Motown M 1004 (B), November 1960

B-side of Oh Lover

(Written by Berry Gordy)

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In contrast to the fun, uninhibited A-side Oh Lover, here Berry Gordy provides his newly-teamed duettists with a slower, slicker doo-wop number.

Unlike the A-side, on which Taylor and Ward took alternate lines, this one features a pleasing two-handed attack in which both sing the song together, Ward on bass/baritone and Taylor on tenor/falsetto.

It’s every bit as good as the A-side, boosted by a jangling guitar backing and the fun the two singers are evidently having (meaning that this time, there are shades of Marvin and Tammi to be enjoyed).

Ward would go on to record sporadically with Motown through 1964 (the liner notes to The Complete Motown Singles: Volume 1 also reveal that he cut an unreleased Motown duet single with Mable John, proving that Gordy felt the concept had legs), but after Oh Lover failed to chart, there would be no more Motown releases for Sherri Taylor.

That’s a shame, because she had a fine voice and plenty of character, and could conceivably have gone on to become a star. Instead, after a couple of abortive post-Motown attempts to relaunch her career in the early Sixties, she disappeared off the radar altogether before recording a new single, Weak Hearted, for Ian Levine’s Motorcity project in 1991.

VERDICT

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6 / 10

(I’ve had MY say, now it’s your turn. Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment, or click the thumbs at the bottom there. Dissent is encouraged!)

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Sherri Taylor & Singin’ Sammy Ward “Oh Lover”	Henry Lumpkin “I’ve Got A Notion”