Stevie Wonder 74 Today

Stevie Wonder celebrates his 74th birthday today. What can we say that hasn't already been said about the musical genius? 

So here are 20 songs from the 60s whilst still a teenager including some favourites and lesser known sides. 

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Stevie Wonder [1976] - Songs in the Key of Life [Tamla] (Full Album) 47th Anniversary

It's approaching the 50th anniversary of another landmark Motown album, remember Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" half centenary was commemorated with an expanded reissue last month. Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" was released 47 years ago today on 28 Sep 1976.

Both Wonder and Gaye had disagreements with Berry Gordy over musical direction in the early 70s as both wanted to do their own thing and get away from the formulaic Motown sound. Gordy didn't like Gaye's "What's Going On" as he was concerned that the social and political statements may damage 'the brand'.  Both have been proven to be correct as that particular album has gone on to be one of the most seminal musical works in music, never mind just soul, history consistently topping Rolling Stone's 100 best albums of all time. It currently tops their 2020 poll with "Songs in the Key of Life" positioned at #4.

In 1975 Wonder was seriously considering quitting music and prepared a farewell tour, remember his previous album was titled "Fulfillingness' First Finale"! However, Motown persuaded him to sign a 7 year / 7 album deal with full artistic control. The alleged $37m offer (the largest recording contract at the time) no doubt helped to twist his arm to stay. "Songs in the Key of Life" was his first of these albums and was his 18th studio album. It's a double album consisting of 21 tracks (the last 4 tracks were originally on a separate 7" EP) and won 3 Grammys: Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male) and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for "I Wish".

The album produced five singles, two reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, i.e. "I Wish" and "Sir Duke" / "He's Misstra Know-It-All", the other three being "Isn't She Lovely",  "Another Star" and "As". 

Of course many other tracks are well known even though they were never released as singles. For example "Summer Soft" was covered recently by Karlos Edwards and "Pastime Paradise" has been sampled multiple times, perhaps most famously by Coolio in "Gangsta's Paradise" in 1995? "As" (which featured George Benson on guitar) we featured only yesterday by The Family Tree on the forthcoming  "With Love Volume 2" compilation and "Another Star" (which featured Herbie Hancock on keys) has been covered many times, perhaps one of the earliest by Joe Bataan's LaSo in 1977 and another notable cover by (Sister) Kathy Sledge in 1995 with others including Ike Noble (1980) and Soul II Soul's Caron Wheeler (2003).

Everyone knows, but perhaps doesn't necessarily 'love', "Isn't She Lovely" which surprisingly wasn't a hit and wasn't released as a single in the US because Wonder refused to shorten the track from the album's 6:34 for 7" release. However, it was covered by David Parton and reached #4 on the UK pop chart in 1977 which is perhaps why we assume that it was a hit single? Wonder's version did eventually become a hit in the UK after he performed it at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	70s Soul / Motown
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Tamla
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/09/1976
Price:	£5.99

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Stevie Wonder - The 60s

Yesterday was Stevie Wonder's 73rd birthday but, with the weekend's new releases to contend with, we didn't have time to pay a proper tribute.

Where do you even begin to select songs by an artist who has won 25 Grammy awards and has been recording music for 62 years? Therefore, we have focused only on his 60s output and selected 20 upbeat songs which include a few hits but are mainly lesser known album tracks and B sides, some of which may be forgotten or even new to you.

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Chris Clark / The Temptations [2023] - Whenever I’m Without You / All I Need Is You To Love Me [Soul Essentials #SEV011]

Outta Sight dig up two previously unreleased Motown tracks from the "Motown Unreleased 1968 Part 2" compilation (2018) for release on 7" single. Frank Wilson is on writing credits for both songs.

The lead side is Chris Clark "Whenever I’m Without You" with only Paul Williams' voice on The Temptations' "All I Need Is You To Love Me".

I suppose this satisfies a certain element of the Northern Soul fraternity's obsession to play it as OVO (original vinyl only) since it has only been available on the 'forbidden' digital format until now (not even available on CD). Ironically, I bet someone has already been playing it off a 'carver' (i.e. vinyl pressing 'bootlegged' from digital format) which is perversely somehow 'acceptable'. Why you would pay more than the 'original' 38 track digital compilation (£10.99) for a vinyl 'reissue' (£13) is completely lost on me, but a case of 'you pays your money you takes your choice'. A complete misinterpretation of the intent of OVO in my book. The Strange World Of Northern Soul indeed! 

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Motown
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Essentials
Cat No:	SEV011
Date:	TBC/05/2023
Key/BPM:	4B/116 / 8B/121
Price:	£13

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Edwin Starr - A Profile

Charles Edwin Hatcher (21 Jan 1942 - 2 Apr 2003), better known by his stage name Edwin Starr, is a hero to many Northern Soul fans, for his mid 60s outings on the famed Ric-Tic label in particular, but also for some of his early Motown singles. He was born on this day in 1942 and would have been 81 had he not succumbed to a heart attack on 2 Apr 2003 aged 61.

To the mainstream, he will be best known for his #1 anti-war song "War" in 1970 which was a cover of a Norman Whitfield and Barret Strong song first recorded by The Temptations earlier the same year on their "Psychedelic Shack" album with Paul Williams and Dennis Edwards sharing the lead vocals. The Temptations song was popular, and there were many requests for it to be released as single, but Motown was reluctant to release the controversial song by The Temptations as a single which they thought may risk alienating their conservative fans. A compromise was found by releasing it by a 'lesser' known artist and Edwin Starr volunteered to release it as a single. It went to #1 on the Hot 100 where it topped the charts for three weeks in Aug/Sep 1970 and became his biggest selling single and is regarded as one of the best ever protest songs. It was banned by the BBC whilst the Gulf war was on and on certain US stations in the aftermath of 9/11.

It is said that re-recorded it (with Utah Saints) in 2003 and it was his last recording before he died, but I am not able to find that release, so perhaps it's an urban myth. However, he did perform it for the last time in 2003 at a concert at Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany on 28 March 2003, just four days before he died. A video of the performance was released on DVD in 2004  "Edwin Starr  - Last Ever Performance". Perhaps it is this recording that was being referred to as his last?

Other hits included "25 Miles", his later disco hits "Contact" and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" (which were both top 10 pop hits in the UK) along with a couple of his earlier Ric-Tic recordings, "Agent Double-O-Soul" and "Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.)".

All six of his early singles for Ric-Tic have been played on the UK Northern Soul scene, some may say 'played out' but nevertheless they were popular in their day. He also recorded one single with The Holidays on sister label Golden World. 

Starr was born in Nashville, TN, on 21 Jan 1942 but moved to Cleveland, OH, when 3 years old and later lived in Detroit. He formed a doo-wop group in 1957, initially called The Imperials but changed the name to The Futuretones as there was another group with the same name. They released just one single "Roll Up" (a rock n roll song) / "I Know" (a doo-wopper) on Fremington, NJ, label Tress the same year, before Starr was drafted into the army for three years. The single must be of interest to collectors, presumably doo-wop collectors, as it was bootlegged in 1973. There is no information on the label, just artist, title and label details, no writer or producers suggesting that it may be a private press as there are no other releases for the label. So I guess they just walked in off the street, recorded and pressed it to sell at their gigs as they were quite popular in Cleveland after winning a local talent show, 'Uncle Jake's Talent Hour', five weeks in a row. The group worked with Billie Holiday.

Upon completion of his military service in 1962 he toured with organist/band leader Bill Doggett which is where he acquired his stage name. Doggett became Starr's mentor who he credits with teaching him professionalism.

He stayed with Doggett until 1965 when he met Detroit DJ LeBaron Taylor (aka Bill Sharpley) who was also a producer and co-owner of Solid Hitbound Productions with Don Davis and also George White (now I wonder if that's the same, recently deceased, George White of The Dynamics?). They would later form, the much revered in Northern Soul circles, Revilot and Solid Hit labels in 1966. Taylor worked at Golden World Studios and introduced Starr to owner Ed Wingate who owned Golden World and Ric-Tic with his with Joanne Bratton.

His first single, "Agent Double-O-Soul", was released on Golden World's Ric-Tic imprint (named after Wingate and Bratton's 11 year old son who died in 1962). The song writing credits are given to Starr under his real name C. Hatcher and LeBaron Taylor under his real name B. Sharpley. The record was a hit reaching #8 R&B and #21 Hot 100. He released a total of six singles for the label ("Agent Double-O-Soul" (RT-103), "Back Street" (RT-107), "Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.)" / "I Have Faith In You" (RT-109), "Headline News" (RT-114), "My Kind Of Woman" / "You're My Mellow" (RT-120),  "It's My Turn Now" / "Girls Are Getting Prettier" (TR-118). Another was scheduled for release "Meet Me Halfway" / "Throw In The Towel" (RT-126) but remained unreleased, which surprising doesn't appear to have surfaced on any of the Motown Unreleased / Cellarful of Soul type compilations (yet). All of the embolden tracks above have been favourites on Northern Soul dancefloors over the years.

He is also credited as singing on The Holidays' "I'll Love You Forever" released on Golden World. This one is a bit of a mystery. According to an interview with him he says that he was duped into recording it as a demo to show the group how to sing it, but the final recording was actually him singing and not the group and he claims that the group didn't exist, although another single was released as The Holiday on the label, "No Greater Love" / "Watch Out Girl" the same year. Discogs lists their members as Clyde Wilson (aka Steve Mancha), the great, recently deceased, J.J. Barnes, Jimmy Holland and Eddie Anderson (who went on to join 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) along with Clyde Wilson. Coincidentally, that's the third artist mentioned here in the last week who was a member, Joe Stubbs (David Ruffin - A Profile) and Melvin Davis  being the other two).

Whilst in the UK promoting "Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.)", Wingate sold his company and two labels (Golden World and Ric-Tic) to Motown, rumours abound that he was press ganged into selling by the underworld. Whilst contractual negotiations were ongoing he was unable to release any material, although Motown slipped out "I Want My Baby Back" in Oct 1967 on Gordy which didn't register on any chart. A few of his Ric-Tic a sides featured on his first debut album "Soul Master" in 1968 released on the Gordy imprint.

His first hit with Motown was "I Am The Man For You Baby" (which had a better song on the other side "My Weakness Is You"), followed by "Way Over There", which didn't register, and then came "25 Miles" which reached #6 on both R&B and Hot 100 charts and was successful enough for an album of the same name to be released. Again he was unable to capitalise of the success with a further two singles failing to chart ("I'm Still A Struggling Man" and a duet with Blinky (aka Sondra Williams) "Oh How Happy" (which Starr wrote and was a hit for Shades Of  Blue on Harry Balk's Impact label in 1966) flipped with a very cover of the Smokey Robinson song "Ooo Baby Baby". The album also includes a good cover of "You Made Me So Very Happy", an earlier minor hit for Brenda Holloway, a cover of which Blood, Sweat & Tears had a #3 Hot 100 hit with in 1969.

Around this time Motown was having commercial success with duets, mainly involving Marvin Gaye with Mary Wells, Kim Weston and Tammi Terrell in particular, and brought in the talented Blinky and teamed her up with Starr following his success with "25 Miles". They released a duets album together, "Just We Two". Blinky was a formerly a member of The Cogics (Church of God in Christ Singers), a gospel group formed by Andrae Crouch whilst still at high school which included Crouch, Billy Preston, Edna Wright (aka Sandy Wynns and sister of Darlene Love and married to Greg Perry), Gloria Jones, Sandra Crouch and Frankie K. Springs (aka Frankie Karl). Neither party was happy about the album as it was rushed out, being given a release date even before it was recorded, and they were not involved in it's production and when released felt that they were not supported by Motown. The writing was on the wall as Starr felt that he had no artistic control over his work.

His next single "Time" was a minor hit (#34 R&B / #117 Hot 100), although is possibly one of his Northern Soul favourites. Then he had his biggie with "War" which Motown tried to capitalise on by following it with a copycat song "Stop The War Now" (#5) which they may as well have called "War Pt. 2" and Starr hated it. Only three more of his Motown recordings charted, "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" (#6) with Motown exploiting the psychedelic funk sound rife at the time, the credible "There You Go" (#12), perhaps as Starr wrote it and was allowed to produce it, and "You've Got My Soul on Fire" (#40). In between the charting singles were "Take Me Clear From Here" / "Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" (a Temptations cover) and one of my personal favourites from him "Don't Tell Me I'm Crazy". Several more singles ensued, mainly from the his sixth, and final, Motown album which was the soundtrack for "Hell Up In Harlem", none of which charted and by 1975 he'd left Motown.

He released three singles and an album for Granite in 1975 and then joined 20th Century-Fox where he would have his next major success with two disco songs, both of which made Top 10 on the UK pop chart, "Contact" (#6 1978) and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" (#9 1979). 

In 1983 Starr moved to England and lived in Bramcote, a village on the outskirts of Nottingham. He had around seven further minor charting singles on the UK chart but made his living doing live shows and his last show was just four days before his death which was held in Stuttgart, Germany, on 28 March 2003.

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Sylvia Moy - A Profile

Sylvia Rose Moy (15 Sep 1938 - 15 Apr 2017) would have been 84 today.  She as born in Detroit and came to the attention of Marvin Gaye and Mickey Stevenson performing in a club in 1963. They invited her to join  Motown, originally as a singer, and was given recording and songwriting contract and became the first woman to write and produce for artists at Motown.

In his autobiography, Berry Gordy attributes her directly responsible for keeping Stevie Wonder at Motown after his voice broke as he was planning to let him go until Moy approached him asking him if he would reconsider if  she could write a hit for him. That hit was perhaps one of the greatest Motown songs ever "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" co-written with Henry "Hank" Cosby which was his second R&B chart #1 (after Fingertips (1963)) and reached #3 on Billboards Hot 100 in 1966. She would write another two R&B #1 hits for him "I Was Made To Love Her" (1967) and "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" (1968) along with several other top 10 hits.

She also wrote another Motown classic, although initially uncredited, "This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)" with Holland, Dozier, Holland for The Isley Brothers.

Moy won six Grammy Awards, twenty BMI awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 and has 289 songs credited to her on BMI. She died of complications from pneumonia in Dearborn, MI on 15 Apr 2017 aged 78.

Here's a playlist of some of her biggest hits at Motown with one (a Northern soul classic written with George Kerr and Mike Valvano) not released by Motown.

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

The Fantastic Four [1969] - Best Of The Fantastic Four [Soul #SS 717]

It's becoming a bit like 'Haircut 100 day' on here today i.e. "Fantastic Day" which may be lost on younger or foreign visitors, they were an 80s pop group who had a #9 pop hit in the UK with a song of that name in 1982.

As they say, 'in for a penny, in for a pound'" and as it is very poor on the new release front, I'll continue the Fantastic theme with a compilation from  The Fantastic Four.

They were founded in 1965 and released their first single "Girl Have Pity" on Ric-Tic in 1966. Their second single "Can't Stop Looking For My Baby" was scheduled for release on Ric-Tic 113 as part 1 and part 2 before it but remained unreleased until afterwards with a different cat.no. and different B side.

Incidentally "Girl Have Pity" was also recorded, but unreleased (officially), by The Carstairs  at the same sessions as "It Really Hurts Me Girl" around 1973, probably owing to Cartairs member Cleveland Horn being previously a  member of Fantastic Four, but it doesn't sound like he did the lead vocals on Fantastic Four's original. Also, Red Coach label owner Gene Redd Jr.'s father co-wrote the song with, believe it or not, George Clinton and two others. It appeared years later on a 1993 compilation CD "Old School Harmony Volume 1", which I believe may have been the the source of a vinyl bootleg on South Union. Hayley Records also issued a previously unreleased version by Steve Mancha in 2014. I actually think I prefer, the slower and deeper Carstairs version, a desert island disc for sure, what an incredible vocal performance, how on God's earth did this never get an official release? Perhaps Redd was pre-occupied with managing and producing Kool & The Gang at the time? I said it the other day and will say it again ... they simply don't make them like this anymore!

The Fantastic Four released ten singles in total for Ric-Tic (five of them registering on R&B chart and three on Hot 100) before the label was acquired by Motown where they released just three singles on the Soul imprint prior to leaving for Westbound in 1973. The first couple of singles were on the Eastbound subsidiary in 1973-74 before the switched to the main label in 1975 where they remained until 1978 releasing five albums and around seven or eight singles, of which six entered the R&B chart. So, it would seem Berry Gordy missed a trick with these guys, although Motown did release a compilation "Best Of The Fantastic Four" in 1969 (included below) which includes many of their sides released on Ric-Tic.

Ian Levine latched onto them in 1992 and they released an album on his Motorcity label of mainly synthesised covers on some Northern Soul favourites which didn't really do them any favours!

Those good fellows at Kent released "The Lost Motown Album" on CD in 2015 which contained twelve track originally intended for an album titled "How Sweet It Is" along with an additional thirteen bonus tracks. Many of these tracks were previously unreleased. Ace/Kent commented on the sleeve notes that the album title may have been a suggestion that Motown's intention was to utilise lead singer 'Sweet' James Epps as a solo artist and discard the group.

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Motown
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Vinyl / Digital
Label:	Soul / Universal
Cat No:	None
Date:	1969
Key/BPM:	1A/100
Price:	£15-£25 (approx.) / £8.99

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Mary Wilson [2022] - The Motown Anthology [Motown] (Full Album)

Just over a year after her sudden passing. on 8 Feb 2021, Motown has released "The Motown Anthology" by Mary Wilson

The first 24 tracks cover her period with The Supremes and the last 14 her solo career.

Click image to view full track listing as Spotify has excluded the artist credits from the playlist.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Motown
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	Motown
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/03/2022
Value:	£10.99

Ina Forsman [2022] - Don't Lose Today [Jazzhaus Records]

Ina Forsman is from Helsinki, Finland but now lives in Berlin. One source (Discogs) states that she was a contestant in Finnish Idols in 2012 and another (Wiki) that she was in The Voice of Finland when she was 15 (around 2009). 

She debuted with a self-titled album in 2016 and followed it up in 2019 with "I've Been Meaning To Tell You". She also appears on two albums by Blues Caravan. Despite two full solo album releases, she hasn't released many singles and the latest (only her fifth), "Don't Lose Today" (4 Mar 2022) is the first since the classy "All There Is" (23 Jul 2021) (live video posted below that has been uploaded since first posting the song).

It's a 60s throwback tune with that Motown sound which might please some of the 'talcum shakers'? Watch the video if you wondered where your gran's curtains went to!

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retor Soul / Neo Northern Soul / Motown / Blue-Eyed
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Jazzhaus Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/03/2022
Key/BPM:	1A/125
Value:	£1

Motown Northern Soul Classics - A 60 minute non-stop Megamix

It's party time!  A 60 minute non-stop 'Megamix' of Motown Northern Soul classics to get your Christmas party off to a stomping start!.

00:00 Al Kent - The Way You've Been Acting Lately

02:16 Four Tops - Shake Me Wake When it's Over

04:48 Martha & The Vandellas - Heartless

07:30 Miracles - Going To A Go-Go

09:48 Stevie Wonder - Uptight

12:27 Martha & The Vandellas - One Way Out

14:38 Velvelettes - These Things Will Keep Me Loving You

16:35 Temptations - The Way You Do The Things You Do

18:39 Supremes - I'll Turn To Stone

20:44 Shorty Long - Your Love's Amazing

22:30 Isley Brothers - My Love Is Your Love

25:12 Gladys Knight & The Pips - Just Walk In My Shoes

27:42 Marvelettes - Reachin' For Something I Can't Have

30:08 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Don't Blame You At All

32:56 Detroit Spinners - At Sundown (She's Gonna Love Me)

34:55 Contours - Just A Little Misunderstanding

37:00 Martha Reeve & The Vandellas - Nowhere To Run

39:09 Barbara Randolph - I Got A Feeling

41:50 J.J. Barnes - Real Humdinger

44:00 Supremes - He's All I Got

46:28 Martha & The Vandellas - Jimmy Mack

48:50 Marvelettes - I'll Keep Holding On

51:09 Four Tops - Shake Me Wake When it's Over

52:55 Supremes - Shake Me Wake When it's Over

53:44 Kim Weston - Helpless

56:04 Bonnie Pointer - Heaven Must Have Sent You

Willie Hutch - A Profile Of... Part 3: The Motown Albums

Continuing a series on a profile of Willie Hutch, Part 3 consists of nine albums released on Motown, eight between 1973-77 and one from 1985 when he returned after recording two albums at Whitfield (Part 4).

Willie Hutch [1973] - Fully Exposed [Motown #M 784V1]

Full Album HERE

I Wanna Be Where You Are (4:35)

Can't Get Ready For Losing You (5:51)

I Just Wanted To Make Her Happy (4:25)

California My Way (7:30)

Tell Me Why Has Our Love Turned Cold (4:08)

Sunshine Lady (3:56)

I'll Be There (5:04)

If You Ain't Got No Money (You Can't Get No Honey) (5:04)

Ain't Nothing Like Togetherness (4:56)

Willie Hutch [1973] - The Mack [Motown #M 766L]

Full Album HERE

Vampin' (2:45)

Theme Of The Mack (5:36)

I Choose You (3:42)

Mack's Stroll / The Getaway (Chase Scene) (3:08)

Slick (3:36)

Mack Man (Got To Get Over) (5:10)

Mother's Theme (Mama) (3:56)

Now That It's All Over (4:31)

Brother's Gonna Work It Out (4:46)

Willie Hutch [1974] - Foxy Brown [Motown #M6-811S1]

Full Album HERE

Chase (2:28)

Theme Of Foxy Brown (2:25)

Overture Of Foxy Brown (0:55)

Hospital Prelude Of Love Theme (2:55)

Give Me Some Of That Good Old Love (3:41)

Out There (2:40)

Foxy Lady (4:02)

You Sure Know How To Love Your Man (3:49)

Have You Ever Asked Yourself Why (All About Money Game) (3:24)

Ain't That (Mellow, Mellow) (2:56)

Whatever You Do (Do It Good) (3:01)

Willie Hutch [1974] - The Mark Of The Beast [Motown #M6-815S1]

Full Album HERE

Get Ready For The Get Down (4:20)

The Mark Of The Beast (7:42)

Try It You"ll Like It (3:43)

Life's No Fun Living In The Ghetto (4:28)

I'm Gonna Stay (4:03)

Woman You Touched Me (4:30)

Do The Thing That's Best For You (3:28)

Don't You Let Nobody Tell You How To Do Your Thing (4:50)

(I Wanted To Be A Rock & Roll Star) Woman I Still Got Loving You On My Mind (6:05)

Willie Hutch [1975] - Ode To My Lady [Motown #M6-838S1]

Full Album HERE

Party Down (3:02)

The Way We Were (4:00)

Since I Found You Everything's Alright (4:03)

(I'm Gonna) Hold On (4:05)

Ode To My Lady (3:25)

Love Power (3:45)

Just Another Day (3:12)

Talk To Me (3:30)

Love Me Back (4:09)

You Gotta Give Love Up (3:20)

Willie Hutch [1976] - Color Her Sunshine [Motown #M6-871S1]

Full Album HERE

Come On Girl Let's Get It On (3:52)

I Feel We Can Make It (4:16)

Color Her Sunshine (4:15)

I Like Everything About You (4:26)

Shake It, Shake It (3:41)

Let Me Be The One (3:19)

She's Just Doing Her Thing (5:03)

We Can Make It Baby (3:09)

I'm Gonna Be Around (3:58)

Willie Hutch [1976] - Concert In Blues [Motown #M6-854S1]

Full Album HERE

Party Down (3:02)

I Finally Made The Headlines (3:24)

Baby Come Home (3:53)

Stormy Weather (4:27)

I Wish You Love (4:50)

Come On Let's Do The Thang (4:12)

Don't Let A Little Money Keep You Acting Funny (4:58)

Stormy Monday (4:36)

Precious Pearl (3:44)

Shake, Rattle And Roll (4:16)

Willie Hutch [1977] - Havin' A House Party [Motown #M6-874S1]

Full Album HERE

Willie's Boogie (5:46)

We Gonna Have A House Party (4:11)

What You Gonna Do After The Party (4:15)

I Can Sho' Give You Love (5:00)

I Never Had It So Good (4:12)

We Gonna Party Tonight (4:31)

After Love Is Gone (4:33)

Soul Strut (3:53)

Train Of Love (6:38)

Willie Hutch [1985] - Making A Game Out Of Love [Motown #6142ML]

Full Album HERE

She's Making A Game Out Of Love (5:19)

Super Sexy (3:59)

The Very Best Of Love (3:40)

The Glow (Unedited Version) (5:07)

Don't Act Like That (3:43)

Sexy Feelin' (3:35)

Always (4:25)

Keep On Jammin' (3:59)

Inside You (4:32)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra [2021] - Motown With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (A Symphony Of Soul) [Island]

As you will no doubt be aware two tracks have already been pre-released and the Marvin Gaye featuring Beverly Knight has gone ballistic (on this blog at least) with by far the most views of anything posted this year. I don't listen to national radio but I would imagine that this has been all over BBC Radio 2? Surprisingly the Jimmy Ruffin track featuring Mica Pars isn't following suit!

When I posted the first pre-released track at the beginning of October I quipped that the track listing was a bit unimaginative, which is still the case. Indeed Beverly Knight has performed live versions of Stevie Wonder's 'hidden gem' "Ribbon In The Sky" (posted here), so wouldn't it have been a treat to have something like that that included instead of being all the tried and tested, 'run-of-the-mill', 'standard' Motown tunes?  I'm not knocking what they have done as they are all performed exquisitely but would have been nice to have something a bit different, but then I would guess the timing of it's release is for the Christmas market.

I think my pick of the bunch would have to be "Just My Imagination".

01/ Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street

02/ Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There

03/ Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine

04/ Jimmy Ruffin Feat. Mica Paris - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted

05/ Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tears Of A Clown

06/ Jackson 5 - I'll Be There

07/ The Supremes - I Hear A Symphony

08/ Marvin Gaye Feat. Beverley Knight - Abraham, Martin & John

09/ The Temptations - My Girl

10/ The Temptations - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)

11/ Billy Preston & Syreeta - With You I'm Born Again

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul / Motown / Remixes
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Island
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/11/2021
Value:	£8.99

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Jimmy Ruffin Feat. Mica Paris [2021] - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted [Island]

Another duet from the "Motown With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (A Symphony Of Soul)" album due on 19 Nov was released today (29 Oct 2021).

It's Mica Paris (who recorded it on her 2005 album "Soul Classics") duetting with Jimmy Ruffin's on his first, and biggest, hit in 1966 "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" .

The first track released from the album (on 6 Oct 2021) was Marvin Gaye & Beverley Knight "Abraham, Martin & John"

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul / Motown
Format:	Album Track
Media:	Digital
Label:	Island
Cat No:	None
Date:	29/10/2021
Key/BPM:	6A/97
Value:	£1