Marvin Gaye’s backing singers + Berry Gordy’s secretary!
Martha and the Vandellas (later known as Martha Reeves and the Vandellas) were a huge success for the Motown label between 1963 and 1971.
Prior to these years, what was to become The Vandellas had been backup singers for other acts such as Marvin Gaye at the Motown hit factory, where Martha worked as a secretary.
One day, Mary Wells missed a scheduled session that The Vandellas were booked to provide backup singing for. Martha stepped in and impressed Berry Gordy so much that he signed them on the spot.
Backed by Motown’s hit writers Holland-Dozier-Holland, they released super hits like Heat Wave, Nowhere to Run, Jimmy Mack, and Dancing in the Street.
For Nowhere To Run, they recorded one of the world’s first music videos, and Dancing In The Street became Motown’s signature song.
In the aftermath of Motown’s heyday, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas have continued doing sporadic concerts around the world and have been inducted into the Grammy and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
Rolling Stone ranked the group at #96 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Martha Reeves is still performing in 2019 at the age of 77.
Martha and The Vandellas tunes | Related pages
Dancing In The Street
| E7 | E7 (D/E) | E7 | E7 (D/E) |
Callin’ out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat?
| E7 | E7 (D/E) | E7 | E7 (D/E) |
Summer’s here and the time is right, for dancing in the street.
Heat Wave
| Eb N.C (Bb C Bb G) | Fm (Gbm) | Gm (Bm) | Cm (Bm) | Cm |
Whenever I’m with him, (oh, oh, oh, oh) something inside (inside),
| Fm (Gbm) | Gm (Bm) | Cm (Bm) | Cm |
starts to burning (oh, oh, oh, oh), and I’m filled with desire.
Jimmy Mack
| Ebm | Gbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Gb |
Jimmy Mack, Jimmy. Oh, Jimmy Mack, when are you comin’ back.
| Ebm7 | Gbmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Gb Ab |
Jimmy Mack, Jimmy. Oh, Jimmy Mack, when are you comin’ back.
Nowhere To Run
| G7 | F C | G7 | F C |
Nowhere to run to, baby. Nowhere to hide.
| G7 | F C | G7 | F C |
I got nowhere to run to, baby. Nowhere to hide.
Martha and The Vandellas on the web
