Worst Motown songs?

**vcq** · 07-02-2011, 10:01 AM

This thread was inpired by the recent Guardian article: "[Mowest's] only hit was Tom Clay's terrible spoken-word rendition of What the World Needs Now, the portentous oration intercut with socially provocative media reports." I was listening to my favorite Motown channel on Live365 at work, and Tom Clay's "song" came on. I spent several minutes wondering what I'd just been listening to.

I've seen loads of lists of top Motown songs, but I'd love to hear what SDF thinks are the worst songs out there. Maybe it's the lyrics [[or lack thereof), off-key singers / musicians, whatever. Even a hits factory like Motown was bound to release a few less-than-stellar tracks throughout its long career.

From the hundreds of Motown songs I've listened to, my money is on Popcorn and the Mohawk's "Custer's Last Man."
2. The Valadiers' "Greetings" [[This Is Uncle Sam). Great song, but way out-of-tune.
3. "No Matter What Sign You Are" [[The Supremes). I read that this song was so bad, that Cindy and Mary aren't even on it [[it's the Andantes). Can anyone provide more info about this?

**jboy88** · 07-02-2011, 10:20 AM

The Honest Men's cherie and that b-side of theirs, a fine example of Motown's share of musical excrement. Give me a headache just thinking about that song. Debbie Dean's "Why am I loving you" and many of the songs on TCMS vol. 1 are also pretty bad!

**Jimi LaLumia** · 07-02-2011, 10:33 AM

I loved "No Matter What Sign You Are";
it made the national Top 30,and got.. airplay for a while on 77WABC AM in NY, the biggest Top 40 station in America

**johnjeb** · 07-02-2011, 11:15 AM

I think songs that are included in a worst list should be limited to when the company and/or the artists, writers, and producers hit their stride, most likely after 1964. Prior to that it was a learning experience and a revenue-building process.

I vote for "I'm Living In Shame".

**Jimi LaLumia** · 07-02-2011, 11:19 AM

I also loved "I'm Living In Shame""! what can I tell you?

**jeff9nyc** · 07-02-2011, 11:29 AM

None of the songs that the Supremes did were the "worst Motown songs." They were given some of the best material the company ever did. Even tracks that weren't as strong as some of their others weren't dogs. You might not like all their tracks, but the company had way too much money invested in the Supremes for them to record anything really awful. Personally, I can't even listen to the 2 gospel tracks on the second disc of the Lost and Found....but they were well sung and well produced.

**tamla617** · 07-02-2011, 12:21 PM

i bought that tom clay 7" on tamla motown [[uk).i was bored ,went to a department store's record dept.in oxford,so it was 1972/73.as the shop was empty i asked the girl to go thru all the tamla motown singles.which she did. i ended up with about 20 singles i either didnt have or heard of.i just bought them!the only one i can remember apart from tom clay was jimmy ruffin's "on the way out" tmg784.i played tom clay once and not all the way.thats it! its not come out the sleeve since.whats worse i still got it.look on the bright side i'm saving the planet from burnt vinyl fumes!

btw jimmy's didnt get played much more than that either,well i did say i was bored and i got all the singles that day for half price,about 20p

**robb_k** · 07-02-2011, 12:37 PM

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"Happy Ghoul Tide" and "Randy The Newspaper Boy" by Ray Oddis on VIP from 1964 are the absolute WORST Motown recordings!+

**roger** · 07-02-2011, 12:46 PM

Well then ..

I quite like "Custer's Last Man" by RICHARD "POPCORN" WYLIE/POPCORN AND THE MOHAWKS .. its a silly novelty record of course .. but I don't think it was ever intended to be taken seriously and it has a lot of humour in it.

I also like "Living In Shame" .. fantastic backing track .. a bit of a pre-cursor to what THE JACKSON FIVE were doing a year or so later. The lyrics are a bit corny in places .. "came the telegram, mother died making home made jam" ... isn't one of Motown's finest couplets .. but I can happily listen to it two or three times in succession.

Recently "Living In Shame" was included by British musical prophet of doom and depression MORRISEY [[ formerly of THE SMITHS ) as one of his Top 10 favourite tunes of all time ..

http://www.live4ever.uk.com/2010/09/...s-of-all-time/

Best not argue with him or he might come around and perform in your front room ..

.. actually looking at his list there are some good tunes in there!!

If I had to choose a "worst" DRATS '45 it would have to be "The Composer", it just never sounds right to me. In fact, Tamla Motown in Britain never bothered to issue it as a single, which shows how little faith they had in it.

HOWEVER .. If I exclude obvious "Novelty" tunes, songs from when Motown was "learning" [[ 1959-63 ), and songs from musical genres that do little for me [[ "Rock", "Country" etc. ) .. I come up with this little "gem" from 1968 .. which apparently we were supposed to take seriously .. at least, according to the notes in TCMS8 the performer took it and himself very seriously!!

ABDULLAH - "I Comma Zimbo Zia [[Here Stands The Mighty One)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iM6-yelsTM

Roger

smark21 · 07-02-2011, 01:08 PM

I like the backing track on I'm Living in Shame, and the story has potential but the lyrics are just bad camp melodrama with no root in true human feeling or emotion.

I don't care for No Matter What Sign You Are--it sounds like a cheap attempt to cash in on the success of both Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In, but stripped of any big message, and the taste of the time for using Sitars in pop songs. And the background vocal arrangement of reciting the signs of the Zodiac is obvious and unmelodic.

The Young Folks is another weak Supremes song from that era. Ross/The Supremes were rudderless in the studio between the departure of HDH and the two for one split in which afterwards Ross had Ashford and Simpson and The Supremes had Frank Wilson to guide them.

**rovereab** · 07-02-2011, 01:40 PM

I never liked "Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoo" by Diana Ross and considered it a poor follow-up single to I'm Still Waiting. Yes it had the same production staff [[Sorry Deke if you are reading this) but it just dragged as a song. My Place and Baby It's Love would have been better follow-up releases IMO.

Eamonn

**stephanie** · 07-02-2011, 01:48 PM

I dont know why My Place was never a single it was much better than Last Time I Saw Him! When I saw this thread I said to myself the worst Motown song I have ever heard was Ask Any Man - Tony Martin. Maybe its because I have heard the Supremes - Ask Any Girl but when I hear Tony Martin [[who can sing) I laugh so hard I cant stop. As far as Miss Ross and Doobeddoo [[dont feel like typing it out) I like it but when she would get to the part "Here it comes again"...and she would start singing the title I would laugh and go OH NO here she goes again! I like Dekes stuff especially We Need You.
Steph

**rovereab** · 07-02-2011, 01:53 PM

Stephanie, I copied and pasted Doobedoo..... from the I'm Still Waiting album track listing so no great typing skills here LOL.

I like Deke's material too but this song is weak IMO.

Eamonn

**copley** · 07-02-2011, 02:03 PM

Motown certainly released some clunkers in the midst of all the gold.

In no particular order:

Endless Gush - Ross/Richie
Hello - Lionel Richie
Three Times A Lady - Commodores
Randy The Newspaper Boy - Ray Oddis
I'm Still Waiting - Diana Ross
No Matter What Sign You Are - DRATS
Talkin' To Your Picture - Tony Martin
The Bigger Your Heart Is [[The Harder You'll Fall) -Tony Martin
Love Makes The World Go 'Round, But Money Greases The Wheel - Dee Mullins
Three Choruses Of Despair - Rick Robin & Him
We're Off To Dublin In The Green - Abbey Tavern Singers
Muck-arty Park - Soupy Sales
The Luney Landing - Captain Zap & Motortown Cut-Ups
What The World Needs Now/Abraham, Martin And John - Tom Clay
Shame And Scandal In The Family - Vin Cardinal
I've Never Been To Me - Charlene
Where Were You When The Ship went Down - Dickey & Poseidons
Please Mr Postman - Pat Boone Family
I Comma Zimba Zio [[Here I Stand The Mighty One) - Abdullah

Most Rare Earth label releases and most post 75 releases in general!

**tamla617** · 07-02-2011, 02:27 PM

copley
looks like you were lined up for this question and i think you've hit all the nails too
its not bad when you really have to think to find the bad ones from thousands is it?

**copley** · 07-02-2011, 02:28 PM

Yes indeed. There are others that I don't like and some that I've over-heard but in the main Motown did an excellent job

**mr soul** · 07-02-2011, 02:37 PM

I don't know about worst song...however Motown 50 must rank as one of the worst Motown compilations ever the same old same old, it was that bad the only thing you could compare it to was oldies radio playlist...a truly insipid & uninspiring compilation.

**Jimi LaLumia** · 07-02-2011, 02:56 PM

"I'm still Waiting" is fabulous, went to #1 UK. could have been a hit here;
was it even released here?

**roger** · 07-02-2011, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Jimi LaLumia

"I'm still Waiting" is fabulous, went to #1 UK. could have been a hit here;
was it even released here?

I'm assuming you are in the U.S. Jim .. in which case the answer is Yes!!

Motown 1192 .. reached #40 R&B and #60 Pop.

Roger

**jeff9nyc** · 07-02-2011, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by stephanie

I dont know why My Place was never a single it was much better than Last Time I Saw Him! When I saw this thread I said to myself the worst Motown song I have ever heard was Ask Any Man - Tony Martin. Maybe its because I have heard the Supremes - Ask Any Girl but when I hear Tony Martin [[who can sing) I laugh so hard I cant stop. As far as Miss Ross and Doobeddoo [[dont feel like typing it out) I like it but when she would get to the part "Here it comes again"...and she would start singing the title I would laugh and go OH NO here she goes again! I like Dekes stuff especially We Need You.
Steph

I have to agree. Ask Any Man is pretty bad! [[LOL)

**Kamasu_Jr** · 07-02-2011, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by jeff9nyc

I have to agree. Ask Any Man is pretty bad! [[LOL)

Anything that was recorded by Marv Johnson. He just didn't have it and got lucky with those few hits he landed on United Artists. His pitch was unsteady, his falsetto sounded strained and he was just dull. The Funks sound like they were propped up, asleep, playing behind him. I know he deserves some credit for getting Motown started, but he was a dud in my opinion.

**Jimi LaLumia** · 07-02-2011, 06:05 PM

I started paying attention to the U.K. glam//glitter records by 1970/71; T.Rex and the glitter version David Bowie sort of stole me away from Motown[[I did remain totally loyal to the Jean Supremes, somewhat loyal to the Liza Minnelli version of Miss Ross in the early/mid 70's)

stopinthenameoflove · 07-02-2011, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

Anything that was recorded by Marv Johnson. He just didn't have it and got lucky with those few hits he landed on United Artists. His pitch was unsteady, his falsetto sounded strained and he was just dull. The Funks sound like they were propped up, asleep, playing behind him. I know he deserves some credit for getting Motown started, but he was a dud in my opinion.

Sorry I'm not having that. Marv always sang really well, and 'I Miss You Baby' is one of the best Motown songs I have heard.

**soulster** · 07-02-2011, 06:31 PM

"I've Never Been To Me" - Charlene

It's so wretched that I thought of it as soon as I read the thread title! Were they all on drugs?

**marv2** · 07-02-2011, 06:38 PM

I loved Marv Johnson's work. Great singer and great guy!

**MIKEW-UK** · 07-02-2011, 06:53 PM

if you really want a copy!

http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=2455740

**copley** · 07-02-2011, 06:56 PM

Marv's new collection is a 'must have' for sure but it's different strokes for different folks. I hate 'I'm Still Waiting' with a passion and it's all Tony Blackburn's fault that it got to #1 in the UK.

**robb_k** · 07-02-2011, 07:11 PM

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I LOVE Marv Johnson's Tamla, Gordy and UA cuts. There were some great tracks behind him, too. What's wrong with "I Miss You Baby", "Just The Way You Are", "So Glad You Chose Me", "The Man Who Don't Believe In Love", "Come To Me", "I Love The Way You Love", "You Got What It Takes", "I'm Coming Home", "Magic Mirror", "All The Love I've Got", etc.???

"We're Off To Dublin In The Green" - Abbey Tavern Singers-was quite good, I thought. No one expects Irish music on Motown, but no one expects The Spanish Inquisition, either!

**psychedelic jacques** · 07-02-2011, 07:40 PM

It's funny - that triumvirate of 'shame' 'sign' and 'composer' seem to be often cited as the worst of the 60s Supremes singles [[along with 'run run run'), and I love all four of them. However...

if I restrict my 'worsts' to the mainstream singles from the classic 60s period [[so no Ray Oddis or Tony Martin), I would go for one Supremes track - the mawkish 'someday we'll be together', along with Stevie's 'yester-me/you/day', and Marvin's 'Pretty Little Baby'.

**luke** · 07-02-2011, 08:02 PM

Initially I liked Shame but then listened to the lyrics--ugh; Never liked Do You Love Me; even Martha said about Live Wire[["enough is enough"); Touch Me in Morning bored me to death. Ask Any Man-lolol.

**vcq** · 07-02-2011, 08:06 PM

Anything solo by young MJ [[see: Hello, World). He had some pitch issues and frequently sounds shrill to my ears [[seriously, his attempt to "cover" Edwin Starr, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, etc. is kind of painful...he didn't have the pipes or gravitas to pull it off at that point). However, I love his later post-Motown stuff when he'd "grown into" his voice.

Ditto for a young Little Stevie Wonder and "Castles in the Sand": he was at the point where his voice was starting to break.

What's up with the weird "Chipmunks"-esque chorus on Teena Marie's "It Must Be Magic?" And I never really got into Rick James.

**BayouMotownMan** · 07-02-2011, 08:09 PM

My vote goes to Gaylord & Holiday, "Eh Cumpari." So NOT Motown...it was so bad it even charted. Runner up, Jud Strunk "Biggest Parakeets In Town." Red Jones Motown lp was also dismal, and boring.

**soulster** · 07-02-2011, 08:17 PM

Sexxappeal - Giorgio
Wild Animal [[entire album) - Vanity

**copley** · 07-02-2011, 08:18 PM

Although I like the backing track the lyrics to 'I'm Living In Shame' must be some of the worst ever written! Home made jam indeed!

DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES - "I'm Living In Shame"

Mama was cookin' bread
She wore a dirty raggedy scarf around her head
Always had her stockings low
Rolled to her feet just didn't know
She wore a sloppy dress
Oh no matter how she tried she always looked a mess
Out of the pot she ate
Never used a fork or a dinner plate
I was always so afraid that
The uptown friends would see her
Afraid one day when I was grown
That I would be her
In college town away from here
A new identity I found
That I was born elite
With maids and servants at my feet
I must have been insane
I lied and said mama died on a weekend trip to Spain
She never got out of the house
Never even boarded a train
Married a guy, was living high

I didn't want him to know her
she had a grandson two years old
That I never even showed her
I'm living in shame
Mama, I miss you
I know you're not to blame
Mama, I miss you

Got a telegram
Mama passed away while making home made jam
before she died she cried to see me by her side
She always did her best
Ah cooked and cleaned and always in the same old dress
Working hard, down on her knees
Always trying to please
Mama, mama, mama can you hear me
Mama, mama, mama can you hear me
I'm living in shame
Mama, I miss you
I know you've done your best
Mama, I miss you
Won't you forgive me mama
For all the wrong I've done
I know you've done your best
Oh I know you've done the very best you could
Mama I thought you understood
Working hard, down on your knees

**Kamasu_Jr** · 07-02-2011, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by robb_k

I LOVE Marv Johnson's Tamla, Gordy and UA cuts. There were some great tracks behind him, too. What's wrong with "I Miss You Baby", "Just The Way You Are", "So Glad You Chose Me", "The Man Who Don't Believe In Love", "Come To Me", "I Love The Way You Love", "You Got What It Takes", "I'm Coming Home", "Magic Mirror", "All The Love I've Got", etc.???

!

People wonder why he didn't continue to have hit records. Simple: He couldn't sing. They mixed the backup singers louder than he was on his records to drown him out or cover his weaknesses. At Motown, he was overshadowed by so many other better male singers. Why him when there was Jimmy Ruffin and Edwin Starr?
Listen to his take on Save My Love For A Rainy Day and then play Eddie Kendricks' version. It blows ol' Marv away.

**vcq** · 07-02-2011, 08:55 PM

I felt the same way about "Love Child," seriously depressing lyrics!

"Started my life in an old, cold, rundown tenement slum
My father left, he never even married Mom
I shared the guilt my mama knew
So afraid that others knew I had no name"

"I started school in a worn, torn dress that somebody threw out [[Somebody threw out)
I knew the way it felt to always live in doubt
To be without the simple things
So afraid my friends would see the guilt in me"

Gee, well I feel better now!

**Kamasu_Jr** · 07-02-2011, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by copley

Marv's new collection is a 'must have' for sure but it's different strokes for different folks. I hate 'I'm Still Waiting' with a passion and it's all Tony Blackburn's fault that it got to #1 in the UK.

There's nothing essential on the recent Marv Johnson disc, in my opinion. I'm tempted to ask for a refund.

**mhc** · 07-02-2011, 10:46 PM

"Last Time I Saw Him".... HIDEOUS..

**vcq** · 07-02-2011, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by mr soul

I don't know about worst song...however Motown 50 must rank as one of the worst Motown compilations ever the same old same old, it was that bad the only thing you could compare it to was oldies radio playlist...a truly insipid & uninspiring compilation.

Oh, you mean like Clear Channel radio station playlists here in the US, then ;-)

**luke** · 07-02-2011, 10:53 PM

Ben-Michael J
Supremes-Everybodys Got Right to Love, Automatically Sunshine--second rate.

**daviddesper** · 07-03-2011, 12:46 AM

I am surprised at all the negativity toward Living in Shame and No Matter What Sign You Are. Granted they were released during that tumultuous period in Motown history, but I would hardly call them terrible songs.

My vote for a huge hit that I just never personally "got" would have to be Papa Was a Rolling Stone.

**roger** · 07-03-2011, 04:05 AM

Originally Posted by Kamasu_Jr

There's nothing essential on the recent Marv Johnson disc, in my opinion. I'm tempted to ask for a refund.

I never thought much of his big U.K. hit "I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose" but I've always loved the "B" side .. "You've Got The Love I Love" .. and "I Miss You Baby", which also charted in the U.K.. I'd agree that his pitch wasn't always suited to what Motown got him to record but I have his recent C.D. release and generally I like it a lot, and on the subject of pitch I can think of better known Motown artists who also recorded songs that weren't suited to their voices.

Roger

**tamla617** · 07-03-2011, 06:19 AM

i'm livin in shame lyric of the week...........i lied and said mama died on a weekend trip to spain!

uptight · 07-03-2011, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by MIKEW-UK

Abdullah picture sleeve.
if you really want a copy!

http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=2455740

Mike, you have got to be kidding me with that Abdullah picture sleeve! It doesn't seem like anything he would have approved. That might be the worst Motown picture sleeve, too. LOL

If I have my iTunes music library sorted by Artist, Abdullah's are among the first tracks to play in the list. Then I have to hurry and change it. One reason I rarely sort by artist.

**splanky** · 07-03-2011, 06:53 AM

"Best" or "Worse" questions only reflect personal taste, they don't resolve anything. No matter what it is you like or hate
there will always be someone somewhere who feels the opposite of what you do. I don't care if people don't like what I like
and I don't hold any personal grudges against anyone who doesn't like songs I've enjoyed such as Love Child, I'm Living In
Shame or Papa Was A Rolling Stone. To me each of those songs tell well written stories and as a reader I don't expect every
story to be bright and sunny or have a happy ending as long as it gets its message across. In light of a lot of the garbage
most kids listen to nowadays I'd rather hear the blues....

uptight · 07-03-2011, 06:59 AM

The Funks make "Livin' In Shame" work for me. The lyrics made me cry, though, when I first heard it as a child. I put "Love's Gone Bad" in that category - a smokin' hot track by the Funks; depressing lyrics that I can barely stand. I end up enjoying these tunes by focusing on the backing tracks. Still neither one is the worst Motown song IMO.

**mr soul** · 07-03-2011, 10:40 AM

Vcq...I'm not familiar with US radio...however here in the UK if it ain't "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" or to a lesser degree "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" by Marvin it don't get played...so naturally it follows that if you ask the listeners which they favour perm any one from two records...begs me to ask what's going on.

**vcq** · 07-03-2011, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by mr soul

Vcq...I'm not familiar with US radio...however here in the UK if it ain't "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" or to a lesser degree "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" by Marvin it don't get played...so naturally it follows that if you ask the listeners which they favour perm any one from two records...begs me to ask what's going on.

That's about what Clear Channel stations are like...they have a playlist of a few dozen tracks, and they get played in constant rotation [[you can hear the same song on the same channel several times a day at least). No chance of ever hearing lesser-known songs or gems from obscure artists!

**kenneth** · 07-03-2011, 11:01 AM

I think there's different definitions of bad. To be truly bad, to me the track has to come from an artist which would have been released with higher expectations and with no idea that the track was as bad as it was. A lousy track from some unknown Motown artist to me doesn't really qualify because every label has lots of misses. But to be a truly bad track is like a truly bad movie [[no one expected the film to be that bad, like "Waterworld" or that Warren Beatty-Dustin Hoffman fiasco which name blessedly escapes me) or when a good television show "jumps the shark" and out of desperation creates a really terrible plot device trying to hang on for one more season.

So to me at least, it has to be "No Matter What Sign You Are." Stupid idea, terrible arrangement, insipid vocals [[Diane Ross should never try to sound soulful...it's just not her thing), and a deservedly poor showing on the charts. I'm surprised the other reviewer said this song did so well in NYC...living in Detroit at the time I never even heard it until it came out on the album.

**mr soul** · 07-03-2011, 11:27 AM

Thanks Vcq...I had assumed the radio programme planners in UK had got the dumb idea from somewhere...you've answered the question.

Having just listened to NMWSYA it does appear to tick all the boxes for being an extremely mediocre record...even by the Supremes standard...oh well whatever floats your boat.