“COME AND GET THESE MEMORIES”

Martha Reeves, the voice of Martha and the Vandellas,........

“Memories” is also notable as the first hit recording written and produced by the songwriting/production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who would become the top creative team at Motown by the end of 1965. 

The single was the first of several hits the Martha and the Vandellas scored with the team, before Holland-Dozier-Holland began to focus more heavily on hits for The Supremes and the Four Tops. 

However, Holland–Dozier–Holland would continue to collaborate with the Martha and the Vandellas until the songwriting team’s departure from Motown in 1967.

Holland–Dozier–Holland finished a song Lamont Dozier had started writing a couple of years back for Loretta Lynn, one of the more dynamic young country singers coming up. Her song, “Success” had been a summertime country hit in 1962. 

Dozier thought that “Come and Get These Memories” was a good country title, but when the team got through with it, it was something else indeed. 

Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and Martha Reeves became Martha and the Vandellas, and when they played the song back, Berry Gordy said, “That’s the Motown Sound! That’s the sound I’ve been looking for.” 

Dozier agreed.  The Motown Sound started with “Come and Get These Memories” because that song had a mixture of all those musical elements–gospel music, pop, country and western, and jazz.”

The song was especially important to Martha Reeves.

“I saw them write that. I was with them when they became a team. I was the secretary, sitting there taking notes. I knew it was my song! That was a special moment. That was the first song that they wrote together. And it was ours. They wrote it for us,.”

Martha and the Vandellas’ recording of the song would not be released until 22 February 1963, months after they introduced the song in live performances during the autumn 1962 Motortown Revue tour. 

It became the group’s first hit, reaching #29 on the Hot 100 pop singles chart and #6 on the R&B singles chart.

“COME AND GET THESE MEMORIES” ….

Martha Reeves says……..my life of music begins.

 After the last of a three-night performance--a reward for winning an amateur contest--I was greeted by Motown’s  A&R President, William R. Stevenson. 

It was my first engagement after turning 21.

 I starred with Levi Mann and his trio during “Happy Hour,” a performance at the now defunct Twenty Grand nightclub in 1961. I had just finished my solo performance under the name Martha Lavaile, a name given to me by my Aunt Bernice who gave me an alias and told me that I would one day become famous, 

The last night of my 3 day performance Mr Stevenson (Mickey) presented his business card to me and said, “You have talent, come to Hitsville USA!” 

Thinking this could be my break into the music scene, I went to the Hitsville studio the next morning, (after phoning and quitting my job at the City Wide Cleaners as a counter person)

I showed up at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, Berry Gordy’s home, just as people were lining up outside waiting for an audition. 

In dear shock from seeing this massive crowd waiting outside on the front lawn,  I showed the business card at the front door that I had been given and walked in with ease.

 Mr. Stevenson (Mickey) was surprised to see me, and advised me that they held auditions every third Thursday, it was just as busy inside as it was outside… 

Someone from the back called him, and Mickey excused himself and said “if the phone rings can you answer it for me and take the messages, I will be right back”.

 About three hours later, I had become the first woman/secretary/demo making-singer in that office of 17 writers and producers.

The angelic moment of a lifetime for me….

Later… I became the lead singer with a group of background singers that I named the Vandellas. I originally called Rosalind, Gloria and Annette to record behind Marvin Gaye for “Stubborn Kinda Fellow.” We were formally The Del-Phis, a Check-Mate recording group. We were named after a street on the Eastside named Van Dyke and after Della Reese, my idol. 

MARTHA REEVES- MY MUSIC, MY STORY , MY LIFE