ILM Artist Poll #38 • TAMLA/MOTOWN SINGLES: THE RESULTS

http://i.imgur.com/z61ePQg.jpg

The most important building in Detroit?

woohoo!

Many thank yous upfront to both a hoy hoy (who conducted the voting) and clemenza (who tabulated the ballots). We got 22 ballots I think? Unless more came in early in the week. I'll be counting down the top 60 results of that voting. 20 today, 20 tomorrow and 20 on Friday.

Also, here is a Spotify playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/mondosalvo/playlist/3E6ifKATKc2SWGkRjA8ekB

So let's begin...

http://i.imgur.com/WBpfXm1.jpg

60. THE SUPREMES "I Hear a Symphony" (1965) [48 points, 5 votes]

I always kind of skimmed over this one in the array of amazing Supremes singles, but good job voters. This really is wonderful.

Yes! For a moment I was worried because I didn't remember voting for this, but I was indeed one of the five.

http://i.imgur.com/1anWkF1.jpg

59. STEVIE WONDER "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" (1973) [49 points, 3 votes]

ok, poll is already worth it for the pics

http://i.imgur.com/ClZdlp5.jpg

TIE-57. FOUR TOPS "Still Water (Love)" (1970) [49 points, 5 votes]

That's a great font, JF...There were 26 ballots in the end.

There are two songs in the Top 60 I don't think I've ever heard, and this is one of them. I have the greatest hits LP for the Four Tops, not the anthology, so it stops mid-'60s.

I don't know this track either.

http://i.imgur.com/Gs6LZ5t.jpg

TIE-57. STEVIE WONDER "Living for the City" (1973) [49 points, 5 votes]

Is everybody still asleep?

: /

http://i.imgur.com/1P7yZ6z.jpg

56. COMMODORES "Easy" (1977) [51 points, 5 votes]

I'm genuinely ;_; I couldn't whip together a ballot. This was way too intimidating.

I was daunting, sure, but once I began the process it was actually easier than I expected it to be. Had no problem really settling on a favorite 50.

*It was

So far, so great. Like it couldn't be. Can't imagine this poll will incite much controversy during the rollout, a la "Deeper and Deeper" at #3 on the Mads poll.

I did put in a ten-tracker (which I hope you got) but was similarly intimidated plus slain for time. But I've already facepalmed three times at what's placed and been omitted by me.

http://i.imgur.com/aQqSFLL.jpg

55. MARVIN GAYE "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (1971) [51 points, 6 votes]

Four times. I mean hell, Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing was no.2 on my 20th century ballot, but I didn't even consider it for this poll.

Hurrah for 'Still Water' making the Top 60, though here's an example of where I was voting for the A and B side as an item (which I think was a hoy hoy's original concept for this poll at one point).

I only voted for 1 Stevie Wonder single (something I negligently omitted from my ballot for the Stevie artist poll) and no Jacksons. Wanted to give some other artists a chance here.

I didn't vote in this, but I can't wait to see what 55 songs are better than both "Livin' For The City" and "Mercy, Mercy Me."

http://i.imgur.com/Q8nVT5f.jpg

54. THE MIRACLES "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) [51 points, 9 votes]

I mostly stuck to the 1992 box contents for my ballot (which, in the face of "Living for the City," I now realize was a stupid thing to do), but yeah, this was insanely daunting.

It would've been near impossible for me not to vote for a lot of Stevie, and I'm sort of glad to see other artists get their due, too.

I said on the other thread that one of the things I realized while putting together my ballot is that I don't really place Stevie in as high esteem as I would have thought (or as he probably deserves). Ended up tossing him one token vote, though the track itself hasn't come up yet.

http://i.imgur.com/MshBJdu.jpg

53. DAVID RUFFIN "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" (1969) [54 points, 3 votes]

Only three votes, but everyone had it pretty high (#17 on mine)--it finished ahead of songs with 8-9-10 votes (partly a quirk of hoy hoy's scoring system).

It was my #2 (or #3).

It was my #7.

http://i.imgur.com/JhBTgFq.jpg

52. STEVIE WONDER "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" (1970) [54 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]

crazy how many songs are already showing up that feel like top 10 material

Yeah, this thing is definitely stacked.

Only one listed so far that I picked as a lock for the top 10 was "You've Really Got A Hold On Me." Guess not.

I think you'd have to have gone to a top 200 for it to get to the material outside the top 10.

Stevie just got one vote from me as well. Turns out I have more affection for his albums than his singles (and my ballot was mostly 60s orientated anyway)

http://i.imgur.com/6XobE6c.jpg

51. THE TEMPTATIONS "Get Ready" (1966) [55 points, 10 votes]

Fi Fi Fo Fum, Look Out Baby! 'Cos Here I Come!

omg I missed the beginning

yay this is so exciting

Sometimes when you've heard a song a thousand times, you're lucky enough to hear it again like it was the very first. Get Ready is a fucking BEAST!

Signed Sealed Deliver is such a favorite -- it hits SO hard right out of the gate, and Stevie just gives it everything he's got...I can't ever hear that song enough imo

Get Ready is awesome

so many songs here already that I didn't vote for that I should have -- wealth of riches in the motown catalog

any list with Get Ready at 51 is going to be amazing

http://i.imgur.com/dFMhFqJ.jpg

50. JR. WALKER & THE ALL STARS "Shotgun" (1965) [56 points, 4 votes]

Color change! Nice.

I wonder how many different songs got votes.

Clemenza would probably know.

omg shotgun has one of the best openings -- that sax wails

Shotgun has always struck me as more of a southern/Stax kind of single than one made for Motown. But who cares...it exists! And the world is a better place because of it.

http://i.imgur.com/f6VvQco.jpg

49. THE SUPREMES "You Can't Hurry Love" (1966) [56 points, 7 votes]

It's a Supremes twofer:

http://i.imgur.com/uBeU04g.jpg

48. THE SUPREMES "Stop! In the Name of Love" (1965) [56 points, 8 votes]

This was the first Supremes song I ever knew as a kid. It's got such a good chorus and energy that anyone from 5 to 105 should love it.

If I'd have submitted a ballot, "You Keep Me Hangin' On" would've been my #1. I hope it's still to come.

I wonder how many different songs got votes.

342--well, 340, plus a couple of Michael Jackson's CBS songs. I had it in my mind I'd be able to tabulate votes in a couple of hours; ended up taking most of two days.

http://i.imgur.com/ga1s4vT.jpg

47. MARVIN GAYE "Let's Get It On" (1973) [57 points, 8 votes]

Let's Get It On is one of those songs that, at least in the US, is so ubiquitous in pop culture, be it on tv, or radio, or just out in the wild, that it's incredibly easy to forget what it must have sounded like to people in 1973.

http://i.imgur.com/IKiSowh.jpg

46. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES "Reflections" (1967) [61 points, 5 votes]

I was glad to see this get votes besides my own. I think it's a very underrated song...maybe not the right word, but it does come outside of that '64-66 run, where almost all of the Supremes' most famous songs reside (except "Love Child").

I don't know if there's a Supremes single I wouldn't vote for if my ballot had been big enough.

They are all wonderful, except The Happening. I had a tape of all their singles when I was younger, and people used to take the piss out of me for it.

The Happening is corny and fun!

"The Happening"'s a bit much.

I had it in my top 5. Which may be too high, but then again, I think a lot of the criticism of Motown embracing more 'psychedelic' effects misses the mark. It works great in this song. For that matter, the Supremes (more accurately, H/D/H) carried my poll, with 11 songs in the top 50.

http://i.imgur.com/DgkdceK.jpg

45. DIANA ROSS "Love Hangover" (1975) [65 points, 6 votes]

The little guitar lick in the disco second half of Love Hangover is ALL TIME.

Also, the opening flourish is so subtly jaded and discontent.

http://i.imgur.com/pkHk329.jpg

44. SMOKEY ROBINSON "Cruisin'" (1979) [65 points, 7 votes]

I'm loving all the Supremes, can't ever be enough of them imo. And yeah, that Love Hangover riff is brilliant

that photo of Smokey is trying to hypnotize me

I was glad to see this get votes besides my own. I think it's a very underrated song...maybe not the right word, but it does come outside of that '64-66 run, where almost all of the Supremes' most famous songs reside (except "Love Child").

― clemenza, Wednesday, July 24, 2013 3:24 PM (27 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Love "Reflections," and I think it was my highest-ranked Supremes song.

Mentioned on the other thread that "You Can't Hurry Love" ended up being my top Supremes pick. They're already into the chorus at 0:18 in that one.

http://i.imgur.com/wt4cYyK.jpg

43. FOUR TOPS "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965) [65 points, 10 votes]

It's completely gorgeous, that one. I mean all their songs are, but You Can't Hurry Love is particularly sweet and vulnerable.

Wow. Love Hangover is amazing; I cannot believe I've never heard it before.

wrt Love Hangover:

(1) Make sure you listen to the long (~10 minute) version
(2) Check out the Sesame Street performance on YouTube! (I'm in China so can't access YT)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMJDjLsmKGM

Memorable in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (as was another song still to come).

Yeah, was going to mention that including "Love Hangover" (and Donna Summer's "Could It Be Magic") did more to capture the mood/tone of that movie than any other directorial choices.

http://i.imgur.com/ITNLwko.jpg

42. MARVIN GAYE "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1" (1977) [66 points, 6 votes]

It's fine and all, but it's no #Beautiful.

43. FOUR TOPS "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965) [65 points, 10 votes]

My #7. Hard to put into words what it is that I love about it. Considered a "stomper" in Northern Soul terms, there's just something so tight about this record.

And, of course, the vocal.

Excited that this has started! Only a few I voted for so far..."Get Ready" and "Love Hangover" were in my top 10, "Still Water (Love)" was in my >25 grab-bag section.

Should I roll things on China time tomorrow?

My body clock is so messed up I don't know what time zone I'm in. It's almost 5am here now and I have to be up in two hours.

lmao eric

challop ahead: "GtGIU,P1" is a super awesome groove, but not much of a song. Weird imo that it came ahead of Mercy Mercy Me and Let's Get It On.

http://i.imgur.com/HwZvk0S.jpg

41. MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS "Nowhere to Run" (1965) [69 points, 10 votes]

xp Yeah it's like my 102nd favourite Marvin song and my 256th favourite disco track.

Reminder! Spotify list is here: http://open.spotify.com/user/mondosalvo/playlist/3E6ifKATKc2SWGkRjA8ekB

And here's the recap of 60-41:

60. THE SUPREMES "I Hear a Symphony" (1965) [48 points, 5 votes]
59. STEVIE WONDER "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" (1973) [49 points, 3 votes]
TIE-57. FOUR TOPS "Still Water (Love)" (1970) [49 points, 5 votes]
TIE-57. STEVIE WONDER "Living for the City" (1973) [49 points, 5 votes]
56. COMMODORES "Easy" (1977) [51 points, 5 votes]
55. MARVIN GAYE "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (1971) [51 points, 6 votes]
54. THE MIRACLES "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) [51 points, 9 votes]
53. DAVID RUFFIN "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" (1969) [54 points, 3 votes]
52. STEVIE WONDER "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" (1970) [54 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]
51. THE TEMPTATIONS "Get Ready" (1966) [55 points, 10 votes]
50. JR. WALKER & THE ALL STARS "Shotgun" (1965) [56 points, 4 votes]
49. THE SUPREMES "You Can't Hurry Love" (1966) [56 points, 7 votes]
48. THE SUPREMES "Stop! In the Name of Love" (1965) [56 points, 8 votes]
47. MARVIN GAYE "Let's Get It On" (1973) [57 points, 8 votes]
46. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES "Reflections" (1967) [61 points, 5 votes]
45. DIANA ROSS "Love Hangover" (1975) [65 points, 6 votes]
44. SMOKEY ROBINSON "Cruisin'" (1979) [65 points, 7 votes]
43. FOUR TOPS "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965) [65 points, 10 votes]
42. MARVIN GAYE "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1" (1977) [66 points, 6 votes]
41. MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS "Nowhere to Run" (1965) [69 points, 10 votes]

Huh, I must have forgotten to vote for "Nowhere to Run"... :/

I didn't poll in the end, too daunting.

Seeing the results so far, I can see why.

Can someone give Johnny Fever some kinda "Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction" award for this thread?

^_^

Johnny's results rollout are always a visual feast :D

I really dig Got To Give It Up -- I agree that as a capital S song it's almost more like a snippet, but it's a great dancefloor track imo

My life would be so much better if Got to Give It Up played every time I enter a room

Except if you were entering one of the 7 Rooms of Gloom--nothing could you save you there.

My life would be so much better if Got to Give It Up played every time I enter a room

in the close but no cigar category, "blurred lines" does play pretty much every time i enter a room these days.

I know it's useless to gripe in a 60-track rundown when there were more than 60 perfect songs to choose from, but "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love" not making the top 40 is pretty brutal. I mean, those are the best Supremes songs, right? Did Phil Collins ruin the latter for people?

Anyway, lots more good stuff to look forward to. Killer designs, JF.

Love "Reflections," and I think it was my highest-ranked Supremes song.

It was my top rated as well, beating out 'Back In My Arms Again'. I'm happy it placed though.
The Martha Reeves being that low is kind of a shocker.

I missed this starting.

Very happy to see Still Water (Love) make it. I ended up putting that in my top ten after going through my playlist a few times. I think it's the drums that make it for me, the way stumble along and don't really get going until the last minute. Hoping Seven Rooms of Gloom might be still to come.

Easy should be higher, it's one of those songs I've probably heard a thousand times that I just never tire of. Great lyrics and one of the best vocals in Motown history.

I didn't end up voting for many Temptations songs but Get Ready made it on my list, so urgent sounding and one of the all time great choruses.

I was surprised how many Smokey Robinson solo songs I had on my list. Cruisin' was one of three I voted for but probably the only one that will place. His solo albums contain some real gems.

I think this list will join the Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Prince and Stevie Wonder ones having nothing but songs I love. Great work so far JF.

Great to see I Hear a Symphony kick off the list. The Supremes were the first band I looked at when making my original long list and was surprised to see I had ten songs of theirs I really wanted to include. I went with five in the end, none of which have shown up so far. Really hoping Love Child or My World is Empty might place.

Did Phil Collins ruin the latter for people?

He did for me, and it's the only time an awful cover has made me never want to hear the superior original.

aw man You Can't Hurry Love is a classic. I had even forgotten about Phil's version.

That's what frustrating; I know it's a classic, and I used to love the song. But now when I hear it all I can think of is that goddamn Phil Collins video and his reedy-ass singing. To paraphrase Pete Townshend, yes, my perception of "You Can't Hurry Love" is so shallow that it's violated by Phil Collins.

;_;

I had even forgotten about Phil's version.

I had too. But even remembering it now doesn't tarnish my love for the original in any way.

Shotgun has always struck me as more of a southern/Stax kind of single than one made for Motown

which is exactly why I voted for it! I was *sure* "Shotgun" was a Stax single for much of my life.... (lots of other non-Motowny stuff on my ballot that I hope also places)

I wonder how many different songs got votes.

342--well, 340, plus a couple of Michael Jackson's CBS songs.

yeah, I was kinda devastated when I found out I couldn't vote for "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", unaware that Gladys Knight & the Pips had left Motown in 1973.

really loving this roll out, great job as always JF. all the songs that i know from these are top notch.

challop ahead: "GtGIU,P1" is a super awesome groove, but not much of a song. Weird imo that it came ahead of Mercy Mercy Me and Let's Get It On.

counter-challop ahead: "Let's Get It On" isn't much of a song, isn't much of a groove, and is about 7 percent as sexy as anything on I Want You.

"Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love" not making the top 40 is pretty brutal. I mean, those are the best Supremes songs, right?

I had "You Keep Me Hanging On" and "Back in My Arms Again" over "Stop."

Damn Eric, I thought it was only me who never found LGIO particularly sexy

I don't think it's particularly sexy either, but I do think it's really nice compositionally.

Hey y'all, it's 3am where I am and I've only got 15 images made and I'm about to crash. So we're only getting down to 26 later today instead of 21. :(

I'd like "In and out of love" to appear, but I guess it's unlikely to, over "Stop" and "Hurry"

Looking forward to the new colours, JF!

Also the pics. Oh, and the results.

and the spotify playlist.

Wonderful so far. First poll so far where I love every song right down to #60. Great pics too.

i could conceivably be called out for submitting a somewhat contrarian ballot weighted away from the canonical 60s stuff because i thought i was bored of it but who am i kidding? p much everything here is amazing.

I peppered my ballot with lots of 70s songs to give some of them a chance of placing. I knew the H-D-H classics wouldn't need any help.

http://i.imgur.com/c6eNHWC.jpg

40. THE TEMPTATIONS "(I Know) I'm Losing You" (1966) [71 points, 6 votes]

The great thing about a bunch of Temptations singles, including this one, is the fucking urgency that's dripping from every bar. Not just Ruffin's vocals, but the musical construction as well. I'd never thought about it seriously, but now I'm pretty certain they're one of my favorite bands ever.

http://i.imgur.com/7MDNyHk.jpg

39. JACKSON 5 "I'll Be There" (1970) [75 points, 6 votes]

When I was trying to think of great covers--ended up skipping that--I totally forgot about Mariah Carey's "I'll Be There." And I had the original very high on my ballot.

I kinda hate this song, but I understand why so many people like it.

"He better be good to you/'cos if he DOESN'T"

The grammar cop in me seethes with rage every time I hear this line.

It's just the way people talk in this world in which we live in.

Anyway...

http://i.imgur.com/0jHQZNJ.jpg

38. MARY WELLS "My Guy" (1964) [78 points, 7 votes]

awwwwww Mary

admittedly it makes me think of Sister Act because my Mum really dug that version for some embarrassing reason...but it also reminds me of my MIL, who used to dance around her kitchen and sing to it <3

It also still makes me think of Sister Act and I've never even seen it!

these photos are so so fantastic

thx!

A brilliant song.

http://i.imgur.com/YiDuOji.jpg

37. THE MIRACLES "Ooh Baby Baby" (1965) [80 points, 8 votes]

I know this photo is actually of Smokey & The Miracles because Claudette isn't present, but most of the original Miracles photos on the internet are either too small or too crappy.

Yeah, the best I could find was: http://images.45cat.com/the-miracles-shop-around-london-2.jpg

Just reading about her and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--they actually inducted Smokey as a solo artist in 1987, rather than the whole group? That's crazy. (They eventually fixed that.)

http://i.imgur.com/JRuqWm6.jpg

36. THE MARVELETTES "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" (1967) [81 points, 9 votes]

Just reading about her and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--they actually inducted Smokey as a solo artist in 1987, rather than the whole group? That's crazy. (They eventually fixed that.)

― clemenza, Thursday, July 25, 2013 12:21 PM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

That's weird, and also against the Hall's induction guidelines. They weren't known as "Smokey Robinson & the Miracles" until 1965, i.e., less than 25 years before he was inducted. And it took another 25 years for the Miracles to be inducted.

Was wondering if "Hunter Gets Captured" would go higher.

http://i.imgur.com/QQuVtJc.jpg

35. THE ISLEY BROTHERS "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" (1966) [83 points, 9 votes]

"Ooo Baby Baby" (what's that 'h' all about?) my #2 - simply sublime.

"Got To Give It Up" is another example of where you need to factor in the B-side... in this case Part 2 obv. It's the little details that across both Parts that sum to greatness. Or better still, just listen to the uninterrupted long version :)

(what's that 'h' all about?)

whoops!

http://i.imgur.com/7hWvdxU.jpg

34. THELMA HOUSTON "Don't Leave Me This Way" (1976) [84 points, 10 votes]

<3 this song for all time!

The other Looking for Mr. Goodbar song. Pretty sure I loved this in 1976, even though I was well into my metal/art-rock high school years. I don't even think disco was yet disco out in the world at large.

I always wonder why the Motown label never had a bigger footprint on disco. It could've been a glorious dynasty.

It already was.

This Old Heart Of Mine is SUCH a jam. I can't get enough of it.

OTM.

(xpost) Obviously Michael Jackson and Diana Ross made the transition to disco spectacularly, but my guess is that it was just too crowded a field, and that labels like Philly International and TK were newer and less set in their ways. Motown seemed to adapt well to the late '60s, a little less well (Stevie Wonder excepted) to the neo-classical early '70s, and then they fell behind for good.

http://i.imgur.com/Vx0IOvB.jpg

33. THE MARVELETTES "Please Mr. Postman" (1961) [86 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]

Had DLMTW very high up in my ballot. Do I need to see Looking for Mr. Goodbar? (Robin Wood seems to kind of like it)

This Old Heart Of Mine is SUCH a jam. I can't get enough of it.

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 25 July 2013 17:46 (30 minutes ago) Permalink

OTM.

― EveningStar (Sund4r), Thursday, 25 July 2013

Would you guys go far enough and say you love Rod Stewart's '89 remake? I do. It keeps most of the joy.

It helps that Ronald Isley's on it.

(xpost)Subtle it's not, but I'd say definitely. Great soundtrack, excellent '70s feel, wild freak-out stuff from Richard Gere and Tuesday Weld--and on the heels of Annie Hall, a very different Keaton.

<3 Please Mr Postman

He was kind enough to at least sing it with Ron Isley.

Mr Postman! Yaaaaaay. Super-classic! I think I almost love the Beatles cover equally as much as the Marvelettes original. Such a perfect pop song.

One of my favorite pop music things is the sad-song-that-sounds-like-a-pop-song

I *enjoy* Rod's version of This Old Heart of Mine, but I wouldn't say I *love* it. The deathly thud of those drums kinda dulls down the enjoyment for me.

Yeah, see Goodbar for Keaton and that great, seedy NYC in the late '70s vibe. Plus the soundtrack.

And ignore, as much as is possible, its hectoring tone.

http://i.imgur.com/tH8G4W3.jpg

32. THE SUPREMES "Where Did Our Love Go?" (1964) [87 points, 8 votes]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

so good

claps/clicks/percussion on this is outta sight

No song charges out of the gate quite like that one.

the drums are like a full-on military parade, it's so tight

you could north-korean-disco-march to that

Love this so much. Saw an interview with Mary Wilson where she talked about how non-plussed they were about recording this, especially since they'd already recorded eight or nine flops, and this didn't seem like the huge hit they needed. She said, "It was just [listlessly] 'baby...baby baby...baby...'"

The first of FIVE NUMBER ONES IN A ROW.

In the midst of the Beatles/Rolling Stones/Beach Boys in their own stratospheres, no less.

http://i.imgur.com/OuYldgx.jpg

31. FOUR TOPS "Baby I Need Your Loving" (1964) [87 points, 11 votes]

This chorus is magical.

Wikipedia:

"Where Did Our Love Go" was released as a single on June 17, 1964, and entered the Hot 100 at number seventy-seven. Six weeks later, while the Supremes were on tour as part of Dick Clark's "American Bandstand Caravan of Stars", the song made it to number one[1] for two weeks. The girls began the tour at the bottom of the bill; by the conclusion of the tour, they were at the top.

Terrible admission, but I don't even know which of those four guys is Levi Stubbs. I'm scanning the photo for tears but don't see any.

He's second from the left.

He's not on the right?

Goodbar not on DVD alas

a few minutes late: wow, I didn't know "Don't Leave Me This Way" was Motown!

Opening credits might be the best part of the movie, really:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp1Lb694uag

This chorus is magical.

― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Thursday, July 25, 2013 2:48 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^ this x1000

The Tops had the same lineup for forty-four years. I think ZZ Top is the only other band that can make that claim (as of this year, in fact).

No, I'm wrong. Guy on the right is Lawrence Payton.

You know, I never even thought about "Baby I Need Your Loving." Listening for this poll made me realize how beautiful it is.

http://i.imgur.com/AAsi4l9.jpg

30. FRANK WILSON "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" (1965) [88 points, 5 votes]

i was the #1 vote for "Please Mr. Postman" btw

OH MY! I'm glad five people voted this highly, because I'd never heard it before and it's fantastic!

http://i.imgur.com/HTEQ9ef.jpg

29. JIMMY RUFFIN "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (1966) [91 points, 9 votes]

"Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" also done by Chris Clark. An amazing song I didn't know until a few years ago--supposedly 45 copies are rare and valuable.

http://www.discogs.com/Frank-Wilson-Chris-Clark-Do-I-Love-You-Do-I-Love-You/release/1445197

Frank also co-wrote Still Water (Love) and a number of other classics

Baby I Need Your Lovin = the ultimate in songs that demand pivot-spin-handclap dancing

aw jimmy ruffin, that song is so goddamn beautiful...bordering on gospel

The Frank Wilson who did (the rather lame) "Last Kiss" a different guy:

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/82865705/J+Frank+Wilson+jfrankwilson.jpg

(He was kind of made for one of these screenshots, though.)

last kiss isn't lame wtf

aw jimmy ruffin, that song is so goddamn beautiful...bordering on gospel

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, July 25, 2013 4:12 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Totally. It's so stately and majestic.

http://i.imgur.com/yJTVE24.jpg

28. THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (1971) [91 points, 11 votes]

I'm a Whitfield/Strong stan and this is one of their best. Classic paranoid soul.

Brilliant x 1000. Have written about it more than once--the greatest Nixon-related song of all, without ever naming him.

I also suspect Whitfield had some kind of personal axe to grind with the industry: "Beware of that pat on the back/ It just might hold you back."

Weird that this was originally recorded by the Temptations (as was Edwin Starr's War of course). Whitfield was always passing songs between artists, looking for the maximum return.

Yeah, that's an interpretation of my own--I'm sure Whitfield had other things on his mind. It's such a perfect song heading into the Watergate moment, though.

http://i.imgur.com/JTPGk4h.jpg

27. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES "Love Child" (1968) [92 points, 11 votes]

My highest rated Supremes single!

http://i.imgur.com/ofMP9wO.jpg

26. EDWIN STARR "War" (1970) [95 points, 8 votes]

So happy that The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game and Do I Love You are so high they were both in my top ten. Only recently heard the Smokey version of Hunter which is well worth checking out.

Love Child ended up being my second highest Supremes song. Lyrically it's one of my favourite songs ever and the "Scorned by" back vocals in the second chorus are just so incredible.

Didn't end up voting for War but it's a great song. Like Born to Run it's a song I first heard as a kid thanks to the Frankie Goes to Hollywood version.

I was introduced to War by Springsteen, like I imagine a lot of people were, but Starr's version is a freaking force of nature.

FGTH did for Britishes kids what Springsteen did for American kids, I guess.

Some days I think I might prefer the Frankie version of Born to Run to the original, I cannot say the same about War. His vocals make that song.

That's it for today, everybody. I couldn't stay awake long enough to finish the images, so (presumably) tomorrow you'll get a top 25!

recap

60. THE SUPREMES "I Hear a Symphony" (1965) [48 points, 5 votes]
59. STEVIE WONDER "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" (1973) [49 points, 3 votes]
TIE-57. FOUR TOPS "Still Water (Love)" (1970) [49 points, 5 votes]
TIE-57. STEVIE WONDER "Living for the City" (1973) [49 points, 5 votes]
56. COMMODORES "Easy" (1977) [51 points, 5 votes]
55. MARVIN GAYE "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (1971) [51 points, 6 votes]
54. THE MIRACLES "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) [51 points, 9 votes]
53. DAVID RUFFIN "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" (1969) [54 points, 3 votes]
52. STEVIE WONDER "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" (1970) [54 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]
51. THE TEMPTATIONS "Get Ready" (1966) [55 points, 10 votes]
50. JR. WALKER & THE ALL STARS "Shotgun" (1965) [56 points, 4 votes]
49. THE SUPREMES "You Can't Hurry Love" (1966) [56 points, 7 votes]
48. THE SUPREMES "Stop! In the Name of Love" (1965) [56 points, 8 votes]
47. MARVIN GAYE "Let's Get It On" (1973) [57 points, 8 votes]
46. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES "Reflections" (1967) [61 points, 5 votes]
45. DIANA ROSS "Love Hangover" (1975) [65 points, 6 votes]
44. SMOKEY ROBINSON "Cruisin'" (1979) [65 points, 7 votes]
43. FOUR TOPS "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965) [65 points, 10 votes]
42. MARVIN GAYE "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1" (1977) [66 points, 6 votes]
41. MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS "Nowhere to Run" (1965) [69 points, 10 votes]

40. THE TEMPTATIONS "(I Know) I'm Losing You" (1966) [71 points, 6 votes]
39. JACKSON 5 "I'll Be There" (1970) [75 points, 6 votes]
38. MARY WELLS "My Guy" (1964) [78 points, 7 votes]
37. THE MIRACLES "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965) [80 points, 8 votes]
36. THE MARVELETTES "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" (1967) [81 points, 9 votes]
35. THE ISLEY BROTHERS "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" (1966) [83 points, 9 votes]
34. THELMA HOUSTON "Don't Leave Me This Way" (1976) [84 points, 10 votes]
33. THE MARVELETTES "Please Mr. Postman" (1961) [86 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
32. THE SUPREMES "Where Did Our Love Go?" (1964) [87 points, 8 votes]
31. FOUR TOPS "Baby I Need Your Loving" (1964) [87 points, 11 votes]
30. FRANK WILSON "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" (1965) [88 points, 5 votes]
29. JIMMY RUFFIN "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (1966) [91 points, 9 votes]
28. THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (1971) [91 points, 11 votes]
27. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES "Love Child" (1968) [92 points, 11 votes]
26. EDWIN STARR "War" (1970) [95 points, 8 votes]

25 miles to go.

I didn't vote in this and I'm glad I didn't, because these results would frustrate me to no end. My #1 would have been You Really Got A Hold On Me, which came in a lame 54. And what is Don't You Worry Bout A Thing doing outside the top 50?

I like War, but I guess not enough to vote for it, and now I feel kinda bad (cf almost every other song itt)

"War"'s way too high imo.

Or too low.

(actually, it's not too low...it's just about right considering how much good stuff came in ahead of it.)

it's just ahead of so many 5 star songs, and it's really at best a 4 star song.

War is one of those songs that gives me chills on the right day, and at the very least punches me in the guts, so it's definitely a 5 star song in my world.

But yeah, the great thing about Motown's catalogue is that everything is good enough to be a 5 star song to somebody. (Except "I'll Be There" which is just stupid sap.)

Trying to guess which of my top picks might not make it. I'm going to guess "The Love You Save," which was my top J5 pick. Will "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" place?

"Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" also done by Chris Clark. An amazing song I didn't know until a few years ago--supposedly 45 copies are rare and valuable.

It's the most valuable 45 in the world! Only two copies are known to exist, and one is unplayable. A few weeks back I read through this entertaining thread of soulies hyperventilating the last time it was up for auction: http://www.soul-source.co.uk/soulforum/topic/92660-frank-wilson-on-soul-auction/

A little bit surprised by the low showing of (I Know) I'm Losing you.
#3 on my list. Love the desperation!

That discussion of the Do I Love You 45s is sorta fascinating. Did Gordy really melt them all down except for 2 (or 3)?

And yet, it got re-released not that long after, so it's purely for completion's sake..

(I have a recent re-issue, Frank on side 1, Chris on side 2. )

Guess I voted for stupid sap, then.

I voted for "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)". Has there ever been another record that's become this popular, despite the record company's every effort to stifle it?

I stiffed "Ooh Baby Baby" and "Baby I Need Your Loving" though; I'm already feeling guilty. Those are amazing songs.

Did vote for "Smiling Faces Sometimes". Not the greatest Nixon song ever though; that would be Johnathan Edwards' "Sunshine"

Would you guys go far enough and say you love Rod Stewart's '89 remake (of This Old Heart Of Mine)? I do. It keeps most of the joy.

― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, July 25, 2013 2:18 PM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Lukewarm on his "This Old Heart Of Mine", but love Rod Stewart's "(I Know) I'm Losing You" even more than the original. Talk about urgency dripping from every bar....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-kWj_kXzVg

I like "Sunshine" too, but I'd never once thought of it as a Nixon song in 40 years--and I see Nixon connections everywhere. Always took it for granted he was singing about his boss at some hateful job. Looking at the lyrics, though, I can see what you mean. But I don't think it's anywhere near as definitive as "Smiling Faces Sometimes."

funny - conversely, I never thought "Nixon" when I heard "Smiling Faces Sometimes"

....whereas "Sunshine" just captures the Watergate-era zeitgeist perfectly - a lying cheating fuckup being in charge.

Smiling faces, sometimes, pretend to be your friend
Smiling faces, show no traces, of the evil that lurks within
Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes
They don't tell the truth
Smiling faces, smiling faces
Tell lies, and I got proof

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4I94EWqLlfs/S8PvooEaGDI/AAAAAAAAAZE/1gGAtT3DUPg/s400/All+the+Pres+1+Nixon.jpg

Feel like Stevie Wonder was one of the only R&B artists who used the term "smiling" in the '70s and actually didn't often give it the double connotation.

Hey, I hope y'all won't be pissed off, but I've poorly managed my time again and I've only got images made down to #11. So it's going to be 25-11 Friday and then the top 10 on Monday. I suck, I know. Must sleep now.

You awful awful person.

i'm kinda glad. i dont want it to be over yet

Me too. This has been an amazing countdown (with amazing photos!).

I personally resent having to play, think about and discuss the greatest pop music ever made for an extra day.

take your time, Johnny, i won't be ready to start rolling out the Jay-Z poll results until midway through next week at the soonest anyway.

http://i.imgur.com/5CavZU7.jpg

25. EDDIE KENDRICKS "Girl You Need a Change of Mind" (1973) [98 points, 6 votes]

Ooh la la la la la HUNH!

You started...The is the other song I don't think I've ever heard. Didn't realize I have four Eddie Kendricks albums until I checked. But not the one with this.

Yeah, the extent of my Eddie Kendricks solo career education is from some compilation I bought in the late 90s. Always liked this one.

http://i.imgur.com/UyDGca4.jpg

24. MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1968) [98 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]

awwwwwww Marvin + Tammi forever <3

I don't know what comes after death, but if there's something out there, it's my hope that Marvin and Tammi are just walking around singing to each other and everybody else.

I can only believe in a god/afterlife that would allow them to be together happily for all eternity

http://i.imgur.com/DpJonLq.jpg

23. SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES "I Second That Emotion" (1967) [100 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

agggghhhhh! YES

smokey i love you

Scrolled up, and Nixon does not look especially dapper in this company.

xpost his melifluous voice makes me so goddamn happy I can't even tell you

Best title ever, at any rate.

'girl you need a change of mind' was in my top 3 i think. a strange dichotomy of hugely uplifting music and structure with p dubious lyrical content.

http://i.imgur.com/J78xwZp.jpg

22. THE TEMPTATIONS "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966) [106 points, 10 votes]

I KNOOOOOOWWWWW you wanna leave me...

Probably my favorite opening sung line in any Motown single.

Greatest beginning to a song (drum pick-up plus first line).

Also, TOO LOW!

it's so good

and I love the background harmonies. I want an isolated track of just the ah-wooooos

http://i.imgur.com/u9stRgj.jpg

21. THE CONTOURS "Do You Love Me" (1962) [107 points, 8 votes]

love the shit out of that song, i swear

such a massive, irrepressible energy coming out of every pore of the recording.

100% otm

Prediction time...orange!

you guys have the Marvin and Tammi acapellas right? There's quite a few on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqdOUlK9Ru4

Prediction time...orange!

SPOILER! That'll be 10-1.

http://i.imgur.com/k6LRlbC.jpg

20. FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS "The Night" (1975) [107 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]

Spotify has a 1972 version and a 1975 version, but iirc Wikipedia says it's a 1975 single, so I don't know what the hell is going on. They sound identical.

TUNE

For real. I'm glad "The Night" has a little clique of support on ILM, because I'd probably never have listened to it otherwise.

http://i.imgur.com/KSZdms9.jpg

19. MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS "Dancing in the Street" (1964) [109 points, 11 votes]

Yikes. Not my favourite of theirs, for all it is iconic. Now I'm worried my favourite won't show.

I think this actually is my favorite Martha & The Vandellas track. Love the horns and the drums and the calling out of individual cities.

Just the general message of the song makes me happy. Quit being dicks and go outside and dance with your neighbors!

tbh Bowie and Jagger ruined it for this country

jesus yeah. that video with them mugging all over the place. p sure even 9yo me thought they were acting like dicks.

YOOKAY

I wanna add to the "Do You Love Me" love. Thanks, Dirty Dancing!

9yo me was puzzled by Jagger, but thought Bowie seemed pretty cool with his long coat (with the sleeves rolled up)

"I Second That Emotion" (1967) [100 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

*raises hand*

9yo me was puzzled by Jagger, but thought Bowie seemed pretty cool with his long coat (with the sleeves rolled up)

first time I was aware of how terrible Bowie can sing when he puts his mind to it.

Going by memory, but I think Dave Marsh wrote in his singles book that it was a veiled call to riot in the streets. There are two Vandellas songs I love even more, but I had this #23 anyway.

http://i.imgur.com/htI9qNo.jpg

18. BARRETT STRONG "Money (That's What I Want)" (1959) [110 points, 7 votes]

6 other people otm

"I Second That Emotion" (1967) [100 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

*raises hand*

― timellison, Friday, July 26, 2013 2:22 PM (17 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's kind of poignant that nobody seconded your emotion

haha

http://i.imgur.com/BQwxmlK.jpg

17. THE TEMPTATIONS "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" (1971) [120 points, 11 votes]

For me, the best example of Motown taking on Al Green, the Stylistics, and the Chi-Lites, and more or less equaling what they were up to.

yeah, those strings. Just sublime

The Prince solo has sort of usurped the original in my mind, but it's undeniable.

http://i.imgur.com/54eNEnL.jpg

16. COMMODORES "Nightshift" (1984) [123 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]

My #2. I wasn't even voting tactically or anything. This is for real my 2nd favorite song in the whole Motown catalogue.

18. BARRETT STRONG "Money (That's What I Want)" (1959) [110 points, 7 votes]

― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, July 26, 2013 2:26 PM (29 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

6 other people otm

― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, July 26, 2013 2:39 PM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Got that right!

Best opening line in a song ever.

The best things in life are free
But you can give them to the birds and bees
I need Money (that's what I want!)

The shimery electro landscape of "Nightshift" is beautiful although the song ain't much.

"Nightshift" is nice but kind of insanely high in this context. in the single artist polls, later highlights from after the peak period usually do poorly, but here it seems to be the opposite case.

Could just be a run of later songs. I was surprised how much peak period stuff there was yesterday and the day before.

Spotify has a 1972 version and a 1975 version, but iirc Wikipedia says it's a 1975 single, so I don't know what the hell is going on. They sound identical.

― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, July 26, 2013 1:33 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

1972 is US album version; it wasn't released as a single. The album and all issued singles flopped at the time
1975 is UK hit single version, which Motown released to capitalize on the 4 Seasons' renewed popularity by then on another label ("Who Loves You", "December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)". Didn't know there was a difference though.

I think it's a beautiful love letter to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Robinson and you guys are heartless bastards. ;)

Who gave it a #1?

"Dancing in the Street" TOO LOW! I forgot to vote but this would have been my #1.

Never even heard of Nightshift. Listening now and it's pretty cheesy

I was the one who gave "Nightshift" the #1. It's placement at the top of my list came fairly late in the organization of my ballot, and then finally became one of those "if I'm really being honest with myself" things. Plus, I had a feeling it might start some shit :-)

yeah, I'm not really feeling Nightshift.

(xpost) Yeah--because Motown's so deified, there haven't been any big arguments on this thread. I'm going to come on here at three in the morning (ducking the wrath of VegemiteGrrl) and make a list of which of these songs I'm really sick of. There are a few...

I think it's a beautiful love letter to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Robinson and you guys are heartless bastards. ;)

Jackie Wilson, man!

If I had to offer any kind of justification of the song, it'd go something like this: because I only ever experienced the "golden age" of Motown as nostalgia for an age I wasn't around for (first through The Big Chill soundtrack and oldies radio, then through my own investigations), a fond, reverent 80s-era homage to Motown feels like an appropriately representative Motown track for my own experiences.

Plus, its really pretty.

yknow I sought out The Night after the raves I read about it, and I just...idgi

maybe I was expecting it to have more of an oldschool Four Seasons feel. but yeah, it kinda turned me off? or my ears are broken. which is entirely possible.

Nightshift is groovy and I didn't vote for it, so I'm kinda glad to see it get love

seriously I completely forgot about all the later-period stuff

I don't really get "The Night" either.

Jackie Wilson, man!

lol when I was typing that I was thinking to myself "don't type Robinson, don't type Robinson" and I did it anyway.

http://i.imgur.com/xu1tzUo.jpg

15. MARVIN GAYE "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (1971) [124 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

yknow I sought out The Night after the raves I read about it, and I just...idgi

maybe I was expecting it to have more of an oldschool Four Seasons feel. but yeah, it kinda turned me off? or my ears are broken. which is entirely possible.

― the pen is mightier than the penisword (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, July 26, 2013 3:37 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

1969-1974 Four Seasons alot like the Beach Boys of the same era in that they were still trying to push forward with new sounds, not quite yet willing to resign to being an oldies act. "The Night" epitomizes that era. So does Genuine Imitation Life Gazette, which everyone who thinks they don't like the 4 Seasons should listen to....

"The Night" has a great buildup. Plus, unusual chord progression and the way the words don't rhyme.

great picture of Marvin there.

Yeah, it's actually from the Let's Get It On era, but I wanted to make it had a chance to get used.

make *sure

"Nightshift" will do nicely as the "Deeper & Deeper" of this poll.

http://i.imgur.com/AKe9e7a.jpg

14. FOUR TOPS "Bernadette" (1967) [129 points, 14 votes]

BURN TO DEATH!

http://i.imgur.com/HCdObaM.jpg

13. MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL "You're All I Need to Get By" (1968) [135 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]

My own #1

imo this song alone should have cemented Ashford & Simpson a place in the songwriter hall of fame.

Also, I am bummed there's such shortage of Marvin/Tammi recorded material. I want to listen to 20 albums' worth, and there are only two.

I had this at no.9, such loveliness. I went to a Motown Christmas evening at Ronnie Scott's a couple of years back, and they closed the show by dividing the audience in three and getting us to do harmonies for the coda. It's a really small club, and even though the harmonising didn't work at all, it was such a great experience.

http://i.imgur.com/LZj9j4W.jpg

12. MARVIN GAYE "What's Going On" (1971) [144 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

My bad on #13, btw. It actually has two first place votes.

http://i.imgur.com/xfSvx7x.jpg

11. THE TEMPTATIONS "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972) [145 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

xp Played out ... but for a very good reason. It's gorgeous.

I love that the single edit of "Papa..." is 7 minutes.

The song should be three hours long imo.

Got five of my top ten that are yet to show and I'm guessing four will make it.

"What's Going On" was a late choice for my #1 - would have been "Girl You Need..." instead if the lyrics weren't so sleazy. I know it's a single poll but I was really thinking of the album version when I voted.

wrt grouching - I think a bunch of stuff is placing way too high but it's not like they're bad songs, I'm just a bit sad that most of my ballot won't feature :(

60. THE SUPREMES "I Hear a Symphony" (1965) [48 points, 5 votes]
59. STEVIE WONDER "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" (1973) [49 points, 3 votes]
TIE-57. FOUR TOPS "Still Water (Love)" (1970) [49 points, 5 votes]
TIE-57. STEVIE WONDER "Living for the City" (1973) [49 points, 5 votes]
56. COMMODORES "Easy" (1977) [51 points, 5 votes]
55. MARVIN GAYE "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (1971) [51 points, 6 votes]
54. THE MIRACLES "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) [51 points, 9 votes]
53. DAVID RUFFIN "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)" (1969) [54 points, 3 votes]
52. STEVIE WONDER "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" (1970) [54 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]
51. THE TEMPTATIONS "Get Ready" (1966) [55 points, 10 votes]
50. JR. WALKER & THE ALL STARS "Shotgun" (1965) [56 points, 4 votes]
49. THE SUPREMES "You Can't Hurry Love" (1966) [56 points, 7 votes]
48. THE SUPREMES "Stop! In the Name of Love" (1965) [56 points, 8 votes]
47. MARVIN GAYE "Let's Get It On" (1973) [57 points, 8 votes]
46. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES "Reflections" (1967) [61 points, 5 votes]
45. DIANA ROSS "Love Hangover" (1975) [65 points, 6 votes]
44. SMOKEY ROBINSON "Cruisin'" (1979) [65 points, 7 votes]
43. FOUR TOPS "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965) [65 points, 10 votes]
42. MARVIN GAYE "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1" (1977) [66 points, 6 votes]
41. MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS "Nowhere to Run" (1965) [69 points, 10 votes]

40. THE TEMPTATIONS "(I Know) I'm Losing You" (1966) [71 points, 6 votes]
39. JACKSON 5 "I'll Be There" (1970) [75 points, 6 votes]
38. MARY WELLS "My Guy" (1964) [78 points, 7 votes]
37. THE MIRACLES "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965) [80 points, 8 votes]
36. THE MARVELETTES "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" (1967) [81 points, 9 votes]
35. THE ISLEY BROTHERS "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" (1966) [83 points, 9 votes]
34. THELMA HOUSTON "Don't Leave Me This Way" (1976) [84 points, 10 votes]
33. THE MARVELETTES "Please Mr. Postman" (1961) [86 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
32. THE SUPREMES "Where Did Our Love Go?" (1964) [87 points, 8 votes]
31. FOUR TOPS "Baby I Need Your Loving" (1964) [87 points, 11 votes]
30. FRANK WILSON "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)" (1965) [88 points, 5 votes]
29. JIMMY RUFFIN "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (1966) [91 points, 9 votes]
28. THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (1971) [91 points, 11 votes]
27. DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES "Love Child" (1968) [92 points, 11 votes]
26. EDWIN STARR "War" (1970) [95 points, 8 votes]

25. EDDIE KENDRICKS "Girl You Need a Change of Mind" (1973) [98 points, 6 votes]
24. MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1968) [98 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
23. SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES "I Second That Emotion" (1967) [100 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]
22. THE TEMPTATIONS "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (1966) [106 points, 10 votes]
21. THE CONTOURS "Do You Love Me" (1962) [107 points, 8 votes]
20. FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS "The Night" (1975) [107 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]
19. MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS "Dancing in the Street" (1964) [109 points, 11 votes]
18. BARRETT STRONG "Money (That's What I Want)" (1959) [110 points, 7 votes]
17. THE TEMPTATIONS "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" (1971) [120 points, 11 votes]
16. COMMODORES "Nightshift" (1984) [123 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
15. MARVIN GAYE "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (1971) [124 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]
14. FOUR TOPS "Bernadette" (1967) [129 points, 14 votes]
13. MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL "You're All I Need to Get By" (1968) [135 points, 8 votes, 2 first place votes]
12. MARVIN GAYE "What's Going On" (1971) [144 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]
11. THE TEMPTATIONS "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (1972) [145 points, 12 votes, 1 first place vote]

I have 7 of my top 10 intact. Super happy to see all the love for Marvin & Tammi.

Papa Was A Rollin Stone was my #1...that bassline, those strings, the muthafuckin lyrics.....song heaven imo

I knew you were one of the good ones!

are u gonna post the full results at the end jf?

Yes, will do.

Never realized "I Second That Emotion" is only three chords.

Looks like I picked the wrong day to go an an eleven hour flight! I missed all the Motown action.

The Night was my number one and is in my top five songs of all time. It's so urgent and exciting and honestly it blew me away the first time I heard it. I knew the Soft Cell version first from their reunion album in 2002. Possible interesting fact about The Night (that you all probably know already) is Marc Almond wanted Soft Cell to cover it back in 81 but they changed their mind and went with Tainted Love instead. Who knows how that would have worked out? Lene Lovich also did a great version.

Great to see Eddie Kendricks make it. That was one of the last songs I took out but I did vote for three others of his. The sadly out of print collection of his first four albums is one of the best CD's I've ever bought. He was one of the most consistent soul acts of the seventies.

Ismael, I forgot which you said was your favourite Martha & The Vandellas track in one of the voting threads. I had I'm Ready For Love very high on my list. Heatwave was a bit lower down, I'm sure that will still appear.

I'm sorry I have no idea why Nightshift is so high. It's a decent song but it beating Easy, The Zoo (Human Zoo), Machine Gun and many others is just crazy.

I Second That Emotion is another song I was much more familiar with as a cover before hearing the original. Japan this time and I actually might prefer that version.

Bernadette totally deserves as high as it is but I've kind of given up hope on 7-Rooms of Gloom placing now which was in my top five.

Ahh this is such a great list, every song is a winner. Great work everyone.

oh man Japan over Smokey?

I need to go to bed

Never realized "I Second That Emotion" is only three chords.

― timellison, Saturday, 27 July 2013 03:54 (3 hours ago) Permalink

"Smiling Faces Sometimes" is only two chords, alternating back and forth throughout the entire song, and a great example of how great a song can be despite that musical constraint.

I hope so xp, it's a big big song for me

I voted for "I Second That Emotion" but I sometimes prefer the Supremes/Temptations version even though it's a little corny

Johnny, if your #1 was also Marvin & Tammi either it should be credited with two #1s or my ballot didn't get counted.

somenow i had never really sat down and listened to "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind" or given it any really thought or attention, holy shit this song

somehow

Johnny, if your #1 was also Marvin & Tammi either it should be credited with two #1s or my ballot didn't get counted.

It did. I realized my mistake shortly after the original post and had corrected it by the time I posted the next recap.

the impact of just Marvin Gaye's Motown era on this poll really underlines that we should probably have a Marvin poll at some point here

Points By Artist is going to be my first dig into the numbers when the rollout's done.

did enough people submit 'favorite artists' and other subpoll lists that we'll get those results too?

Clemenza sent me the subpoll results too, but I haven't looked at them yet. They'll come Monday with the top 10.

(xpost) I've compiled those numbers, WC, plus some other stats, and can post them anytime--I guess after the Top 10.

(The ones I did are separate from the subpoll stuff.)

I f'ed up @ didn't vote "Nightshift" & then wrote a hoy hoy to ask if I could change my ballot bc I was gonna vote it #1 & maybe he wrote back but I'm on the road & never checked so anyway it's one of the most important songs in my world, Q105 played it the night Marvin got shot & I was in the back of my parents' car wondering how a father could kill his son, talk to me, was something like a prayer, so consider this my apology, "Nightshift" #1 forever

yeah i'm not the biggest fan of that song but that's a hell of a powerful association to have with it

wait, you heard it the night Marvin died? i thought they released it the next year

Just realising I don't really know the story of how & why Marvin died. I assumed Barratt Rude in Fortress of Solitude is a fictional account of it, though I don't know that for sure.

xp They did. Euler's memory about it may be foggy.

memory almost full

I f'ed up @ didn't vote "Nightshift" & then wrote a hoy hoy to ask if I could change my ballot bc I was gonna vote it #1 & maybe he wrote back but I'm on the road & never checked so anyway it's one of the most important songs in my world, Q105 played it the night Marvin got shot & I was in the back of my parents' car wondering how a father could kill his son, talk to me, was something like a prayer, so consider this my apology, "Nightshift" #1 forever

― Euler, Saturday, 27 July 2013 18:30 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i believe i sent clem the changed version.

thank you so much guys for rolling this out. its been a stressful week and ending it with finding this beautiful looking and sounding poll eases the joints a lot.

(contract at job is rolling on for another 3 weeks, still not made perm though and ive got to interview for my own job on thursday aaaargh; think weve found a new place to live but will only be able to afford it if thursday goes well obv and god knows how i raise a deposit in the next month...)

Euler (and hoy hoy)--the ballot I got of yours had "You Keep Me Hangin' On" #1.

You guys are really raining on Euler tonight huh?

oh shit, i thought i sent the other one. im sorry.

well that's just great

:)

DO OVER!

set me free, why dontcha babe

30 points (it's not on the ballot I have at all) would have left "Nightshift" with the same number of points and the same number of votes as the 9th-place song; that song didn't get any first-place votes, though, and "Nightshift" would have had one, so it would have taken the 9th-place spot.

That would've led to chaos!

dogs & cats, living together etc

lifting us, higher and higher

Here's all your subpoll results in one go. Sorry for the hasty delivery, but you gets what you gets.

Favorite Artists (2 or more votes):
1.  Marvin Gaye (11)
2.  Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (10)
3.  Stevie Wonder (9)
4. (tie) Diana Ross & the Supremes (8)
           Temptations
6.  Four Tops (7)
7. Marvelettes (2)
Favorite Covers (2 or more votes):
1. (tie) Gloria Gaynor – “Never Can Say Goodbye” (3)
            Soft Cell – “Where Did Our Love Go” (“Tainted Love” 12") (3)
2. (tie) Aretha Franklin – “Until You Come Back To Me” (2)
            Beatles – “Money (That's What I Want)” (2)
            Beatles – “Please Mr. Postman” (2)
            English Beat – “The Tears of a Clown” (2)
            Flying Lizards – “Money (That’s What I Want)” (2)
            Otis Redding – “My Girl” (2)
            Rolling Stones – “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” (2)
Worst Songs (2 or more votes):
1. Charlene – “I’ve Never Been to Me” (3)
2. Bruce Willis – “Respect Yourself” (2)

what, no Slits!? Didn't vote in the subpolls so it's partially my fault

http://i.imgur.com/9mHB0fx.jpg

10. SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES "The Tears of a Clown" (1967) [146 points, 16 votes]

"You're All I Need to Get By" is really good - wasn't familiar with this one.

"Tears of a Clown" - what an amazing backing track, and overall getting across the message that he's happy on the outside and hurting on the inside. Was there ever a happier "Sad, sad, sad"? And people act like the Smiths invented this...

Tears of a Clown is one that's never as good in my memory as it is while I'm listening to it. It really is a marvel of a song.

And yet, that backing track existed before the words were written!

"Tears"'s basic arrangement is one I'd like to hear with a bunch of different instrumental groupings. Rock band, synth pop, jazz quintet, etc. I imagine it would be a monster every time.

http://i.imgur.com/QeOtIYJ.jpg

09. STEVIE WONDER "Superstition" (1972) [153 points, 9 votes]

Even though it's #9, I sort of expected this to be higher. Because ILM.

this one is obviously a classic but has been hurt for me by overplay. It must have been revelatory at the time.

I imagine this is the only Stevie appearance in the top 10 unless "Uptight" sucked up more votes for featuring a more classic Motown sound.

So, yay, 2 Stevie songs in the top 10!

I think Stevie Wonder was hurt a bit in this poll by already having had his own poll--hurt in one way, not in another. Will get to that later.

"Tears of a Clown" is indeed 1967, but I always list it as 1970, the year it was a hit. Had that disagreement with Geir once!

http://i.imgur.com/06PkMdv.jpg

08. THE TEMPTATIONS "My Girl" (1965) [156 points, 11 votes, 1 first place vote]

It's hard to believe those are the same guys who performed "Ball of Confusion"!

Not all of them are.

I was thinking just that right as I pressed reply...

Always preferred "My Guy" to "My Girl," but I guess then I would.

agreed, it's much less tightly wound than My Girl but a more enjoyable listen. "My Girl" seems like a pretty hard sell job in comparison.

Maybe the most perfect pop single ever.

otoh, I like Mary Wells but really don't rate "My Guy" so highly. It's kind of clumsy and artless? I dunno. I'm a cretin.

glenn mcdonald on "My Girl"

If we ever have to explain pop to the aliens, this might be the place to start.

Yeah, maybe.

xp

Also, re: the covers poll: No one else likes CCR's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine?!"

I do, but I didn't vote in any of the subpolls.

http://i.imgur.com/9hsyb58.jpg

07. MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (1967) [166 points, 13 votes]

Don't know why I've never been all that crazy about this one, really. Blame Hollywood, I guess.

Yeah, of the three Marvin & Tammi tracks to place in the top 60, this is the third-best imo.

crazy talk

Crazier talk: I much prefer the Diana Ross version.

Me too (esp. the unedited version)

Also, I am bummed there's such shortage of Marvin/Tammi recorded material. I want to listen to 20 albums' worth, and there are only two.

― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, July 26, 2013 4:57 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

what exactly is the deal with Easy? A "third" Marvin & Tammi album issued in 1969, but purportedly has only two that Tammi actually sang on, and even those had been in the vaults for a few years just needing overdubs by Gaye (several of their earlier duets were also recorded that way). But Valerie Simpson swears up and down that Tammi did in fact add her overdubs to replace her guide vocals. I don't hear it, and of course by the time it was made her health was too poor to do any recording.

More Temptations tracks needed.

http://i.imgur.com/DFny55w.jpg

06. THE SUPREMES "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (1966) [168 points, 14 votes, 2 first place votes]

Man, the nagging guitar on this

The first-ever disco hit?

Craziest talk?? The Inner Life cover of 'Ain't No Mountain...' is streets ahead of the others xxp

I kind of think of the Marvin & Tammi duets as the height of pop music in a lot of ways. The Complete Duets, fwiw, has a few alternate takes.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/e6b5edb6067a952564bc355a74986fd5/tumblr_mgdxxf0W9D1qb6n9lo1_500.jpg

Also prefer Diana's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

Love the intro of You Keep Me Hangin' On even though it reminds me of the music they used to play behind the headlines on regional news programmes. "Tonight on Look South East…" (See also: Bowie's Starman)

So many of the great Motown hits kill it in the opening seconds - they don't hang about.

what exactly is the deal with Easy?

I'd never really read about it before today. I'd always had the impression it was kind of an 'odds & sods' compilation, and that appears to be exactly what it is. It's nice that Motown said they were going to give a percentage of the proceeds to Terrell's family to help with medical bills (wonder if that actually happened).

Top 5 predictions?

Sticking with orange, even though that looks more yellow to me. Unless you go rainbow all of a sudden.

Heatwave, Uptight, I Want You Back, Grapevine plus one other ... Reach Out

xp it's yellowy orange.

http://i.imgur.com/xeLFXys.jpg

05. FOUR TOPS "Reach Out I'll Be There" (1966) [198 points, 14 votes]

I would've been perfectly fine with this being #1, as it's probably the first song I heard in my youth that I connected to something called "Motown". Therefore, it's the most Motowniest Motown single to me.

I love the opening part...sort of Sergio Leone-esque.

roughly the best song ever

Heatwave, Uptight, I Want You Back, Grapevine plus one other ... Reach Out

― Ismael Klata, Monday, July 29, 2013 1:42 PM (54 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

sub out Tracks Of My Tears for Uptight and those are my predictions. Probably "Grapevine" at #1 but maybe "I Want You Back"

Would be funny if the #1 and #2 would be the same as per a hoy hoy's example of how to submit our ballots.

My #1 evidently not going to place :-(

This song excluded, I've wrongly over time considered Four Tops to be the inferior little cousin of The Temptations, but after the last month of listening to both I'd put them on equal standing in every conceivable way.

No Cloud Nine or Ball of Confusion in the top 60 then? *Burns down poll like it's Detroit in '67*

Temptations' songs may have suffered from vote splitting? After much agonising I went with The Undisputed Truth version of "Ball Of Confusion".

re: the four tops it's kinda odd that "standing in the shadows of love" didn't place

oh well you can't have everything

In other Motown news, I didn't realize until just now that Berry Gordy is Rockwell's father.

I didn't realize until just now that Rockwell is Redfoo's brother.

No Cloud Nine or Ball of Confusion in the top 60 then? *Burns down poll like it's Detroit in '67 '71*

http://i.imgur.com/1bmZpDO.jpg

04. THE MIRACLES "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) [219 points, 14 votes]

Reach Out!

the "HAH!"'s followed by the break are the best moments in that song

aw hell yeah

Tracks is killer

No Cloud Nine or Ball of Confusion in the top 60 then? *Burns down poll like it's Detroit in '67 '71* '13

Christgau's description of the Four Tops as the Four Over-the-Tops kind of ruined them for me.

Smokey had the lyric for the chorus written for a long time except for the last line. Took him a while before he came up with just what you could "trace" if you looked closer....

Four Tops > Christgau

xp - i love that story for some reason - a great songwriter who almost couldn't find the awesome title phrase

I love that Pete Townshend got the idea for "Substitute" from hearing the way the word was used in the lyric to ToMT

I will always count the B-side, "A Fork in the Road," as the better song. Sorry...

anxiously awaiting #3

have to believe "grapevine" & "i want you back" will place, probably top two, but there are too many other possible great songs to fill that third remaining slot

Wait no more!

http://i.imgur.com/nMi7mrN.jpg

03. MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS "(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave" (1963) [220 points, 18 votes, 2 first place votes]

aw yeah

LOVE this

I was feeling glum about not getting my shit together and voting, but really glad to see Heat Wave make the top 5.

Not my favourite by them--only a reflection of how great they were--but love how it's used in Carrie.

Dancing in the Street is my favorite, but I can't argue with the greatness of Heat Wave. I'd probably just switch their spots, since they're both inside the top 20.

My no.1. I mentioned the Motown show I was at last Christmas; I was virtually (and very possibly actually) in tears when they did this.

Didn't expect Heat Wave to place *this* high. But happy it did!

So good! Agree with JF on Dancing vs Heat Wave.

So happy there's some female presence in the top 5!

http://i.imgur.com/WGnYcrc.jpg

02. JACKSON 5 "I Want You Back" (1969) [254 points, 18 votes, 1 first place vote]

—————

http://i.imgur.com/cvS4XlV.jpg

01. MARVIN GAYE "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (1968) [312 points, 20 votes, 6 first place votes]

yay marv

Is that the first time "I Want You Back" has failed to win an ILM poll? This is our Vertigo-beats-Citizen Kane moment.

20 votes!

Which means I'm about the only one that didn't vote for it. Obv it's all-time, and yet it never really did that much for me. Maybe it's because I've never been in the situation described in the song, or maybe those incessant, annoying California Raisins adverts ruined it for me, or maybe something else I can't describe.

worthy winner, thanks for putting on the poll!

xp I think there were 26 ballots in the end, so you have five partners in crime.

Because it is a CRIME not to vote for I Heard It Through the Grapevine.

I've got four extra lists:

Most Total Songs

Stevie Wonder – 29
Marvin Gaye (solo) – 24
Supremes (w/Diana Ross) – 22
Miracles (w/Smokey Robinson) – 21
Temptations – 21
Four Tops – 15
Martha & the Vandellas – 14
Marvelettes – 11
Jackson 5 – 9
Gladys Knight & the Pips – 8

Most Total Points

Marvin Gaye (solo) – 960
Temptations – 861
Miracles (w/Smokey Robinson only) – 835
Supremes (w/Diana Ross only) – 768
Four Tops – 672
Stevie Wonder – 626
Martha & the Vandellas – 520
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – 438
Jackson 5 – 423
Marvelettes – 272

Most Points-Per-Song (minimum 5 songs)

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – 62.6
Jackson 5 – 47.0
Four Tops – 44.8
Temptations – 41.0
Marvin Gaye (solo) – 40.0
Miracles (w/Smokey Robinson only) – 39.8
Martha & the Vandellas – 37.1
Supremes (w/Diana Ross only) – 34.9
Commodores (all configurations) – 33.1
Diana Ross (solo) – 26.7

Big Five (combining all solo/group/duet votes)

Marvin Gaye – 35 songs/1433 points
Diana Ross – 32/984
Stevie Wonder – 29/626
Smokey Robinson – 28/925
Michael Jackson – 14/495

Marvin Gaye kind of dominated the poll. Stevie Wonder had the most songs, but--again, I think because people already had the chance to vote for them in a previous poll--didn't get many points per song ("Superstition" excepted).

(All those numbers, obviously, for the entire 342 songs that got votes, not just the Top 60.)

^good stat work there

Also, I did get to see JF's images at the weekend - really nice.

Thanks both and of course to V79 a hoy hoy

Excellent work clemenza! Excellent work voters! Hope a hoy hoy is happy with the way things turned out!

and of course to V79 a hoy hoy

lol, those two now forever linked in my brain

Says the guy who could only get it together to do a top ten

This was so great guys, seriously.

YAY thank u everyone!!!!

Yes, big thanks to everyone who put this one together. This countdown is gonna make for an unbeatable road trip playlist for me.

Thanks clemenza and Johnny. This was fun.

thx JF, clemenza, and a hoy hoy

My ballot included:
- two Marvin Gaye hits I can't believe didn't place
- a Tim Hardin cover
- a Bobby Darin song that was later covered by Tim Hardin for his only hit as a singer
- a #1 pick that didn't place
- two tracks from well into the '80s, just before Motown was sold (out) to MCA
- a Supremes curio that was based on a Beach Boys song and produced by Phil Spector
- two songs that are apparently omnipresent in Britain but virtually unknown here in the US ("The Night" and "Do I Love You")

1. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - More Love
2. The Temptations - My Girl
3. Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
4. Four Tops - If I Were A Carpenter
5. Marvin Gaye - Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
6. The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
7. Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want)
8. Martha & The Vandellas - Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)
9. Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
10. Stevie Wonder - Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing
11. The Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes
12. Michael Jackson - Got To Be There
13. Martha & the Vandellas - (Love Is Like a) Heat Wave
14. Stevie Wonder - You Will Know
15. The Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears
16. Jackson 5 - I'll Be There
17. Rare Earth - I Just Want To Celebrate
18. Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
19. Billy Eckstine - Had You Been Around
20. Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
21. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
22. The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin’ On
23. Stevie Wonder - I Was Made To Love Her
24. The Supremes - Things Are Changing
25. Bobby Darin - Simple Song of Freedom
26. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - The Tears of a Clown
27. Jr. Walker & The All Stars - Shotgun
28. Linda Griner - Goodbye Cruel Love
29. Mary Jane Girls - In My House
30. Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious
31. Edwin Starr - If My Heart Could Tell The Story
32. The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart Of Mine
33. Arthur Adams - It’s Private Tonight
34. The Temptations - (I Know) I’m Losing You
35. Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston - It Takes Two
36. Four Tops - Standing in the Shadows of Love
37. Jackson 5 - The Love You Save
38. Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons - The Night
39. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
40. Eddie Holland - I'm On The Outside Looking In
41. Martha & The Vandellas - In My Lonely Room
42. Smokey Robinson - Being With You
43. Wes Henderson - In Bed
44. Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
45. The Elgins - Stay In My Lonely Arms
46. Fantastic Four - I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again
47. Stoney & Meatloaf - What You See Is What You Get
48. Arthur Adams - Let's Make Some Love
49. The Temptations - Get Ready
50. Barbara McNair - Here I Am Baby

Favourite singles artist/band: Smokey Robinson/Miracles (topped my list partly for his crucial songwriting contributions to other acts; otherwise would have gone with Gaye)

Favourite cover version: Rolling Stones "Just My Imagination" *(probably 25 I like even better but couldn't think of them off hand)

oops Rare Earth should have been boldfaced

(boldface = nonplacing selections)

Got that right at least. Kim Weston wants a recount!

two Marvin Gaye hits I can't believe didn't place: Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) and Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston - It Takes Two

Yeah, those are some pretty great songs. A Motown top 60 could actually consist of a pool of about 250 songs, perhaps more. It just depends on the voters and the day they vote.

Excellent images, JF. They all make me think of Blue Velvet: "Goddamn, you're one suave fucker."

1. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – Way Over There (30)
2. Stevie Wonder – If You Really Love Me (25)
3. Jackson 5 – I’ll Be There (24)
4. Undisputed Truth – Smiling Faces Sometimes (23)
5. Frank Wilson – Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) (22)
6. Jr. Walker & the All Stars – What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) (21)
7. Diana Ross & the Supremes – Reflections (20)
8. Linda Griner – Goodbye Cruel World (19)
9. Martha & the Vandellas – Wild One (18)
10. Marvin Gaye – Ain’t That Peculiar (17)

11. Temptations – Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) (16)
12. Brenda Holloway – Land of a Thousand Boys (15)
13. Stevie Wonder – Ma Cherie Amour (14)
14. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – A Fork in the Road (13)
15. Velvelettes – Think of the Times (12)
16. Diana Ross – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (11)
17. David Ruffin – My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) (10)
18. Martha & the Vandellas – Nowhere to Run (9)
19. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – Ooo Baby Baby (8)
20. Supremes – Your Heart Belongs to Me (7)
21. Stevie Wonder – Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (6)
22. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – The Tears of a Clown (5)
23. Martha & the Vandellas – Dancing in the Street (4)
24. Jackson 5 – I Want You Back (3)
25. Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go (2)

26. Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye – My Mistake (1)
27. Marvin Gaye – I’ll Be Doggone (1)
28. Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way (1)
29. Temptations – Since I Lost My Baby (1)
30. Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers – Does Your Mama Know About Me (1)
31. Four Tops – Baby I Need Your Loving (1)
32. Mary Wells – What Love Has Joined Together (1)
33. Dynamic Superiors – Shoe Shoe Shine (1)
34. Marvelettes – Don’t Mess with Bill (1)
35. Mynah Byrds – It’s My Time (1)

My ballot (DNP in bold)

1. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – You’re All I Need to Get By
2. The Temptations – Ball of Confusion
3. Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons – The Night
4. Frank Wilson – Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
5. The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
6. Stevie Wonder – Superstition
7. The Four Tops – Bernadette
8. The Isley Brothers – This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)
9. Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through the Grapevine
10. The Temptations – Cloud Nine
11. Diana Ross & the Supremes – You Keep Me Hangin’ On
12. Stevie Wonder – Living for the City
13. Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way
14. The Temptations – Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
15. The Four Tops – Reach Out, I’ll Be There
16. Diana Ross & the Supremes – My World Is Empty Without You
17. The Temptations – (I Know) I’m Losing You
18. Stevie Wonder - As
19. Diana Ross – I’m Coming Out
20. Carl Bean – I Was Born This Way
21. Marvin Gaye – Got to Give It Up
22. The Jackson 5 – Maybe Tomorrow
23. Stevie Wonder – Signed, Sealed, Delivered
24. Martha & the Vandellas – Nowhere to Run
25. The Temptations – I Wish It Would Rain
26. Stevie Wonder – You Haven’t Done Nothin’
27. Diana Ross – Upside Down
28. Stevie Wonder – Higher Ground
29. The Undisputed Truth – Smiling Faces Sometimes
30. Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
31. Edwin Starr – War
32. Diana Ross & the Supremes – Love Child
33. Stevie Wonder – Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
34. Marvin Gaye – I Want You
35. Martha & the Vandellas – Dancing in the Street
36. The Marvelettes – The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game
37. The Spinners – Message From a Black Man
38. Lionel Richie – All Night Long (All Night)
39. Stevie Wonder – For Once in My Life
40. R Dean Taylor – There’s a Ghost in My House
41. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – Tears of a Clown
42. Martha & the Vandellas – I Can’t Dance to That Music You’re Playing
43. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
44. Smokey Robinson – Just My Soul Responding
45. The Temptations – Law of the Land
46. Jimmy Ruffin – What Becomes of the Broken Hearted
47. Rare Earth – Get Ready
48. Rita Wright – I Can’t Give Back the Love I Feel for You
49. The Supremes – Automatically Sunshine
50. Eddie Kendricks – Girl You Need a Change of Mind

1. Martha and the Vandellas - (Love Is Like a) Heat Wave
2. Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
3. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears
4. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Love I Saw In You Was Just a Mirage
5. The Isley Brothers - My Love Is Your Love (Forever)
6. Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up
7. The Four Tops - Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
8. The Temptations - Just My Imagination
9. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
10. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
11. Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts
12. The Supremes - I Hear A Symphony
13. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - You've Really Got A Hold On Me
14. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terell - You're All I Need To Get By
15. Michael Jackson - We've Got A Good Thing Going
16. Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amour
17. The Elgins - Heaven Must Have Sent You
18. The Temptation - My Girl
19. The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go?
20. The Temptations - Ball of Confusion
21 . The Temptations - I Wish It Would Rain
22. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Don't Blame You At All
23. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion
24. The Temptations - You're My Everything
25. Michael Jackson - I Wanna Be Where You Are

1. Heatwave - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
2. My World Is Empty Without You - The Supremes
3. You Keep Me Hangin' On - The Supremes
4. I Want You Back - Jackson 5
5. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
6. Come See About Me - The Supremes
7. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
8. Please Mr Postman - The Marvelettes
9. You're All I Need To Get By - Tammi Terrell
10. Darling Dear - Smokey Robinson

you're a man of good taste Klata

LOL, if "I Want You Back" is the Kane and "Grapevine" is the Vertigo, then yes, this eerily aligns with my excitement over last year's S&S results.

Brilliant job everybody!

1. The Miracles - I Second That Emotion
2. The Temptations - My Girl
3. The Miracles - Tracks of My Tears
4. The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg
5. Martha and the Vandellas - Heat Wave
6. The Jackson Five - The Love You Save
7. The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
8. Mary Wells - My Guy
9. The Miracles - Tears of a Clown
10. The Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game
11. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
12. The Four Tops - Bernadette
13. The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love
14. The Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving
15. The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
16. The Four Tops - Walk Away Renee
17. The Jackson Five - I Want You Back
18. The Supremes - Back in My Arms Again
19. Martha and the Vandellas - Honey Chile
20. The Four Tops - Reach Out, I'll Be There
21. Martha and the Vandellas - Quicksand
22. Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
23. Mary Wells - The One Who Really Loves You
24. The Temptations - Since I Lost My Baby
25. Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her

26-50 (not ranked)
Martha and the Vandellas - I'm Ready for Love
The Elgins - Darling Baby
The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of Mine
The Miracles - If You Can Want
The Marvelettes - Strange I Know
The Marvelettes - Forever
The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman
The Marvelettes - My Baby Must Be a Magician
Mary Wells - Whisper You Love Me Boy
Mary Wells - You Beat Me to the Punch
The Supremes - Nothing But Heartaches
The Supremes - Stop in the Name of Love
The Supremes - You Belong to Me
The Temptations - The Way You Do the Things You Do
Michael Jackson - I Wanna Be Where You Are
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Stevie Wonder - Master Blaster (Jammin')
The Four Tops - Standing in the Shadows of Love
The Four Tops - 7 Rooms of Gloom
The Four Tops - It's the Same Old Song
Jr. Walker and the All Stars - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)
R. Dean Taylor - Gotta See Jane
Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way

Even though I shouted it out in the discussion thread, I totally forgot to vote for the Mynah Birds "It's My Time" - I was working from a list that showed Motown singles by the year up to 1988, and it wasn't listed since it was only recently issued on a 45rpm single, so it slipped my mind. I'd put it at about #15.

This has been fun. Super thanks to Phil for stepping in and the great countdown.
I'll do a top 10 and a DNP. I definitely skew towards the H/D/H era. The Supremes did fine, and California Soul is more of a personal favorite, but probably should have vote-stuffed the Weston songs!

1 I Heard It Through The Grapevine-Marvin Gaye
2 Reflections-Supremes
3 (I Know) I'm Losing You-The Temptations
4 The Tracks Of My Tears - The Miracles
5 Nowhere To Run-Martha
6 Reach Out (I'll Be There)-The Four Tops
7 What Becomes of the Brokenhearted Jimmy Ruffin
8 Tears of a Clown-Smokey Robinson
9 Back In My Arms Again Supremes
10 California Soul-Gaye & Terrell

DNP
9 Back In My Arms Again Supremes
10 California Soul-Gaye & Terrell
11 ABC-The Jackson 5
13 Someday We’ll Be Together-The Supremes
20 Uptight-Steve Wonder
22 I'm a Road Runner Junior Walker
23 Come See About Me Supremes
26 It's The Same Old Song-Four Tops
29 Jimmy Mack-Martha & the Vandellas
34 Take Me In Your Arms-Kim Weston
36 It Takes Two Gaye & Weston
41 For Once in My Life-Stevie Wonder
43 Don'T mess With Bill-Marvelettes
44 Two Can Have A Party-Gaye & Terrell
46 Ask The Lonely - Four Tops
48 My World Is Empty Without You - The Supremes
50 Heaven Must Have Sent You - The Elgins

Glad to see all the love for the Elgins - they always seem to be forgotten

1.The Marvelettes – Please Mr. Postman
2.The Contours – Do You Love Me?
3.Stevie Wonder – Superstition
4.The Isley Brothers – I Guess I’ll Always Love You
5.The Temptations – Ain’t Too Proud To Beg
6.The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go?
7.Marvin Gaye – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
8.The Adantes – Like A Nightmare
9.Marvin Gaye – One More Heartache
10.The Marvelettes – I Need Someone
11.Stevie Wonder – Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
12.The Temptations – Fading Away
13.Gladys Knight & The Pips – I Wish It Would Rain
14.Barrett Strong – “Money (That’s What I Want)”
15.Mary Wells – My Guy
16.Rick James – Superfreak Part I
17.Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – (We’ve Got) Honey Love
18.David Ruffin – I’m So Glad I Fell For You
19.The Miracles – Mickey’s Monkey
20.Stevie Wonder – Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours
21.Gladys Knight & The Pips – Don’t Let Her Take Your Love From Me
22.The Four Tops – You Keep Running Away
23.The Temptations – I Can’t Get Next To You
24.The Four Tops – I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
25.Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On
26.Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Tears Of A Clown
27.LaBrenda Ben & The Beljeans – The Camel Walk
28.Rick James – Give It To Me Baby
29.Dazz Band – Let It Whip
30.Stevie Wonder – Living For The City
31.The Supremes – Come See About Me
32.Diana Ross & The Supremes – In And Out Of Love
33.Eddie Holland – Leaving Here
34.The Jackson 5 – ABC
35.Martha & The Vandellas – Dancing In The Street
36.Stevie Wonder – My Cherie Amour
37.The Temptations – Ball of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)
38.Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
39.Stevie Wonder – Fingertips, Part 2
40.The Marvelettes – The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
41.The Supremes – Stop! In The Name of Love
42.David Ruffin – I’ve Got To Find Myself A Brand New Baby
43.The Temptations – Get Ready
44.The Miracles – I Gotta Dance To Keep From Crying
45.The Marvelettes – My Baby Must Be A Magician
46.Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – Darling, I Hum Our Song
47.The Temptations – The Way You Do The Things You Do
48.Marv Johnson – I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)
49.Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine
50.The Isley Brothers – Just Ain’t Enough Love

favorite artists/bands:

1. The Marvelettes
2. The Temptations
3. Marvin Gaye
4. Stevie Wonder
5. The Four Tops

i put a lot of obscure stuff on my ballot, but it's still staggering how many stone classics i had to put in bold there.

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - You're All I Need to Get By
Commodores - Nightshift
Edwin Starr - War
The Four Tops - Reach Out, I'll Be There
Marvin Gaye - Heavy Love Affair*
The Temptations - (I Know) I'm Losing You
David Ruffin - My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)
Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
The Temptations - Papa Was a Rolling Stone
Syreeta - I Love Every Little Thing About You*
Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out*
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tears of a Clown
The Temptations - My Girl
Lionel Richie - All Night Long (All Night)*
The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Dancing in the Street
Smokey Robinson - Cruisin'
Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way
The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg
Eddie Kendricks - Girl You Need a Change of Mind
The Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving
Dazz Band - Let It Whip*
Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious*
Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me*
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - The Night
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
The Temptations - Ball of Confusion*
The Marvelettes - I'll Keep Holding On*
The Supremes - Come See About Me*
Diana Ross - Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)*
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want)
The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love
Mary Wells - Strange Love*
Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
The Temptations - Get Ready
David Ruffin - I Can't Stop the Rain*
Diana Ross - Love Hangover
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Heatwave
Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life*
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Your Precious Love*
The Marvelettes - After All*
Lionel Richie - Say You, Say Me*
Marvin Gaye - Ego Tripping Out*
The Four Tops - Bernadette
The Supremes - Stop! In the Name of Love
Rick James - Give It to Me Baby*
The Temptations - Psychedelic Shack*
The Miracles - You've Really Got a Hold on Me

Heavy Love Affair is getting slept on by everybody who appreciates good basslines.

We clearly need a separate Marvin Gaye poll.... (and perhaps a Supremes/Diana Roas poll and a Smokey Robinson/Miracles poll too. And maybe Temptations. And Four Tops. And.....)

Incidentally, I was conscious not to stiff Stevie Wonder because he'd already been polled, and had three Wonder tracks in my top 25 (and four altogether).

awesome graphics johnny fever :)

staggered that "Ball of Confusion" didn't place; kids growin up too soon

ace poll! long Diana version of Ain't No Mountain (the 6 mins plus one) might be my favourite soul/funk song of all time, baffled that it didn't get much love.

Craziest talk?? The Inner Life cover of 'Ain't No Mountain...' is streets ahead of the others xxp

― ewar woowar (or something), Monday, July 29, 2013 5:20 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

OTM. Even crazier talk: The Diana Ross cover of "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" (esp. the long version) is better than the Four Tops version.

My ballot (DNP in bold):

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
Eddie Kendricks - Girl You Need a Change of Mind
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
The Miracles - Tracks of my Tears
Diana Ross - Love Hangover
Marvin Gaye - I Heard it Through the Grapevine
The Undisputed Truth - What it is
The Temptations - Get Ready
Diana Ross - Reach Out, I'll Be There
Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious
Marvin Gaye - You
The Elgins - Heaven Must Have Sent You
Diana Ross - Upside Down
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Thelma Houston - Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
The Supremes - Love is Like an Itching in my Heart
The Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game
Martha and the Vandellas - Heat Wave
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - I Second That Emotion
Marv Johnson - I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)
The Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You
Gladys Knight and the Pips - You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You?)
Jackson 5 - I am Love
Syreeta - Spinnin' and Spinnin'
Carl Bean - I Was Born This Way

Gary Byrd and the GB Experience - The Crown
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - The Night
Commodores - Nightshift
Jackson 5 - Maybe Tomorrow
Mandre - Solar Flight (Opus I)
Tammi Terrell - I Can't Believe You Love Me
Gordon Staples and the Motown Strings - Strung Out
Martha & the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run
R Dean Taylor - There's a Ghost in My House
Syreeta - I Love Every Little Thing About You
The Temptations - Cloud Nine
Marvin Gaye - A Funky Space Reincarnation
Caston and Majors - I'll Keep My Light in My Window
Eddie Holland - You Deserve What You Got
The Dazz Band - Let It Whip
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - California Soul
Four Tops - Still Water (Love)
Smokey Robinson - Baby That's Backatcha
Jr Walker and the All Stars - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Jackson 5 - The Life of a Party
Four Tops - Standing in the Shadows of Love
The Supremes - High Energy
Odyssey - Our Lives Are Shaped by What We Love
The Contours - Whole Lotta Woman
Stevie Wonder - Superstition

1. - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing
2. - Martha & The Vandellas - Heat Wave
3. - Miracles - Ooo Baby Baby
4. - Barrett Strong - Money (That’s What I Want)
5. - Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers - Does Your Mama Know About Me
6. - Edwin Starr - War
7. - Jr. Walker & The All Stars - Shotgun
8. - Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
9. - Contours - Do You Love Me
10. - Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up (Pt. I)
11. - Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
12. - Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving
13. - Miracles - Going To A Go-Go
14. - Stevie Wonder - If You Really Love Me
15. - Rick James - Super Freak (Part I)
16. - Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone
17. - Rare Earth - Get Ready
18. - Spinners - It’s A Shame
19. - Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
20. - Stevie Wonder - You Haven’t Done Nothin’
21. - Supremes - Stop! In The Name Of Love
22. - Diana Ross & The Supremes - Someday We’ll Be Together
23. - Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman
24. - Mary Wells - My Guy
25. - Blue Scepter - Gypsy Eyes
26. - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tears Of A Clown
27. - Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes
28. - Michael Jackson - Got To Be There
29. - Martha & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street
30. - Commodores - Brick House
31. - Dan The Banjo Man - Londonderry
32. - Diana Ross & The Supremes - Love Child
33. - Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There
34. - Four Tops - Walk Away Renee
35. - Gladys Knight & The Pips - If I Were Your Woman
36. - Jackson 5 - Never Can Say Goodbye
37. - Jackson 5 - ABC
38. - Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted
39. - Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
40. - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
41. - Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears
42. - Miracles - Shop Around
43. - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion
44. - Stevie Wonder - Superstition
45. - Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go
46. - Temptations - I Need Your Lovin'
47. - Temptations - Psychedelic Shack
48. - Isley Brothers - Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)
49. - Bobby Darin - Sail Away
50. - Gladys Knight & the Pips - I Heard It Through the Grapevine

I wish I'd put the Vancouvers at #1 now. The big hits didn't need the help.

So a lot of my list didn't place but that's okay as it's all good. Pretty sure I'm the only one that voted for my number two, that song is crazy and truly amazing. I would have liked to see some Syreeta in the list but not surprised she was left out.

1. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - The Night
2. Commodores - The Zoo (Human Zoo)
3. The Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
4. The Four Tops - 7-Rooms of Gloom
5. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
6. Syreeta - I'm Goin' Left
7. Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
8. Diana Ross - My Old Piano
9. Commodores - Easy
10. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - I'm Ready For Love
11. The Marvelettes - Destination Anywhere
12. The Four Tops - Still Water (Love)
13. The Supremes - Love Child
14. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Just Walk In My Shoes
15. Marvin Gaye - One More Heartache
16. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Point It Out
17. The Temptations - Mother Nature
18. The Four Tops - Bernadette
19. Syreeta - Spinnin & Spinnin
20. The Four Tops - (It's The Way) Nature Planned It
21. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - If You Can Want
22. The Marvelettes - My Baby Must Be a Magician
23. The Supremes - My World Is Empty Without You
24. Eddie Kendricks - If You Let Me
25. Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
26. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - In My Lonely Room
27. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - (Love Is Like a) Heatwave
28. Syreeta - To Know You is to Love You
29. Eddie Kendricks - The Thin Man
30. The Miracles - Love Machine
31. The Supremes - No Matter What Sign You Are
32. The Isley Brothers - Behind a Painted Smile
33. Smokey Robinson - Just My Soul Responding
34. Stevie Wonder - He's Misstra Know It All
35. Stevie Wonder - Another Star
36. Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Me
37. Smokey Robinson - Quiet Storm
38. The Supremes - Forever Came Today
39. The Jackson 5 - Lookin' Through The Windows
40. The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
41. Eddie Kendricks - Shoeshine Boy
42. The Temptations - Get Ready
43. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
44. Marvin Gaye - Heavy Love Affair
45. Smokey Robinson - Cruisin'
46. Stevie Wonder - Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
47. The Jackson 5 - Maybe Tomorrow
48. Jimmy Ruffin - Farewell Is a Lonely Sound
49. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - More Love
50. Commodores - Brick House

Thanks to everyone who put this together.

Yeah, I meant to say -- thank you to the AHH/Clem/Fever tag team for running this one!

I'm sitting outside a Starbucks reading this thread as suddenly "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave" starts blaring thru the outdoor speakers. Yeah, this is #1 vote material for sure....

I admit it - the California Raisins may be half-responsible for my lifelong love of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," but I'm sure they aren't the reason Marvin Gaye is my favorite singer in the whole world. You know all those Motown anthologies? I have a bunch of them, and Marvin's eats the others for breakfast.

I'm pleasantly surprised that "Grapevine" won and Gaye dominated the results. And "Heat Wave" made top 3. Shit, it's enough to make you shed a tear for Detroit. Not enough Supremes in the top half of the poll, but the best stuff won - sorry for the Dave Marsh hyperbole, but we'd all be poorer for not having heard any one of the songs in the top 10.

1) Marvin Gaye - I Heard it Through the Grapevine
2) The Four Tops - Reach Out, I'll Be There
3) The Supremes - Stop in the Name of Love
4) Martha & the Vandellas - Heat Wave
5) Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
6) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
7) The Temptations - Papa Was a Rolling Stone
8) The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
9) Marvin Gaye - Ain't That Peculiar
10) Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Your Precious Love
11) The Temptations - All I Need
12) The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself
13) Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - The Tears of A Clown
14) The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love
15) The Supremes - Come See About Me
16) Stevie Wonder - As
17) Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amour
18) The Jackson 5 - I'll Be There
19) The Four Tops - Bernadette
20) The Supremes - Back in My Arms Again
21) Marvin Gaye - Come Get to This
22) Teena Marie - Square Biz
23) Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her
24) Martha & the Vandellas - Nowhere to Run
25) The Supremes - Reflections
26) Stevie Wonder - If You Really Love Me
27) Stevie Wonder - Living for the City
28) Marvin Gaye - Praise
29) Diana Ross - Upside Down
30) The Spinners - It's A Shame
31) The Supremes - Love Child
32) The Temptations - The Way You Do the Things You Do
33) The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
34) Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
35) Marvin Gaye - Got to Give It Up
36) Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Me
37) Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - I Second That Emotion
38) Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - You've Really Got A Hold On Me
39) Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Ooo Baby Baby
40) Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - More Love
41) The Supremes - My World Is Empty Without You
42) The Four Tops - Still Water (Love)
43) Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground
44) Stevie Wonder - Never Had a Dream Come True
45) The Temptations - Just My Imagination
46) Stevie Wonder - Overjoyed
47) Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues
48) Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
49) The Four Tops - I'm in a Different World
50) The Jackson 5 - Maybe Tomorrow

Favorite singles artists:
1) Marvin Gaye
2) The Supremes
3) Stevie Wonder
4) The Four Tops
5) Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

I'm amazed at how many of the songs I voted for didn't place - I thought my picks were kind of obvious - and how great the results were even so. Well done, ILM.

wow & Papa Was a Rolling Stone didn't place either? amazing

It was number 11

Clemenza, any chance you could post a googledoc spreadsheet of the full results? Sorry if you've answered this upthread.

My ballot. Flip side of the single mentioned where I thought it significant in terms of inclusion/placement.

01. Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
02. The Miracles - Ooo Baby Baby
03. The Isley Brothers - Behind A Painted Smile <--most shocked by its non-placement in top 60
04. Martha & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street
05. The Undisputed Truth - Ball Of Confusion
06. The Commodores - Sail On
07. Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up, Pts 1 & 2
08. The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
09. Marvin Gaye - Trouble Man
10. Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out
11. Marvin Gaye - Abraham, Martin And John
12. The Undisputed Truth - UFO's
13. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me
14. The Temptations - Cloud Nine
15. The Temptations - Get Ready
16. The Miracles - Love Machine, Pts 1 & 2
17. The Four Tops - Still Water (Love) / Still Water (Peace)
18. The Four Tops - Bernadette
19. Stevie Wonder - Boogie On Reggae Woman
20. The Miracles - Shop Around / Who's Lovin' You
21. The Velvelettes - Needle in a Haystack
22. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - I Can't Dance To The Music You're Playing
23. Junior Walker & The All Stars - Walk In The Night
24. Syreeta - I Love Every Little Thing About You
25. The Commodores - Nightshift

26-50 (unranked)
The Miracles - You've Really Got a Hold on Me
The Miracles - Going to A Go-Go / Choosey Beggar
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Point It Out
Martha & The Vandellas - (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave
Martha & The Vandellas - Nowhere To Run
Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted?
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - The Onion Song
The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
The Four Tops - Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Reflections
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye - Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye - My Mistake (Was to Love You)
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye - You Are Everything
The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
The Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
The Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes
Syreeta - Your Kiss Is Sweet
Edwin Starr - War
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Didn't You Know (You'd Have to Cry Sometime)
The Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
The Commodores - Brick House
The Commodores - Easy
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - The Night
Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way

my anti-canonical 70s/80s weighted ballot was all just so much pissing in the wind in the end.

1. running with the night - lionel ritchie
2. girl you need a change of mind - eddie kendricks
3. bernadette - the four tops
4. nightshift - the commodores
5. love hangover - diana ross
6. i want you - marvin gaye
7. superstition - stevie wonder
8. the night - frankie valli
9. one day in your life - michael jackson
10. rhythm of the night - debarge
11. until you come back to me - stevie wonder
12. going up in smoke - eddie kendricks
13. get ready - the temptations
14. ain't no sushine - michael jackson
15. you're all i need to get by - marvin & tammi
16. you can't hurry love - the supremes
17. real love - debarge
18. when did you stop loving me... - marvin gaye
19. a funky space reincarnation - marvin gaye
20. brothers gonna work it out - willie hutch
21. let me tickle your fancy - jermaine jackson
22. behind the groove - teena marie
23. golden lady - stevie wonder
24. ain't no mountain...- marvin & tammi
25. all night long - mary jane girls
26. needle in a haystack - velvelettes
27. tears of a clown - smokey robinso
28. as - stevie wonder
29. all i do -stevie wonder
30. don't look any further - dennis edwards
31. i heard it through the grapevine - marvin gaye
32. don't leave me this way - thelma houston
33. smiling faces sometimes - the undisputed truth
34. let's get serious - jermaine jackson
35. what's going on - marvin gaye
36. got to be there - michael jackon
37. upside down - diana ross
38. my old piano - diana ross
39. got to give it up - marvin gaye
40. superfreak - rick james
41. with you i'm born again - billy preston & syreeta
42. the boss - diana ross
43. let's get it on - marvin gaye
44. too busy thinking.. - marvin gaye
45. mechanical eotion - vanity
46. solar flight - mandre
47. i want you back - the jacksons
48. rub you the right way - jonny gill
49. i was born this way - carl bean
50. high energy - the supremes

12. going up in smoke - eddie kendricks

One of the omissions that most makes me wish I'd managed to get a ballot in. Oh well, there's always the disco poll.

if you vote for it in that, i'll vote for it in that. definitely deserves some love.

I'm sure I'll find room. Hoping those ballots will be open to 50, too. At least.

WC: I don't know if this will work, but give it a try:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7SjjGanCdBAMWUwTFRpMFlNYWs/edit?usp=sharing

If it opens for you, you can get all the titles and most of the spreadsheet--the last few columns are cut off, and the songs aren't numbered.

Hmm, it shows a filename but otherwise a blank screen.

I see it. There's a few tracks with 8, 9, 10 votes didn't make it.

(xpost) I'll try to figure it out...anyway, I went to your ballot and e-mailed you a copy of the spreadsheet.

ah, I had to be signed in to my acct; I see it now

xp

Did Linda Griner have a song called "Goodbye Cruel Love" and "Goodbye Cruel World", or are they the same song? Both got votes, the former from me.

That's funny...I was the "Goodbye Cruel World" voter--I even have that it labelled that way on my media player. I played it on the radio a couple of times a few years ago and called it that, and listed it on the station playlists as that. I have it on a CD I burned of rare Detroit stuff and called it that on the cover insert.

Oops.

Just been researching this - actually, Motown themselves made the same mistake! (which may be the source of the confusion) - some of the white-label not-for-sale DJ promos were mislabeled "Good-By Cruel World". It was corrected for the regular release.

By any name, this was one of the obscurities I was sure I'd be the only vote for.

http://www.popsike.com/pix/20050320/4712219829.jpg

http://mobile.collectorsfrenzy.com/gallery/280431121275.jpg

Timely coincidence: http://www.avclub.com/articles/can-a-song-truly-define-an-era%2C100902/

NEED THE FULL RESULTS JF ALSO A SPOTIFY HURRY HURRY

clemenza posted full results earlier -- https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7SjjGanCdBAMWUwTFRpMFlNYWs/edit?usp=sharing

o ok thx maybe i'll put together a full spotify

"Heaven Must Have Sent You" was 61st :(

This was my ballot for the side polls:

ALBUMS

Eddie Kendricks - People...Hold On
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
Marvin Gaye - Here My Dear
Syreeta - Stevie Wonder Presents...
The Undisputed Truth - Face to Face with the Truth

COVERS

Inner Life - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
New York Community Choir - I'll Keep My Light In My Window
Horace Andy - Love Hangover
Marlena Shaw - California Soul
Margie Joseph - Stop! In the Name of Love

WORST SONGS

The Supremes - Baby Love
Charlene - I've Never Been To Me

Hey audiophiles, is it true that all CD reissues of these old '60s Motown classics sound far, far inferior to their original single releases (due to deterioration of the masters)? I remember reading that somewhere.