The Motown Playlist

Recently I've been on a bit of a Motown binge (see, for instance, Holland-Dozier-Holland).  I was going to do a post on my Top Ten favorites but after #1 (Reach Out, I'll Be There) and #2 (Marvin Gaye's version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine), I couldn't make any further headway in the ratings because Motown produced so much great music from the early 60s through 1972.  

On a long plane flight a couple of weeks ago I listened to my personal Motown playlist and was reminded once again just how many outstanding songs came out of Detroit and how good the music makes me feel, so I decided to just post my playlist.  I listened through my Bose earbuds, which accentuates the bass, enabling me to further appreciate James Jamerson's playing as part of the Motown studio band.

A couple of omissions regarding Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.  In the early 70s both transformed their music.  In the case of Wonder, it was elevating an already astonishing level of virtuosity into the stratosphere with a creative explosion that lasted the entire decade, so Talking Book and its single, Superstition, and subsequent albums are not included here, nor is Marvin's What's Going On? and its successors.

The Temptations

My Girl (1964)

Get Ready (1966)

(I Know) I'm Losing You

Ain't Too Proud To Beg

All I Need (1967)

I Wish It Would Rain (1968)

Cloud Nine

I Can't Get Next To You (1969) - The best of ensemble singing.  Everyone contributes.

Ball Of Confusion (1970)

Just My Imagination (1971)

Papa Was A Rolling Stone (1972)

 The Four Tops

Baby I Need Your Loving (1964)

I Can't Help Myself (1965)

It's The Same Old Song 

Something About You

Shake Me, Wake Me (1966)

Reach Out (I'll Be There) 

Standing In The Shadows Of Love

Bernadette (1967) - Levi Stubbs takes pleading vocals to another level

Walk Away Renee (1968) - Better than the original

Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got) (1972) 

Stevie Wonder

Fingertips, Part 2 (1963) - 12 year old harmonica playing Stevie in a dynamic live performance

Uptight (1965)

I Was Made To Love Her (1967)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (1970)

Marvin Gaye

How Sweet It Is (1964)

Ain't That Peculiar (1965)

Ain't No Mountain High Enough - with Tami Terrell (1967) 

Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing - with Tami Terrell (1968)

I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Isolated vocal.  Wow.

 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 

You Really Got A Hold On Me (1962)

The Tracks Of My Tears (1965)

I Second That Emotion (1967)

The Tears Of A Clown (1970)

Martha & The Vandellas

Heat Wave (1963)

Dancing In The Streets (1964)

Nowhere To Run (1965)

The Supremes

Where Did Our Love Go (1964)

Stop! In The Name of Love (1965)

You Keep Me Hanging On (1966)

The Marvelettes

Mr Postman (1961)

Don't Mess With Bill (1966)- Underrated

Junior Walker & The All-Stars

Shotgun (1965)

 Edwin Starr

War (1970)