Just wonderd on this and anyone who knows Motown a lot can answer this.

I wonder why a lot of Motown songs were coverd by other artists casue to me it's brilliant when you can hear someone else give another motown song a go and in many case they do it better then the people who did it first

Just wonderd on this and anyone who knows Motown a lot can answer this.

I wonder why a lot of Motown songs were coverd by other artists casue to me it's brilliant when you can hear someone else give another motown song a go and in many case they do it better then the people who did it first

Because it made good financial sense for Berry Gordy. If he already had a backing track recorded, he didn't have to pay any musicians again to record it on a different artist.

Actually, that would make a good sub-thread - Motown songs where a subsequently-released Motown version improved upon the first one.

Here's five for starters:

1 Chained - Marvin Gaye (better than Paul Petersen)

2 Tear It On Down - Martha Reeves (better than Marvin Gaye - but only just!)

3 Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) - The Isley Brothers (better than Kim Weston)

4 Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight and the Pips (better than the Temptations)

5 I Got A Felling - Barbara Randolph (better than Four Tops - again, but only just!!!)

Anymore for anymore?

TONE

My Love is Your Love-Isleys

Different to, ......................Better than?

Smokey& Miracles

Tony

Actually, that would make a good sub-thread - Motown songs where a subsequently-released Motown version improved upon the first one.

Here's five for starters:

1 Chained - Marvin Gaye (better than Paul Petersen)

2 Tear It On Down - Martha Reeves (better than Marvin Gaye - but only just!)

3 Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) - The Isley Brothers (better than Kim Weston)

4 Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight and the Pips (better than the Temptations)

5 I Got A Felling - Barbara Randolph (better than Four Tops - again, but only just!!!)

Anymore for anymore?

TONE

I quite like the version by Eddie Holland ......

I asked the question of Estelle Gordy Edwards whilst on a visit to 2648 WGB in the late 70s , as to why there were altenative versions of the same song , and she told me that it was BG's policy to do so - as she termed it " covering his bets " - in case he did not like , or find suitable , the recording by the artist that had been chosen for the initial recording .......

Here is my two bob's worth :

The Contours - Danger , Heartbreak Dead Ahead

Frank Wilson - Lucky Lucky Me

Billy Eckstine - Ask The Lonely

I am not saying / stating that they are better than the released sides , but are good alternative versions ......

Malc Burton

Edited January 3, 200817 yr by Malc Burton

'Nother handful

This Poor Heart of Mine- Marvin and Tammi*****Only your Love Can Save Me-Marvellettes

I want My Baby Back-Stevie Wonder*********Edwin Starr

Everybody Needs Love-Jimmy Ruffin

Beauty's Only Skin Deep- Jimmy Ruffin

Keep 'em Coming

Tony

way over there -temptations.........edwin starr

what you gave me-david ruffin......m.gaye t.terrell

then-four tops........supremes & the temptations

Edited January 3, 200817 yr by JMYTG

I've a book on Motown somewhere in which I'm pretty sure it gives the reason as being that occasionally it was difficult to imagine who the song would sound best with so in effect they cut a load of demos and then chose the one that sounded best. I think this was around the time of the 'car radio test' which would make sense?

I'll cheat here and offer Chris Clarkes cut of DILY(IID)

Mainly coz I'm marginally less sick of hearing that than Frank Wilson....

With the amount of titles made available via the massive Motown catalogue, many artists/artistes from outside of the Hitsville USA fold covered a variety of material such as Sandy Wynns-Touch of Venus (Marvin Gaye), and Alice Clarke-You hit me (right where it hurts me)-(Kim Weston), and whilst some were better than the original such as the Sandy Wynns (IMHO) it's debatable which out of the latter (Clarke/Weston) you'd prefer? Those two examples just scrape the surface of the numerous items given the treatment outside of the motor city,and whilst "several" would gain the "reverance " of the Nortern Soul fraternity, commercially the bulk of covers would gain release status only as its limited prize......

Two here, both from The Temptations: Firstly, their (original) version to Micky McCullers 'Who You Gonna Run To' and then the brilliant 'To Busy Thinking About My Baby' (M.Gaye)

Temptations__Who_You_Gonna_Run_To_.mp3

Due to size restrictions, Too Busy.. soundfile on following posting

Mainly coz I'm marginally less sick of hearing that than Frank Wilson....

whilst looking for the Frank Wilson version of the Vows - Tell me t'other day I found an alternate take of DILYIID

As well as hedging his bets to find the best version for release, another possible reason was good way of filling albums in case not enough material.

Two here, both from The Temptations: Firstly, their (original) version to Micky McCullers 'Who You Gonna Run To' and then the brilliant 'To Busy Thinking About My Baby' (M.Gaye)

Temptations__Who_You_Gonna_Run_To_.mp3

Due to size restrictions, 'Too Busy..' soundfile on following posting

Temptations__Too_Busy_Thinking..mp3

As long as we're talking about the Temptations. I'd like to add

"I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back)" which was turned into

"He Who Picks A Rose" by Jimmy Ruffin .

Didn't I read somehwere that Berry Gordy used to use the same backing track for different artists, yet did charge both artists for the full amount of the production costs. He was a sly devil our mister Gordy.

I kind of take Stevie Wonder's reading of All I Do Is Think About you over Tammi Terrel's.

I'm wondering though, are there people who'd take I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Gladys over Marvin's?

Didn't I read somehwere that Berry Gordy used to use the same backing track for different artists, yet did charge both artists for the full amount of the production costs. He was a sly devil our mister Gordy.

I kind of take Stevie Wonder's reading of All I Do Is Think About you over Tammi Terrel's.

I'm wondering though, are there people who'd take I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Gladys over Marvin's?

Sorry , Marvin everytime ......

I did not take to Glad's version on first hearing it , and still cannot , if and when I hear it ........

Malc Burton

Edited January 4, 200817 yr by Malc Burton

Sorry , Marvin everytime ......

I did not take to Glad's version on first hearing it , and still cannot , if and when I hear it ........

Malc Burton

Oh I agree, though I must admit liking Gladys' version a lot. I was just wondering, because Marvin's Grapevine is such an obvious improvement over Gladys' version, yet it hadn't been mentioned yet. Maybe it goes without saying

David Ruffin-I want you Back

Jimmy ruffin-Everybody Needs Love

Gladys Knight-Aint No Sun

Bobby Taylor-Fading Away

Edwin Starr-Oh How Happy(without Blinky-Soulmaster LP techincally the original version)

Chris Clark-Do I Love You

Teena Marie-Dont Look Back

Thelma Houston-I Aint Going Nowhere

David Ruffin-I want you Back

Jimmy ruffin-Everybody Needs Love

Gladys Knight-Aint No Sun

Bobby Taylor-Fading Away

Edwin Starr-Oh How Happy(without Blinky-Soulmaster LP techincally the original version)

Chris Clark-Do I Love You

Teena Marie-Dont Look Back

Thelma Houston-I Aint Going Nowhere

Despite being a big DR fan , I simply do not cannot take to - despite repeated listenings - his version of " IWYB " ....

The reason for my dislike ? The original record by The Jackson 5 : I was soured - and mentally scarred - from the first time I heard - no , was subjected to - that appalling excuse for a recording , and more so , what did it for me , was the catterwalling on it of Michael Jackson .....

Now if the DR version had been the one chosen for the first release , my opinion would be totally different ......

Malc Burton

Edited January 4, 200817 yr by Malc Burton

As long as we're talking about the Temptations. I'd like to add

"I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back)" which was turned into

"He Who Picks A Rose" by Jimmy Ruffin .

Other way around, actually - although the Temps was, of course released first (by about 35 years!!!)

Teena Marie-Dont Look Back

Teena 'why sing two notes when 400 will do' Marie, B better than the late great Paul Williams?

You are surely not serious. Either that or you haven't actually heard the Temptations peerless recording...

...I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Gladys over Marvin's?

...Me. Everytime. For the rest of my life, and beyond.

It's not that I don't like Marvin's version - it's just not in the same league as Gladys Knight's.

And it's not an improvement either. You can't improve on perfection.

Actually, that would make a good sub-thread - Motown songs where a subsequently-released Motown version improved upon the first one.

Here's five for starters:

1 Chained - Marvin Gaye (better than Paul Petersen)

2 Tear It On Down - Martha Reeves (better than Marvin Gaye - but only just!)

3 Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) - The Isley Brothers (better than Kim Weston)

4 Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight and the Pips (better than the Temptations)

5 I Got A Felling - Barbara Randolph (better than Four Tops - again, but only just!!!)

Anymore for anymore?

TONE

2 Tear It On Down - Martha Reeves (better than Marvin Gaye - but only just!)

Not in our house, Tony!

Marvin's version is faultless and far superior (IMO).

4 Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight and the Pips (better than the Temptations)

Prefer Jimmy Ruffins version too, over both of these!

Funny, innit, how tastes differ!

Bet we'd both agree on David Ruffin's "What You Gave Me" over Marv & Tammi though!

Truly Yours...Spinners.....Kendricks & Ruffin

Other way around, actually - although the Temps was, of course released first (by about 35 years!!!)

Hi Tony!

I knew that- that's why I said it was turned into "He Who Picks A Rose"

I agree with you about Gladys' version of "...Grapevine".

Teena 'why sing two notes when 400 will do' Marie, B better than the late great Paul Williams?

You are surely not serious. Either that or you haven't actually heard the Temptations peerless recording...

Not better just different.If you are going to do a cover then dont bother to do a note for note copy of perfection.Bend it out of shape a bit and come up with something alternative.Hers has some crisp drumming and a sublime sax break.Ill take both whilst more or less agreeing with you about P.W.,yet its unfair to compare a precision crafted ballad with a loose dance groove.

Bobby Taylor's version of I heard it through the Grapevine is pretty good.

Was the Isley's Take me in your arms a B side or is it just hard to find?

Cheers Tony

He Who Picks A Rose which Edwin Starr did wasn't a bad version either.

This Old Heart of Mine - Tammi Terrell was a different way of doing it but nice version