"Come and Get These Memories" is an R&B song by

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

girl group

Martha and the Vandellas Martha and the Vandellas (known from 1967 to 1973 as Martha Reeves & the Vandellas) were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1957. The group achieved fame in the 1960s as a major act for Motown Records. Formed by friends Annett ...

. Their second single released under Motown's Gordy Records subsidiary, "Memories" became the group's first hit single, reaching number 29 on the ''Billboard'' Pop Singles Chart, and number-six on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart.The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 3: 1963 iner notes New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records

Background

The song speaks of heartbreak, as the narrator (lead singer Martha Reeves) goes through her things and gives back everything her now ex-boyfriend had given her, including teddy bears, records, and "lingering love". "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 Vandellas scored with the team, before Holland-Dozier-Holland began to focus more heavily on hits for

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

and the

Four Tops The Four Tops are an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1953 as the Four Aims. They were one of the most commercially successful American pop music groups of the 1960s and helped propel Motown Records to international fame. The ...

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

Personnel

*Produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier *Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr. *Lead vocals by Martha Reeves *Background vocals by

Rosalind Ashford Rosalind "Roz" Ashford-Holmes (born September 2, 1943) is an American soprano R&B and Soul music, soul singer, known for her work as an original member of the Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas. Early years Born Rosalind Ashford on ...

and

Annette Beard Annette Beard, also known as Annette Helton or Annette Sterling, (born July 4, 1943) is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul music, soul singer. Beard is best known for her work with Motown and as an original member of the singing group Ma ...

*Instrumentation by

the Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

: **

Benny Benjamin William "Benny" Benjamin (July 25, 1925 – April 20, 1969), nicknamed Papa Zita, was an American musician, most notable as the primary drummer for the Motown Records studio band The Funk Brothers. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall o ...

: drums **

James Jamerson James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1936 – August 2, 1983) was an American bassist. He was the uncredited bassist on most of the Motown Records hits in the 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases un ...

: double bass ** Joe Hunter: piano ** Earl Van Dyke: Wurlitzer electronic piano ** Robert White: guitar ** Eddie Willis: guitar ** Andrew "Mike" Terry: baritone saxophone

Chart performance

Other versions

recorded their version (featuring Mary Wilson on lead vocals) which was included on their 1966 ''

The Supremes A' Go-Go ''The Supremes A' Go-Go'' is the ninth studio album released by the Motown singing group the Supremes. It was the first album by an all-female group to reach number-one on the ''Billboard'' 200 album charts in the United States. Included are ...

'' album. *Fellow Motown singer Kim Weston recorded the song, but it remained unreleased until her ''Motown Anthology'' (and the ''Motown Sings Motown Treaures'' album) was released in 2005 *

Bette Midler Bette Midler ( ;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Bette Midler, numero ...

recorded the song for her 2014 album '' It's the Girls!''.

References

1963 singles Martha and the Vandellas songs Songs written by Holland–Dozier–Holland Gordy Records singles Song recordings produced by Brian Holland Song recordings produced by Lamont Dozier The Supremes songs 1963 songs Songs about heartache {{1960s-R&B-song-stub