Motown Poll Discussion Thread

http://motownjunkies.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/cropped-hitsville.jpg

http://www.seabear.se/Front.php
http://open.spotify.com/user/maglio/playlist/5Mc4qbY0ExrOwObV2HroTX

I'll be opening the voting next week but feel free to post youtubes and chat about anything and everything.

I'm scared and thrilled at the same time.

Gonna go ahead and get my #1 favorite out of the way: Marvin & Tammi's "You're All I Need". Not just my favorite Motown single, but one of my favorite singles of all time ever.

And on the Ashford/Simpson writing tip, the very underrated and very amazing "Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime)" by Gladys Knight and The Pips.

How long are you going to have voting open for? I was wondering about bringing The Doors forward, if there's a gap to squeeze into.

two songs I want to promote:

martha & the vandellas - I promise to wait my love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBltZXRg3mQ

the underdogs - love's gone bad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AugFirVobQ

Motown-era Spinners isn't generally considered the group's best, but I'll rep hard for this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmMlVm85RRQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmMlVm85RRQ

whatevs. the link is there.

Did we ever establish what sort of timeline we're working with? Just the Detroit-era stuff?

Otherwise Shanice - I Love Your Smile ftw.

Dont forget the Four Tops' Seven Rooms of Gloom

Everything can be voted for imo, even like Boyz II Men.

Gonna hae voting open like three weeks? Im only gonna be part time in tallying so it cant be a tight run week long poll like some of the artist ones.

i like "the tracks of my tears"

or "tracks of my tears," whatever it's called. that might be my #1. how many slots in this ballot?

An amazing lesser-known one from the label's early days: Linda Griner's "Goodbye Cruel World" (1963).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86N6qQuYG50

i think its gonna be a big ballot. 50? any more might hurt my excel skills/brain/relationship with others.

Everything can be voted for imo, even like Boyz II Men.

How's it gonna work with subsidiaries? I only ask in the event someone wants to vote for, say, the Pretty Things' "Private Sorrow" b/w "Balloon Burning," which came out in the US on Rare Earth.

Dont forget the Four Tops' Seven Rooms of Gloom

― ILE Wet Treeship Night (Drugs A. Money)

Good call, this will be very high on my list.

I'd like to bring rep for The Zoo (Human Zoo) by The Commodores. One of the strangest singles ever released on the label. It's four songs in one and it's just incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ztv8lbirPc

Everything can be voted for imo, even like Boyz II Men.

How's it gonna work with subsidiaries? I only ask in the event someone wants to vote for, say, the Pretty Things' "Private Sorrow" b/w "Balloon Burning," which came out in the US on Rare Earth.

― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 23:05 (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

sub poll?

Also The Night by Frankie Valli which should be in everyone's top ten.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsSoDsxB7Yo

I'd also like to mention The Marvelettes who did so many incredible singles, The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game, My Baby Must be a Magician, Don't Mess With Bill and Destination Anywhere.

Eddie Kendricks should get some love too, Girl You Need a Change of Mind, Shoeshine Boy and Keep on Truckin'.

I can already feel myself getting worked up just thinking of how I'm going to choose what to vote for.

Is "Shoeshine Boy" the same as "Shoe Shoe Shine" by the Dynamic Superiors (also Motown)?

sub poll?

― tell me more (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:17 PM (30 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Good idea!

Do you have other side polls planned? I was thinking sidemen would be a good one, even though we already know the winner. Maybe songwriters/producers?

Is "Shoeshine Boy" the same as "Shoe Shoe Shine" by the Dynamic Superiors (also Motown)?

― clemenza

I didn't know that Dynamic Superiors song so I just checked it out on Youtube. It's not the same song but it is nice.

Girl You Need a Change of Mind

YES. One of the most important tracks in the origin story of disco. Unfortunately it looks like it's going to be dated out of Tuomas' poll. Lyrics are a bit dodge but otherwise it's a monster.

http://youtu.be/df8SZF-DPwE

Any chance of an albums subpoll? Kendricks' "People...Hold On" is up there with the greats for me.

idk enough motown to feel like i can vote in this poll. however i will definitely watch the results rollout.

here is my favorite marvin/tammi duet (tho yes, "you're all i need" is a+ classic):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svAs-6MiqxE

Any chance of an albums subpoll? Kendricks' "People...Hold On" is up there with the greats for me.

― sword of (seandalai)

Yeah an albums poll would be great. That album is almost as good as the best Stevie and Marvin.

Gonna start working through the Complete Motown Singles on Spotify.

This is otherworldly--belongs in a David Lynch or Kenneth Anger film:

http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Land+Of+A+Thousand+Boys/3tQh5K?src=5

(Only one YouTube clip that for some reason runs a minute longer.)

Feel compelled to call out this Martha & the Vandellas track

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

kitchen person so otm about "the night"

One of my favourite Norman Whitfield jams for your consideration (YouTube quality not amazing):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrg_NT48Mxo

All Norman Whitfield everything.

I'll post a song a day here, pretty much posting my ballot in the process. A very early Miracles song, not that well known, that I think vies with one or two others as their masterpiece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIQf_iMVzU8

The only Canadian-related Motown I know (with Tommy Chong):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU2cUZoqls4

R. Dean Taylor was Canadian!

(Another Taylor.)

Totally forgot R. Dean (I guess he counts as Motown's Big Star).

Also, the Mynah Birds...or was that not released at the time?

According to Wikipedia, they put out a single in '65 on Columbia, then recorded part of an album for Motown in '66, which was abandoned when Rick James was arrested (!) for deserting the Navy. But two of the songs (will definitely include "It's My Time" on my ballot) showed up on a Motown box in 2006, so yes, I missed another one.

...and was even released on a Motown 45 a couple of years ago

Motown signed the Mynah Birds to a 7-year record deal in 1966. I've long thought about how different Neil Young's career trajectory had been had the band not fallen apart.

He would've abandoned the 1976 James-Young Band project mid-tour.

And there would have never been a Crosby, Stills, Nash, and James

xp so given that "It's My Time" was recorded in 1966 and eventually released on a vinyl single, I think it should qualify. I certainly want to vote for it too.

Yeah--Neil's never demonstrated a problem walking away from stuff. I doubt his trajectory would have changed much at all (the peripherals, maybe, but I imagine he was destined to make those solo records one way or the other).

but Buffalo Springfield would't have happened, which is where Neil first got noticed. He would likely have made the solo albums anyway, but I'm not sure they'd have received anywhere near as much attention (unless the Mynah Birds were a big hit, which we'll never know).

for those not familiar with it, here's "It's My Time"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQTE8hKvaaI

Great shots of Yonge St. at the 0:30 and 1:25 mark.

Known for "He Was Really Saying Something," if at all; I like this one better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBLnn0xkyZ4

I just realized/remembered that Lionel Richie's 80s albums are fair game here. Uh oh.

Oh, and so is Commodores' "Nightshift".

Willie Hutch and Mary Wells.

Zappi to the thread w the Supremes song that sounds like Stereolab

Don't forget Jermaine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbrqjAQll8

this is Motown too!

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

Curious whether this will draw many votes--far and away my favourite Marvin Gaye single:

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

From Marvin's final Motown album, Heavy Love Affair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt-Jl-izxak

Some of my favorite bass work ever in a pop song.

60's Marvin is the hardest to rank. I never think of him as a favorite these days but all of that shit is undeniable. Hitch Hike, I'll Be Doggone, Ain't That Peculiar, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Your Precious Love, I Heard It Through the Grapevine and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z76RDhkB-6c

sick. he could dominate my ballot

I just called to say I love TAMLA MOTOWN SINGLES POLL - VOTING ENDS 1st JULY 2013

This poll is sheer madness! How may songs are we talking about?

Just some gentle nudges...

Mandré - Solar Flight (Opus I)
Thelma Houston - Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
Syreeta - Spinnin' and Spinnin'
The Elgins - Heaven Must Have Sent You
Diana Ross - Reach Out, I'll Be There (also Love Hangover obv, but that shouldn't require any nudging)

While we're on the subject of covers, Inner Life - Ain't No Mountain High Enough is going to be very near the top of my disco poll ballot. Horace Andy's Love Hangover is another good one.

One More Heartache will be getting my biggest Marvin vote. Some days I think it might have my favourite chorus in a song ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kbKIF39Vzs

Good call on Syreeta Seandalai, will definitely have to vote for something by her.

I keep coming across songs I love and saying to myself "was that on Motown? it WAS on Motown!"

In this case, Edwin Starr's "War".

How about Way Back Home by Junior Walker & The Allstars. Another amazing single I'm going to have to find room for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuY9-22fEOw

I've always thought that rock music had this dividing line between more primitive sounding records and the higher fidelity period. 1968 is like border territory. But Motown was a whole different world. "I Second That Emotion" sounds like it could have come out in 1971.

Was "The Crown" the first hip-hop track on Motown? I love this stuff.

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

this catalogue is just too vast.

outcome : 100s of tracks with a single vote each.

Oh yeah, I likes Outcome, although I don't know that track.

I am binging so hard on this poll. Some awesome songs I just discovered that deserve votes, though at this stage I'm not sure how many more I can fit on my ballot:

The Andantes - Like a Nightmare
Popcorn Wylie - Funky Rubber Band
Eddie Holland - You Deserve What You Got
The Spinners - Truly Yours
The Supremes - High Energy
Odyssey - Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love

Never heard most of those. I do like that Supremes song, their 70's stuff is quite underrated. Hopefully I have room for Floy Joy and Automatically Sunshine.

That Odyssey song is incredible, can't believe I've never heard it before today.

I just started making a playlist of singles I'd like to vote for. I Thought I'd take on one artist at a time to see if it made it easier. Just started with The Supremes and already have eleven songs I really cannot leave off my list. So basically I'm screwed!

This is one of favourite singles they did, one of the last with Diana Ross.

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

A real early Supremes one I like is "Your Heart Belongs to Me." Sounds more like a Mary Wells tune.

the one artist at a time logic gets you in trouble very quick. especially when you remember that Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, Rick James, DeBarge, Boyz II Men, Johnny Gill and Erykah Badu all deserve your vote.

Should anyone feel they need a guide to the (early part of the) catalogue, this guy is writing detailed reviews of every Motown A- and B-side. He's up to mid-1965.

that guy spotlights two overlooked classics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAy5F9fA5pI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZQsldK2Ss

listen to those lyrics!!

Aw yeah, I'd forgotten about "Strange I Know."

an early crack at one of Smokey's favourite themes
Carolyn Crawford - My Smile Is Just a Frown (Turned Upside Down)

im super excited about this poll but y'all should make sure to check the (maybe even more exciting) some dude neptunes/jay-z polls.

Hey, I like the Neptunes and Jay just fine, but more exciting than an all-encompassing Motown poll? You're too modest.

Today's edition of "too many fish Motown singles in the sea":

Marvin Gaye - You
Marv Johnson - I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)
Carl Bean - I Was Born This Way
Gordon Staples and the Motown Strings - Strung Out
The Supremes - Love is Like an Itching in my Heart

We're gonna need a bigger ballot :(

Still going through one artist at a time which is a slow process. Just wow at The Marvelettes! I have those two box sets of all their albums which are so amazing. No idea how I'm going to fit all their great singles on my list. The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game, Destination Anywhere, A Breath taking Guy, Marionette, Too Many Fish in the Sea, My Baby Must be a Magician and Don't Mess With Bill all need to be on there.

Think I'll try and tackle David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks next.

Quiet storm edition:

Smokey Robinson - Baby That's Backatcha
Marvin Gaye - Funky Space Reincarnation
Commodores - Cebu

I wasn't thinking the Four Tops' "Walk Away Renee" would be high on my ballot until I just listened to it. It's Levi Stubbs singing "Walk Away Renee!"

A couple languid Mary Wells ballads for consideration: "Your Old Stand By" and "He's the One I Love."

"Marionette" is nice, KP - thanks.

Oh yeah totally forgot about solo Smokey. I haven't checked what were singles yet but I'm a big fan of Love Letters and Just My Soul Responding.

Commodores will be featured on my list for sure, as I mentioned earlier The Zoo (Human Zoo) is one of my favourite songs ever. Cebu is a good choice but think it would only make my list if I had another 50 spaces. Easy and Brick House will be on there maybe Slippery When Wet too.

Four Tops are yet another tough one. Bernadette, Seven Rooms of Gloom, Still Waters and Nature Planned It are all 10/10.

"Marionette" is nice, KP - thanks.

― timellison

The album that is from (In Full Bloom) is really fantastic.

It's on the one after that - Return of the Marvelettes - right?

Oh yeah you're right, that album is great too. I have them all collected on this excellent compilation.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forever-More-Complete-Motown-Albums/dp/B005ZHB94Y/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1370589288&sr=1-4&keywords=marvelettes

The last four albums are some of the most underrated Motown albums, up there with Eddie Kendricks best ones.

I did not know that Jermaine Jackson collaborated with DEVO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXnC5ubVBD0

I just wanted to drop this in there since I've read about this sooo many times, so to finally see it was something. Though I love Diana Ross, it was funny seeing her being punked by David Ruffin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js3YEWYU7UE

did we make a subsidiaries decision bc i mean

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8C2iDG5NSM

ok that didn't work

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/Thisoldheart.jpg

What's the issue? If you mean subsidiary labels, they're all included.

Digging through late-70s/80s singles on YouTube...not exactly a golden age, though I did find some nice things (not all super-obscure):

Vanity - Mechanical Emotion
Monalisa Young - Sweet Remedy
Dazz Band - Let It Whip
Nolen and Crossley - Ready Or Not
Billy Preston and Syreeta - Hey You
High Inergy - Lovin' Fever

More eighties:

Phyllis St James - Candlelight Afternoon
Val Young - Seduction
Blake and Hines - Sherry

Seventies:

Valerie Simpson - Silly, Wasn't I?
Apollo - Astro Disco
The Undisputed Truth - Down By The River (Neil Young cover!)
The Sisters Love - Give Me Your Love (Curtis Mayfield cover)

Sixties:

Mary Wells - I Don't Want To Take A Chance
The Contours - Whole Lotta Woman
The Marvelettes - That's How Heartaches Are Made

Probably (hopefully?) the last of these dumps from me...time to start pruning my ballot instead of growing it.

I inadvertently came across The Supremes Sing Country Western & Pop from 1965 last night, and it's just as awesome as it sounds.

Wasn't Motown, but the original "That's How Heartaches Are Made" by Baby Washington (1963) is a beautiful record.

ohmygodohmygod The Elgins - Heaven Must have Sent You, where have you been all my life

wow

Not all Motown, but enough to qualify.