As has become a yearly tradition for the past several years, Motown released a “copyright extension” compilation of previously unreleased tracks at the very end of 2017, only a couple of weeks after last year’s similar set got a physical release.  Motown Unreleased: 1967 gathers 89 tracks across the equivalent of 4 CDs, all previously unheard treasures from the seemingly inexhaustible Motown vaults.

Like the collections of the past couple of years, there is a wide range of Motown talent on display here.  Unlike, however, say last year’s compilation, the set is a little light on the label’s most popular mainstay artists.  They are represented, but the number of tracks from each is not as extensive.  Marvin Gaye has the most from this group with a whopping ten unreleased tracks, enough for a whole album.  Gaye’s repertoire here has him returning a crooner mode while covering standards, something he kept trying to accomplish during his tenure at Motown, but eventually gave up on.  In fact, most of the tracks here, like “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Shadow of Your Smile” and “All the Way,” Gaye had attempted back in 1965.  Those versions, like these, were consigned to the vaults until their release on Motown Unreleased: Marvin Gaye 1965 in 2015.  Chris Clark ties Gaye with ten tracks and Billy Eckstine has another six.  Other Motown stars on the set include Gladys Knight and the Pips and Jr. Walker & The All-Stars with 3 tracks, Edwin Starr, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson and Miracles with two songs each, and Jimmy Ruffin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Chuck Jackson and Brenda Holloway with one track apiece.

The set also contains several artists who remain lesser-known in the Motown canon.  The most unusual is probably the group The Underdogs.  The garage rockers out of Grosse Pointe, Michigan were first signed to Hideout and Reprise Records, garnering three singles total in 1965 and 1966.  Towards the end of 1966, Motown signed them to the VIP label.  However, only one single was released in early 1967 and the group was off the label by the end of the year.  This new compilation contains another nine unreleased songs, surpassing their entire released output!  Other more obscure acts here include The Monitors, Rick Witte, The Messengers, Shorty Long, The Agents,  Joe Stubbs (younger brother The Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs) and the San Remo Golden Strings.  Both The Monitors and Shorty Long have had their Motown careers anthologized in the past on Ace Records.

In addition, the set contains a few tracks from artists who had more success after they left Motown.  The Spinners have two tracks here.  Despite being signed to Motown for seven years, the group only managed to land three singles which were considered hits.  It was not until they moved to Atlantic Records in 1972 and teamed with songwriter/producer Thom Bell that they became one of the cornerstones of “Philly” soul and of the biggest soul acts of the 1970s.  The Mynah Birds, which featured Neil Young in one lineup, gets another track included here.  The group’s output was more unreleased than released during their Motown tenure.  The band would break up in 1967 with Young going on to become part of Buffalo Springfield and then becoming a rock legend.  Of course, one member of the Mynah Birds did become a Motown legend: Rick James, who would have to wait over ten years for solo success after he re-signed with Motown on their Gordy Records label in 1978.

Also included is an early solo track from Valerie Simpson.  Beginning in 1966 with Nickolas Ashford, she co-wrote some of Motown’s most iconic hits including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Your Precious Love,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “You’re All I need to Get By.”  The pair had tried for a performing career prior to signing with Motown, and Simpson would be a soloist on Quincy Jones’ reinvention of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge over Troubled Water” in 1970.  She had a pair of solo albums on Motown in 1971 and 1972, but it was not until the couple formed the duo Ashford and Simpson and signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1974 that their performing career really took off.

This new compilation is available now from all major digital music providers.  We’ve got the full tracklisting below!

Various Artists, Motown Unreleased: 1967 (Motown, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

“Disc” 1

1. Poor Side Of Town – The Monitors [alternate lead vocal]
2. Winchester Cathedral – The Monitors
3. Say The Word – Earl Van Dyke
4. Road To Happiness – Billy Eckstine
5. Don’t Try To Tie Me Down – Rick Witte
6. Eyes – Rick Witte
7. Bring It On Home To Me – The Underdogs
8. Come On Up – The Underdogs
9. Emily – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
10. The Whip A Rang – Earl Van Dyke [studio version]
11. She Needs Me – Marvin Gaye
12. The Shadow Of Your Smile – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
13. I Hear A Rhapsody – Billy Eckstine
14. I’ll Be Loving You – Billy Eckstine
15. Lost – Billy Eckstine
16. Come See About Me – The Underdogs
17. Last Train To Clarksville – The Underdogs
18. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
19. Maria – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
20. I Feel Like I’m Falling In Love Again – Jimmy Ruffin
21. All The Way – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
22. Funny (Not Much) – Marvin Gaye

“Disc” 2

1. More (Theme From Mondo Cane) – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
2. This Will Make You Laugh – Marvin Gaye
3. Fanny – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
4. What’s New – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
5. Where Are You – Marvin Gaye [1967 version]
6. Lost – Barbara McNair
7. You Hit Me Where It Hurt Me – The Underdogs
8. It’s My Time – The Underdogs
9. If You Don’t Want My Love – The Underdogs
10. I Got A Feeling Baby – The Underdogs
11. What Goes Up Must Come Down – Four Tops
12. Standing In Yesterday – Chris Clark
13. If I Am Lucky – Barbara McNair
14. That’s How Strong My Love Is – The Messengers
15. I’ll Keep Holding On – The Messengers
16. My World Is Empty Without You – The Messengers
17. Ame Cherie (Soul Darling) – Jr. Walker & the All Stars [with strings]
18. Dream Girl – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
19. All In The Promise Of Tomorrow – Chris Clark
20. Since I Don’t Have You – The Temptations
21. Seek And You Shall Find – The Messengers
22. All I Want Is A Little Bit Of Love – Barbara McNair
23. Hi-Lili – Hi-Lo – Shorty Long
24. Why Wait – Shorty Long

“Disc” 3

1. Baby Don’t Put Me Down – Gladys Knight & The Pips
2. Is This Why (I Gave My Love To You) – Gladys Knight & The Pips
3. I’m In Love (And I Know It) – The Velvelettes [alternate lead vocal]
4. Love Woke Me Up This Morning – Valerie Simpson [first version]
5. Double 0 And A Half – The Agents
6. Jag Jockey – Jr. Walker & the All Stars
7. The Things I Do For You – Jr. Walker & the All Stars [alternate version]
8. It’s My Time – The Mynah Birds [1967 version]
9. Turn On Your Lovelight – The Underdogs
10. Night Fo’ Last – Shorty Long [first version]
11. It’s Love Baby (24 Hours Of The Day) – Joe Stubbs
12. Nothing For Nothing – Jr. Walker & the All Stars
13. It Hurts To Be In Love – Chris Clark
14. All I Could Do Was Cry – Chris Clark & The Vancouvers
15. You’ve Got What It Takes – Chris Clark
16. Since I Fell For You – Chris Clark
17. The Glory Of Love – Chris Clark
18. I Don’t Know What You Got – Edwin Starr
19. Gonna Keep On Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love – Edwin Starr [alternate version]

“Disc” 4

1. Walk Down That Road – Billy Eckstine
2. The Little White Cloud That Cried – Billy Eckstine
3. You Taught Me How To Care – Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
4. I Want A Love I Can See – The Underdogs
5. Your Sweet Love Is All I Need (Your Love Is Sufficient) – The Spinners
6. Don’t Take Your Love Away I Can’t Stand It – The Spinners
7. If You Can Want – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles [first version]
8. To See The Sun Again – Chuck Jackson [alternate lead vocal]
9. Destination: Anywhere – The Marvelettes [alternate lead vocal]
10. I’m So Glad It’s Twilight Time – Martha Reeves & the Vandellas
11. Funky Soul – The Agents
12. Soul Line – The Agents
13. Alice – The Agents
14. Ready In A Jiffy – The Agents
15. People Get Ready – Vancouvers
16. Day By Day Or Never – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers [alternate version]
17. Do Right Baby Do Right – Chris Clark & The Vancouvers
18. Got To Get You Into My Life – Chris Clark & The Vancouvers
19. I Want To Go Back There Again – Chris Clark & The Vancouvers
20. Try – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
21. Sunny – San Remo Golden Strings
22. Only A Lonely Man Would Know – Ivy Jo [first version]
23. It’s Love I Need – Brenda Holloway [alternate lead vocal]

All tracks previously unreleased