Help please with motown soundalikes

[honest man]

Hello people i need help,just been on stag week in Benidorm,loved it,anyway there were a few young lads in our company who love Motown,[like we all do] anyway to keep this wonderful legacy im going to switch them onto more 60s soul ,would love to do some Motown type songs for starters i've got 2 to start MIGHT CROWDED BETTY EVERETT, I'LL DO ANYTHING DORIS TROY,Any help appreciated,im still recovering ha, cheers folks.

[RossHolloway]

What about The Real Thing by Betty Everett, and Notin but a Heartache by the Flirtations, and Sally Go Round the Roses by the Jaynettes. Cool Jerk by the Capitals. Stolen Hours by Patrice Holloway. Rose Battiste I Miss My Baby and Hit & Run
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OJVL4V0WuY

[RossHolloway]

I Miss My Baby - Rose Battiste [[extended remix)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LhVTqbVngQ&feature=related

[Kamasu_Jr]

Here are a few more:

Deep Freeze - the Adorables
The Real Thing - Tina Britt's version
Poor Unfortunate Me ; Baby Please Come Back Home - JJ Barnes
I Can't Hear You No More - Dusty Springfield from the Sounds of Motown
Taking Me For Granted - Mary Wells
Hip Old Lady On A Honda - Rhetta Hughes
Let's Stick Together-Tempos
Warning - Pat Lewis
Oh How Happy - Shades of Blue
Romeo & Juliet - Reflections
I'm So Thankful - The Ikettes
Attack - The Toys
Too Careless With My Love - Dee Edwards
Tell Her About It - Billy Joel
I Can Feel the Ice Melting - Parliaments

[MotownLover]

I've always thought of "Right Back Where We Started From" by Maxine Nightingale as a Motown funk soundalike...one of my favorite songs of all time!

Also, "It May Be Winter Outside [[But In My Heart It's Spring)" by Felice Taylor. It's an awfully high pitched voice, but the track sounds very Motown-like to me. At first hearing back in 1966, I thought it was a super nasal Diana Ross fronting the Supremes!

Another one: "If There's Anything Else You Want [[Let Me Know)" by Roddie Joy. Love the saxophone in the mix for this oldie!

"Break-A-Way" by Irma Thomas. What a stunning cut!!

[soulster]

Gosh guys! Don't forget "Your Love Is Lifting Me [[High And Higher)" by Jackie Wilson and "1-2-3" by Len Barry!

If you want to move beyond the 60s, try "Tell her About It" by Billy Joel and "Church Of The Poisoned Mind" by Culture Club.


But, Maxine Nightingale or The Jaynettes sounding like Motown??? No way!

[roger]

Maxine Nightingale or The Jaynettes sounding like Motown??? No way!

I'd agree with you about THE JAYNETTES Soulster, but I've always thought that "Right Back Where We Started From" was a blatent attempt to recreate the Motown sound, along with other British mid-70s recorded songs such as "Love Really Hurts Without You" by BILLY OCEAN and "Goodbye There's Nothing To Say" by NOSMO KING/THE JAVELLS.

Here are some recommendations from me as Motown sound-alikes [[almost) .. all of which made a big impact in the '60s

THE IMPRESSIONS - "Can't Satisy" and "You've Been Cheating"
FONTELLA BASS - "Rescue Me"
THE TOYS - "Lovers' Concerto"
THE PLATTERS - "With This Ring"
WILLIAM BELL - "Happy"

Roger

[masterblaster]

Also, "It May Be Winter Outside [[But In My Heart It's Spring)" by Felice Taylor. It's an awfully high pitched voice, but the track sounds very Motown-like to me. At first hearing back in 1966, I thought it was a super nasal Diana Ross fronting the Supremes!

This sounds like a Supremes track because it is almost identical to "Everythings Good About You", even more so by Love Unlimited. I'm suprised Motown didn't sue for copyright.

[roger]

This sounds like a Supremes track because it is almost identical to "Everythings Good About You", even more so by Love Unlimited. I'm suprised Motown didn't sue for copyright.

Felice's big U.K. hit "I Feel Love Coming On" also was often mistaken for a SUPREMES record ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoxOFiNKuQI

Roger

[RossHolloway]

But, Maxine Nightingale or The Jaynettes sounding like Motown??? No way![/QUOTE]

I have to agree with this statement. Maxine Nightingale definitely sounds like the 70s Supremes and The Jaynettes remind me of Motown pre-Come And Get These Memories - late 62-early 63. It sounds like a track fit for the Marvelettes before there was a defined Motown Sound.

[rovereab]

This song by Donna Summer has a kinda Motown/Supremes feel to it IMO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0iCY4Yfpq8

[marv2]

When I heard "Right Back Where We Started From" on the radio in late 1975, for a moment I thought it was the Supremes with Mary on the lead.

[marv2]

"Give Me Just A Little More Time" by the Chairmen of the Board sounded like an imitation of the Four Tops.

[marv2]

Katrina & the Waves, "Walking on Sunshine"
Hall & Oates "Maneater"
Wham "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"

[marv2]

Steve Winwood "Roll With It Baby"

[roger]

Another HUGE hit in Britain, which IMHO owed a lot to Motown .. at the end of 1968 ..

THE BANDWAGON - "Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache" ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYTqTPmTZ0o

Roger

[rovereab]

I'm Your Man by Wham also has a Motown feel and would "join" nicely with Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart.

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRUpeH8Dpn4

And another one ..

CHRISTINE COOPER - "You Take My Heartaches Away"

:)

Roger

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZa1Vo6D5nQ

And I think this second version of "What Is This" by BOBBY WOMACK owes something to "Standing In The Shadows Of Love"....

:)

Roger

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhWzjWZqzvs&feature=fvwrel

LINDA JONES - "I Can't Stop Loving My Baby" .. seems to owe a bit to "Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart"

:)

Roger

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YktVqMBKrRM

DARRYL STEWART - "Name It And Claim It"

Starts like "I Can't Help Myself" .. then sounds a bit like "Stop In The Name Of Love"

:)

Roger

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWXeodKRdW0

SANDY WADDY - "Everything Is Everything" .. Now doesn't this remind me of "Ain't That Peculiar"

:)

Roger

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT5tvtBrXyY

"Slow Fizz" by THE SAPPHIRES ..

"Going To a Go-Go" meets "Uptight"

:)

Roger

[Roger Polhill]

How about "Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations, "Love Love Love" by Bobby Hebb and "Black Is Black" by Los Bravos.

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXcijWPDCGo

CANDY & THE KISSES - "The 81" [[ A.K.A. "In My Lonely Room Part II")

:)

Roger

[marv2]

"Competition Ain't Nothing" by Carl Carlton sounds very similar to Stevie Wonder's "Uptight"

[bradsupremes]

I nominate the Honey Cone's "Sunday Morning People." It sounds like it was recorded down in Studio A. The most Motown sounding non-Motown release, but it had HDH and the Funk Brothers behind it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDalJtno5Cc

[marv2]

It's hard to explain but that song, "Sunday Morning People" and a few others listed here have a "regional sound" as opposed to being Motown soundalikes. One of my earlier choices, "Give Me Just A Little More Time" has that regional sound that I am hard pressed to explain at the moment, but you knew it when you heard it on say CKLW back in the day [[late 60's, early 70's).

[soulster]

I'd agree with you about THE JAYNETTES Soulster, but I've always thought that "Right Back Where We Started From" was a blatent attempt to recreate the Motown sound...

Well, I just don't hear it. To me, the sound was too unique. besides, Maxine Nightingale is a pop artist, not an R&B artist. But, i'll tell ya, I was surprised when I discovered the album was recorded in England. It is an excellent album, too. It needs to be on CD. I made a nice needledrop of it many years ago. But, anyway...


...along with other British mid-70s recorded songs such as "Love Really Hurts Without You" by BILLY OCEAN and "Goodbye There's Nothing To Say" by NOSMO KING/THE JAVELLS.

I'll have to go back and listen to the Billy Ocean song. I have it, but never paid attention to it.


Here are some recommendations from me as Motown sound-alikes [[almost) .. all of which made a big impact in the '60s

THE IMPRESSIONS - "You've Been Cheating"

When I hear this song, I hear Los Brovos' "Black Is Black", which did cop the Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself".

FONTELLA BASS - "Rescue Me"

I never thought about it, but you're right. But, you know, I don't have Motown on the brain like most of the rest of you guys!:D

THE TOYS - "Lovers' Concerto"

Oh definitely! I'll bet a lot of people back then thought it was a Motown group, too!

[soulster]

And I think this second version of "What Is This" by BOBBY WOMACK owes something to "Standing In The Shadows Of Love"....

Aw man! Now you're stretching it! :D

[roger]

Aw man! Now you're stretching it! :D

Au Contraire Soulster .. though on reflection I think the musical arrangement owes a little more to "Reach Out I'll Be There" .. :)

Here is one from J.J. JACKSON that seems to owe something to "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by THE CONTOURS ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vIPN3iCSxU

Roger

[roger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPuKFeGh_lo

PAULA DURANTE - "You're Not My Kind" ... "Where Did Our Love Go" meets "Girl, Why You Wanna Make Me Blue"????

:)

Roger

[edafan]

Bob Babbitt is on "With This Ring"

edafan

That's why it sounds like Motown

[Kamasu_Jr]

A lot of the records I chose were recorded in Detroit with Motown personnel.

[brother_love]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxz-ja7BqSc

[Methuselah2]

Very Marvin Gaye:
-- J. J. BARNES -
BABY PLEASE COME BACK HOME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr-N3lztcyQ

[Methuselah2]

Very Contours:
-- THE OLYMPICS -
MINE EXCLUSIVELY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIb9tlI5Fbs

[robb_k]

Au Contraire Soulster .. though on reflection I think the musical arrangement owes a little more to "Reach Out I'll Be There" .. :)

Here is one from J.J. JACKSON that seems to owe something to "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by THE CONTOURS ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vIPN3iCSxU

Roger

5409
Yes, it sounds as if they "stole" 2/3 of "Just A Little Misunderstanding" to "write" this song. Motown should have sued more over this one than from "I Can't Satisfy"-stolen from "This Old Heart of Mine". But it is only a copy of the basic melody. The instrumentation sounds NOTHING like Motown.

I disagree with most of the songs listed on this thread as sounding like Motown. Most of them have only one element out of many that 'sounds" like Motown. To me, to "Sound like Motown", a song needs to have several elements sound very much like Motown, not just be a hollow reminder.

To me, even MOST of the cuts written by Detroit ex-Motown or soon-to-be Motown writers, produced by Detroit's ex or future Motown producers, arranged by similar arrangers and played by the Funk brothers and other Motown Musicians don't reall "sound like Motown".

To really "Sound like Motown", they had to get almost all or all the elements correct and done well. IMO MOST of them that DID succeed, WERE recorded in Detroit with mostly Motown and Motown-related musicians, AND produced and written by Detroit writers and arranged by Motown-related arrangers, and most were sung by Motown-related artists. But there were a few exceptions. The following are those that popped into my head [[mostly created by Thelma, Correc-Tone, Ed Wingate labels, Solld Hitbound Productions, Don Davis' Groovesville Productions, and several on small Detroit labels, and several by barrett Strong and Sonny sanders while working for Chicago's Carl Davis, and Berry Gordy's ex partner, Roquel "Billy" Davis:

1. "My World Is On Fire"-Jimmy Mack-Palmer Records [[Mike Valvano/Mike Terry)
2. "Lucky To Be Loved By You"-Emanuel Lasky-Thelma Record productions [[Don Davis)-Also, 3. "No Part Time Love For Me"-Martha Starr, 4. "Don't Lead Me On Baby"-Emanuel Laskey
5. "Baby Please Come Back Home"-J.J. Barnes [[Groovesville Records) Don Davis)
6. "Me Without You"-Mary Wells 20th Century Fox [[Robert Bateman),
7. "This Heart of Mine" -Artistics-Okeh Records [[Barrett Strong/Sonny Sanders)
8. "You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet"-Mary Love -Modern Records [[essentially an L.A. Motown Record [[she should have been signed to Motown like The Holloway sisters)-Same holds for "Let Me Know" by Mary Love, and "Run One Flight of Stairs by Gloria Jones, and "The Touch of Venus" and "Love Belongs to Everyone" by Sandy Wynns.
9. "That Was My Girl"-Parliaments -Golden World Records [[Joe Hunter/Mike Terry) essentially written for Motown's New York office [[with The Temptations in mind).
10. "Poor Unfortunate Me"-J.J. Barnes-Ring Records [[Joe Hunter)
11. "The 81"-Candy & Kisses [[non-Detroit-copy of Vandellas' "In My Lonely Room"
12. "Happiness Is Here", "Challenge My Love"-Tobi Lark-Topper Records -[[Dave Hamilton)

[roger]

You are undoubtedly correct in what you say Robb_K as to me a lot of what made Motown "MOTOWN" was their production standards, which generally were missing from the "soundalikes" mentioned above.

One Motown hit that to me didn't sound particularly "MOTOWN" was "Shotgun" by JUNIOR WALKER which itself spawned a few soundalikes .. such as ..

WILLIE MITCHELL - "That Driving Beat"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS3ZFLlz24s

And, strangely, at the beginning of the '70s "Disco" era ..

GENTLEMEN & THEIR LADIES - "Party Bump" ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G89ipwVzhjI

Roger

[ExGuyParis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69ptYXvUo7M

A current day group that not only sounds like a Motown group... it IS a Motown group. CD released on the Motown label in France. He sings in both French and English; this one's French. You'll see lots of loving references to classic Motown albums.

[RossHolloway]

Heard this song the other day in a department store and had to break out the Shazaam. It such a throwback sound and had elements of classic Motown - a couple seconds of the intro brought to mind the start of Reflections and the sax definitely reminded me of mid-60's Motown [[HDH), especially with the bouncy feel to it. Really love this song- great singer.

http://youtu.be/IlPE1rEdAdI

[mysterysinger]

Bob Brady "More More More of Your Love" [[or for that matter Amen Corner "Bend Me Shape Me"...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFmqqr_9ro4

[kenneth]

When I heard "Right Back Where We Started From" on the radio in late 1975, for a moment I thought it was the Supremes with Mary on the lead.

I think it has a similar beat and vibe, though slightly up ended, to "Love is Like an Itching in My Heart."

[Motown Eddie]

Here's one of my favorite "Motown Soundalikes"; "Good Combination" by Sonny & Cher.

http://youtu.be/eYgTlF5X5pg

[tmd]

The next best thing to Reach Out, Marvin Junior doing his best to keep up with Levi.

and on this song he achieved it.

as far as a great sounding funk brother song- definitely Right Now and Not later by the Shangrii Las

[Motown Eddie]

Here's a good Motown influenced record; The 5th Dimension's "I'll Be Loving You Forvever" [[their debut on the Soul City label).

http://youtu.be/CjQnVB0Veqg

[Motown Eddie]

Heard this song the other day in a department store and had to break out the Shazaam. It such a throwback sound and had elements of classic Motown - a couple seconds of the intro brought to mind the start of Reflections and the sax definitely reminded me of mid-60's Motown [[HDH), especially with the bouncy feel to it. Really love this song- great singer.



http://youtu.be/IlPE1rEdAdI

Great song that really captures the sound of '60s Motown.

[Ngroove]

Jackie Ross, Selfidh One.

My opinion, easily confusable with Mary Wells, or an extra-smoothened Martha Reeves, had not read the singer who sung this beautiful confection of 1964.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBUNynQ6PQ0

[theboyfromxtown]

Here's a good Motown influenced record; The 5th Dimension's "I'll Be Loving You Forvever" [[their debut on the Soul City label).

http://youtu.be/CjQnVB0Veqg

Oooo what a good one. New one for me. Thanks for this.

[144man]

Everybody's Going to the Love In - Bob Brady & Conchords
There's Nothing Else to Say - The Incredibles
If This Is Love [[I'd Rather Be Lonely) - The Precisions
Dr Love - Bobby Sheen
Earthquake - Bobbi Lynn

[theboyfromxtown]

Not familiar with the Incredibles 1967 track. Interesting to see the name James Carmichael on the label.

[144man]

Robb K mentions The Artistics' "This Heart of Mine" above. That's a great track which bears a distinct resemblance to The Spinners' "I'll Always Love You".