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On 1/11/64, The Supremes weren't a thing yet. But they made "...Bandstand" this way:
A Supremes ad f/ The Motortown Revue, before they were nationally famous. Note the "Diane":
1:00, tepid applause @ The Apollo f/ the not well known Supremes:
The Supremes sing a cha cha:
Intriguing thing about The Supes is ppl look @ them, & some hear Florence's solos or verses or fades, & assume Mary sings in a higher register than Florence. Mary has the huskiest voice in the trio
This is essentially the first girl group in the genre that eventually produced The Marvelettes, The Chiffons & The Shirelles. The template:
Technically, "Mr. Lee" by The Bobettes was the earliest doo wop era hit by a girl band. But Arlene Smith & The Chantels set the tone f/ those who followed.
The vocal bridge @ 1:25:
The Chantels released this in '57, which is the same year The Bobettes dropped "Mr. Lee". In '57 doo wop was just peaking. No one who is not related by blood, harmonizes like Arlene Smith & The Chantels:
A rollicking hit by The Marvelettes:
The Marvelettes had two members capable of handling leads- Wanda Young & Gladys Horton. They also had great stage presence:
At 29:17 Gladys Horton leads The Marvelettes @ The Apollo in 1963. They were the biggest girl group on Motown in those days:
The Marvelous Marvelettes:
Nothing rocks like a Marvelettes cautionary tale disc:
The Marvelettes' brand was distinct fr. The Supremes. Their steps were more flirtatious, their gear was fitted, & Wanda's leads possessed a Mae West quality:
This is really the last big Marvelettes' disc of the soul era:
"Little Miss Hitmaker". The first lyrical line says it all:
Mary's first hit single, "Bye, Bye Baby", was one she wrote. Legend has it Berry had her do so many takes such that her voice took on that rasp
Mary = great storyteller:
1:35, one of the greatest vocal bridges in the history of soul
Her phrasing & timing are impeccable. Brenda Holloway covers this, entirely different take:
The other thing about Mary Wells is her command of Smokey's lyrics:
She is also great @ dramatically stacking a song through its verses. Gladys might be the only one better
Spoiler alert @ 1:44-2:15:
M Dub gets her Mae West on:
This is the first "I like him just the way he is" Motown single:
Mary Wells is so gifted and sincere:
Kim Weston, teen idol:
Brenda Holloway, teen idol:
Always loved this bridge (0:52)
Brenda covers Mary:
No one could dress w/ them:
When more designers are clamoring to clothe you, than they are the FLOTUS:
They clean as The Board Of Health:
The Supremes were the first people (in the limelight) that little girls in The Community saw regularly rock couture:
Imagine you're a small child (or an elderly lady) watching Ed Sullivan, & you peep someone from your community dressed like that
