Martha Reeves and The Vandellas Complete Singles

[cheekylincs]

Any news of the complete track listing for Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Complete Singles yet - it's less than a month away but still no sign!!

[cheekylincs]

Just found this!!

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/hmv/5302508.html

[kenneth]

Interesting find...but where's the third "lost and found" disc???

[cheekylincs]

Interesting find...but where's the third "lost and found" disc???

I think they forgot about that one but there is a thread on Soulful Detroit that gives us a clue as to what is on the third disc - see 'Thank You Harry [[Preview of Martha Reeves & the Vandellas) partial' thread on page 2

[kenneth]

I think they forgot about that one but there is a thread on Soulful Detroit that gives us a clue as to what is on the third disc - see 'Thank You Harry [[Preview of Martha Reeves & the Vandellas) partial' thread on page 2

Well, keep your sharp eye peeled for the complete list. Thanks for the pointer to the other thread. I know it will be a great set. I've ordered mine already from ImportCDs which has it for $39.99, the best price I found so far thanks to someone else on this forum. Thanks again!

[carole cucumber]

I just revisited the site and utilized a translator.
The write-up says that cd 3 has 27 bonus tracks. Obviously we'll be receiving more unreleased tracks than originally hinted at by Harry Weinger. To paraphrase, Harry & team's love of Martha & the Vandellas will make it all worthwhile.

[kenneth]

Good job, Carole! Sounds like a great release.

I'm still hoping for that Copa concert to get released sometime. I imagine we'll see it sooner or later. Hip-O always has great plans for its future releases.

[Kamasu_Jr]

I've not seen any good sale prices on this. Deep Discount has it at around $52.00.

[no_place_like_motown]

I've not seen any good sale prices on this. Deep Discount has it at around $52.00.

Import CDs always has good pre-order prices; they have the lowest price I've seen:

http://www.importcds.com/music/25567...ection-1964-72

[lakedistrictlad1]

It's only 3 weeks until release day and STILL no track listing? Come on guys....let's have a track list please!

[cheekylincs]

It's only 3 weeks until release day and STILL no track listing? Come on guys....let's have a track list please!

Not sure what the problem is releasing the track listing - as you say it's only supposed to be three weeks away so surely it's not going to change now unless the release date is going to be put back which I think will be doubtful! I would have thought if the scheduled release date is still the same they would be ready to go to print as such and all the tracks and running order would have been decided weeks ago!!

[cheekylincs]

It's only 3 weeks until release day and STILL no track listing? Come on guys....let's have a track list please!

No tracklisting yet but you may find this interesting!!

http://www.importcds.com/music/25567...ection-1964-72

Interesting to see there is an alternate version of I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playing with Martha singing lead on the chorus rather than the version that was released with Syreeta sing lead on the chorus!!

[carole cucumber]

A peek inside the booklet, thanks to Harry Weinger:

[carole cucumber]

[cheekylincs]

A peek inside the booklet, thanks to Harry Weinger:

Thank you so much for posting these pictures carole - so excited about this release

[kenneth]

Wow "Ode to Billie Joe." That looks like a 45 pic sleeve repro, but I'd never heard the Vandellas sing that song. Maybe that's one of the vault tracks? Martha's voice would seem very well suited to that song. Anxious to hear it!

[hwume]

"Ode To Billie [sic] Joe" is not on the 45 collection. That's a true Japanese sleeve from a collection, and I haven't actually listened to the flip side.

The set includes all Martha/Vandellas U.S. singles, plus the Spanish language cuts, then five alternates of four known songs [[also "to be revealed"), then 23 true never-before-heard tracks from the vault.

Pre-sale at Select goes up this Friday 3/15.

[carole cucumber]

Harry,

It's quite likely it's their live performance from the 1968 Tamla Motown Festival in Tokyo. It wouldn't surprise me if both the A -side 'Love Bug, Leave My Heart Alone' and the B-side, 'Ode To Billie Jo' of the single were live recordings from the festival.

TAMLA MOTOWN FESTIVAL, TOKYO 1968.
SJET-8040]LP.
SIDE #2: [[MARTHA, ROSALIND & LOIS):
NOWHERE TO RUN
LOVE BUG LEAVE MY HEART ALONE
JIMMY MACK
ODE TO BILLIE JOE
I'M READY FOR LOVE
HONEY CHILE
DANCING IN THE STREET/I CAN'T HELP MYSELF [medley]
--

[carole cucumber]

No tracklisting yet but you may find this interesting!!

http://www.importcds.com/music/25567...ection-1964-72

Interesting to see there is an alternate version of I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playing with Martha singing lead on the chorus rather than the version that was released with Syreeta sing lead on the chorus!!

The same editorial review is now posted on Amazon.com and there is also one for the Four Tops collection as well.
There is mention of a new stereo single mix of 'Jimmy Mack' by Obie O'Brien.

[kenneth]

Harry,

It's quite likely it's their live performance from the 1968 Tamla Motown Festival in Tokyo. It wouldn't surprise me if both the A -side 'Love Bug, Leave My Heart Alone' and the B-side, 'Ode To Billie Jo' of the single were live recordings from the festival.

TAMLA MOTOWN FESTIVAL, TOKYO 1968.
SJET-8040]LP.
SIDE #2: [[MARTHA, ROSALIND & LOIS):
NOWHERE TO RUN
LOVE BUG LEAVE MY HEART ALONE
JIMMY MACK
ODE TO BILLIE JOE
I'M READY FOR LOVE
HONEY CHILE
DANCING IN THE STREET/I CAN'T HELP MYSELF [medley]
--

Carole,

Was this a multi-volume series or a single LP? I'm assuming it was Japanese issue only.

Who was on Side !?

Thanks...you're a wealth of information.

Kenneth

[carole cucumber]

http://lyrics.wikia.com/Stevie_Wonde...'68_[[1968)

Side 1 and cover. It was a single lp. And regrettably, no, I do not have a copy .

[kenneth]

http://lyrics.wikia.com/Stevie_Wonde...'68_[[1968)

Side 1 and cover. It was a single lp. And regrettably, no, I do not have a copy .

Thanks! I wish we both had one!

[johnny_raven]

I have a copy that I found on E-bay years ago. Stevie Wonder is on the other side. I think I sent a copy to Harry W. after Hip-O Select began. The Stevie tracks appeared on his download only STEVIE WONDER COMPLETE. I "wonder" if that's where they got it from as the download sounds like it's from an LP source.

[jillfoster]

Now THIS is something to be truly excited about!

[kenneth]

I have a copy that I found on E-bay years ago. Stevie Wonder is on the other side. I think I sent a copy to Harry W. after Hip-O Select began. The Stevie tracks appeared on his download only STEVIE WONDER COMPLETE. I "wonder" if that's where they got it from as the download sounds like it's from an LP source.

Leave it to you...I thought I had a lot but I'm convinced you must have everything Motown!

[George Solomon]

I posted this on another thread but thought I'd repeat it here as well:

It's true, many of the biggest fans have the music. And if you collected TCMS you have the original single mixes of the A and B sides. I think for the collector these are beautiful packages. It's a bit like buying a coffee table book of the artist. These are produced as loving tributes to the artist and we try to use the rarest single sleeves we can find. Certainly in the case of The Supremes & Martha packages there have never been so many beautiful picture sleeves assembled with many reproduced full size. Martha's set has the added bonus of having the great unreleased songs and they sound fantastic in stereo. Martha deserves a box set of this caliber and I hope her many fans love it as much as I do!

[hwume]

Amazon beat us to the pre-sale info:

http://www.amazon.com/50th-Anniversa...+the+vandellas

And George was the great mastermind behind the pic sleeves and pointing us to the unreleased songs.

[jillfoster]

I posted this on another thread but thought I'd repeat it here as well:

It's true, many of the biggest fans have the music. And if you collected TCMS you have the original single mixes of the A and B sides. I think for the collector these are beautiful packages. It's a bit like buying a coffee table book of the artist. These are produced as loving tributes to the artist and we try to use the rarest single sleeves we can find. Certainly in the case of The Supremes & Martha packages there have never been so many beautiful picture sleeves assembled with many reproduced full size. Martha's set has the added bonus of having the great unreleased songs and they sound fantastic in stereo. Martha deserves a box set of this caliber and I hope her many fans love it as much as I do!

I bet I will, and yes, she DOES deserve it! Think about this... 23 unreleased songs, that almost the equivalent of three additional Martha albums. that, plus the packaging makes it worth it for me.

[alexgarret]

This will be great - love me some Martha. jillfoster - are you going to post a current pic & make snide comment? Just wondering.

[carole cucumber]

Knowing that we'll finally get to hear Deke Richards original version of 'I Can't Dance To the Music You're Playing" with Martha on the verses and chorus, I thought it might be good to refresh our memories about just how Syreeta got added .
I do apologize. I tried to copy only the parts in which Deke re-tells the story, but when I did, they came out in a very light , faint yellow print. if someone is able to go to the link I've provided and copy Deke's story in black ink, it would be greatly appreciated.


http://soulfuldetroit.com/archives/3...?1042799727#MT

[calvin]

Carole - you can copy things like that into a text [[.txt) file first, as this removes all the formatting, then copy it from the text file into the forum.

[kenneth]

Very fascinating details in the old thread from Deke Richards. It's great we get to hear from the original producers and writers in this forum. What a story!

[carole cucumber]

Now up at:
http://www.hip-oselect.com/scr.publi...9-C28DDE142856

[Roberta75]

My goodness me it look like its all sold out at hipo-select. Well done the first Lady of Motown Records Dr Martha Reeves.

Roberta

[thisoldheart]

that can't be! not that martha & the vandellas don't deserve it!!! my amazon order better ship!

[thisoldheart]

... four tops sold out at hippo too. what's up?!

[reese]

I don't think they are really sold out. This has happened before, I believe. I think it is some flaw on the site.

[RossHolloway]

It's not sold out! Good grief people, this happens everytime a new release gets posted. Give it some time.

[cheekylincs]

Looks like the release date has been put back a month on Amazon UK! I'm going to have to bite the bullet and order it from Amazon US so I get it quickly after release date!! Expensive but I'm sure it will be worth it.....I can't wait another month!! Really looking forward to hearing I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playing with Martha singing the chorus. Extended Dancing In The Street.....interesting! Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things extended.....also very interesting! It will also be great to hear the original mono mix of Never Leave Your Baby's Side.... It was great in the original mix but somehow got watered down with mixes that have been released in the last few years. Well done to the Hip O Select team for giving us another great release that we can all look forward to and enjoy for many years to come

[psychedelic jacques]

It doesn't look all that 'complete' to me - it's missing 'my baby won't come back', according to the track listing [['b' side of 'i'll have to let him go'), unless this is just an omission on the website. I thought it may also have included the Vells A&B side.

Still, disc 3 looks a treat...

[Methuselah2]

**PER CAROLE'S REQUEST, HERE'S DEKE IN HIS OWN WORDS: PART I [[OF V)**

I know it's late, but its been one of those days and this is the first chance I've had to write. I 'm sure most of you are already under the covers and even down for the count, but here's the bedtime story I promised you: "The I Can't Dance Caper".

Well, you must remember in those days we cut on 8-Track. There wasn't a lot of room for error, much less giving anyone extra tracks, including the lead vocalist. The 3 guitars were mixed to one track while you were recording live, Jamerson had his own bass track, the drums were cut on one, [[sometimes) on 2 tracks The piano on one, percussion on another. So, you see there is 6 gone right there. You had enough for the group and the lead. If you planned to sweeten the tracks, you had to either do a different mix when you recorded the original tracks or make an 8 Track to 8 Track transfer and put the perc and drums together etc., etc., to open up another track. Well, let's cut to the chase . . .

The song, "I Can't Dance To That Music You're Playin'" was complete with Martha singing all the way through, as well as the 'saxy vocal break'. Enter . . . Quality Control. [[Now, if you don't know about BJ and QC, we'll have to go into that one another time.) I can tell you that BJ liked it from the first time she heard it. There was competition from Richard Morris, who was out to follow up "Honey Chile" with "Sweet Darlin'". I hadn't really earned my 'stripes' yet to be in a QC meeting. I remember, BJ said just before going in, "Take it easy Deke, you've got a good record and a good shot at it. We'll see." However, you could hear BJ and BG playing the acetates [[behind closed doors) in the hall, stopping and starting, comparing the 2 back and forth . Then, there was silence while they were voted on. When the door finally opened, BJ said, "OK Deke, you got it!"

Well, I just about had kittens. However, BJ wanted me to make a few changes. First she wanted the song to start right out with the chorus and then wanted me to change the melody on the chorus. 'Deke, make these changes, and you'll have a hit!" Chorus at the top? Maybe, but change the melody? I didn't really agree, but I wanted the release. Hey, BJ was the pro, a senior at Motown while I, was still a freshman. I had to go with her. After all, after BG, she was the boss when it came to making those kind of decisions. Don't get me wrong, BJ did have a certain amount of magic, and she was right on a lot of her calls. So, I had to go in the studio with my trusty 'safety razor' and edit the tape. After I did it, a few of Martha's lines got clipped where I edited the tape. Not only that. The phrasing just didn't sound natural. So I asked for studio time, to make the opening kick with a fresh OD of Martha doing the opening chorus. It was tight because Martha was leaving for a gig. I think it was in Philly. [[I'm almost sure it started with a "P" anyway.) At any rate, I also changed the melody like BJ suggested. Done!

It goes back up to BJ & QC and Oh-Oh! Uh, the response to the change was a tad cool. Meeting time, closed doors, etc. I'm waiting in the hall, pacing back and forth, like a man who's wife is getting ready to have a baby. Doors open, "Come in, Deke". Well, it seems like I had it right the first time. "Deke", pregnant pause, "change it back the way you had it." [[BJ had to admit she was wrong, which I know was not easy for her to do, especially to me, a kid who was still a bit green.) Great! No, it wasn't. What a drag, I thought. BJ wanted those first changes done so fast, there was no time to make an 8 track to 8 track transfer. I had to erase Martha's original lead vocal to redub her with the new melody BJ wanted. I didn't have an open track left. Anyway, back into the studio I go and re-edit the tape and put the pieces back where they were before I so rudely violated it. Now, I go to A&R to schedule another dub in with Martha. Wait a minute! Martha's gone to "P", wherever that was. Now, I have to go back up to A&R and tell them the problem. From there, I end up tangling with the Legal Affairs Dept. to get permission to go to "P" so I can redo her vocal back the way it was to begin with.

Now here' is the sad part of the story that no one, including Martha, knows. Legal Affairs, nixes the trip. What? Why Legal Affairs? Cost too Much? There wasn't a studio near where Martha was performing? She was going on to another gig and I wouldn't be able to catch up with her? Why couldn't I go and have Martha redub the missing pieces? This, I will never understand. On top of that, I keep being told, "there is no time". DJs and/or sales are putting on the pressure. They have to have the follow up for "Honey Chile". The record HAS to come out yesterday! NOW, what am I supposed to do? [[to be continued . . . tomorrow night)

**THERE'S MORE FROM DEKE ABOUT OTHER WORKS AT THE SITE LINK CAROLE PROVIDED.**

[George Solomon]

"My Baby Won't Come Back" IS the second track on disc one. That is an error on the Hippo site. There are 28 tracks on disc one.

[supremester]

You can't leave me hanging! I love hearing this story - especially from Deke - one of the most talented men ever to hit a studio. EVER. Bless YOU, Deke!

[Methuselah2]

**DEKE'S STORY--PART II [[OF V):**

OK Soulkiddies, it's time for the 'Rest Of The Story'

"The I Can't Dance Caper"-Part II

BJ suggests I have the Adantes sing the chorus on the opening. "Maybe you can get one of the girls to sound like Martha [[or like the old Vandellas) in the background." Anyway, I try, but no way. I need Martha, that's it, period. It just won't work without Martha. Well, I don't know what to do. Sure, I want the release, but it's not right. To make matters worse, they won't let me go to Martha; and even if I got the OK, sales was putting on the pressure to get the record yesterday. If I wasn't a young buck, I probably would have had a heart attack.

Enter . . . Rita Wright. Rita was working in the arrangers room running sheet music to the sessions and assisting the arrangers etc., waiting for her own break. [[Remember, many stars in the Motown family, worked as secretaries and such waiting for their chance.) She had already done a few demos for Diana. One of the arrangers asks me, "Have you heard Rita sing?". Well, to be honest, I hadn't. "She's really good"! I listened to one of her demos, and she had this little edge that gets thinner and fatter when she gets up there. Could this possibly work? Maybe if I bury her just enough with the other girls . . . Maybe if I double the girls and add just one Rita? No, then it will sound too big, to overproduced, to 'Mamas & Papas-ish". So, I go over and talk to Rita and tell her the situation. "So, do you want to give it a crack?", I asked. "Keep in mind there is no glory in this Rita, you are just playing a part." It was like . . Rita was going to be the one fake brush stroke on the original painting of the Mona Lisa."

[Methuselah2]

**DEKE'S STORY--PART III [[OF V):**

I go into the studio and we begin. I even have her sing along with one chorus I still had with Martha's voice that was clipped when I did the edit. You know, Rita really tried. I even made her change the timber of her voice in the middle of words and almost crack. But I have to tell you, only Martha can really do that. I changed EQ..while recording live. I had 3 different setups I would switch to. Believe me, no one or two could have tried harder. When I originally mixed the rough 7 1/2 ips, it did sound decent. But, I had to pull her back into the group just right. However, I think anyone would have still said, "Why did you lower Martha's voice in the chorus?" Now, here's the next cute move. I didn't mix the final record! They didn't even call me in to be at the mixing session. QC and especially BJ, knew this was a problem side. [[Note: There were only a few producers that got to mix their own product at that time: Norman Whitfield, HDH, Smokey and that's about it. Your final mixes were done without you being there.)

[Methuselah2]

**DEKE'S STORY--PART IV [[OF V):**

So, you can see what a disaster this one was going to be. Whoever mixed it, needed to know what was going on. I remember when I heard it mixed the first time. "You better pull Rita back into the mix." I said. Who do you think you are going to fool? The fool, that's who . . . and that's all, I thought

Through all of this, my gut is doing somersaults. Here we are, emulating the great Martha, when the real Martha is still with us. Now, I don't want to make this a political forum, however . . .After all is said and done, and all the stories have been told, you have to ask yourself the following:

DO YOU REALLY THINK . . . I would want my first solo record by a major artist on Motown to be a fabrication? DO YOU REALLY THINK I wanted my first solo record to stop dead in it's tracks at the lower half of Billboards Hot 100, and have a bullet on the way down? Anyone who could have really prevented this from happening, took themselves off the hook. Someone had to take the fall. I remember seeing Martha one last time in Detroit. I went up to see BG, and she had just returned from being on the road. She was sitting there also waiting to see Berry, with tears in her eyes. She didn't even want to talk to me. I don't think she was ever told what was going down. She just heard it on the radio. Swell. What in the world did they tell her? I don't think any of us will ever know.

[Methuselah2]

**DEKE'S STORY--PART V [[OF V, CONCLUSION):**

Since then I've heard stories, including a few mentioned in this forum. Well, Martha never mentioned anything to me about changing the lyrics because a relationship gone bad with a musician. If that was really the case, then she kept it inside, until she blurted it out later down the line to someone. Either that ,or some writer stared that junk. Oh yes, and the one about Rita having to hit the notes for Martha? Nonsense. Martha hit the notes I gave her just fine.

I met with Martha one more time after Motown in 1981. She was taking care of her mom and she came over and we spent the day together. We were both at low points in our lives. However, Martha had been "To Hell and Back". She had signed a couple of artist deals, neither of which were totally satisfying. I could tell she had definitely seen the demons. However, as much as I wanted to do something, I was really not in shape to help her, much less myself. Dearest Martha, I was crazy about you, I idolized you. Do you think I did this to you for my personal gain? Do you really think I had the authority to do this to you? Better yet, where did I, the new kid on the block, ever get the authority to do this to you? Ain't no way, baby. Never in a million years.

And then there's Rita. She was just a pawn in this deal. However, I'm sure she's had her share of embarrassing questions to answer over the years.

Now that it's history, I think we all are to blame. I could have stood up and told QC, "I'm not going to do what you want, without Martha!" Rita could have told me, "I don't want to be the one to play "Martha Reeves" on a Martha Reeves record"; and Motown could have said, "Get a hold of Martha and have her come back here so we can finish this record".

...and so we all came to the finish line together, dead last.

Goodnight to you all,

Deke

**END**

[Methuselah2]

You can't leave me hanging! I love hearing this story - especially from Deke - one of the most talented men ever to hit a studio. EVER. Bless YOU, Deke!

It's all here now, Supremester, in the thread, in 5 parts. It was a bit difficult to copy and had to be divided up.

[hwume]

The edited/updated version of that story is in our set. This time, though, Deke had the original session tapes to review - and, lucky for us, to mix. Whoa.

Box sets are NOT sold out. It's an ongoing glitch with product at pre-sale: since there is no stock to ship, the software sees the temporary "0" as 'sold-out.' This glitch, by the way, appears to have been sorted already. Web site now says "Pre-Sale Item!"

[carole cucumber]

http://theseconddisc.com/2013/03/15/...ct/#more-19461