Can somebody please supply run out groove details of the alt. take west coast mispress of Shop Around that John Manship has just put up on auction?

I have a west coast press myself but to be honest am not familiar enough with the song to hear if I have the alt. take or not.

Thanks

Benji

Benji

can't supply matrix details as I don't have either version on vinyl any more, but the difference is really pronounced. The earlier version is slower and guitar-led. The hit version is pacier and piano-driven. It is much more 'commercial' sounding if that makes any sense.

The original version was withdrawn as JM states but is available fairly easily as a re-issued 45 on the globe-type Tamla label in about 1965, and also on Canadian REO. Think the REO version was issued a couple of years after the second version was a hit in the US.

I know many people prefer the earlier, rarer version, but time is a witness to the fact that Berry Gordy got this particular artistic decision correct. To my ears the re-recorded version had far more of a chance to cross over and become the pop hit to propel the Motown sound into the popular consciousness.

Edited February 17, 201015 yr by garethx

Edit.

I've decided to look into this properly as it's intriguing me. I may have given away the rarer variant of this!

Edited February 18, 201015 yr by garethx

Gareth,

thanks for all the info. Safe to assume my copy isn't the mispress

I didn't know how different both takes are but your description helped me to get a picture if you know what I mean.

hello benji,im also a bit confused i found a clip of shop around on youtube which is a/the slower version than the common hit version but its on the tamla "globes" label which i believe was issued after the tamla "striped" label version,the version i have is on the tamla "striped" label and is the slower version and has in the run-out 45-h55518 a2 plus a small 1b or ib,delta number is 36968 plus it has a stamped circle with mr inside it,i also have the green canadian reo copy of shop around number,8532x which is also the slower version,anyone got a proper clip of the original slow detroit version just to make sure i have the proper one,hope im making sense!!!,mannys shop around clip not working for me

De-to

Sounds like your striped copy is the same as the one John is auctioning.

The copy in the youtube clip is a later, mid-60s re-press.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that there are two label variants for the striped 'hit' release: Gordy is mis-spelled as "Gordt" on many copies.

Don't know if any copies of the slower version appear with the mis-spelling as well, but I'm guessing it's possible.

Edited February 18, 201015 yr by garethx

My understanding is that the slower (rarer) version was issued first, did some minor sales (but enough to stop it from being really 'rare') followed by a late night phone call from Berry Gordy to Smokey Robinson saying 'Get the band together and meet me in the studio NOW' where they recut the faster (and IMHO much, much better) version which was one of Motowns breakthrough records.

The Globe release is a later reissue of the original.

As for the West coast mispress, I was under the impression that this was only a communication error between Detroit on which version to issue?

hello benji,im also a bit confused i found a clip of shop around on youtube which is a/the slower version than the common hit version but its on the tamla "globes" label which i believe was issued after the tamla "striped" label version,the version i have is on the tamla "striped" label and is the slower version and has in the run-out 45-h55518 a2 plus a small 1b or ib,delta number is 36968 plus it has a stamped circle with mr inside it,i also have the green canadian reo copy of shop around number,8532x which is also the slower version,anyone got a proper clip of the original slow detroit version just to make sure i have the proper one,hope im making sense!!!,mannys shop around clip not working for me

The explanation is in the vid itself.

It is a reissue of the original version.

were there not in fact 3 different takes issued?

Sorry folks,

The soundfile on the auction seems to have "corrupted" we shall be doing a new 2 minute take on it right now, so check it out in a few mins. You can hear it in it's near full state. Sorry 'bout that. John

file is now mended, you can now hear this version at our site.

Edited February 18, 201015 yr by john manship

what about pitch+/- etc, that utube take could be slowed down ??

i have an original striped tamla issue T 54034 with berry Gordy Jr spelt correct & on my deck at home it plays just marginally faster then both these clips on here, now i know my ion usb deck plays a tad fast as most do so are any of them that different apart from the faster release of the day & the slower original, i can't see there being 2 takes of the slower one !!

Ian.

this copy has also been in my sales box for 5 years !!!!

Edited February 18, 201015 yr by TMG 544

what about pitch+/- etc, that utube take could be slowed down ??

i have an original striped tamla issue T 54034 with berry Gordy Jr spelt correct & on my deck at home it plays just marginally faster then both these clips on here, now i know my ion usb deck plays a tad fast as most do so are any of them that different apart from the faster release of the day & the slower original, i can't see there being 2 takes of the slower one !!

Ian.

As far as I remember the 3 different takes issued all have the same release number....

Edited February 18, 201015 yr by Rbman

There are 4 different takes of the Miracles "Shop Around" of which 3 were known to be released by the Motown company in the USA. They are:-

H55518-A1 This version is said to be the 1960 Canadian release on Reo and a different recording to the one immediately below. No Tamla USA press of this take has been seen, but the labels were pressed. There are some copies of Tamla 54034 that show this number on the label, but play the L1 recording.

H55518-A2 Released in the USA on Tamla 54034 (lines design) a slower recording with this number shown in the run out grooves.

L1 (3) Slightly faster recording and released weeks after the above was withdrawn. L1 (3) shown in the run out grooves.

L1 (1) Slight variation of the above recording. L1 (1) shown in the run out grooves.

The spelling mistake "Gordt" only appears on the labels pressed on the West Coast and have delta numbers shown in the run out grooves. A triangle followed by a 5 figure number.

H55518-A2 Deltas 36968 & 36969 early October 1960

L1(3) Deltas 37073 & 36969 late October 1960

Edited February 18, 201015 yr by itsthebeat

mine has L1 (1 in run out on striped Tamla

Ian.