Martha & The Vandellas - 'Undecided Lover' Q

[lakedistrictlad1]

When the album 'From the Vaults' came out in 1979 - I was so excited about hearing this collection of 'new' classic Motown tracks.

The one track that left me rather underwhelmed was 'Undecided Lover'

It's an early track that is nowhere near the classic Motown sound - and just sounds really 3rd rate to me.

Now all these years later, after being treated to SO many fantastic vault tracks on Martha & The Vandellas - I can't help wondering why - of all tracks - was 'Undecided Lover' chosen for the album when there were so many more better recordings to choose.

I guess this is a question for robb_k - and I hope I haven't caused offence in giving this track the thumbs down. It's only personal after all. I'm just intrigued to know the story behind this track being chosen.

[144man]

I've always liked "Undecided Lover". How do you feel about other tracks from 1962?

[lakedistrictlad1]

There's a lot I really like from 1962. But there is also a fair amount I find difficult to listen to.

For example, I've played 'You just wouldn't listen' from the new Martha Vandellas 50th set over and over. I love that track.

It's all just personal.

Still, I find it odd that a 1962 track [[Undecided Lover) should be chosen for a 12 track album release when there were dozens and dozens of recordings that represent 'the Motown sound' better.

[kenneth]

I also like "Undecided Lover." It's offbeat for sure, almost jazzy, with an odd tempo. But I definitely like the track a lot and always have.

I remember how excited I was when "From the Vaults" came out. I couldn't believe we were actually hearing formerly unreleased tracks from the great Motown groups. I loved the cover art, too. I think this was the album that had mock-up 45s on the back cover in the style from the era in which the songs would have been released.

Looking at the Hip-O list in another thread, how amazing that we've been treated to so much great music, much of it never released before. The saddest day will be when there's nothing left in the vaults! I suppose it has to happen eventually!

[RossHolloway]

I also like "Undecided Lover." It's offbeat for sure, almost jazzy, with an odd tempo. But I definitely like the track a lot and always have.

I remember how excited I was when "From the Vaults" came out. I couldn't believe we were actually hearing formerly unreleased tracks from the great Motown groups. I loved the cover art, too. I think this was the album that had mock-up 45s on the back cover in the style from the era in which the songs would have been released.

Looking at the Hip-O list in another thread, how amazing that we've been treated to so much great music, much of it never released before. The saddest day will be when there's nothing left in the vaults! I suppose it has to happen eventually!

Well that has already happened with certain artist: Carolyn Crawford, Mary Wells, THe 60's Supremes, The Marvelettes, The Isley Brothers, The Miracles, Jr. Walker, Tammi Terrell. As a fan, I've been in HOG HEAVEN the past 20+ years.

[Motown4Ever518]

I also like "Undecided Lover." It's offbeat for sure, almost jazzy, with an odd tempo. But I definitely like the track a lot and always have.

I remember how excited I was when "From the Vaults" came out. I couldn't believe we were actually hearing formerly unreleased tracks from the great Motown groups. I loved the cover art, too. I think this was the album that had mock-up 45s on the back cover in the style from the era in which the songs would have been released.

Looking at the Hip-O list in another thread, how amazing that we've been treated to so much great music, much of it never released before. The saddest day will be when there's nothing left in the vaults! I suppose it has to happen eventually!

Say it isn't so Kenneth!!!!! My calculation is that running 24/7, seven days a week, 12 finished songs a day is 84 songs a week recorded, times 52 weeks in a year, which comes to 4,368 songs a year just looking at the peak 64-67 years, we are talking 17,472 songs. I am of course kidding around as usual, but there is still I suspect stuff in the vaults, the problem is that a lot of it that is left methinks, is not only unreleased and except to their parents unknown artists.

[robb_k]

I like "Undecided Lover" a lot, but there were other Martha and The Vandellas' cuts I'd rather have had put in Volume 1. We assumed there would be at LEAST 5 LPs in the series. So, we didn't want to put all the "best" cuts [[or our favourite cuts) all on Volume 1. Little did we know that that first LP would be the only one issued.

I, myself, wanted "Spellbound" on Volume 1. But Tom [[DePierro) wanted "Undecided Lover" -I gave in on that one because he gave in on "Cry" by The Monitors [[Majestics)-which I wanted badly. People need to remember [[or find out) that the "From The Vaults" project was planned for AT LEAST 5 LPs [[with a reasonable possibility of 10 being issued IF sales would have gone well). We had lists with the cuts proposed for Volumes 1 through 5. Unfortunately, I don't have those lists. They may have been tossed out after the project was junked. You must also realise that we had not gone through the entire Vaults by the time Volume 1 was ready for pressing. That was an on-going effort. I can tell you that we had "Suspicion" by The Originals, "Spellbound" by Martha and The Vandellas, "A Tear From A Woman's Eye"-Temptations, "You've Got To Pay Bills"-Miracles, "Any Girl In Love" by Kim Weston, "In The Neighborhood"-Jimmy Ruffin, "The Grass Seems Greener"-Marvelettes, "Love Is Good" -Velvelettes, "You've Changed Me" -Brenda Holloway. "Words"- Monitors [[Majestics), "For The Love of Mike"-Patrice Holloway, "Until You Came Along"-Carolyn Crawford, "Tears, Nobody and A Smile"-Serenaders all slated for Volumes 2 and 3.

[kenneth]

Well that has already happened with certain artist: Carolyn Crawford, Mary Wells, THe 60's Supremes, The Marvelettes, The Isley Brothers, The Miracles, Jr. Walker, Tammi Terrell. As a fan, I've been in HOG HEAVEN the past 20+ years.

Ah yes...sad to see those names on the list. But I wonder how much Temptations and Tops there are still to be had.

I love many other kinds of music, but there's nothing like Motown. Probably because the first LP I ever bought was "16 Original Big Hits Vol. 5" followed shortly after by "Martha and the Vandellas Greatest Hits" and "Marvelettes Greatest Hits." Nothing like your first love, as they say!

[RossHolloway]

Ah yes...sad to see those names on the list. But I wonder how much Temptations and Tops there are still to be had.

I love many other kinds of music, but there's nothing like Motown. Probably because the first LP I ever bought was "16 Original Big Hits Vol. 5" followed shortly after by "Martha and the Vandellas Greatest Hits" and "Marvelettes Greatest Hits." Nothing like your first love, as they say!

Wasn't it written in the Four Tops Lost & Found set that the well was also dry on unreleased Four Top tracks? I can't recall if it was just music they recorded during the 60's or also included the 70's.