Motowniest Non Motown Song?

[Optimal Saint]

What non Motown label song do you think sounds most like a Motown Song?

Covers of Motown songs don’t count

I would say Cool Jerk by the Capitols but if I remember right wasn’t it all Funk Brothers playing on it? Which to me would disqualify it

I always thought that Karma Chameleon by Boy George had a Motownesque feel to it

When the Motown sound became a phenomenon a lot of labels and artists tried to emulate it

Who do you think did it the best?

[Pandakins]

This wasn't the best song in the world, but Love Games by Belle and the the Devotions had a very Supremes style to it. It was a moderate hit in the UK in about 1984

[Pandakins]

...and another one springs to mind, Maxine Nightingale and 'Get Back Where We Started From' - that still sounds great

[Motown Eddie]

Good question: here's a few songs that I think sound most like a Motown Song.

1. "A Lover's Concerto"-The Toys
2. "Rescue Me"-Fontella Bass
3. "Church Of The Poison Mind"-Culture Club
4. "Maneater"-Hall & Oates
5. "Walking On Sunshine"-Katrina & The Waves

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

"Freeway Of Love"- Aretha Franklin

[motony]

besides those mentioned: "The 81" by Candy & the Kisses, "The Real Thing" by Tina Britt, "The Cow" by Bill Robinson & the Quails[[Dade, 1963), [[Just Like)Romeo & Juliet by The Reflections. There are many more I just can't think of them.

[johnny_raven]

Written by Jerry Butler, Council Gay & Sylvester Potts, but not recorded for Motown.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Written by Jerry Butler, Council Gay & Sylvester Potts, but not recorded for Motown.

Wow, what a great song! Sometimes it's the non-Motown songs that captured the flavor better than Motown itself. Never heard this one before, so my thanks for posting this here.

[bradsupremes]

"Sunday Morning People" - Honey Cone

Written and Produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland. Instrumental by the Funk Brothers. Sounds like it was cut right down in Studio A.

[midnightman]

This one:



I swore the first time I heard it and with the harmonica, I was like "wait until Stevie hears this". LOL

As a kid I thought he actually played on it.

[sansradio]

"Freedom" by Wham! gets my vote.

[midnightman]

"Freedom" by Wham! gets my vote.

That's a real good one!

[marv2]

"Build Me Up Buttercup" by the Foundations.

[marv2]

The Flirtations - Nothing But A Heartache

[thanxal]

Opus 17 [[Don’t You Worry ‘bout Me) The Four Seasons. Has the sax solo bridge and all.

[daviddesper]

Like the Mamie song a lot!!! Did she record others?

[mowest]

Run, Baby Run [[Back Into My Arms) by the Newbeats [[1965)

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Shangri-Las "Right Now and Not Later"

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Bobby Hebb [[of "Sunny" fame) "Love Love Love" really love the drums working overtime on that Motown 4-on-the-floor beat.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Al Kent- "The Way You've Been Acting Lately"

[robb_k]

"Lucky To Be Loved By You" and "Don't Lead Me On Baby" by Emanuel Lasky [[Laskey):

[robb_k]

This was probably written by George Clinton while The Parliaments were at Motown, with The Temptations in mind:

[robb_k]

Attachment 15026
Here's the other:

[robb_k]

Attachment 15026
Here's another:

[robb_k]

Attachment 15026
Here's another:

[robb_k]

Here's one of J.J. Barnes' many Motowny cuts:

Funk Brothers, Joe Hunter and Mike Terry, among others play on this, Martha & Vandellas sing background, Love-Tones' Carl Jones wrote it

[rovereab]

Back In Love Again - Donna Summer
Loco In Acapulco - Four Tops
I'm Your Man - Wham [[would segue well into Love Is Like An Itching I think)
Be My Baby - Vanessa Paradis
Town Called Malice - Jam

[mysterysinger]

Len Barry "1-2-3" [[ripped off a "Ask Any Girl") and "Like a Baby".

Felice Taylor "I Feel Love Coming On" and "It May Be Winter Outside" [[ripped off "Everything's Good About You").

[masterblaster]

No ones mentioned "Higher And Higher" and "I Get The Sweetest Feeling" by Jackie Wilson or is that too obvious.

[soulwally]

The first of my choices, a UK hit, with some very Motowny touches

[soulwally]

...and my second. You can actually hear Smokey doing this, and I think the video deliberately latches on to the Motown vibe

[Motown Eddie]

Can't forget about these Motown influenced gems;

1. The Shirelles-"Look Away" & "Last Minute Miracle"
2. Dee Dee Sharp-"Deep Dark Secret", "There Ain't Nothing I Wouldn't Do For You" & "Standing In The Need Of Love"
3. The Orlons-"Envy"
4. Christine Cooper-"S.O.S. [[Heart In Distress)" & "Heartaches Away My Boy"
5. Frankie Beverly & The Butlers-"Because Of My Heart"
6. Dusty Springfield-"I Can't Hear You No More"

[rovereab]

No ones mentioned "Higher And Higher" and "I Get The Sweetest Feeling" by Jackie Wilson or is that too obvious.

Yes, completely forgot about Jackie Wilson. His Best Of The Original Soul Brother 2 CD set includes many Motown sound alikes. Try these songs:

https://youtu.be/wMJ8EMGsyPI

https://youtu.be/L2lITj5M7Is

[mike_sku]

How about "This Time It's Love" by the Tymes or "If This is Love [[I'd Rather Be Lonely)" by the Precisions?

[TomatoTom123]

The first of my choices, a UK hit, with some very Motowny touches

Love that one soulwally! Great tribute to Motown and Smokey.

Check this out: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.e...Martin-Fry/amp

[TomatoTom123]

Great thread Op Saint! I can't think of any right now that haven't been mentioned but I do I will come straight back.

[TomatoTom123]

I have some ideas now!!!

Firstly, this:

[TomatoTom123]

[TomatoTom123]

Love this!

[thanxal]

This perhaps?

[TomatoTom123]

Love that one thanx!

[TomatoTom123]

Rod had a great Motown soundalike on his new album last year!!!

[TomatoTom123]

guilty pleasure!!

[robb_k]

Barrett Strong and Sonny Sanders made this:

[thanxal]

Here's one of J.J. Barnes' many Motowny cuts:

Funk Brothers, Joe Hunter and Mike Terry, among others play on this, Martha & Vandellas sing background, Love-Tones' Carl Jones wrote it

Robb, This one stands out as a really great example of a non-Motown Motown-sounding song. Something tells me you actually own these original 45s. Am I correct in this assumption?

[robb_k]

Robb, This one stands out as a really great example of a non-Motown Motown-sounding song. Something tells me you actually own these original 45s. Am I correct in this assumption?

Yes, you are correct.
Here's one by Kim Weston:

[robb_k]

Here's another:

[thanxal]

Yes, you are correct.
Here's one by Kim Weston:

I've seen you post here over the years and your collection of Motown/Soul/DooWop/ etc pieces must be the most extensive north of any library. I love such collections. They really do document the social history of this country.

[robb_k]

I've seen you post here over the years and your collection of Motown/Soul/DooWop/ etc pieces must be the most extensive north of any library. I love such collections. They really do document the social history of this country.

I've got four walls of just obscure Detroit and Chicago Soul 45s from 1959-70. But my entire collection is R&B, Blues, Jazz, Gospel and soul music from 1936-1972.
You'll like this:

[thanxal]

I've got four walls of just obscure Detroit and Chicago Soul 45s from 1959-70. But my entire collection is R&B, Blues, Jazz, Gospel and soul music from 1936-1972.
You'll like this:

I do! what year is this?