Mary Wells - The Ultimate Collection

Motown's "girl with the golden voice" actually spent only four of her 22 career years as a chart maker for the Detroit diskery, but Mary Wells was truly the Motor City machine's first bona fide solo female star. "Bye Bye Baby," the first track on this fine 25-cut compilation, was written by a teenage Wells for then-superstar Jackie Wilson; while she managed to get it to Berry Gordy Jr., the author of many of Wilson's earliest hits, she didn't know that it would give her the first of 10 consecutive hits of her own. This collection provides a comprehensive overview of Wells's Motown years and is an essential purchase. Here are the obvious classics: the perennial "My Guy," written and produced by Smokey Robinson; the equally timeless "You Beat Me to the Punch"; the unforgettable "Two Lovers"; and the marvelous "One Who Really Loves You." But then there are some other wonderful inclusions, such as "I'll Be Available" and "When I'm Gone," two scheduled but never-issued singles; the equally obscure "Whisper You Love Me Boy" (redone by vanilla Motown diva Chris Clark); the hidden gem "Goodbye and Good Luck"; and some great B-sides. Duets with Marvin Gaye ("What's the Matter with You Baby" and "Once upon a Time") and three post-Motown hits ("Use Your Head," "Never, Never Leave Me," and "Dear Lover") make this a must for those wanting a comprehensive package of the singer's early years. --David Nathan Amazon.com

classic Motown!

I've always liked Mary Wells's voice, but I never knew she had so many great songs! Now this CD is right beside the Supremes and Miracles on my shelf. Definitely one worth buying! March 24, 2008

The First Lady And Queen Of Motown-Mary Wells

This is an excellent collection spanning her career from 1961 to 1966. It covers her Motown Years along with tracks from 20th Century Fox and Atco. The only drawback to this collection is it is presented in mono instead of stereo. I guess it's cheaper to digitally remaster mono than stereo.This disc includes the great H/D/H track "Whisper, You Love Me Boy" which was slated to be released as M-1065 but was withdrawn.It also includes "when I'm Gone" isssued as M-1061 but no known stock copies exist(I've never seen any for sale).All these tracks are timeless and still as fresh as when they were recorded.You will not be disapointed in your purchase of this disc. Mary died tragically in 1992 of throat cancer but it seems even in death she is still punished by Bery Gordy/Motown records.Many tracks still lay in the vaults of Motown waiting for release. A new box set would be nice and in stereo. And why is she not in the rock and roll hall of fame? She was a pioneer in the early days of rock and roll, bringing soul/r&b music to the pop charts.She had several top 10 hits a #1 hit and many reaching the top 40. She has a very impressive track record on the Soul charts.If you are a true Mary wells fan seek out "Looking Back 1961-1964". It's out of print but worth it for the unreleased tracks. Mary may be gone but she will not be forgotten with the body of work she left behind.
March 23, 2008

Great memories

Great tunes on this CD. I especially liked her very famous songs. The ones I hadn't heard a lot of, take a while to get use to hearing. Overall a great listen. I remember playing her vinyl records over and over as a teenager. Got my feet a tappin for sure. December 8, 2007

mary wells

best mary wells cd i ever purchurse, looking forward in buying more good soul & r&b thanks again. August 31, 2007

Another Important Artist Ignored By The R&R Hall of Fame

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, Martha (Reeves) & The Vandellas, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, and Gladys Knight & The Pips.

Mary Wells, in a span of eight years from 1961 to 1968, had 23 Billboard Pop Hot 100 hits for the Motown, 20th Century, Atco, and Jubilee labels, 17 of which also scored on the R&B charts. She also added another 4 to the R&B charts alone. Three of her hits were # 1 [one Hot 100 and three R&B], The One Who Really Loves You was the first Hot 100 Top Ten [# 8 in 1962] for Motown, and My Guy, written by Smokey Robinson, became their first Hot 100 # 1 in early 1964. Twelve of her hits singles were Top 40. Mary died tragically from throat cancer in 1992 at age 49.

Dusty Springfield, in a span of seven years from 1964 to 1970, had 18 Hot 100 hits for the Philips and Atlantic labels, and added one more 17 years later in 1987 with The Pet Shop Boys. That, in fact, was her highest charter, reaching # 2, and on her own her best was the # 4 You Don't Have To Say You Love Me from 1966. She never had a song make the R&B charts, and 11 of her hit singles made the Top 40. Dusty died tragically from breast cancer in 1999 at age 59.

These comparable career achievements and sad endings are marred by one salient fact: Dusty Springfield was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1999. Mary Wells has yet to be so honoured. What is wrong with this picture? With the precedent set by Dusty's induction, what possible justification can there be for Mary's continued exclusion?

Each volume in this series mentioned above presents the very best of these most important Motown artists, although in this one they do overlook some hits in favour of four tracks [4, 21, 22, 25] which were either failed singles or never released as such, and two that were uncharted flipsides [tracks 8 and 13]. Full details are contained in the complete discography of the contents which accompanies the four pages of liner notes written by David Ritz.

These six could have been replaced by the following: Ain't It The Truth [# 45 Hot 100 in 1964] and its flipside Stop Takin' Me For Granted [# 88 Hot 100 - Note that the R&B charts had been suspended for all of 1964]; He's A Lover [# 74 Hot 100 in 1965]; Me Without You [# 95 Hot 100 in 1965]; Can't You See (You're Losing Me) [the flip of Dear Lover and a # 94 Hot 100 on its own]; and The Doctor [# 22 R&B/# 65 Hot 100 in 1968]. But that does not detract from this wonderful volume.

As Mr Ritz says in his notes, "This music will not age ... Mary Wells will never die." Wake up and hear the music R&R Hall of Fame Foundation. You should be ashamed of yourselves. August 21, 2007

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