Taking a music blogging break for the summer but I won’t be MIA! I’ll be popping in and out randomly as the mood strikes and also checking out your posts as usual.
I’m changing things up here on Mondays at The Trunk, focusing on a new topic which I’m very excited about …. something near and dear to me from my hometown of New York City!
Join me here in September with my all new theme! I’m looking forward to welcoming you back!
Another popular Motown sound from the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland is Marvin Gaye’s “You’re A Wonderful One”, recorded and released in 1964 on the Tamla label.
In the song, the narrator praises his “wonderful one” for loving him and for “always (being) around”. Gaye is helped along on this song by The Supremes on background. The great group of session musicians known as The Funk Brothers provided the backing on this number; they incorporated elements of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis” into the intro of this song. “Wonderful One” charted at #15 on the pop charts and #3 on the R&B singles chart.
From February 1964, this is Marvin Gaye with “You’re A Wonderful One”.
And this is what was on the B side – “When I’m Alone I Cry” (a very different sound for Marvin Gaye).
When you listen to the many great tunes of The Temptations, I’m sure the one thing you don’t know or even imagine as possible is that their first seven singles were commercial failures. In contrast their hit soul/R&B single “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, released in 1964 from their album Meet The Temptations, was a huge success. It peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went to #1 on the Cash Box R&B chart. “The Way You Do The Things You Do” was written by Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers of The Miracles; now that you know that I think you’ll hear that familiar Miracles’ influence.
Otis Williams of The Temptations recalled in 2009: “The first time we heard the song, we loved it. The melody swung, and the lyrics had lots of charm.It was typical Smokey talkin’ about how to get a girl and he made it all work. It got a good response whenever we did it live, so our hopes were up. We knew from past experience that even the best tracks don’t always click.”
I guess after seven flops, Otis knew what he was talking about.
From 1964 here are The Temptations with their first hit, “The Way You Do The Things You Do”.
And this is what was on the B side – “Just Let Me Know” written by Berry Gordy, Jr.
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.
As with many American R&B songs of the 1960s, “Do You Love Me” was recorded by several British Invasion groups. A 1963 version by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. It also became a hit for the Dave Clark Five, reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. “Do You Love Me” appeared twice on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching #3 in 1962 and #11 in 1988.
This song is not just a big hit; it’s an enduring classic that’s still going strong!
From 1962, here are The Contours asking an age-old question: “Do You Love Me?”
And this is what was on the B Side – “Move, Mr. Man”
Thanks for joining me today for Monday Motown Magic.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
“Heat Wave” was written by the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland and was first made popular by the group “Martha and the Vandellas”. Released as a single on the Motown subsidiary Gordy label, this song garnered a Grammy Award nomination, the first Motown group to ever do so.
Founded in 1957 by friends Annette Beard, Rosaline Ashford and Gloria Williams, the group eventually included Martha Reeves who moved up in ranks as lead vocalist after Williams’ departure in ’61. During their nine-year run from 1963-1972, “Martha and the Vandellas” charted over 26 hits recorded in the styles of doo-wop, R&B, pop, blues, rock and roll and soul. In 1995 the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“Heat Wave” was one of the first songs to exemplify the style of music later termed as the “Motown Sound”.
Here are Martha and the Vandellas performing their 1963 hit, “Heat Wave”.
And this is what was on the B Side: A Love Like Yours (Don’t Come Knocking Everyday)
Thanks for joining me today for a dose of Monday Motown Magic.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Motown’s first great girl group, TheMarvelettes, consisted of four school friends who were only 14 and 15 years old; some of their early hits were written by the girls themselves. When I was 14, I was busy practicing writing my signature as Mrs. George Harrison! What were you doing at 14?
“Please Mr. Postman”, recorded in 1961, was one of the first #1 singles by an all-female vocal group and is easily Motown’s best single to date – a song with a killer tune and a lyrical hook which listeners around the world instantly latched on to.
Despite their successful start, the group was eclipsed in popularity by the Supremes, with whom they shared an intense rivalry. The Marvelettes made a comeback in 1966 with several hits but struggled and stopped performing together in 1969. The group disbanded for good in 1970.
Kudos to TheMarvelettes for paving the way for future girl groups!
Here now is the fantastic sound of “Please Mr. Postman” by TheMarvelettes” with a young Marvin Gaye playing the drums.
And this is what was on the B Side: “So Long Baby”
Thanks for joining me today for a dose of Monday Motown Magic.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Smokey Robinson was the lead singer of a band called The Miracles …. five teenaged friends from Detroit, Michigan. He produced, wrote and sang several of Motown’s most memorable hits including the label’s first smash song, “Shop Around” in 1960. A year later, “Please Mr. Postman”, by The Marvelettes, was the label’s first No. 1 song. It would not be the last.
Let’s begin today’s musical journey with The Miracles’ first smash hit – a song about a mother giving advice to her grown son on how to find a woman worthy of being a girlfriend or wife.
From 1960, written by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy, here’s “Shop Around” by The Miracles.
And this is what was on the B side – “Who’s Lovin’ You”. That’s right …. this was not originally done by the Jackson 5!
Thanks for joining me today for Monday Motown Magic.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Not every story is a success. The early history of Motown Records is filled with promising newcomers who didn’t find immortality along the lines of the Supremes or the Temptations. A guy with the unlikely name of Henry Lumpkin is one example, a young singer and composer who bore more than a passing resemblance to Chubby Checker physically and Ben E. King vocally. Henry had one good song under his belt …. “What Is A Man (Without A Woman)”, cowritten by himself and Carolyn Strong, produced by Brian Holland and Robert Bateman. Poor Henry never charted and by the end of 1962 he was off the Motown roster. Mostly forgotten by all but the most hardcore soul enthusiasts, Henry Lumpkin was one of many early Motown discoveries who deserved better than he got, or at least better luck than he found, with his records.
From January 1962, here’s a funky, gritty dance number by Henry Lumpkin. This is “What Is A Man (Without A Woman)” …. an excellent question!
And this is what was on the B side – “Don’t Leave Me” (cowritten by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy)
Thanks for joining me today for a little Monday Motown Magic.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
I’d like to wrap-up this feature of Tamla songs by showcasing the artist who recorded the label’s third single – Barrett Strong, with the little-distributed and (now) highly collectable “Let’s Rock.” This song may be new to many of you but if you check out tomorrow’s Twofer Tuesday, you’ll get to hear another of his songs, one you’re sure to recognize. Just like other recording artists, Barrett Strong …. together with Norman Whitfield …. went on to co-write many of the most indelible songs in Motown history. Barrett Strong passed away just two months ago at the age of 81.
If you’d like to hear more of these early Tamla recordings, leave me a comment; perhaps we’ll revisit them at a later date.
From 1959, this is “Let’s Rock” by Barrett Strong.
And this is what was on the B side …. “Do The Very Best You Can”
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Before Motown, there was Tamla. Berry Gordy realized that the way to make money was to produce his own records for his own label. In 1959 he founded Tamla Records with an $800 loan from his family; he added the Motown label later that year. The Tamla label remained in operation until being merged with Motown’s main line at the end of 1986. Tamla’s second release was “Merry-Go-Round” by Eddie Holland in 1959.
Charismatic and handsome with a good voice, Eddie Holland had a promising career as a singer except one big problem kept him behind the scenes …. stage fright. His time as a singer may have been short-lived but, as part of the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, Eddie realized a long and successful career in songwriting and production.
Let’s have a listen now to Tamla Label’s Eddie Holland with “Merry-Go-Round”.
And this is what was on the B side …. “It Moves Me”
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Before Motown, there was Tamla. Berry Gordy realized that the way to make money was to produce his own records for his own label. In 1959 he founded Tamla Records with an $800 loan from his family; he added the Motown label later that year. The Tamla label remained in operation until being merged with Motown’s main line at the end of 1986. Tamla’s first release was Marv Johnson’s “Come To Me” in January 1959.
An R&B singer, songwriter and pianist, Marv Johnson achieved early success in the US but ultimately became more popular overseas, especially in the UK and Australia. Let’s listen to a couple of his tunes; from 1959, this is “Come To Me”, Tamla Label’s first release.
The Motown Sound has something extra-special about it. Berry Gordy, Jr. knew people would be listening on their car stereos and transistor radios and he was going to do what it took to make songs sound good and memorable. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, when a Motown song came on, baby, you knew it. Still do.
Summer 1960. The start of the Motown labels empire. Still a teenager, Mary Wells pitched a song to Berry Gordy Jr. which was written for Jackie Wilson. That took a lot of guts! This was the start; Mary Wells would soon earn the title “Queen of Motown”.
Turn up the volume; it’s time to get your groove on.
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