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Tamla T 54021 (B), April 1959
B-side of Let’s Rock
(Written by Berry Gordy, Roquel Davis and Gwen Gordy Fuqua)
Three (official) Motown singles, three B-sides which might, all told, be better than the plug sides. Hmmm.
This single followed the same formula as Marv Johnson’s Tamla debut Come To Me / Whisper, having a raucous (or, well, not raucous exactly, but rather “energetic-by-1959-standards”) R&B rocker on the top side and a pretty doo-wop soul harmony number on the flip. Minimal musical backing gives Strong the chance to really go for it vocally, something he didn’t really get to do on Let’s Rock.
It’s good, although the backing vocals do rather spoil things; they start off unobtrusively providing soft background harmonies before unexpectedly lurching to the front of the mix, very clearly out of key with the main vocal at some points. The Complete Motown Singles: Volume 1 liner notes make a point of actually praising this record-scuppering misjudgement as “tight backing vocals”, which is a statement just brimming over with wrongability. It’s a shame, because this is actually a better song than the A-side, and Strong’s vocal delivery is much, er, stronger. Missed opportunity, this.
Unlike Let’s Rock, the master recording of this one somehow survived the ravages of time and Motown’s chaotic early record-keeping, with the result that it sounds considerably clearer on the Complete Motown Singles: Volume 1 CD than the A-side. Odd.
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.
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| Barrett Strong “Let’s Rock” |
Chico Leverett “Solid Sender” |
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I. too, like this side better. It’s introduces us to the post-“Money” Barrett Strong recordings that were great RnB plays (IMO), although not very commercially successful. Is that why we’re recording these songs??
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I must first start off saying I love this guy’s name Barrett….I haven’t heard to many people name that in this era. Secondly, I agree with this verdict completely. The song would’ve been better with just the lead. The backing vocals totally suck which make this song suck. Before the backing comes in Barrett sings slow but mid-tempo all at once once the backing comes in the song begins to drag and begins to remind me of an old church song.
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This is more like it!! I looovveee Do the Very Best You Can. Barrett voice sounds clear and really had my attention. The songs message is really nice u can relate to it. The backing vocals are awesome ans the Funk Brothers are great! 9/10
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Because it has the lower catalogue number, this is almost certainly the original A-side.
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Yes. With Motown, the earlier cut number almost always was the “A” side. But, when the label’s Catalogue number was first, before the flip. there is no doubt that that was intended as the “A” side. It was very similar to Chico Leverette’s ballad on 54024, which was also the “A” side of that release.
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