By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 04:25 am:

What can people here tell me about the above group.
At present their (brill) version of the old Jnr Walker tune "What Does It Take" is doing the rounds in the UK on CD-R. To say their interpretation is totally different to Jnr's is a massive understatement (theirs -- which has a lot more vocal lines -- has a quite doo-wop feel to it, but I don't think it is an early recording).

By Weldon A. Mc Dougal III (68.80.162.3) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 06:41 am:

Hi JS, Hearts Of Stone are from Philadelphia,they are still singing,they are the best doo-wop group here in Philly today,
WELDON

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 08:27 am:

Weldon,
How come they were signed by Motown (VIP label releases) if they were Philly based.
How come no local label wanted em or did you snap em up for Motown ??

By John Barry Sheffield (195.92.168.167) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 09:02 am:

A little info about "Hearts of Stone" - the LP is available on Ebay at present for auction, but I dont'have record player any longer!

The Hearts of Stone popped up unexpectedly on Motown's VIP label in 1970 with the album Stop the World: We Wanna Get Off. Surprising, since artists like the Velvelettes, Carolyn Crawford, Barbara Randolph, the Satintones, Kim Weston, and others hadn't been honored with album releases, yet this unknown group gets one produced by Henry Cosby. The album wasn't Motown and sounds as if it would have fared better in the late '50s or early '60s than 1970. The members were John Myers, Lindsey Griffin, Floyd Lawson, and Carl Cutler.

Myers had been around, first with the Five Pennies on Savoy on "Mr. Moon" b/w "Let It Rain" (1955), "My Heart Trembles" b/w "Money" (1956), and unreleased tracks on the Herald label; the Chimes, with Freddie Scott on Arrow Records, who made "Please Call" b/w "The Letter Comes This Morning" and "Lovin' Baby" b/w "A Faded Memory" both in 1957; the Four Jokers "Written in the Stars" b/w "The Runaround" on Sue in 1958; and the Four Pennies "You Have No Time to Lose" b/w "You're a Gas With Your Trash," on Brunswick in 1964. The Five Pennies consisted of Clifford Curry, Constance Holloway, Booker T. Washington, and Herbet Myers, John's brother. The Five Pennies backed Big Miller on his 1955 Savoy release "All Is Well" b/w "Try to Understand." Herbert also sang with James in the Four Jokers.

VIP Records issued two singles by the Hearts of Stone from their album: "It's a Lonesome Road," a fast upbeat number with a gospel flavor and secular lyrics, and "If I Could Give You the World" (1971), a mid-tempo song with a sluggish beat that came out ten years too late. It's unclear what happened to the group after their stint with Motown, but it's believed that John Myers drifted into gospel music.


John

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 09:18 am:

So was this unissued cut ("What Does It Take") cut at the same session as the tracks released on the VIP LP ???
I guess the VIP LP didn't sell too well.

By Weldon A. Mc Dougal III (68.80.162.3) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 09:24 am:

no I did not take them to Motown, from the book Motown The Golden Years,Carl Cutler lead singer of HS: We went to Canada, we hooked up with another manager, Stephanie DeParis, we did a demo, and she sent it to various companies, Motown sent a telegram to us,they liked our music and the song we wrote, and recorded it,and we got a contract, Cutler is a close friend of mine, after Motown he fell on hard times, but he made a come back,and today he is doing well, I don't know why they never recorded for a Philly based compeny,
WELDON

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 10:32 am:

I have the VIP single-You gotta Sacrifice, We gotta sacrifice (or something to that effect)

Handsome

By MEL&THEN SOME (81.174.193.46) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 11:59 am:

Just for the record
Hearts of Stone
'If I Could give you the World/you gotta sacrifice'
on V.I.P.Records(no.25064)
and
'Its a Lonesome road/yesterdays Love is over'
on V.I.P.Records(no.25058)
regards
mel.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 12:26 pm:

Thanks Mel.
How have you been?

Handsome

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.14) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 12:38 pm:

Handsome
no sweat my friend
I've been Okeh.
Hope your well.
Take it easy buddy.
mel.

By john Lester (81.129.78.170) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 02:28 pm:

yesterday's love is over..........probably one of the finest ballads ever put out by Motown.

Brenda Holloway was scheduled for that song.....there's a story there and I wish knew it!

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 02:54 pm:

Here's a track listing for the album released on the VIP/Motown label:

Oct-70 V.I.P. VIPS-404 Hearts of Stone Stop the World...We Wanna Get On
It's A Lonesome Road/If I Could Give You The World/Would You Take A Dime From A Poor Man/Rainy Night In Georgia/You Gotta Sacrifice (We Gotta Sacrifice)/What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)
//Yesterday's Love Is Over/Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin/He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother/You've Made Me So Very Happy/One Day

Handsome

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 03:11 pm:

I remember seeing the Hearts Of Stone LP on the old Motown LP inner sleeves yet never knew what they sounded like. Now I'm curious....
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 03:26 pm:

Curiosity killed the Cat KevGo!

What's happening!

Handsome

By Scratcher (65.238.127.238) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 03:42 pm:

They didn't sound Motown at all. I still have the LP but can only listen to a few songs. The album came out about 1970 but the sound is late '50s early '60s. Henry Cosby produced it and the members of the group wrote some of the material. It's odd they got an LP release and artist like the Velvelettes, Carolyn Crawford, Sammy Ward and others did not.

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 03:59 pm:

Scrather: In the words of the Spinners, "It's A Shame"!

Handsome

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, August 05, 2003 - 04:00 pm:

Sorry, that was supposed to be: Scratcher!

Handsome

By JSmith (195.93.50.10) on Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:29 am:

So "What Does It Take" isn't an unissued cut as it is being touted as in the UK, but was actually included on the HofS's VIP album.
Thats most interesting, as it will now qualify for inclusion on the SS5 CD (not out till next year, following on from a Ric-Tic comp CD).
Only issued tracks are included on the Soul Satisfaction CD's by their compiler (BTW, Thelma Houston's rare Mowest -- on a UK LP release only -- 2 step track will be on SS5 !).