Nothing's too good for my baby-the fastest tempo in motown history?

**arrr&bee** · 03-09-2011, 01:46 PM

I'm probobly wrong here but is there a motown song faster than this one from stevie? He sang this thing like he had somewhere to be.

**soulster** · 03-09-2011, 02:00 PM

I felt the same way about "Uptight", which came out the same year.

**arrr&bee** · 03-09-2011, 03:54 PM

I think that[nothing's too good]may be a bit faster!

**Kamasu_Jr** · 03-09-2011, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by arrr&bee

I think that[nothing's too good]may be a bit faster!

Eddie Holland's Leaving Here has a faster tempo than either Uptight or Nothing's Too Good for My Baby.

Uptight and Nothing's Too Good are both in 2/4 time. I'm not sure what time or how fast Leaving Here is.

**soulster** · 03-09-2011, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

Eddie Holland's Leaving Here has a faster tempo than either Uptight or Nothing's Too Good for My Baby.

Uptight and Nothing's Too Good are both in 2/4 time. I'm not sure what time or how fast Leaving Here is.

"Nothing Too Good..." is faster. I also think they are in 4/4 time.

**marv2** · 03-09-2011, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by soulster

I felt the same way about "Uptight", which came out the same year.

I agree with you. I was just about to say that "Uptight" was very fast paced and maybe faster than "Nothings Too Good for My Baby". Add to the list:

Gladys Night & the Pips -" I Heard it Through the Grapevine" and "Friendship Train"
The Supremes - "Love Is Like An Itching in My Heart"

and you would be out of breathe trying to keep up with the lyrics and the pace! LOL!

**marv2** · 03-09-2011, 04:44 PM

Stevie in those days was full of nervous, kinetic type energy.

**Kamasu_Jr** · 03-09-2011, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by soulster

"Nothing Too Good..." is faster. I also think they are in 4/4 time.

Are you sure? I disagree. Leaving Here sounds faster.

RossHolloway · 03-09-2011, 04:55 PM

Whiplash by Jr. Walker and the Allstars.

**MIKEW-UK** · 03-09-2011, 05:06 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVT_7Q-6aL8
Willie Hutch

**psychedelic jacques** · 03-09-2011, 05:20 PM

if you define 'motown song' as anything ever released on any Motown label, then it would have to be 'Sabre Dance' by Love Sculpture. For a true Motown song, i'd say 'Livewire'

**roger** · 03-09-2011, 06:41 PM

Well ..

I don't have my metronome to hand but I think its a toss up between "Nothings Too Good For My Baby" and this one ..

STEVIE WONDER - "Be Cool, Be Calm"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAu5eF56pmA

And of course there is always THE ISLEY BROTHERS - "Tell Me Its Just A Rumour" ..

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

Roger

P.S. .. for those not certain what a metronome is .. it is NOT a short person in a pointed hat hanging around in an underground railway station!!

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-09-2011, 06:44 PM

I thought David Bowie explained it well in his "The Laughing Gnome"!

**arrr&bee** · 03-10-2011, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by roger

well ..

I don't have my metronome to hand but i think its a toss up between "nothings too good for my baby" and this one ..

Stevie wonder - "be cool, be calm"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zau5ef56pma

and of course there is always the isley brothers - "tell me its just a rumour" ..

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

roger

p.s. .. For those not certain what a metronome is .. It is not a short person in a pointed hat hanging around in an underground railway station!!

hey roger,are you sure about that...i'm standing in a underground railway station and there is a short person in a pointed hat looking at me[i think he wants my hooch...help]!!

**MotownSteve** · 03-10-2011, 01:44 PM

I'd throw 'Take Me in Your Arms and Rock' Me into the mix.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-10-2011, 04:30 PM

Can I throw in the Daltons Boys with "I've Been Cheated"

**robb_k** · 03-10-2011, 04:35 PM

I always thought Eivets Rednow's B-side of his released single [[forget title right now) was faster.

**tomato tom** · 03-10-2011, 05:27 PM

I just know I could never dance to it! Far too fast! Uptight too. ..Paulo xxx

**tamla617** · 03-10-2011, 05:36 PM

robb_k
more than a dream was the b side

**tamla617** · 03-10-2011, 05:46 PM

psychadelic jaques
the love sculpture album "blues helping" released on motown [[us) uk it was parlophone,didnt contain sabre dance.
that was on their next album "forms and feelings" 1969 in uk,1970 in states on the parrot label

**psychedelic jacques** · 03-10-2011, 06:21 PM

617

you're quite right - sorry! For some reason I had it in my mind it was released as one of the first batch of Rare Earth singles. My bad. I'll just stick with 'Livewire' then.

**tamla617** · 03-10-2011, 06:56 PM

its easy done

**robbert** · 03-10-2011, 09:48 PM

Nothing'sTooGood by Stevie is fast and it sounds even faster because of the MANY drum rolls in it. That's my opinion and that's how it sounded to me when it came out.
Grapevine by Gladys maybe fast, but has sort of a lay back rhythm.

It's often in the instrumentation and/or arrrangement whether the pace is being 'felt' as medium or fast, or very fast. In Stevie's case his heavy breathing doesn't help to let it sound slower than it is...

honest man · 03-11-2011, 06:39 AM

show me the way-a'int that the truth jj barnes, way over there edwin starr-goodnight irene -originals, maybe. cheers

**soulwally** · 03-11-2011, 08:56 AM

How's about Stevie's Ain't That Asking For Trouble [[same template as Nothing's Too Good...) and Shorty's Baby Come Home To Me?

**roger** · 03-11-2011, 09:52 AM

Seems everyone is concentrating on the '60s so far ..

How about this one from 1977 ..

21ST CREATION : "Tailgate"

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

honest man · 03-11-2011, 11:05 AM

a couple more DO I LOVE YOU FRANK WILSON WHEN THE LOVELIGHT-NOTHING BUT HEARTACHES- THE HAPPENING,DRATS maybe. cheers

honest man · 03-11-2011, 11:14 AM

just another i think this could be the one THIS LOVE STARVED HEART-MARVIN.I keep hearing an isleys song but can't grasp it at moment, thank you folks.

**theboyfromxtown** · 03-11-2011, 11:34 AM

Forever Came Today-Jackson 5

**roger** · 03-11-2011, 11:45 AM

More possibilities ..

THE MARVELETTES : "Only Your Love Can Save Me"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIrPG0NBik8

SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES :"Whole Lotta Shaking In My Heart" -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrYftYR8KdY

THE MONITORS : "Share A Little Love With Me"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQaRtLEmzJ8

JUNIOR WALKER & THE ALLSTARS : "Tune Up" - The video shows how to dance to it too ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86cAiEsTKTk

STEVIE WONDER : "Angel Baby"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRhq20Uk74g

And another from the '70s ..

YVONNE FAIR : "Walk Out The Door If You Wanna" ..

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

Now .. who is going to be the first to get out the stopwatch ..

Roger

**Zantellor** · 03-11-2011, 12:01 PM

how about Martha and the Vandella's Live Wire

**paladin** · 03-11-2011, 12:05 PM

Isnt She Pretty by Tempts was pretty fast too, .........

**randy_russi** · 03-11-2011, 12:37 PM

What about Stevie's "Kiss Me Baby" or "Workout Stevie, Workout"?

**rovereab** · 03-11-2011, 03:00 PM

How about this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKpY3lSehwU

Eamonn

**MotownSteve** · 03-11-2011, 03:35 PM

Roger, nice video for 'Tune Up' but I prefer this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlVJy...feature=fvwrel

**soulwally** · 03-11-2011, 04:24 PM

It Takes Two - always too fast to dance to.

**roger** · 03-11-2011, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by rovereab

How about this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKpY3lSehwU

Eamonn

Beat you to it yesterday Eamonn ..

How about THIS one ..

THE ISLEY BROTHERS : "Why When Love Is Gone"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjPntP9tBR8

or even ..

THE ISLEY BROTHERS : "Thats The Way Love Is"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv9YpKVLlEE

Roger

**spinningsoul** · 03-11-2011, 05:06 PM

If you go strictly off of the beats per minute, "Nothing's too good" registers at 149.5, whereas "Uptight" is 134. "Sabe Dance" checks in at 130.64, "Leaving here" is 102, which is a bit over the Motown typical.

I know this isn't the only factor in tempo, but it definitely shows a faster groove.

**144man** · 03-11-2011, 07:27 PM

"Live Wire" was so fast that Martha would never perform it live.

**roger** · 03-12-2011, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by spinningsoul

If you go strictly off of the beats per minute, "Nothing's too good" registers at 149.5, whereas "Uptight" is 134. "Sabe Dance" checks in at 130.64, "Leaving here" is 102, which is a bit over the Motown typical.

I know this isn't the only factor in tempo, but it definitely shows a faster groove.

Wish I had the capability of checking the BPMs spinningsoul .. I tried to count "Nothings Too Good For My Baby" using a stopwatch and came up with 139. The other Stevie track I mentioned in my initial post "Be Cool, Be Calm" came out slightly faster using the same method at 141.

Of course it was totally unscientific so my figures could be wrong .. and there is no way I'm going to try doing the same with the other suggestions!!

Would be very strange, wouldn't it, if the fastest Motown record EVER turned out to be one called "Be Cool, Be Calm"

Roger

**rovereab** · 03-12-2011, 06:30 AM

Whoops - Sorry Roger

How about the alternate version of Honey Bee on COM2?

Eamonn

honest man · 03-12-2011, 06:38 AM

catching up on time- isleys, thats what i was thinking off, great thread, cheers

**Boogiedown** · 06-28-2023, 02:18 PM

this is a fun thread!

Roger:
Would be very strange, wouldn't it, if the fastest Motown record EVER turned out to be one called "Be Cool, Be Calm

**SatansBlues** · 06-28-2023, 05:14 PM

One of my favorites!

**Motown Eddie** · 06-29-2023, 04:45 AM

Here's a fast one from The Temptations.

**mowsville** · 06-29-2023, 12:20 PM

What about the Monitors " Number One In Your Heart".

**Motown Eddie** · 06-30-2023, 04:44 AM

And a fast one from The Supremes-

**Motown Eddie** · 06-30-2023, 05:28 AM

And one of the Fastest Records [IMHO] Motown released during the '60s.... from 1962, Gino Parks' "Fire".

**jobucats** · 06-30-2023, 09:29 AM

I guess it depends what one considers to be the main beats per minute AKA bpm.
From using my metronome, I've come up with these from some of the first mentioned songs:

Leaving Here 204 bpm ...or are you tapping your foot at 102 bpm?
Nothing's Too Good 150 bpm
Gladys & the Pips Grapevine- 114 bpm
Uptight- 134 bpm
Love is Like an Itching 134 bpm

And again, Lurlean, it depends on what you are hearing as the beat of the song.