Motowniest Motown Song?

[Optimal Saint]

What single song to you think best symbolizes Motown and the “Motown Sound”?

Bernadette by the Four Tops was the first thing to pop to my mind but I’m not sure that’s quite right

I’ll have to think about it more

[arr&bee]

Money..come and get these memories..my guy!

[bradsupremes]

The Marvelettes' "I'll Keep Holding On" and Stevie Wonder's "Uptight [[Everything's Alright)"

They have the quintessential Motown sound.

[lakeside]

Two Lovers....Mary Wells
Come See About Me....Supremes
Beauty Is Only Skin Deep...Temptations
Dancing In The Street...Martha/Vandellas
Single song....impossible??

[marv2]

"Something About You" - The Four Tops

[midnightman]

Dancing in the Street
Please Mr. Postman
My Girl
My Guy
Baby I Need Your Loving
Baby Love
How Sweet It Is To Be Loved by You
Sugar Pie Honey Bunch [[I Can't Help Myself)
Stop! In the Name of Love
Ain't That Peculiar
It Takes Two
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Do You Love Me
Heat Wave
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Uptight [[Everything's Alright)
Going to a Go-Go
Shop Around
You Beat Me to the Punch
Stubborn Kind of Fellow
You Can't Hurry Love

...NEED I GO ON!?!? ;)

Too many to name. :)

[PeaceNHarmony]

The Supremes - 'Stop! In The Name of Love'

[TomatoTom123]

Oooooh, the Motowniest Motown song!?
I'd go with "You Can't Hurry Love". 1966. Classic. Simply, it IS Motown. :)

[thanxal]

Either Stop or All I Need Or I Can’t Help Myself [[Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).

[daviddesper]

Ain't Too Proud to Beg would get my vote if I had to pick just one.

[tjl]

"Heatwave' - Martha Reeves and The Vandellas
"Dancin' In The Street" - Martha Reeves and The Vandellas
"Nowhere To Run" - Martha Reeves and The Vandellas
"Mickey's Monkey" - The Miracles
"Whole Lotta Shakin' In My Heart" - The Miracles
"More More More Of Your Love" - The Miracles
"Going To A Go-Go" - The Miracles
"You Can't Hurry Love" - The Supremes
"Back In My Arms Again" The Supremes
"Stop! In The Name Of Love" - The Supremes
"Nothing But Heartaches" - The Supremes
"It's The Same Old Song" - Four Tops
"I've Got A Feelin'" - Four Tops
"Bernadette" - Four Tops
"Reach Out, I'll Be There" - Four Tops
"I'll Turn To Stone" - Four Tops
"Little Darlin' [[I Need You) - Marvin Gaye
"Ain't That Peculiar" - Marvin Gaye
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Marvin and Tammi
"Uptight" - Stevie Wonder
"I Was Made To Love Her" - Stevie Wonder
"Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - Temptations
"All I Need" - Temptations
"Get Ready" - The Temptations
"The Way You Do The Things You Do" - The Temptations
"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" - Tempts and Supremes
"Take Me In Your Arms" - Kim Weston
"I'm Still Loving You" - Kim Weston
"This Old Heart Of Mine" - The Isley Brothers
"I Guess I'll Always Love You" - The Isley Brothers
"Just Look What You Have Done" - Brenda Holloway
"25 Miles" - Edwin Starr
"What's Become Of The Brokenhearted" - Jimmy Ruffin
"He's Really Sayin' Somethin' " - The Velvelettes
"Needle In A Haystack" - The Velveletts
"Keep On Loving Me: - Frances Nero

...any one of these songs fit to me...

[alanh]

Rather than nominating a more personal choice, if I was to select a song that the general public would immediately say was Motown, it would be The Supremes 'Where Did Our Love Go'. I'm surprised no one else has said that. The other one, which has been quoted, is The Four Tops 'I Can't Help Myself'. Both simple, singable, upbeat basic Motown which appeal to everyone and anyone.

[woodward]

Reflections - Supremes
Behind a Painted Smile - Isley Bros.

[Lowell]

Another vote for "Dancing' in the Streets". Pure joy and pure Motown.

[thanxal]

Ralph should revoke my account. I can't believe I forgot to include "This Old Heart of Mine". I must have been sleepy when I wrote that last post.

[144man]

If Motown was constructed on an assembly-line, you can almost hear how the parts were layered together on the Velvelettes' "A Bird In the Hand [[Is Worth Two In the Bush)".

[midnightman]

Rather than nominating a more personal choice, if I was to select a song that the general public would immediately say was Motown, it would be The Supremes 'Where Did Our Love Go'. I'm surprised no one else has said that. The other one, which has been quoted, is The Four Tops 'I Can't Help Myself'. Both simple, singable, upbeat basic Motown which appeal to everyone and anyone.

That's the difficult thing with Motown: you can't name just one...

[ralpht]

You were on thin ice for a second, Al.

[thanxal]

You were on thin ice for a second, Al.
I shall listen to it 10x as penance, Ralph.

[jobeterob]

My Girl
Dancing in the Street
Stop in the Name of Love
You Can’t Hurry Love
What’s Going On
Both versions of ANMHE

[DWSheffer]

When chatting with a younger, new to the job DJ at my local radio station WCSR, I was sharing a few of the songs that I felt conveyed the "Motown Sound" to someone not overly familiar with it. I told her to listen to "I Was Made To Love Her" by Stevie, "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" by Jimmy, and "Dancing in the Street" by the Vandellas. It really is too tough to narrow it down to even just a few!
Darin

[marv2]

When chatting with a younger, new to the job DJ at my local radio station WCSR, I was sharing a few of the songs that I felt conveyed the "Motown Sound" to someone not overly familiar with it. I told her to listen to "I Was Made To Love Her" by Stevie, "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" by Jimmy, and "Dancing in the Street" by the Vandellas. It really is too tough to narrow it down to even just a few!
Darin

"I Was Made To Love Her" ......YES!

[mysterysinger]

"I'll Always Love You" by The Detroit Spinners.

[lucky2012]

Dancing In The Street

Motowniest Supremes:
Where Did Our Love Go
You Can't Hurry Love

Motowniest Four Tops:
It's The Same Old Song
Baby, I Need Your Loving

Motowniest Temptations [[& Smokey & Norman Whitfield):
My Girl
Ain't Too Proud To Beg

[Ngroove]

Four Tops - "I Got A Feeling"

[PeaceNHarmony]

Oooooh, the Motowniest Motown song!?
I'd go with "You Can't Hurry Love". 1966. Classic. Simply, it IS Motown. :)
I may, just MAY, rescind my 'Stop' choice and go with you, T-Tom, due to the distinctive bass line in 'Can't'. Great choice. Hope you are well!

[rovereab]

I'd say:

I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops
You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes
Dancing In The Street - Martha & The Vandellas

In many ways I think that the driving drum beat + tambourine + guitar pluck + solid bass line = The Motown Sound :)

[Boogiedown]

I'd say:

I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops
You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes
Dancing In The Street - Martha & The Vandellas

In many ways I think that the driving drum beat + tambourine + guitar pluck + solid bass line = The Motown Sound :)

I'll go with those three choices as well , they each have that classic Motown "vibe" you're describing.

[TomatoTom123]

I may, just MAY, rescind my 'Stop' choice and go with you, T-Tom, due to the distinctive bass line in 'Can't'. Great choice. Hope you are well!

Yes PNH you have been converted!! :D

[thanxal]

I'd say:

In many ways I think that the driving drum beat + tambourine + guitar pluck + solid bass line = The Motown Sound :)

For me it almost has to have the sax solo bridge from the '64-'66 period.

[TomatoTom123]

I In many ways I think that the driving drum beat + tambourine + guitar pluck + solid bass line = The Motown Sound :)

YES to that rover! And even better with a sax solo thanx :)

[midnightman]

Not always. HAHA :)

Sometimes you'll have a flute solo or a harmonica solo. But the sax was a special ingredient as well. :D

Not to mention the call and response vocals that I feel Motown really perfected. :)

[thanxal]

Not always. HAHA :)

Sometimes you'll have a flute solo or a harmonica solo. But the sax was a special ingredient as well. :D

Not to mention the call and response vocals that I feel Motown really perfected. :)
Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???

Marvin Gaye- Stubborn Kinda Fellow

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???

Who You Gonna Run To- Temptations and Micky McCullers

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???
Not exactly a solo- but "Bad Girl" by The Miracles features the flute pretty prominently.

[midnightman]

Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???

Stubborn Kind of Fellow and Hitch Hike by Marvin. HELLO! :)

[rovereab]

Driving drum beat + tambourine + guitar pluck + solid bass line + sax = Road Runner :)

[thanxal]

Stubborn Kind of Fellow and Hitch Hike by Marvin. HELLO! :)
Oh yeah. Those aren’t in my regular Motown mix rotation. Prolly should add them. </embarrassment>.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Stubborn Kind of Fellow and Hitch Hike by Marvin. HELLO! :)

Excellent choices! Why didn't I think of Stubborn Kinda Fellow

[thelastsupreme]

"Never Can Wait For Love" "My Baby Must Be A Magician" "Shotgun" and "My Guy".

[Fullfillingnessfirstfinale]

A symbol of The Motown Sound, IMHO it must be a HDH Song and one of The Supremes, I think The Supremes and HDH stand for Motown with The Album "The Supremes sing HDH / Motown"

[sup_fan]

my top picks would be You Can't Hurry Love and I Can't Help Myself. those define the 60s "classic motown sound" to me

After that, the motown sound evolved to a point where it was still excellent but not unique, in terms of a recording label. obviously in the late 60s, 70s and even 80s there was some very fine music coming out. and the artists began to establish more of their own brand and sound. but IMO the label didn't have a totally unique and original approach to music any longer.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

my top picks would be You Can't Hurry Love and I Can't Help Myself. those define the 60s "classic motown sound" to me

After that, the motown sound evolved to a point where it was still excellent but not unique, in terms of a recording label. obviously in the late 60s, 70s and even 80s there was some very fine music coming out. and the artists began to establish more of their own brand and sound. but IMO the label didn't have a totally unique and original approach to music any longer.

When I was younger, I loved ANYTHING if it was from Motown and from the 60's. After a few years, the stuff after '68 wasn't so automatic. Like you said, that unique sound was beginning to fade. Still amazing music, but not that unique Motown Sound.

[IMissFlo93]

Stop In The Name Of Love
Back In My Arms Again
I Can't Help Myself
Ain't To Proud to Beg
It's The Same Old Song
Bernadette
and lastly- Reach Out [[I'll Be There)

[robb_k]

Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???
15064
Many songs from 1959 through 1961 had prominent flute parts. Most were played by Dr. Beans Bowles.

[jboy88]

Some gems that haven’t been mentioned yet!

Helpless- Kim Weston
Come on and See Me- Tammi Terrell
Heaven Must Have Sent You- the Elgins
Just A Little Misunderstanding- the Contours
You Met Your Match- Stevie Wonder
I Want You Back- The Jackson 5
Standing in the Shadows of Love- Four Tops
Save My Love For a Rainy Day- the Temptations

[robb_k]

15066
Difficult [[nigh on to impossible) question to answer because Motown's classical sound has enough different elements that no one song can represent it best. Just as it's impossible for me to choose even a "Top 100", it's impossible for me to choose a top 25 that could "best represent" The Classic Motown Sound".

[tmd]

Its decided I Can't help Myself is it, no question about it , I agree with the majority