If I were BG

[marybrewster]

In regards to covers, do you think that the reason the Supremes, and Motown artists in general, recorded so many covers of each others hits, was so that the writers and producers could take from the cookie jar?

You've got three 4 Tops covers, which were hits on the Four Tops album, the Four Tops Second album, and the On Top album. HDH made a few bucks off those LPS. Then A Go Go comes out, and HDH makes a few more bucks off the same songs.

[sup_fan]

In regards to covers, do you think that the reason the Supremes, and Motown artists in general, recorded so many covers of each others hits, was so that the writers and producers could take from the cookie jar?

You've got three 4 Tops covers, which were hits on the Four Tops album, the Four Tops Second album, and the On Top album. HDH made a few bucks off those LPS. Then A Go Go comes out, and HDH makes a few more bucks off the same songs.

absolutely. even if it wasn't the original producer. like how Frank Wilson did the cover on This Old Heart of Mine on A Go Go. it all went back to Jobete. so there was certainly an internal emphasis on using the extensive Motown catalog for covers.

A Go Go clearly sold over a million copies in its initial release. 10 of the 12 songs were motown songs so all of that money stayed within the walls of motown. why pay it to other outside sources if you don't have to. and the motown catalog was so large and popular.

[reese]

absolutely. even if it wasn't the original producer. like how Frank Wilson did the cover on This Old Heart of Mine on A Go Go. it all went back to Jobete. so there was certainly an internal emphasis on using the extensive Motown catalog for covers.

A Go Go clearly sold over a million copies in its initial release. 10 of the 12 songs were motown songs so all of that money stayed within the walls of motown. why pay it to other outside sources if you don't have to. and the motown catalog was so large and popular.

Motown certainly did more than its share of in-house covers. But they certainly did a lot of covers of outside material as well. Look at the Vandellas' HEAT WAVE album on which there is only one Jobete selection. Or the Marvelettes' covers of MESSAGE TO MICHAEL. And of course, the Supremes did covers of such hits as ODE TO BILLIE JOE, WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW, A LOVER'S CONCERTO and too many more to name.

But that was the way the record business was back then on most labels. I gather it was seen as an attention-getter and potential sales enticement if an act did a cover of a recent hit, whatever the source. If you look at most of Aretha's big Atlantic albums, there are as many covers as originals, if not more.