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Author Topic: Producers  (Read 9493 times)

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Re: Producers
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2019, 03:00:40 pm »
The Originals are still a mystery to me. I'd be hard pressed to name more than a couple of singles and I couldn't name any of their albums! They seemed to lack an unique sound to make them stand out from the rest.
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Re: Producers
« Reply #16 on: November 10, 2019, 12:17:39 am »
Motown released more singles and lps by the Originals than any other B list of artist.It hurts me to even lable them as such, but they only had two bonified. major hits, Baby im for real & Love Town. Yet at least a half dozen lps and numourous singles that barely charted. Somebody up there at least had faith in them.
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Re: Producers
« Reply #17 on: November 10, 2019, 02:56:45 am »
It's the UK Tamla Motown office that didn't really give the group a chance in the UK.

The Originals were excellent balladeers and that probably didn't fit anybody's idea of what a hit Tamla Motown record should be.

The UK buying public never fails to amaze me - gorgeous soul ballads, like the Dramatics' In The Rain and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' I Miss You  got some radio play but didn't catch on. Others I can think of that broke the mould were the Chi-Lites' Have You Seen Her, the Stylistics' You Make Me Feel Brand New and Harold Melvin's If You Don't Know Me By Now - but these were a year or two after the Originals should have been having hits.

So, classy soul ballads COULD break through but not if the Tamla Motown UK office was uninterested.

SWI
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Re: Producers
« Reply #18 on: November 10, 2019, 04:48:29 pm »
That is an interesting cover of the HDH track. I had Naturally together, back in the day. I don't know how I over looked that, as I don't even recall it being on there. Yes it's time for an Originals box set.
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Re: Producers
« Reply #19 on: November 14, 2019, 01:05:31 pm »
Ace/Kent were interested in doing an expanded CD edition of the Originals' "Naturally Together album a few years back but nothing ever came of it, sadly.
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Re: Producers
« Reply #20 on: November 17, 2019, 01:54:56 am »
The group's fourth album was Definitions. There were just eleven tracks on this one. Here we have some new names amongst the producers.

Joe Hinton produced The Exodus Song, The World Can't Stop Me (From Loving You), Love Is Life, Keep Me, and Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Bobby Miller produced The Rovin' Kind and Lie No. 2

Clay McMurray produced Make It With You

Johnny Bristol produced I've Got A Need For You and I'm Someone Who Cares

C P Spencer produced Come Rain Or Shine

I haven't played this album in years. Sadly, without a record player, I can't play it now but I would love to hear these tracks again.

Four non-Motown songs are covered here and, to be honest, I do not have fond memories of them.

Interesting to see ex-Chess Records talent Bobby Miller writing and producing two tracks. Even more exciting to see that C P Spencer was given a producer credit.

As a footnote, although I appreciate the Spector-ish production on Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water, it is a song I detest. It irks me that it seems to have become a soul/gospel standard and that at least six Motown acts covered the wretched thing.

So, how popular is Definitions with you guys?

SWI
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Re: Producers
« Reply #21 on: November 17, 2019, 04:47:14 am »
I loved all The Originals Lps ...but for me Definitions was the end of the period that I loved ( probably defined as Detroit).
Each of the Detroit albums had excellent tracks hidden away, from various producers, which appeals to me.

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Re: Producers
« Reply #22 on: November 21, 2019, 05:53:19 pm »
Quote from: Mikep5 on November 10, 2019, 12:17:39 am
Motown released more singles and lps by the Originals than any other B list of artist.It hurts me to even lable them as such, but they only had two bonified. major hits, Baby im for real & Love Town. Yet at least a half dozen lps and numourous singles that barely charted. Somebody up there at least had faith in them.

John

Try this  and see if we can.get you on the Originals train..

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=AcSHCin9zIo
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Re: Producers
« Reply #23 on: November 21, 2019, 06:39:33 pm »
Yes I like that one Eric. Played the whole album but only enjoyed a few tracks.
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Re: Producers
« Reply #24 on: November 21, 2019, 09:36:22 pm »
Eric, I think you are referring to their Portrait lp which no one seems to like except me. I thought their covers were classy and slick. Marvin Gaye's the Bells and I'll wait for you , gave us an idea of what this set would sounded like had they allowed, Marvin to produce the whole set. This was Marvin's pre- WGO period just when he was beggining to get a little more freedom in the studio, and his creative juices were peeking. Baby I'm for real was such a big hit, I don't get why he wasn't allowed full control of Portrait. It would at least have been a much more even and focused lp.
It looks like they still wanted to play it safe by appealing to multiple markets. Don't stop now is the only track I don't play. Usually that's because I didn't like it when I first sampled it. I didn't know that was a Smokey track as my cd is the Japanese copy and all the credits are written in Japanese , so I haven't had a chance to visit the credits& notes elsewhere.
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Re: Producers
« Reply #25 on: November 22, 2019, 03:01:57 am »
I love "Portrait" LP.
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