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  1. #1
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    Motowniest Motown Song?

    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

  2. #2
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    Money..come and get these memories..my guy!

  3. #3
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    The Marvelettes' "I'll Keep Holding On" and Stevie Wonder's "Uptight [[Everything's Alright)"

    They have the quintessential Motown sound.

  4. #4
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    Two Lovers....Mary Wells
    Come See About Me....Supremes
    Beauty Is Only Skin Deep...Temptations
    Dancing In The Street...Martha/Vandellas
    Single song....impossible??

  5. #5
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    "Something About You" - The Four Tops

  6. #6
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    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.

  7. #7
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    The Supremes - 'Stop! In The Name of Love'

  8. #8
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    Oooooh, the Motowniest Motown song!?
    I'd go with "You Can't Hurry Love". 1966. Classic. Simply, it IS Motown.

  9. #9
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    Either Stop or All I Need Or I Can’t Help Myself [[Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).
    Last edited by thanxal; 02-08-2019 at 01:26 PM.

  10. #10
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    Ain't Too Proud to Beg would get my vote if I had to pick just one.

  11. #11
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    "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...

  12. #12
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    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.

  13. #13
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    Reflections - Supremes
    Behind a Painted Smile - Isley Bros.

  14. #14
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    Another vote for "Dancing' in the Streets". Pure joy and pure Motown.

  15. #15
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    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.

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    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)".

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by alanh View Post
    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...

  18. #18
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    You were on thin ice for a second, Al.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by ralpht View Post
    You were on thin ice for a second, Al.
    I shall listen to it 10x as penance, Ralph.

  20. #20
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    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

  21. #21
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    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

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by DWSheffer View Post
    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!

  23. #23
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    "I'll Always Love You" by The Detroit Spinners.

  24. #24
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    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

  25. #25
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    Four Tops - "I Got A Feeling"

  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by TomatoTom123 View Post
    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!

  27. #27
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    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

  28. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by rovereab View Post
    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.

  29. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony View Post
    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!!

  30. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by rovereab View Post
    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.

  31. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by rovereab View Post
    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

  32. #32
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    Not always. HAHA

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

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

  33. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    Not always. HAHA

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

    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???

  34. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by thanxal View Post
    Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???
    Marvin Gaye- Stubborn Kinda Fellow

  35. #35
    Quote Originally Posted by thanxal View Post
    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

  36. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by thanxal View Post
    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.

  37. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by thanxal View Post
    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!

  38. #38
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    Driving drum beat + tambourine + guitar pluck + solid bass line + sax = Road Runner

  39. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    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>.

  40. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by midnightman View Post
    Stubborn Kind of Fellow and Hitch Hike by Marvin. HELLO!
    Excellent choices! Why didn't I think of Stubborn Kinda Fellow

  41. #41
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    "Never Can Wait For Love" "My Baby Must Be A Magician" "Shotgun" and "My Guy".

  42. #42
    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"

  43. #43
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    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.

  44. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    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.

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    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)

  46. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by thanxal View Post
    Flute solo? My instant recall of all songs Motown is failing me. Which one[[s) have a flute solo???
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    Many songs from 1959 through 1961 had prominent flute parts. Most were played by Dr. Beans Bowles.

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    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
    Last edited by jboy88; 02-18-2019 at 01:11 AM.

  48. #48
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    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".

  49. #49
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    Its decided I Can't help Myself is it, no question about it , I agree with the majority

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