Copyright 2023 Send us a tip using our anonymous form. And though they played it for a very interested Dusty Springfield, they held on to Aint No Mountain High Enough as their ticket to gigs at Motown. Boogie On Reggae Woman Stevie Wonder / U.S. Just To Be Close To You The Commodores / U.S. R&B, 5. For Once In My Life Stevie Wonder / U.S. Four Tops, The Temptations, The Funk Brothers, and more The Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving, Bernadette, Same Old. Alls fair in love and war: A reconnaissance mission turns into a romantic ambush in the Marvelettes hit The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game. Secretly I been tailing you, like a fox that preys on a rabbit, Wanda Young sings. The Supremes (1966) This Holland-Dozier-Holland opus is one of Motown's most prolific cover songs: Rockers Vanilla Fudge took it to the Top 10 in (1968), and British pop star Kim Wilde carried it . When it finally saw the light of day, it soared. Hed just say, And here they are, the the the, Gordon Lightfoot: 10 Essential Songs by the Canadian Folk Icon, Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian Folk Rock Troubadour, Dead at 84, Stagecoach 2023: Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, and Nostalgia Dominate Countrys California Fest, Ed Sheeran Plays Van Morrison Song as Proof He Didn't Steal From Marvin Gaye in Copyright Trial, New Jeans, Rina Sawayama, Saweetie Among Gold House A100 Honorees, Newsmax Accuses Murdochs of Designing a New-World-Order Globalist Kill List Against Tucker Carlson, DeSantis' Disney Board Will Countersue the Mouse, Academy Slaps Down New Rules After Andrea Riseborough, Tom Cruise, Michelle Yeoh Controversies. A few days after the first was released locally, Gordy second-guessed himself too slow, not enough life, he grumbled and he brought everyone back to record the peppier version that became Motowns first million-seller. The Boss Diana Ross / U.S. Dance/Disco, 16. I Heard It Through The Grapevine Marvin Gaye / U.S. Keep On Truckin (Part 1) Eddie Kendricks / U.S. Aint Too Proud To Beg The Temptations / U.S. R&B, 2. The movie for which it was written is largely forgotten today, but the song will be remembered forever. A song of deep longing for a missing lover, the track itself is far from forlorn, thanks to songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland and the Funk Brothers pumping rhythms. Lets Get Serious Jermaine Jackson / U.S. R&B, 3. Pop U.S. R&B Canada, 19. Reach Out And Touch (Somebodys Hand) Diana Ross / U.S. R&B**, 11. It used a motto of the early 70s which became even more popular following the songs 1973 release, adorning T-shirts and badges across the US and UK. Adult Contemporary, 7. Discover the best Motown love songs. SOULFUL DETROIT Forum Pop U.S. R&B U.S. Dance/Disco, 9. J.D. Stay The Temptations / U.S. Ill Be Doggone Marvin Gaye / U.S. R&B, 18. Adult Contemporary, 11. In 1970, the Spinners one of Motowns smoothest vocal groups had been off the charts for four years, when Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright co-wrote what would become their biggest hit. Gaye threads multitracked backing vocals throughout almost the entire tune, sometimes echoing the lead lyric, sometimes breaking the spell with shattering ad-libs then knitting everything back together by bathing the whole track in the prettiest of ooohs and aaahs. When he starts to fade out not long after four minutes, you may not feel ready to leave. Can I Get a Witness had a strong impact on British soul fans too; the Rolling Stones put a version on their debut album and even wrote their own answer of sorts, an instrumental vamp called Now, Ive Got a Witness, and Dusty Springfield begged and shouted her way through her fantastic version in 1964. You Cant Hurry Love, My Baby Loves Me, Ooh, Baby, Baby, I Want You Back, Aint That Peculiar, My Smile is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down), Chain Reaction, Signed, Sealed & Delivered,The Boss, Quicksand,Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While),You Beat Me To The Punch. Of course, musical tastes are subjective, and that will always be true. Uptight (Everythings Alright) Stevie Wonder / U.S. R&B, 23. Smokey Robinson was on such a hot streak in 1966 he could dash off a song as perfect as No More Tearstained Makeup, and decide to stash it on Side Two of a Martha and the Vandellas album. Pop** U.S. R&B, 16. Wherever I Lay My Hat (Thats My Home) Marvin Gaye, 1. A dance-floor filler to this day, Girl You Need a Change of Mind builds for several minutes before reaching an ecstatic, wordless peak. Check out Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. Ill Make Love To You Boyz II Men / U.S. Forum Archives I Second That Emotion Smokey Robinson & the Miracles / U.S. R&B, 15. Pop** U.S. R&B, 6. The Way You Do The Things You Do The Temptations / U.S. R&B*, 10. Dancing Machine The Jackson 5 / U.S. Michaels voice was still sweet and youthful, but the sentiment and lavish sound nodded toward the R&B ballads for the audience. MOTOWN (extended) - YouTube I Was Made To Love Her Stevie Wonder / U.S. R&B, 13. Sam Armstrong, One of the greatest duets ever, this Lionel Richie-penned tune topped the Billboard charts for nine weeks. This was Strongs only hit as an artist, but not the end of his musical career: After trying his luck as a singer with other labels, he returned to Motown to make his name as half of a brilliant in-house songwriting partnership with Norman Whitfield. Its a good list, but I would have made some substitutions from this list: 2: 1962 Various The Complete Motown Singles | Vol. Remembered today as the proper starting place for Lionel Richies massive career and a bevy of mellow ballads, Commodores earned their silver star and sleeve braid with paaartay funk, and this master jam, sung by Walter Orange, kept freaks on their feet for years. One of the keystones of Ms. Ross' solo career and proof that Motown could conjure up disco classics of epic proportions. Shockingly, Ooo Baby Baby was not a UK hit, though it made US No.16 in 1965. A Song For Mama Boyz II Men / U.S. R&B, 15. But the not-quite original is the best! Either way, Dancing In The Street was an anthem. Co-written by Four Tops Obie Benson after hed seen police brutality at a street protest, Whats Going On was the African-American hit of 1971, covered by jazz musicians, reggae singers, and funkateers alike. Awe-inspiring. Create a SoundCloud account Something diffrent for you. As a recording, with its swaying harmonies and Michael McCarys spoken Barry Whitestyle interlude, End of the Road had one foot in the past and another stepping forward, and it spent 13 weeks at Number One to break the long-standing record that Elvis had set with Dont Be Cruel/Hound Dog. K.H. Youve Made Me So Very Happy Brenda Holloway, #1 cover version by Blood, Sweat & Tears: Canada, 1. The upbeat tempo contrasts to the cringeworthy moment as her heels slide up and down the marble tile to the euphoric horns very rock & roll. . Gladys Knight casts an eye over a love shes lost and knows she could do better than his woman. Pop** U.S. R&B, 2. 21 Best Motown Songs of All Time - Time Out Worldwide Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. Who wouldnt want to be so loved? Wells once called her biggest hit, My Guy, the epitome of the Motown sound, and she was right. The box set also contains an exclusive 100-page book with rare and classic photographs, detailed track annotations and an introduction by Smokey Robinson, himself responsible for 20 Motown No. On the tune, one of her first forays into more mature, soul-music territory, she narrates the tale of an illegitimate child, racked with guilt, scorned by her mother (and society), and embarrassed by her own existence. Get Ready The Temptations / U.S. R&B, 24. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) Isley Brothers, #1 cover version by Rod Stewart with Ronald Isley: U.S. James Jamerson, Bongo Eddie, Robert White, Earl Van Dyke. The Commodores were many things; subtle was not one of them. The updated edition of the box set adds ten bonus tracks across its first ten discs, and a new Disc 11. Pop U.S. R&B Australia, 11. The Originals only appeared as backup singers through most of the Sixties, until they finally had a hit with a Baby, Im for Real, produced by Marvin Gaye and co-written with his first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye. The last Number One hit of the Sixties, it was a, fitting send-off for the group and the decade that birthed them. Gaye sings about street life in his falsetto, declaring, Theres only three things in life thats sure taxes, death, and trouble. , This breezy groove has some of Smokeys wittiest wordplay, stretching out the makeup metaphors and puns, while Martha Reeves sings about the tears pancake and powder could never cover. . Mamas Pearl The Jackson 5 / U.S. R&B*, 2. Working out of a separate mixing and mastering room . K.H. From Sixties pop smashes to Seventies protest classics, , Still sweating from her fever, Lady T marched into the booth and tore that shit up. Pop Canada, 21. And while the above Aint No Mountain is okay, I think this one is clever and can be listened to much more than just a few times. Good investment. Gaye sings about street life in his falsetto, declaring, Theres only three things in life thats sure taxes, death, and trouble. R.S. Adult Contemporary, 19. Isley Brothers Motown "This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For - YouTube In my own experience mixing, it's hard [[if not downright impossible) to try to eliminate vocals and such from the original song. The writers: two of Motowns MVPs, Eddie Holland and Norman Whitfield. [C# Fm B D# G#m] Chords for Diana Ross Supremes Motown "Forever Came Today" My Extended Version! Four Tops 1966 monster, with Levi Stubbs straining every sinew to let you know hes standing by, ready to catch you when you fall. Those pumps gonna strut. End of The Road Boyz II Men / U.S. J.D. Pop U.S. R&B, 8. Lady (You Bring Me Up) The Commodores / New Zealand, 12. Sam Armstrong, The Isley Brothers only recorded songs for Motown for a short time, but they made a mighty impact with this pleading HollandDozierHolland gem. Lets Get It On Marvin Gaye / U.S. Pop, 3. Pop* U.S. R&B, 4. For a start, here's an extended reconstruction I made of Marvin & Tammi's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". And heres a more rolling groover: a US solo No.1 for the former high tenor of The Temptations. Perhaps The Velvelettes needed more attention, or to shout louder but they surely had talent to spare. If I Were Your Woman Gladys Knight & the Pips / U.S. R&B, 1. Wanda Young, in The Marvelettes lead singers role, had set a tender trap for a fella, but love hit me like a sudden slap, turning the tables. Assertive, powerful, and groovy, this 1966 smash is beautifully delivered by the great Eddie Kendricks. Adult Contemporary, 9. 14,904. After Diana Ross went solo, most people assumed the Supremes would just vanish. Pop U.S. R&B*/** Canada. An ode to staying positive during difficult times a very vogue-ish song subject matter during the Vietnam era I Just Want to Celebrate fused a beefy funk groove, a wild rock-style wah-wah guitar solo, and a midsong breakdown. Whats Going On Marvin Gaye / U.S. Aint That Peculiar Marvin Gaye / U.S. R&B, 22. Its a showcase for drum master Benny Benjamin. The song looked backward and forward at the same time, conjuring the Drifters 1964 classic Up on the Roof, while adding a dash of funky psychedelic whimsy.