30 Forgotten Motown B-Sides

[woodward]

I tripped upon this article, totally by accident, and I do not recall ever seeing it or knowing of it's existence.

This is a very interesting compilation of little known B-sides by all artists.
You might enjoy seeing this.

http://ilovedetroitmichigan.com/best-of-detroit/30-forgotten-motown-b-sides/

[thommg]

Surprising that this was posted in 2011 and only just coming to light on this forum! An interesting list. I think I have some listening to do this afternoon!

[Ngroove]

#2 definitely not "forgotten", due to constant use in Miracles compilations, as well as covered by a lot of other acts, Motown and outside, and about half of the rest, if there is an anthology / complete singles / complete albums compilation set for them, it has not been forgotten, and included, which that would apply for Supremes, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Junior Walker & the All Stars, Mary Wells.

But, as for the "oldies stations not play" thing, oldies stations, for the most part, only plays Top 40 hits. Only a couple handfuls of 45s back in the fifties and sixties actually treats both sides as hits.

[arr&bee]

Haaaaaaaaaaaa,these list are funny,because anyone who has collected motown knows these songs!

[TomatoTom123]

Nice article, some great choices!! Making me want to revisit some too. :)

[sup_fan]

There’s another flip side I was thinking off... can’t seem to remember the title. Hmmm

Lol

[the sound of young america]

"Rainy Mourning", the flip of "That's how heartaches are made" springs to mind. An Ivy Jo classic with unusual discordant harmonies.

[Ngroove]

Motown B-Side That I actually prefer over it's A-Side:


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

Marvin Gaye, "You've Been A Long Time Coming", TAMLA TM 54112, B-Side of "I'll Be Doggone".

[Pandakins]

No. 18 on this list 'I Don't Know Why I Love You' was released as a single in the UK and got to number 14 in the charts. Great track and comes to a stirring finish.

I was listening to a chart show this weekend featuring the UK Top 20 of Feb 1969, this track wasn't on it, but it was full of Motown. Some of the tracks were a few years old then, Guess I'll Always Love You, I'll Pick a Rose for my Rose, Dancing In the Street. Others more or less contemporary, For Once In my Life, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, Grapevine

[Sotosound]

No. 18 on this list 'I Don't Know Why I Love You' was released as a single in the UK and got to number 14 in the charts. Great track and comes to a stirring finish.

I was listening to a chart show this weekend featuring the UK Top 20 of Feb 1969, this track wasn't on it, but it was full of Motown. Some of the tracks were a few years old then, Guess I'll Always Love You, I'll Pick a Rose for my Rose, Dancing In the Street. Others more or less contemporary, For Once In my Life, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, Grapevine
“I Don’t Know Why” was released in the UK as “Don’t Know Why I Love You” and, to my understanding, was the last single to be lifted off Stevie’s “For Once In My Life” album on both sides of the Atlantic. The single mix is a wonder to behold, if you’ll pardon the pun.

“My Cherie Amour” was actually an old unreleased track pulled out of the can as its B-side but got discovered by DJs and eventually outsold it’s own A-side.

Motown learned from this and pulled an even older unreleased track out of the can as his next single, which was another smash. That was “Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday”. The follow-up to that was a year old when it eventually got released, having previously been prepped for single release and then dropped. [[“Never Had A Dream Come True”.)

In short, Motown didn’t really know what to do with this prodigious talent and Stevie did well to break free when he turned 21, because he knew what to do better than anyone else.

[kenneth]

"Rainy Mourning", the flip of "That's how heartaches are made" springs to mind. An Ivy Jo classic with unusual discordant harmonies.

Excellent choice! Was just playing the Marvelettes 2nd box set the other day and listened to this track twice. It truly is a beautiful, haunting song. It seems that Ivy Jo often wrote songs in a minor key and created, as you say, distinct discordant harmonies.

[bradsupremes]

Can someone explain to me why people love "Third Finger Left Hand" so much? I never found what was so special about it.

[jobucats]

Ngroove, I agree wholeheartedly with your choice of "You've Been a Long Time Coming" as an ideal B-side. I remember playing that song over and over. I would always imagine, erroneously, that it was that famous girl Motown girl group, whose name I'll not mention, providing those beautiful background voices.

[144man]

Can someone explain to me why people love "Third Finger Left Hand" so much? I never found what was so special about it.

Because it's a perfect record to play at weddings.

[Sotosound]

Because it's a perfect record to play at weddings.
And I did often as a mobile DJ. :)

For Brits, “Jimmy Mack” was really a double A-side.

TFLH has a nice, easy hand clapping swing about it and it’s so easy to sing along to.

Deep soul it ain’t but a nice piece of pop for a lot of young British women of the late 60s and early 70s to dance to it was.

[Sotosound]

An irrelevant reminiscence...

If the bride and groom were leaving before the end, I’d normally ask the guests to form an extended arch leading to the exit, through which the bride and groom would pass and have the opportunity to say goodbye to everyone.

They would normally make their journey through the arch to the accompaniment of “Chapel Of Love” by The Dixie Cups, “Love And Marriage” by Frank Something-or-other, ”Get Me To The Church On Time” from My Fair Lady or TFLH.

Those were the [[innocent) days. Sigh!

[marv2]

#18, Stevie Wonder – “Don’t Know Why I Love You” is definitely not forgotten. It is one of Stevie's best works in my opinion and has been covered by other noted artists. I would play it just as much as the A -side, "My Cherie Amour.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw-r-XhLhBU

[Sotosound]

#18, Stevie Wonder – “Don’t Know Why I Love You” is definitely not forgotten. It is one of Stevie's best works in my opinion and has been covered by other noted artists. I would play it just as much as the A -side, "My Cherie Amour.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw-r-XhLhBU

It was my first ever Motown single and it was cut so loud by EMI that the sound on my little record player broke up in one place on the track.

Then it got flipped and I found that I'd bought two hits on one disc.

Still prefer DKWILY by far.

[marv2]

It was my first ever Motown single and it was cut so loud by EMI that the sound on my little record player broke up in one place on the track.

Then it got flipped and I found that I'd bought two hits on one disc.

Still prefer DKWILY by far.

Sotosound, you have great taste! I think the first Motown single I bought with my own money was Stevie's "Higher Ground". My parents had always bought the records for the household before that.

[Sotosound]

Sotosound, you have great taste! I think the first Motown single I bought with my own money was Stevie's "Higher Ground". My parents had always bought the records for the household before that.

My dad wasn't really into music and my mum was largely more highbrow in her tastes, possible because of her musical education, which can knock an open mind out of a person. So I had to ask Mum to buy me an occasional record.

Later on, she mellowed somewhat, and one of her favourite ever tracks was "Grapevine" by your namesake. So when I created a mix tape for her that had to be on it, along with some George Benson. She got into George during his post-hit phase.

Then she discovered Rod Stewart when he started singing the American Songbook and even discovered latter day Robert Plant. Quite a turnaround, which shows the benefit of re-examining one's values on occasions and admitting that you like something despite what others might think.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Motown B-Side That I actually prefer over it's A-Side:


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

Marvin Gaye, "You've Been A Long Time Coming", TAMLA TM 54112, B-Side of "I'll Be Doggone".

"You've Been A Long Time Coming" is one of my all-time favorite Motown tracks. HDH, Marvin, The Andantes, Earl Van Dykes's piano, and those Detroit Symphony Strings shine throughout. Could have been an A-side, and definitely one of the highlights of "The Moods Of Marvin Gaye" album.