Name your favorite Motown Debut Singles

[Motown Eddie]

Name your favorite Motown Debut Singles. The song in question must be the first single the artist released on Motown [[and the act may have previously recorded for another label before coming to Motown).

1. "I Want You Back"/"Who's Loving You"-The Jackson 5
2. "Please Mr. Postman"-The Marvelettes
3. "Baby I Need Your Loving"-Four Tops
4. "Bye Bye Baby"-Mary Wells
5. "This Old Heart Of Mine [[Is Weak For You)"-The Isley Bros.
6. "Every Little Bit Hurts"-Brenda Holloway
7. "Devil With A Blue Dress On"-Shorty Long
8. "I Can't Believe You Love Me"-Tammi Terrell
9. "I'll Have To Let Him Go"-Martha & the Vandellas
10. "Who Wouldn't Love A Man Like That"-Mable John
11. "Does Your Mama Know About Me"-Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers
12. "Just Walk In My Shoes"-Gladys Knight & the Pips
13. "Put Yourself In Place"/"Darling Baby"-The Elgins
14. "Needle In A Haystack"-The Velvelettes

[arr&bee]

Good post...well i'll come as close as i can-i want a love i can see[temptations-first song i heard by them]...bad girl[miracles]...bye bye baby[mary wells]...please mr.postman[marvelettes]...come and get these memories[martha and the vandellas]...this ol heart of mine[isley brothers]...stubborn kind of fella[marvin gaye]...fingertips[stevie wonder].

[marv2]

My all time favorite Motown debut single is "I Want You Back"! by the Jackson 5! The record just explodes off of the turntable and had a groove that just didn't quit!

[marv2]

"Baby I Need Your Loving" by the Four Tops is my favorite record period!

[TomatoTom123]

My all time favorite Motown debut single is "I Want You Back"! by the Jackson 5! The record just explodes off of the turntable and had a groove that just didn't quit!

Totally agree Marv. And, of course, the B-Side was "Who's Lovin' You", which is a classic in its own right!

[marv2]

Totally agree Marv. And, of course, the B-Side was "Who's Lovin' You", which is a classic in its own right!

That record came out when I was in the 4th Grade. We would sing it at the tops of our lungs for weeks.....LOL!

[robb_k]

"Baby I Need Your Loving" by the Four Tops is my favorite record period!

But it wasn't really The Four Tops' debut record with Motown. They sang the vocals on "Come On Home" by Holland-Dozier [[Brian & Lamont) on Motown in summer 1963.

[robb_k]

1. "Someone To Call My Own" - The Equadors
2. "Bad Girl" - The Miracles
3. "Baby I Miss You" - Tommy Good
4. "Keep On Loving Me" - Frances Nero
5. "This Old Heart Of Mine [[Is Weak For You)"-The Isley Bros.
6. "Dearest one" - Lamont Dozier
7. "Good-Bye Cruel Love" - Linda Griner
8. "Say You" - The Monitors
9. "Every Little Bit Hurts"-Brenda Holloway
10. "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" - Rita Wright
11. "Does Your Mama Know About Me"-Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers
12. "Like A Nightmare" - Andantes [[Ann Bogan lead)
12. "I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again" - The Fantastic Four

[marv2]

But it wasn't really The Four Tops' debut record with Motown. They sang the vocals on "Come On Home" by Holland-Dozier [[Brian & Lamont) on Motown in summer 1963.

You're right Robb. It really wasn't. Some mistake it as being their debut when it was actually their first Pop hit on Motown.

[Motown Eddie]

You're right Robb. It really wasn't. Some mistake it as being their debut when it was actually their first Pop hit on Motown.

Oops! Totally forgot that the Four Tops did the vocals on "Come On Home" in 1963. Thanks Robb_k & Marv 2.

[RanRan79]

David Ruffin...My Whole World Ended
Diana Ross...Reach Out and Touch
Thelma Houston...I Want to Go Back There Again
Rick James...You and I
Michael Jackson...Got to Be There
Teena Marie...I'm a Sucka for Your Love
Lionel Richie...Truly [[the first non duet single)
Mary Jane Girls...Candy Man

[midnightman]

J5 - I Want You Back
Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman
MJG's - Candy Man
Rick James - You & I
Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts
Marvin & Tammi - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Diana Ross - Reach Out & Touch [[Somebody's Hand)
Boyz II Men - Motownphilly
The Boys - Dial My Heart
The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of Mine [[Is Weak for You)

[144man]

There can only be one choice:

The Supremes - I Want A Guy

[midnightman]

There can only be one choice:

The Supremes - I Want A Guy

Don't start LOL

[robb_k]

J5 - I Want You Back
Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman
Barrett Strong - Money
Rick James - You & I
Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts
Marvin & Tammi - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Diana Ross - Reach Out & Touch [[Somebody's Hand)
Boyz II Men - Motownphilly
The Boys - Dial My Heart
The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of Mine [[Is Weak for You)

"Money" wasn't Barrett Strong's debut with Motown [[Tamla). He had a single out on Tamla 54021/22, "Do The Very Best You Can", much earlier in 1959 [[first release in Tamla's 54000 series).

[midnightman]

"Money" wasn't Barrett Strong's debut with Motown [[Tamla). He had a single out on Tamla 54021/22, "Do The Very Best You Can", much earlier in 1959 [[first release in Tamla's 5400 series).

Jesus Christ... lol

That's why it was hard to make a list! LOL

Most of the Motown legends' first singles didn't immediately take off! DOGGONE IT! Lol

[BayouMotownMan]

1. YOU CAN'T TURN ME OFF-High Inergy
2. BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING-4 Tops
3. I WANT YOU BACK-J 5

[midnightman]

^ I forgot about You Can't Turn Me Off. Didn't the Four Tops release jazz singles before Baby?

Also, Candy Man by the MJGs should've been a WAY BIGGER HIT than it was. Again, Motown should've gotten on the ball with that!

[robb_k]

^ I forgot about You Can't Turn Me Off. Didn't the Four Tops release jazz singles before Baby?
Also, Candy Man by the MJGs should've been a WAY BIGGER HIT than it was. Again, Motown should've gotten on the ball with that!

They RECORDED an LP's worth of Jazz tunes earlier with Motown. But none of them were released. There was a Workshop Jazz LP slated, but not scheduled. I saw a mock LP cover of it when I worked at Motown, plus a list of the cuts for the back cover.

[RanRan79]

Also, Candy Man by the MJGs should've been a WAY BIGGER HIT than it was. Again, Motown should've gotten on the ball with that!

Agreed. It's a jam.

[TomatoTom123]

Some great choices guys. Forgot about David Ruffin's "My Whole World Ended", what a solo debut that was.

I shall add "Save My Love For A Rainy Day" by The Undisputed Truth and "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch.

[midnightman]

They RECORDED an LP's worth of Jazz tunes earlier with Motown. But none of them were released. There was a Workshop Jazz LP slated, but not scheduled. I saw a mock LP cover of it when I worked at Motown, plus a list of the cuts for the back cover.

Oh OK, thanks. So Baby was indeed their first single.

[Boogiedown]

Rick James:
YOU AND I

I worked in a record store at the time , and I'll never forget a certain disco DJ customer who always seemed to have his thumb on the pulse of what was happening advising me to watch for that record to break and that it was by an artist who wrote his own music and would someday be very big.

In that same conversation, he also told me about another new artist who played all his own instruments that he thought would also be very big. That artist was Prince , who had released a song at the time called SOFT AND WET .

[Fourtopsbiggestfan]

You're right Robb. It really wasn't. Some mistake it as being their debut when it was actually their first Pop hit on Motown.

I didn't hear so much as a breath being taken on COME ON HOME. It'd be nice to hear the Tops though

[marv2]

I didn't hear so much as a breath being taken on COME ON HOME. It'd be nice to hear the Tops though

I agree. I love the Four Tops and just about everything they have recorded.

[copley]

I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is - Blinky

Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin & Tammi

I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You - Rita Wright

I Got A Feeling - Barbara Randolph

Forget About Me - Carolyn Crawford

Do Right Baby, Do Right - Chris Clark

You're Gonna Love My Baby - Barbara McNair

Does Your Mama Know About Me - Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers

Please Mr Postman - Marvelettes

Every Little Bit Hurts - Brenda Holloway

I Want To Be Humble - Devastating Affair

Put Yourself In My Place - Elgins

Just Walk In My Shoes - Gladys Knight & The Pips

Chained - Paul Peterson

Mr Fix-It Man - Sisters Love

I Can't Believe You Love Me - Tammi Terrell

Stay A Little Longer - Yvonne Fair

Needle In A Haystack - Velvelettes

[TomatoTom123]

I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is - Blinky

I Want To Be Humble - Devastating Affair

Put Yourself In My Place - Elgins

Mr Fix-It Man - Sisters Love

Stay A Little Longer - Yvonne Fair

Great ones copley!

[midnightman]

I Wouldn't Change the Man He Is... how did I skip that?!

BLINKY TORE THAT SUCKER UP!

[jim aka jtigre99]

The first record I ever bought was Up The Ladder to the Roof as a pre-teen. It was the Supremes' first single with Jean Terrell. Their first single together was amazing, when they started the song with "Come with me" they took me on a musical journey that has lasted 48 years.