BWW Exclusive: THE 101 GREATEST MOTOWN SONGS OF ALL TIME

**monicarivers** · 06-11-2020, 01:35 PM

https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmus...-More-20200611

**daviddesper** · 06-11-2020, 03:32 PM

As always everyone has a right to their opinion. From one quick glide through this list, the biggest puzzler I see is You Can't Hurry Love stuck wayyyyyy down at # 55.

**arr&bee** · 06-11-2020, 03:48 PM

My girl at no.ten????? Oh well!!

**motony** · 06-11-2020, 03:58 PM

"Don't Mess With Bill" the Marvelettes last for Motown? My Motown 100 would be totally different then this.

**woodward** · 06-11-2020, 06:16 PM

I was curious to see who had the most number of songs in the Top 101. Much to my surprise it was Stevie Wonder. He had a total of 15 songs mentioned - 14.9%. A good performance by Stevie Wonder.

The only one that puzzled me was Odyssey - I have to see who this was. Never heard of this artist.

**daviddesper** · 06-11-2020, 11:43 PM

motony:

I am not sure I understand your question. Are you saying you are surprised that the Marvelettes did not have anything higher than this?

**reese** · 06-12-2020, 08:19 AM

Considering the guy listened to every Motown single from 1959-1972 plus some from later years, I think he came up with a pretty good list.

One could argue the position of some of them I suppose, but that's his opinion. No more, no less. I would certainly dump maybe 10 or so of these. But on the whole, I would have no complaints if this was a playlist for a long drive.

**tmd** · 06-12-2020, 09:59 AM

He almost got it right, and he probably would have selected a month ago, but due to what is happening now a choice that I can agree with. My favorite comments was on What Does It Take, brought chills when he finally realized it was the song that he loved way back, but did not know the title. Reminds me when I bought the Supremes greatest hits, I was disappointed that one of my favorite songs was missing. Cannery Love. I had thought the Supremes had sung it, but apparently I was wrong, and then much to my surprise I hear You Can't Hurry Love, and I realized oh that the song and the title now made a lot more sense.
Well done

**daviddesper** · 06-12-2020, 10:24 AM

tmd:

I imagine we could all do a whole separate thread about misheard lyrics and titles. I know I personally have a ton of them stored away from over 50 years of listening to music. My favorite, although not Motown related, was Dr. Hook's "Cover of the Rolling Stone." For years I wondered why they opened up the song telling us that they were big rock singers who "had toes and fingers." I thought to myself....."well doesn't everybody?"

If I had to name a Motown example, it would be the Spinners, who kept me wondering for years about their "fourth in a row."

**tmd** · 06-14-2020, 05:30 PM

I could have sworn they were saying Like a bar of soap needs a kid, makes sense, but thought i would check it out a few years a go and realized it was like a lost soul needs a friend

**Motown Eddie** · 06-16-2020, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by woodward

The only one that puzzled me was Odyssey - I have to see who this was. Never heard of this artist.

Odyssey was a pop group that released one LP & a single for Motown's Mowest label in 1972. And not to be confused with the group that recorded the Disco Classic "Native New Yorker".