There's been much talk this week of Bob Dylan's 50th Anniversary Collection, a (very) limited edition title released in Europe to protect the singer's 1962 recordings from entering the public domain there.  But we can report that it's not alone.  On December 18, Universal Music very quietly released six exciting, digital-only compilations under the umbrella of Motown Unreleased: 1962.  The New York Times has been among those speculating that the 120 tracks contained on the six "albums" have all been liberated from the vaults as a result of the same "use it or lose it" European copyright provision that led Sony to make the Dylan tracks available for the first time.

The Motown Unreleased: 1962 campaign, alas only available in digital format from providers including Amazon.com and iTunes, includes two volumes each of The Guys and Jazz, and one volume each for The Girls and Gospel.  In 1962, the young Motown family of labels included Divinity (gospel), Gordy (home to The Temptations, The Vandellas and The Contours), Mel-o-dy (Lamont Dozier, The Creations, The Charters), Tamla (The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye), Workshop (jazz) and Motown itself (Mary Wells, Eddie Holland, The Supremes).   Among the most memorable songs of the year from Gordy's burgeoning empire included The Miracles' "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," Marvin Gaye's "Stubborn Kind of Fellow," Mary Wells' "The One Who Really Loves You" and "You Beat Me to the Punch," and The Marvelettes' "Beechwood 4-5789."  Many of Motown's most famous acts were still on the cusp of stardom, including The Supremes and The Temptations.  The Motown Unreleased series includes heretofore-unissued titles from artists both familiar and unfamiliar.

What tracks can you expect to find?  Hit the jump for the complete track listings and more!

The first volume of Jazz includes a complete album's worth (twelve tracks) from The George Bohannon Quartet.  Hitsville trombonist Bohannon released two bossa nova-inflected sides on Workshop Jazz in 1963 ("Bobbie" b/w "El Rig") from his album Boss Bossa Nova.  Bohannon's unreleased tracks, all unveiled here, include such standards as Rodgers and Hart's "It Never Entered My Mind," Robert Wright and George "Chet" Forrest's "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" from their musical Kismet, Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse's "What Kind of Fool Am I?" from Stop the World, I Want to Get Off, and Frank Loesser's "Joey, Joey, Joey" from The Most Happy Fella.  Bohannon went on to remain with Motown and work on such projects as the film Lady Sings the Blues.  The second Jazz volume features seven tracks from Beans Bowles and nine from The Johnny Griffith Trio.  Like The Bohannon Quartet, Griffith also released a 1963 single on the short-lived Workshop Jazz label ("I'mi See You Later" b/w "I Did"). Bowles was another longtime member of the Motown family who played saxophone on many early sessions before becoming a tour manager and musical director.

The Gospel collection is a lengthy one, with six tracks from The Burnadettes, five from Reverend Chas Glover, four from The Gospel Stars, nine from Reverend Columbus Mann and two from The Pronouns.  The Gospel Stars (Mae, Etta and Sandra Gooch, Elizabeth Davis, Lillian Woods and Lois Russell) had the distinction of seeing their 1961 recordings on the final Divinity single, released in July 1963.  The Burnadettes released their only Divinity single in May of that year.

Motown Unreleased: Girls introduces a whopping thirteen tracks from the bluesy singer Hattie Littles, who released one single (and saw another scheduled but shelved) in 1962, but remained with the company for roughly another three years.  (A second pressing of the "Your Love is Wonderful" single was also released in 1962, technically giving Littles two released singles.)  Six tracks from the Vandellas catalogue round out this set.  The Martha Reeves-led group made their debut in 1962 with the single "I'll Have to Let Him Go" b/w "My Baby Won't Come Back."  The first volume of Guys has an eclectic roster.  Seven songs come from The Contours, and six apiece from The Creations, Freddie Gorman (of "Please Mr. Postman" and The Originals fame), and Marvin Gaye.  Still in his crooner mode, Gaye's songs include a jazzy reinterpretation of "A Lot of Livin' to Do" from Bye Bye Birdie and "Just in Time" from Bells Are Ringing.  Lastly, Volume 2 of Guys has two songs from Lee and the Leopards, five from Mike and the Modifiers, four from The Mysterions, two from Andre Williams, one each from Johnny Powers, Singin' Sammy Ward, four from The Temptations and three from The Miracles.  The Leopards, The Modifiers, The Contours, The Creations and Ward all released singles in 1962, as did future superstars The Temps, The Miracles and Gaye.  The history of the Mysterions is question mark.  (Pun intended.)  Powers, said to be the first white male musician in Motown's employ, recorded at Hitsville with producers Gaye and Clarence Paul in 1962.

Whatever the reason for their issuance, these six volumes represent a diverse treasure trove of material from one of the formative years at Motown.  Longtime collectors will likely be disappointed that no physical release has been announced, quite a contrast from the typically luxurious classic Motown projects issued by Hip-o Select.  But Hip-o honcho Harry Weinger has related some rather good news in a post on the Soulful Detroit forum: "All of the tracks in the digital releases were sourced from the mono Hitsville reference mixes.  Writer and producer info will be posted on an official site shortly."  He added that, "Four of the six tracks by Martha & the Vandellas that are in the Motown Unreleased 1962 'digital album' will be included in the forthcoming MR&TV Singles Collection set. They will, however, be in fresh extended mixes; some in stereo."

In the meantime, you can order all six volumes of Motown Unreleased 1962 below!

Motown Unreleased 1962:  Jazz Vol. 1 (Motown, 2012)

1. My Linda
2. My Shining Hour
3. It Never Entered My Mind
4. Blue Phase
5. Sue's Blues
6. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
7. What Kind of Fool Am I
8. Joey, Joey, Joey
9. Climax
10. Do You Love Me
11. Love Speaks
12. Some Other Time

All tracks performed by the George Bohannon Quartet.

Motown Unreleased 1962:  Jazz Vol. 2 (Motown, 2012)

1. Autumn in New York
2. Aicirtap
3. Vanski
4. Willow Weep for Me
5. Fly Me to the Moon
6. Beans
7. Angel Eyes
8. Willow Weep for Me
9. Greensleeves
10. Love Walked In
11. Four - 1
12. Blue and Nude
13. This Could Be the Start of Something Big
14. Crazy, She Calls Me
15. Yesterdays
16. George's Dilemma

Tracks 1-7 performed by Beans Bowles
Tracks 8-16 performed by the Johnny Griffith Trio

Motown Unreleased 1962:  Gospel (Motown, 2012)

1. Don't Give Up
2. He Never Fails
3. Power in the Blood
4. Step on Out
5. Wonderful Jesus
6. Lord, I'll Never Turn Back
7. Waiting and Watching
8. Hold to God's Unchanging Hand
9. Don't Stay Away, Sinner
10. Lord, I'm Satisfied
11. Lord, I Want to Be a Christian
12. Jesus is His Name
13. Keep On
14. Deliver Me
15. He Will Bring Everything Out All Right
16. One More Chance
17. Shall I Meet You
18. It Was Love That Lifted Me
19. Talking About Jesus
20. How Glad I Am
21. Jesus the Sweetest Name
22. Do You Know the Lord Like I Do
23. Hallejulah to Jesus' Name
24. Wash Me Thoroughly
25. Redeemed
26. Sit Down and Rest a While

Tracks 1-6 performed by The Burnadettes
Tracks 7-11 performed by Rev. Chas Glover
Tracks 12-15 performed by The Gospel Stars
Tracks 16-24 performed by Rev. Columbus Mann
Tracks 25-26 performed by The Pronouns

Motown Unreleased 1962:  Guys Vol. 1 (Motown, 2012)

1. Love, I Need You
2. You Don't Love Nobody But You
3. Trust in Me
4. Why Don't You Stop
5. You've Got to Love Me
6. Come to Me
7. Mighty Good Lovin'
8. Going to a Party
9. Let's Mash Potatoes
10. Special Touch
11. I'm Not Alone
12. What's Your Reason
13. Remember Me
14. The Good Has to Suffer with the Bad
15. Just For You (A Growing Love)
16. Past Time Lover
17. A Lot of Livin' to Do
18. Out of This World
19. Just in Time
20. A Living Dream (Called a Girl)
21. Connie
22. Just Friends
23. Tell All Your Friends
24. Throw a Farewell Kiss
25. Genuine Love

Tracks 1-7 performed by The Contours
Tracks 8-13 performed by The Creations
Tracks 14-19 performed by Marvin Gaye
Tracks 20-25 performed by Freddie Gorman

Motown Unreleased 1962:  Guys Vol. 2 (Motown, 2012)

1. You'd Make a Fine Son-in-Law
2. We Don't Want to Go to School
3. Devil You
4. Only You
5. Sally Jane
6. I Heard (Rumors)
7. Julie (Guess I'll Never Understand)
8. I Want to Do It Right
9. You've Got to Pay Bills
10. A Friend of Mine
11. Call It What You Like
12. So Blue
13. Short Stop
14. Hot Sausage
15. Is It Yes or Is It No
16. I Like It
17. My Telephone is Ringing
18. Oh Distant Lover
19. Oh Mother of Mine
20. Give Me Your Love
21. Thank You for All You've Done
22. Every Girl in Town

Tracks 1-2 performed by Lee and the Leopards
Tracks 3-7 performed by Mike and the Modifiers
Tracks 8-10 performed by The Miracles
Tracks 11-14 performed by The Mysterions
Track 15 performed by Johnny Powers
Tracks 16-19 performed by The Temptations
Track 20 performed by Singin' Sammy Ward
Tracks 21-22 performed by Andre Williams

Motown Unreleased 1962:  Girls (Motown, 2012)

1. Work Song
2. Sticking with You (Nobody But You)
3. I Pity the Fool
4. Don't Come Knocking on My Door
5. Gotta Have Your Lovin'
6. False Words
7. The Man
8. You've Got What It Takes
9. Let's Talk It Over
10. This Time
11. If You Leave Me Man
12. Strange is My Love for You
13. Ol' Man River
14. Watch Him Now
15. I'll Be Standing By
16. You Just Wouldn't Listen
17. Better Think It Over
18. It's Hard to Walk Away
19. I Want to Be with You Tonight

Tracks 1-13 performed by Hattie Littles
Tracks 14-19 performed by The Vandellas