FORGOTTEN MUSIC #67: MOTOWN, THE CLASSIC YEARS [2-CD Set]

motown-the-classic-years
I bought this 2-CD set at a Library Sale for a dollar. Great music! Whoever assembled this collection of 40 Motown hits cleverly included both the Gladys Knight & The Pips and the Marvin Gaye versions of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” I give the edge to Marvin Gaye, but I love both versions. “Do You Love Me” by The Contours is another one of my favorites that I didn’t have on any of my other Motown anthologies. Are any of your Motown favorites on these CD? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
DISC ONE:
1 Money (That’s What I Want) (Single Version / Mono) by Barrett Strong 2:36
2 Shop Around (Single Version / Mono) by The Miracles 2:48  
3 Please Mr. Postman (Single Version) by The Marvelettes 2:28  
4 Do You Love Me by The Contours 2:52  
5 You Beat Me To The Punch (Single Version / Mono) by Mary Wells 2:43  
6 Fingertips, Part 2 (Live At The Regal Theater/1963/ Single Version) by Stevie Wonder 3:10
7 (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave (Single Version) by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 2:43  
8 My Guy (Single Version) by Mary Wells 2:51  
9 Where Did Our Love Go (Stereo Version) by The Supremes 2:29  
10 Dancing In The Street by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 2:37  
11 How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (Single Version (Mono)) by Marvin Gaye 2:58  
12 My Girl (Single Version) by The Temptations 2:55  
13 Shotgun by Jr. Walker And The All Stars 3:04  
14 Stop! In The Name Of Love by The Supremes 2:53  
15 I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) by The Four Tops 2:43  
16 The Tracks Of My Tears (Single Version / Mono) by Smokey Robinson 2:55  
17 Uptight (Everything’s Alright) by Stevie Wonder 2:52  
18 Going To A Go-Go (Album Version / Stereo) by Smokey Robinson 2:45
19 Ain’t Too Proud To Beg by The Temptations 2:31  
20 What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted by Jimmy Ruffin 2:59
DISC TWO: 
1 You Can’t Hurry Love by The Supremes 2:45  
2 Reach Out, I’ll Be There by The Four Tops 3:00  
3 Jimmy Mack by Martha & The Vandellas 2:52
4 Your Precious Love (Stereo Version) by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 3:02  
5 I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Single Version) by Gladys Knight & The Pips 2:45  
6 I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye 3:14  
7 My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) by David Ruffin 3:28  
8 I Can’t Get Next To You (Single Version / Mono) by The Temptations 2:51  
9 I Want You Back by Jackson 5 2:59  
10 Someday We’ll Be Together by Diana Ross & The Supremes 3:32  
11 Up The Ladder To The Roof (Single Version) by The Supremes 3:11  
12 Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today) (Single Version / Mono) by The Temptations 4:04  
13 Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) by Stevie Wonder 2:38
14 It’s A Shame by Spinners 3:07  
15 War (Single Version) by Edwin Starr 3:19
16 The Tears Of A Clown (Album Version / Mono) by Smokey Robinson 3:00
17 What’s Going On (Single Version / Stereo) by Marvin Gaye 3:51  
18 Smiling Faces Sometimes (Album Version) by The Undisputed Truth 3:16  
19 Papa Was A Rolling Stone (Single Version) by The Temptations 6:58  
20 Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) by Gladys Knight & The Pips 4:20

26 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN MUSIC #67: MOTOWN, THE CLASSIC YEARS [2-CD Set]

  1. Wolf Böhrendt

    When I was a student (1962 – 1969, yes I was lazy …) these songs were often played, though I didn’t have the money to buy the records.

    But I had a tape recorder and AFN would broadcast them all the time so I could record them …

    I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye was of course my favourite, followed by (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave – and on special occasions it was Papa Was A Rolling Stone.

    Though of course my top favourites were Bob Dylan, Donovan and leonard Cohen – but for many of my guests their songs were “too complicated”.

    Motown sound on the other hand was always welcome …

    I still remember that at the end of my studies I managed and organised concerts at the university – we invited a group consisting of German and American musicians calling themselves “Soull Caravan” …

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Wolf, I grew up listening to Motown songs on my transistor radio (remember them?). This 2-CD set has been played on my Nissan Rogue CD player a dozen times since I bought it.

      Reply
  2. Deb

    What a great compilation! I have a 4-CD set of Motown hits called (unsurprisingly) “Hitsville, U.S.A.” My fave of the ones listed here is Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”. One of my favorite Motown collections is Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “Ooo Baby Baby: The Antholgy”, featuring over 50 songs from the Miracles’ Motown years, including several unreleased stereo mixes. My two favorite songs on that CD (possibly my two favorite Motown songs ever) are “More Love” and the rather obscure “If You Can Want”.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Deb, I love Smokey Robinson and the Miracles! I have a couple of their “Greatest Hits” CDs and a later solo Smokey Robinson “Greatest Hits” disc. Smokey occasionally shows up at one of our local casinos for a concert (sans the Miracles).

      Reply
    1. george Post author

      Bill, that’s exactly what I thought! At so many thrift stores and Library Sales I see evidence that people are “dumping” their CD collections. More good music for me!

      Reply
    1. george Post author

      Prashant, I’m a big fan of The Carpenters, too. “Please Mr. Postman” is a classic! Most of these songs can be heard through YouTube.

      Reply
  3. maggie mason

    great collection. too many favorites to pick just one. There were a couple I don’t recognize, by name at least. I mostly prefer fast songs, but love Smokey Robinson’s slow songs. I envy you being able to see him at the Casino

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Maggie, many of the groups and solo artists I grew up with end up on the casino circuit. John Mellencamp is coming to one of the Canadian casinos next month.

      Reply
  4. Jeff Meyerson

    Excellent collection. I have the 4-CD set with all of these and a lot more as it goes from 1959 (Money) to 1971. I notice Jackie’s favorite (What Becomes of the Broken Hearted) is there.
    Fun fact: both My Guy and My Girl were (co-)written by the great Smokey Robinson, as were the other Mary Wells songs and many by The Temptations and The Marvelettes.

    A lot of my favorites are there:
    My Girl and The Tracks of My Tears
    Heat Wave
    I Can’t Help Myself and Reach Out I’ll Be There
    You Can’t Hurry Love (though many other Supremes songs aren’t on this)

    Reply
  5. Jeff Meyerson

    The collection Deb mentioned is the one I have.

    In 2004 we went to the AARP Convention (!) in Las Vegas, mainly to see (and meet) Dave Barry, who did a hilarious hour. We also got tickets for a great concert: The Smothers Brothers, followed by Smokey Robinson. Since a lot of the Q-Tips left (presumably, it was their bedtime) at intermission, we were able to move way up front for Smokey, who was great (other than the awful Jheri-curl hairdo).

    Reply
  6. R. Robinson

    That collection is packed with good songs. I have the same one Deb and Jeff have, and It’s packed with good songs too. Gotta love Motown. I had the 45s of most of the ones on this set, George.

    Reply
  7. Jeff Meyerson

    I put on our collection. Almost every song is memorable, even the ones I never heard 50 years ago.

    “Fingertips (pt.2)” – “C’mon, let’s hear it for him. Little Stevie Wonder! Take a bow, Stevie.”

    Reply
      1. Deb

        The aforementioned John Mellencamp said that “Stevie, what key? What key?” moment is one of the purest moments in R ‘n’ B history.

  8. Cap'n Bob

    There are a lot of great songs but I have a special fondness for Heat Wave! I can play the rhythm and it has nice chords!

    The Beatles also did Please, Mr. Postman!

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Bob, the local radio stations used to play “Heat Wave” when the temperature would hit 90 degrees. Now, not so much. “Mr. Postman” was covered dozens of times by various groups.

      Reply

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