Finders Keepers .. Motown Girls 1961-1967 ACE Records March Release

**Motown4Ever518** · 02-05-2013, 12:33 AM

50% Unreleased works for me. Though, why not go for 100% for Volume #2.

**bradburger** · 02-06-2013, 08:30 PM

A question for Keith.

Is the mix of 'Let Love Live' an alternate or is it one of the two that have been issued in the past?

Anyway, looks like another fine set from Ace/Motown.

Cheers

Paul

**booty** · 02-07-2013, 04:08 PM

According to the Ace Facebook page "Let Love Live" is the version that was first issued on Motown 980 9372 "The Motown Anthology"

**144man** · 02-12-2013, 07:59 PM

UK release date 25th March.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-24-2013, 05:03 PM

Ooooooo - I'm loving this album and it sounds good.

There's some real hard to find pictures too.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-24-2013, 05:08 PM

Love the La Brenda Ben Do You Know What I'm Talking About track despite singing the words to Stevie Wonder's I Want My Baby Back.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-24-2013, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by RossHolloway

This particular news just breaks my heart.

But at least Carolyn will be going out with a BANG. "Lover Boy" is as good as Until You Came Along and a typical Smokey song with the same tempo. I love it.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-24-2013, 05:32 PM

This Hattie Littles track My Black Belt reminds me of High Heel Sneekers and You're A Wonderful One. Had to play it twice cos it was that good

**lakedistrictlad1** · 03-25-2013, 04:53 AM

Well, John, it sounds like those people at ACE have really done their homework in selecting some choice cuts. I hope my copy is in the postbox when I get home tonight.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-25-2013, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by lakedistrictlad1

Well, John, it sounds like those people at ACE have really done their homework in selecting some choice cuts. I hope my copy is in the postbox when I get home tonight.

Ace is pretty good at keeping to schedules so hopefully it will arrive today.

Brings back fond memories of the time when Bertha and Norma performed "Let Love Live" for us in the hotel at Cleethorpes!!! lol

**lakedistrictlad1** · 03-25-2013, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown

Ace is pretty good at keeping to schedules so hopefully it will arrive today.

Brings back fond memories of the time when Bertha and Norma performed "Let Love Live" for us in the hotel at Cleethorpes!!! lol

You've no idea how often that memory plays in my mind John. It was a weekend to remember forever. I'll never forget your kindness in taking me with you that weekend. X

**westgrandboulevard** · 03-25-2013, 05:10 PM

If there's anyone out there who...

.....has already bought and enjoyed the Cellarful of Motown series
.... has a strong interest in hearing compilations which include a cross-section of vocal styles and talents from some of the lesser known names from Motown's roster
....and has this set on order...then you're in for a real treat.

And if you have not placed your order already, it's well worth your interest.

There's Carolyn Crawford's 'Lover Boy', which has a similar treatment to Terry Johnson's "Whatcha Gonna Do", but taken at a slightly slower tempo - you could waltz to it - I have this mental image of Carolyn rocking herself on a garden swing, drifting back and forth....with the guitars and percussion 'ting' 'tang' and 'twanging' away, plus those slightly shrill strings which feature on the earlier Motown tracks. If this is indeed the last of the previously unavailable recordings from Carolyn, it has considerable charm

**mr soul** · 03-26-2013, 04:16 PM

An enjoyable set, however LaBrenda Ben's "Do You Know What I'm Talkin' About" is the killer cut for me, even though I keep singing "I Want My Baby Back" & has anyone got the Temps version.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-26-2013, 05:23 PM

I'm tossing up between that, Dont Turn Your Back On Me, When Somebody Loves Me, Lover Boy, My Black Belt, Grass Seems Greener, and It's Too Soon To Know.

I really like this compilation.

**mr soul** · 03-27-2013, 04:55 PM

"If Wishes Came True" has a nice feel to it as well.

**marybrewster** · 03-28-2013, 11:59 AM

Can anyone shed some light on track #19? It's listed as "The Miracles". I thought this was a girl-group set? Does that mean Claudette is on lead on this cut??

**mr soul** · 03-28-2013, 12:31 PM

Yes, it's from the 1962 album "I'll Try Something New"

**johnny_raven** · 03-28-2013, 12:33 PM

Yes, it's Claudette. The song originally appeared on The Miracles' "I'll Try Something New" LP.

**marybrewster** · 03-28-2013, 01:27 PM

Thank you mr soul and johnny_raven.

I just may have to pick up this set.

**paul_nixon** · 03-29-2013, 04:48 AM

I have been listening to this set now continually for the past few days and it's been difficult for me to turn the loop button off. Any of my pals will tell you my preference is for the mid 60s classic era and usually I tend to shy away from earlier material in favour of that. HOWEVER I am loving this set - can't really find a duff track even Anita Knorl is growing on me. I think the Ace team have done a sterling job here again, who could fail to love Lover Boy? And I've waited for year to get the Gladys track out scheduling it on COM severeal times but it just didn't fit right ...delerious to see and hear it hear. Marvelettes, Hattie, Brenda, Kim and the gorgeous Velvelettes we are spoiled for choice...

**westgrandboulevard** · 03-29-2013, 08:10 AM

Like Paul, I've always preferred the 'classic era' tracks, particularly those with that Hitsville/Funk Brothers sound.

That said, I'm surprised to find myself giving more attention than I expected, particularly to the vocals on the earlier recordings in this compilation, many of which have simpler arrangements.

It just seems to make the experience just a tad more intimate, a quality of being 'live', and a distinct change from the way the voices were mixed and blended in the more complex productions which followed.

I suppose that has much to do with the simpler recording methods, as I imagine all sorts of technical tricks were required to create the masterpieces which formed the classic Motown sound.

**shoo-be-doo** · 03-29-2013, 03:50 PM

That sounds awfully like the Supremes doing the backing on the Linda Griner track. Date wise it fits in to the sessions used for the CW&P album [[Feb 1963). Wonder if this could be a Supremes track with Linda dubbed in. Anyone else hear them?

**longtimefan** · 03-29-2013, 05:46 PM

Mine was mailed from cdimports.

**wedgeville** · 03-30-2013, 06:18 PM

I have listened for almost a week now, but just can't get into most of the tracks [[not what I expected - and sadly disappointed by Brenda, Kim, Carolyn, Linda Griner and Liz Lands). I was looking forward to a cellarful type set, which is not the case.
I do like the Gladys Knight, LaBrenda Ben and Hattie Littles tracks though.

Wayne

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-30-2013, 06:43 PM

Wayne

I'm surprised that you are not keen on Lover Boy and Don't Turn Your Back On Me - They are both tracks that could have been considered for Cellarful.

**wedgeville** · 03-31-2013, 05:32 AM

Yes John, I agree. And there ain't no disputing either Brenda or Carolyn's vocals on the tracks - but they don't go anywhere for me. They both seem to be lacking that catchy chorus... And you know how much I love the dance tracks, "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Love", "Reconsider", "Lone Lonely Town", "He's The One" type of thing. I guess we have been spoiled in the past . . . and maybe there ain't much left?
I can think of a couple of killer tracks from Brenda that still remain in the vaults. "Can't Hold This Feeling Back", being one of them. Now that would set the dance floor on fire, and "I'm Giving Up" is a real stomper...
On the whole, I am still grateful to get 12 unreleased tracks, and I will always support such releases...

Wayne

**mowsville** · 03-31-2013, 06:01 AM

what a great track.."loverboy" although I collect Motown period...its still the golden era that does it all the time

**longtimefan** · 03-31-2013, 03:55 PM

Tell us about "The Grass Seems Greener" [[sic). What do the notes say about the vocal? Does it sound like The Marvelettes?

**Kamasu_Jr** · 04-02-2013, 08:52 AM

Ace is firing on all cylinders. Finders Keepers is a four star compilation. TERRIFIC choice of tracks, skilled sequencing and excellent sound. Let's just claim Hattie Littles, the queen of Detroit Blues or Queen of Black Bottom Blues & Soul. She was rough and My Black Belt doesn't disappoint. LaBrenda Ben was another singer Motown shouldn't have let get away. The only small quibble I have are the tunes by Liz Lands and Anita Knorl.They just lay there. I also would have chosen Brenda Holloway's Tell Me Your Story over Till Johnny Comes. "Story" has only apeared on one Motown compilation that I know of. But this disc is essential.

**theboyfromxtown** · 04-02-2013, 08:57 AM

I agree although I have to say that I am pleased to have the Liz Lands and Anita Knorl tracks. However, when you have so many other great ones, those do tend to pale against the others.

**keith_hughes** · 04-02-2013, 11:00 AM

Thanks to all on SDF who have expressed appreciation of this set. I thought you might be interested in a peek behind the curtain, to see how the track selection came about.

At the time that we were in New York, researching the Eddie Holland double-CD, we already had in mind a "Motown Girls" CD. As the engineer mounted one of the tapes containing an Eddie track we needed, we took a look at the track listing: anything that was by a girl, or a girl group, we listened to. We soon had enough good quality material to fill half a CD [[which was all we wanted)!

That explains why nearly all the new tracks dated from 1964 or earlier - the timeline of Eddie's recording career. The only exception is the Gladys track - we knew we HAD to have that one.

So it was essentially serendipity. We would never have gone looking for Anita Korl and Thelma Brown: they just happened to be there. But in case you think there's gold in all them thar hills, I have to add there were plenty we listened to that we did not think worthy of release. We weren't even sure about the ones we did choose, but you have re-assured us!

Thank you again.

**snakepit** · 04-02-2013, 12:34 PM

I enjoyed the CD....a great mix.
Thought "No Tear stained make-up" was an odd choice.....seemed out of place but small quibble .
The Anita Knorl reminds of an early Supremes ...is it "Your heart belongs to me"? A Smokey tune.
Let's hope there are more volumes [[65/66/67/68) in the pipeline
good work all concerned.

**carole cucumber** · 04-02-2013, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

Ace is firing on all cylinders. Finders Keepers is a four star compilation. TERRIFIC choice of tracks, skilled sequencing and excellent sound. Let's just claim Hattie Littles, the queen of Detroit Blues or Queen of Black Bottom Blues & Soul. She was rough and My Black Belt doesn't disappoint. LaBrenda Ben was another singer Motown shouldn't have let get away. The only small quibble I have are the tunes by Liz Lands and Anita Knorl.They just lay there. I also would have chosen Brenda Holloway's Tell Me Your Story over Till Johnny Comes. "Story" has only apeared on one Motown compilation that I know of. But this disc is essential.

And may we have the alternate version of "Tell Me Your Story" with the male voice-over at the end?
Or how about a Brenda Holloway Lost & Found? I know that we received such a disc as part of Brenda's U.K. anthology, but it's been mentioned several times that Brenda recorded quite extensively while at Motown.
And lest we forget, John Lester's has mentioned that he's been itching for Brenda's vaulted Music Merchant recordings .

**theboyfromxtown** · 04-02-2013, 02:54 PM

Thank you for reminding me carole cucumber.

One can but hope that someone will put on their "listening ears"!

**noel181** · 04-02-2013, 05:14 PM

CD Japan is listing Finders Keepers Motown Girl as being released Apr 25 2013 with an OBI
but noted that it is manufactured outside Japan. Does this mean it is a UK CD with Japanese Inserts and documentary printed in Japanese and English?

honest man · 04-03-2013, 08:06 AM

Hello people really enjoyed the cd worth waiting for,thank you to all involved ,just a little gripe [if that's what you call it] from me,i think the set could have been a complete 60s Female Motown collection if they had not duplicated Vandellas DRATS etc and replaced with Chris Clark, Tammi Debbie Dean etc ,would love to have had a complete female cd ,all in on piece.just sayin' but a brilliant cd by all means,THANK YOU.CHEERS.

**lakedistrictlad1** · 04-04-2013, 06:27 AM

I'm absolutely loving Brenda's 'Don't Turn Your Back On Me'. So far it's my favourite track.

Great to hear Kim Weston in her jazz standards mode. I know it's not evryone's 'bag' - but she sings that kind of music so well.

I was surprised at the error in the text. 'No more tearstained make-up' being from the 'Dance Party' album. How was that missed?

**keith_hughes** · 04-04-2013, 01:41 PM

Incompetence, sheer blithering incompetence.

**lakedistrictlad1** · 04-04-2013, 01:53 PM

Haha. You are completely forgiven. Were only human, most of us.

**carole cucumber** · 04-05-2013, 01:29 PM

Keith,
A couple of things I haven't seen addressed here yet.
The cd case back cover states that 4 tracks were mixed /edited by Richard Hughes. Tracks 2 and 16 have already seen release, so I assume that it's either or both of the 2 remaining tracks [['Do You Know What I'm Talkin' About' and/or 'Build Him Up') that was/were edited. In what fashion? Was there studio chatter before/after the song[[s) that was not incorporated for this cd? Was/were sections of the song[[s) unusable or not up to par with the part[[s) used?
The write-up for the Andantes states that "Ann Bogan.... was called upon in the late 60's '...to replace Gladys Horton as lead singer of the Marvelettes. And yet 'Forever More The Complete Motown Albums Vol 2 , with its bonus Lost & Found disc, shows Ann as having been given the lead vocal role on 4 songs while a Marvelette. Are you hinting that Ann was given the impression or told outright that she would be the lead singer or at least, co-lead with Wanda, a fact that doesn't seem to have panned out ?

**carole cucumber** · 04-05-2013, 01:49 PM

Oh, one more remark.... I love the very clever, hard-hitting karate chop opening to My Black Belt and the outro "Im gonna hit you so hard you gonna forget where you came from and I'm gonna hit you so hard, so hard.
Please find a way to give us more Hatttie Littles recordings from the vault.

**Roger Polhill** · 04-05-2013, 06:07 PM

Many thanks to all involved. I`m really enjoying it and my only disappointment is that it isn`t Volume One. Please Keith get those other tracks out soon. I`ll buy anything that is still in the vaults.

**keith_hughes** · 04-06-2013, 04:36 AM

Goodness, Carole, let me see if I can remember ... as I said above, this all happened when we we were running down the Eddie Holland tracks nearly two years ago: I remember the sixties better than what went on then ...

Eddie's "Pretty Little Angel" was only available in multi-track form, so we asked Richard to mix that one for us. "Do You Know What ..." was on the same reel, so we got him to do that one too. The m/t for "Build Him Up" had been pulled for the Vandellas' 50th set, but Universal didn't have room for it, so kindly passed it to us, and that was added to his pile. Likewise, Universal had a rough rundown for "Grass Is Always Greener", intended for "Forever More", but kindly passed us that one too: it needed tidying up. Finally, "No More ..." hadn't been released digitally in mono before, so it needed its hair brushed and its teeth cleaned before it was fit to appear in public.

As to what else went down there that week - why my pix of the tape boxes didn't come out, how Andy Skurow carried 21 tapes at once, what Mick said when he heard the Gawell Sisters' tracks, and what we all ordered at the Chinese dinner at the sessions end - these will have to await my forthcoming autobiography!

I didn't mean to imply anything whatever about Ann Bogan's career ...

Best
Keith

**144man** · 04-10-2013, 06:18 PM

I'm not disappointed with the unreleased tracks, though I can see the Liz Lands might not be to everybody's taste. I like its inclusion because it's the only way we're going to hear tracks like this, and it gives the CD more variety.

I particularly like the LInda Griner track. It has that Clarence Paul dreamlike quality.

**brother_love** · 04-11-2013, 12:20 PM

Brenda's track of "Till Johnny Comes" sounds much brighter on this Cd. The background vocals are more prominent than of The Very Best of collection from 1999 or the 2005 Motown Anthology. The new mix on this Cd is like getting a new Brenda track.

I'm really enjoying this Cd great work Keith!

**roger** · 04-19-2013, 07:07 AM

I'm a bit late here, as I only got my copy yesterday ..

I'm enjoying it all, especially the previously unreleased tracks.

I was actually dreading hearing the ANITA KNORL track, due to the negative comments I'd heard about it, but ended up enjoying it as well .. to me parts of the arrangement sound very similar that on "Should I Tell Them" by THE VELVELETTES.

Another curio is the LABRENDA BEN track "Do You Know What I'm Talking About" as to me it sounds like parts of the arrangement for that track were lifted for use on "I Want My Baby Back" by EDWIN STARR some two or three years later .. play them back to back and you should see what I mean.

Definitely preferable to spending my money on a hamburger ...

Roger

**Kamasu_Jr** · 04-19-2013, 07:38 PM

Stevie Wonder also recorded I Want My Baby Back [[before Edwin Starr) using the same rhythm track as LaBrenda Ben.

**roger** · 04-20-2013, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

Stevie Wonder also recorded I Want My Baby Back [[before Edwin Starr) using the same rhythm track as LaBrenda Ben.

I'd totally forgotten about that version of "I Want My Baby Back" Kamasu, so thanks for reminding me.

I've just dug out my version of the STEVIE WONDER version [[on the "Uptight" L.P.) and played it back-to-back with the LABRENDA BEN song and it's a bit difficult for me to determine whether they actually are using the exact same recording, as on Stevie's version there is a whole load of extra percussion, but it is obviously the missing link.

I'm currently listening to "My Black Belt" by HATTIE LITTLES .. interesting lyrics .. I wonder what the radio stations would have made of it if it had been released back in the day!!

Roger