After the success of the Supremes and Four Tops I think a lot of other record companies started copying the sound........so it's not always apparent what was actually Motown and what wasn't.
eg.......Rescue Me by Fontella Bass is a perfect 'Motown' sound but it wasn't Motown......
Too many great singles and albums on the Motown (and associated) labels to be mentioned. A lot of people tend to tread it like a musical genre in its own right. Often their 70s and later output is ignored by fans of the mid-60s period but they also signed and released music by great artists such as Rick James, Thelma Houston, Jerry Butler, Tata Vega, Teena Marie, The Undisputed Truth, Willie Hutch, Syreeta Wright and Yvonne Fair.
indeed, i do to a certain extent.
whilst i know it was bigger and lasted longer then the 60's hayday, it was the distinct sound that many of us call 'motown' .
of course the same could be said for the late 80's distroyer of pop... stock aitken and waterman, who copied the motown production style and created (albeit an amalgum) a sound which too was almost a genre in itself.
but I don't think of Al as Motown...........just 'Soul'
well strictly speaking, if it wasnt released on the motown label, it wasnt motown.
I think when I was a teen in the 60s we would have called it Soul Music and Motown was just a part of that
indeed, i dont think 'motown' as such became a term to distinguish a style of music for years after its hayday.
as i recall, and i was only a boy, all black music was 'soul', and there was alot of people who didnt like it.i dont think it was as widely accepted as it is today.
After the success of the Supremes and Four Tops I think a lot of other record companies started copying the sound........so it's not always apparent what was actually Motown and what wasn't.
eg.......Rescue Me by Fontella Bass is a perfect 'Motown' sound but it wasn't Motown......
(I just read the OP and saw that is how this thread began stating that the show was coming up, sorry)
Actually thanks for putting that up as I put down the wrong day
I didn't double check when I was typing and it came up Monday instead of Sunday, then I forgot to edit it:(
And now to make matters worse, I'm going to be somewhere tomorrow night with no TV and a little phone Internet if I'm lucky
I'm recording though
I've got that and a couple of others of theirs, but I prefer this version of that song, by "Ruby and the Romantics" which I have in one of my jukeboxes. It's had quite a few "hits."
I know it isn't MoTown.
Yes, I've got that in one of my jukeboxes, as well as this by "Ruby," with which Eddie Holman had far more success as "Hey There Lonely Girl."
Not really MoTown, but of that era. They are one of my favourite singing groups from that time. Fairly unique in having the same line-up for the decade or so they were recording and performing.
Yes, I've got that in one of my jukeboxes, as well as this by "Ruby," with which Eddie Holman had far more success as "Hey There Lonely Girl."
Not really MoTown, but of that era. They are one of my favourite singing groups from that time. Fairly unique in having the same line-up for the decade or so they were recording and performing.
sorry... i detest that track, imho its the epitome of everything wrong with seventies soul....
gimmie 'i was made to love her' anyday....
Absolutely love that song and it's amazing that Stevie was only about 15/16 when he wrote it. The word genius is bandied about too often these days but, in his case, it really fits
Top 10 bestselling Motown singles of all time and almost none of them from the era I would personally class as the Motown Years
1. I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder (1984) 1,800,000
2. Hello - Lionel Richie (1984) 840,000
3. One Day In Your Life - Michael Jackson (1981) 800,000
4. Three Times A Lady - The Commodores (1978) 750,000? *
5. Being With You - Smokey Robinson (1981) 640,000
6. All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie (1983) 620,000
7. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (1969) 500,000+ *
8. Baby Love - The Supremes (1964) 500,000
9. I Want You Back - The Jackson 5 (1970) 490,000
10. Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder (1981) 485,000
Top 10 bestselling Motown singles of all time and almost none of them from the era I would personally class as the Motown Years
1. I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder (1984) 1,800,000
2. Hello - Lionel Richie (1984) 840,000
3. One Day In Your Life - Michael Jackson (1981) 800,000
4. Three Times A Lady - The Commodores (1978) 750,000? *
5. Being With You - Smokey Robinson (1981) 640,000
6. All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie (1983) 620,000
7. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (1969) 500,000+ *
8. Baby Love - The Supremes (1964) 500,000
9. I Want You Back - The Jackson 5 (1970) 490,000
10. Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder (1981) 485,000
"I'm depressed."
As a collector of Motown and "R&B" I've only got 5,7, & 8, of that lot, I wouldn't give either house or jukebox room to the rest.
Comments
(But my neighbours can if I want them too!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP6DwwEjAU8
I almost forgot what a beautiful voice Al Green had, I just played it on youtube.
http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week28/nation%E2%80%99s-favourite-motown-song#.U7d79PldWSo
(I just read the OP and saw that is how this thread began stating that the show was coming up, sorry)
indeed, i do to a certain extent.
whilst i know it was bigger and lasted longer then the 60's hayday, it was the distinct sound that many of us call 'motown' .
of course the same could be said for the late 80's distroyer of pop... stock aitken and waterman, who copied the motown production style and created (albeit an amalgum) a sound which too was almost a genre in itself.
well strictly speaking, if it wasnt released on the motown label, it wasnt motown.
indeed, i dont think 'motown' as such became a term to distinguish a style of music for years after its hayday.
as i recall, and i was only a boy, all black music was 'soul', and there was alot of people who didnt like it.i dont think it was as widely accepted as it is today.
well our dusty was a huge fan, i think her liking for motown, the motown sound can be heard in here track "little by little"
I didn't double check when I was typing and it came up Monday instead of Sunday, then I forgot to edit it:(
And now to make matters worse, I'm going to be somewhere tomorrow night with no TV and a little phone Internet if I'm lucky
I'm recording though
It's hard to single out just one song as there are so many great ones.
Personal favourites are:
There's A Ghost In My House - R. Dean Taylor
Standing In The Shadows Of Love - Four Tops
Reflections - Diana Ross & The Supremes
Also love I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvyn Gaye although as I've got older I now prefer the more funky Gladys Knight & The Pips version.
How about "The Elgins."
TMG 583- Nov 1986.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbTgd4fQo5c
The "B" side, was "Stay in My Lonely Room" an H-D-H song, which of course Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes recorded too.
Then there's Jimmy Ruffin.
TMG-649
"Forever My Love."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQH_Wj5lj5g
I like R Dean's 'Gotta See Jane'.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsFV7h1458c
For you and your Dad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ygo4FbVluI
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1981379
Hope the link works...
The link works, great oldie.
One of my other faves is...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0HE7TC8y5g&list=PL0AA93DCFC91AA4B7&index=6
Great dresses they have on.
I've got that and a couple of others of theirs, but I prefer this version of that song, by "Ruby and the Romantics" which I have in one of my jukeboxes. It's had quite a few "hits."
I know it isn't MoTown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woDERGrihR8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw9RVjEN9OI
Yes, I've got that in one of my jukeboxes, as well as this by "Ruby," with which Eddie Holman had far more success as "Hey There Lonely Girl."
Not really MoTown, but of that era. They are one of my favourite singing groups from that time. Fairly unique in having the same line-up for the decade or so they were recording and performing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdQ5dNZVRSw
sorry... i detest that track, imho its the epitome of everything wrong with seventies soul....
gimmie 'i was made to love her' anyday....
Absolutely love that song and it's amazing that Stevie was only about 15/16 when he wrote it. The word genius is bandied about too often these days but, in his case, it really fits
They were more "Doo-Wop" than "Soul."
They really didn't fit into any category, that's why as well as many others, I like them.
thats not motown
sorry, i was referring to hey there lonely girl.
1. I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder (1984) 1,800,000
2. Hello - Lionel Richie (1984) 840,000
3. One Day In Your Life - Michael Jackson (1981) 800,000
4. Three Times A Lady - The Commodores (1978) 750,000? *
5. Being With You - Smokey Robinson (1981) 640,000
6. All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie (1983) 620,000
7. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (1969) 500,000+ *
8. Baby Love - The Supremes (1964) 500,000
9. I Want You Back - The Jackson 5 (1970) 490,000
10. Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder (1981) 485,000
"I'm depressed."
As a collector of Motown and "R&B" I've only got 5,7, & 8, of that lot, I wouldn't give either house or jukebox room to the rest.