Posted on 02/07/2020 12:52:32 PM PST by rktman
It is difficult to think of a more impossible task than attempting to rate the 60 all-time greatest Motown songs. Founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy, not only has the label — originally a small independent out of Detroit — spawned more classics in the 60 years since its launch than many corporate-giant-owned major record companies, who’s to say whether the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” is “better” than such drastically different songs as Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me,” Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke,” the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination,” the Commodores’ “Brick House” or Motown-affiliated Migos’ “Bad and Boujee”?
Despite it all, in honor of the label’s 60th anniversary in 2019, Variety‘s music staff dug deep into its collective hearts and minds — because like much of America, all of us grew up on Motown songs — and after some good-natured arguing, assembled a list that includes most of the label’s classic artists and many of its distributed or subsidiary labels (a category that ranges from early imprints including Tamla, Anna and Gordy to the present-day, with Atlanta-based Quality Control). While this list may not be definitive — what could be? — we’re confident that it hits the mark more often than not. There’s a certain Motown magic that all of these songs have: Like Stevie sings in “Sir Duke,” “Just because a record has a groove/ Don’t make it in the groove… ”
(Excerpt) Read more at getpocket.com ...
I loved ALL of Motown......................
I’m going to pass on a mental breakdown trying to pick one.
Ever see the documentary about the Funk Brothers who did most of the back up musician stuff? Excellent.
Oh yes! And I met some of the Funk Brothers at a Herman Cain Rally in Florida (long before we had our Dear President Trump)
Wings Plus...Coral Springs...AWESOME Place! :-)
I heard it through the Grapevine..........
Nice.
I saw a Berry Gordy Documentary a couple months back..................
We hung out during the break and talked about “Back In The Day”.
When Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell sang it was over.
Motown...so many classics. But it’s not enough to look only at Motown...you have to look at Atlantic Records as well. Aretha,and so may other greats,were with Atlantic Records.
Used to live in Margate.
There was a restaurant in that vicinity in the late 70’s called ‘Wings and Things’ that specialized in wings (before the Buffalo Wings craze), gizzards and livers (the ‘things’)................
There is great stuff on Youtube...got rid of cable ..and the musice is great...
Ray Charles..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv5n_eCGkvM
I wasn’t really a fan of Motown until I lived there.
All I can say is the music really fits the environment.
When I listen now I can break it down into 3 basic sounds:
- Wheels turning (I’ll Be Doggone)
- Snow falling (Love Child, there’s a blizzard occurring on that record)
- Assembly line noise (Nowhere to Run moves along in line rhythm)
That’s the sound of Detroit. Wheels turning, snow falling. Snow falling, wheels turning. Kachunk, bolt on wheel. Kachunk, bolt on dash. etc.
I did see that Funk Brothers documentary — maybe on Reelz. An amazing group. And I absolutely love Motown!
To me, the ‘Sound of Motown’ is the music coming out of a tinny sounding six transistor radio on a hot Mississippi summer’s day from WHBQ radio in Memphis Tennessee...............
Smokey Robinson’s Cruisin’!!!
Motown vs Hip Hop . . . not hard to choose there
If you get near downtown Boca, check out Just Baked Boca, which shares space with Sanborn Cafe!
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