In The Groove, Motown Melodies, Sixties

IN THE GROOVE: MOTOWN MELODIES (September 19, 2023)

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶


“Motown was about music for all people – white and black, blue and green, cops and the robbers. I was reluctant to have our music alienate anyone.” – Berry Gordy, Motown Founder

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Welcome back to In The Groove: Motown Melodies!

Let’s continue our musical journey with Motown’s third R&B #1 hit.

In 1960, Berry Gordy signed a talented group of vocalists called The Contours as one of Motown’s first acts. “Do You Love Me?”, recorded in 1962, was The Contours third single, far and away their best-known record. This song blazed its way up the charts and became a smash hit before being goosed all the way up the charts again more than 25 years later thanks to a little movie called “Dirty Dancing”.

This record is not just a big hit; it’s an enduring classic that’s still going strong!

Let’s give a listen to The Contours asking an age-old question: “Do You Love Me?”

https://youtu.be/loHOhxsglKI

For straight up Rock & Roll, it doesn’t get much better than that! I was just a kid when that song came out. My sister was a high school sophomore; she and her friends would jump up and dance every time The Contours came on the radio. They wouldn’t let me join in their teenage fun but that didn’t stop me. I made my own good times … dancing in my bedroom in front of the mirror with the door closed so no one could see me!

Do you remember dancing to that great Motown hit?

Well, sixty years later, under the direction and leadership of the group’s founder, Joe Billingslea, The Contours continue to shake ’em down. During its distinguished career, the group has entertained tens of millions of fans and sold millions of records along the way. The Contours are ranked as one of the top 500 R&B artists of all time according to “Top R&B Singles 1952-1995″ compiled from Billboard Magazine’s charts.

Let’s see what other recordings I can come up with for The Contours.

And now here’s a rare clip; if you haven’t been dancing yet, this is one that’ll get you moving!

I hope you’ve been enjoying these great early Motown tunes; they sure have brought back a lot of memories for me. Your comments are always welcome so let me know what you’re thinking.

Thanks for stopping by today; please join me next Tuesday as we conclude this segment of In The Groove with more great sounds out of the Motor City. 🚗

Keep on movin’ and groovin’, kids.

See you on the flip side.

I’m The Sicilian Storyteller

NAR © 2023

17 thoughts on “IN THE GROOVE: MOTOWN MELODIES (September 19, 2023)”

  3. I’ve never seen these videos, so huge thanks for that. I admit that out of sight is out of mind in my case. I hadn’t thought about these songs or the Contours for ages. Shame on me!

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