After the Temptations shifted course toward funkier, harder-hitting fare like Psychedelic Shack and Ball of Confusion, Just My Imagination was a sweet nod to the groups classic sound. Writers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong came up with a track that was just as incisive and explosive as the lyrics. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Martha Reeves and her soul sisters deliver a song youve heard over and over but it still sounds fantastic. 22. The DNA appears to have been borrowed from Keni Burkes Risin to the Top, released the year before though the snare in All Night Long is more punishing and then leaked into the 1990s through the similarly entrancing Ascension (Dont Ever Wonder), by Maxwell, plus direct samples by Groove Theory and Mary J. Blige, among others. The terrible irony is, The Supremes didnt sing on it at all, though you can hear Bristols voice urging Diana onwards and upwards. Pop, 21. When they arrived at the studio, they came prepared with charts and a production blueprint, though there was still room for improvisation: That distinctive tick-a-tick-a-tick is drummer Uriel Jones hitting his snares metal rim. When Holland, Dozier, and Holland left Motown for financial reasons, songwriter-producers Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield stepped into the breach and took the label in a whole new direction. The Tears of A Clown Smokey Robinson & the Miracles [U.S. version] / U.S. Before U Cant Touch This there was Super Freak, a badass hunk-a punk-funk that had Rick James riding high in 1981. The early 1970s were the glory days of blaxploitation flicks and their soundtracks: Shaft had Isaac Hayes, Superfly had Curtis Mayfield, Slaughters Big Rip-Off had James Brown. Even a strange, droning digression, delivered in a tone that suggests Marie is imitating a robot overlord, cant prevent this one from achieving lift-off. You Are The Sunshine of My Life Stevie Wonder / U.S. And heres a more rolling groover: a US solo No.1 for the former high tenor of The Temptations. They followed it the next year with equally lovely The Bells, another hit co-authored and produced by Gaye. The Motown Box Box Set, Remastered Michael Jackson Format: Audio CD 33 ratings $12592 See all 3 formats and editions Streaming Unlimited MP3 Listen with our Free App Audio CD $125.92 5 Used from $14.99 2 New from $125.92 Shotgun Jr. Walker & the All-Stars / U.S. R&B, 16. Do It Baby The Miracles / U.S. R&B*/**, 9. You Cant Hurry Love The Supremes / U.S. Pop, 12. Smokey, as ever, is touching. [C# Fm B D# G#m] Chords for Diana Ross Supremes Motown "Forever Came Today" My Extended Version! 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. Nastay as a busted tooth, slick as an oil spill, this Motown song kicks butt. Tender yet sprightly, its regarded as The Temptations theme song. This year is the 60th anniversary of Motowns first Number One hit, Please Mr. Postman, by the Marvelettes, and yet the joy and power of this music hasnt diminished even a tiny bit. The ruler of the tear-soaked adult ballad, Gladys Knight donned her dancing footwear for her debut Motown single, released on its Soul imprint in 1966. Where Do We Go From Here Stacey Lattisaw with special guest Johnny Gill / U.S. R&B, #1 cover version by Vanessa Williams: U.S. R&B, 1. Sail On The Commodores / U.S. Motown's Expanded 'Complete No. 1s' Set Adds Even More Chart-Toppers For as scary as Stubbs sounds at some points (like when the music turns overcast the second he says her name and proclaims You belong to me) but theres also something endearing about it all, and like every great Four Tops single, its impossible not to get swept away by the chorus. Has there ever been a gentler breakup song than Easy? Just To See Her Smokey Robinson / U.S. In The Name of Love The Supremes / U.S. And amid all the hits, there are still lesser-known gems to be discovered. Adult Contemporary, #1 cover/rap version by Coolio featuring L.V., as Gangstas Paradise: U.S., Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, 1. The Tops in 1967 were on a roll, including this huge. Dancing Machine The Jackson 5 / U.S. Lady (You Bring Me Up) The Commodores / New Zealand, 12. But it was Motown trio the Undisputed Truth who took the original 12-minute jam, slowed it down, added horns, and cut it to down a three-minute slice of foreboding soul. Bad Weather is weirdly forgotten these days, but its a glorious taste of early 1970s sad-girl rainy-day funk. The brother of The Temptations lead singer grabs his chance with a desolate story of a land of loneliness. Spartan yet sweet, it hearkened back to the doo-wop era at a time when soul music was just beginning to get lavishly psychedelic, a simple statement of love and determination that got the groups career going after years of waiting in the wings. is wildly ambitious and recklessly groovy, maybe nowhere more than its title song. Move on Up (Extended Version) in Motown Dinner - SoundCloud Rep Power. It was the start of several brokenhearted hits for her, and the songs gaping vulnerability touched a nerve inspiring versions by Aretha Franklin and the Clash, among others. Reggae was just beginning to catch a fire in the U.S. in 1974, but as always, Stevie Wonder was ahead of everyone else: He took it to the Top Ten. E.L. Pop U.S. R&B U.S. Dance/Disco, 7. Pop U.S. R&B U.S. E.L. One of Motowns best paranoid psychedelic funk songs penned by Norman Whitfield and lyricist Barrett Strong. Adult Contemporary, 7. 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. Good investment. I have downloaded 3 CD's full of Supremes extended versions, as well as a volume of the Four Tops and one of various other Motown artists. The 50 Greatest Songs The Temptations | Last.fm Pop U.S. Pop U.S. R&B, 15. Pop U.S. R&B, 3. The song was so good, Bonnie Pointer gave it a disco refurb for her debut Motown album, later in the 70s. A Number One R&B hit, Shop Around was only kept out of the Number One slot on the pop charts by Lawrence Welk. Pop* U.S. R&B, 14. Co-written by Pam Sawyer, whod been fashioning songs for Ross since Love Child, this is one of the best disco records ever made. It will be available digitally and in the eye-catching physical release, in which the 11 CDs are housed in a replica of Motowns original Hitsville USA headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, now home to the Motown Museum. Love Is Here And Now Youre Gone The Supremes / U.S. "You Really Got a Hold on Me" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles It's hard to resist the tune's first line"I don't like you, but I love you"which perhaps explains why this. With a Number Three pop hit that was his first single to top the R&B charts, Wonder was just getting started. 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. Diana says farewell to The Supremes with a version of the 1961 Johnny And Jackey duet that manages to be both resigned and hopeful. Adult Contemporary, 11. Mamas Pearl The Jackson 5 / U.S. R&B*, 2. DetroitYES FORUM. Pop*/**. Sam Armstrong, One of the greatest duets ever, this Lionel Richie-penned tune topped the Billboard charts for nine weeks. From an earthy groove that recalls Sly and the Family Stone to lyricsthat warn a flirtatious partner to take it slow/or someday youll be all alone, the Jackson 5s third straight Number One was a step in a more adult direction than I Want You Back and ABC. Leading the way, naturally,was Michael: His pipsqueak voice packed so much intensity and fervorthat he really did sound like a wounded grown-up and not the11-year-old he was at the time. Its a good list, but I would have made some substitutions from this list: The song became more significant in the decades following, however, as it became a heartbroken anthem for the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Nightshift The Commodores / U.S. R&B Netherlands, 14. That its songs still sit among the greatest and most soulful ever recorded is testament to the relentless quality of the artists and songwriters Gordy hired. That Girl Stevie Wonder / U.S. Ill Be Doggone Marvin Gaye / U.S. R&B, 18. Shes built like a brick shithouse means that shes strong. Like Kool and the Gangs Celebration, the song outhouse references and all has been so culturally ubiquitous for so long, its transcended mere funk to seep into the worlds cross-generational musical DNA. The Motown Box (2005, Box Set) - Discogs If youre looking for a perfect example of The Motown Sound, youd be hard-pressed to find a better one than 1963s Heatwave. With doo-wop vocals, a hefty backbeat, and plenty of horns, this is the classic sound of the label. Rockin Robin Michael Jackson / U.S. 1s box set. Pop U.S. R&B* Canada. The best Motown songs are timeless soul classics that capture everything it means to be in love, to suffer heartbreak and to want to dance with abandon. Papa Was A Rollin Stone The Temptations / U.S. For Your Love Stevie Wonder / U.S. J.N. Yet the ladies got back to work with new singer Jean Terrell and kept cranking out hits. Baby Thats Backatcha Smokey Robinson / U.S. R&B, 15. Few hits in the Motown canon have as many backstories and multiple meanings as the Vandellas last Top 10 hit. Its such a great yarn too bad the Supremes recorded a version of Its the Same Old Song a year earlier. Since then it has become regarded as a total classic of Motown balladry. HEADLINE TOPICS Pop** U.S. R&B U.K. 7. The 100 Greatest Motown Songs From Sixties pop smashes to Seventies protest classics By David Browne, Mankaprr Conteh, Jon Dolan, Kory Grow, Keith Harris, Christian Hoard, Elias Leight, Angie. Much like the Mary Jane Girls All Night Long, Dont Look Any Further seems to exist on a rhythmic continuum leading from early funk to hip-hop. But you can still hear a strong current of R&B and an undertow of gospel in this thrilling floor-filler and all-time mod mover. Its a showcase for drum master Benny Benjamin. May 17, 2019 Pop**, 17. One of my favourite Motown duets ever. Check out some of the greatest soul albums on vinyl here. MOTOWN (extended) - YouTube When Junior Walker saw some folks at the El Grotto Club in Battle Creek, Michigan, playfully shooting at each other with index finger and thumb as they danced, he got an idea. Follow the Motown playlist. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) (Extended Alternate Background Vocals Stereo Mix) 2-16: Four Tops - Something About You: 2-17: The Supremes - Stop! If You Should Ever Be Lonely Val Young / U.S. Dance/Disco, 5. Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) Gladys Knight & the Pips / U.S. [I] wanted it to be about the musicians who did something for us, he once said. mosogotam 284K. Pop U.S. R&B, 7. Adult Contemporary Australia Canada, 11. Do It To Me Lionel Richie / U.S. R&B, 9. Adult Contemporary, 13. Sam Armstrong, The Spinners would go off to record more for Atlantic Records, but you can understand why Motown wanted to get in on the ground floor of this talented vocal group. R.S. Incredibly passionate music from 1970, with a highly romantic pulse. Some albums have as many as 50, 100, or 150 different versions. Pop U.S. R&B, 14. All pf these are Motown gems that went to No. Jimmy Mack Martha & the Vandellas / U.S. R&B, 11. Within a year, Motown had its first million-selling record, with the Miracles Shop Around. By 1969, the label would place dozens of records in the Billboard Top 10 as it reshaped the sound of pop music for a generation, thanks to its somewhat contradictory mix of assembly-line consistency and individual artistic brilliance, integrationist upward mobility and black self-assertion, fierce competition and familial camaraderie. Hello Lionel Richie / U.S. The Happening The Supremes / U.S. Pop, 3. For the breakdown in the middle, Richie asked a friend who worked at the United Nations to recommend some African sayings. E.L. Its a perfect marriage of two distinct and talented voices. Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Im Yours) Stevie Wonder / U.S. You Havent Done Nothin Stevie Wonder / U.S. The Motown Museum is unveiling renderings today that depict a crisp, lush, bustling outdoor plaza at Hitsville, U.S.A., on West Grand Boulevard. Soul with ambition, soaked in passion. Originally released by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes in 1975, Thelma Houston covered Dont Leave Me This Way for her fourth album, Any Way You Like It, a year later. On 12 January 1959, the music sensation that changed America - and the world beyond it - was set in motion. 'extended' versions with an 'acapella' track intro Motown Mix Acapella Various Medley Those pumps gonna strut. It remains one of Motowns best songs. 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. The Love You Save The Jackson 5 / U.S. The 56 Best Motown Songs To Get You Dancing In The Street - uDiscover Music Diana doesnt want Alka-Seltzer. 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Please Mr. Postman The Marvelettes / U.S. 5. You could make a case that the Seventies Supremes rate right up there with the Sixties edition and Bad Weather is Exhibit A. Love Will Conquer All Lionel Richie / U.S. Pop U.S. R&B, 7. Motown Remixes - SoulfulDetroit The movie for which it was written is largely forgotten today, but the song will be remembered forever. I Cant Get Next To You The Temptations / U.S. Your email address will not be published. Adult Contemporary, 3. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby Marvin Gaye / U.S. R&B, 3. The guy said, Lionel, theres 101 African dialects,' Richie explained to the New York Post. Motown Vinyl Releases Nelly NELLYVILLE (2LP) 2x12" 28.07.22 20th anniversary double vinyl reissue of the iconic second album from nelly. The guy said, Lionel, theres 101 African dialects,' Richie, He didnt know our names, Mary Wilson recalled of that auspicious debut. Got To Give It Up was an exception, and it showed he could have been the king of the four-to-the-floor style if it had suited him. All rights reserved. Reach Out And Touch (Somebodys Hand) Diana Ross / U.S. R&B**, 11. Even if youve heard them a million times or come across them in a dozen movie soundtracks, classics like My Girl, Come See About Me, or The Tracks of My Tears still sound almost impossibly fresh, just as the radical spirit of Whats Going On or Living for the City resonates perfectly in our present political moment. ALL FORUMS The Supremes would eventually record their own version, though it wasnt released until 1987. 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. Take Me Higher Diana Ross / U.S. Dance/Disco, 13. You Beat Me To the Punch Mary Wells / U.S. R&B, 6. Marvin Gaye made his big score with Trouble Man, the 1972 thriller about a ghetto kingpin named Mister T. (The poster called him One Cat Who Plays Like an Army!) It was his only film soundtrack, but it was a smash he went Top 10 with his bluesy theme song. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson, the track is a fluttering, soft, ultra-feminine tale of fidelity, with Wells coyly rejecting the advances of other men. My Guy would end up being Wells biggest and last hit for Motown before signing to 20th Century Fox with movie-star dreams. Check out Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. Marvin is overwhelmed by desire in the title track of his 1976 album, I Want You, produced and co-written by Leon Ware. Pop U.S. Pop U.S. R&B, 20. Aint No Mountain High Enough 2017 Remix Diana Ross / U.S. Dance Club, 6. Here well show you why. Pop*, 11. Motown: The music that changed America - BBC Culture End Of The Road spent a quarter of a year at US No.1, and Boyz II Men went on to beat that performance, twice! Adult Contemporary, 17. Lionel Richie knows it sounds funny, but hey, hes leaving, so he might as well play a pleasantly languorous piano groove and soothe his lover back to sleep on the holy day. Adult R&B, Each B-sides of #1 hits, a unique chart accomplishment, #1 cover version by En Vogue (acapella intro to Hold On) / U.S. R&B Dance Club, 3. Pop U.S. R&B, 5. Written by Smokey Robinson, this was Mary Wells biggest hit for the label and more or less marked the end of her tenure there. Shockingly, Ooo Baby Baby was not a UK hit, though it made US No.16 in 1965. So You Think You Know Martha And The Vandellas? My Love Lionel Richie / U.S. Shop Around The Miracles (featuring Bill Smokey Robinson) / U.S. R&B, 2. 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. I've never gone hunting for them online, just found them by chance on my travels. Brenda Holloway, the LA teenager who gave Motown the touch of class its founder, Berry Gordy, craved, had recorded Every Little Bit Hurts two years earlier, but it went unissued. Heard so often, it still sounds bright and alive. 0:57. Gayes early Seventies albums tend to get more attention than his work later in the decade, but 1976s I Want You is wildly ambitious and recklessly groovy, maybe nowhere more than its title song. Of course, it didnt sound nearly as Dickensian as that since production group the Clan dressed it in funky guitar, schmaltzy strings, and chimes, and Ross indefatigable grace made it sound charming. Throbbing, grinding, and otherworldly, this is Ross in inner space, chasing dreams and illusions, while regretting wasted love as ever. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. We want to hear it. Hitsville transformed: First look at Motown Museum's new plaza as Sheppard / U.S. Country, 1. Boogie On Reggae Woman is a synth-funk electro-skank where Stevie plays nearly everything himself, from the harmonica solo to that filthy Moog bass line. Motown stars like Robinson, the Commodores, Diana Ross, and Michael Jackson kept churning out great music through the funk, disco, and easy-listening eras, and hitmakers like Rick James, Lionel Richie, DeBarge, and Boyz II Me kept the label all over the radio in the slick Eighties and into the Nineties. Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where Youre Going To) Diana Ross / U.S. Johnny Bristol Hang in there Baby should have been listed. War Edwin Starr / U.S. The Boss Diana Ross / U.S. Dance/Disco, 16. An anthem from the first hitmaking phase of The Temptations career, when their songs were laid on by Smokey Robinson a sure sign of soul of the highest order. 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. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Marvin Gaye / U.S. R&B, 6. I kind of got that from my own experiences that was Lionel Richie from Tuskegee, Alabama, where there is no such thing as four-in-the-morning partying. K.G. She is reveling in her passion-jaded condition, delivering a trophy-grabbing disco masterpiece, showing the likes of Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor whos The Boss. John Perrone, 70, died in the past few days at Cape Cod Hospital in . The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game The Marvelettes / U.S. R&B*, 9. Pop Canada, 21. Adult Contemporary, 9. What a voice; what a soul. Since Smokey Robinson wrote Marvin Gayes first Number 1 R&B hit, Ill Be Doggone, standard Motown operating procedure dictated that Robinson produce the follow-up, too. Dont Look Any Further Dennis Edwards featuring Seidah Garrett, #1 cover version by Kane Gang: U.S. Dance/Disco, 1.