‘United’

From 1967 comes this superb collaboration between Marvin and Tammi of which seven songs ended up on 45’s. The first treat before even playing this CD is the glorious colourful sleeve which stands out as being one of the most striking and appealing covers of them all.

What can you say about this set. Issued right in the middle of the decade at a time when Motown were on a roll and couldn’t fail, and with the majority of the labels major acts having some form of chart action in the UK and US. The first release as a single was the original version of ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ in the summer of ‘67’ with Marvin’s vocals kicking in with “Listen Baby” before setting the pace for the song which is a magical piece of Motown pop you could ever wish to hear.

It is ironic that fellow Motown artist Diana Ross who took her version to the top of the charts some four years later and in reality her version whilst pleasant, comes nowhere near as good as this. If you have ever seen the video of this song filmed on the American theme park then you will know what I mean when I say that their musical relationship was nothing short of magic.

Working around the same tempo came the next single ‘If I Could Build My Whole World Around You’ that same year and was justifiably chosen as a follow up single. Another perfect performance with an irresistible hook-line and chorus complementing that easy to dance to rhythm. The absolute killer track comes next with their third single in ‘67’ with ‘Your Precious Love’ which is the ultimate Marvin and Tammi song. The bass intro. together with those wonderful finger snaps leading into a gorgeous slow groove building into a crescendo chorus is nothing short of spine tingling.

The northern soul fraternity were quick to pick up on ‘Two Can Have A Party’ which only ever surfaced in the UK as a ‘b’ side and there is also a solo version of this song by Tammi using the same backing track. One song does stand out as being one that could, and should, have been issued as a single as opposed to a flip side, being ‘If This World Were Mine’ a fabulous ballad with heart wrenching violins and strings complementing the duo’s perfect vocal performance.
 

‘Your All I Need’

This album recorded in 1968 resulted in the Marvin & Tammi collaboration taking almost permanent residence in the UK charts with some three songs all becoming top twenty hits during 68-69. The first during August of ‘68’ was the mid tempo ‘Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing’ written by the husband a wife songwriting team of Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson, who had penned some many of their hits during this period. The record buying public were hooked and the song went top 20. Elton John was to record his own version during the nineties.

If any one song stands out as being their best it has to be ‘Your All I Need To Get By’ from ‘68’. Apart from being their biggest hit to date it is the song that still gets the plays on the radio, and another credit to Ashford & Simpson.

It was they who also wrote their next hit ‘You Ain’t Livin’ Till You’re Lovin’ which quickly raced up the UK and US charts racking up their third hit that year. From a personal point this was not their best from this album, plus, Marvin Gaye was about to release a solo single at the end of the year which would see Motown’s biggest ever selling single at that time, and the musical partnership with Tammi start to back peddle as Marvin prepared his ‘What’s Going On’ project.

However, there were two more hit singles to come not featured here, one of which there has been much speculation as to whether Tammi actually sang on the song, or whether Valerie Simpson provided the vocals as Tammi by this time had suffered a brain tumour which would eventually lead to her untimely death on stage with Marvin two years later.

One other song of note on this album is ‘Come On And See Me’ a song which Tammi had recorded herself as a single in 1965, and without question remains Tammi’s finest moment and is one the most collectable UK Motown 45’s. The duet present this song in a different way than the original yet still manager to capture the songs magical feel.

Watch out for a Tammi Terrell UK CD in April 2001.

Personal rating 10/10
Released April 2001
Expect to pay around £14.99 in the UK
www.motown.com
www.umusic.com

UK Tracklisting;

'United'

Ain't No Mountain High Enough/You Got What It Takes/If I Could Build My Whole World Around You/Somethin' Stupid/
Your Precious Love/Hold Me Oh My Darling/Two Can Have A Party/Little Ole Boy Little Ole Girl/If This World Were Mine/
Sad Wedding/Give A Little Love/Oh How I Miss You.

'You're All I Need'

Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing/Keep On Lovin' Me Honey/You're All I Need To Get By/Baby Don'tcha Worry/
You Ain't Livin' Until Your Lovin'/Give In, You Just Can't Win/When Love Comes Knockin At My Heart/Come On And See Me/
I Can't Help But Love You/That's How It Is (Since You've Ben Gone)/I'll Never Stop Loving You Baby/Memory Chest