The label's second most-successful all-female singing group after The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas were known for a churchier, more southern-styled soul than the Supremes, as typified in Motown hits such as "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave", "Jimmy Mack", "I'm Ready For Love", "My Baby Loves Me", "Nowhere to Run", and, their signature song, "Dancing in the Street".
The group had its origins in Detroit, Michigan in 1957, and had initially gone by the name The Del-Phis. It originally was a quartet comprising childhood friends Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, Annette Beard, and original lead singer Gloria Williams. Williams left after a failed single on the Checkmate label, leaving the quartet as a trio. They changed their name to The Vells signing a deal with Motown's Mel-o-dy label, and singing background for established Motown performers such as Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye before signing a new deal with Motown's Gordy label on September 21, 1962, after which the group changed its name to Martha and the Vandellas.
In 1964, the Vandellas' lineup changed with Betty Kelley replacing Sterling. In 1967, Kelley was fired and was replaced by Martha's younger sister, Sandra "Lois" Reeves. In 1969, Ashford was also fired and replaced by Sandra Tilley. The lineup of the Reeves sisters and Tilley continued after Martha's return from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown. The group disbanded following a farewell concert, held at Detroit's Cobo Hall on December 21, 1972., however, Reeves still performs with sister Lois and another Reeves sister, Delphine.
Tears On My Pillow
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Lyrics
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Because I tell a joke or two
Although I might be laughing loud and hearty
Deep inside I'm blue
So take a good look at my face
You'll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
I need you, need you
Since you left me if you see me with another girl
Seeming like I'm having fun
Although she may be cute
She's just a substitute
Because you're the permanent one
So take a good look at my face
You'll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears
I need you, need you
Outside I'm masquerading
Inside my hope is fading
Just a clown oh yeah
Since you put me down
My smile is my make up
I wear since my break up with you
So take a good look at my face
You'll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
The tracks of my tears
The song "The Tracks of My Tears" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas is a poignant portrayal of a person's struggle with heartbreak and loneliness. The lyrics of the song describe a person who seems to be the life of the party, always laughing and joking, but deep inside, they are filled with sorrow and pain. The song highlights the idea that people often wear masks to hide their true emotions from others.
The opening lines of the song, "People say I'm the life of the party because I tell a joke or two" reveal that the person is trying to put up a happy facade in front of others to hide the pain they are feeling inside. The chorus "So take a good look at my face, you'll see my smile looks out of place, if you look closer, it's easy to trace the tracks of my tears" suggests that the person is crying inside, and their attempts to mask their emotions are not working.
The song conveys a universal theme of heartbreak and the pain of lost love. Through its profound lyrics, "The Tracks of My Tears" has become an iconic song that has been covered by numerous artists over the years, and its legacy continues to resonate with audiences everywhere.
Line by Line Meaning
People say I'm the life of the party
People think I'm always happy and having fun
Because I tell a joke or two
Because I try to make others laugh to hide my true feelings
Although I might be laughing loud and hearty
Even though I may appear happy and carefree
Deep inside I'm blue
Inside, I'm actually sad and hurting
So take a good look at my face
If you really look at me closely
You'll see my smile looks out of place
You'll see that my smile doesn't fit my true emotions
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
If you pay attention, you can see
The tracks of my tears
The evidence of me crying and feeling sad
I need you, need you
I really miss and crave you
Since you left me if you see me with another girl
If you see me with someone else since you left me
Seeming like I'm having fun
Appearing to be enjoying myself
Although she may be cute
Even though she's attractive
She's just a substitute
She's just a temporary replacement
Because you're the permanent one
Because you're the one I really want to be with
Outside I'm masquerading
Externally, I'm pretending to be something I'm not
Inside my hope is fading
Internally, I'm losing hope and feeling hopeless
Just a clown oh yeah
I'm just a fool and feeling foolish
Since you put me down
Since you broke up with me
My smile is my make up
I use my smile to cover up my true feelings
I wear since my break up with you
I've been using my smile as a facade since we broke up
So take a good look at my face
If you really look at me closely
You'll see my smile looks out of place
You'll see that my smile doesn't fit my true emotions
If you look closer, it's easy to trace
If you pay attention, you can see
The tracks of my tears
The evidence of me crying and feeling sad
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Marvin Tarplin, Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, William Robinson Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@migueltomlinson6131
Martha was noone to play with vocally!!!