funny things...i am playing a Jermaine Jackson greatest
hits cd and i hear "let's get serious"...(what a kickin'
dance cut!) and i'm checking out my girl HArlepolis's
thread on 'syreeta wright (thank U harlepolis for bringing up a 4 gotten talented sistah!) and i start to daydream
about MOtown Records.

yep Berry G could be a asshole at times. but i still gotta
give the brother his props. He put out some wonderful
great classics for over 30 plus years.

people still sing mOtown songs. you hear them on various
commercials...and people cover motown songs.

so this thread is an appreciation to what Berry's artists
(and musicians ) did!

so here's my queries to U MotOWN FReaks:

1. your favorite Motown songs.
2. the motown songs you yourself like singing
3.your favorite Motown cover version by non-motown artists.

(d-eye,finess,redzryder,manki,stymie,harlepolis and co,,,
what U say,huh?

youngca...R.I.P Funk Brothers james jamerson,robert white,
earl van dyke,johnny griffith,eddie bongo brown,benny benjamin..U brothas were jazz genuises who deserved more
accolades for sho'...

youngca said:

you forgot Dennis Coffey too

Finess said:

Now, there's a name I haven't heard in a while. "Scorpio" is the first cut that comes to mind.

I can just imagine this on some a movie soundtrack, like "Jackie Brown."

We're all familiar with the great Motown artists from the 60s and their hit records (Diana Ross and the Supremes,The Temptations,Smokey Robinson and the Miracles,Stevie Wonder,etc),but there are so many other underrated and forgotten artists and songs from the Motown stable.Remember these jams?


***"You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)" by High Inergy (1977)---Even though this song went to Number One on the R&B charts in 1977,it rarely gets the recognition it deserves.It's a sexy,midtempo track by this talented female group.When they sing "take me to that special place...you've gone too far to leave me",you know exactly what they're talking about.

***"Shoe Shoe Shine" by The Dynamic Superiors (1974)---This soulful ballad was written and produced by Ashford and Simpson.It's a wonderful song,with lyrics about how love is more important than material things ("I may not have much to speak of...but there will always be plenty of love").

***"She's Just A Groupie" by Bobby Nunn (1982)---Y'all remember this funky jam,dontcha? A synth-funk track with an irresistible hook,it took listeners by storm in late 82/early 83.Notice that the second verse mentions our man..."She'll do anything if PRINCE would take her home,that's what she says".

***"Don't Cha Love It" by The Miracles (1975)---After Smokey Robinson left this group in the early 70s,many people assumed that they would suffer.But with a new lead singer,they were able to score several more hits,including this forgotten jam.I believe there is a new Miracles Anthology CD that concentrates on their 70s stuff (without Smokey).I'll have to check it out.

***"The One You Love" by Luscious Dame (1984)---I bet the fellas remember this sexy lady...lol...she released a debut album called 'More Than You Can Handle' and the title track became a minor hit.But the second single "The One You Love" was even more impressive,and there was a great video.Don't know whatever happened to her.

DavidEye said:

man...david...out of the box with some underappreciated
jams! i knew you'd come through for me,man! You da man!

its funny you bring up "don't cha just love it."
earlier tonight my sister comes up to me asking if i had
the miracles other "billy griffin lead hit "love machine".
and i gave her the album it was on.

billy g was a nice replacement for smokey wasn't he?

i think "don't cha just love it was the superior record!

dynamic superiors were a good group. did you ever check out
their lead singer? he was a trip. (smile)

now "high inergy?" i remember these sistahs!

Finess said:

yep. my bad. dennis c & wah wah watson came in bit later in
the progressive soul records norman whitfield specialized
in. I was watching the 'STANDING IN THE SHADOWS" dvd AND
saw dennis coffey talking about his role of a motown classic. dennis was BAD,man!

The Miracles "Love Machine: The 70s Collection" CD due August 26.Here is the full tracklist...


"Love Machine" (Parts 1 and 2)
"Do It Baby"
"I Love You Scretly" with alternate spoken intro
"Up Again"
"Nowhere To Go"
"I Didn't Realize The Show Was Over"
"Don't Cha Love It"
"You Are Love"
"Give Me Just Another Day"
"Gonna Tell The World (Wedding Song)"
"Ain't Nobody Straight In L.A."
"Can I Pretend"
"Spy For Brotherhood"
"Night Life"
"The Power Of Music"--promo radio edit
"Don't Let It End (Til You Let It Begin)"
"What Is A Heart Good For"
"You Need A Miracle"


Although most of those song titles are unfamiliar to me,I can't wait to get this CD tomorrow.

favorite Motown songs,damn how can i pick a handfull u know?

its a shame-the spinners

smiling faces sometimes -Undisputed truth

Get ready ( long version) -Rare earth

Girl why you wanna make me blue -Temptations ( shit every album by the temps) that covers that

stone love - supremes

2-4-6-8 Jackson 5

my whole world ended the moment you left -David Ruffin

the young folks- Jackson 5

Cleo's back Jr.walker

what does it take jr.walker

shotgun/Roadrunner Jr.walker

the list is endless..

everything from Motown and its subs Tamla/Gordy/Soul/V.I.P/

Motown lost its groove during the big Universal hostile takeover from PGD. Polygram kept Motown's groove the way it was supposed to be, Universal's plan was all about the money and not about the music, sadly

There is a new magazine devoted strictly to classic Motown...


http://www.chatbusters.com/index.htm


I just subscribed to it!

Hard, hard question, Charles. I gotta get back to you later, but for now, my favorite Motown songs are:

Tears Of A Clown-Smokey & Co.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough-The Supremes
You're All I Need To Get By -Marvin and Tammy

My favorite Motown album
Rick James: Street Songs-on the strength of Ghetto Life alone.

Finess said:

dag finess. what a sharp list of motown cuts. i gotta follow
you? (smile)

here's my answers to my own thread questions:

favorite motown cover versions: (this may change later)
1.prince:just my imagination...even without the bridge prince's various takes on this tempts classic are superb.
my fave is the 1987 morning club paris one.

2.meshell ndegeocello:cloud nine & you've really got a hold
on me (from the standing the shadows dvd movie)
meshell turns the vocal all da way around and does it so cool U wanna slap the girl 5! She know she's da shit!)

3.5 stairsteps:ooh baby baby

4.beatles: you've really got a hold on me (nice job by john lennon...he didn't try to do smokey's high tenor...he did it his way...pretty soulful vocal...british blue eyed soul)

5.joan osbourne: what becomes of a broken hearted

6.chaka kahn:what's goin' on (chaka doin' her thang real soulful...from the Standing in the shadows movie"
(she also does "aint no mountain high enough " with MONTELL
jordan,too.


7. bootsy collins:do you love me
8.gerald levert: shotgun (eddie levert's boy got DOWN hard
for this. yeah BUDDY!!!)
(these are the ones that come to mind...there's others i'm sure)

my favorite motown songs: brenda holloway:when i'm gone
4 tops:ask the lonely still waters run deep bernadette
jackson 5:love you save & i'll be there spinners:its a shame (yeah finess...a great song,indeed!) jamie:eddie holland mary wells:the one who really loves you & what two can easily do

rick james:you and i & superfreak (punk funk!)

commodores:easy...funny feelings smokey & miracles:i need a
change...way over there...fork in the road...save me...you must be love...if your mother only knew...mama done told me...going to a go-go

temptations: i'm losing you...just my imagination...i could
never love another one...everybody needs love (yeah eddie !)
bobby taylor and the vancouvers:malinda & does your mama know about me originals:baby i'm for real
marvelettes:playboy,someday someway...beechwood 4579...

and songs i like singing (with people)

my girl,since i've lost my baby,baby i'm for real,i'll try something new...paradise (early eddie kendricks cut...)
i want you back (jermaine's part)
she's good (jermaine was my boy...mj was too high,man!

youngca
"my baby must be a magician cuz he sure got the magic touch"
words of wisdom from wanda rogers young -marvelettes 66