To answer the original question, I didn't really focus on whether or not they were replacing Mary and Cindy etc. I just enjoyed what I heard. As a teenage record buyer, contracts, morals, legalities etc. weren't on my radar at all.

I did notice what sounded right to me, however. I first heard "Guess I'll Always Love You" by The Isley Brothers on the radio in its mono single mix, complete with The Andantes. Then I bought the "This Old Heart Of Mine" LP in mono and noticed that the backing vocals on the album version just weren't as good.

From my own personal experience, being in the record industry was like being in the lion's den. Enter at your peril.

So we can analyse and debate morality as much as we like over half a century later, but we have to keep the record industry's first commandment in mind when we do, and that is "Stitch up thy brother."

If you want morality and fairness then look elsewhere. That industry chewed up and spat out endless wannabes.

In the end, the music industry was all about product and not music. I was buying over 5M 7" singles annually for a record wholesaler, but those records could equally have been books, shoes or nuts and bolts. I just bought stuff that would sell.

Sad but true.

And that's why I ended up in IT!