I hope if Gary Barlow chooses 'Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding'.........someone kindly points out that Otis wasn't technically Motown. Just so it's pointed out that HE can make mistakes too.

Yes, sorry I did edit my post. My bold didn't work.

Think was a classic of it's time. I disagreed that it wasn't. That's all really

Sorry I should learn to read a bit better. We all have opinions and mine was that someone aged 24 is hardly likely to know this track, and my son aged 17 did not, and nor did my 30 year old Daughter.

Anyway back on track I have come up with a few ideas, but they are only thoughts on what I think could be sung, I am sure we will get wheeled out all the ususal ones from the past shows when Motown has figured in the themes.


Janet: Blowing in the Wind (Stevie Wonder version)
Little Mix : Jimmy Mack (Marth and the Vandellas)
Marcus: You are the Sunshine of my life of Hello or 3 times a Lady (wonder/commodores)
Misha: Stop in the Name of Love (Supremes)
Amelia: Aint No Mountain

Marcus should perhaps do Night Shift, There's a Ghost In My House or Gotta See Jane.

And therein lies the problem, all the greatest motown records are the obscure ones, the northern club floor fillers , that the jokers on the panel wont have a clue about. The Supremes post Diana Ross where miles better , but alas it will be a night of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson & Marvin Gaye post 'Whats Goin On' covers & therefore totaly unwatchable.

Marcus - What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
Misha B - Papa Was a Rolling Stone - Temptations
Little Mix - You Keep Me Hanging On - The Supremes
Janet - I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson
Amelia - Superstition - Stevie Wonder

we need a britney night. end ov.

So you think Stevie Wonder was no good then, is that what you are saying sheep dog? sorry I disagree, having seen the man live 4 times over many years he is excellent. I agree that it would be better to choose one of his less famous songs, but then the audience would not know it and that causes all sorts of problems with people not voting, so it has to be popular!

We don't all know the same songs but not to sound pedantic because that is not my intention I assure you.

My daughter who is 30 has known of Think for years and she was shocked that Tulisa hadn't heard of it (I'm not knocking Tulisa. She can't know every song and she's my favourite judge btw and I'm rooting for Little Mix) But we were surprised nonetheless. My 13yr old granddaughter knows the song and so..............there you go LOL!

The I guess your family must listen to out dated music, not that there is anything wrong with that, but you hardly hear Aretha on popular radio stations that under 30 year olds listen to, which is why my son and daughter had not heard of it.

However the both know songs by Sammy Davis Jnr, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, (more out dated music) as they get played by me, Aretha is someone I do not even own anything by, that is not wrong it is about taste in music, therefore my kids had not heard the song before, so I was not shocked that Tulisa did not know it, and oddly I am not sure Amelia's rendition of it had me thinking OH YES I know that one, as I did not, although I can say I know NOW which song it is, so maybe it was her singing rather than the actual song.

Stevie Wonders Superstitions is about the highlight, the best of it is just not in the league of Martha & The Vandellas, early Marvin Gaye / Tammy Tyrell, Supremes with Florence Ballard (something which Kelly Rowland should relate to in that the one with the talent gets sidetracked because the more glamorous one takes all the headlines) . I dount they'll be doing 'Stormy' or having a carck at Frank Wilson's Do I Love & the other thing that makes Motown is not the acts , but the Funk Brothers & the songs, something that X Factor fails to get, find all the singers you like , but if the song writers are not there then forget.

There are some things that are best left alone & Motown is one of them as its impossible to recreate the very essence of it , same with Stax , Muscle Shoals etc

.

We listen to all genre's of music and music from various years. Maybe it's just us

Yes, same here. Which is why, to me, it's not all about whether young people may or may not have heard of a song. They're all different, like older people who may or may not know more recent songs and may or may not appreciate a performance by Florence etc.

Also, you may not have heard of a song and be introduced to it and like it. Most songs on the X-Factor have been successful, so people have liked them through the years. You don't have to have heard a song a million times and it can work against someone, when a song is too familiar.

Also, I don't think of the X-Factor as a young people's show but a family show.

Exactly

There are some obscure Stevie tracks too, same with Marvin. For instance, Misha or Marcus could absoutely storm "I Don't Know Why" or "Looking For Another Pure Love." There's "Come Get to This" or "Trouble Man" from Marvin as well. You really think that "Superstition" is the highlight? Never listened to "Village Ghetto Land" or "Ordinary Pain?" Ordinary Pain pisses all over Superstition.

Really though, I'd love to give Amelia some Teena Marie, but I don't think she could really pull it off.

Hmmm, I'd argue that its important for the majority of the viewing public to know/recognise contestants songs. Perhaps Tulisa was right and 'Think' wasn't as well-know thus causing her to be in bottom 2? I know I enjoy songs a lot more if I know them on these shows and the likes of Glee for example.

I know what you mean but how can you tell? I would have thought 'Think' wasn't obscure and the audience is so wide, how do you know who's heard what? If you go for really, really famous songs, then people can be a bit bored with them, as well. For instance, I don't think I want to hear 'You are the Sunshine of My Life' ever again.

I guess I'm saying it's a fine balance!

Plenty of obscure Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 tracks too. Oh to hear anyone sing 'Music & Me'. It's perfect for Janet - and not that obscure (it featured in Moonwalker and was the album title track).

Gosh, to hear anyone sing 'Ordinary Pain' live on prime time TV though, I think I'd have shivers once the first few bars came in.

The ONLY two on there that could do it justice would be Marcus and Misha, and they'd have to sing it together. That song is so goddamned tight, it's insane.

Janet could do "I wanna be where you are" by the Jackson 5 as well.

Jade, what would you think of Marcus doing "Come Get To This?" That bit at the end-- Marcus could carry it off with aplomb.

Yeah I would have thought 'Think' would have been well-known but it seems anyone who hasn't seen Blues Brothers is unlikely to have known it!

It is a fine balance, you're right. Some songs are way overdone and if they are going to go for the popular songs, at least choose something which hasn't already been sung on X Factor in the last few years.

Could even do the version by Carleen Anderson feat. Paul Weller: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YryuaLcleU4

Marcus could definitely pull off Come Get To This, but we're just dreaming here. You know it'll just be a series of 'I'll Be There', 'Where Did Our Love Do', 'Heard It Through The Grapevine', 'Superstition' and 'Hello' etc.

Yes, indeed. At least 'At Last' isn't on Motown! (Great song but overplayed lately (IMO)).

But, as Jade, has said, it'll be standards. Marcus probably will do Heard It Through the Grapevine.

Marcus should do "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder. Fun song with lots of horns.

why is another thread here saying it is NOT Motown week, sorry to ask but a bit confused now.