By LG Nilsson (212.247.9.242) on Friday, March 14, 2003 - 05:41 am:

I have just got the CD: "The Best Of BARRETT STRONG The Millenium Collection" in my hand, a great release with all his 12 early Tamla recordings. Two songs are of special interest to me as I have never heard them before: "Let's Rock" and "Do The Very Best You Can". Even more interesting is the release date and the release number of this single: May 1959, Tamla 54021! "Money", his 'debut single' was released in August the same year on Tamla 54027 and nationally on Anna 1111.

All Tamla single discographies I have seen Tom DePierro, Reg Bartlette and others (including mine) starts like this:

Tamla 101 A
Marv Johnson Come To Me Jan-59
Tamla 101 B
Marv Johnson Whisper Jan-59
Tamla 102 A
Eddie Holland Merry-Go-Round Jan-59
Tamla 102 B
Eddie Holland It Moves Me Jan-59
Tamla 5501 A
Nick & The Jaguars Ich-I-Bon 1959
Tamla 5501 B
Nick & The Jaguars Cool And Crazy 1959
Tamla 54024 A
Chico Leverette Solid Sender Jun-59
First Tamla issue on the 54000 series. Berry Gordy's song on Jackie Wilson, "Reet Petite", was released on Brunswick 55024.
That is why the first issue start with this strange number.
Tamla 54024 B
Chico Leverette I'll Never Love Again Jun-59
Tamla 54024 A
Swinging Tigers Snake Walk - Part 1 Jun-59
Tamla 54024 B
Swinging Tigers Snake Walk - Part 2 Jun-59... etc.

It looks like we have to rewrite history here! The Jackie Wilson Brunswick story about the first 54000-series number cannot be true! I am not sure but I think I red that story the last time in Berry Gordy's biography "To Be Loved"...

Can anyone shed any light on this?... and what about 54022 & 54023? The numbering system in the beginning of both Tamla and Motown is a mess!

PS Yes, "Let's Rock" really rocks!

Lars

By acooolcat (210.201.82.75) on Friday, March 14, 2003 - 07:46 am:

A great 45 Lars. It puzzles me why oldies radio play the death out of "Money" when there are soooo many other great Motown songs to choose from.
One thing about "Money" that gets under my skin is the spin that Motown put on it being the first million seller or whatever... Marv Johnson's "Come To Me" was. What does that sign outside the Motown Museum in Detroit say?
Graham

By Joe Moorehouse (64.12.97.7) on Friday, March 14, 2003 - 12:43 pm:

Hi Lars.

The catalog number on Do the Very Best You Can is 54021. On Let's Rock, it's 54022. To my knowledge, it's the only Motown record to assign independent catalog numbers to each side of a 45. As for the missing 54023, perhaps either Chico Leverett or The Swinging Tigers were intended to take that catalog number, but due to some mistake both were assigned 54024? Just a guess.

I think Do the Very Best You Can is a gorgeous song. And Let's Rock ain't bad either. Oh, those Rayber Voices.

By medusa9e (66.73.9.234) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 09:21 pm:

FYI, Barrett Strong is still goin' strong, he has his own recoring studio and has a new CD out.
check it out....

By keith Hughes (81.77.174.33) on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 07:08 pm:

"Let's rock" was rescued from obscurity by a team of people, and the full story is told by Harry Weinger over on the Motown Bulletin Board. There's certainly one copy still in existence, and rumours of another one somewhere in the States.

None of the tracks on the CD apart from Money have been released in any form since the original singles came out (well, OK, the 45's been re-released with the original flipside a few times) and it's a real ear-opener for those who think of Motown in terms of what it became rather than how it started. Mostly it's raw, gutsy R&B.

Money was, I think, the first track ever cut at Hitsville. Previous Tamla singles were cut at United Sound, or - as is the case with "Let's rock" - at Bristoe Bryant's studio.

Buy it! It's great! Barrett was promised this album by Mr Gordy back in 1960 (a catalogue number was even allocated, according to some sources) and it's taken 43 years to appear. Well worth the wait.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.101) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 05:35 am:

Hey Lars,
a record I have had by Barrett Strong now for a while is 'Make up your mind' with a good flip called 'I Better run' on the Tollie record label(9023).
Dont know if you know it or not,but just thought I would mention it.
Cheers.
Mel.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 06:10 am:

Yes, Mel - that Make Up Your Mind is a great track, with a meaty brass section to die for, and some solid vocalising. Great record, but I've never heard the flip - what's it like?

By Joe Moorehouse (64.12.97.7) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 07:45 am:

Keith, there's a good handful of copies of Let's Rock still extant. A friend of mine who's a record dealer has sold two of them, and I've had one as well. I'm sure there are at least a couple others, too.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.74) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 12:02 pm:

Great information guys!

Yes, I know about the Tollie issue. "Make Up Your Mind" is a real Chicago swinger. It sounds like a Curtis Mayfield production. Really sharp and classy. Richard Parker is the producer of the B-side. No producer is listed on the A-side.



B-side "I Better Run" is in the "La Bamba" - "Twist & Shout" gengre.

Joe,

Is it possible for you to get a scan of the 54021 single on this thread?... and if you've got a spare copy... call me!

Lars

By Keith Hughes (81.77.174.33) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 05:41 pm:

Hi Joe (long time no write!)

I'm amazed at what you say about Let's rock - if it's been known for so long, how come it's never been mentioned in discographies?

Has your dealer friend ever seen Tamla 54023?

If you or he are ever disposing of another batch of copies, save one for me!

And hey, Ritchie & Lars and others, how right you are about "Make up your mind"! Anyone discover that (as I did) on "An album full of soul" (Stateside, 1966)? That was one of the few albums I have ever bought that totally justified its title! If anyone is moved enough by the memory of this fantastic album, I'll gladly post it's to-die-for track listing.

Keith

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 05:58 pm:

I first heard it on an old Island/Sue album called "Soul '66" so I guess the track has done the rounds a little ;o)

By larry (12.141.160.25) on Monday, March 24, 2003 - 11:56 pm:

Lars,

Your scan's are simply incredible. Thanks so much for posting these rare gems.

By Joe Moorehouse (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 09:25 am:

Lars, I sold my copy to a close friend of mine, so I should be able to get a scan. It may take a couple weeks, though, as I know he's out of town through the end of March.

Keith, no one I've talked to has ever seen a Tamla 54023, so there probably isn't one. Then again, no one had ever seen a VIP 25001 until four years ago, so it's not impossible that something will show up.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.74) on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 11:55 am:

While we wait for the 54021 scan... let's take a look at another single he recorded when he was away from Motown for a few years in the mid 60's. This Atco single is from 1962. Sounds like a Drifters song from that time...



Are there any more Barrett Strong solo records you know about from the 60's except this Atco release, the Tollie release, the two Anna releases and the six Tamla releases?

Lars

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.74) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 03:44 pm:

Here's the follow up to Barrett Strong's big hit "Money"... please notice the incorrect spelling on more than one place on the nationally distributed Anna issue.



Here's the local Tamla issue:



Lars

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.44) on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 - 07:22 pm:

I dont know if its mentioned above,
but was'nt there alternate takes cut on
'Money/Oh I Apologise' on Tamla(no54027)
and also on
'Misery/Two wrongs don't make a right'
on Tamla(no.54043)?

And apparrantly,
certain multi coloured wax bootlegs list the Tamla no.54022 as by The Miracles and has it titled as 'Embraceable you/After all'.

Keith Hughes.
One of the best albums ever,
'An album full of soul'.
Mel.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.74) on Thursday, March 27, 2003 - 03:32 pm:

Mel,

You are right. There are two versions of "Oh I Apologize". First version (Master number G2) is 2.16 long with fade. Second version (Master number DM-066220) is 2.26 long with cut ending.

"Money" on Anna 1111 was also released as a 78 RPM record.

"Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right" also has two different master numbers H-687 and H-699. I don't know what the difference is, more than it is an alternative take.

Tamla 54022 was released on ten different colors of wax with the yellow Tamla stripes design... and as you say a bootleg. Not a legitimate Motown release.

Lars

By Kegtapper (63.208.223.84) on Thursday, March 27, 2003 - 04:10 pm:

Man, you guys are ON POINT! The Tamla/Anna scans were way beyond my info found. Thats really a treat

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.62) on Thursday, March 27, 2003 - 04:34 pm:

Cheers Lars.
could you please put your web-site address up for me please Lars as I have somehow mis-placed it.
Many thanks.
Mel.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.74) on Thursday, March 27, 2003 - 04:55 pm:

Mel,

Here is the link to Seabear Studios... It is also available on Soulful Detroit's "Connections" link above!: http://members.chello.se/seabear/

Don't forget to check out the new "Secret Vaults" pages. Some nostalgia for us soul friends!

Best
Lars

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.100) on Friday, March 28, 2003 - 03:12 am:

Cheers Lars.
mel.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.29.157) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 04:08 pm:

Hello again...

Still waiting for that 54021 scan...

Barrett Strong also did some great music writing and productions without Norman Whitfield. Here's one great song by Rena Scott from 1973. Did Mr. Strong leave Motown 1973?



B-side is "It's Time To Go Now" (Whitfield-Strong) but produced only by Barrett. Classy Detroit soul.

Lars

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 04:40 pm:

Lars,

There's a Barrett Strong solo single on Epic
"Stand Up And Cheer For The Preacher" issued a few months before that Rena Scott single.
Epic went as far as to issue it in a fold out
picture sleeve but I've yet to find one.

Cidmintoy Productons was Barrett's company -
named after his children ( think Jobete !)

HAve you heard his "Love Is You" album ? -
some of the best singing he ever did is on that album which sad to say is now very hard to come by.

By Joe Moorehouse (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 04:53 pm:

Easy Lars ("still waiting for that 54021 scan..."), I said above that my friend who has the record would be out of town through the end of March, and today is only April 1. Take a deep breath, and I'll get it as soon as I can.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.29.157) on Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 05:19 pm:

Joe,

where I am it's already April 2!... and I have been waiting for over 40 years now (:-) It is not that easy to relax...

OK I'll cool down... In the meantine we can look at another beauty.



Lars

By LG Nilsson (212.247.9.242) on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 03:10 am:

Keith,

I just noticed above that you have the LP "An album full of soul" (Stateside, 1966). Will you please post "it's to-die-for track listing"? I am curious! If you also have info about the original labels I'll be more than happy! TIA.

Davie,

I know about the "Stand Up And Cheer For The Preacher" single, but I don't have it. It was on the Billboard Soul chart (peak position 78) 1973. Funny thing is that this single was his first chart entry after "Money" 1960. His third "hit" on the Soul/R&B chart was "Is It True" on Capitol 1975. His only Pop chart hit on the Billboard Hot 100 was "Money"!

No, I have not heard the "Love Is You" album. When was it released and on what label?

Lars

By acooolcat (61.30.125.2) on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 06:16 am:

Barret also had a hand in the Belita Woods' Epic label 45 - "I Just Love You."
Graham

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.20) on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 06:51 am:

Lars,
An Album full of Soul was made up of a compilation of recordings from the Amy/Mala/Maxx/Sansu and a couple of other subsiduary Labels.
It was specially made up for the uk,which at the time featured many tracks that were unavailable to obtain.

It was releasde on Stateside Records(no.10172)around 1966.
Side One.
Clyde McPhatter-Everybody's Somebody's Fool.
Little Eva-Stand by Me.
Brooks O'Dell-You Better Make Up your Mind.
Lee Dorsey-Work,Work,Work.
Gladys Knight&The Pips-Lovers Always Forgive.
Freeman Brothers-I'm Counting on you.
Eddie Billups&The Gigs-My Faith in you.
Pearl Woods-Something Touched Me.

Side Two.
Titus Turner&His Tear-Tones-I Am A Member of The Club.
Gladys Knight&The Pips-Stop and get a hold of Myself.
Betty Harris-What a sad Feeling.
Ed Townsend-I Love you.
Earl King-You'll Remember Me.
Bobbie Smith-Wait.
Clyde McPhatter-I Belong To You.

The Gladys Knight track of 'Stop and get a hold of myself'was played in the mid/late 80s at places like Stafford.

A great album,I will have to get my tape out of it,as I Was fortunate to once have 2 copies of the album over the years.

Keith.
I hope you dont mind me butting in mate.
regards
mel.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.20) on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 07:17 am:

I dont know if this is mentioned above,
but there was an album on Capitol Records by Barrett Strong called'Stronghold'.
And it featured a very uptempo track titled 'Theres something about you'.I cant remember if its another version of The 4 Tops classic or not.
Can anyone let me know please.
cheers
mel.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.29.157) on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 05:17 pm:

Graham & Mel,

Thanks for the info. Yes, Barrett Strong recorded two albums for Capitol in the 70's, "Live & Love" 1976 and "Stronghold" 1975.

Live & Love track listing

1 Man up in the Sky (4:06)
2 Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City (3:41)
3 Be My Girl (4:28)
4 Live and Love (5:13)
5 Money (That's What I Want) (4:01)
6 Moments to Remember (3:54)
7 I Wouldn't Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me) (3:06)
8 Gonna Make It Right (4:15)
9 Knock on Wood (3:40)

I just found a single from that album.



"Man Up In The Sky" is a midtempo soulful song. Johnny Bristol later recorded the same song. B-side is a ballad "Gonna Make It Right". I have not seen a track listing of "Stronghold" but the Four Tops title was "Something About You" on Motown 1965.

Lars

By Scratcher (65.132.78.28) on Thursday, April 03, 2003 - 08:57 pm:

I have the Stronghold album. It's weak. Strong co-wrote all the songs with Billy Always and they're not up to snuff. I hear the Live & Love album is 100 times better.

"Man Up In the Sky" is a great song. The Ian Levine produced Johnny Bristol version is as good or better than Strong's; along with "Cloudy Day" by Bobby Taylor, it's probably Levine's best Motorcity Production.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 12:55 pm:

... This is a copy of a copy of a copy... but still it is "Let's Rock"...



I have tried to clean it up but this is the best I can get. The strange thing here is that the music publishing company is not Jobete. It looks like Fidelit Music & Bengal Music BMI, but I'm not sure.

This confirm that "Let's Rock" has number 54022 and the B-side "Do The Very Best You Can", as mentioned above, has the different number 54021. But maybe we will se a scan of that side too soon...

Lars

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 01:14 pm:

Looks like Fidelity Music, not Fidelit.

By Joe Moorehouse (205.188.209.38) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 02:19 pm:

It is Fidelity Music & Bengal Music. Lars, I have the scans in my possession, but they are HUGE--I don't know much about jpegs, but these are over 2 million bytes each, and when they open, I can only see about 10% of the record at a time on my screen--can anyone tell me how to make the image smaller? I've e-mailed David Meikle three days in a row, but each time after 24 hours I get a failure message saying the e-mail couldn't be delivered. David, if you're out there, I'd like to get these scans posted, but don't know how to go about it. Thanks.

By Scratcher (65.132.79.4) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 02:23 pm:

Joe, you should have some type of photo editor on your computer. You have to bring the picture up in your photo editing program and reduce its size. When you go to save it, it should give you the choice to save as a .jpeg or .gif, if so, pick .jpeg.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 02:42 pm:

Joe,

... and all others here. I have been working with my own website for a couple of years now. I have learned to do a lot of things with jpeg compression and sizes regarding pictures. A scan on this site cannot be larger than 50k. Red labels are very hard to scan in good quality with such a small size. Other colors are easier. Send your scans to me and I�ll try to do my best to reduce the size and upload them here without to much loss in quality.

Email to me: lgn@chello.se

So, anybody here knows anything about Fidelity Music & Bengal Music? Is Berry Gordy the owner?

Lars

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 03:33 pm:

Joe,

sorry, I used the website link, this will work better I hope... mail link... or just write it in your email program.

lgn@chello.se

Best
Lars

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 05:07 pm:

It's Bengal - I think it was Berry's publishing co. before Jobete was organised. The Bengal name
crops up on some Gordy related discs but seems to have been wound up around 1960 / 61.

There's another publisher called Ro-Gor which shows up on some Anna releases. RoGor presumably
was for ROquel Davis - Berry GORdy.

I'd imagine that the copyrights of both Bengal
and Ro-Gor are now part of Jobete.

By Joe Moorehouse (205.188.209.38) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 05:58 pm:

Scratcher and Lars, thanks for your help--but before I read your messages, David Meikle e-mailed me and offered to post them, so I've sent them off to him. Many thanks to David! And watch this space.

By Kegtapper (65.56.112.36) on Monday, April 14, 2003 - 09:43 pm:

Joe Moorehouse-

I frequent the forum and I am a graphics/programming professional.. If you still need the assistance. Please email mailto:info@kegtapper.net (it can hold up to 10 mb) and will return them smaller/cleaner and the standard size of LARS' and the other pic posters...

Just adding my 2cents (pence for UK'ers)

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 05:43 pm:

Thanks to Joe Moorehouse for these two great images.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.29.157) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 06:36 pm:

Thanks David & Joe,

This is very exciting. "Reet Petite" by Jackie Wilson was released on Brunswick 55024... The "Motown Story" so far has been that the first Tamla issue on the 54000 series was 54024 because of that. But that cannot be true! And it is also a mystery that this record has not been discovered by discographers and collectors until now. 44 years in the dark! Magic!

Lars

By Scratcher (65.132.79.101) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 08:14 pm:

It seems even Motown's discography has some undocumented holes. 54024 by the Swinging Tigers was supposed to be the first 54000 series on Tamla. I wonder what 54023--and 54020 down to 54001 were? Mah's and D-Town Records have similar holes. These recordings were probably "released" did nothing, and were quickly forgotten.

By David Meikle (213.122.63.254) on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 06:01 am:

I think the Mike Hanks story is in desperate need of telling.

Very mysterious and ultimately enthralling.

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 09:30 am:

Re the numbering for the Mah's and D-Town labels
- there are gaps but usually only one or two numbers. It looks to me as if the Mah's label was dropped sometime in 1963 and replaced with D-Town
with essentially the same number system.
Mah's ends around 0016 , D-Town apparently starts
at 1021 - change the initial number from Mah's 0
to D-Town's 1 and the sequence seems to work.

The gaps in the Mah's numbers just might be numbers assigned to other labels that may have
been distributed via Mike Hanks - I'm thinking of
the earliest Karen releases. I'll try to post
a Mah's listing which will make more sense of this
in the next few days.

Davie

By RD (63.188.33.80) on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 09:56 am:

Mah's and D-Town Records bookkeeping and clerical work was sloppy. They didn't dot their I's and cross their T's. Songs, for the most part, were not registered with B.M.I. for clearance; so it's no wonder their cataloging system is a mystery.

The Motown finds should enlighten all that researchers haven't found all the pieces to the puzzle. Quite a few people, Hart & Shorter, Alvin Jones, etc. have all said they either wrote, produced or sang on early Tamla/Motown records.