Well, we've been waiting for these for a while. On January 12, Motown UK is releasing several 2-disc sets of their more underappreciated and ignored artists' works. It appears that Motown is finally opening up the vaults and starting to release what might be the label's most interesting (and largely unheard) material. This is the beginning of (we can hope) a long series of immaculate reiusses, all lovingly supervised by Harry Weinger:

Barbara McNair: The Ultimate Motown Collection (2-Disc Set) (Remastered)



1. My World Is Empty Without You
2. Message To Michael
3. Everything Is Good About You
4. Here I Am Baby
5. Steal Away Tonight
6. For Once In My Life
7. Shadow Of Your Smile
8. Sweetheart Tree
9. I Will Wait For You
10. What A Day (Single Version)
11. Strangers In The Night
12. Fancy Passes
13. Where Would I Be Without You (Single Version)
14. You Could Never Love Him (Single Version)
15. Who Invented Heartache
16. Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
17. You've Lost That Loving Feeling
18. Forget You Ever Met Me Baby
19. I Hear A Symphony
20. When I'm Gone
21. What Now My Love
22. It Happens Every Time
23. Just One Teardrop
24. If You Can Wait
25. You're Gonna Love My Baby (Single Version)
26. Touch Of Time (Single Version)
27. I Second That Emotion (Previously Unreleased)
28. One Who Really Loves You (Previously Unreleased)
29. All That's Good (Previously Unreleased)
30. My Guy (Previously Unreleased)
31. Don't Mess With Bill (Previously Unreleased)
32. I'll Try Something New (Previously Unreleased)
33. More Love (Previously Unreleased)
34. You've Really Got A Hold On Me (Previously Unreleased)
35. You Beat Me To The Punch (Previously Unreleased)
36. As Long As There Is L-O-V-E Love (Previously Unreleased)
37. Love Has A Reason For Neglecting Me (Previously Unreleased)
38. Oh Be My Love (Previously Unreleased)
39. What Love Has Joined Together (Previously Unreleased)
40. Anonymous (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)
41. Wheels Of The City (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)
42. I Don't Wanna Lose What I Got (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)
43. Rain Sometimes (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)
44. I Know Better (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)
45. Into My Empty Arms (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)
46. Lone Lonely Town (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)
47. Harder You Fall (The Deeper The Feeling) (Outtake Version) (Previously Unrelease
48. Baby A Go-Go (Countin' On You, Babe) (Outtake Version) (Previously Unreleased)

Jimmy Ruffin: The Ultimate Motown Collection (2-Disc Set) (Remastered)



1. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted
2. Gonna Give Her All The Love I Got (Single Version)
3. I've Passed This Way Before (Single Version)
4. Tomorrow's Tears (Single Version)
5. It's Wonderful (To Be Loved By You)
6. I'll Say Forever My Love (Single Version)
7. Farewell Is A Lonely Sound (Single Version)
8. Don't You Miss Me A Little Bit Baby
9. Our Favorite Melody
10. You Gave Me Love
11. If You Will Let Me, I Know I Can (Single Version)
12. Take A Letter Maria
13. Just Before Love Ends
14. On The Way Out (On The Way In)
15. Maria (You Were The Only One) (Single Version)
16. Gathering Memories
17. Don't Take Away My Rose Colored Glasses
18. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
19. That's Me Lovin' You
20. Kickin' Stones
21. Thanks But No Thanks
22. It's A Desperate Situation
23. Born To Be Bad
24. (I Never Loved) Nobody But You
25. Do You Feel The Way You Make Me Feel
26. I've Got You Girl
27. Don't Feel Sorry For Me (Single Version)
28. Heart (Single Version)
29. Se Decidi Cosi (What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted) (Single Version)
30. Baby I've Got It (Stereo Mix)
31. (Stop Leading Me On) I Know How To Love Her
32. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
33. Gotta Let You Go
34. He Who Picks A Rose
35. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep
36. Lucky Lucky Me
37. Half Of Your Love (Previously Unreleased)
38. In The Neighborhood (Previously Unreleased)
39. Love Is A Hurtin' Thing (Previously Unreleased)
40. Shake Hands With A Dreamer (Previously Unreleased)
41. I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) (Previously Unreleased)
42. More Than A Heart Can Stand (Previously Unreleased)
43. I Love The Way She Loves Me (Previously Unreleased)
44. I Pray You Still Love Me (Previously Unreleased)
45. East Side West Side (Previously Unreleased)
46. That's You Girl (Previously Unreleased)
47. Change Your Mind (Previously Unreleased)
48. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted (Alternate Mix With Spoken Intro)

Billy Eckstine: The Motown Years (2-Disc Set) (Remastered)



Includes a selection of unreleased items from the vaults of Motown. Tracklisting as yet unavailable.

Barbara Randolph: The Collection (1 Disc) (September 3, 2003)



1. I Got A Feeling
2. You Got Me Hurtin' All Over
3. Can I Get A Witness
4. Bah Bah Bah
5. Another Day, Another Way
6. Chained
7. It's Got To Be A Miracle (this thing called love)
8. Baby Don't You Do It
9. It's Not Necessary
10. I'll Turn To Stone
11. I'm So Thankful
12. (I'm A) Roadrunner
13. The Look Of Love
14. Why Fight It
15. What's Easy For Two (is so hard for one)
16. Why Did You Run Away
17. When It Rains It Pours
18. You Finally Outdone Yourself

"I Got A Feeling" is a soul classic and tracks 4-18 are unreleased.
[This message was edited Tue Jan 6 14:07:19 PST 2004 by VoicesCarry]

Sounds interesting.I also wish Motown would go into their vaults and release some of the stuff from their MAJOR artists that never saw the light of day...

***a 1973 Michael Jackson album produced by Stevie Wonder

***Marvin Gaye's 1979 album 'Love Man'

***a 1973 album by The Commodores that was rejected

***the third Mary Jane Girls album 'Conversation',which was recorded in 1986 but remains in the vaults

***a 1977 Diana Ross album called 'Revelations' that was never released

I mean,come on...their vaults are filled with stuff that fans would die to hear!
[This message was edited Tue Jan 6 14:13:19 PST 2004 by DavidEye]

DavidEye said:

This exists?

psykosoul said:

There aren't too many details about it,but the planned first single was a song called "Buttercup".

The Jackson 5 recorded around 460 songs with Motown so its most likely that another MJ solo album exists.

thetimefan said:

Martha Reeves alone has 800 unreleased songs in the Motown vaults.