Motown singer songwriter Barrett Strong has passed away at the age of 81.

 https://www.soultracks.com/story-barrett-strong-dies

Sad news indeed R.I.P

 

Big favourite of mine and dancefloor screamer. May he R.I.P

 

Edited January 30, 20232 yr by Wally Francis

 

A Sad day, Rest in Peace Barrett Strong.

here are some snippits of acetates that were sold on Ebay years ago, just rough cut tracks laid down to reference... Barrett co wrote 'Use Your Head' for Mary Wells, nice to hear him singing a rough idea for the song long before it was recorded by Mary, a great way to hear Barrett at work!

"Use Your Head" written by Barrett Strong, Wade Flemons and The Dells' Chuck Barksdale and released as a single by former Motown singer Mary Wells on the 20th Century Fox label".

Edited January 30, 20232 yr by Mal C

So soon after Lamont Dozier this weigh's heavily on our shoulders. As a songwriter his legacy is top-notch. Here is his own version of one of his most famous songs recorded for his album 'Stronghold 2' released in 2000.

 

sad times....  the soundtrack to our lives, will soon be memories.  Rest in peace, Mr Strong.  you were there from the start, but your legacy will live on. 

5 hours ago, Mal C said:

A Sad day, Rest in Peace Barrett Strong.

here are some snippits of acetates that were sold on Ebay years ago, just rough cut tracks laid down to reference... Barrett co wrote 'Use Your Head' for Mary Wells, nice to hear him singing a rough idea for the song long before it was recorded by Mary, a great way to hear Barrett at work!

"Use Your Head" written by Barrett Strong, Wade Flemons and The Dells' Chuck Barksdale and released as a single by former Motown singer Mary Wells on the 20th Century Fox label".

 

Sorry to hear this sad news.  Thanks, Mal, for uploading theses acetates' snippets.  I can see Barrett sitting at the piano working out the lyrics and melody to these songs.  I've never heard a version of "This Old Love Of Mine" recorded by anyone else.  Did some record company release any record on it?

39 minutes ago, Robbk said:

Sorry to hear this sad news.  Thanks, Mal, for uploading theses acetates' snippets.  I can see Barrett sitting at the piano working out the lyrics and melody to these songs.  I've never heard a version of "This Old Love Of Mine" recorded by anyone else.  Did some record company release any record on it?

On first listen it sounded instinctively to me like a basic 'imprint' to 'this old heart of mine' (the piano too) FWIW although maybe only coincidental if ever...

RIP barrett strong left us with some quality tunes my fav is it true capitol demo thank you

yes very sad a true legend!..was playing his motown compilation from 2004 today...what a class act...R.I.P.

Like Lamont he was the sound track from our youth and right through our lives really.  

 

1 hour ago, Chalky said:

Like Lamont he was the sound track from our youth and right through our lives really.  

 

Always reminds me of Marvin this one,

great tune

A short obituary here:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/30/barrett-strong-obituary

Another sad loss.  Sincere condolences to his family and those close to him.

Here is Barrett describing the creative process, before launching into "I Heard It Through The Grapevine".

On 30/01/2023 at 10:22, Tlscapital said:

On first listen it sounded instinctively to me like a basic 'imprint' to 'this old heart of mine' (the piano too) FWIW although maybe only coincidental if ever...

To me, "This Old Love of Mine" sounds nothing like "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)",  nor like Strong's "This Heart of Mine" (Artistics).  It doesn't sound much like any other song he wrote that I've heard.  It sounds more "Chicagoish" than "Detroitish", but has an older sound than most of Barrett's early-to-mid 1960s "Chicago Sound"-style songs.  I hope we eventually discover an early mid 1960s  commercially-released 45 with some Chicago artist singing it, or, at least a recording of another singer singing it.

A great artist and a great songwriter, Money was a RnB anthem that every early RnB and rock n roll group  in the early 1960,s tried to emulate but his version the original will always be the best. He was up there with the best  at Tamla.

another unassuming Legend gone but what a legacy when you dig a little deep

RiP  Barrett Strong

Mick L

Such sad news. I was at that 1990 live performance of Grapevine that Kesalocasoul posted above. I dedicated last Friday's radio show to Strong: https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/124376