Session Review Notes
Period 1972[Aug] – 1972[Dec]
Artist:Frankie Valli
Mid-Late 1972 Frankie Valli Sessions
Background
Record keeping and session information is pretty slim/erratic for this period but based on Master and Tape Index Nrs, sessions with Frankie Valli did take place. Bob Gaudio I recall in interview with Stu Miller at the time said Valli was just doing demos for other artists and it is true some titles listed are released by other artists and some may well be demos. These tracks are grouped together due to limited data with what we know until more is found but generally they cover sessions with Hal Davis, Willie Hutch and Michael Masser. No clear session dates are available for most and some may be recorded earlier in 1972. However if they were given a Motown Master Number we would expect them to be completed. Whether they remain intact requires a tape listening review.
Core Tapes: P2134: P2304: P2351: P2352: P2440
Track Title: With You
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Not Known[possibly Hal Davis]
Motown Master: 61561
First Location Tape: Not Known[Possibly P2304 or P2351]
Notes
It is believed this is the Carole Bayer Sagar – Ken Ascher song that Frankie Valli eventually released on the “Lady Put The Light Out' album on Private Stock PS 7002 in 1977. The Motown Master Nr does confirm a completed product but no Artists Card has been found and the Tape location is unknown
Track Title: Include Me In Your Life
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Not Known[probably Hal Davis]
Motown Master: Not known
First Location Tape: P2304
Notes
A song recorded in the same period by Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, and released as the B' Side to "My Mistake (Was To Love You)", the writers being McLeod/Bolton and the producer was Hal Davis. The Valli version may well have been used as a demo for the release as it has no Master Nr but listed to exist on Tape P2304. Tape Box information indicates it was “Reassigned to Suzie Ikeda/Suzie vocals/Also Ross/Gaye” but on the 1990s internal Universal list as recorded by Frankie Valli
Track Title: Point Of No Return
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Not known[possibly Hal Davis]
Motown Master: Not Known
First Location Tape: P2304
Notes
Research Kev Singer identified that this title was recorded by The Stylistics on their self-named 1971 Avco album. As 'Stop, Look and Listen' is also listed as a Valli recorded song [which has been found complete and for release this year] we would suggest a Hal Davis production of this excellent Thom Bell-Linda Creed composition. On the 1990s internal Universal list as recorded by Frankie Valli
Track Title: Where Love Ends
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Not Known[possibly Willie Hutch]
Motown Master: Not known
First Location Tape: P2134
Notes
All we have for this title is the Tape Index reference and lists from the 1990s and 2002 [Motown internal memo] which give this track as existing. Only 2 BMI listings exist for the title and one is a Michel Legrand orchestral piece.
Track Title: I'll Make It Up To You
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Not Known[possibly Willie Hutch]
Motown Master: Not known
First Location Tape: P2134
Notes
This and the previous track are listed as on the same tape as the released Willie Hutch produced and written 'Thank You' which was recovered from P2134 and mixed for inclusion on the 1975 album 'Inside You'. Again it is listed in the 1990s and 2002 Motown lists. A review of P2134 16 track Tape is needed
Track Title: Minute By Minute – Day By Day [found and for release Summer 2020]
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Not Known[possibly Michael Masser]
Motown Master: 61587
First Location Tape: P2351[30IPS]
Second Location: T3252/3253
Notes
BMI searches reveal a song called 'Minute By Minute' written by Michael Masser and Kathy Wakefield and given the fact 'After You' see below was recorded by Valli with Masser this was our path of research. The writing duo teamed up with Al Ruzika[of The Night fame] to pen 'Last Time I Saw Him' for the same titled Diana Ross album during this period. This track appears with copies made to T tapes indicating that it was completed and that has proved to be the case and it was somewhat amazing to hear it when Bob Gaudio confirmed it was approved. It is a superb mid-tempo song which Frankie Valli sings with great skill.
Track Title: I Can Get Away From You (But I Can't Get Over You)
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Not Known[possibly Michael Masser]
Motown Master: 61588
First Location Tape: Not Known[Possibly P2351/2]
Notes
This song appears to be written by Pam Sawyer and Michael Masser and was released by Tony and Carolyn on VIP 25068F in 1971. FOUND HERE. No other background info to this track can be found apart from the fact that a Master Nr was allocated which categorises it with the previous song and given the co-writer was Michael Masser it is reasonable to think it is from his sessions with Valli and was completed. There is no Artists Card and only the title appears in the Tape Index and on a list of tracks from Motown during the 1990s and on an internal memo within Motown in 2002.
Track Title: After You [found and for release Summer 2020]
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Michael Masser
Motown Master: Not known
First Location Tape: P2352
Notes
A collectors tape box scan of a 7.5ips reel box with the instrumental track gave us the first clue to these potential Michael Masser sessions and a confirmed Tape index Nr P 2352 confirmed the session......but as the reel we had contains only the music backing and no verification of Valli's lead vocal had been found until surprisingly it was one of the 13 tracks ‘approved’ by Bob and Frankie for release.
The box indicates a November 1972 date for that copy. And with no Master Nr and no Artists Card we thought it was incomplete. It was subsequently recorded and released by Diana Ross and Englebert Humperdink but with different orchestral arrangements. It is a 'full' musical arrangement with a heart-aching and intense vocal interpretation by Frankie Valli. This surprising find supports the need for a full listening review of all of the 16 track tapes.
The song was recorded by Diana Ross on her self-titled 1976 album. FOUND HERE in a very different arrangement. Interestingly it is a Crewe/Corbetta/Marmelzat composition and the timing of this potential recording could coincide with Bob Crewe's signing for Motown in fall 1972 and the start of his relationship with Jerry Corbetta [ Note– Jerry Corbetta had performed with the group ‘Sugarloaf’ a Denver, Colorado based rock and roll band that performed from 1970 to 1975. Jerry teamed up with Bob Crewe in 1975 when he was the band leader of the The Jam Band on the Disco-Tex and The Sex-O-Lets first album...and became a four Season in 1979 until 1981) ]
Track Title: Sitting On The Edge Of My Mind
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Probably Hal Davis
Motown Master: Not known
First Location Tape: P2440
Notes
On the same tape as 'Life and Breath' which was released, Kev Singer tells us, “Then there's the mystery of "Sitting On The Edge Of My Mind". Could this be the same song as recorded by Jermaine Jackson and issued on his "Come Into My Life" album in 1973? This song was written by Don Fletcher, Charlotte O'Hara and Nita Garfield. It was arranged by Greg Poree and produced by ..... Hal Davis. The matrix (side 1 of the LP) shows C5RS-7696-1 and cat no M775L.” The recording by Valli may simply be a demo or simply not given a final mix. 'Life And Breath' itself was only recovered and mixed from this tape in 1975 for the 'Inside You' album and it suggests the rest of the Hal Davis session contents are on this tape.
Track Title: When I Come Of Age
Artist: Frankie Valli
Producer: Hal Davis
Motown Master: Not Known
First Location Tape:P2440
Notes
Again on the same tape as 'Life and Breath'. Researcher Kev Singer told us, “Listed as an unreleased song by Frankie Valli is "When I Come Of Age". The lyric is clearly for a child and any version, given the title alone, sounds like it would have to be a demo if a recording by Valli still exists. The track by Michael Jackson which remained in the vaults was eventually issued on his "Looking Back To Yesterday" album. This song was written by Hal Davis, Don Fletcher and Weldon Dean Parks especially for Michael.” From the Michael Jackson version on You Tube, it appears that any version sung by Frankie would be a Demo.
Next Time......Part 5 – Bob Crewe returns for 1973 sessions
Ken Charmer – Music Historian
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