Motown Treasures

Do I get a prize for spotting that you've included "Tell Me It's Just A Rumor" which, as far as I'm aware, was only recorded at Motown by The Isleys, the version by "The Funk Brothers" being the backing track? 

As to the others ...

"Smile" .... I much prefer the "Brokenhearted" version of the concept and Jimmy Ruffin's version to me is THE one.

"Nowhere To Run" ... I prefer Martha & The Vandellas original version to The Isleys reworking.

"I Hear A Symphony" ... Much as I like The Supremes original I marginally prefer The Isleys remake.

"Stop In The Name Of Love" ...  Much as I like The Isleys remake I prefer The Supremes plodding original.

"Put Yourself In My Place" ... As this and The Elgins version use the same backing music it has to go down to the vocals and The Isleys edge it for me.

"Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)" ... It's Kim Weston's original for me rather than The Isleys remake.

With "Tell Me It's Just A Rumour" The Isleys easily did the best Motown version. 

Roger

John, since you threw a left curve by including Rumor as a cover, I think I'll throw one too. I love their version of That's the way love is. Gladys knight & P covered it , Marvin had the big hit on it ,but The Isley's was much more superior. I thought their covers of Nowhere to run and Stop in the name of love were a nice try but no where near the quality of the original versions.Put yourself in my place is one of those HDH songs that comes across as suttle and innocent. If you think about it's message ,it is as deep as Come See about me. CSAM wasn't just about missing a lover but one could interpret it as checking up on a friend's loneliness &  depression problem. Put yourself in my place really sounded the same by any Motown artist. They re- cycled the same track backing 3 times instead of creating a new level of individual identity for each artist that covered it. I Hear a symphony wasn't particularly one of my fave Supremes songs.
. I didn't hate it , I just thought it was bland compared to things recorded the previous year. With that set in my mind, at first I wasn't even interested in a cover version of that  song by of all people the "Twist&Shout" Isley Brothers. Unimaginable! I played it one time. Then again. It started to really grow on me the more I played it. What got me hooked was the sweet string arrangement. I love how the orchestra fades out near the end and just allows the heavenly strings to take the track out. Lovely. I don't want to even compare The Isleys with Kim Weston. I do think if HDH would've arranged Take me in your arms and Rock me for The Isley's ,it would've come across the same way that Stop in the Name of love/ Nowhere to run ended up for them. That said. When The Isleys covered Take me in your Arms it was arranged & produced by Ivy Jo Hunter and Mickey Stevenson. Wow, what a difference in production makes. They brought out the energy that Ron Isley was famous for. Those plucking guitars were moving as fast as the high energy bongos. This is what you're supposed to do when you try to cover Kim's song. In my book Kim is a separate entity from The Isley's cover as The Isleys creative team had come up with a new song that sounds dramatically different from the original. Not just different or even  better but Damn good.

The Isley's version of 'That's The Way Love Is' is of course the original. It's not a song that i care for but I agree that theirs is the best of the three.

Four Actually .... From DFTMC ....


That's The Way Love Is (Norman Whitfield-Barrett Strong) published Jobete 01-Sep-66

Marvin Gaye; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 10-Dec-68 ; produced by Norman Whitfield ; arranged by Wade Marcus, Paul Riser

30-Apr-69; LP (S): Tamla S292 M.P.G.
04-Aug-69; 45 (M): Tamla T 54185 A
08-Jan-70; LP (S): Tamla S299 That's The Way Love Is
Sep-70; LP (S): Tamla TS300 Super Hits
01-Apr-74; LP (S): Motown M9-791A3 Anthology
14-Sep-90; CD (M): Motown MOTD4 6311 The Marvin Gaye Collection
28-Mar-94; CD (S): Motown 530 292 2 The Very Best Of Marvin Gaye [UK]
23-Aug-94; CD (S): Motown 530 355 2 The Norman Whitfield Sessions
25-Apr-95; CD (M): Motown 530 492 2 The Master 1961-1984
03-Sep-96; CD: Motown 530 529 2 Anthology / The Best Of Marvin Gaye
1997; CD (S): Britannia 530 711 Motown: The History: A New Direction [UK]
26-Feb-01; CD (S): Motown 013 187 2 MPG / That's The Way Love Is [UK]
20-Aug-01; CD (S): Motown 014 367 2 The Very Best Of Marvin Gaye
06-Dec-07; CD (M): Hip-O Select B0010270-02 The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9 1969
The Isley Brothers; recorded Hitsville, completed 30-Aug-66 ; produced by Norman Whitfield

29-Jun-67; 45 (M): Tamla T 54154 A
28-Aug-67; LP (S): Tamla S275 Soul On The Rocks
28-Aug-67; LP (M): Tamla T275 Soul On The Rocks
Apr-69; LP (S): Tamla S287 Doin' Their Thing
Apr-69; LP (S): Motown S684 A Collection Of 16 Original Big Hits Vol. 10
Oct-70; LP (E): Starline SRS5043 Isley Brothers Greatest Hits
26-Feb-91; CD (M): Motown MOTD 5483 Greatest Hits And Rare Classics
01-Jul-91; CD (S): Motown MOTD 5457 A Collection Of 16 Original Big Hits Vol. 10
11-Nov-02; CD (S): Motown 017 190 2 This Old Heart Of Mine / Soul On The Rocks [UK]
25-May-07; CD (M): Hip-O Select B0008993-02 The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 7 1967
21-Sep-09; CD (M): Motown 532 1498 The Motown Anthology [UK]
Gladys Knight & The Pips; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 07-Dec-67 ; produced by Norman Whitfield

May-68; LP (S): Soul SS707 Feelin' Bluesy
May-68; LP (M): Soul S707 Feelin' Bluesy [DJ copies only]
06-Nov-06; CD (S): Motown 984 1943 Everybody Needs Love / Feelin' Bluesy [UK]
The Temptations; recorded Hitsville-GW, completed 08-May-69 ; produced by Norman Whitfield ; [lead Dennis Edwards]

23-Sep-69; LP (S): Gordy S949 Puzzle People
29-Dec-69; 45 (M): Gordy G 7096 B
23-Oct-00; CD: Motown 159 446 2 Cloud Nine / Puzzle People [UK]
06-Dec-07; CD (M): Hip-O Select B0010270-02 The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9 1969
07-Oct-11; CD (M): Hip-O Select B0154942-02 50th Anniversary | The Singles Collection 1961-1971

My favourite is the Marvin Gaye version, which flopped totally in Britain when it failed to get any radio support ... and there was me expecting it to be another Top 10 hit!! 

Roger