I DON'T WHY - STEVIE WONDER'S FORGOTTON A SIDE

Artist: STEVIE WONDER; Title: I DON'T WHY I LOVE YOU; Label: TAMLA MOTOWN; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: TMG 690; Year; 1969; Country: UK

Carrying on the theme of singles flipped in favour of their B Sides which I mentioned in connection with the recent Shirelles post, looking today at what's probably one of the classic cases of this happening.  This 1969 offering from Stevie Wonder.

The A Side as it was originally issued is the rather excellent "I Don't Why I Love You".  Which finds Stevie Wonder in fine form on this excellent bit of late 60's Soul/Funk - and you can hear creative muscles beginning to be flexed - as the bosses at Motown were beginning to be aware of just what this blind kid was capable of.  I actually came to the song via the Stones cover of it that surfaced on the mid-70's 'Metamorphosis' set which they'd recorded around the time this came out - ie 1969 when their relationship with Decca had soured somewhat.

And what's on the B Side you may ask?  Only what went on to become one of Stevie Wonder's biggest ever hits. A little ditty entitled "My Cherie Amour".  Still prefer the A Side though!

SUPREMES ON CBS!

Artist: THE SUPREMES; Title: WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO; Label: CBS; Format: 7"; 
Cat. No.: 1475; Year: 1964; Country: GERMANY.

Carrying on the euro theme from the previous post - thought this would be a good to highlight as well. The Supremes on German CBS no less!

 The A Side gives you the classic HDH penned and produced "Where Did Our Love Go".  Whilst the flip side offers up "He Means The Wold To Me" which is a decent enough tune - thought not really in the same league as the A Side, and sounds like it would've been better handled by Florence Ballard rather than Ms Ross who'd effectively established herself as the group's lead singer by this point.

 
So what's the reason is that is on CBS as opposed to EMI's Stateside's imprint?  As far as I can tell the reason's probably the following:- Motown stuff in the UK (at least) had being issued by Oriel (up till 1963 before the license passed to EMI) and that CBS subsequent bought the label. And in the process giving themselves an outlet and pressing plant in the process - as opposed to being licensed via Philips/Fontana.  And that the Oriel/CBS licensing deal was still in existence in Europe and that Stateside wasn't at the time (1964) licensed for use in Europe.

SOUL TANGO - PART 2

Artist: THE ISLEY BROTHERS; Title: TANGO; Label: UNITED ARTISTS; Format:7";

Cat. No.: UP-1034; Year: 1963; COUNTRY:UK

Continuing the Soul tango theme from the last post, the only place you can really go next is this 1963 offering from The Isley Brothers issued on United Artists.

The A Side is the aforementioned "Tango" - but a tango done in that distinctly Isley Brothers style.  Topped off with a  great lead vocal from Ronnie Isley the production comes courtesy of Bert Berns, and it's one of those tunes that doesn't disappoint in the slightest.  Although the image that thrown up is a bit of an interesting one to say the least!

The B Side's pretty good too!  Which in this case is another Isley's penned tune in the shape of "She's Gone".  A great bit of dramatic Soul in the style of Jackie Wilson (and don't forget that 'Shout' was developed from a improvised vamp on another Jackie Wilson tune) and again well worth a listen.  Like the A Side it's one that I first came across on the compilation that Stateside put out in the late 80's 'Let's Go' which pulled together most of the sides the Isley's did for United Artists - with the exception of the one that came out on Veep just before they signed to Motown (and alleged to feature Hendrix on guitar).

SOUL ON FONTANA

Artist: BETTY EVERETT; Title: GETTING MIGHTY CROWDED; Label: FONTANA; Format: 7"; Cat. No.:TF 520; Year: 1965; Country: UK

Following on from the last post on Kiki Dee, I thought I'd focus on two tracks that were first issued here in the UK on Fontana.

First up is this Northern Soul classic from Betty Everett,  the Van McCoy penned "Getting Mighty Crowded".  Originally issued on Vee Jay in the States this is a wonderful track - and one of those on that still does it for me.  I first came across it via the Elvis Costello version which he'd put out as the B Side to 'High Fidelity' in 1980 - so having heard that and the original on the radio - the hunt was on to own a copy.  Firstly on one of those budget Soul/Blues double tape compilations of the early 80's (remember them?), and then finally getting hold of a copy at one of the first Northern Soul all-nighters (appropriately enough).  Togetherness at Stoke Town Hall if memory serves.)

The flip side gives you "Chained To A Memory" is the slower tempo of the two tracks - and rather wonderful too.  And as always well worth checking out.


Artist: THE MARVELETTES (feat. Marvin Gaye); Title: PLEASE MR. POSTMAN;   
Label: FONTANA; Format: 7"; Cat. No.: H.355; Year: 1961; Country: UK

 Next up is this 1961 offering from the Marvelettes - the classic "Please Mr Postman".  It's one of only a couple of Motown tracks that appeared on Fontana - the only other I can think of is The Miracles 'What So Good About Goodbye'.  Prior to that Motown's stuff had been issued on London, and after this it was Oriole, before passing to EMI; firstly on Stateside then finally the Tamla Motown imprint in 1965.  The song's downright brilliant - and again it's one I came to via a cover version, in this case The Beatles on their 'With The Beatles' LP.  The track generally only gets credited to Brian Holland  and Robert Bateman - but was originally penned by William Garrett alongside original Marvellette  Georgia Dobbins, and was then reworked by Brian Holland, Robert Bateman and Freddie Gorman Freddie Gorman.  Later Berry Gordy added his name to the writing credits. Confused?  The drummer on the track is none other than Marvin Gaye.

The flip side gives you "So Long Baby" is more in the doo-wop style and features lead vocals by   Wanda Young (who went on to be the long serving member of the group - lasting till they finally folded in 1970).  It's certainly more in the early Motown style that you hear on the early Miracles stuff from this period - i.e. rooted in R'n'B rather what than emerging Soul sound of the A Side.

SMOKEY SLOW BURNING SOUL

Artist: ANNA KING; Title: IF SOMEBODY TOLD YOU; Label: SMASH; Format: 7"; 
Cat. No.: S-1858; Year: 1963; Country: US.

Starting off 2014 with this 1963 release from Anna King - who was at the time part of the James Brown band/revue - coming as she did as a replacement for  Tammy Montgomery (aka Tammi Terrell).  The A Side "If Somebody Told You" is a great slow smoking soul number, written and produced by JB, and credited as 'Jim Jam' on the label. (Possibly due to copyright - as he also recorded only instrumentals for Smash within about a year of the release of this material when he was in dispute with his normal label King.)

The flip side is cover of the Holland-Dozier-Holland/Martha & the Vandellas tune "Come Get These Memories" which like the A Side is well worth a listen.  Both side and the subsequent duet with Bobby Byrd appear on the parent 'Back To Soul' LP.

What other info I've managed to find on her comes mainly from AllMusic's site - so many thanks to them for the following info.  After leaving James Brown she then recorded some stuff for End in 1965, then worked with Duke Ellington's band before joining the Brockington Choral Ensemble

THE 3 TEMPTATIONS OF THE ROLLING STONES

Like most bands who started in the 60's the Stones did their amount covers in their early years - obviously in the case of Jagger and Co it's mainly blues, but like The Beatles before them they also did a fair amount of Soul stuff too.  There's a version of Marvin Gaye's "Hitch Hike" on the 1965 'Out Of Our Heads' LP (Decca SKL 4733) (along with versions of Don Covay's "Mercy Mercy"and Barbara Lynn's "Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Going)"), but what I'm concentrating on is the 3 cover of tracks by The Temptations spread over a 12 year period - i.e. 1967-1978.

Artist: The Rolling Stones; Title: Flowers;  Label: DECCA/NOVA; Year: 1967; Format: LP; Cat. No.:6.21.407;  Country of Issue: Germany.
First up is "My Girl" which appeared on the non-UK album 'Flowers' issued in 1967. The track is unreleased for the session for 1966's 'Aftermath' LP and was my own introduction to the song - having heard this ahead of the Otis Redding version and then eventually the Temptations' original version.  It's a good version and Jagger treats it with the respect it deserves.  It finally made its UK debut on the 1971 'Stone Age' (SKL 5084) comp that Decca put out after the Stones had set up their own label via Atlantic.

Artist: The Rolling Stones; Title: Ain't Too Proud To Beg; Label: ROLLING STONES/ATCO/CONTINENTAL; Year: 1975; Format: 45; Cat. No.: 3-05-101-004; Country of Issue: Brazil.
Next up is 1975 version of "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - which I hadn't realized they'd done - and from the 'It's Only Rock 'n' Roll' LP and again unissued as a single here in the UK.  And rather good it is too - well worth checking out - as the previously owner of this Brazilian copy, someone called Vitor thought too, as he was happy to put his name to it twice!!!!

Artist: The Rolling Stones; Title: Some Girls; Label: ROLLING STONES/EMI; Year: 1978; Format: LP; Cat. No.: CUN 39108. Country of Issue: UK.
The 3rd Temptations cover they did (as far as I'm aware) is the version of "Just My Imagination" that's on 1978's 'Some Girls'.  Again a creditable cover and like the version of "My Girl", my own first experience of the song.

THE MIRACLE OF MOTOWN

Artist: The Temptations. Title: "Check Yourself"; Label: Miracle; Cat. No.: MIR 12; Year: 1961; Country: US.


Today I'm featuring this 1961 single from the Temptations issued on the short-lived Motown subsidiary Miracle.  The label issued 12 single during it's lifetime stating with Jimmy Ruffin's 'Don't Feel Sorry For Me' - MIR 1, and ending with this one - MIR 12.  The label wasn't scapped, but it's changed to name mainly to avoid confusion with Smokey's group to that which most music fans will be immediately familiar with - Gordy.

The A Side "Check Yourself" is very much in the style of the time - with traces of doo-wop, and showing the influences of the period - specifically the Drifters, and was the Temptations 2nd issued single (their first being 'Oh, Mother Of Mine' c/w 'Romance Without Finance' - Miracle MIR 5), and also pretty well as a N Soul tune. It's pretty much the same story with the flip side - "Your Wonderful Love".  Which seems to have more of a proto-Soul feel to it.  And again highlighting the impact of the Drifters, alongside that of Jackie Wilson too - not too surprising considering Berry Gordy's connection to the latter.

Have to say a big thanks to Soulful Kinda Music for their exhaustive discographies which were invaluable in checking/confirming the info on release dates and catalogue numbers - and a site well worth visiting in its own right:- http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net

SMOKEY'S BAD GIRL ON CHESS!

Been a bit since I posted on the blog - job-hunting if you must know.  Still looking, so anyone out the blog-shere based in and around Manchester/UK Northwest looking for someone with a semi-encylopaedic knowledge of music then I'm available - contactable via the email here, and via Facebook!

Artist: The Miracles.  Title: Bad Girl.  Label: Chess.  Cat. No. : 1734.  Year: 1966.

Today's post is hails from the embryonic days of Motown - The Miracles "Bad Girl" released in 1959 on both Motown and Chess.  The main reason being that like Barrett Strong's 'Money', Berry Gordy's fledgling label was unable to cope with the potential demand - hence the deals with other labels who could distribute over a wider area, rather than just the local areas; in the case of the Barrett Strong track via Anna records - run by the then Mrs Marvin Gaye - and in the case of this Miracles tune - via Chess.  Catalogue for those interested on the original Motown 45 only issued locally to the Detroit area was G1 (or with money to burn at a N. Soul auction/record fair/ebay auction) or on the Chess version 1734, which they reissued in 1966 - which this pressing is, and worth around the £20 mark the last time I checked.

Songwise with "Bad Girl" what you get is the that point where Doo-Wop/R'n'B is making that transition into what we'd now regard as Soul - Smokey here co-writing with Berry Gordy - and subjectwise the guy's having his heart broken, but still trying to man enough about it so that the hurt doesn't show - at least too much!

The flip side is the rollicking "I Love You Baby" - again co-written by Smokey and Berry Gordy - and a fair hint of where Lennon and The Beatles drew a fair amount of their early influences/inspiration from. Of course it goes without saying - but it's going to be said anyway, that both of these sides are well worth checking out!

Enjoy!!!!