Martha Reeves (Courtesy Berklee College of Music)
by Larry Buford
“I’ve never been in this place before” said Motown’s Martha Reeves (lead singer of Martha & The Vandellas) in 2022 as we were on the phone talking about so many people—family and friends—who are no longer here. We weren’t just talking about “the good ol’ days” but in general how our connected circles keep getting smaller and smaller. As she was speaking, I wrote down what she said thinking “this might be a good title for a song.”
Fast-forward to 2026, as I was going through my notepads, I came across the notes from our 2022 conversation. I called Martha to remind her of what she said, and to let her know I was thinking of developing it as the title to a song. When asked, she said she had nothing to add to it. She has not been known as a songwriter, but during the conversation she told me the story of how she had gone to an event at the Motown Museum and was refused admission. She said they did not recognize her as a Motown vet who made a significant contribution to the foundation of the Motown empire. This, after she was recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! I could hear the disappointment in her voice. They should have known her from such Motown hits as “Heat Wave,” “Dancing In The Street,” “Nowhere To Run,” “Jimmy Mack,” and “Honey Chile.”
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (Courtesy Fine Art America)
As I was writing the song, I thought about the plight of senior citizens who look around and see hardly any, or no familiar faces; who feel isolated and alone; who walk into a room and forget why (those familiar know what “CRS” stands for); and hesitate to go anywhere due to phobias, or medical concerns. One of the main challenges of seniors on fixed incomes is having to choose between housing, food, medicine, and other basic needs.
In an article published in the L.A. Sentinel written by Dr. Marie Y. Lemelle MBA, PhD about the Annual Cynthia F. Blaizes Foundation Heart of Gold Awards Gala, she quoted its co-founder and president, Julian L. Bannister who said, “When I think about what senior citizens go through in America, whether being scammed, abused, not heard, not listened to, not paid attention to, or not understood, it makes me emotional.”
“I’ve Never Been In This Place Before” is being shopped to TV/Film music supervisors. An excerpt of the lyrics reads:
“I’ve never been in this place before/where folks I once knew are no more
I hope to see them once again/all my loved ones, all my friends”
After writing the lyrics, I called my friend, former Motown musician/producer Greg Crockett and sang to him the basics of what I was looking for musically. He did a wonderful job! To listen please go to https://www.n1m.com/larrysavoybuford
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