Martha & the Vandellas - The Ultimate Collection

Considered by some pundits as having played second fiddle to the lofty mainstream success of Motown's Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (initially Rosalind Ashford and Annette Beard, who was replaced by Betty Kelly in 1964) had a grittier sound that may not have given them the same kind of pop following accorded label founder Berry Gordy Jr.'s "pet" group. But as this 25-track compilation demonstrates, former Motown secretary Reeves and her cohorts hardly languished in obscurity. Rather, the team--with the assistance of Motown producers like Mickey Stevenson and the formidable Holland-Dozier-Holland trio--provided the musical soundtrack for the '60s with such classics as "Heat Wave," "Dancing in the Street," "Nowhere to Run," and their first hit, 1963's "Come and Get These Memories." While it doesn't have every one of the group's 24 charted hits, this collection includes all of their major smashes, some notable B-sides ("A Love Like Yours," "Forget Me Not," "Motoring," and the much-loved "Third Finger, Left Hand"), and some interesting obscurities, such as 1970's "I Should Be Proud" (a poorly disguised Vietnam protest) and "Tear It On Down," the group's final chart single. A perfect, essential overview of one of Motown's most prized and admired female groups. --David Nathan Amazon.com

The Ultimate-And Best-Collection!

There is not a single bad song on this CD. It contains all the favorite titles that made Martha and the Vandellas such a fantastic girl group. The clarity is first rate. I pop it into my CD player whenever I feel the need to groove along to some of the best music around.

If anything, this CD brings home the fact that Martha and the Vandellas, along with other top female groups like the Shangri-Las and the Supremes showed the world that the gals could provide all-male groups with some stiff competition.

If you like Martha and company at all, you cannot go wrong by purchasing this fine and truly Ultimate Collection. May 16, 2008

A Blast from the Past

I recently ordered Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (ultimate collection). It arrived in no time I was e-mailed and given the status of my order before it arrived. When it arrived it was in excellent condition and had a good quality original sound, It was so much fun calling my friends and family and playing different songs from the cd that we just don't hear anymore. This is a excellent way to get connected, shop for what you want right from home. What ever you need get the hook up right here.

Toots April 28, 2008

One More Gem In Motown's The Ultimate Collection Series

A search in Music under the heading Ultimate Collection will garner you thousands of hits, and even searching in Album Title will result in quite a few, ranging from Benny Hill and George Formby to 10cc and The Who, and just about everyone in between. Even Motown uses Ultimate Collection on a number of their CDs, but the best of the lot where they are concerned is this series, each with 25 tracks and similar cover art by David Irvin, and involving Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Mary Wells.

This group always seemed to play second fiddle to The Supremes within the Motown structure (although not to the extent of The Velvelettes, another largely ignored but otherwise excellent girl group). Despite having their releases handled by the Gordy subsidiary, as opposed to Motown, from 1963 to 1972 Martha & The Vandellas were right there with the more publicized group, delivering 23 Billboard Pop Hot 100 singles and 24 on the R&B charts, in addition to healthy album sales. Their ultimate recognition came in 1995 when inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame.

In this volume you get 19 of those Hot 100 hits, only one of which failed to also register on the R&B charts [Forget Me Not, the flipside of I Promise To Wait My Love, and a # 93 Hot 100 in June 1968]. You also get Tear It On Down which, in reaching # 37 R&B in 1972 [and "Bubbled Under" on the Hot 100 charts at # 103] was the last hit for the group.

Uncharted flipsides included are: A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Along Everyday) [which backed (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave]; Darling, I Hum Our Song [the B-side to Quicksand]; Motoring [the flip of Nowhere To Run]; and Third Finger, Left Hand [b/o Jimmy Mack].

Missing hits are: What Am I Going To Do Without Your Love? [# 71 Hot 100 in 1966]; Sweet Darlin' [# 45 R&B/# 80 Hot 100 in 1968]; (We've Got) Honey Love [# 27 R&B/# 56 Hot 100 in 1969]; Taking My Love (And Leaving Me) [# 44 R&B and a # 102 Hot 100 "Bubble Under" in 1969]; I Gotta Let You Go [# 43 R&B/# 93 Hot 100 in 1970]; Bless You [# 29 R&B and # 53 Hot 100 in 1971]; In And Out Of My Life [# 22 R&B and a # 102 Hot 100 "Bubble Under" in 1972].

Their first batch of 14 hits, from Come And Get These Memories [# 6 R&B/# 29 Hot 100 in 1963] to Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone [# 14 R&B/# 25 Hot 100 in 1967] were billed to Martha & The Vandellas. From Honey Chile late in 1967 [# 5 R&B/# 11 Hot 100] to Tear It On Down in 1972, the billing read Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. In 1974/75 Martha had three solo hits - Power Of Love [# 27 R&B/#76 Hot 100] and Wild Night [# 74 R&B], both for MCA, and Love Blind [# 61 R&B] for Arista.

From 1963 to 1964 the group consisted of Martha Reeves, Rosalyn Ashford, and Annette Sterling (Beard). From 1965 to 1968 Betty Kelley replaced Sterling and she, in turn, was replaced by Lois Reeves from 1968 to 1969. From 1970 to 1972 Sandra Tilley took over from Ashford.

With the insert you get five pages of background notes written by Stu Hackel, who also wrote the notes for the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and the Four Tops Ultimate Collection CDs. There is also a complete discography of the contents, and several more nice shots of the trio.

Some of those missing hits in place of the B-sides would have been nice, but even so this is a valid 5-star collection. Get them all. August 23, 2007

From The Essential Soundtrack

Talk about the soundtrack of the 1960's: I first became aware of Martha and The Vandellas in 1964: "Love is Like a Heatwave" was on the sound track of the movie "Nothing But A Man" with Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln. I'd never yet heard of Motown, but it was all I could do to stay properly seated during "Heatwave;" people did not get up and boogie around during movies in those days, and the movie, one of the earliest to support civil rights, wasn't a dancing movie.

But Martha and the Vandellas, though everybody knows they were not Motown's favorite girl group -- think Diana Ross and The Supremes-- did receive sufficient support from Berry Gordy's machine to have many more 60's hits. Their music was, of course, more roots/gospel/black than that of the Supremes, much tougher, and more danceable, too. In addition to "Heatwave," Holland-Dozier-Holland gave them "Come and Get These Memories," "A Love Like Yours Don't Come Knocking Every Day," "Quicksand," "Live Wire," "Nowhere to Run,""Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things," "I'm Ready For love," and the great "Jimmy Mack." The immortal Marvin Gaye actually had a hand in that essential, widely-covered 60's anthem "Dancing in the Street."

A few years ago, I was able to see Martha Reeves, carrying backup singers,to be sure, at New York's South Street Seaport. Her voice was always a bit quavery; that's gotten more pronounced with age. But she still could put her big hits over.

You'll find all those big hits and more collected here, smaller hits, and interesting B sides. If they're part of the sound track of your life, if you love girl group sounds, soul or Motown, or if you're just starting high school and love to dance, this record belongs on the shelf. May 7, 2007

this is for my sisters!

i loved Martha and the Vandellas! i remember the prom my sisters went to and the pretty chiffon dresses they wore and driving off with their boyfriend in that long convertable and listening to Martha and the Vandellas singing in the background. it was like it was straight out of one of those old pepsodent/brilcream/dippity-do type commercials. it was so smooth! i love them. i will hold them to my heart forever! May 7, 2007

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