The 60 Greatest Motown Songs of All Time

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-60-greatest-motown-songs-of-all-time?utm_source=pocket-newtab ^ | 4/12019 | Staff

[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… ”

[Huskrrrr]

I agree!

[Albion Wilde]

bump

[Red Badger]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heard_It_Through_the_Grapevine

[Fledermaus]

I’ve always seen it attributed to Fogerty.

[Red Badger]

CCR Did a cover version years after the original.......................

[nickcarraway]

Just 60?

[nickcarraway]

+1

[rktman]

🎸🎤🎼📀🎷🎺🎹. The short list. Some of the more recent stuff------meh.

[Fiji Hill]

Was Bobby Bare’s Detroit City considered Motown?

How about this one?

Detroit City #2--Ben Colder (1963)

[Fiji Hill]

Snow falling (Love Child, there’s a blizzard occurring on that record)

There's no blizzard or any reference to snow on Love Child--unless you're referring to another song with that title.