The Complete Motown Singles

The first contributor to the reviews of the Complete Motown Singles (Box Sets) has emailed me the contents of the latest volume which is Vol. 10 covering the year 1970. I have already entered this information in the database for those of you that are interested but I wanted to bring up several discrepencies between the data previously in the database and the information presented in the Complete Motown Singles Vol. 10 Box Set.

1) Jackson 5 "ABC". The database states the 45 length is (2:56) but the new box set has a (3:13) length????
2) Edwin Starr "War". The database states this 45 runs (3:20) but it runs (3:27) on this box set??????
3) Diana Ross "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". The database reports dj copies of this 45 run (6:18) and (3:28) but the box set reports a dj long version running (6:18) and a dj short version running (4:05)??????

Any comments on these discrepencies?

On the off chance that there may have been a timing difference between the stock and DJ "War" 45, I just clocked the promo, but it, too, runs (3:20). Listed time is (3:12).



Edited by Yah Shure

Okay, I'm working on "Vol 9: 1969" now, so if anyone else is doing that volume also, PLEASE let me know immediately so we don't duplicate each other's work.

Also, timings are supposed to be from the start of the music to the end of the music. From the tracks Pat posted here from the 1970 volume, it appears the running times listed are just the displayed track times, not the actual song running times.

Edited by Brian W.

I have just entered the information passed along by Brian for Volume 9 which brings up even more questions.

"Cloud Nine" by the Temptations is listed in the database as running (3:33) but shows up on this box set running (3:10)????

"Never Had A Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder is included in the 1970 box running (3:10) but shows up in this box running (3:05). How can this song be included in both boxes with considerably different running times????

Edited by Pat Downey

Pat Downey wrote: "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations is listed in the database as running (3:33) but shows up on this box set running (3:10)????

Oops! My mistake. The 3:10 version is Cloud Nine by Gladys Knight & the Pips, not the Temptations.

Pat Downey wrote: "Never Had A Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder is included in the 1970 box running (3:10) but shows up in this box running (3:05). How can this song be included in both boxes with considerably different running times????

Okay, it says that the version in the 1969 set was originally slated as the A-side of Tamla 54188, but changed to "Yester-Me, Yester-You." It was held back and the different mix on the 1970 set was released later as Tamla T54191 A.

But the notes still list the '69 mix as "Released on Tamla T54191 A, January 13, 1970," which is the same number and release date as the version on the 1970 set. So it SEEMS to say that both versions were available commercially.

However, Motown promo 45s usually had the identical catalog number as their commercial counterparts. So it's unclear whether the '69 mix was just released promotionally, commercially, or whether it was even released at all and the notation of its catalog number and release are an error.

Edited by Brian W.