Over 40 Hitsville Demos

[Soulfulsolutions]

Up for grabs are 40+ Motown stable doubles, all white label promos, several from a forgotten hoard found in an office cupboard (non-Ikea I might add) in Stockholm. Take some time out to remind yourself 0f the sheer brilliance of Hitsville USA, captured in this juicy list of tracks. Universally the most aired Soul output for most of the 60’s.

Some photos may show dust on the vinyl, I will clean these before I send any out, but I can re-assure you they all play and look as described. As ever sound files and additional images available on request, please PM to ask any questions or reserve.

1) Barrett Strong – Yes, no, maybe so / You knows what to do – Anna 1116 Ex £20

(Berry and Smokey composition, backed by the Rayver Voices, thought they were Rayber? 23.12 date on label in red chino graph pencil)

2) Martha & Vandellas – Come and get these memories / Jealous lover – Gordy 7014 M- £35

(Audition Copy. 1963 release by these girls that captures the essence of that Motown Sound well before others in that era did, fabulous. Initials, red felt-tip X and a little ageing on the spindle hole may set the top side label back but it plays gorgeous M-)

3) Temptations – I want a love I can see / The further you look the less you see – Gordy 7015 Ex £150

(Disc Jockey Advance Sample. There’s a lot of interest in this early Temps dancer, issues going for similar prices and the rarer demo now exceeding £200. Light label wear around the spindle hole, and date in tiny writing on top side)

4) LaBrenda Ben – Just be yourself / I can’t help it, I gotta dance – Gordy 7021 M- £60 SOLD

(Only 2 45s released by this young lady, who was overtaken by other signings. The formidable Andantes on backing. Immaculate copy)

5) Martha & Vandellas – Live wire / Old love – Gordy 7027 Ex+ £20

(Audition Copy. Another up-tempo dancer from the girls who set the pace at Hitsville when it needed beefing up. Black Xol, couple of very fine lines, DNAP)

6) Contours – Can you do it / I’ll stand by you – Gordy 7029 M- £30

(Disc Jockey Advance Sample. Much like “Do you love me”, spoken intro launches into a full-on belter. 3 small kisses on top label, 1 on flip. Beautiful copy)

7) Martha & Vandellas – In my lonely room / A tear for the girl – Gordy 7031 Ex £30

(Audition Copy. The girls are in the habit by this stage, with yet another ridiculously engrossing dancer. 2 xol, felt tip arrow to title, and the word ‘Fast’ written on top side, however the vinyl is a superb Ex+ as the play)

8. Marv Johnson – I miss you baby (how I miss you) / Same – Gordy 7051 Ex+ £40 SOLD

(Promotional. Unmistakable vocals from Marv the Man, very catchy dancer. Can’t say I’ve seen this Gordy logo on many if any other releases. Couple of very light marks that DNAP)

9) Martha & Vandellas – What am I going to do without your love / Same – Gordy 7053 Ex+ £25

(D.J. Copy. 3 years on from no 2) above, and boy have they matured, slowed slightly with almost a crossover feel)

10) Marv Johnson – I’ll pick a rose for my rose / Same – Gordy 7077 M-£25 SOLD

(Promotional. Blows me away, what a tune, builds and builds. Very light edge lift. DNAP on this gorgeous copy)

11) Temptations – Run away child, running wild – Gordy 7084 Vg+ £5

(Audition Copy. Funky edge outing for the Temps. Few marks some light feedback hence price)

12) Edwin Starr – War – Gordy 7101 M- £25

(Promotional. Drum roll, POW, sing along from the masses on the floor. Ed at his most powerful. Lovely copy)

13) Supremes – Come see about me – Motown 1068 M- £40 SOLD

(Audition Copy. One of my favourite Hitsville numbers floats along on Diana’s luxurious lead, and yet taken to another level by the mesmerizing backing provided by Flo Ballard and Mary Wilson. Black Xol, Immaculate copy)

14) Spinners – I’ll always love you – Motown 1078 Ex+ £45

(Promotional. Outrageously talented group that lived in the shadow of the Tops and Temps, what an anthem, awesome. Black Xol. Sign of lightest label wear, vinyl in top shape) 

15) Four Tops – Loving you is sweeter than ever / Same – Motown 1096 M- £30 SOLD

(Promotional. Classic Tops, light backing track and instrumentation allows them to shine vocally. Immaculate copy)  

16) Barbara McNair – Everything is good about you / Same – Motown 1099 M- £40

(Promotional. So clean, so precise, so simple, what an artist. Lovely copy)

17) Chris Clark – From head to toe / Same – Motown 1114 Ex £30

(Promotional. Catchy from the start, bright as a button vocals, bouncy strings and gravelly drumbeats, get the old limbs going. One side with sticker residue is clean, the flip a couple of light marks DNAP)

18) Four Tops – If I were a carpenter – Motown 1124 M- £25

(Promotional. Everything I ever want from a song is wrapped up in this track, still turns me to jelly every time I listen to it, makes me feel happy and yet so sad. Dates penned on both labels. Lovely copy)

19) Diana Ross & Supremes – Love child / Same – Motown 1135 M- £20 SOLD

(Promotional. Another example of the musical style of Motown acts maturing. Date stamp on one side. Gorgeous copy)

20) David Ruffin – My whole world ended (the moment you left me) / Same – Motown 1140 M- £20

(Promotional. Right up there as one of the best vocalists ever to come out of Motown. Beautifully crafted track. Date stamp on one side. Top copy)

21) Freeman Brothers – My baby / Beautiful brown eyes – Soul 35011 M- £80

(Promotional Copy. Very rare to see a demo copy, normally shows up on the lilac imprint with the address penned out. Tiny red X on top label and 2 on the flip. Stunning copy, be a while before another shows up)

22) Shorty Long – Function at the junction / Same – Soul 35021 Ex £30

(Promotional. Funky edged dancer that filled many a floor. Very nice copy)

23) Jimmy Ruffin – What becomes of the broken hearted / Same – Soul 35022 M- £20

(Promotional. Brilliant, simple as that. Gorgeous copy)

24) Jr. Walker & All Stars – Money – Soul 35026 Ex £15

(D.J. Copy. As you’d expect from Junior, raucous instruments fuelled party music. Box logo generally a harder variant to pick up. 4 biro xol on flip label, light marks DNAP)

25) Monitors – Step by step (hand in hand) / same – Soul 35049 M- £15

(Promotional. Catchy tune, pulling on the black civil rights movement, great stuff. Immaculate copy)

26) Fantastic Four – I love you madly / Same – Soul 35052 M- £20

(Promotional. Same as the earlier Ric-Tic release, great group soul. Date stamp on one label)

27)  Little Otis – I out duked the duke / Baby I need you – Tamla 54058 M- £30 SOLD

(D.J. Copy. Lovely early tune, much in the mould, for obvious reasons, “Duke of Earl”. This is on a nice west coast styrene Monarch pressing)

28) Kim Weston – Looking for the right guy – Tamla 54100 Ex+ £20

(Audition Copy. Foot tapping, finger popping dancer from a gem in the stable. Single sided, red marker initials on label)

29) Marvin Gaye – I’ll be doggone – Tamla 54112 M- £25

(Audition Copy. Unmistakable Marvin, cool dancer, typifying Marvin’s wealth of relationships with women. Single sided, just noticed the catalogue numbering on this has an S at the end, may signify single sided?)

30) Miracles - Ooo baby baby / All that’s good – Tamla 54113 Ex+ £35

(Audition Copy. Exquisite, epitomizes all their beat ballad paced tracks and one I have found hard to come by. Red X on top label, vinyl very nice)

31) Marvelettes – Danger heartbreak dead ahead / Your cheating ways – Tamla 54120 Ex £30

(D.J. Copy. OK, so the top side label has 2 dirty great big red X’s, but, looking beyond the visual appeal, this is a super copy of a household hit, on highly collectable west coast monarch release. Surely a must for someone?)

32) Miracles – My girl has gone / Since you won my heart – Tamla 54123 M- £20

(Audition Copy. I bet this is unknown to many on the scene, outstanding under the radar mid-tempo, Smokey does it again. 2 red Xol)

33) Miracles – Whole lot of shakin’ in my heart (since I met you) / Same – Tamla 54134 M- £40 SOLD

(Audition Copy. There just getting going on no’s 30) and 32) above, here they are ramping the tempo up, fierce. Beautiful copy)

34) Marvelettes – The hunter gets captured by the game / Same – Tamla 54143 M- £45 SOLD

(Audition Copy. Monstrously sultry mid-tempo shuffler, wow, these girls manifested into a class outfit. Another hard to come by west coast monarch release, this time using the boxed Tamla with gridded globe logo. Fabulous condition)

35) Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t nothing like the real thing – Tamla 54163 Ex £25

(Audition Copy. That classic and most perfect of Motown duos provide a staple serving. West coast again, same logo as 34) but from RCAs Hollywood plant, jeez the subject of run out markings is a minefield)  

36) Smokey Robinson & Miracles – Yester Love / Same – Tamla 54167 M- £10

(Audition Copy. Another example of Smokey’s finely tuned vocal. Would you Adam and Eve it, same logo as previous 2, but, east coast RCA Rockway plant in New Jersey. One label, the best label has small sticker residue, the flip label 2 X, small sticker and dates. Vinyl is spot on)

37) Marvelettes – Destination anywhere / Same – Tamla 54171 Ex £30

(D.J. Copy. Not too dissimilar to “Hunter”, just a bit more kick. A firm favourite of mine. I’m sure the tune surfaced on a UK travel ad a few years back. Top notch condition)

38) Isley Brothers – Take some time out for love / Just ain’t enough love – Tamla 54182 Ex+ £30

(Audition Copy. What a double sider, including great cover of Eddie Hollands delicious “Just ain’t”. Indianapolis press. Nice condition)

39) Smokey Robinson & Miracles – Abraham, Martin and John / Same – Tamla 54184 M- £15

(Promotional. almost solemn start, but kicks into life with an emotional connection to key figures in the civil rights movements. Hats off to you Sirs. A brilliant tune. Very minor edge lift, that DNAP)

40) Velvelettes – Lonely, lonely girl am I / I’m the exception to the rule – V.I.P. 25017 M- £250

(D.J. Copy. Dancer of epic proportions, set on a tinny drum beat with the lead vocals and backing harmonies weaving in and out the musical arrangement. Awesome on the stunning Nashville Matrix lined copy)

41) Monitors – Greetings (this is Uncle Sam) / Same – V.I.P. 25032 M- £20

(Promotional.  Recorded by the the Valadiers in 61, and latterly the Monitors, and Isley Brothers (unreleased), obviously covers draft to the US Army, but still a great soul tune. 2 black X on one label, vinyl top end)

42) Hitsville USA – Greetings to Tamla Motown Appreciation Society 45 Ex+ £40

(White label special, gifted to the UK crowd back in the day. Combination of monologues by staff and songs by artists. Very collectable and historic disc from Motown, very minor edge lift)

 

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Postage:

£2.70 – First Class Proof of Posting <250g (Insured to £20)

£4.45 – First Class Signed For <250g (Insured to £50)

£8.15 – Special Delivery <500g (Fully insured up to £750)

Overseas on Request

 

ATB, Lee

Edited January 15 by Soulfulsolutions