Mind Over Matter - Nolan Strong or the Pirates?

[Joe Dabbs]

I didn't know there was a version of Mind Over Matter by anyone other than Nolan Strong. On the Pirates version it says it was written by Devora Brown. Does anyone know the story? One of the greatest songs to come out of Detroit!

[candykamaine]

the pirates [[the motown ones) basically the temptations under a different name. I think that song and another song is probably the only thing they released on that name.

[robb_k]

Clarence Paul was The Pirates' [[Temptations') producer on those two cuts on Mel-O-dy 105. He must have liked Nolan's version, and decided to record them on it. As far as I know, that's the only Fortune Records' song recorded by Motown. As far as grabbing other Detroit Record companies' songs, the only other one I can remember is "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music" by The Spinners [[which was recorded by Artie Fields on Joe Towns for Artie's Top Dog Records). Berry didn't like making money for his competition. Rather, he bought them out or recruited their best personnel.

[oldiesmusicfan]

From the informative book in "The Complete Motown Singles Volume 2" -

"The Temptations may have had a minor hit to their credit, but Berry Gordy still searched for any kind of a hook to get them further up the ladder. So, for this one release, he re-named them. "The Pirates?" recalls Otis Williams. "We'd have died for a hit, but if it meant going through life in pirate uniforms, no thanks."

"Mind Over Matter" was a cover of a just-released single by Nolan Strong & The Diablos on Fortune. It sat around at the distributors for a while, and Gordy evidently heard a copy. Supposedly Gordy had also tried to coax Nolan Strong to Motown, but Fortune's owners countered, threw their weight behind the promotion of the original version, and it hit No. 1 in the region before the "Pirates" had a chance."

"I"ll Love You Till I Die" - listed in some Detroit discographies as the A-side - is the B side of the 45, produced by Clarence Paul also. "Mind Over Matter [[I'm Gonna Make You Mine)" was recorded on September 24, 1962. Several weeks earlier, "I'll Love You Till I Die" was recorded on August 16, 1962. That may be the reason why it is sometimes listed as the A side since it has the earlier recording date.

As mentioned above, "Mind Over Matter" by Nolan Strong reached #1 locally around Detroit, but only made it to #112 nationally on Billboard. One of my favorite songs of all time!

Oldies