Marvin Gaye on vinyl

This week we are looking at a small group of records in my collection

Motown's anthology series started in 1974, compiling singles and key album tracks usually in stereo and Marvin Gaye's was a prominent one taking in his early 60's recordings both solo and his duets with Mary Wells, Kim Weston and Tammi Terrell and tracks from his 1970's groundbreaking albums such as What's Going On, Let's Get It On and the soundtrack to Troubled Man.

While in the United States these were triple albums, in the UK they were reconfigured as doubles.

This is probably the best way to hear his 60's output .

What's Going On remains a fantastic album looking at the human condition and the state of society in the backdrop of the Vietnam War and was reissued in April of this year in a version that has the original mono singles versions cut by Kevin Grey.

It sounds fantastic.

Marvin went on after the Trouble Man soundtrack to explore romantic love and sexuality with his Let's Get It On album tackling straight on America's puritanical attitude to sex with tender romantic songs that celebrate the joy of sexual relationships.

This copy issued in 2008 by Mobile Fidelity and cut by Shawn R Britton is the finest sounding edition on vinyl.

Mary Wells at Motown

Today entry is around a double cd  by artist whose career that lasted many years only really flourished briefly and often is ignored when it comes to Motown's contribution to the evolution of Soul Music.

You see the people we associate more with Motown, like Diana Ross& the Supremes, the Temptations and the Four Tops were only really successful after Mary Wells left the label but during the first years it was her, the Miracles and Marvin Gaye who were the bit hitters chart wise. Indeed the Supremes were dubbed the 'no hit supremes' while the Beatles hung out with Mary and even shared billing on tour.

Motown was like a giant music factory working all hours recording and refining 'product' for the quality control meetings where the decision to release or just can the recordings were made so like many Motown artists, Mary had a lot of material, really fine material that commercially Motown had no use for regardless of its quality.

This set issued in 2012 is in some respects the replacement for 1993's ultra rare Looking Back double, part of a ground breaking set of releases exploring work by less well known artists or those whose careers spun more at 45 RPM from the master tapes so had few if any lps.

While I have a number of those cds and the periods 'Anthologies' of more popular artists, hers is one I didn't get at that given we're looking at around over £100 when you see a copy, I'm not likely fill that gap.

This set has 25 unreleased tracks, a good number of new stereo mixes of tracks previously issued including duets with Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson plus work with the Four Tops and Supremes (the Diana Ross & the Supremes group styling came in in 1967 after these were recorded).

Mary took advice, sadly very misguidedly to leave Motown in 1964 from what was admittedly a poor contract but the process took it's toil on her poor health that went back to her disadvantaged childhood and lack the nurturing environment and the pool of talented writers was to cost her commercial career dear.

Meanwhile one does need the Hits and there has been a number of compilations issued over the years.

 This one dating back to 1986 remains my favourite even if the art isn't top draw and isn't hard to find used Taking in 1960's Bye Bye Baby, Two Lovers, Your Ol' Standby and You Beat Me To The Punch  as well as My Guy, a big UK hit in early 1964 although it has nothing from the Together album of duets recorded with Marvin Gaye who was rather disowning of it.

Although there is a more recent identical coupling of these two original studio albums which are very well recorded by Motown standards, this 1986 2 on 1 set is a favourite for the songs (the albums are surprisingly solid with little 'filler' making the case for her most versatile voice taking in such songs as Two Lovers, Laughing Boy, Whisper You Love Me and My Baby Just Cares for Me.

The Temptations: What It Is? & Gettin' Ready

I'm not too good this week but one thing that has always bugged me was not being able to replace my original 1972 pre-recorded cassette of The Temptations Solid Rock with a much better cd version as this title only briefly came out in the 1980's and currently has an asking price of up to $500 used when you see one.

As an album goes its a transitional one issued just after Eddie Kendrick left his sole contribution on this album is 'It's Summer' as he felt the Psychedelic Soul producer Norman Whitfield was having them record wasn't the old style R&B with ballads they had been previously known for and to which also they felt they were guesting on his albums.

It does however capture that feel of social consciousnesses prevalent back then rather well  in 'Stop The War, Now' a meditation begging  the end to the Vietnam War with its many destroyed lives (a topic that resonates with me regarding the Afghanistan War today), 'Superstar', in part a dig at former Temptations and call to arms to those who ride on the tails of their peers getting to the top and then disowning them and their needs, plus  'Take a Look Around' inviting people to see the poverty of the Inner City.

This was issued as a download mid January 2013 but only in the US which isn't much use as I don't live there but fortunately I had a friend who was able to get it for me from US iTunes and move it in my computers general direction by the wonders of the Internet.

It sounds much much better than my ancient tape which was very compressed, hissy because back the EMI who issued Tamla Motown titles didn't use dolby noise reduction on the tape and the tape quality was such that on the loud passages the high notes no longer existed.

I also got  Psychedelic Soul a very good 2 cd set covering this period of the Temptations with two extended remixes. 

Continuing on about my collection of Temptations albums built up around 2001 liking Motown rather a lot in a series of two albums on one cd that were issued in the UK from "Meet The Temptations" to 1975's "A Song for You".

That series, most desirable in it's own way missed a few albums from the early 1970's out (Sky's The Limit, Solid Rock and 1990) that I ended up getting in high quality downloads from iTunes.

That left a classic album from 1966still missing from the collection.

This one was the home of "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" and "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" which was covered by the Rolling Stones on their It's Only Rock and Roll album of 1974.

Well this should be coming tomorrow in re-issued cd form although like most things now, I'll rip it to iTunes for listening to on the go.

Gladys Knight at Motown

Recently I've finally got around to collecting the five cd series issued by Motown UK in 2006 that features 10 albums by Gladys knight and the pips spread with two albums per cd.
I have a number of these albums some in mono as issued by Tamla-Motown in the UK and so the stereo is new to me although I'd of preferred to have mono for the earlier albums as it's that nothing in centre, with all else hard left and hard right stuff that is so distracting especially on headphones.

Following a period whilst signed to two labels releasing the 45's Letter Full Of Tears and Every Beat Of My Heart re-recorded for their Motown Greatest Hits album, they signed up in 1965 but its fair to say Berry Gordy didn't really know what to do with them.

Everybody Needs Love issued in 1967 was their first Motown album and is a mixture of songs written for them and covers showing from the get go the call and response Gospel infused style they were to become famous for.The Tittle track, Take Me In Your Arms (and love me) ans well as they take on I heard It Through The Grapevine. The first cd couples this with Feelin' Bluesy from 1968 which is all covers as Berry Gordy didn't want then muscling on the Supremes but this nonetheless proved to be great vehicle for displaying Gladys voice on tracks like It Should Of been Me (Yvonne Fair had a top 5 UK hits with this in 1976) and The End Of Our Road.

Disc two kicks of Silk 'N Soul issued in 1968 and is another covers but they were teamed with Norman Whitfield who just put another of a twist to enable the material to become theirs.with songs such as The Look Of Love, I Wish It Would Rain and Every little Bit Hurts.
1969 saw the issue of the second album on this cd, Nitty Gritty, a rousing piece of psychedelic Soul that contains not only the title track, a re-interpretation of Cloud Nine and Didn't You Know You have to Cry Sometime.

Disc three is a gem containing the If You Were My Woman and Standing Ovation albums from 1971.
The first album is a mixture of songs written for the group such as the title track and I don't Want To do Wrong as well as covers such as Let It Be and One Less Bell To Answer.
Standing Ovation was an album of covers -the group felt very much pushed back and were to leave for Buddah Records soon - but amongst the covers includes their sensual remake of Help Me Make It Through The Night and Make Me The Woman Go Home To written for by Clay McMurray

Motown 50: The Essentials

This entry is the result of Lucy's comments in the Motown 50 thread.

Where to begin? I think we'll start on Various Artists compilations that give you a rounded look at the Label and its Artists.

Tamla Motown Gold UPC 04400 163012 5

This three disc compilation of hits from the first ten years at Motown came out in 2001 with a track listing skewed very much toward the UK market where different tracks had been hits at different times to that of the US.

With excellent notes by Paul Nixon, a Northern Soul manic, this set takes on the journey from Barratt Strong's Money through Rare Earth's 1969 white rock version of Get Ready through the Miracles, Four Tops, Supremes, Temptations and whole lot more.

Many of the tracks on this set are stereo being taken from the albums rather than the mono 45's but as an introduction to Motown this sure is hard to beat and - hey! - offers decent sound too.

Motown Chartbusters. a set of 12 CD's replicating the classic UK Chartbusters albums with the UK hits on them as what was a hit in the UK wasn't necessarily even issued as a 45 by Motown USA.

I'd suggest starting at Volume 4 (1970) and working your way to Vol 12 (1981) as that will supplement the Tamla Motown Gold set nicely.

This adds solo Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder Jackson 5 and a galaxy of others including the Fours Seasons The Night to your collection.

These are all budget price so no worries about your bank balance although again most of these are stereo.

As good as these compilations are you soon want single artists compilations so I'm listing a few (!) although you may need to use Amazon Marketplace or Ebay to get them because they're out of print.

Four Tops Gold UPC 0602498327722.

Nice all stereo selection on 2 CD's of all their hits including collaboration with the Supremes.

1998's Ultimate Collection is mainly mono and is best replaced by the Four Tops 50th anniversary cd set for mono singles masters.

The Best Of The Temptations UPC 7 3145305242 0

Two CD set covering all the temptations hits from My Girl through Treat Her Like A Lady.

Very well mastered this set present the early hits (the whole of disc 1) in the original mono mixes that were issued for the 45's and which differed from the LP stereo re-mixes most of which were re-issued on 2on1 Cd's in 2000.

David Ruffin The Essential Collection UPC 6 0121597302 0

Oh but is is containing a great cross section of his recordings from My Whole World Ended from the moment he left the Temptations 1969 to 1976's Everything's Coming Up Love.

Eddie Kendricks The Essential Collection UPC 7 3145446262 4

A just under 80 minutes worth of yet another ex Temptation taking in the classic Keep On Truckin' to The Skelton In Your Closet which is from his so-called Philly albums that aren't on CD. They were actually recorded at Sigma studios!

Marvin Gaye The Best Of (Anthology series) Catalogue 315 530 0529 2

Although this two CD set from 1995 is out of print, it sounds marvellous and like the Temptations set also gives you Marvin's early singles in the original mono with excellent sound.

There are those who'd suggest all his albums many of which are available in great sounding 2 on 1 Cd sets from 2001. If you have to economize get Moods of Marvin Gaye/In The Groove and What's Going On.

Mary Wells Compact Command Performances (aka 22Greatest Hits) Motown UPC 0510-99058-2 9

Okay you'll have dig deep and buy used for this well out of print gem from 1986 but it gives you all the Mary Wells at Motown you need in terrific sound.

The Best Of Diana Ross and the Supremes UPC 7 3145305112 6

Another gem of the 1995 Anthology series, this has all the Supremes you need and the early singles featured are the original mono versions from Buttered Popcorn to Someday We'll Be Together via You Can't Hurry Love. Expertly mastered by Bill Inglot it's a must.

Supremes individual albums are a mixed bag but More Hits By (with Stop! In The name Of Love) and Where Did Our Love Go although currently out of print on CD are worth getting.

Diana Ross:

I haven't heard one CD compilation of her solo work I'm entirely happy with for sound quality and if you have a turntable I'd suggest the UK Greatest Hits and Greatest Hits 2 LP's.

If you must get a CD either All The Great Love Songs or the 1986 Anthology are the best of the bunch -Anthology being a double gets the nod for content and has most of the UK hits on it.

Jimmy Ruffin Greatest Motown Hits UPC 7 3145300572 2

This mainly stereo set from 1989 was mastered at Abbey Road London, England of all places and is a enjoyable 20 track helping of Jimmy's many UK hits

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Gold UPC 0602498327814

A budget re-issue of the 1995 Best of (anthology series), this one keeps most of the singles in the original mono and sounds great. The best introduction to the Miracles I can think of. The "Tears Of Clown" here is the US mono single- the UK stereo is on Motown Chartbusters and the Make It Happen CD

Smokey Robinson The Ultimate Collection UPC 7 314530775 2 2

A nice single disc of Smoke's solo output from 1973 through 1987, taking in Quiet Storm, Being With You, I Am I Am and Just To See Her. This does have single edits where appropriate, terrific liner notes and was one of better discs of this 1997/8 series.

Gladys Knight & The Pips Anthology UPC 7 314530872 3

There is a more recent (1995) version of this anthology (The Best Of Gladys Knight and the Pips) that has been re-issued at budget price as Gladys Knight and the Pips GOLD, but I prefer the track list of this version which dates back to 1986 from Letterbox Of Tears to Between Her Hello And My Goodbye via Friendship Train. All versions are stereo throughout - the mono's are on the Ultimate Collection in just about acceptable mastered sound.

The Commodores The Best Of Catalogue no 31453-0358-2

Although out of print this two CD set from 1995 (part of the Anthology series) isn't hard to find and contains many otherwise very hard to find album tracks by the group on CD (such as the songs the album "13").

Mastered by Bill Inglot it's worth the effort of tracking down as it sounds so much better than the 2001 US Anthology CD.

The Very Best of ( UPC 7 3145305472 1 ) an 20 track single CD also from 1995 remains available in Europe and also has top notch sound quality

Jackson Five Gold UPC 0602498801529

Just a lovely sounding Jackson Five two CD compilation with all the hits and best album tracks on it that is a much better buy than "The Ultimate Jackson Five" of 1998 although the 1995 Soulsation! 4 cd set is great too.

The Best Of Michael Jackson UPC 7 314530480 2

Another disc in the 1995 Anthology series that sounds terrific giving an amazing insight into his true ability at Motown from Got To Be There to Farewell My Summer Love.

Martha Reeve and the Vandellas Live Wire" The Singles 1962 -1972 Catalogue no 34763 6313 2

The 2 CD set issued in 1994 in the Anthology series is invaluable for offering us the original mono singles - the A and B sides - in chronological order mastered expertly by Bill Inglot. Everything you need is in there, Nowhere To Run, Jimmy Mack, Dancing In The Street and Honey Chile with top notch liner notes.

Kim Weston Greatest Hits & Rare Classics UPC 7 3145545132 0

Exactly what it says on the cover from Helpless right through to her collaborations with Marvin Gaye with a few rarities throw in.

Kim Weston The Motown Anthology UPC 6 0249831605 4

Expertly compiled to avoid any duplication with the versions on Greatest Hits this adds a whole chunk off otherwise missing from the catalogue recordings by Kim including some stereo re-mixes never previously issued on CD and many recently unearthed tracks from the legendary Motown vaults.

The Velvelettes The Best Of UPC 7 3145444672 3

The Americans got The Very Best in 1999 which was believe or not the first album ever issued by the group and that's what this UK CD is based on and some more in shape of unreleased recordings. This set contains Needle In A Haystack, He Was Really Saying Something, A Bird In The Hand and the UK 1972 hit These Things Keep Me From Loving You plus their versions of The Boy From Crosstown and Love Is Good which don't appear elsewhere. In my opinion this budget price disc is the better buy.

The Marvelettes Essential Collection UPC 73145548592 9

"Spring in the air, filled with love...". Aww that can only be the unforgettable When You're Young and In Love which is present on this disc together with Please Mr Postman as covered by the Beatles on Beatlemania and 'Second Album' and The Boy From Crosstown. There are about five previously unreleased tracks on this album including Because I Love Him (and it doesn't tell this) so even Motown fans who think they have everything need this one.

The Contours Essential Collection UPC 7 3145442592 6

Who? I hear you ask. Well these guys were responsible for the original of Do You Love Me as covered by The Dave Clark 5 and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, Baby Hit And Run and that great observation number, First I Like At The Purse. Mine's gold plated by the way - only joking there folks!

Connoisseurs Corner The bit for the more adventurous.

Chris Clark The Motown Collection: UPC 6 0249819564 2

If I said white soul singers of the 60's you'd say Dusty Springfield but this one is great, was on Motown but largely forgotten outside of Northern Soul circles.

This comprises of both her long out of print albums "Sounds Soul" and "CC Rides Again" plus a whole second disc of unreleased material. Sounds Soul has her Northern Soul smash From Head to Toe and cover of Got To Get You Into Your Life.

Chuck Jackson The Motown Anthology UPC 6 0249832931 3

Chuck was one of those people who ought to have been bigger than he was and his recordings have been long out of print. This set rectifies it at a stroke by including his "Chuck Jackson Arrives!", "Goin' Back To Chuck Jackson" and "Tears Drops Keep Falling From My Heart" albums plus some rare and unreleased stuff.

Brenda Holloway The Motown Anthology UPC 6 0249807658 3

This comprises of two of her long out of print Lp's and a disc full of singles, rarities and unreleased tracks. The albums are "Every Little Bit Hurts" and "Hurtin' And Crying" that features You've Made Me So Very Happy and You Can Cry On My Shoulder. Some of the material on disc two comes from the UK only compilation of 1968 entitled The Artistry Of Brenda Holloway

Tamla-Motown Big Hits and Hard to Find Classics

This series of discs were originally issued in the early days of CD in the States but are out of print but in 2000 Motown UK re-introduced a similar series that captures some of the big hits plus some tracks that seldom make the mainstream compilations by artists who if they had albums out at all have been out of print for decades.

Vol 1 UPC 7 3145442782 1

This one has track by the Originals (Baby I'm For Real), Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers (Does Your Mama Know About Me), Rare Earth (Get Ready), The Elgins (Heaven Must of Sent You) and the Detroit Spinners.

Vol 2 UPC 7 3145442732 6

On here is Velvelettes, Tammi Terrell (Lone, Lonely Girl Am I), the Isley Bros, The Undisputed Truth (Smiling Faces Sometimes), Charlene (I've Never Been To Me), more Rare Earth, Shorty Long (Function At The Junction/Hear Comes The Judge) and Tom Clays magnificent What The World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham Martin and John, the sentiments of which we sure could use today.

Vol 3 UPC 7 3145442802 6

This one Has Tammi Terrell 's Come On And See Me, Some more Contours, Elgins, Edwin Starr, Brenda Holloway, Detroit Spinners and Kim Weston tracks. The star of this set is Eddie Holland in Leaving Here, Just Ain't Enough Love and Candy To Me.

Vol 4 UPC 7 3145447072 8

This one has a few tracks that weren't located in time for the initial batch of three but is no rushed add on as the tracklisting is stellar.

Terry Johnston - What'cha Gonna Do

Eddie Holland - Jamie

Paul Peterson - A little Bit For Sandy

Lollipops - Cheatin' Is Tellin' On You

The Monitors - Crying In The Night

Marv Johnston - I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)

Rick Robin and Him - 'Cos You know Me

Barbara Randolph - I Got A Feeling

Terry Johnston - Suzie

The Lewis Sisters - You Need Me

Fantastic Four - Can't Stop Looking For My baby

Marvin Gaye - Sweeter As The Days Go By

Marvelettes - Now Is The Time For Love

The Elgins - It's Been A Long Long Time

Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers - It's Growing

Barbara McNair - Steal Away Tonight

San Remo Strings - Hungry For Love

Chuck Jackson - I Like everything About You

The Hit Pack - Never Say No To Your baby

Chris Clark - Day By Day Or Never

Motown Twofer mania

Just when you all thought I'd got it all done I surprised a few with an outbreak of twofer mania this month. I blame that Diana thread!!! They didn't realize not only did it have me searching the world for a decent copy of her 1980 project with the guys from Chic, I ended up chasing an early series of discs Motown issued in the 1980's. 

The scene was the purchase of the 1986 CD release, Diana coupled with her 1979 Ashford and Simpson project "The Boss" with hits such as "No One Gets The Prize". There is a basic and I insist real problem with the 1998 Kevin Reeves version of Diana namely distortion and dynamic squashing. I know some have said he didn't do this and he mastered it from the originals which were hard to reproduce on on Lp with a lot of bass and so required some filtering for LP pressings but it isn't unknown for stuff to happen to a mastering engineers work after he's done it. Anyway I bought this old disc and it, as much as it might well of been a generation down from the master, sounds much freer and expands beautifully. "

Spurred on this find, I after nearly twenty years waiting got the Commodores Natural High/Midnight Magic twofer CD from 1986 pressed in Japan for Europe. It is very hard to find. It use the single edits of Flying High and Three Times A Lady to fit both albums within the then 74 minute time restriction of a CD but sounds amazing!
I also got the Marvin Gaye What's Going On & Let's Get It On twofer cheaply which sounds more natural than the 1994/8 issues

I got Mary Wells Two Lovers coupled with My Guy from the States which is a great stereo disc and actually quite rare

In January 2010 I picked up very cheaply The Supremes Let The Sunshine In c/w Cream Of The Crop from 1986 which was pressed in Japan