Motown Treasures

Thanks for the insight Paul

The great uncle of Hermon Lemon, who wrote ‘No Greater Love’, was Berry Gordy, Sr. Super interesting that The Mynah Birds recorded a Gospel song at their 1965 audition.

‘No Greater Love’ went on to be recorded by The Hermon Lemon Singers for their 1966 album on the Savoy label. Howard says at Motown the song was then recorded by the Voices of Tabernacle, and later by Marvin Gaye.

Do you know if the 2018 ‘In Loving Memory’ expanded edition with Marvin Gaye’s 1968ish version -  without the 1986 (crowded) overdubs - is the original of the song with just piano and organ? If so, what instruments, if anything, from The Mynah Birds were played in 1965, and/or migrated to the Marvin Gaye recording? I can only hear piano and organ, which I assume were played by Howard Lemon. He played piano from age 5!

So all other recordings were just the instrumentals of songs they were putting together over their week-long studio booking . What an album that could have been. And so the additional Motown vocals revert to the stuff of Motown Legend.

The 1967 Underdogs version of ‘It’s My Time’ was so close to The Mynah Birds original, I thought it was the same backing track. Underdogs vocalist Dave Whitehouse copies Rick’s vocal phrase for phrase. It remains a great song that could be adapted in many ways even today.

Thanks again for sharing knowledge

Marvin Gaye - No Greater Love (2018 release)