Best of Motown Playing Motown [[60s - )

[Ngroove]

Pull out your old albums, Greatest Hits, Complete Motown Singles or even Lost & Founds & Cellarful of Motowns, people!

One of those things, especially apparent in the Golden times of pre-themed albums, they're half fillered up with "covers", whether the day's hits, or this thread's case Motown covers! It's like every song was sung by anybody and everybody! Such as finding Supremes singin' "I Can't Help Myself [[Sugarpie Honeybunch)" on Supremes A Go-Go, the Temptations singin' "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" on the Temptations Sings Smokey, and, who hasn't sung "My Girl", really?

Other times, other uses of instances might prove to be more practically successful, such as Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" or Diana Ross' "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". And even other times of uses can even be pleasantly surprising, or just plain surprising, such as Bonnie Pointer discofying the Elgins "Heaven Must Have Sent You", or Boyz II Men sending GC Cameron's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" to a brand new generation.

Let's discuss, or / and list some good ole' favorites of "Motown singing Motown", shall we?

- Marvin Gaye, "Forever" - originally the Marvelettes - from "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" [[1965). Yeah, yeah, am well aware of the nature of the song, any way you slice it, or sing it - primarily, "willing to be a slave, for love, if that's what it takes". The Marvelettes' 1963 composition, however, might be more of a "guilty pleasure" of sinful, desperate depths, when sung by females, but Marvin's - somehow, even when sung even more pleadingly more pitiable - tells the tale of a boy, whose down on his knees, really means it, to get that girl, whatever it takes.

[honest man]

Pull out your old albums, Greatest Hits, Complete Motown Singles or even Lost & Founds & Cellarful of Motowns, people!

One of those things, especially apparent in the Golden times of pre-themed albums, they're half fillered up with "covers", whether the day's hits, or this thread's case Motown covers! It's like every song was sung by anybody and everybody! Such as finding Supremes singin' "I Can't Help Myself [[Sugarpie Honeybunch)" on Supremes A Go-Go, the Temptations singin' "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" on the Temptations Sings Smokey, and, who hasn't sung "My Girl", really?

Other times, other uses of instances might prove to be more practically successful, such as Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" or Diana Ross' "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". And even other times of uses can even be pleasantly surprising, or just plain surprising, such as Bonnie Pointer discofying the Elgins "Heaven Must Have Sent You", or Boyz II Men sending GC Cameron's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" to a brand new generation.

Let's discuss, or / and list some good ole' favorites of "Motown singing Motown", shall we?

- Marvin Gaye, "Forever" - originally the Marvelettes - from "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" [[1965). Yeah, yeah, am well aware of the nature of the song, any way you slice it, or sing it - primarily, "willing to be a slave, for love, if that's what it takes". The Marvelettes' 1963 composition, however, might be more of a "guilty pleasure" of sinful, desperate depths, when sung by females, but Marvin's - somehow, even when sung even more pleadingly more pitiable - tells the tale of a boy, whose down on his knees, really means it, to get that girl, whatever it takes.

Great thread hope it takes off, 2 covers i absolutely love are Stevie's versions off I HEAR A SYMPHONY-MY WORLD IS EMPTY,but i reckon the DRATS-TEMPTS I SECOND THAT EMOTION much better than Miracles original.sorry all Supremes related but top off my head,i will be back though.good stuff mate.

[honest man]

just thought off another David Ruffin gives Stevie a run for his money on HEAVEN HELP US ALL.Cheers.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Here are a few, although this list barely scratches the surface:

Diana Ross - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough [[Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
Diana Ross - These Things Will Keep Me Loving You [[The Velvelettes)
Diana Ross - I Wouldn’t Change The Man He Is [[Blinky Williams)
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Heaven Must Have Sent You [[The Elgins)
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Stay In My Lonely Arms [[The Elgins)
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Come On And See Me [[Tammi Terrell)
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Whisper You Love Me Boy [[Mary Wells)
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Honey Boy [[Mary Wells)
Diana Ross & The Supremes - With A Child's Heart [[Stevie Wonder)
Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations - Try It Baby [[Marvin Gaye)
Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough [[Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell)
Mary Wells - Whisper You Love Me Boy [[The Supremes)
Mary Wells - Honey Boy [[Mono version with Handclaps) [[The Supremes)
Jr. Walker - How Sweet It Is [[To Be Loved By You) [[Marvin Gaye)
Jr. Walker - Come See About Me [[The Supremes)
The New Supremes - Baby Baby [[Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)
Tommy Good - Ask The Lonely [[Four Tops)
Jackson 5 - You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me [[Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)
Tony Martin - Ask Any Man [[The Supremes)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Heard It Through The Grapevine [[Alternate Version
From Motown Sings Motown Treasures Vol. 1 & 2) [[Gladys Knight & The Pips)
Tammi Terrell - He’s The One I Love [[Mary Wells)
Rare Earth - Get Ready [[The Temptations)
Rare Earth - [[I Know) I’m Losing You [[The Temptations)
Rare Earth - Chained [[Marvin Gaye)
The Marvelettes - He Was Really Saying Something [[The Velvelettes)
The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone [[The Undisputed Truth)
The Undisputed Truth - Save My Love For A Rainy Day [[The Temptations)
The Undisputed Truth - Law Of The Land [[The Temptations)
Barbara Randolph - I Got A Feeling [[Four Tops)
Barbara Randolph - Can I Get A Witness [[Marvin Gaye)
Edwin Starr & Blinky Williams - Oh How Happy [[Edwin’ Starr’s solo version)
Edwin Starr - I Want My Baby Back [[Stevie Wonder)
Thelma Houston & Jerry Butler - Kiss Me Now [[Diana Ross)
Thelma Houston - No One’s Gonna Be A Fool Forever [[Diana Ross)
Barbara McNair - My World Is Empty Without You [[The Supremes)
Barbara McNair - Everything Is Good About You [[The Supremes)
Barbara McNair - I Hear A Symphony [[The Supremes)
Barbara McNaira - Hear I Am Baby [[The Marvelettes)
Barbara McNair - When I'm Gone [[Brenda Holloway)

[soulwally]

Always loved Edwin Starr's version of Way Over There... and his Cloud Nine, not to mention his I Want My Baby Back [[Stevie's original was an album track on Up-Tight)

[honest man]

hmm I Reckon most covered Motown song by Motown artists must be WHO'S LOVIN YOU,-EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE,Gary that is not Tommy Good singing the above song ,Tommy has stated it on this forum,cheers.

[honest man]

Just remembered the ultimate cover of a Motown song IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME-YVONNE FAIR She rips it apart though i love Kim's version next,Gladys weighs in a 3rd position,but an excellent song by the 3 ladies,cheers.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

hmm I Reckon most covered Motown song by Motown artists must be WHO'S LOVIN YOU,-EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE,Gary that is not Tommy Good singing the above song ,Tommy has stated it on this forum,cheers.

Hey Honest Man! Good to hear from you again! Tommy Good participated on the Motown Forum? How cool is that -- and to think I missed him! Who is doing the actual singing on "Who's Loving You" if not Tommy? [[I would get out my CD copy but it's temporarily tucked away at the moment.) - Gary

[Ngroove]

Stevie Wonder - All I Do [[1980)

OK Motownphiles, what's the verdict on that one? Cover of a Stevie Wonder co-written, mid-sixties Tammi Terrell song that he made better his way when sung for himself, OR....technically, not a cover, IF the Tammi Terrell version, assuming its place on a Cellarful of Motown signifies it was shelved for decades, thus the Stevie Wonder may be the first publicly published version? Unless, prove that somebody else sung it, released it first before Stevie, that is....

Tammi's, of course, not to insult her eternal beauty, was delicate and beautiful, but simple yet serviceable. Stevie's, however.....was just....STEVIE! The later, in-control of how he does things, Stevie Wonder of course, cannot ask for any less.

Also, when reading the credits of the song, it included on background vocals "Michael Jackson". HOLY COW, and his presence, does not take any careful concentration on the choruses, to hear him well, as clear as a bell!

[Ngroove]

hmm I Reckon most covered Motown song by Motown artists must be WHO'S LOVIN YOU,-EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE,Gary that is not Tommy Good singing the above song ,Tommy has stated it on this forum,cheers.

True, True - how many people have sung "Who's Lovin You", or "What Love Has Joined Together", added with "My Girl", and probably just as plenty on "I'll Try Something New", all by now probably long have been considered great Smokey Robinson standards?

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Stevie Wonder - All I Do [[1980)

OK Motownphiles, what's the verdict on that one?

Ngroove, I like Stevie's version, but I've gotta say I prefer Tammi's version with the Andantes. Being a 1960's girl-group junkie as I am, it's hard to beat Tammi's and the Andantes vocals on that one.

[Ngroove]

OK, let's see...

Jackson Five, "Darling Dear" [[1970)

Somehow, from reading the tracklists of their early albums, I gotta feelin' Motown is like, "How Cute Would They Be If They Sung This Song?". Diana Ross Presents alone has "Standing On the Shadows of Love", "You've Changed", "My Cherie Amour", "Who's Loving You", "Chained", and "[[I Know) I'm Losing You".

While I have to admit, between the two versions of "Darling Dear" I know, that, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' 1969 version, I'll have to go for Smokey's; just the far more SOPHISTICATION of the harmonies, instumentation, lyrics, mood, did I say instrumentation? Just UNIQUELY different, in a very, very good way, apart from the standard Hitsville Funk Bros sounding material of its day.

But, not to bash the J5's, when it was their turn, Third Album. If I never heard the Miracles' version before it, I would have called the Jacksons' their own, because they did take it like their own. Using their style of how they did it - bubbly, bouncy, upbeat, at the same time sincere and Michael's beyond-his-years emotions. If that's Jermaine's and Tito's guitars I hear as well to make it sound pretty breezy as well, bravo.

[mysterysinger]

The Barbara Randolph Collection was graced with several covers of course [[in addition to those already mentioned)...

Bah Bah Bah
Chained
It's Got To Be A Miracle [[This Thing Called Love)
Baby Don't You Do It
I'll Turn To Stone
[[I'm A) Roadrunner
What's Easy For Two Is So Hard For One

Hey, how about an album, 12 tracks say, with 12 different Motown versions of the same Motown song? Can it be done ? Looking them up on DFTMC is OK lol.

[thommg]

I have to say that two of my favorite covers are the same song. David Ruffin singing I Want You Back is fantastic and puts a more grownup spin on the song whereas Martha & The Vandellas kill with their reconcieved version of the song.

[144man]

Stevie Wonder's version of "Baby Don't You Do It" makes an interesting contrast to Marvin Gaye's original.

[Ngroove]

Kim Weston vs Martha Reeves & the Vandellas : "Love [[Makes Me Do Foolish Things)".

It is almost easy to say Kim Weston's, whom I've first heard when I've been listening to her Motown Anthology 2 CD set, was the "cover" to the well-released Martha Reeves & the Vandellas' original, 1965. But, upon reading the liner notes, Kim's was 1964.

But, to confusion's defense on "whose really the cover?" Kim's was not publicly released, until a "Motown Sings Motown Treasures" collection, mid 00s.

Sooo, just going by "Whose version I love better?": Martha Reeves & the Vandellas', the first known version, to be honest, while I do like it, between that and "Quicksand", "In My Lonely Room", "My Baby Loves Me", "I'm Ready For Love", and "Bless You", "Love [[Makes Me Do Foolish Things)", actually falls on the lukewarm end on my list.

Kim Weston's, while I shall say both Kim and Martha are bluesy, soulful, and expressive singers; however, hers' even more bluesy, even more soulful, even dare I say, for at least that song, sounds even classier, which all makes the its perceived emotions actually hit me even more. Other words; her "Love [[Makes Me Do Foolish Things)", really worked for her, which I shall place Kim's over Martha's.

[daviddesper]

Not only do I think that the Four Tops' version of I Got A Feeling far outshines Barbara Randolph's original, but I think it could have been and should have been one of Motown's all time great singles. What a song!!!

I also think Martha's I'm a Winner is better than Diana's, but I guess it was not a single for either of them.

I am sure if I took more time I could come up with more.

[honest man]

Hey Honest Man! Good to hear from you again! Tommy Good participated on the Motown Forum? How cool is that -- and to think I missed him! Who is doing the actual singing on "Who's Loving You" if not Tommy? [[I would get out my CD copy but it's temporarily tucked away at the moment.) - Gary

Hello Gary yes Tommy used to be on here, a really nice person [what else].If you check SDF archives you will be able to read[don't know how to copy to here]. Although Tommy did not know who sang it .But im sure ASK THE LONELY vocal was credited to another Motown legend Ivy joe Hunter, cheers.

[roger]

There seems to be no mention of THE ISLEY BROTHERS so far on this thread ... Time to put that right!

Their first Motown L.P. "This Old Heart Of Mine" was full of H-D-H remakes ...

There were raucous versions of "Stop In The Name Of Love" [[SUPREMES), "Baby Don't You Do It" [[MARVIN GAYE) and "Nowhere To Run" [[MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS) ...

plus versions of "Put Yourself In My Place" [[ELGINS) and "Just Ain't Enough Love" [[EDDIE HOLLAND) that were very similar to the originals .. their version of "Put Yourself In My Place" even made the U.K. top 20 ...

and .... an ultra-soulful version of "I Hear A Symphony" [[SUPREMES) that many think is better than the original.

Then, a couple of years later THE ISLEY BROTHERS did a funky version of "Take Me In Your Arms [[Rock Me A Little While)" that gave a whole new dimension to the old KIM WESTON song.

Roger

[Ngroove]

Isley Brothers...there's also "Just Ain't Enough Love"...while many things given Ronald's leads and gutsiness and his brothers' harmonies I'd give at least a "B" for effort, but alas, any song that was Eddie Holland's first, I'd go for Eddie, and his rarer, underpromoted voice.

[mysterysinger]

How's about
"Why When Love Is Gone" - Isley Brothers + The Originals
"Green Grow The Lilacs" - The Originals + Joe Harnell
"For Once In My Life" - Joe Harnell + Barbara McNair
"Fancy Passes" - Barbara McNair + DRoss & Supremes
"Does Your Mama Know About Me" - DRoss & Supremes + Bobby Taylor & Vancouvers
"Day By Day Or Never" - Bobby Taylor & Vancouvers + Crhsi Clark
"Until You Love Someone" - Chris Clark + Four Tops
"I'll Turn To Stone" - Four Tops + Contours
"Come See About Me" - Contours + Jr Walker
"How Sweet It Is" - Jr Walker + Marvin Gaye
"I Wish It Would Rain" - Marvin Gaye + Temptations
"Say You" - Temptations + Monitors
"just Too Much To Hope For" - Monitors + Tammi Terrell
"This Old Heart Of Mine" - Tammi Terrll + Isley Bros.

[144man]

I'm not too keen on the Underdogs' version of Chris Clark's "Love's Gone Bad", but their version of "The Way You Do The Things You Do" is the best track I've heard by them.

Jr Walker's version of Diana Ross's "Love Hangover" is well worth a listen.

[Ngroove]

Junior Walker & the All-Stars, "Money [[That's What I Want)", 1966

Sorry Barrett Strong, as much as his was long an all-time legendary iconic Motown and Rock N' Roll institution, Junior's was simply, more fun! Played in his trademark "gut bucket backyard barbecue" style he did at the time, more busy, more rollicking, more funky.

Stretching even further, adding to it, contemporizing it, for what it's worth! References to "the Twist", "Hully Gully", "Swim", even shamelessly "Shotgun", HAHAHAHAHA!, subliminal-ness to add to its danceability, or what?

All that, but it's even ruder too! Which for once, the case of that song, really works! As horrible as it sounds, "I Need Money, to keep me True", with "Baby, we're Through", with "I Need Money, To Be With You", purely the spirit of "Money", purely the spirit of Junior Walker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgdvNiL1AVE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04MvUxrt84M

[Ngroove]

High Inergy, "Everytime I See You, I Go Wild", Steppin Out, 1978.

Admittedly, first and foremost, I have to say, I actually like Stevie Wonder's 1967 version better, something infectious about the "mischievous-ness" of the mid-late 60s Stevie Wonder voice, hahaha.

But, upon listening to High Inergy's incarnation since the first time poppin' in their "Steppin' Out" album....indeed, I have to grade it "A+" for effort. Unlike other disco-ized Motown covers [[ Bonnie Pointer's "Heaven Must Have Sent You", SOUL TRAIN's Shalamar's "Uptown Festival") - they still do sound obvious like originally sixties Motown tunes - with a generic seventies disco background. "Every Time I See You, I Go Wild", maybe it's just the fact that tune was thumpin', pumpin', and furious to begin with to make wise cover choice in album, but for that one, under disco beat, with equal fury from Barbara Mitchell and the girls - If I hadn't heard it was a sixties tune first, I would have assumed it was a seventies, Stevie Wonder-co-written, High Inergy original.

[Ngroove]

Hey everyone, been awhile, but after obtaining more Motown goodies since....

How's about....

For Once In My Life......Four Tops vs Temptations vs Stevie Wonder

Ahhhh....that standard-esque Motown tune that eventually did become a standard in itself.

I suppose, there are many, many, versions, singers, interpretations, genres, of this number, probably one of the most covered Motown songs. But I feel like mentioning these three more noticeable singers of this one.

Four Tops [[ 1967) - C. Sorry, but just after him doing Reach Out [[I'll Be There) / Standing In The Shadows of Love / Bernadette, I really, really expected higher from those dramatic pipes of Levi Stubbs, especially the "climax" that could have been done, but never came.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko6eE_T0F0s

Stevie Wonder [[1968) - A. Funny, I've once heard behind his, his was deliberately done peppier and snappier, against how it was traditionally recorded, something about the producers commenting it's sung as if the singer's dying. Well, Stevie pulled it off, re-innovated it into something else, changed its meaning into a song of pure "springs in the steps" joy, as well as obviously, made it "radio friendly", another notable Top 10 in the charts in the pocket for him.

Temptations [[1967) - A+. Paul Williams, truly the most unsung, underutilized, and underappreciated of the lead singers of the Temptations, especially for his voice. Formely THE lead lead singer of them their initial two years, 1961-1963, before pop success gave it to Eddie and David instead, decreasing his own chances of the spotlight. Although sung like it how it was sung, pre-Stevie Wonder, my opinion, Paul absolutely seized it, lived it! I'd assume, remembering according to that moment in the Temptations Movie, by that point, Paul was simply in depressively emotional pain? Because "emotional" is simply the single word to describe his range of singing his heart out registers, notably in the climactic final third of it. 1967, by then rare and still decreasing even further, Paul Williams' chance to shine.

[arr&bee]

As covers go[what love has joined-the temps]is vastly superior to mary wells version.

[Ngroove]

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, "Beauty is Only Skin Deep", Away We Go-Go, 1966.

No doubt, the original incarnation of "Beauty is Only Skin Deep", recorded by Norman Whitfield for the Smokey and the Miracles a couple years before shopping it to the Temptations, is pretty bubbly bright, cheerful, and catchy, as indeed like Smokey would do it, he does it "sweet", just as I love his trademark "Ooos" and "Yeah-Yeahs". A few moments of his rhythmical-rhymings to be applauded too.

But somehow, despite all that, maybe spoiled from listening and knowing the Temptations' first, but I don't know, maybe it sort of feels like Smokey still sung it too straight, just by the note, with only a few Smokey-flourishes. Or, that he just did not do it with enough conviction, as David Ruffin managed to do, turning that song into a lesson, words that musically ingrains all whose listen's wisdoms and heart. Maybe it was "just not the right artist", as the Temptations did took theirs to #1 R&B, #3 Pop respectively; Smokey could do some songs right his way, as David could do others' right his.

And, the Miracles themselves; I love lots of things complimented with the accent of Claudette's voice - but even that, compared to the Temptations' raising "yeah-Yeah-YEAH!" was just a soulless "yeah yeah yeah" like an early 50s pop vocal group.