By Melmo (195.93.50.10) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 09:45 am:

I know of 3 versions of this song, Marvin Gaye 65, The Four Tops 67, and Jimmy McFarland 69, but strangely whilst looking for information on The Heartbeats and Shep and the Limelites on All musicguide.com I found the following
Album - For collectors only -The Heartbeats/Shep and the Limelites 1992 - one of the tracks is down as Lonely Lover (Holland Dozier Holland) also on another album - The Beat of the Heartbeats (Rhino)
Lonely Lover is again mentioned as by HDH
NOW AS THESE TRACKS WERE RECORDED IN THE VERY LATE 50's EARLY 60s perhaps - could the track entitled Lonely Lover be the HDH track or just a track that is also called Lonely Lover written by some other person ?
If it is the HDH track then it pre-dates the other versions by at least 4 years -is this a typographical ? I think that it probably is .
Does anyone have either of these Heartbeats albums ? To check
Thanks

Melmo

By Julian (152.163.252.68) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 12:01 pm:

Probably a typo. I have that Shep & the Limelights set, I'll have to dig it up and see.

Where can i find the Four Tops version of Lonely Lover, And Jimmy McFarlands?

By Jim Dunn (24.46.200.124) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 12:51 pm:

This would appear to be a totally different track. "Lonely Lover" was issued on a Heartbeats album "A Thousand Miles Away" in 1960 but was recorded in 1957. Writers credits show James Shepperd, which is not surprising as Shepperd wrote most of the material recorded both by the Heartbeats and later Shep & The Limelites.

Jim

By Ritchie (62.254.0.9) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 01:03 pm:

It happens.... I have a Billie Holiday CD where the song "Yesterday" (recorded ca. 1940) is credited to Lennon & McCartney!

By MotownForever (205.188.209.109) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 04:12 pm:

"Lonely Lover" by the 4 Tops was released in the U.K. on the "This Is Northern Soul, Vol. 2" CD.

By Mark Speck (199.183.76.223) on Sunday, May 18, 2003 - 10:13 pm:

Julian--I'm pretty certain that the McFarland version of the song (better than Marvin's IMO)is available on a Goldmine Soul Supply CD, but for the life of me I'm not sure which one and I can't find my Goldmine Soul Supply catalogue.

It's remarkably rare, worth in the upper three-figure to four-figure range. My friend Gene Merideth told me that a friend of his from the UK found one in California...lucky bastard!

Best,

Mark

By melmo (195.93.50.10) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 05:34 am:

I think that Jimmys version is the best one, if you have never heard it then go to Sixtiesmotown.co.uk -Go to Motown Audio and at the top of the page is Stop Press you can then hear Lonely Lover.

Its available on Northern Soul Fever Vol 1 -Goldmine GS CD - 27 and is also listed as a 7 inch single and also on on of the Marginal releases The Origanal Sound Of Detroit Vol 1 dt 001

Good Hunting

Melmo

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 12:17 pm:

The Four Tops' version is the one for me.

I wonder why Jimmy McFarland's version's on
a "Detroit" CD - everything points to a Los
Angeles origin and the release date is more like
1967 than '69.

By Mark Speck (199.183.93.31) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 01:04 am:

DUH! I HAVE that 2 CD set "Northern Soul Fever Volume 1" from Goldmine Soul Supply with the McFarland tune on it!

Somebody give me a good slap! And it's right here in front of me!!!

Best,

Mark