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Mel-o-dy M-105 (B), September 1962
B-side of (Mind Over Matter) I’m Gonna Make You Mine
(Written by Clarence Paul)
It’s unlikely the Temptations would ever have cut a record as “the Pirates” were it not for the unusual rush-release circumstances surrounding the A-side, a cover of Nolan Strong’s Mind Over Matter (I’m Gonna Make You Mine), and so it’s unclear where this B-side came from; the most plausible story is that it was a Temptations cut that had either been rejected or held back for a future release, and thus happened to be available when a B-side was needed for the Pirates 7″.
Whatever the story, I’m really glad this found a release slot somewhere, because it’s wholly excellent.
It’s much smoother than the A-side, in every sense. Probably because the group actually had some time to work on this recording, the vocal performances are much better; Paul Williams on lead gives some of his best work yet, while the rest of the Temptations provide the sort of enveloping, dreamlike backing they’d later become famous for.
It’s all in the service of a cracking tune, too, a bouncy, slow-tempo bit of heavy doo-wop inflected rock and roll that just seems to start up and then never come back down again, with an extended bridge in place of a chorus. And what a bridge – the group repeating the words Love you till I die over and over again, gospel style, anchoring the record, keeping things chugging along steadily while Paul goes wild over the top. A lot of these early Temptations records don’t really sound like the group who made them would go on to conquer America, but this one does.
It’s really good.
Supposedly, once Nolan Strong’s record had become a hit, removing the Pirates’ entire raison d’être, this single was flipped over and I’ll Love You Till I Die became the lead side. If that’s true, it’s completely deserved; this would have made a super Temptations single in its own right, and absolutely doesn’t deserve to lie forgotten as a B-side to a cash-in record under a novelty name. Quite possibly the best thing ever to be released on Mel-o-dy Records, and rather splendid to boot.
MOTOWN JUNKIES VERDICT
(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!)
You’re reading Motown Junkies, an attempt to review every Motown A- and B-side ever released. Click on the “previous” and “next” buttons below to go back and forth through the catalogue, or visit the Master Index for a full list of reviews so far.
(Or maybe you’re only interested in The Temptations? Click for more.)
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| The Pirates “Mind Over Matter (I’m Gonna Make You Mine)” |
Little Stevie Wonder & Clarence Paul “Little Water Boy” |
Motown Junkies 
I really hope people check this out. This is the reason more than any other to poke around on this site of yours. THE COMPLETE SINGLES is so overwhelming that something like this, without name recognition, by an unknown group, on the b-side, is absolutely certain to be missed by somebody charging through the huge packages. thanks for pointing this one out. I am in fact one of those who just missed it. a real find.
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Thanks Michael – that was one of the main reasons behind putting the scores on the Master Index (to hopefully provoke curiosity over songs people may not have heard).
Despite the A-side being a touch nondescript, I remember the review was one of my favourites so far; I had a lot of fun writing it.
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“putting the scores on the Master Index (to hopefully provoke curiosity over songs people may not have heard).”
I’ve definitely been using it that way – also, I made a custom MP3 tag field for your ratings so I can sort them and easily make playlists of all the 8s, 9s & 10s, or remove the clunkers.
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10/10…one of my Top 50 of all time, like that’s important! I love wailing RnB. Bought it new, wore it out.
I’m thinking it was recorded around MIND, both are Clarence Paul produced. I’m wondering if this is the direction they saw the Temps going or not. Paradise (about the same time) had the newer Temps sound and totally handled by Berry.
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Have been listening to early Tempts singles lately and boy, there are a lot of good things hidden away on these tracks, especially this one. You seemed not sure when this was recorded. According to the Can’t Forget The Motor City site, it was mid-August 1962, before both Paradise and Mind Over Matter. So this was the first(?) time Clarence Paul was working with the Tempts… before he was thrown into the fray for Mind Over Matter. (Maybe there are other unreleased tracks.)
Rather than doo-wop, this sounds similar to an old gospel tune “O Mary Don’t You Weep” with the call and response between Williams and the others. James Brown would mine similar territory the following year with O Baby Don’t You Weep.
This sounds really more churchy to me rather than doo-wop. And I don’t think the Tempts ever really attempted anything like this again. Too bad because they sound so good on this. However you classify it, it’s one of my favorite early Temptations tracks. I’d give it a 9.
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No surprise that this was so “Churchy”, as Clarence Paul started his singing in a couple Gospel groups with his brother, Lowman Pauling, who was the lead singer of The Five Royales (who were started as the secular arm of a Gospel group).
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i actually found this 45 at a thrift shop in Ohio about 25 years ago. Still knocks me out. My most treasured motown song in my collection. Paul’s vocals are unrealand yes like like previous comments it does have that James Brown “Oh Mary Dont You Weep” groove on it. SOLID GOLD
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My copy of this has the very same initials in marker, but on the other side. Maybe the name of some promotion guy?
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