The Velvelettes - Needle In A Haystack

At the time of posting this video up here on YouTube, I have 238 videos already on here. I predict that out of all of them, this is the one that's going to get the most hits, and I've been saving it till now. Basically, for everyone who ever loved Motown, this one just has it ALL. The right group, the right song, the right dresses, and the right performance. This song literally SCREAMS Motown, and justifies everything I ever tried to achieve with Motorcity Records. It all began for me while growing up. At fourteen years old, I discovered the joy of listening to The Velvelettes "Needle In A Haystack", not once, not twice, but probably twenty times a day. I knew every word, every nuance, of Cal Gill's amazingly plaintive vocal. The more obscure Motown groups fascinated me far more than the obvious ones. Which is why, when I started Motorcity, I sought out The Velvelettes and re-recorded my beloved favourite, this amazing classic, "Needle In A Haystack". And these Velvelettes were all four original girls. Not a substitution in sight. I continued to record them over the next few years, releasing their first ever album, something which, at the time, they had never achieved at Motown. There was also another wonderful song that I co-wrote with Ivy Jo Hunter, the legendary Motown songwriter, called "It Keeps Reminding Me (Of Happy memories)", a song which summed up everything I tried to achieve with my Motorcity Reunion Project. When this video was filmed, on a hot August night in 1990, all four original members, Cal, Bertha, Norma, and Millie, were all on top form. When I recorded them on this classic in 1987, I tried to change it and make it more high energy, but lost the magic of the original groove, so I quickly remixed it and tried to capture that magic that made the original so special. I think this performance is also special, and I'm proud to be able to give Motown fans all over the world such an exceptional video to enjoy.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Motown
• Motorcity
• Girl-Groups
• Detroit
• Northern-Soul
• Diva
• Disco
• Soul
• Female-Singers
• Tamla

[hanoverkid]

awesome

[celticcatty]

absolute classis, wow i never tire of this KTF

[dave2806]

still got a great voice

[tim60s321]

great vid

[tim60s321]

GREAT SONG GREAT PERFORMANCE..CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS ONLY GOT TO 45 ON THE BILLBOARD HOT 100 and 34 IN ENGLAND...WHAT WAS THE MATTER WITH US...I SUPPOSE IT WAS THE HEIGHT OF BEATLEMANIA AND GUITAR GROUPS AND WASNT GIVEN PROPER PROMOTION...BERRY GORDY AT MOTOWN DIDNT WANT THEM TO THREATEN THE SUPREMES POSITION AS HIS TOP GIRL GROUP..THANKS FOR WONDERFUL VID

[omayhew]

Bring back Motown

[jamesclarke1994]

@ashstar220687 if it was your sisters nan then it would of been yours as well :/

[jamaicangoodguy]

THIS WAS THE FIRST NORHERN SOUL TRACK I EVER HEARD IN 1977.GREAT MEMORIES.

[tim60s321]

i ve always loved this record-such classic Motown- but only now can i see the ladies perform thanks to you and Youtube.. and now i love them even more!

[MotownMaster]

@ashstar220687 was your sister Sandra or Anette?

[papamac630]

We kinda claim the Velvelettes as Kalamazoo's contribution to Motown...they met at Western Michigan...and two of them remained in the area...one of whom taught music for years...an underappreciated part of the Motown era...

[cubanarama]

Great group!