Mary Wells – Vintage Stock (1966) Motown Soul
Compilation
Review & Tracklist
Motown records 1966 – MT 653
notes:
Released in 1966, Vintage Stock is a compilation album by Motown
star
Mary Wells, gathering together recordings from her productive early
years with the label. Issued after her commercial peak at
Motown,
the album serves as both an introduction for new listeners and
a
convenient collection for fans who wanted her songs in one
affordable package. Though not a studio album in the traditional
sense,
Vintage Stock captures an important moment in soul music
history
and preserves the sound of one of Motown’s most distinctive female
voices.
Mary Wells was one of Motown’s first breakout artists, helping the
Detroit
label move from a small R&B company into a mainstream pop
powerhouse.
Best remembered for her smooth yet playful vocal style, she became
known
as “The Queen of Motown” in the early 1960s. Her success laid the
groundwork
for later stars such as Diana Ross and Martha Reeves, and her
recordings helped
define the polished, crossover-friendly “Motown Sound.”
Vintage Stock was released as part of Motown’s budget compilation
series,
aimed at repackaging previously recorded material for the growing LP
market.
By 1966, Mary Wells had already left Motown for 20th Century-Fox
Records,
but the label continued to capitalize on her popularity by issuing
collections of her earlier work.
Rather than presenting a unified artistic statement, the album functions
as a curated
overview of Wells’ recordings from her Motown period. It draws from
sessions recorded
between 1961 and 1964, when she was at the height of her chart
success.
The title Vintage Stock suggests that these songs were already being
framed as classics,
despite being only a few years old at the time of release.
credits:
Lead vocals by Mary Wells
Background vocals by and The Rayber Voices,
The Love Tones, The Temptations, The Supremes,
Martha & the Vandellas, and The Andantes
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
Released November 1966
Recorded 1962-1964
tracklist:
A1 The One Who Really Loves
You
Written-By – Wm. Robinson*
2:26
A2 When I'm Gone
Written-By – Wm. Robinson*
2:13
A3 He's The One I Love
Written-By – Wm. Robinson*
2:37
A4 Two Lovers
Written-By – Wm. Robinson*
2:47
A5 Guarantee (For A
Lifetime)
Written-By – Holland, Dozier, Holland*
2:19
A6 Honey Boy
Written-By – Holland, Dozier, Holland*
2:56
B1 My Guy
Written-By – Wm. Robinson*
2:44
B2 Everybody Needs Love
Written-By – E. Holland*, N. Whitfield*
2:52
B3 You Beat Me To The Punch
Written-By – R. White*, Wm. Robinson*
2:43
B4 I'll Be Available
Written-By – Wm. Robinson*
2:36
B5 One Block From Heaven
Written-By – Holland, Dozier, Holland*
2:26
B6 Goodbye And Good Luck
Written-By – R. White*
2:14
