The Return of The Marvelettes

The Return of The Marvelettes was marketed as the last album by the group, although in reality their last had been 1969's In Full Bloom. It was originally recorded to launch the solo career of former Marvelette Wanda Young, and was produced by Smokey Robinson.

Overview

By the mid to late 1960s, The Marvelettes had lost their status as Motown's top girl group, as much of the company's focus and promotion turned to The Supremes. In 1970, around the time the Marvelettes disbanded, Smokey Robinson had Wanda Young record what was intended as her first solo album with premiere back-up group The Andantes. The material chiefly consisted of older Motown songs that have been overlooked such as "After All" (originally by The Miracles), "I'll Be in Trouble" (originally by The Temptations), and "A Breathtaking Guy" (originally by The Supremes) along with a cover of "Uptown" by The Crystals, and a few Marvelettes songs that had been recorded before the group's dissolution. Young's version of the Supremes song was released as a single, but along with "Marionette," the other single pulled from the album, it failed to chart. Producers did not believe that Young's name had enough commercial appeal, and so the album ended up being marketed as a Marvelettes album. The record's cover featured a new picture of Young and two fake Marvelettes (whose faces are purposely unidentifiable) on horseback to emphasize the album's title.

Track listing

Side 1

1. "So I Can Love You" (Sheila Hutchinson)
2. "Marionette" (Smokey Robinson, William "Mickey" Stevenson)
3. "That's How Heartaches Are Made" (Bob Halley, Ben Raleigh)
4. "A Breathtaking Guy" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the Supremes)
5. "No More Tear Stained Make Up" (Robinson) (originally recorded by Martha & the Vandellas)
6. "Uptown" (Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann) (originally recorded by the Crystals)

Side 2

1. "Someday We'll Be Together" (Johnny Bristol, Jackey Beavers, Harvey Fuqua) (originally recorded by Johnny & Jackey)
2. "After All" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the Miracles)
3. "Our Lips Just Seem To Rhyme Every Time" (Robinson, Al Cleveland)
4. "Fading Away" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the Temptations)
5. "Take Me Where You Go" (Robinson, Warren Moore)
6. "I'll Be In Trouble" (Robinson) (originally recorded by the Temptations)

Personnel

• Wanda Young - lead vocals
• The Andantes - backing vocals
• Smokey Robinson - producer
• The Funk Brothers - instrumentals

References

• AOL Music Review
• Allmusic Link