When Fuqua sold Anna Records to Berry Gordy, he became a songwriter and producer at Motown. A short-lived ensemble, The Corporation disbanded in 1972, when Hal Davis took over producing duties for Jackson 5. Your Precious Love - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 77. Where indicated, label scan images appear by kind permission of Lars "LG" Nilsson (as originally prepared for the Complete Motown Singles series). Lamont Dozier. As The Supremes’ music began to reflect changes in society, Wilson penned ‘Love Child’, which soared to No.1 on the Billboard 100. How about adding Laverne Ware (Gloria Jones)? The upbeat, classic Motown hit shot straight to #1 on the R&B and Pop charts in 1970 soon as it debuted. An outstanding songwriter in her own right, Gwen Gordy was the older sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy and perhaps the most talented of Berry’s many siblings to be drawn into the Motown empire. Gordy, along with Alphonso Mizell, Freddie Perren and Deke Richards, became known as The Corporation, and their first project was to create material for Motown’s newest signees, Jackson 5. If you're looking for something a bit more specific, you can click an artist's name in the "Artist" menu at the top of the screen to see a little biography and all the reviews we've done for them so far. Lamont Dozier / Brian Holland / Eddie Holland. Also, including Syreeta Wright as a major songwriter is misplaced; she was married to Stevie WOnder was going to replace Jean Terrell until Mary Wilson said, “No.”, Your email address will not be published. Alongside frequent collaborator Barrett Strong, Whitfield had an unprecedented run producing some of The Temptations’ greatest songs, including ‘(I Know) I’m Losing You’, ‘Cloud Nine’, ‘I Can’t Get Next to You’, ‘Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)’, ‘Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)’ and ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’. Hailing from New York City, Norman Whitfield was an enigmatic character: a hard-driving taskmaster and studio perfectionist, but also given over to long periods of intense silence and contemplation, with a boastful attitude thrown into the mix. Through grit and determination, the incomparable Norman Whitfield ascended through Motown’s ranks and led the label into the 70s with his interpretation of psychedelic soul. (3) The OTHER members of THE MIRACLES frequently co-wrote hit songs with SMOKEY…an accomplishment for which they RARELY get due credit for today. (2) FRANK WILSON did NOT compose “ALL I NEED” for The FOUR TOPS. The older of the Holland brothers began as a vocalist, singing demo tracks for the songs Berry Gordy wrote for Jackie Wilson. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. A true original, Andre Williams had enjoyed a massive national hit with “Bacon Fat” in the late 1950s, but his signing to Motown in the early Sixties as a performer was a damp squib, the company having no idea what to do with such a mercurial figure. Songs On This Station Starting in the quality-control department, he went on to co-write Marvin Gaye’s hit ‘Pride And Joy’, The Marvelettes’ ‘Too Many Fish In The Sea’ and The Velvelettes’ ‘Needle In A Haystack’. ( Log Out /  73. Making a list of the best Motown songs is no easy task because essentially, they're all amazing but somebody's got to do it. Motown began as a Detroit label with a roster of artists that gave a pop sensibility to soul music. Fans and the public instantly fell in love with it. The perfect Motown song to create a fun vibe for your cocktail hour at your wedding. He set the standard by which all other Motown writers would be judged. Better known as a member of the Miracles, Moore also picked up several writing credits alongside Smokey Robinson, as a much-valued lieutenant and palette-mixer as well as a source of inspiration. After a successful recording career, Freddie passed away in 2006. Perhaps, Wonder changed some of the orchestration, arrangement or production but, WOnder did not write “The Tears Of A Clown” when EMI wanted a Mircles’ song released in England. Along with his wife Kim Weston, he left Motown in the mid-Sixties to take up a similar role at MGM (and later recorded an album as an artist), but never enjoyed the same success he had had while at Motown. Smokey Robinson was Motown’s greatest all-rounder, a Renaissance man who ranks among the finest writers, producers, singers and talent scouts in American music history. Peter Frampton took … Check out: ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’, Bob Dylan called him “America’s greatest poet”, and William “Smokey” Robinson has been the poet laureate of Motown since the beginning. Needle In a Haystack - Velvelettes The concept is pretty subjective, I know – who am I to say who’s a great songwriter and who isn’t? Frizzy-haired baby-faced genius Lamont Dozier arrived at Hitsville as a performer in 1962, but quickly struck up a partnership with Brian Holland and learned the ropes producing and writing minor hits for several lesser-known Motown acts. WITHOUT Smokey, Miracle PETE MOORE, along with Smokey’s replacement in The MIRACLES, BILLY GRIFFIN , wrote THE MIRACLES’ All-Time BIGGEST HIT: the 4.5 MILLION-SELLING #1 hit, “LOVE MACHINE” . Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Motown gave the world many of the best and most notable acts in American R&B and soul music. Unlike his older brother Eddie, after 1962 he rarely wrote or produced outside the confines of the HDH team. The pop-soul crossover formula created by the record label in the 1960s spawned a long list of hits that have become pop music standards. Jamie - Eddie Holland 76. Lionel Richie came to Motown as a member and primary writer/producer of the funk band Commodores, and was as comfortable writing ballads (‘Just To Be Close’, ‘Easy’, ‘Three Times A Lady’) as he was funk hits (‘Brick House’, ‘Lady (You Bring Me Up)’, ‘Too Hot Ta Trot’). Check out: ‘Baby Love’. His duet with fellow Motown superstar Diana Ross, ‘Endless Love’, is one the most beloved ever written, and sparked Richie’s solo career. Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), 693. Clarence was best known for his long association with (Little) Stevie Wonder, writing and producing many of Stevie’s early hits and becoming an all-round minder and surrogate father figure for the young artist. Fuqua brought Tammi Terrell to the label and began to produce her classic duets with Marvin Gaye, including ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, ‘Your Precious Love’, ‘If This World Were Mine’ and ‘If I Could Build My Whole World Around You’. Only people whose records I've already discussed appear there at the moment - more names will be added to the lists all the time as I work my way through Motown's history, so do keep checking back! (Oh, and if you arrived here looking for the Motown Junkies music group, they're nothing to do with me, I'm afraid - but they are very nice people, and they can be found at www.motownjunkies.com instead.). Buy it here. The History of Motown and Its Distinctive "Sound" Check out: ‘Too Hot Ta Trot’, After Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown, label founder Berry Gordy assembled a team of writers and producers, because he did not want any more “backroom superstars”. The famous “Singing Postman”, blessed with a fine voice as well as being one of the great writers of the earliest days of Motown, Freddie Gorman was originally the lyricist for Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, before being squeezed out by the arrival of Eddie Holland in 1963; he later left Motown before resuming his performing career with the group the Originals, who ironically then returned to Motown at the end of the 1960s with Gorman centre stage. You've Made Me So Very Happy - Brenda Holloway 75. He co-wrote ‘Tears Of A Clown’ in 1970, helping to give Smokey Robinson And The Miracles their only chart-topping single. Change ), Best Music & Entertainment Blog “ABC” is actually considered to be The Jackson Five most signature song. The group eventually balked at being sidelined on their own records by Whitfield’s predilection for nine-minute instrumental epics, and Whitfield left Motown to set up his own label, but his legacy was secure. Their winning streak continued through the 70s, when Ashford and Simpson wrote and produced almost all the songs on Diana Ross’ self-titled debut album, among them the gospel-inspired ‘Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand)’ and Ross’ grandiose revision of ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’. Wylie departed under a cloud before Motown hit the big time, writing and producing many of the Golden World label’s biggest mid-Sixties hits before returning in the 1970s for an unexpected encore. Hailing from New York City, Ashford and Simpson brought an East Coast sensibility to Motown. His next album, Can’t Slow Down, was even bigger, producing two No.1 hits, ‘All Night Long’ and ‘Hello’, and earning him a Grammy for Album of The Year. Brian Holland. In The Name Of Love’ and ‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’. 02:51. Over the course of five years, from 1962 to 1967, the trio wrote, arranged and produced many of the compositions that helped to establish the Motown sound. Here are the best 50 Motown songs. In 1982, the first single from his eponymous debut album, ‘Truly’, topped the Billboard Hot 100, while ‘You Are’ and ‘My Love’ both reached the Top 5. Stevie Wonder. At Motown, Mickey Stevenson was the man for the job. Eddie cut one of the very first Motown singles in 1959, It Moves Me, before his contract was bought out by United Artists; his stint at UA was not a success and he returned to Motown as an artist a year later. For The Originals, who sang background on some of Motown’s biggest releases, Marvin wrote and produced the doo-wop-influenced singles ‘Baby I’m For Real’ (1969) and ‘The Bells’ (1970), both of which reached the Top 15 on the Billboard Pop charts. … Got To Give It Up: 15 Songwriters And Producers That Shaped The Motown Sound 1: Holland-Dozier-Holland. Great Motown songs have become timeless classics that span music genres. New reviews appear every couple of days. Together they wrote ‘It’s A Shame’ (recorded by The Spinners), ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’ and Wonder’s 1971 album, Where I’m Coming From – the first project on which Wonder had full creative control, and also composed the sophisticated ‘If You Really Love Me’, which entered the Top 10 on the Billboard Pop Charts. If you want to leave a comment on any review, please feel free to do so - all feedback, corrections, disagreements and encouragements gratefully received. ( Log Out /  The writing team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland Jr. – the latter two having both previously been Motown recording artists – were responsible for some of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed hits of Motown’s mid-Sixties Golden Age, writing all of the big hit singles for the Supremes and Four Tops as well as for numerous other Motown acts. He arrived at Hitsville as a performer, but almost none of his many recordings ever saw the light of day; he was quickly absorbed into the writing staff, where he picked up credits on several significant hits for Motown, often in collaboration with Mickey Stevenson (most notably co-writing Martha & the Vandellas’ Dancing In The Street), but the promise of his own album never materialised, the completed LP (“Ivy Jo Is In This Bag”) remaining unreleased. All of Motown’s chart-topping hits feature on the newly-expanded 11CD edition of the Motown: The Complete No. Check out: ‘Keep On Truckin’’, Every great record label needs an A&R person with an ear for songwriting and producing. When Motown bought out Gwen and Harvey’s mini-empire in 1963, Gwen came into the Motown fold proper, becoming a valued songwriter and heading up the Artist Development department under the guidance of Maxine Powell. This is an unofficial site, and is not affiliated in any way with Universal Motown, Hip-O Select or any of the artists referred to in the blog. As artists began to gain confidence in their own song writing abilities (i.e. The engine that drove the Motown machine was made up of the songwriters and producers who worked behind the scenes to create the Motown sound. SIDEPOCKET SONG LIST 60’s & 70’s Motown and Soul Music Ain’t No Woman Like the One I Got Ain’t Too Proud to Beg At Last Baby I Love You Barefootin’ (Why Do You)Build Me Up, Buttercup Busted Can’t Turn You Loose Chain of Fools Chapel of Love Dancin’ in the Streets Dock of the Bay Don’t Let Go For Once in My Life Get Ready Acts such as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Supremes, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Marvin … Your email address will not be published. Motown founder, president and – especially in the early days – the fledgling company’s hottest... WILLIAM “SMOKEY” ROBINSON (112). Smokey remains an ambassador and undoubtedly one of the key architects of the Motown sound. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. This anthem song was written by William 'Mickey' Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter and Marvin Gaye, and celebrated having a good time in whatever city the listener lived in. Check out: ‘Dancing In The Street’, Clarence Paul is credited with mentoring “Little” Stevie Wonder, but he was also a writer and producer on some legendary Motown songs. More info about the blog (and me) can be found here. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Do You Love Me (The Contours, 1962) Heard it Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye, 1968) I Can’t Help Myself “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch” (The Four Tops, 1965) Last Dance (Donna Summer, 1978) Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye, 1973) As at the time of writing, Andre is still performing. Also, The MIrcles’ song, Tears Of A Clown” was already on The Mircles’ Album in 1967. One of Motown’s best writers and producers in the first half of the 1960s, Mickey Stevenson was also head of A&R during the company’s biggest period of expansion, overseeing the development of a roster of artists which would make Motown the most profitable company in America. Brian Holland, one-third of the Holland-Dozier-Holland trio (see above), had written and produced many singles for Motown as a teenager before the team came together, often in partnership with Robert Bateman (below) as a double-act under the name “Brianbert”. ‘Deceptive Bends’: 10cc’s Gouldman and Stewart Survive A Split, How Carpenters’ Self-Titled Album Defined 70s Pop Music, ‘Higher and Higher’: Jackie Wilson Scales The Charts, ‘Small Faces’: The Album Arrival Of Four Sharp London Boys, Music Of His Mind: Stevie Wonder In 20 Songs, Paul Weller’s New Album, ‘Fat Pop (Volume 1)’ Is Out Now, Steve Miller Band’s Archival Live Album, ‘Breaking Ground’, Is Out Now, Listen To The Struts’ Cover Of Queen’s Classic ‘We Will Rock You’, Watch ‘Somebody To Love’: Episode Nine Of Queen’s ‘The Greatest’ Video Series, Watch Billy Gibbons In High Desert Honky-Tonk For ‘My Lucky Card’ Video. Legends such as Marvin Gaye, Temptations and the Supremes are all represented on our list of the best Motown songs. This list is comprised of songs released on the Tamla, Motown, Gordy, V.I.P. Wonder wrote it with Motown songwriters Lee Garrett and (his future wife) Syreeta Wright, along with his mother Lula Mae Hardaway. For THE FOUR TOPS , Frank and SMOKEY wrote the hit TITLE SONG from the “STILL WATERS” Album. As well as writing dozens of hit singles for other Motown acts, Smokey had a remarkable career as lead singer of his own band, the Miracles. On this masterwork of the same name, Gaye continued to develop his songwriting, composing ‘Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)’ and ‘Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)’. Clarence Paul died in 1995, in Los Angeles, with Stevie Wonder at his bedside. As with many ex-performers turned Motown writers, Clarence harboured faint hopes of reviving a singing career, and the suspicion was widely voiced that he was using Stevie Wonder’s career to relaunch his own (not helped by his habit of appearing as a co-vocalist on a number of Stevie’s songs). Without question, Holland-Dozier-Holland were the engine that drove the Motown machine to success. He passed away in 2008, leaving a legacy of unforgettable music. He penned Motown standards such as Gladys Knight And The Pips’ ‘I Don’t Want To Do Wrong’, Jr Walker And The All-Stars’ ‘What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)’ and David Ruffin’s ‘My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)’. I worked with a gentlemen who said he worked for Motown as a song writer and session guitar player. Originally part of the vocal harmony group the Satintones, the first group ever signed to Motown, Robert Bateman released six singles as a group member before transitioning to writing and producing, initially in partnership with Brian Holland under the name “Brianbert”. and Soul labels that made up Detroit's Motown (or "Hitsville U.S.A.") family of labels during the late 1950s and 1960s. Uptight (Everything's Alright) Henry Cosby / Sylvia Moy / Stevie Wonder. Check out: ‘I Want You Back’. Just like Detroit's automotive assembly line, music executive Berry Gordy approached song production in similar fashion at Motown Records, one of … After working as an apprentice to The Funk Brothers and being mentored by Clarence Paul, Wonder was ready to express his virtuosity as songwriter and producer. Alternatively, the front page displays excerpts from the most recent reviews, and on the right hand side of the screen you'll see a list of the most recent entries and also a sampling of the most popular entries from the last 48 hours, as well as the latest comments left by visitors. An important figure in Motown’s later business success, Gwen passed away in 1999. In the song, the singer is looking forward to a letter from her lover who is at war in a distant land. He continued to write and produce R&B and gospel music until his death, in 2012. No unauthorised republication is permitted. He served as vice-president of the Motown Record Corporation throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. So what distinguishes one behind-the-scenes artisan's craft from another's? After leaving the label in 1976, Wilson became a born-again Christian. Smokey Robinson was Motown’s greatest all-rounder, a Renaissance man who ranks among... WILLIAM “MICKEY” STEVENSON (95). She co-wrote one of Motown’s biggest early hits, Barrett Strong’s Money (That’s What I Want), and remained a valued writer with the company until the early 1980s. Check out: ‘Hitch Hike’, If Harvey Fuqua did nothing but establish the R&B and doo-wop group The Moonglows, with whom Marvin Gaye got his start, that would have been enough. Known as the “Prince Of Motown”, Marvin Pentz Gaye became a superstar solo act, but his work as a key songwriter and producer for Motown should not be overstated. He also co-wrote and produced Syreeta Wright’s first two albums In 1972, Wonder would embark on his “classic period”, during which he released Music Of My Mind, Talking Book (both 1972), Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974) and his magnum opus, Song In The Key Of Life (1976). Perhaps you’re confusing that song with the song simply entitled “LADY” which Richie wrote for The Commodores, who passed on it, and eventually became a huge hit for Kenny Rogers. Hoping Stevie’s mom Lula Hardaway aka Lula Mae will also be profiled here when you get around to the hits she wrote or co-wrote for her talented son (?). Wales Blog Awards 2012, Hand-picked hits, harmonies and hard-hitting soul from the world's greatest record label, specially chosen by Motown historian and writer Steve Devereux. The best Motown songs of all time. Clarence quickly became popular with the musicians, sharing his cigarettes and cash with the players and becoming one of only a handful of “outsiders” invited to the band’s after-hours parties. Many label images were kindly provided by Robb Klein, together with invaluable historical research. Like Eddie Holland, Clarence Paul had a substantial but unsuccessful attempt at a solo singing career before venturing to the other side of the glass, the North Carolina native moving to Detroit and joining Motown’s writing and producing staff in 1962 at the invitation of his friend Mickey Stevenson. He joined the Holland-Dozier-Holland team as primary lyricist in 1963 and went on to sell millions of records as a writer; he also wrote a large number of Motown single sides outside the team, mainly in association with Norman Whitfield. Check out: ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, Syreeta Wright was not only the muse, but the creative partner of Stevie Wonder as the latter was developing into one of the leading masterminds in the music history. The Four Tops: “Just As Long As You Need Me”, 692. Motown’s first signing was Smokey Robinson, who led the Miracles. The most popular soul and R&B songs by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Four Tops, Supremes, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Rick James, Gladys Knight, and more. All rights reserved. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He also crafted ‘War’ for Edwin Star and ‘I Heard Through The Grapevine’, which Gladys Knight And The Pips tackled in 1967 before Marvin Gaye made it a crossover smash the following year. Due to this year being the 50th anniversary of the formation of Motown Records, I felt it would be appropriate and fun to make a list of my 100 favorite songs that came from the Motown record label. Songwriters do either or both, usually for shorter, … But Motown had lots of songs doing that; what lands "I Can't Get Next To You" on this list is how it also stayed atop the soul charts for the whole month of October '69. This is Motown Junkies, an unofficial guide to every Motown single ever released, or planned for release, on every US Motown label (or via Tamla Motown in the UK), featuring reviews of each A-side and B-side in chronological order. In 1963, the team was completed with the arrival of Eddie Holland as lyricist, and the trio went on to become Motown’s biggest hitmakers. Child prodigy “Little” Stevie Wonder would grow into the genius the world knows as, simply, Stevie Wonder. Whether you're new to Motown or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something good here, Check out our radio show:Discovering Motown. Required fields are marked *. Bristol also holds the distinction of being producer and co-writer of the final singles for the Diana Ross-era Supremes and Smokey Robinson-era Miracles. The idea came to Stevenson after watching people on the streets of Detroit cool off in … (Yes, the SAME BARRETT STRONG who sang the hit “MONEY (That’s What I Want)”. If you've something you'd rather not say in public, I can be contacted at fosse8 at gmail dot com. ‘All For You’: The Story Behind Janet Jackson’s Hit, The 50 Best Jazz Saxophonists Of All Time. Jason Weaver (Motown Records) Bruce Willis (Motown Records) He continued to score hits throughout the 80s. A few corrections here:(1) LIONEL RICHIE did NOT compose The Commodores’ smash hit “LADY (YOU BRING ME UP) That song was composed by ANOTHER member of The Commodores,WILLIAM KING, his wife, Shirley, and Harold Hudson . Over the course of her career, Wright would continue to work with Wonder; she also made significant recordings with keyboardist extraordinaire Billy Preston and focused on her own solo work until her death in 2004. H-D-H composed 25 No.1 hit singles, such as Martha And The Vandellas’ ‘Heat Wave’ and Marvin Gaye’s ‘How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)’, and they also turned out classics for Four Tops (‘Baby I Need You Loving’, ‘Reach Out, I’ll Be There’) and The Supremes, penning ten out of the latter group’s 12 No.1 his, including ‘Baby Love’, ‘Stop! The Four Tops: “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over)”. His greater worth to Motown during his short spell with the company was as a writer-producer, where his salacious stage act and loquacious personality belied an intelligent and sensitive nature. As Motown celebrates its 60th anniversary, we reveal the labels biggest songs, including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes and Marvin Gaye. Placed in the right hands, the project's executive producer is Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Smokey Robinson, who takes the lead on two of his songs, "My Girl" and "I'll Be Doggone. Bristol later resumed his own recording career, and continued to write and produce until he passed away in 2004. Even later in his career, with hits like ‘Quiet Storm’ and ‘Crusin’’, his pen was still poetic. Instead, it is more reminiscent of gospel and soul tracks. Motown founder, president and – especially in the early days – the fledgling company’s hottest writer and producer, Mr Gordy was the difference between Motown and any number of would-be competitor black-owned independent labels. Throughout the 70s, Gaye’s songwriting and producing resulted in further landmark works such as ‘I Want You’ , ‘Got To Give It Up’ and countless others. Whitfield was the most prominent producer at Motown until his departure in 1975. Additionally, he’s also responsible for ‘My Guy’, which Mary Wells took to the top of the charts; ‘The Way You Do The Things You Do’, ‘My Girl’, ‘Since I Lost My Baby’ and ‘Get Ready’, all gifted to The Temptations; and ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’, which became Marvin Gaye’s second No.1. , Harvey Fuqua died in 1995, in Los Angeles, with hits ‘! Who shaped the Motown record Corporation throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s be found here R & B soul. So Very Happy - Brenda Holloway 75, ivy Jo was one of the unsung of! 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