That's The Way Love Is

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

...bit of a long shot this - but i was wondering if any UK collector out there had ever turned up an EMI white label test pressing or original UK acetate of the Isley Brothers' version of "That's the Way Love Is"?

Now, I'm not saying for sure that such a thing exists - but over the last few days I've been looking at the Top 40 charts of the former 'pirate' radio station, Radio London. The final Top 20 had the following Motown 45s positioned as follows:

11: Reflections/Diana Ross & the Supremes

12: Your Unchanging Love/Marvin Gaye

13: Everybody Needs Love/Gladys Knight & the Pips

14: That's The Way Love Is/Isley Brothers

15: Don't You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby/Jimmy Ruffin

...only one of which made the National Top 20 - but I digress...

Anyway, as any UK collector knows, 4 of these 5 were released here. "Reflections" was TMG 616, Marvin TMG 615, "Everybody Needs Love" was TMG 619 and Jimmy TMG 617. I'm assuming that 'Big L' was playing all of these off either acetates or test pressings, as none of them had been released when the station closed down on August 14th 1967. I can recall hearing all four of those on Big L, but not "That's The Way Love Is" - which, incidentally, was the only record on the entire last Top 40 that never gained a UK release as a 45...

I don't think that there are any missing TMG numbers in the 500 or 600 series, but I'm sure that EMI must have been planning to release it if they were prepared to let Radio London hype it up their final chart. So, I'm wondering if anyone out there has ever come across a TP or white label of "That's The Way Love Is" and, if, so, what the planned catalogue number might have been...

Any thoughts, anyone?

TONE

[Sunnysoul]

...bit of a long shot this - but i was wondering if any UK collector out there had ever turned up an EMI white label test pressing or original UK acetate of the Isley Brothers' version of "That's the Way Love Is"?

Now, I'm not saying for sure that such a thing exists - but over the last few days I've been looking at the Top 40 charts of the former 'pirate' radio station, Radio London. The final Top 20 had the following Motown 45s positioned as follows:

11: Reflections/Diana Ross & the Supremes

12: Your Unchanging Love/Marvin Gaye

13: Everybody Needs Love/Gladys Knight & the Pips

14: That's The Way Love Is/Isley Brothers

15: Don't You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby/Jimmy Ruffin

...only one of which made the National Top 20 - but I digress...

Anyway, as any UK collector knows, 4 of these 5 were released here. "Reflections" was TMG 616, Marvin TMG 615, "Everybody Needs Love" was TMG 619 and Jimmy TMG 617. I'm assuming that 'Big L' was playing all of these off either acetates or test pressings, as none of them had been released when the station closed down on August 14th 1967. I can recall hearing all four of those on Big L, but not "That's The Way Love Is" - which, incidentally, was the only record on the entire last Top 40 that never gained a UK release as a 45...

I don't think that there are any missing TMG numbers in the 500 or 600 series, but I'm sure that EMI must have been planning to release it if they were prepared to let Radio London hype it up their final chart. So, I'm wondering if anyone out there has ever come across a TP or white label of "That's The Way Love Is" and, if, so, what the planned catalogue number might have been...

Any thoughts, anyone?

TONE

Sorry Tony, not really answering your question here, but Down Under strikes again ... the Isley's "That's The Way Love Is" received a legitimate 45 release on Australian Tamla Motown , I have it with the nice OZ red bullet demo sticker. It's one of the hardest OZ TMO's to get as well !!!

[Sean Hampsey]

It's one of the hardest OZ TMO's to get as well !!!

I agree, that's a toughie!

I've got dozens of OZ TMG's including (off the top of my head) the following that didn't gain a UK release.

Isley Bros - All Because I Love You

Martha Reeves - Heartless / Taking My Love (Great Double Sider)

Willie Hutch - Talk To Me (Magnificent!)

and several others.

Down under they seemed to issue many of the less obvious/mainstream Motown artists I've found.

Does the OZ copy of "Thats The Way Love Is" have "One Too Many Heartaches" on the flip? (as per the US copy and in the UK on the back of "Behind A Painted Smile").

Sean