The Return of The Marvelettes
Encyclopedia
The Return of The Marvelettes was marketed as the last album by the group, although in reality their last had been 1969's In Full Bloom. It was originally recorded to launch the solo career of former Marvelette Wanda Young
, and was produced by Smokey Robinson
.
had lost their status as Motown's top girl group, as much of the company's focus and promotion turned to The Supremes
. In 1970, around the time the Marvelettes disbanded, Smokey Robinson
had Wanda Young
record what was intended as her first solo album with premiere back-up group The Andantes
. The material chiefly consisted of older Motown songs that have been overlooked such as "After All
" (originally by The Miracles
), "I'll Be in Trouble
" (originally by The Temptations
), and "A Breathtaking Guy
" (originally by The Supremes
) along with a cover of "Uptown" by The Crystals
, and a few Marvelettes songs that had been recorded before the group's dissolution. Young's version of the Supremes song was released as a single, but along with "Marionette," the other single pulled from the album, it failed to chart. Producers did not believe that Young's name had enough commercial appeal, and so the album ended up being marketed as a Marvelettes album. The record's cover featured a new picture of Young and two fake Marvelettes (whose faces are purposely unidentifiable) on horseback to emphasize the album's title.
Wanda Young
Wanda Young is an American singer, famous for being the member and later lead singer of the popular Motown all-female singing group The Marvelettes.-Biography:Wanda was born in 1943 and raised in the western Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan...
, and was produced by Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
.
Overview
By the mid to late 1960s, The MarvelettesThe Marvelettes
The Marvelettes were an American singing girl group on the Tamla label. Motown's first successful female vocal group, the Marvelettes are most notable for recording the company's first #1 Pop hit, "Please Mr...
had lost their status as Motown's top girl group, as much of the company's focus and promotion turned to The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
. In 1970, around the time the Marvelettes disbanded, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
had Wanda Young
Wanda Young
Wanda Young is an American singer, famous for being the member and later lead singer of the popular Motown all-female singing group The Marvelettes.-Biography:Wanda was born in 1943 and raised in the western Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan...
record what was intended as her first solo album with premiere back-up group The Andantes
The Andantes
The Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
. The material chiefly consisted of older Motown songs that have been overlooked such as "After All
After All (The Miracles song)
"After All" is a 1960 song written by Smokey Robinson and originally recorded and released by The Miracles on the Tamla label. It was later covered as an unreleased single by The Supremes for Tamla; it was canceled in favor of the single "Buttered Popcorn", and their cover wasn't released until it...
" (originally by The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
), "I'll Be in Trouble
I'll Be in Trouble
"I'll Be in Trouble" is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy label. Written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, the single was a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 33....
" (originally by The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
), and "A Breathtaking Guy
A Breathtaking Guy
"A Breathtaking Guy" is a 1963 song written and produced by Smokey Robinson and released by Motown singing group The Supremes. The single was originally released under the title "A Breath Taking, First Sight Soul Shaking, One Night Love Making, Next Day Heartbreaking Guy", but was shortened after...
" (originally by The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
) along with a cover of "Uptown" by The Crystals
The Crystals
The Crystals are an American vocal group based in New York, considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the 1960s. Their 1961–1964 chart hits, including "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron " and "Then He Kissed Me", featured three successive female lead...
, and a few Marvelettes songs that had been recorded before the group's dissolution. Young's version of the Supremes song was released as a single, but along with "Marionette," the other single pulled from the album, it failed to chart. Producers did not believe that Young's name had enough commercial appeal, and so the album ended up being marketed as a Marvelettes album. The record's cover featured a new picture of Young and two fake Marvelettes (whose faces are purposely unidentifiable) on horseback to emphasize the album's title.
Side 1
- "So I Can Love You" (Sheila Hutchinson)
- "Marionette" (Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, William "Mickey" Stevenson) - "That's How Heartaches Are Made" (Bob Halley, Ben Raleigh)
- "A Breathtaking GuyA Breathtaking Guy"A Breathtaking Guy" is a 1963 song written and produced by Smokey Robinson and released by Motown singing group The Supremes. The single was originally released under the title "A Breath Taking, First Sight Soul Shaking, One Night Love Making, Next Day Heartbreaking Guy", but was shortened after...
" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the SupremesThe SupremesThe Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
) - "No More Tear Stained Make Up" (Robinson) (originally recorded by Martha & the Vandellas)
- "Uptown" (Cynthia WeilCynthia WeilCynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
, Barry MannBarry MannBarry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
) (originally recorded by the CrystalsThe CrystalsThe Crystals are an American vocal group based in New York, considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the 1960s. Their 1961–1964 chart hits, including "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron " and "Then He Kissed Me", featured three successive female lead...
)
Side 2
- "Someday We'll Be TogetherSomeday We'll Be Together"Someday We'll Be Together" is a song made popular as the last of twelve number-one singles for Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. It is the final Supremes song featuring Diana Ross, who left the group for a solo career in January 1970...
" (Johnny BristolJohnny BristolJohnny Bristol , was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, Jackey Beavers, Harvey FuquaHarvey FuquaHarvey Fuqua, was an African-American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive.Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s...
) (originally recorded by Johnny & Jackey) - "After AllAfter All (The Miracles song)"After All" is a 1960 song written by Smokey Robinson and originally recorded and released by The Miracles on the Tamla label. It was later covered as an unreleased single by The Supremes for Tamla; it was canceled in favor of the single "Buttered Popcorn", and their cover wasn't released until it...
" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the MiraclesThe MiraclesThe Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
) - "Our Lips Just Seem To Rhyme Every Time" (Robinson, Al ClevelandAl ClevelandAl Cleveland is a former American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most popular co-compositions are 1967's "I Second That Emotion" performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and 1971's "What's Going On" performed by Marvin Gaye.Cleveland was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United...
) - "Fading Away" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the TemptationsThe TemptationsThe Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
) - "Take Me Where You Go" (Robinson, Warren Moore)
- "I'll Be In TroubleI'll Be in Trouble"I'll Be in Trouble" is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy label. Written by Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, the single was a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 33....
" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the TemptationsThe TemptationsThe Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
)
Personnel
- Wanda YoungWanda YoungWanda Young is an American singer, famous for being the member and later lead singer of the popular Motown all-female singing group The Marvelettes.-Biography:Wanda was born in 1943 and raised in the western Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan...
- lead vocals - The AndantesThe AndantesThe Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
- backing vocals - Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
- producer - The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
- instrumentals