Ad Libs - "i Don't Need No Fortune Teller"

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Is this modern soul 1982 classic on Passion (copy here has correct labels before anyone ask's) have any connection or roots to the doo wop group of the sixties Ad Libs, who recorded on both Share and Blue Cat labels. As this passion 45 has a male lead vocal - so maybe not.

Also is this a version of someone else's earlier song of "I Don't Need No Fortune Teller" a revived newer version by the Ad Libs.

Thanks.

[Benji]

same group. dont know about other versions of this song.

[boba]

As this passion 45 has a male lead vocal - so maybe not.

pretty much every lineup of the adlibs were mostly men.

[Chalky]

pretty much every lineup of the adlibs were mostly men.

What about Mary Ann Thomas?

Eller Weas Little as well. She was Harry Starr's wife.

[boba]

pretty much every lineup of the ad libs were mostly men

[Guest Nick Harrison]

If I recall the Ad Libs sounded very girlie group from the mid to late sixties on the Cobb/McCoy, Shelby Singleton Nashville corporation's Share label and also the Stoller and Leiber's Blue Cat release's.

Having never heard or seen there very early 70's Capitol release, to my own knowledge, then maybe after this period Karl's photo backs this theory up. Did John I Taylor write this song and was he perhaps a later or even early group male member.

Thanks.

Edited September 8, 2012 by Nick Harrison

[boba]

here is a discography with most of the lineups

AD LIBS, THE (Bayonne, NJ)

As The Creators: Danny Austin; Hugh Harris; David Allen Watt,Jr. (bass, d.

12/08); James Wright, later of The Spellbinders; John "Angel" Allen. Also

Chris Coles (bass), formerly of the R&B group the Roamers on Savoy.

Original Ad Libs group: Mary Ann Thomas (lead), Hugh Harris (tenor and

lead), Danny Austin (tenor), later of The Spellbinders on Date, Norman

Donegan (baritone), David Allen Watt, Jr. (bass).

On Share: Irene Baxter (lead), aka Irene Baker; John Allen (baritone), Hugh

Harris (tenor), Danny Austin (tenor) or David Watt, Mary Ann Thomas (lead).

Late 1970's group: Arthur Robinson (lead), aka Art Robins. Irene Baxter

(soprano), Hugh Harris (tenor), Rose Myers (soprano), David Allen Watt, Jr.

(bass).

On Passion: Jimmy Hollinger (tenor); Chris Bartley (d. 11/09); Eloise

Pennington, formerly of The Spellbinders; Natalie ?. Ray Block and Abby

Grant, both formerly of the accapella group Vintage, replaced Natalie ? and

Hollinger on Johnny Boy.

(below as The Creators)

T-Kay 110 I'll Never Do It Again / Boy He's Got It (1/62)

Philips

40058 Yeah He's Got It / Boy He's Got It (inst.) (8/62)

40083 I'll Stay Home / Shoom Ba Da (62)

(below as The Ad Libs)

Blue Cat

102 The Boy From New York City / Kicked Around (12/64)

114 He Ain't No Angel / Ask Anybody (4/65)

119 On The Corner / Oo-Wee Oh Mee Oh My (7/65)

123 Johnny Is My Boy / I'm Just A Down Home Girl (66)

Barry 3317 The Boy From New York City / Kicked Around

A.G.P. 100 New York In The Dark / Human (66)

Eskee 10003 New York In The Dark / Human (66)

Karen 1527 Every Boy And Girl / Think Of Me (11/66)

Philips 40461 You're In Love / Don't Ever Leave Me (5/67)

Share

101 You're Just A Rolling Stone / Show A Little Appreciation (68)

104 Giving Up / Appreciation (12/68)

106 Nothing Worse Than Being Alone / If She Wants Him (12/69)

Capitol 2944 Love Me / Know All About You (10/70)

Right-On 105 Dance With Me Children / Part 2 (77) **

Passion 1 Spring And Summer / I Don't Need No Fortune Teller (82)

Johnnie Boy

1 I Stayed Home / I Stayed Home (acapella) (1/88)

2 The Tide Has Turned / The Tide Has Turned (dub) (88)

3 Close To Me / Close To Me (inst.) (88)

4 I Stayed Home / Santa's On His Way (11/88)

[Chalky]

here is a discography with most of the lineups

I've seen the line ups Bob. Do you mean that almost every line up were mainly men as in 4 blokes and one female? Or all men most of the time? cause looking at the line ups' that doesn't ring true. There was female members of the group from 1964 since they were reformed from the Creators almost right through?

[boba]

I apologize if I did not write my statement clearly, which is what led to the confusion. I was never trying to say the group was ever all men. I was trying to say that every lineup mostly consisted of men, but there was almost always at least one woman. In fact the "fortune teller" lineup is the only one that was evenly split. Sorry again for my lack of clarity. Thanks.

[Guest Nick Harrison]

I apologize if I did not write my statement clearly, which is what led to the confusion. I was never trying to say the group was ever all men. I was trying to say that every lineup mostly consisted of men, but there was almost always at least one woman. In fact the "fortune teller" lineup is the only one that was evenly split. Sorry again for my lack of clarity. Thanks.

So Mary Ann Thomas can be heard as lead female singer during the sixties - yes Bob ! A huge thanks for the discography of the exact line up's. So who was John Taylor ? The writer of Fortune Teller ? Anyone.

[Guest Nick Harrison]

So who was John Taylor ? The writer of Fortune Teller ? Anyone.

Would appear he ( John Taylor) was a 1930 and 40's musical jazz musician who started the Creators who later became the Ad Libs. Must have been old if he had written and produced this 1982 recording - perhaps.

[Chalky]

I apologize if I did not write my statement clearly, which is what led to the confusion. I was never trying to say the group was ever all men. I was trying to say that every lineup mostly consisted of men, but there was almost always at least one woman. In fact the "fortune teller" lineup is the only one that was evenly split. Sorry again for my lack of clarity. Thanks.

Nice one Bob, wasn't sure what you meant, especially when you repeated it.

[Chalky]

Would appear he ( John Taylor) was a 1930 and 40's musical jazz musician who started the Creators who later became the Ad Libs. Must have been old if he had written and produced this 1982 recording - perhaps.

Dave Rimmer's site has it down as a 1977 release. I've also seen it previously listed as mid 70's release?

[Guest]

My copy came with their manager, Bill Downs' business card stapled to the sleeve.

The card has a picture of an Alsatian dog on it, as I recall!

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Dave Rimmer's site has it down as a 1977 release. I've also seen it previously listed as mid 70's release?

I would not dispute the above 1977 date or either the America Anglo listed later 1982 date. As it maybe of been outputted twice on Passion # 1 which "could" make these 2 release year's correct. Hence the different label productions - perhaps.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Nick Harrison

[Shsdave]

Apologies for going off topic but can someone steer me towards which is jthe better quality release to get of the Ad Libs Think of me ? Seem to recall the vinyl release was described as inferior to the styreen copy. Or am I barking ?

Thanks woof

[Chalky]

Either way a great record. What price nowadays, know some turned up a while back.

https://soundcloud.com/chalkster/ad-libs-i-dont-need-no-fortune

[MrsWoodsrules]

Either way a great record. What price nowadays, know some turned up a while back.

https://soundcloud.com/chalkster/ad-libs-i-dont-need-no-fortune

Popsike has one sold in June for $320.

Nice track, I have it from the excellent 'Across The Board' series of cds.

Aid.

[Chalky]

Popsike has one sold in June for $320.

Nice track, I have it from the excellent 'Across The Board' series of cds.

Aid.

Cheers Aid. Would like to know a sold for cash via dealer price as I think that is more reflective of a current price personally. Used to be a solid £500 or so but then some turned up or there seemed to be a few crop up here and there.

[Guest Nick Harrison]

Cheers Aid. Would like to know a sold for cash via dealer price as I think that is more reflective of a current price personally. Used to be a solid £500 or so but then some turned up or there seemed to be a few crop up here and there.

I am sure Chalky many would rate this as still a rare spin and very rarely seen for sale in any quantity still today. It always sounded well played along side the like's of Milton Parker, Herby Brown, Mark 4, Richard Caiton, B B Brad, Natural Impulse, Sy Hightower or Almeta Lattimore etc etc, which all demand a higher ransom today.

Which IMHO is a financial injustice for copies of the Ab Libs, should you wish to gauge or measure it by this method, as so many do !

Edited September 8, 2012 by Nick Harrison

[Chalky]

Gotta pretty much agree with you Nick. Not seen many in recent times via dealers and boxes.

[Mike]

heres some info from old/returning feature

the ad-libs returned to the studio in 1982 to record "i doní¢"ž¢t need a fortune on the passion label. inredibly, during the pressing of the first (and only) 1000 copies of the record, a mistake was made and the records were pressed with the labels reversed. the mistake was not noticed until all but a handful of copies were left to be pressed. with only about ten copies having the labels on the correct sides, most of the copies had to be destroyed. less than a hundred of the (label-reversed copies) were saved and given to the ad-libs to use for promotion. as a result, this record is now extremely rare with labels reversed and impossible to find with labels on the correct way.

check out below for more info

https://www.classicurbanharmony.net/Ad-Libs.htm

[NEV]

Gotta pretty much agree with you Nick. Not seen many in recent times via dealers and boxes.

I've had two and sold em both on here in recent yrs ,this was the last one i sold

..cant find the first in the archives but seem to recall it going for £600

Lots of banter over the yrs about reversed labels ....dodgy copies etc etc ..but probably the usual Easops fables to add a bit of mystique to the mix and a price hike ..of course

[Chalky]

Did your two copies have labels reversed or right way Nev? Sure the last one listed for Andy had labels right way??

[Louise]

Hi Guys

I've had three copies of " I don't Need A Fortune Teller" through my hands the first copy came from Ady Croasdell who got two copies out of the Ad Libs shop in New York both copies had reversed labels. Later on I found two further copies seperately they too had reversed labels. Never kept a copy as I could get on with that funky break in the middle where the vocals go off key.

Dave

Edited September 8, 2012 by Louise

[NEV]

Did your two copies have labels reversed or right way Nev? Sure the last one listed for Andy had labels right way??

Both the right way Chalks ...the old story was something about labels were pressed the wrong way ,so they were all ordered to be trashed ,but a few escaped and ran off into the wilderness ,only to be captured in later yrs by some crazy soul fools ,who put em onto turn tables and made them go all dizzy

P.s the last bit about escaping was added by me ..just incase anyone believed it

[Ady Croasdell]

Hi Guys

I've had three copies of " I don't Need A Fortune Teller" through my hands the first copy came from Ady Croasdell who got two copies out of the Ad Libs shop in New York both copies had reversed labels. Later on I found two further copies seperately they too had reversed labels. Never kept a copy as I could get on with that funky break in the middle where the vocals go off key.

Dave

More like six Dave. i know I sold one to Ivor. I got them from the same New Jersey shop where I got 4 or 5 New York In The Dark's when it was big. I think it was their local record store.

[Louise]

More like six Dave. i know I sold one to Ivor. I got them from the same New Jersey shop where I got 4 or 5 New York In The Dark's when it was big. I think it was their local record store.

Hi Ady

I'm sure your sales pitch was only two copies at the time

John Corless took a copy as well, mind you the Jimmie Ellis "Happy To Be" Century City for a tenner made the deal a whole lot sweeter for me anyway

Edited September 9, 2012 by Louise

[Ady Croasdell]

I'm cheap in many ways Dave.

[Hammersoul]

heres some info from old/returning feature

the ad-libs returned to the studio in 1982 to record "i doní¢"ž¢t need a fortune on the passion label. inredibly, during the pressing of the first (and only) 1000 copies of the record, a mistake was made and the records were pressed with the labels reversed. the mistake was not noticed until all but a handful of copies were left to be pressed. with only about ten copies having the labels on the correct sides, most of the copies had to be destroyed. less than a hundred of the (label-reversed copies) were saved and given to the ad-libs to use for promotion. as a result, this record is now extremely rare with labels reversed and impossible to find with labels on the correct way.

check out below for more info

https://www.classicur...net/Ad-Libs.htm

That`s a touch,i have one with correct labels Gotta say great double sider.