Oma Heard - Stuck Up / When Someone's Good To You. 7 inch vinyl single record.

Item ID: EXUMG14
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The Product: Oma Heard – Stuck-Up / When Someone’s Good To You Label: Expansion / V.I.P. Format: 7" Vinyl Single (45 RPM) Catalog Number: EXUMG14 Side A: "Stuck-Up" Written by the prolific West Coast Motown duo Chester and Gary Pipkin, "Stuck-Up" was originally intended to be the vehicle that would launch Oma Heard as the "next Mary Wells." It is a high-energy, sophisticated dancer that perfectly captures the mid-60s Motown "sound of young America." Side B: "When Someone’s Good To You" A stunning original version of the track later made famous by Carolyn Crawford. This B-side showcases Oma’s incredible vocal range—moving from the gritty drive of the A-side to a more poised, soulful delivery. Fascinating Collector’s Facts & Figures 1. The "Almost" Replacement for Mary Wells In 1964, Mary Wells (Motown's first female superstar) left the label at the height of her fame. Berry Gordy was desperate for a replacement. Oma Heard was a frontrunner for the spot and even recorded a series of duets with Marvin Gaye (which were tragically shelved and later miscredited to "Oma Page" on 1990s compilations). 2. The £500 Connection Because Motown ultimately chose not to release Oma’s version of "Stuck-Up," the Pipkin brothers took the song to Shirley Gunter on the Tangerine label in 1966. That version became a Northern Soul holy grail. The Figure: Original copies of Shirley Gunter’s "Stuck Up" are among the rarest on the scene, often fetching £500+ ($650+) among serious collectors. 3. Dropped for "Not Fitting the Look" Despite her immense talent, Oma Heard was unceremoniously dropped from her solo contract. History suggests that Berry Gordy felt she didn't fit the "starlet" aesthetic he was cultivating for TV performances, leading to her being moved into background work and short-lived groups like Dorothy, Oma and Zelpha. 4. The Ian Levine Seal of Approval Renowned Motown authority and DJ Ian Levine has famously cited "Stuck-Up" as the #1 unreleased Motown single of all time. Its 2024 release on the V.I.P. subsidiary (a nod to Oma’s only other Motown release, "Lifetime Man") marks the end of a 60-year wait for vinyl purists. Collector's Tip: This Expansion release is a limited "Demo" style pressing. Given the pedigree of the track and its status among Northern Soul "white label" hunters, these first pressings are expected to hold significant value as the definitive vinyl debut of the track.

Northern Soul fans have always been deeply fascinated by the never ending treasure chest of unreleased jewels in the Motown catalogue. But this must surely be the best yet. Written by Motown songwriters Chester Pipkin and Gary Pipkin, who worked out of Motown’s west coast office, “Stuck-Up” was a serious attempt to replace Mary Wells after she left the company.

Oma Heard recorded a lot, including a duet album with Marvin Gaye, but was unceremoniously dropped because Berry Gordy claimed she didn’t look the part. She was a large lady. Chester and Gary could not bear to waste such a wonderful song, so they gave it to Shirley Gunter on Tangerine records for a 1966 release on a major label, owned by Ray Charles. The Shirley Gunter version is one of the rarest and most sought after records on the Northern Soul scene, fetching a minimum of £500 a copy.

Finally, a few years ago, the original Oma Heard version surfaced on a CD of unreleased Motown. Although the Motown original has had little exposure, I considered this to be the number one unreleased, best ever glorious classic Tamla-Motown single of all time. After being so unceremoniously dumped, Oma later returned to Motown as part of the group Dorothy, Oma, and Zelpha. Now released on a vinyl 45 for the first time in history, it is on the Motown subsidiary label V.I.P. which looks the same as the one and only actual 45 release from Oma Heard “Lifetime Man”. The B side is the original version of the Carolyn Crawford classic “When Someone’s Good To You”, which was first released in England on the Stateside label in 1964.

Stuck-Up


When Someone’s Good To You

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