The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Norman Whitfield & Eddie Holland), no dispute found — Whitfield’s first-ever produced single; connects to “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beechwood 4-5789,” “Please Mr. Postman” and “Shop Around.”
Quick Facts
Released1964
GenreSoul, R&B, Motown
LabelTamla / Motown Records
ProducerNorman Whitfield
Recorded atHitsville U.S.A., Detroit
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Norman Whitfield & Eddie Holland
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — Motown/Tamla; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Norman Whitfield’s first-ever produced single; connects to “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beechwood 4-5789,” “Please Mr. Postman” and “Shop Around.”
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Whitfield’s later, career-defining ambition (this batch)
Same group (this batch)
Same group (this batch)
A thematic “motherly advice” echo (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Norman Whitfield & Eddie Holland (Brian Holland per some sources)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
All four Marvelettes on lead, and a thematic echo of Shop Around
The record features all four Marvelettes singing lead at different points — unusual for a girl-group single. Its “too many fish in the sea” proverb echoes the “motherly advice” theme of Smokey Robinson & Berry Gordy’s earlier “Shop Around” (this batch). It was also the final A-side for Georgeanna Tillman, who left the group over health issues. No lyrics reproduced.
Popdose / Musician Wages · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Norman Whitfield’s first produced single
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
TF
Whitfield & Holland (Motown)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 3 in total
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Page history · 3 updates
Jul 2026BPM left unset — the single-source reading (Deezer 181) is an implausible double-time-style artifact for this mid-tempo record, with no corroborating source for the true tempo.
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 17/18)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass