the Vows on VIP

[Tlscapital]

Does anyone know the "hidden" story about this odd from the odd Motown release ? The initial 'A' side 'buttered pop-corn' (Supremes also release that) sounds rather like an old à la Contours recording. It first got release as a single sided promotional copy in 1965 !? Why that and then ?

Then the "commercial" edition got filled-in with 'tell me'. A loose tape ? With Morris Chestnut on lead vocal that at least sounds like it could be recorded in 1965 !

Almost all stocker copies seems to have sold poorly since most copies we encounter have drilled holes and those without often have a stamp to show the "pushing" side the 'tell me' as they were used for promotion purpose.

Fantastic tune 'tell me' IMHO but the Vows, a band ? Really ?!

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by tlscapital

[Robbk]

49 minutes ago, tlscapital said:

Does anyone know the "hidden" story about this odd from the odd Motown release ? The initial 'A' side 'buttered pop-corn' (Supremes also release that) sounds rather like an old à la Contours recording. It first got release as a single sided promotional copy in 1965 !? Why that and then ?

Then the "commercial" edition got filled-in with 'tell me'. A loose tape ? With Morris Chestnut on lead vocal that at least sounds like it could be recorded in 1965 !

Almost all stocker copies seems to have sold poorly since most copies we encounter have drilled holes and those without often have a stamp to show the "pushing" side the 'tell me' as they were used for promotion purpose.

Fantastic records but the Vows, a band ? Really ?!

 

What I don't understand why both these songs were released, and "My Baby Changes Like The Weather" was not.   "Buttered Popcorn"/"Tell Me" didn't sell because it got no marketing push from Motown, and no air play.

[Tlscapital]

The man I was expecting here. Thanks Robb. I do love 'tell me' though. But what puzzles me is the brainwork put on it from an executive at Motown to name what is most likely two different group recorded 4 years appart when music growth pace was faster than ever before... As to why I began that quest; a storytelling would have been interesting as it would then have brought some light as to why, what and who were in those studio sessions.

[Kenb]

Hi both,

I thought....( at least this is what i have written down from somewhere), Tell Me? was meant for the Versatiles, later to become better known – after leaving Motown – as the 5th Dimension), but their version remains in the vaults. Marc Gordon co-writer of Tell Me was the manager of the 5th Dimension.

Hope i've not sent you down a rat-hole!

[Paul Dunn]

Clean one here

[Tlscapital]

4 hours ago, Kenb said:

Hi both,

I thought....( at least this is what i have written down from somewhere), Tell Me? was meant for the Versatiles, later to become better known – after leaving Motown – as the 5th Dimension), but their version remains in the vaults. Marc Gordon co-writer of Tell Me was the manager of the 5th Dimension.

Hope i've not sent you down a rat-hole!

Thanks for that ! Interesting quote.

[Tlscapital]

18 minutes ago, Paul Dunn said:

Clean one here

Indeed the lined pressing doesn't suffer those common issues as on the other one. Correction 

[Robbk]

10 hours ago, tlscapital said:

The man I was expecting here. Thanks Robb. I do love 'tell me' though. But what puzzles me is the brainwork put on it from an executive at Motown to name what is most likely two different group recorded 4 years appart when music growth pace was faster than ever before... As to why I began that quest; a storytelling would have been interesting as it would then have brought some light as to why, what and who were in those studio sessions.

The way I understood it was that The Vows had been brought in by Hal Davis (and Marc Gordon and Frank Wilson) to sing backgrounds and record demo tapes for eventual Motown artists to sing the songs for Jobete Music's L.A. office, just as The Holloway sisters, Gloria Jones, Mary Love, Sandy Wynns, Pat Hunt, and Jeanne King were. They would also record the songs (tapes and acetates) for Jobete Music's proof of ownership. The Vows had worked with Davis before.  Their Tamara record was produced by him.  The "Buttered Popcorn" side probably was an earlier recording (maybe 1963?).  But, Jobete Music L.A. office started in 1963.  I think Morris Chestnut first sang with The Vows in 1965.  Yes, Marc Gordon brought in his Versatiles as well.  They may also have sung some demos.  I think that all the VIP records released other than those by The Elgins, Monitors and Velvelettes were just "favours" thrown towards artists to keep them from grumbling, and were never intended to sell.  Berry Gordy needed Jobete Music L.A. to write songs and make demo tapes, and its producers to be available to produce the odd recordings on Detroit artists in L.A. once in a while.  But, they didn't need Davis and Co. to be a hit-producing factory for L.A. artists.

The Vows before Morris Chestnut joined were Morris' cousin, Ralph Chestnut, Helene Simpson, James Moore, and either Bobby Sullivan or Joe Lawson.  Simpson and Morris were not with the Vows on the "Buttered Popcorn" recording, and probably not on "Tell Me".  But Morris led on "My Baby Changes Like The Weather". He was with them starting in early 1965.  I don't think he was a full member of their group in 1964, while they were doing demos for Jobete, but when Hal Davis also placed their "That's What You Do To Me"/"Dottie" with L.A.'s local Tamara Records, after Jobete Music turned those songs down.

[The Yank]

According to "The Complete Motown Singles- Volume 5-1965, the Vows also had a 1962 single on the Markay label- "I Wanna Chance"/ "Have

You Heard". The lineup on that single was James Moore, Helen Simpson, Ralph Chestnut and  2 group members remembered as Ted and Little

Johnny. 

     The group on "Tell Me" and "Buttered Popcorn" had James Moore, Bobby Solomon and Joe Lawson.  The group's membership is described

as "fluid" so they weren't sure who the other members were on the V.I.P. single. 

[Kenb]

didn't 'Show Girl' also come out on The Vows...or was that a c/w b side? -or also in the vaults?

[Tlscapital]

Thanks for all of that. So indeed, the Vows was not 'A' group but rather a "formation" of which people walked in and out. The Vows served one purpose, to lay-out songs model for "in-wall" elaborations. That rather than showing their crafts to the general public.

[The Yank]

14 hours ago, Kenb said:

didn't 'Show Girl' also come out on The Vows...or was that a c/w b side? -or also in the vaults?

"Show Girl" was unreleased until "A Cellar Full Of Motown!" Volume Two in 2005.

[timthemod]

Frank Wilson's (or perhaps by someone else?) superior version of Tell Me is on Youtube:

 

Edited January 9, 2017 by timthemod

[Davenpete]

2 hours ago, timthemod said:

Frank Wilson's (or perhaps by someone else?) superior version of Tell Me is on Youtube:

 

The Magnetics isn't it?

Dx

[dthedrug]

HI ALL

Some great info on the VOWS, My copy cost 50p at the November All-nighter at WIGAN CASINO back then for less than £5 you could buy records that today would cost £££s KTF DAVE K