OLD ROCKER: Mary Wells won the battle but lost the war

R&B singer Dinah Washington had the first of her three Top 10 hits when “What a Difference a Day Makes” rose to No. 8 in 1959.

The song really should be called “What a Difference a Label Makes.”

Just ask Mary Wells, as nobody was more negatively impacted by label changes than the original “Queen of Motown.”.

Wells, who joined the fledgling Motown group as a 17-year-old in 1960, registered many firsts for the label.

She was the first to have a Top 10 hit on the Motown label with “The One Who Really Loves You” in 1962.

The Detroit native was the first Motown performer to have a No. 1 smash when “My Guy” reached the top of the charts in 1964 by supplanting Louis Armstrong’s “Hello Dolly.”

She also was the first major Motown artist to leave the label, a disastrous decision by the soul singer.

Wells’ Motown career started modestly with “Bye Bye Baby” in 1960 and “I Don’t Want to Take a Chance” in 1961. Both were written by Motown boss Berry Gordy Jr. and failed to penetrate the Top 30.

Berry then opted to team Wells with the incomparable Smokey Robinson in 1962 and her fortunes changed dramatically.

With Robinson penning her songs, Wells had three Top 10 songs in 1962 – “The One Who Really Loves You,” “You Beat Me to the Punch” and “Two Lovers.”

The dynamic duo continued their success in 1963 with “Laughing Boy,” “Your Old Stand By” and “You Lost the Sweetest Boy.” All three reached the Top 40.

The Robinson-Wells team hit the top in 1964 with “My Guy,” which became her signature song.

Later in the year, she did a pair of duets with Marvin Gaye. Both songs – “Once Upon a Time” and “What’s the Matter With You Baby” – climbed into the Top 20. The tunes were not written by Robinson, but by the team of Mickey Stevenson, Clarence Paul and Barney Ales.

Things changed radically for Wells after that.

She began having problems with Motown in 1964 regarding her original recording contract, which she had signed at age 17. She was reportedly upset that the money made from “My Guy” was being used to promote the Supremes, who had found success that year with their No. 1 hit “Where Did Our Love Go.”

Although Gordy reportedly tried to renegotiate with Wells, the singer demanded to be released from her contract.

A pending lawsuit kept Wells away from the studio for several months. She and Gordy battled over the contract details as Wells fought to gain larger royalties from earnings she had made with Motown.

Finally, she told the court that her original contract was invalid since she had signed as a minor. Wells won her lawsuit and was awarded a settlement, officially leaving Motown in early 1965. Part of the new agreement stipulated that she could not receive any royalties from her past works with the label.

She then accepted a $200,000 contract with 20th Century Fox Records.

Without her Motown songwriting teams, Wells floundered badly, switching labels faster than a teen girl changed outfits. She went from 20th Century Fox Records (1965) to Atco (1965-67), Jubilee (1968-71), Reprise (1971-74), Epic (1981), Allegiance (1983) and finally to Nightmare (1987-89) without approaching the success she achieved with Motown and Robinson.

After leaving Motown, she never had another Top 30 hit.

Wells got her wish to be emancipated from Gordy and Motown Records. It’s a wish she regretted for the remainder of her career.

Sometimes you must be careful what you wish for.

This week in rock history – New York DJ Alan Freed has trouble on May 3, 1958, when a brawl erupted following a “Big Beat Show” at the Boston Arena. Several of the estimated 5,000 teens in attendance were injured and Freed was charged with incitement of a riot and destruction of property. …The first Grammy Awards were held on May 4, 1958, with Domenico Modugno winning Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Volare.” … The Shirelles were presented with a Gold record on May 5, 1962, for “Soldier Boy”, a song that was recorded in one take. …

James Brown reworked a song called “I Found You” by Yvonne Fair with “I Got You” on May 6, 1965. It became his biggest hit, reaching No. 3. … Albany’s Ray Charles reached the top of the R&B chart for the first time with “I Got A Woman” on May 7, 1955. … Alan Freed quit his job at WINS in New York on May 9, 1958, because he said the station’s failure to support him after he was indicted for causing a riot in Boston. … After 14 weeks holding the No. 1 slot, The Beatles were finally unseated by 63-year-old Louis Armstrong’s “Hello Dolly” on May 9, 1964.

Barry Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected]