Name Your Motown Keyboard Intros

[Motown Eddie]

Name Your Favorite Motown Keyboard Intros. All keyboards, Piano, Organ, Clavinet or Synth are fair game.

I'll start with:

"Money [That's What I Want]"-Barrett Strong
"Someday Someway"-The Marvelettes
"Stop! In The Name Of Love"-The Supremes
"Quiet Storm"-Smokey Robinson
"I Want You Back", "I'll Be There"-The Jackson 5
"You Are The Sunshine Of My Life"-Stevie Wonder

[Stax_of_Motown]

I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose - Marv Johnson [[piano intro)

Particularly on [[Ace Records) CD the clarity of this recording is amazing. One of my favourite Motown recordings of all time.

Cannot understand why Motown did not release this album in the US. Was the single not as popular in the US as the UK when first released?

[Philles/Motown Gary]

THE MARVELETTES - "You're The One"
https://youtu.be/UypEYXE-HXM?si=gQAe_HQe5icQ4cHU

THE TEMPTATIONS - "It's Growing"
https://youtu.be/ErkT2KA0OQo?si=t1Iym82LAidKvTXC

[brothadc]

In addition to the ones that have been mentioned, two more that come to mind are
"Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" by Stevie Wonder, and "High Energy" by The Supremes.

[ralpht]

Superstition Stevie Wonder with the Clavinet.

[rovereab]

You Lost The Sweetest Boy - Mary Wells:

https://youtu.be/6TkmnDwzG8I?si=rgtNox_GcYwnXjj-

Inner City Blues - Marvin Gaye:

https://youtu.be/1MjIhay80DU?si=LQ2BqjJ1dUPXsMmx

[daviddesper]

Easy question.......the hard driving piano intros of I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin or I'm a Winner [[both Martha of course) as well as either version of He Was Really Sayin' Somethin.'

[Starguard4]

The long intro version of The Marvelettes "I'm gonna hold on long as I can"

[Motown Eddie]

A couple more-
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"-Marvin Gaye
"I Am Love"-The Jackson 5
"I Can't Get Next To You"-The Temptations
"Let's Talk It Over"-Marv Johnson

[Boogiedown]

This is fun. Forcing me to pay attention to what instruments are being utilized for the intros ....there were choices to made by these arrangers !








Thelma's I find especially exquisite.

[Sotosound]

"Who's Lovin' You" by the Jackson Five.

Understated, bluesy, jazzy, and cool.

And then in comes Michael, who carries the theme forward in a glorious manner.

Gotta be the 7" mono mix for full effect.

[mysterysinger]

The Temptations - "I Wish It Would Rain"

[BayouMotownMan]

My fav intros are

My World Is Empty
I Can't Help Myself
My Guy
The Girl's Alright With Me
Smiling Faces Sometimes
What's Going On
That's The Way Love Is-Marvin
If You Really Love Me
You Haven't Done Nothin

[Sotosound]

The Temptations - "I Wish It Would Rain"

Possibly slightly borrowed from "Message To Michael" by Dionne Warwick?

[ralpht]

Of course, the classic keyboard intro is not related to Motown. Ray Charles, What´d I Say.
Tops them all....tell me I´m wrong.

[MIKEW-UK]

Shorty Long Function At The Junction

[blkfrost]

The Boss, Love Me - Diana Ross
Heavy Day - Syreeta
Walk In The Night - Jr. Walker & The All Stars
No One There - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Darling Dear - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Firefly - The Temptations
Sunrise - The Originals
Woman You Touched Me - Willie Hutch
Farewell My Summer Love - Michael Jackson
Knocks Me Off My Feet - Stevie Wonder
I Am Your Man - The Four Tops
Mr. Troublemaker - Tata Vega
Looking Away - Dynamic Superiors
My Love Is Comin' Down - Ronnie McNeir
Our Lips Just Seem To Rhyme Every Time - The Marvelettes

[motony]

roveab mentioned above "You Lost The Sweetest Boy" by Mary Wells ALWAYS sends chills down my spine, great piano intro...a call to Church! Big hit on Miami POP radio 1963.