List: Top 109 Motown songs

**intercostalclavicle** · 01-23-2012, 08:06 AM

Hi everyone - I'm new to the SD Forum. On my blog, I have posted a list of my favourite 109 Motown songs. (The aim was 100 but it was too difficult!)

http://intercostal.blogspot.com/2012...own-songs.html

The idea is to revisit this list in the future and write more detailed articles on the artists/songs. But for now, let me know what you think! What you agree and disagree with and what you think I've missed out. I'd love to know - it was rather a labour of love.

**mysterysinger** · 01-23-2012, 06:43 PM

Nice piece of work.

You may find, as you get older, that songs you listened to so much don't have the same impact but will be replaced by others you once passed over. An example, for me, would be "I Can't Help Myself" from the Tops which I first heard on the UK Motown Chartbusters Volume 4 and loved so much I played it rather too many times. Now it probably wouldn't feature in my top 100 whereas "Do What You Gotta Do" was overlooked a little back then and currently would be in my top 3 if not number 1. I suppose another reason for the difference now with "I Can't Help Myself" is that MCv4 was my first Motown album - and I've heard hundreds of "new" tracks since then. Best of all, I'm still discovering new stuff and re-discovering old favourites thanks to the many CD releases and things like YouTube. "Didn't You Know" from Gladys would be one track that started out high in my faves, slipped down and then has made its way back up there of late maybe due to a live performance on YouTube.

**tmd** · 01-23-2012, 07:48 PM

Although I am surprise you don't have What Does It Take.

Also a song that is almost as powerful as Reach Out- Gonna Give Her All The Love I Got by Jimmy Ruffin- give it a try- great opening bass and the Detriot Symphony with the wonderful violins mid way through the song.

PS

I Can't Help Myself is hard to explain- was always my all-time favorite song, and you are right that you hear it so often- perhaps the Motown anthem. It will remain in my top 20 for obvious reasons.

No question Reach Out is number one.

**paladin** · 01-23-2012, 08:04 PM

Nice work. And you're right it's your list...lol...speaking of the Four Tops I 've always preferred "Baby I Need Your Loving" over I Can't Help Myself.......but then that's my list. You have some interesting choices and all told some very good ones. But that typo on number #27 is unforgivable........I think that Something about You is cool and of course on my list it would have been lower on the scale replaced by "You Keep Running Away" Or "Seven Rooms of Gloom". As for your question I don't disagree with any of your songs, although some of them wouldn't have made my 109 . I happen to love Motown too...........

**smark21** · 01-23-2012, 08:15 PM

Interesting list and I like the name of your blog as Bringing Up Baby is one of the best screwball comedies ever made. Also liked your write up about The Artist.

**intercostalclavicle** · 01-27-2012, 03:31 PM

Wow - thanks everyone for the support, and great suggestions. Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got is wonderful - I would definitely try and get that one sandwiched in somehow if I was going to re-jig the list!

Funnily enough, I Can't Help Myself is probably a bit lower on my list nowadays too (the list is a couple of years old). Unlike Baby I Need Your Loving, it's not one I often play specially, but of course I'm happy any time I hear it come on! I suppose it's one of Motown's greatest dance tunes.

**soulster** · 01-27-2012, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by mysterysinger

Nice piece of work.

You may find, as you get older, that songs you listened to so much don't have the same impact but will be replaced by others you once passed over.

I'm not like that. I never tire of my old favorites. The stuff I heard when I was a kid still have the same impact on me today as it did back then.