Motown News

The Complete Motown Singles Volume 11A covering the first six months of 1971 is issued (in the US) on November 18th. I don’t know when a UK release date is planned. Owing to the weak pound, the import price is prohibitive – something in the region of £70-80. It confirms the rumour that the 1971 and 1972 boxes are both to be split in two. There’s also a 10 CD box containing all the company’s number ones scheduled for a December release.

The ultimate Motown site can be found at www.seabear.se. It had oodles of info, and loads of label scans.

Album: The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 10: 1970 (Hip-o Select B0011056-02 2008)

This is long. Sorry.

For many the production line of pop-soul hits that characterized the period 1964-67 was the essence of Motown, the pop-soul hit factory. By 1970, both the pop world and the wider world had changed. Motown had changed, too, as writers, producers and artists fought for more control. The result was that the “Motown sound” was fracturing into a rainbow of different musical forms. What had remained constant, though, was the label’s exceptionally high quality control. Just a brief look at the track list of this, the tenth in the exhaustive Complete Motown singles series, shows that the number of classic songs released by the company during 1970 was at least the equal of the perceived golden period.

A company that styled itself as the “sound of young America” had its work cut out in a polarized society ripped apart by racial tension, the Vietnam war, and a degree of radicalization not seen since the 1930s (nor, indeed, since). It required a fine balancing act, and it was one that Berry Gordy achieved with a great deal of panache. A look at the cover of the free facsimile 45 that comes with the box (the Miracles’ “Tears of a Clown”) and its “album favorites” ads shows white blues-rockers Toe Fat and soul staples Gladys Knight & the Pips sharing space with spoken word LPs by Martin Luther King, Langston Hughes and Stokely Carmichael on the Black forum imprint (some of whose proceeds went to the Black Panther Party). It’s a stunning contrast to Gordy’s famous discomfort with his musical artists broaching political issues in their songs. Even so, there are a number of those in this collection, some of which were the among the most explicitly anti-Vietnam war songs committed to vinyl during the whole era.

Six discs, 144 tracks, well over seven hours of music – it’s a lot to get through, let alone to try and adequately cover in a review. Disc one kicks off with the first of three singles by the Originals. “The Bells” is a Philly style sweet soul tune, not a million miles from the Delfonics. It was produced by Marvin Gaye, an artist whose appearances on this collection are relatively fleeting. He was hit hard by Tammi Terrell’s death from a brain tumour at just 24 years old and spent most of 1970 in semi-retirement. He would, of course, re-emerge the following year with What’s Going On, one of the truly great albums. His absence in person is made up for by the number of acts who wore his influence like a badge. Former Flamingo Terry Johnson is a case in point. His “Whatcha’ Gonna Do” is a Marvin track in all but name. Another artist who was about to enter the greatest stage of his career was Stevie Wonder, just out of his teens. “Never Had a Dream Come True” is almost like a bridge between the old and new Stevies.

Edwin Starr was one of the few acts afforded the chance to write and produce his own material. “Time” shows a debt to Norman Whitfield’s classic production work, but also has a healthy dose of southern grit. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas were an act whose best days were behind them. Even so, “I Should Be Proud” stands up with the best of their records. It was a stinging attack on Vietnam, and sunk without a trace. Reeves believes to this day that pressure from the very top caused Berry Gordy to withdraw it. Certainly it pulled no punches: “And they say that I should be proud; he was keepin’ me free / They say that I should be proud, those too blind to see / But he wasn’t fightin’ for me, my Johnny didn’t have to die for me / He was fightin’ for the evils of society”. The spoken word section is even more bitter “They shipped him home with medals of honor & glory / Even our local paper ran a front-page story / But the whole time gave him praisin’ & said how honored I should be / But I don’t want no superstar, just the good man they took from me”. Released the same day, and suffering almost the same fate was the Spinners’ blunt black pride anthem “Message from a Black Man”, better known these days in its version by the Temptations. Not something that white pop radio wanted to hear. Other highlights of the first disc include Jr Walker’s “Gotta Hold On to This Feeling”, one of the sax player’s last truly great singles. Stu Gardner’s contributions introduce a dash of James Brown style funk, and Gladys Knight’s “You Need Love Like I Do” showcases the perfect fit of her gritty soul vocal and Norman Whitfield’s psychedelic soul production. Joe Harnell’s muzak version of “My Cherie Amour” is pretty dire, and I’m definitely an agnostic when it comes to Rare Earth’s dad-rock interpretations of Temptations’ classics. 

The Four Tops go boating

Staff writer Ivy Jo Hunter gets a rare place in the spotlight on disc two. His “I Remember When (Dedicated to Beverley)” is a sweet nostalgic ballad that shows off a strong voice. He should have recorded more. Tammi Terrell’s swansong came with the “Onion Song”, released on the day of her funeral. Much of her vocal was in fact recorded by writer Valerie Simpson, but Simpson has always insisted that Terrell definitely does sing on the tune. Diana Ross’s solo career began with a whimper rather than a bang. “Reach Out and Touch” was just a moderate hit, and her first solo shows were such slow sellers that people were actually paid to fill seats. Especially galling when the Supremes, with new recruit Jean Terrell, had hit the ground running with the fabulous “Up the Ladder to the Roof”.

R Dean Taylor ploughed a lonely furrow at Motown. “Indiana Wants Me” was a rare solo hit, but his production work for other acts usually produced results that the company didn’t really know how to market. When he came up with a record as schizophrenic as the Rustix single, it’s not hard to sympathise with them. The A side was a fairly standard piece of funk-rock in the Blood, Sweat and Tears mould, but the flip was a Jacques Brel style torch song. Bizarre, but it’s actually rather good. The Fantastic Four may have been indebted to the Four Tops for their sound, but both of their songs here are strong, as are the contributions by Chuck Jackson, one of Motown’s most under-rated singers.

If you’ve read this far, you’ll hardly need an introduction to “Ball of Confusion”, “The Love You Save”, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” or “War” – four of the greatest Motown singles of any era. Indeed, “Ball of Confusion” would probably make my top ten singles of all time. The Spinners’ “It’s A Shame” deserves to be as feted. Their finest Motown moment, it’s as good as anything they did at Atlantic. With a distinctive guitar riff that introduces and underpins the tune, it’s a record that soars, and never fails to deliver a smile. Less well known is Michael Denton’s “Just Another Morning” which sounds like the Beach Boys doing Northern Soul! Why on earth was that never a hit? The Originals’ “We Can Make It” sounds like the prototype for the bedroom soul ballads of Teddy Pendergrass, Alexander O’Neal etc. And Kiki Dee’s contributions are surprisingly good. If, like me, you only know her from that awful duet she did with Elton John, they’re quite a revelation. She ain’t Dusty, but she’s not bad for a white girl from Bradford (God, that sounds patronizing – sorry!)

There are some more familiar classics on disc four. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” was Diana Ross’s breakthrough solo hit. It’s an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink production, and is here in three versions – the hit, a short promo and the full six minute epic. It’s brilliant but programming all three in succession is overcooking things somewhat. “I’ll Be There” is possibly the Jackson Five’s finest three minutes. Selling four million copies in the US alone, it was also their biggest hit. The late Yvonne Fair is probably best known for her 1976 hit “It Should Have Been Me”. Her Motown debut “Stay a Little Longer” is an effective Gladys Knight style soul shouter, but is bettered by the Stax flavoured ballad on the B side.

Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths’ “Young Gifted and Black” was a big hit in the UK when released by the Trojan label, but the US public never really took to reggae, and Motown didn’t bother licensing any more tracks in that vein. It’s a fantastic record, but sounds weirdly out of place on this compilation, even though it’s followed by the Four Tops’ “Still Water (Love)”, with its slinky bossa nova/reggae groove. “Still Water (Peace)” is so slow it almost is still! Buzzie was a new name to me until I found out that it was Terry Johnson under an alias. I would’ve bet my life that it was a Whitfield production, but it was actually produced by Johnson himself. He’d obviously been watching the master at close hand. The Ruffin Brothers’ limp version of “Stand by Me” is the only real weak link on disc four.

Tamla-Motown in the UK were pretty much independent when it came to choosing singles. A three year old Miracles track was issued and hit number one. The US company followed suit and were rewarded with a chart-topper themselves. Quite how a song as fantastic as “Tears of a Clown” was missed first time round is a mystery. Other nailed on classics on disc five include the Supremes’ “Stoned Love”, Stevie Wonder’s gospel-flavoured “Heaven Help Us All” and Gladys Knight’s impassioned “If I Were Your Woman”. The Chisa label was set up by South African exile Hugh Masekela and Stewart Levine. Masekela’s jazz-funk rendition of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” is pretty special as is the Afro-jazz of the B side. Hearts of Stone are one of the most obscure groups on this set. Undeservedly so, judging from the mighty “It’s a Lonesome Road”. Not sure about the Supremes and the Four Tops’ version of “River Deep Mountain High”. It doesn’t really work – perhaps it’s the lack of Spector’s OTT production that makes it sound a bit flat. It’s not as bad as Allan Nicholls’ overwrought pop-rock offerings, though. He was in Hair. And it shows. Horrible.

Disc six is easily the weakest of the set. Edwin Starr’s “Stop the War Now” basically retreads the ground covered in “War” but to lesser effect. And then there are the Jackson Five’s Christmas tunes. They’re OK as far as Christmas tunes go, but it’s a genre that’s hackneyed and reeks of rampant consumerism. There are some good songs. The Originals’ “God Bless Whoever Sent You” is a fine ballad. The Jazz Crusaders (better known as the Crusaders of “Street Life” fame) weigh in with “Way Back Home”, a jazz-funk instrumental that sounds like the theme to a TV cop show. “Jackson” is just cheese, though. Things pick up in the second half with Diana Ross’s “Remember Me”, another big production number. The Spinners’, Four Tops’ and Jimmy Ruffin’s contributions are all above par, but not among their finest moments. Arthur Adams’ “Can’t Wait to See You” is probably the pick of the final disc – the sort of deep soul ballad that would have sat well on one of Dave Godin’s legendary compilations.

The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 10 is one of the best in the series so far. It’s refreshingly free of cheesy MOR, novelty tunes, godawful country, and generic Motown-by-numbers. As ever, the packaging is exemplary, with 148 pages of sleevenotes, a facsimile 45, and loads of excellent photos. The series is planned to finish with 1972 when Motown finally upped sticks from Detroit, and to coincide with next year’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Roll on volume 11. 

The Supremes have a sartorial nightmare

Tracks

Disc 1
1. The Bells – The Originals
2. I’ll Wait For You – The Originals
3. The Bells – The Originals (Alt. Mix)
4. Blackmail – Bobby Taylor
5. My Cherie Amour – Joe Harnell
6. Never Had A Dream Come True – Stevie Wonder
7. Somebody Knows, Somebody Cares – Stevie Wonder
8. Whatcha’ Gonna Do – Terry Johnson
9. Time – Edwin Starr
10. Running Back And Forth – Edwin Starr
11. Gotta Hold On To This Feeling – Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
12. Clinging To The Thought That She’s Coming Back – Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
13. I Should Be Proud – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
14. Love, Guess Who – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
15. Message From A Black Man – The Spinners
16. Life Beats – The Supremes
17. Up The Ladder To The Roof – The Supremes
18. Bill, When Are You Coming Back – The Supremes
19. Expressin’ My Love – Stu Gardner
20. I Don’t Dream No More – Stu Gardner
21. Get Ready – Rare Earth
22. ABC – The Jackson 5
23. The Young Folks – The Jackson 5
24. You Need Love Like I Do (Don’t You?) – Gladys Knight & The Pips
25. You’re My Everything – Gladys Knight & The Pips

Disc 2
1. I Remember When (Dedicated To Beverly) – Ivy Jo (Promo Version)
2. Sorry Is A Sorry Word – Ivy Jo
3. I Remember When (Dedicated To Beverly) – Ivy Jo (Commercial Version)
4. The Onion Song – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
5. California Soul – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
6. It’s All In The Game – Four Tops
7. Love (Is The Answer) – Four Tops
8. Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand) – Diana Ross
9. These Things Will Keep Me Loving You – Diana Ross
10. Dark Side Of The World – Diana Ross
11. Indiana Wants Me – R. Dean Taylor (Promo Version)
12. Love’s Your Name – R. Dean Taylor
13. Indiana Wants Me – R. Dean Taylor (Commercial Version)
14. Come On People – The Rustix
15. Free Again (Non C’est Rien) – The Rustix
16. On The Brighter Side Of A Blue World – The Fantastic Four
17. I’m Gonna Carry On – The Fantastic Four
18. Who’s Gonna Take The Blame – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
19. I Gotta Thing For You – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
20. My Baby’s Love – Arthur Adams
21. Loving You – Arthur Adams
22. Two Feet From Happiness – Chuck Jackson
23. Let Somebody Love Me – Chuck Jackson

Disc 3
1. Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today) – The Temptations
2. It’s Summer – The Temptations
3. The Love You Save – The Jackson 5
4. I Found That Girl – The Jackson 5
5. The End Of Our Road – Marvin Gaye
6. Me And My Lonely Room – Marvin Gaye
7. Just Another Morning – Michael Denton
8. Arma’ Geden – Michael Denton
9. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder
10. I’m More Than Happy (I’m Satisfied) – Stevie Wonder
11. War – Edwin Starr
12. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (Alt. Mix)- Stevie Wonder (Alternate Mix)
13. He Who Picks A Rose – Edwin Starr
14. It’s A Shame – The Spinners
15. Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music – The Spinners
16. Do You See My Love (For You Growing) – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
17. Groove And Move – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
18. The Day Will Come Between Sunday And Monday – Kiki Dee
19. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) – Kiki Dee
20. Everybody’s Got The Right To Love – The Supremes
21. But I Love You More – The Supremes
22. We Can Make It – The Originals (Promo Version)
23. I Like Your Style – The Originals
24. We Can Make It Baby – The Originals (Commercial Version)
25. An Important Message From Barney Ales (Listen Immediately) – Barney Ales

Disc 4
1. (I Know) I’m Losing You – Rare Earth
2. When Joanie Smiles – Rare Earth
3. Stay A Little Longer – Yvonne Fair
4. We Should Never Be Lonely My Love – Yvonne Fair
5. How You Gonna Keep It (After You Get it) – Blinky
6. This Time Last Summer – Blinky
7. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross (Long Promo Version)
8. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross (Commercial Version)
9. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross (Short Promo Version)
10. Can’t It Wait Until Tomorrow – Diana Ross
11. Young Gifted And Black – Bob & Marcia
12. Peace Of Mind – Bob & Marcia
13. Still Water (Love) – Four Tops
14. Still Water (Peace) – Four Tops
15. Stone Soul Booster – Buzzie
16. Sandy – Buzzie
17. I’ll Be There – The Jackson 5
18. One More Chance – The Jackson 5
19. Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World) – The Temptations
20. Hum Along And Dance – The Temptations
21. As Long As I’ve Got You – Danny Hernandez & The Ones
22. One Little Teardrop – Danny Hernandez & The Ones
23. Stand By Me – David & Jimmy Ruffin
24. Your Love Was Worth Waiting For – David & Jimmy Ruffin

Disc 5
1. The Tears Of A Clown – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
2. Promise Me – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
3. The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (Alternate Mix)
4. Heaven Help Us All – Stevie Wonder
5. I Gotta Have A Song – Stevie Wonder
6. You Keep Me Hangin’ On – Hugh Masekela
7. Make Me A Potion – Hugh Masekela
8. It’s A Lonesome Road – Hearts Of Stone
9. Yesterday’s Love Is Over – Hearts Of Stone
10. I Gotta Let You Go – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
11. You’re The Loser Now – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
12. Stoned Love – The Supremes
13. Shine On Me – The Supremes
14. Stoned Love – The Supremes (Long Version)
15. If I Were Your Woman – Gladys Knight & The Pips
16. The Tracks Of My Tears – Gladys Knight & The Pips
17. Marionette – The Marvelettes
18. After All – The Marvelettes
19. River Deep, Mountain High – The Supremes & Four Tops
20. Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music – The Supremes & Four Tops
21. Coming Apart – Allan Nicholls
22. Let The Music Play – Allan Nicholls
23. Coming Apart – Allan Nicholls (Stereo Promo Version)

Disc 6
1. Stop The War Now – Edwin Starr
2. God Bless Whoever Sent You – The Originals
3. Just To Keep You Satisfied – The Originals
4. Desperate Young Man – The Originals
5. Born To Wander – Rare Earth
6. Here Comes The Night – Rare Earth
7. Born To Wander – Rare Earth (Stereo Promo Version)
8. Holly Holy – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
9. Carry Your Own Load – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
10. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – The Jackson 5
11. Christmas Won’t Be The Same This Year – The Jackson 5
12. Way Back Home – The Jazz Crusaders
13. Jackson! – The Jazz Crusaders
14. Remember Me – Diana Ross
15. How About You – Diana Ross
16. We’ll Have It Made – The Spinners
17. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) – The Spinners
18. Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life) – Four Tops
19. I Wish I Were Your Mirror – Four Tops
20. Maria (You Were The Only One) – Jimmy Ruffin
21. Living In A World I Created For Myself – Jimmy Ruffin
22. Living In A World I Created For Myself – Jimmy Ruffin (Alternate Mix)
23. Can’t Wait To See You – Arthur Adams
24. It’s Private Tonight – Arthur Adams

TV Review: Motor City’s Burning: Detroit from Motown to the Stooges

This one hour film was shown last night (Friday 7th) on BBC4, and so is available to watch as a stream on the BBC iPlayer for the next week (UK only).

Digital channel BBC4 has a growing reputation for producing intelligent, well-researched and interesting documentaries – the kind of thing BBC2 used to do before it became clogged up with gardening, cookery, lifestyle and reality shows. Following last year’s excellent films about Factory and the New York punk, disco and hip hop scenes of the late seventies, Motor City’s Burning explored the music of sixties Detroit and put it in the context of the political, social and economic events of the time.

In the forties and fifties, Detroit was the industrial heart of America, and it was the assembly lines of the motor giants that famously inspired Berry Gordy to create a new way of running a record company. The aim was to establish both an indentifiable sound and a guarantee of quality and craftsmanship. Many people, then and now, bemoaned the lack of artistic freedom at Motown, but for the best part of the decade, the label achieved exactly what Gordy had envisioned and became the pre-eminent popular music of the era, at least the pre-eminent indigenous music. What it failed to reflect was the increasing alienation and victimisation of the city’s black population, and the fascistic behaviour of a (white) police force which acted more like an army of occupation.

The city exploded in 1967 with riots that left 43 dead. It was an event that changed Motown, and eventually led to its relocation to Los Angeles. It also helped politicize a section of white youth who rejected the American Dream as the consumerist mirage that it was. The MC5 and the Stooges were their bands. George Clinton’s P-Funk collective took parts of both Motown and the proto-psychedelic punk of the white bands. It was an incredibly creative time for the city. But Detroit’s economy, dealt a body blow by the riots and subsequent ‘white flight’, continued to decline alongside the car industry that was its lifeblood. Today it is, as David Was described, like a peanut shell with all the nutrients sucked out of it.

This documentary told the story of the entwined fortunes of the city and its music, with great archive footage, and an A list of interviewees including the three Stooges, two MC5’s, the lovable old rapscallion John Sinclair, Lamont Dozier, Martha Reeves and Mary Wilson (looking like she couldn’t even have been born in the sixties!). It did what documentaries ought to do – told the story clearly and entertainingly, with informed interviewees and no melodramatics. I’d recommend it to anyone, both as a piece of social as well as musical history.

Album: The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9: 1969 (Hip-o-select 2008)

1968 may have been a bit of a bumpy ride for Motown, with the loss of Holland Dozier Holland, and Berry Gordy’s relocation to Los Angeles, but the company still ended the year with five 45s in the US top ten. 1969 was the year that the cracks really began to show, and these are apparent on the latest instalment of Hip-O-Select’s monumental round-up of every single released by the Motown group during the Detroit era.

The early volumes of the series are notable for the inclusion of some really awful misfires – be they wacky novelty numbers, terrible supper-club MOR or cornball country. This desire to be more than just a pop and soul company was reined in by about 1964, and with the exception of the odd beat and garage group (most of whom were actually not bad), Motown concentrated on what it was best at. The result was that volumes 4 to 8 of this series were collections of an incredibly high standard – full of indisputable pop classics and long lost gems. For some reason, though, 1969 saw the return of some gruesome novelty tunes. Soupy Sales’ “Muck Arty Park” is indescribably bad. It was also the year that Gordy made a serious, full-scale attempt at garnering a slice of the burgeoning contemporary rock market with the establishment of the Rare Earth imprint. Its first year made little impact, but persistence paid off at the beginning of the next decade.

Fortunately, the vast majority of music across these six CDs carries the classic Motown hallmarks of soulful vocals, brilliant pop hooks, and tight, insistent music. And there are classics aplenty: Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour”, Marvin Gaye’s “Too Busy Thinkin’ About My Baby”, David Ruffin’s “My Whole World Ended”, the Supremes’ “Some Day We’ll Be Together” and the Originals’ gorgeous “Baby I’m For Real” to name but five. But dig a little deeper, there were definite signs that things weren’t as hot as they had been. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas had a poor year, the Marvelettes had more or less split up, the Four Tops only had two singles, the Miracles were hardly firing on all cylinders, and even the all-conquering Supremes had a number of misfires before their big smash (which, ironically, didn’t even feature Cindy Birdsong or Mary Wilson, and was the last 45 to feature Diana Ross). The big stars on the horizon were, of course, the Jackson Five who had the first of four straight number ones at the end of the year with “I Want You Back”. Despite that, 1969 saw Motown dominated by one man – Norman Whitfield.

Whitfield had two main charges as writer and producer. Gladys Knight and the Pips gave him the best female voice that the company ever had to work with. His songs and her singing fitted perfectly in a place way deeper and more soulful than the company’s usual output. Secondly, Whitfield had, since 1966, virtually full control over the Temptations, and it’s their contributions which glow brightest in this collection. Taking the template established the previous year with “Cloud Nine”, the Tempts’ ‘psychedelic soul’ was as urgent and as real as any of their rock-influenced contemporaries such as Sly and the Family Stone and the nascent P-Funk groups. The group’s four 1969 singles (“Runaway Child Running Wild”, “Don’t Let The Joneses Get You Down”, “Can’t Get Next To You” and “Psychedelic Shack”) were all mini-masterpieces which completely reinvented the way a soul vocal group worked. Aside from the funk-rock backing, harmonies took a back seat to the singers’ taking turns to impart lines. With no obvious lead singer/backing singer dynamic, these tracks helped pave the way for the rap groups that would begin to appear a decade later. Whitfield’s productions were some of the earliest examples of the exciting rock-funk hybrid music that dominated the Blaxploitation era of the early seventies.

To say that 1969 saw Motown in decline is to overstate the case. It was the end of the company’s dominance of the pop 45 market, but the Jackson Five ensured that its commercial fortunes weren’t about to wane. Artistically, too, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye had barely flexed their muscles yet, and would both go on to produce era-defining albums over the next half dozen years. But the era of the driving, punchy two and a half minute drama was drawing to a close.

As ever, the sound mastering, packaging, presentation and annotation of the set is faultless. The cover-mounted 45 on this occasion is (unsurprisingly) “I Want You Back”.

Tracks
Disc: 1
1. Twenty Five Miles – Edwin Starr
2. Love Is My Destination – Edwin Starr
3. I’m Livin’ In Shame – Diana Ross & The Supremes
4. I’m So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around) – Diana Ross & The Supremes
5. Good Lovin’ Ain’t Easy To Come By – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
6. Satisfied Feelin’ – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
7. We Got A Way Out Love – Originals
8. You’re The One – Originals
9. We Got A Way Out Love – Originals
10. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) – David Ruffin
11. I’ve Got To Find Myself A Brand New Baby – David Ruffin
12. Muck Arty Park – Soupy Sales
13. Green Grow The Lilacs – Soupy Sales
14. I Don’t Know Why – Stevie Wonder
15. My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
16. I Don’t Know Why – Stevie Wonder
17. Runaway Child Runaway Lovin’ – Temptations
18. I Need Your Lovin’ – Temptations
19. Don’t Mess With My Weekend – Shorty Long
20. I Had A Dream – Shorty Long
21. Ain’t No Justice – Shorty Long
22. Didn’t You Know (You’d Have To Cry Sometime) – Gladys Knight & The Pips
23. Keep An Eye – Gladys Knight & The Pips

Disc: 2
1. I’ll Try Something New – Diana Ross & The Supremes/The Temptations
2. Way You Do The Things You Do – Diana Ross & The Supremes/The Temptations
3. Are You Lonely For Me Baby – Chuck Jackson
4. Your Wonderful Love – Chuck Jackson
5. Are You Lonely For Me Baby – Chuck Jackson
6. I Feel Like I’m Falling In Love Again – Fantastic Four
7. Pin Point It Down – Fantastic Four
8. We’ve Got Honey Love – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
9. I’m In Love (And I Know It) – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
10. Runaway Child Running Wild – Earl Van Dyke
11. Gonna Give Her All The Love I’ve Got – Earl Van Dyke
12. For Better Or Worse – Jonah Jones
13. Don’t Mess With Bill – Jonah Jones
14. Composer – Diana Ross & The Supremes
15. Beginning Of The End – Diana Ross & The Supremes
16. My Cup Runneth Over – Billy Eckstine
17. Ask The Lonely – Billy Eckstine
18. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby – Marvin Gaye
19. Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home) – Marvin Gaye
20. What Is A Man – Four Tops
21. Don’t Bring Back Memories – Four Tops
22. Cherie – Honestmen
23. Baby – Honestmen
24. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) – Jr Walker & The All Stars
25. Brainwasher – Jr Walker & The All Stars

Disc: 3
1. Don’t Let The Joneses Get You Down – Temptations
2. Since I’ve Lost You – Temptations
3. Just Ain’t Enough Love – Isley Brothers
4. Green Grow The Lilacs – Originals
5. No Matter What Sign You Are – Diana Ross & The Supremes
6. Young Folks – Diana Ross & The Supremes
7. No Matter What Sign You Are – Diana Ross & The Supremes
8. I’m Still A Struggling Man – Edwin Starr
9. Pretty Little Angel – Edwin Starr
10. Nitty Gritty – Gladys Knight & The Pips
11. Got Myself A Good Man – Gladys Knight & The Pips
12. Doggone Right – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
13. Here I Go Again – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
14. Abraham Martin And John – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
15. Abraham Martin And John – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
16. I’ve Lost Everything I’ve Ever Loved – David Ruffin
17. We’ll Have A Good Thing Going On – David Ruffin
18. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow – Diana Ross & The Supremes/The Temptations
19. Try It Baby – Diana Ross & The Supremes/The Temptations
20. Luney Landing – Captain Zap & The Motortown Cut-Ups
21. Luney Take Off – Captain Zap & The Motortown Cut-Ups
22. Oh I’ve Been Blessed – Bobby Taylor
23. It Should Have Been Me Loving Her – Bobby Taylor
24. Cheatin’ Is Telling On You – Lollipops
25. Need Your Love – Lollipops

Disc: 4
1. Oh How Happy – Edwin Starr & Blinky
2. Ooo Baby Baby – Edwin Starr & Blinky
3. My Spring Time – Terry Johnson
4. Suzie – Terry Johnson
5. My Girl Has Gone – Bobby Taylor
6. I Can’t Get Next To You – Temptations
7. Running Away (Ain’t Gonna Help You) – Temptations
8. That’s The Way Love Is – Marvin Gaye
9. Gonna Keep On Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love – Marvin Gaye
10. Honey Come Back – Chuck Jackson
11. What Am I Gonna Do Without You – Chuck Jackson
12. Baby I’m For Real – Originals
13. Moment Of Truth – Originals
14. Taking My Love (And Leaving Me) – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
15. Heartless – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
16. In Bed – Wes Henderson
17. Reality – Wes Henderson
18. Weight – Diana Ross & The Supremes/The Temptations
19. For Better Or Worse – Diana Ross & The Supremes/The Temptations
20. Whiter Shade Of Pale – Shorty Long
21. When You Are Available – Shorty Long
22. Just Another Lonely Night – Shorty Long
23. Don’t Care Why You Want Me (Long As You Want Me) – Fantastic Four
24. Midnight Cowboy – Joe Harnell
25. Green Grow The Lilacs – Joe Harnell

Disc: 5
1. That’s How Heartaches Are Made – Marvelettes
2. Rainy Mourning – Marvelettes
3. Home On The Range (Everybody Needs A Home) – Stu Gardner
4. It’s A Family Thang – Stu Gardner
5. Mend This Generation – Stu Gardner
6. Place In The Sun – Monk Montgomery
7. Your Love – Monk Montgomery
8. Never Had A Dream Come True – Stevie Wonder
9. Yester Me Yester You Yesterday – Stevie Wonder
10. I’d Be A Fool Right Now – Stevie Wonder
11. It’s Private Tonight – Arthur Adams
12. Let’s Make Some Love – Arthur Adams
13. These Eyes – Jr Walker & The All Stars
14. I’ve Got To Find A Way To Win Maria Back – Jr Walker & The All Stars
15. Friendship Train – Gladys Knight & The Pips
16. Cloud Nine – Gladys Knight & The Pips
17. In My Diary – Spinners
18. She’s Gonna Love Me At Sundown – Spinners
19. I Want You Back – Jackson Five
20. Who’s Lovin’ You – Jackson Five
21. If You Will Let Me I Know I Can – Jimmy Ruffin
22. Farewell Is A Lonely Sound – Jimmy Ruffin
23. Gonna Put It On Your Mind – Dorothy, Oma & Zelpha
24. Henry Blake – Dorothy, Oma & Zelpha

Disc: 6
1. Someday We’ll Be Together – Diana Ross & The Supremes
2. He’s My Sunny Boy – Diana Ross & The Supremes
3. Don’t Let Him Take Your Love From Me – Four Tops
4. Key – Four Tops
5. Baby I’ll Get It – Chuck Jackson
6. Day My World Stood Still – Chuck Jackson
7. What You Gave Me – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
8. How You Gonna Keep It (After You Get It) – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
9. Generation (Light Up The Sky) – Rare Earth
10. Magic Key – Rare Earth
11. I’m So Glad I Fell For You – David Ruffin & The Hal Davis Singers
12. I Pray Every Day You Won’t Regret Loving Me – David Ruffin & The Hal Davis Singers
13. I’m So Glad I Fell For You – David Ruffin
14. Point It Out – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
15. Darling Dear – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
16. Point It Out – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
17. Can We Talk To You (For A Little While) – Anonymous Children Of Today
18. Love And Peace – Anonymous Children Of Today
19. Can’t You Hear The Music Play – Rustix
20. I Guess This Is Goodbye – Rustix
21. I Will Never Love Another – Five Smooth Stones
22. Love Unto Me – Five Smooth Stones
23. How Can I Forget – Jerry Long & Marvin Gaye
24. Gonna Give Her All The Love I’ve Got – Marvin Gaye
25. Psychedelic Shack – Temptations
26. That’s The Way Love Is – Temptations

Album: The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 8: 1968 (Hip-o-select 2007)

In George Pelecanos’ 1968 set novel Hard Revolution, black rookie DC cop Derek Strange dismisses Motown as “soul music for white people” (although he retains affection for DC-born Marvin Gaye). The quote is indicative of how things had changed in America by 1968. It was a country at war with itself, with huge schisms opening up between the old and the young, between liberals and conservatives and, particularly, between black and white. The year started with a massive escalation of the war in Viet Nam with the Tet Offensive, and continued with the assassinations of Dr Martin Luther King and Senator Robert Kennedy. Detroit was riven by bloody rioting for the second year in succession, but so were many other cities throughout the country. The Black Panthers and other radical organisations were rapidly gaining in influence among young blacks – it was the year of the famous Black Power salutes of athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos after they’d won two of the medals in the 200 metres at the Mexico City Olympics. Motown’s slogan “The Sound of Young America” sounded increasingly hollow. The label even had its own internal militant problem when Abdullah (aka singer Joseph McLean), a black nationalist muslim, threatened white A&R chief Ralph Seltzer with a letter opener! His tenure at the label didn’t last long after that.

Motown’s family image was crumbling. First, the executives moved into a new building, away from the studios, writers and producers. Berry Gordy then moved with his family to Los Angeles (the label would up sticks altogether in 1972). Lamont Dozier, Brian and Edward Holland had split from the company in late 1967, and now there were law suits and counter-suits flying in all directions. Some of the acts clearly suffered from the loss of one of the label’s key writing teams, especially the Four Tops whose 1968 singles consisted of dusted down HDH tracks from the vaults or covers of contemporary pop hits by the Left Banke and Tim Hardin. The upbeat, backbeat driven Motown sound, dominated by the 2 minute 40 single, was beginning to sound anachronistic in 1968 compared to the deep soul coming out of Atlantic and the new rock-infused sound of the Chambers Brothers and Sly and the Family Stone. And yet the company ended the year with five records in the Billboard top ten, and its biggest seller to date. The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 8: 1968 tells the story of a very turbulent year over 6 CDs.

The hole left by Holland Dozier Holland was largely filled by two new teams who’d come to the fore. Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson specialized in a more sophisticated soul sound that looked ahead to the “sweet soul” of the seventies. Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong brought a more earthy sound to the table. The most radical change came on October 1st 1968 when the backing tracks to the duo’s “Cloud Nine” were laid down, marking a complete break from the past. Otis Williams of the Temptations claims he had an epiphany when he and Kenny Gamble (of Gamble and Huff) heard Sly Stone’s “Dance To The Music”. He mentioned it to Whitfield who dismissed the rock-soul sound as a fad, so when the group returned from a tour, he was surprised to hear the new song that Whitfield and Strong had written. Everyone connected with it has always denied the drug connotations, but however it was intended, it is not hard to see it as a reflection of the increasing addiction problems of the ghetto underclass. “Cloud Nine” was one of the five top ten entries that Motown had on December 28th 1968. At number one was another Whitfield-Strong tune, Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (the cover mounted seven inch single included with this set). Originally shelved in favour of Gladys Knight’s version, the song was issued as an album track, but due to massive radio play, starting in Chicago, was finally put out as a 45. It went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic and was the biggest seller in the company’s history at that point.

The beauty in this series, of course, is the fact that it is not just about the familiar, or the epoch defining tracks. In including every A and B side issued or scheduled to be issued during the year, it has its share of filler. It is remarkable, though, how little of this there is. Many of the B sides would have been perfectly acceptable A sides – indeed some, like the Isleys’ “Behind A Painted Smile”, were utterly wasted on the flip. There are also some hidden gems from lesser known acts, like Rita Wright’s (aka Syreeta) Supremes-influenced “I Can’t Give The Love I Feel For You”, Chris Clark’s northern stomper “Whisper You Love Me Boy” and the Detroit Wheels’ explicitly druggy rock song “Linda Sue Dixon” (unlike the Beatles’ “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever what this is about. Sample lyric “you make me see things other people can’t see”). Solid gold, carved in stone classics include “Love Child”, “Gotta See Jane”, “For Once In My Life”, “Walk Away Renee” and “You’re All I Need To Get By” and there are rare oddities like the Miracles’ ode to their home town “I Care About Detroit” which was only ever issued as a one-sided promo on the Standard Groove label.

As always with this series, the packaging is second to none, and there are 132 pages of notes and pictures with two excellent essays by Otis Williams and activist and academic Herb Boyd. I’ll reiterate what I’ve said before when reviewing the previous volume in the series that these issues set the benchmark when it comes to archiving catalogue material.

Tracks
Disc 38
1. I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You – Rita Wright
2. Something On My Mind – Rita Wright
3. Night Fo’ Last – Shorty Long
4. Night Fo’ Last – Shorty Long [instrumental]
5. Walk Away Renee – Four Tops
6. Your Love Is Wonderful – Four Tops
7. The End Of Our Road – Gladys Knight & The Pips
8. Don’t Let her Take Your Love From Me – Gladys Knight & The Pips
9. (You Can’t Let The Boy Overpower) The Man In You – Chuck Jackson
10. Girls, Girls, Girls – Chuck Jackson
11. Why Am I Lovin’ You – Debbie Dean
12. Stay My Love – Debbie Dean
13. Thank You Love – Billy Eckstine
14. Is Anyone Here Goin’ My Way – Billy Eckstine
15. If You Can Want – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
16. When The Words From Your Heart Get Caught Up In Your Throat – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
17. Whisper You Love Me Boy – Chris Clark
18. I’ll Say Forever My Love – Jimmy Ruffin
19. Everybody Needs Love – Jimmy Ruffin
20. Does Your Mama Know About Me – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers [promo version]
21. Fading Away – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
22. Does Your Mama Know About Me – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers [commercial version]
23. Forever Came Today – Diana Ross & The Supremes
24. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) – The Isley Brothers
25. Why When Love Is Gone – The Isley Brothers

Disc 39
1. Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day – Stevie Wonder
2. Why Don’t You Lead Me To Love – Stevie Wonder
3. I Am The Man For You Baby – Edwin Starr
4. My Weakness Is You – Edwin Starr
5. Where Would I Be WIthout You – Barbara McNair
6. Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
7. Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
8. Bring Back The Love – The Monitors
9. I Promise To Wait My Love – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
10. Forget Me Not – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
11. Gotta See Jane – R. Dean Taylor
12. Gotta See Jane – R. Dean Taylor [second pressing]
13. If I Were A Carpenter – Four Tops
14. Wonderful Baby – Four Tops
15. I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) – The Temptations
16. Gonna Give Her All The Love I’ve Got – The Temptations
17. Linda Sue Dixon – The Detroit Wheels
18. Tally Ho – The Detroit Wheels
19. Here I Am Baby – The Marvelettes
20. Keep Off, No Trespassing – The Marvelettes
21. Sing What You Wanna – Shorty Long
22. Here Comes The Judge – Shorty Long
23. Ain’t That Lovin’ You – The Volumes
24. I Love You Baby – The Volumes

Disc 40
1. Yester Love – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
2. Much Better Off – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
3. It Should Have Been Me – Gladys Knight & The Pips
4. You Don’t Love Me No More – Gladys Knight & The Pips
5. What The World Needs Now Is Love – Diana Ross & The Supremes
6. Your Kiss Of Fire – Diana Ross & The Supremes
7. Some Things You Never Get Used To – Diana Ross & The Supremes
8. You’ve Been So Wonderful To Me – Diana Ross & The Supremes
9. Don’t Let Him Take Your Love From Me – Jimmy Ruffin
10. Lonely Lonely Man Am I – Jimmy Ruffin
11. You Met Your Match – Stevie Wonder
12. My Girl – Stevie Wonder
13. I Am Your Man – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
14. If You Love Her – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
15. Yesterday’s Dreams – Four Tops
16. For Once In My Life – Four Tops
17. You’re All I Need To Get By – Mavin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
18. I Care About Detroit – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
19. Please Return Your Love To Me – The Temptations
20. How Can I Forget – The Temptations
21. Hip City (Part 2) – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
22. Hip City (Part 1) – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
23. I Can’t Dance To That Music You’re Playin’ – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
24. I Tried – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas

Disc 41
1. Special Occasion – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
2. Give Her Up – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
3. A Little Bit For Sandy – Paul Peterson
4. Your Love’s Got Me Burning Alive – Paul Peterson
5. I Wish It Would Rain – Gladys Knight & The Pips
6. It’s Summer – Gladys Knight & The Pips
7. For Love Of Ivy – Billy Eckstine
8. A Woman – Billy Eckstine
9. Can I Get A Witness – Barbara Randolph
10. Chained – Marvin Gaye
11. Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream – The Ones
12. I’ve Been Good To You – The Ones
13. Step By Step (Hand In Hand) – The Monitors
14. Time Is Passin’ By – The Monitors
15. Alfie – Eivets Rednow
16. More Than A Dream – Eivets Rednow
17. Destination: Anywhere – The Marvelettes
18. What’s Easy For Two Is Hard For One – The Marvelettes
19. Think (About The Good Things) – The Detriot Wheels
20. For The Love Of A Stranger – The Detroit Wheels
21. His Eye Is On The Sparrow – Marvin Gaye
22. Just A Closer Walk With Thee – Gladys Knight & The Pips

Disc 42
1. I’m In A Different World – Four Tops
2. Remember When – Four Tops
3. I Love You Madly – The Fantastic Four
4. I Love You Madly – The Fantastic Four [instrumental]
5. Keep On Lovin’ Me Honey – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
6. You Ain’t Livin’ Till Your Lovin’ – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
7. Love Child – Diana Ross & The Supremes
8. Will This Be The Day – Diana Ross & The Supremes
9. Love Child – Diana Ross & The Supremes [alternate version]
10. You Could Never Love Him (Like I Love Him) – Barbara McNair
11. Fancy Passes – Barbara McNair
12. I’ll Pick A Rose For My Rose – Marv Johnson
13. You Got The Love I Love – Marv Johnson
14. Malinda – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
15. It’s Growing – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
16. Malinda – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers [alternate mix]
17. Sweet Darlin’ – Martha Reeved & The Vandellas
18. Without You – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
19. For Once In My Life – Stevie Wonder
20. Angie Girl – Stevie Wonder
21. I Comma Zimba Zio (Here I Stand The Mighty One) – Abdullah
22. Why Them, Why Me – Abdullah
23. Bad, Bad Weather (Till You Come Home) – The Spinners
24. I Just Can’t Help But Feel The Pain – The Spinners

Disc 43
1. Cloud Nine – The Temptations
2. Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go) – The Temptations
3. Way Over There – Edwin Starr
4. If My Heart Could Tell The Story – Edwin Starr
5. All Because I Love You – The Isley Brothers
6. Behind A Painted Smile – The Isley Brothers
7. I Wouldn’t Change The Man He Is – Blinky
8. I’ll Always Love You – Blinky
9. Gonna Keep On Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love – Jimmy Ruffin
10. Sad And Lonesome Feeling – Jimmy Ruffin
11. The Impossible Dream – Diana Ross & The Supremes& The Temptations
12. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me – Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations
13. A Place In The Sun – Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations
14. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer – The Temptations
15. Silent Night, Holy Night – The Temptations
16. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
17. You’re What’s Happening (In The World Today) – Marvin Gaye
18. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) – Tammi Terrell
19. Just Too Much To Hope For – Tammi Terrell
20. Baby, Baby Don’t Cry – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
21. Your Mother’s Only Daughter – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
22. Home Cookin’ – Jr. Walker And The All Stars
23. Mutiny – Jr. Walker & The All Stars
24. I’m Gonna Hold On Long As I Can – The Marvelettes
25. Don’t Make Hurting Me A Habit – The Marvelettes

Song of the day: FRANK WILSON – Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) (1965)

In late 1965, Frank Wilson was offered the job of heading Motown’s west coast operation based in Los Angeles on the condition that he concentrate on his back room duties at the expense of his recording and performing career. He reluctantly agreed. There was one problem, though – promos of his debut single for the company (Soul 35019) were already pressed up. All were recalled and pulped except, it seems, two copies. In 1998, one of these was sold to a Scottish Northern Soul fan and record collector for a staggering £15,000. Who knows what it would fetch now.

Unlike most ultra-rare records, “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” is also a five star classic. It was a massive hit at the Wigan Casino, and it’s not difficult to see why. It pounds along at an rattling pace with a revivalist call and response chorus that exudes sheer unfettered joy. It’s like an amphetamine and Prozac cocktail pressed on vinyl. There was a commercial version issued in 1966 by Chris Clark – Motown’s answer to Dusty Springfield. It’s a thoroughly decent effort, but just lacks the zip and soul of the original.

Here I am on bended knees
I lay my heart down at your feet
Now do I love you?
All you have to do is ask
I’ll give until there’s nothing left
Do I love you?
As long as there is life in me
Our happiness is guaranteed
I’ll fill your heart with ecstasy, forever darling

Do I love you?
Do I love you?
Do I love you?
Indeed I do Indeed I do

The very thing that I want most
Is just to have and hold you close
Do I love you?
From early morning until late at night
You fill my heart with pure delight
Do I love you?
Now whenever I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord your soul to keep
And bring you home safe to me, forever darling

Do I love you?
Do I love you?
Do I love you?
Indeed I do, sweet darling, indeed I do

Now whenever I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord your soul to keep
And bring you home safe to me
Forever darling

Do I love you?
Do I love you?
Do I love you?
Indeed I do, little darling, indeed I do

Fortunately, you don’t have to sell your house to own the tune these days. It’s on The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 5: 1965 and a few other Northern compilations. It’s even available as a bloody ringtone!