows. The Crystals were the only other girl group I remember having 2 lead singers in the group at one time [[Barbara Alston & LaLa Brooks) that had hit records.Nedra in the Ronettes did do some leads in their LIVE shows.

[kenneth]

and thats why they[[Motown)did not list her name on the back of Hits of '62 and she sang lead on 1/2 the LP! The Marvelettes were blessed with 2 lead singers from the start.That really worked well in doing LIVE shows. The Crystals were the only other girl group I remember having 2 lead singers in the group at one time [[Barbara Alston & LaLa Brooks) that had hit records.Nedra in the Ronettes did do some leads in their LIVE shows.

Yes, I never figured out why she wasn't listed on "Sing." They didn't even correct that when they redid the cover to eliminate the misspelling of the group name and change of album title to "Sing Smash Hit's of '62." [[At least, I'm assuming the "Smash Hits of '62" was the second cover.) Anyway, I guess much attention didn't get paid to the packaging in the rush to get these releases to the market. The "Sing" album, like the Vandellas' "Heat Wave," sounds like it was recorded very, very quickly though I like it as an early example of a really early "unvarnished" act.

I love the live version of "Locking Up My Heart," especially the choreography in the old clip from the Apollo, where Gladys and Wanda trade places [[or is the other 2 girls who dance back and forth?) when the lead singer changes. It's great!

[motony]

I'm not home but I think the 2nd pressing just was The Marvelettes sing the Smash Hits. Yea, they worked that into their choreography having 2 leads and I think it worked to their advantage. Working those LIVE shows back then was very competitive because there would always be another group tryin to outdo you onstage and as far as the ladies... The Marvelettes were the baadest!Martha Roz & Annette & later Betty could get down too.From the shows I saw the only competetion for the Motown girls were the Crystals & the Ronettes who could really sing & entertain too.Later ofcourse Tina & the Iketes took LIVE shows to a whole new level.

[Roger Polhill]

The Contours are brilliant on that show too.

[longtimefan]

Thanks, Kenneth, for providing us with a listing of Wanda Rogers leads on the four full studio albums in the FOREVER box set. I have looked up [[on Don't Forget the Motor City) all of the additional tracks [["Greatest Hits" and Bonus Tracks) from the boxed set and have discovered the following information about lead vocals. I have tried to avoid duplications.

Don't Mess With Bill - Wanda
You're My Remedy - Wanda
As Long As I Know He's Mine - Gladys
Too Many Fish in the Sea - Gladys
Danger, Heartbreak Dead Ahead - Gladys WANDA oops, Thanks, Motony!
Tie a String Around Your Finger - Gladys
Too Hurt To Cry [[Too Much In Love To Say Goodbye) - Gladys
Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers - Gladys
Knock On My Door - NONE LISTED
On the Other Side of Town - NONE LISTED
Becasue I Love Him - NONE LISTED
Little Girls Grow Up - NONE LISTED
He Won't Be True [[Little Girl Blue) - Gladys
He's Good Guy, Yes He Is - Gladys
A Little Bit of Sympathy [[A Little Bit of Love) - Gladys
A Need For Love - Gladys
I'll Keep On Holding On - Wanda
No Time For Tears - Wanda
Your Cheating Ways - Gladys
Anything You Wanna Do - Gladys
I Should Have Known Better - NONE LISTED
I Just Cant Let Him Down - NONE LISTED
Maybe I Dried My Tears [[For the Very First Time) - NONE LISTED

As you see, to have a comprehensive listing of Wanda leads, we still need information on seven [[7) tracks above. Anyone know for sure?

[carlo]

Knock On My Door - Gladys
On the Other Side of Town - Gladys
Because I Love Him - Gladys
Little Girls Grow Up - Gladys
I Should Have Known Better - Wanda
I Just Can't Let Him Down - Gladys
Maybe I Dried My Tears [[For the Very First Time) - Gladys

I could be wrong on some of these, but I feel fairly confident that my ears are not deceiving me [[lol). I remember I had a hard time differentiating between Wanda and Gladys when I first started listening to The Marvelettes several years ago, but as time went on, it became easier to tell who was who and now I can do it without much thought. In the beginning, I used to confuse the two ladies because in my opinion, Gladys is such a versatile vocalist. She sounded more nitty gritty and soulful on their earlier records [[ie. Please Mr. Postman) and then became more smooth as the years went on [[ie. Message to Michael)...so she can sound very different at times and I think that's why people confuse her so much with Wanda.

[motony]

"Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" is Wanda

[144man]

My postman has a habit of leaving large packets outside my front door where they can be stolen? Can anyone please tell me whether Forever More is thin enough to go through a UK letter box.

[motony]

Ya know somthing I've wondered about but never thought to ask Mickey Stevenson, Gladys or Kat for that matter:It seems like Smokey gets credit or dissed for tryin to break up the group by recording Wanda On Don't Mess With Bill BUT when Georgeanna left after Too Many Fish and the group became a trio Wanda became the lead on all the single releases beginning with I'll Keep Holdin On & Danger[[both written & produced By MickeyStevenson with Hunter & I think Clarence Paul too on Danger).Both of those 2 records I really like because it is The Marvelettes.

[reese]

Ya know somthing I've wondered about but never thought to ask Mickey Stevenson, Gladys or Kat for that matter:It seems like Smokey gets credit or dissed for tryin to break up the group by recording Wanda On Don't Mess With Bill BUT when Georgeanna left after Too Many Fish and the group became a trio Wanda became the lead on all the single releases beginning with I'll Keep Holdin On & Danger[[both written & produced By MickeyStevenson with Hunter & I think Clarence Paul too on Danger).Both of those 2 records I really like because it is The Marvelettes.

Interesting question.

Especially since Wanda's first A-side YOU'RE MY REMEDY didn't do all that well. Yet the next release TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA [[with Gladys on lead) was the group's biggest hit in two years. One would think that the company would have followed it up with another Gladys lead. Instead, they switched to Wanda exclusively and stuck with her, even though both I'LL KEEP HOLDING ON and DANGER weren't nearly as big as TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA.

I gather, in the end, that there was just a decision made that Wanda would be doing the A-sides. I suppose the question is why.

[motony]

when the group reduced to the trio they also took on a more glamourous look then the rock n roll style. I know Gladys was upset when she found out that Smokey was tryin to make Wanda a solo act with Don't Mess With Bill or so the story goes. LIVE the group was blessed to have 2 strong lead singers and they were really a great group to see LIVE.Yhey all 3 had charisma & connected with the audiances.

[smark21]

Though right now, it's a very fallow time for girl groups, it's interesting to note that in the 80's and 90's, most of the major female vocal groups emulated the example of the Marvelettes by having multiple lead singers rather than following The 60's Supremes model of one lead and back ups. Expose, En Vogue, Wilson Phillips, TLC, Spice Girls, Jade, Brownstone and Destiny's Child all did quite well with this format, sometimes even having leads switching amongst members within a song. So, IMO, another example of The Marvelettes being trail blazers and an influence.

[longtimefan]

A big "THANK YOU" to those of you were able to contribute their expertise to this project. I have listed below what we feel are the Wanda Rogers led tracks found in FOREVER [[Volume 1)!!!

Note to Harry: Could you kindly have someone confirm this data since it was missing from the FOREVER box set [[smile)? Thanks in advance!


Angel
I Want a Guy
So Long Baby
I Know How It Feels
Whisper
Twistin' the Night Away
Hey Baby
Good Luck Charm
Lover Please
Dream Baby
Forever
Goddess of Love
Don’t Mess With Bill
You’re My Remedy
Danger, Heartbreak Dead Ahead
I’ll Keep On Holding On
No Time For Tears
I Should Have Known Better