Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Hymie
Running Up That Hill
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

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The #4 song is Marvin Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," from 1968. The Gladys Knight $ the Pips version was #45. Marvin's single became the biggest record Motown ever had at the time when it topped the Billboard Soul chart and the Billboard Pop chart, each for 7 weeks in December 1968 and January 1969. It was listed on 25 of the 44 ballots in our survey. in 2004, it was placed 81 on the Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. On the commemorative fortieth anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine in June 2008, Marvin Gaye's "Grapevine" was ranked sixty-fifth. It was also inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value.

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The Miracles and Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded it, and so did Marvin Gaye. It was originally an album track on the "In The Groove" album, but the disc jockeys across the country started playing it and Berry Gordy finally allowed it to be released on a single in October 1968.

Whitfield recorded the song with Marvin Gaye over five sessions, the first on February 3, 1967, and the last on April 10, 1967. Recordings of this version took more than a month due to Whitfield overdubbing Gaye's vocals with that of the Andantes' background vocals, mixing in several tracks featuring the Funk Brothers on the rhythm track, and adding the string section from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with an arrangement by Paul Riser.

The session featuring Gaye led to an argument between the producer and singer. Whitfield wanted Gaye to perform the song in a higher key than his normal range, a move that had worked on David Ruffin during the recording of the Temptations' hit, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg". The mixture of Gaye's raspy vocals and the Andantes' sweeter harmonies made Whitfield confident that he had a hit; however, despite approval from Motown's Quality Control Department, Gordy blocked the release.

Personnel
Lead vocals by Marvin Gaye
Background vocals by The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow and Louvain Demps
Hammond organ by Earl Van Dyke
Wurlitzer electric piano by Johnny Griffith
Drums by Richard "Pistol" Allen and Uriel Jones
Bass guitar by James Jamerson
Percussion by Jack Ashford
Guitar by Joe Messina
Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
String arrangement by Paul Riser


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Time now for song #3. Robert White provides the now legendary opening licks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEztui18cA8
Hymie
Running Up That Hill
Posts: 3330
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:37 pm

Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

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The #3 song on the countdown is "My Girl," by the Temptations, from late 1964. In the wointer of 1965 the song was #1 for 6 weeks on the Billboard R&B chart, and also reached #1 Pop. Somehow in the UK, it was only on their chart for one week, at #43. The song was written and produced by the Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Ronald White. Robinson's inspiration for writing this song was his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson. The song was included on the Temptations 1965 album The Temptations Sing Smokey. In 2018, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant." In 2004, "My Girl" was ranked number 88 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

The recorded version of "My Girl" was the first Temptations single to feature David Ruffin on lead vocals. Previously, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams had performed most of the group's lead vocals, and Ruffin had joined the group as a replacement for former Temptation Elbridge Bryant. While on tour as part of the Motortown Revue, a collective tour for most of the Motown roster, Smokey Robinson caught the Temptations' part of the show. The group had included a medley of soul standards in the show, one of which, the Drifters' "Under the Boardwalk", was a solo spot for Ruffin. Impressed, Robinson decided to produce a single with Ruffin singing lead. Robinson saw Ruffin as a "sleeping giant" in the group with a unique voice that was "mellow" yet "gruff". Robinson thought that if he could write just the perfect song for Ruffin's voice, then he could have a smash hit. The song was to be something that Ruffin could "belt out" yet something that was also "melodic and sweet".

After some persuasion from Ruffin's bandmates, Robinson had the Temptations record "My Girl" instead of the Miracles, who were originally to record the song, and recruited Ruffin to sing the lead vocals. According to Robinson, he allowed the group to create their own background vocals "because they were so great at background vocals". The signature guitar riff heard during the introduction and under the verses was played by Robert White of the Funk Brothers.

Here's a link to the MOTOWN JUNKIES review, where he gushes over this one - https://motownjunkies.co.uk/2012/08/29/521/


RANK-BALLOTS-POINTS-TITLE-ARTIST
003 - 27-1382 - My Girl - Temptations
004 - 25-1372 - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
005 - 25-1358 - Superstition - Stevie Wonder
006 - 28-1310 - The Tracks of My Tears - Miracles
007 - 26-1301 - Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops
008 - 24-1107 - I Want You Back - Jackson 5
009 - 22-1033 - Living For The City - Stevie Wonder
010 - 22-987 - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - Temptations
011 - 26-960 - Please Mr Postman - Marvelettes
012 - 22-934 - The Tears of a Clown - Miracles
013 - 20-891 - Money (That's What I Want) - Barrett Strong
014 - 24-884 - You've Really Got A Hold On Me - Miracles
015 - 21-872 - Do You Love Me - Contours
016 - 20-872 - Where Did Our Love Go - Supremes
017 - 22-846 - Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Four Tops
018 - 22-845 - Nowhere To Run - Martha & The Vandellas
019 - 20-844 - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
020 - 19-799 - My Guy - Mary Wells
021 - 22-775 - Heat Wave - Martha & The Vandellas
022 - 21-765 - I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops
023 - 19-734 - Ain't Too Proud To Beg - Temptations
024 - 15-730 - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - Marvin Gaye
025 - 19-715 - Stop! In The Name Of Love – Supremes
026 - 14-698 - War - Edwin Starr
027 - 17-696 - Shop Around - Miracles
028 - 15-693 - Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
029 - 16-690 - Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye
030 - 15-673 - Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
031 - 16-647 - Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder
032 - 14-613 - You Can't Hurry Love - Supremes
033 - 14-612 - Ooo Baby Baby - Miracles
034 - 18-609 - Just My Imagination - Temptations
035 - 12-583 - Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder
036 - 13-578 - This Old Heart of Mine – Isley Brothers
037 - 14-571 - You Keep Me Hangin' On - Supremes
038 - 11-550 - Fight The Power - Public Enemy
039 - 15-514 - Come See About Me - Supremes
040 - 13-506 - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted – Jimmy Ruffin
041 - 12-505 - Baby Love - Supremes
042 - 13-499 - The One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells
043 - 12-453 - I Can't Get Next To You - Temptations
044 - 11-451 - Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
045 - 09-410 - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Gladys Knight & The Pips
046 - 11-402 - Ball of Confusion - Temptations
047 - 10-395 - As - Stevie Wonder
048 - 10-367 - Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye
049 - 10-366 - Cloud Nine - Temptations
050 - 10-366 - Come And Get These Memories - Martha & the Vandellas
051 - 12-359 - Get Ready - Temptations
052 - 09-352 - Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
053 - 10-351 - Can I Get A Witness - Marvin Gaye
054 - 08-338 - Every Little Bit Hurts - Brenda Holloway
055 - 08-337 - You Beat Me To The Punch - Mary Wells
056 - 10-326 - Fingertips - Little Stevie Wonder
057 - 10-325 - I'll Be There - Jackson 5
058 - 09-321 - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) - Frank Wilson
059 - 08-321 - Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing - Stevie Wonder
060 - 10-319 - (I Know) I'm Losing You - Temptations
061 - 10-313 - I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson & Miracles
062 - 09-313 - I Was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder
063 - 07-311 - I Want A Love I Can See - Temptations
064 - 09-300 - ABC - Jackson 5
065 - 10-295 - It's The Same Old Song - Four Tops
066 - 06-290 - Visions - Stevie Wonder
067 - 06-288 - Bye Bye Baby - Mary Wells
068 - 06-287 - Needle in a Haystack – Velvelettes
069 - 07-285 - Baby I'm For Real - Originals
070 - 08-283 - Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
071 - 10-278 - The Way You Do The Things You Do - Temptations
072 - 07-276 - Twenty-Five Miles - Edwin Starr
073 - 06-270 - Upside Down - Diana Ross
074 - 09-269 - Jimmy Mack – Martha and Vandellas
075 - 07-266 - Bernadette - Four Tops
076 - 06-263 - For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
077 - 09-260 - Ask The Lonely - Four Tops
078 - 06-253 - My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
079 - 06-249 - The Love You Save - Jackson 5
080 - 07-247 - I'm Coming Out - Diane Ross
081 - 06-243 - I'll Be Doggone - Marvin Gaye
082 - 08-240 - You’re All I Need to Get By - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
083 - 06-240 - I Wish It Would Rain - Temptations
084 - 08-238 - Smiling Faces Sometimes – Undisputed Truth
085 - 05-238 - Got To Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
086 - 08-235 - Hitch Hike - Marvin Gaye
087 - 04-229 - Bad Girl - Miracles
088 - 04-226 - Get Ready - Rare Earth
089 - 07-225 - Beauty Is Only Skin Deep - Temptations
090 - 06-224 - I Wish - Stevie Wonder
091 - 05-223 - Since I Lost My Baby - Temptations
092 - 07-221 - Heaven Must Have Sent You - Elgins
093 - 07-221 - Too Many Fish In The Sea - Marvelettes
094 - 06-215 - Brick House - Commodores
095 - 04-215 - Distant Lover - Marvin Gaye
096 - 05-214 - Beechwood 4-5789 - The Marvelettes
097 - 05-212 - Psychedelic Shack - Temptations
098 - 07-210 - Going to a Go-Go - Miracles
099 - 06-210 - It Takes Two - Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston
100 - 05-207 - You Haven't Done Nothin' - Stevie Wonder
101 - 05-204 - When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes - Supremes
102 - 04-203 - Strange I Know - Marvelettes
103 - 06-200 - Someday We'll Be Together - Supremes
104 - 03-196 - Envious - Linda Griner
105 - 06-194 - Pastime Paradise - Stevie Wonder
106 - 05-191 - Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye
107 - 04-191 - I'll Try Something New - Miracles
108 - 04-190 - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
109 - 06-189 - Mickey's Monkey - Miracles
110 - 06-189 - Pride And Joy - Marvin Gaye
111 - 05-187 - The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage - Miracles
112 - 05-186 - It's A Shame - Spinners
113 - 05-185 - The Bells - Originals
114 - 06-184 - I Want You - Marvin Gaye
115 - 07-180 - He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' - Velvelettes
116 - 04-180 - Forever - Marvelettes
117 - 05-169 - Love Child - Supremes
118 - 04-168 - Funny - Contours
119 - 06-165 - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Marvin Gaye
120 - 05-161 - Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart - Supremes
121 - 04-161 - Way Over There - Miracles
122 - 03-161 - Who's Lovin' You - Jackson 5
123 - 04-157 - Stubborn Kind of Fellow - Marvin Gaye
124 - 06-156 - Standing In The Shadows of Love - Four Tops
125 - 04-156 - Walk Away Renee - Four Tops
126 - 05-155 - Easy- Commodores
127 - 05-155 - Don't Look Back - Temptations
128 - 03-154 - Function at the Junction - Shorty Long
129 - 05-149 - If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight & Pips
130 - 05-147 - Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
131 - 04-142 - Playboy - Marvelettes
132 - 04-142 - You'll Lose A Precious Love - Temptations
133 - 04-142 - Master Blaster (Jammin’) - Stevie Wonder
134 - 05-139 - You're A Wonderful One - Marvin Gaye
135 - 04-139 - Friendship Train - Gladys Knight & Pips
136 - 04-136 - I Hear A Symphony - Supremes
137 - 03-136 - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game - Marvelettes
138 - 03-135 - Paradise - Temptations
139 - 05-134 - (I'm A) Road Runner - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
140 - 05-131 - Quicksand - Martha & The Vandellas
141 - 03-131 - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Supremes and Temptations
142 - 03-131 - Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) - Stevie Wonder
143 - 02-130 - You’re My Desire – Equadors
144 - 02-128 - Walk Away From Love - David Ruffin
145 - 02-125 - A Favor For a Girl - Brenda Holloway
146 - 03-124 - I'll Turn To Stone - Four Tops
147 - 03-124 - Hello - Lionel Richie
148 - 04-123 - Too Busy Thinking About My Baby - Marvin Gaye
149 - 03-123 - Would I Love You - Miracles
150 - 04-119 - Seven Rooms of Gloom - Four Tops
151 - 03-117 - A Fork In The Road - Miracles
152 - 05-115 - You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
153 - 04-115 - I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) - Stevie Wonder
154 - 03-114 - Reflections - Supremes
155 - 02-114 - Square Biz - Teena Marie
156 - 04-113 - Two Lovers - Mary Wells
157 - 03-111 - The Only One I Love - Miracles
=======================================================================
158 - 02-110 - I'm Still Waiting - Diana Ross
159 - 04-109 - Too High - Stevie Wonder
160 - 02-109 - My Baby Loves Me - Martha & Vandellas
161 - 03-108 - Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
162 - 04-106 - Leaving Here - Eddie Holland
163 - 03-103 - Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson
164 - 03-103 - Your Baby's Back - Downbeats
165 - 02-103 - Love Hangover - Diana Ross
166 - 02-102 - First I Look at the Purse - Contours
166 - 02-102 - Golden Lady - Stevie Wonder
168 - 02-102 - There's a Ghost in My House - R. Dean Taylor
169 - 03-100 - Take Me In Your Arms - Kim Weston
170 - 03-100 - My Girl Has Gone - Miracles
171 - 05-99 - Back In My Arms Again - Supremes
172 - 03-99 - What Love Has Joined Together - Temptations
173 - 03-99 - Another Star - Stevie Wonder
174 - 02-99 - What's Happenin' Brother - Marvin Gaye
175 - 03-97 - That Day When She Needed Me - Contours
176 - 02-97 - Let It Whip - Dazz Band
177 - 03-96 - Never Can Say Goodbye - Jackson 5
178 - 02-95 - I'll Keep Holding On - Marvelettes
179 - 02-95 - My World Is Empty Without You - Supremes
180 - 04-94 - Part-Time Lover - Stevie Wonder
181 - 04-93 - The Girl's Alright With Me - Temptations
182 - 03-93 - Isn't She Lovely - Steveie Wonder
183 - 02-93 - More Love - Smokey Robinson & Miracles
184 - 02-93 - I Wanna Be Where You Are -- Michael Jackson
185 - 04-92 - Something About You - Four Tops
186 - 02-91 - Does Your Mama Know About Me - Bobby Taylor & Vancouvers
187 - 02-91 - (You Can) Depend On Me - Miracles
188 - 02-89 - Sad Souvenirs - Four Tops
189 - 02-88 - One More Heartache - Marvin Gaye
190 - 02-87 - Come Get to This – Marvin Gaye
191 - 02-86 - The Night - Frankie Valli & Four Seasons
192 - 03-85 - Super Freak - Rick James
193 - 02-82 - Contract On Love - Stevie Wonder
194 - 02-82 - I'll Cry Tomorrow - Serenaders
195 - 02-82 - It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday - Boyz II Men
196 - 03-80 - My Old Piano - Diana Ross
197 - 02-79 - Old Love (Let's Try It Again) - Mary Wells
198 - 02-79 - Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam) - Monitors
199 - 02-78 - Being With You - Smokey Robinson
200 - 02-77 - Angel - Satintones
201 - 03-75 - Neither One of Us - Gladys Knight & Pips
202 - 02-74 - I Need Your Lovin' - Teena Marie
203 - 02-74 - My Smile Is Just A Frown - Carolyn Crawford
204 - 02-71 - Theme From Mahogany - Diana Ross
205 - 02-70 - The Happening - Supremes
206 - 02-70 - River Deep Mountain High - Supremes & Four Tops
207 - 02-70 - U.N.I.T.Y. - Queen Latifah
208 - 02-69 - Give It To Me, Baby - Rick James
209 - 02-68 - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Jr. Walker & the All-Stars
210 - 02-67 - All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie
211 - 03-66 - I Love Your Smile - Shanice
212 - 02-66 - Devil With The Blue Dress On - Shorty Long
213 - 03-65 - My Whole World Ended - David Ruffin
214 - 02-65 - It's Growing - Temptations
215 - 02-64 - Baby Don't You Do It - Marvin Gaye
216 - 02-64 - Give Me Your Love - Sisters Love
217 - 02-63 - You're Gonna Love My Baby - Barbara McNair
218 - 03-62 - Up The Ladder To The Roof - Supremes
219 - 02-62 - One Day in Your Life - Michael Jackson
220 - 02-61 - If I Should Die Tonight - Marvin Gaye
221 - 02-59 - Love Machine - Miracles
222 - 02-59 - Come To Me - Marv Johnson
223 - 02-59 - End of The Road - Boyz II Men
224 - 02-59 - Flyin' High In The Friendly Sky - Marvin Gaye
225 - 02-59 - Your Wonderful Love - Temptations
226 - 03-58 - Shake & Fingerpop - Jr. Walker & All Stars
227 - 02-58 - My Baby - Temptations
228 - 02-58 - Love Me All the Way - Kim Weston
229 - 02-55 - Bag Lady - Erykah Badu
230 - 02-55 - You're My Everything - Temptations
231 - 02-54 - They Won’t Go When I Go - Stevie Wonder
232 - 02-51 - What's Easy For Two Is Hard For One - Mary Wells
233 - 02-51 - Nightshift - Commodores
234 - 02-50 - Come On And See Me - Tammi Terrell
235 - 02-49 - That's The Way Love Is - Marvin Gaye
236 - 02-47 - Motownphilly - Boyz II Men
237 - 02-46 - If You Really Love Me - Stevie Wonder
238 - 02-43 - Help Me Make It Through the Night - Gladys Knight & The Pips
239 - 02-37 - What's So Good About Good-By - Miracles
240 - 02-37 - Your Precious Love - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

======================================================================


Just 2 songs remaining now. THIS is #2!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbfqZzqsF68
Hymie
Running Up That Hill
Posts: 3330
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:37 pm

Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

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Song #2 is "Dancing In The Street" by Martha and the Vandellas, from 1964. I am a bit surprised that this record beat out all timers like "My Girl" and "Grapevine." In fact, this record was listed on more ballots (31) than any other record on the countdown. Even the upcoming #1 record was only listed on 30 ballots. Shockingly, "Dancing In The Street" only reached #8 on the Cash Box R&B chart. I guess it came across as more of a rock record than a soul record. In fact, most all of the other recordings of the song came from white rock acts, rather than black soul acts. The single reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop chart, and only got to #28 in the UK in 1964, but it did return to the British charts in 1969, peaking at #4.

The song was written by Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson and Ivy Jo Hunter. Stevenson was the producer. The song highlighted the concept of having a good time in whatever city the listener lived. The idea for dancing came to Stevenson from watching people on the streets of Detroit cool off in the summer in water from opened fire hydrants. They appeared to be dancing in the water. The song was conceived by Stevenson who was showing a rough draft of the lyrics to Gaye disguised as a ballad. When Gaye read the original lyrics, however, he said the song sounded more danceable. With Gaye and Stevenson collaborating, the duo composed the single with Kim Weston in mind to record the song. Weston passed on the song and when Martha Reeves came to Motown's Hitsville USA studios, the duo presented the song to Reeves.

Reeves recounted that she initially regarded the song as too repetitive. Gaye and Stevenson agreed and including new Motown songwriter Ivy Jo Hunter adding in musical composition, the song was recorded in two takes. The song's writers made sure to include Detroit as one of the cities mentioned with the lyric: "Can't forget the Motor City".

The song took on a different meaning when riots in inner-city America led to many young black demonstrators citing the song as a civil rights anthem to social change which also led to some radio stations taking the song off its play list because certain black advocates such as H. Rap Brown began playing the song while organizing demonstrations.

"Dancing in the Street" had two meanings. The first is the one Martha Reeves asserted to reporters in England. "The British press aggravated Reeves when someone put a microphone in her face and asked her if she was a militant leader. The British journalist wanted to know if Reeves agreed, as many people had claimed, that "Dancing in the Street" was a call to riot. To Reeves, the query was patently absurd. 'My Lord, it was a party song,' she remarked in retrospect." While Berry Gordy had created the Black Forum label to preserve black thought and creative writing, he kept the Motown record label and the popular hits it produced from being too political. Berry Gordy Jr. was extremely wary about affiliating his business with any organization of movement that might negatively influence his company's commercial success."


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Okay, we've arrived at our number one Motown song. This one was in the top 5 on 13 different ballots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-kA3UtBj4M
Hymie
Running Up That Hill
Posts: 3330
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:37 pm

Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

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Our #1 song is "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye, from 1971. It was listed on 30 of the 44 ballots, and was in the top 5 on 13 of those ballots. The single was #1 on the Billboard Soul chart for 5 weeks, and it peaked at #2 on the Pop chart. It got to #1 on the Cash Box Pop chart. The song topped Detroit's Metro Times list of the 100 Greatest Detroit Songs of All Time, and in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the 4th greatest song of all time; in its updated 2011 list, the song remained at that position.

The song was written by Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson, and Marvin Gaye. Originally inspired by a police brutality incident witnessed by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, the song was composed by Benson, Al Cleveland, and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself. The song marked Gaye's departure from the Motown Sound towards more personal material.

The song's inspiration came from Renaldo "Obie" Benson, a member of the Motown vocal group the Four Tops, after he and the group's tour bus arrived at Berkeley on May 15, 1969. While there, Benson witnessed police brutality and violence in the city's People's Park during a protest held by anti-war activists in what was hailed later as "Bloody Thursday". Upset by the situation, Benson said to author Ben Edmonds that as he saw this, he asked, "'What is happening here?' One question led to another. Why are they sending kids so far away from their families overseas? Why are they attacking their own children in the streets?"

Upset, he discussed what he witnessed to friend and songwriter Al Cleveland, who in turn wrote and composed a song to reflect Benson's concerns. Benson wanted to give the song to his group but the other Four Tops turned down the request. "My partners told me it was a protest song", Benson said later, "I said 'no man, it's a love song, about love and understanding. I'm not protesting, I want to know what's going on.'" In 1970, Benson presented the untitled song to Marvin Gaye, who added a new melody and revised the song to his liking, adding in his own lyrics. Benson later said Gaye tweaked and enriched the song, "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem like a story than a song... we measured him for the suit and he tailored the hell out of it." Gaye titled it "What's Going On". When Gaye initially thought the song's moody feel would be appropriate to be recorded by The Originals, Benson convinced Gaye to record it as his own song.

Gaye, himself, had been inspired by social ills committed in the United States, citing the 1965 Watts riots as a turning point in his life in which he asked himself, "'With the world exploding around me, how am I supposed to keep singing love songs?'" Gaye was also influenced by emotional conversations shared between him and his brother Frankie, who had returned from three years of service at the Vietnam War and his namesake cousin's death while serving troops. During phone conversations with Berry Gordy, who was vacationing in the Bahamas at the time, Gaye had told Gordy that he wanted to record a protest record, to which Gordy said in response, "Marvin, don't be ridiculous. That's taking things too far."

Gaye entered the recording studio, Hitsville USA, on June 1, 1970 to record "What's Going On". Instead of relying on other producers to help him with the song, Gaye, inspired by recent successes of his productions for the vocal act, The Originals, decided to produce the song himself, mixing up original Motown in-house studio musicians such as James Jamerson and Eddie Brown with musicians he recruited himself. The opening soprano saxophone line, provided by musician Eli Fontaine, was not originally intended. Once Gaye heard Fontaine's riff, he told Fontaine to go home. When Fontaine protested that he was just "goofing around", Gaye replied "you goof off exquisitely, thank you." The laid-back atmosphere in the studio was brought on by constant marijuana smoking by Gaye and other musicians.

Jamerson was pulled into the session after Gaye located him playing with a band at a local bar. Respected Motown arranger and conductor David Van De Pitte said later to Ben Edmonds that Jamerson "always kept a bottle of [the Greek spirit] Metaxa in his bass case. He could really put that stuff away, and then sit down and still be able to play. His tolerance was incredible. It took a hell a lot to get him smashed." The night Jamerson entered the studio to record the bass lines to the song, Jamerson could not sit properly in his seat and, according to one of the members of the Funk Brothers, laid on the floor playing his bass riffs. De Pitte recalled that it was a track that Jamerson greatly respected: "On 'What's Going On' though, he just read the [bass] part down like I wrote it. He loved it because I had written Jamerson licks for Jamerson." Annie Jamerson recalls that when he returned home that night, he declared that the song they had been working on was a 'masterpiece', one of the few occasions where he had discussed his work so passionately with her. Gaye also added his own instrumentation, playing piano and keyboards while also playing a box drum to help accentuate Chet Forest's drumming.

To add more to the song's laid-back approach, Gaye invited the Detroit Lions players Mel Farr and Lem Barney to the studio and, along with Gaye and the Funk Brothers, added in vocal chatter, engaging in a mock conversation. Musician and songwriter Elgie Stover, who later served as a caterer for Bill Clinton and was then a Motown staffer and confidante of Gaye's, was the man who opened the song's track with the words, "hey, man, what's happening?" and "everything is everything". Later Gaye brought Lem Barney and Mel Farr as well as Bobby Rogers of The Miracles to record the song's background vocal track. The rhythm tracks and the song's overdubs were done at Hitsville, while strings, horns, lead and background vocals were recorded at Golden World Studios.

On hearing a playback of the song, Gaye asked his engineer Kenneth Sands to give him his two vocal leads to compare what he wanted to use for the song's release. Sands ended up mixing the leads together, by accident. However, when he heard it, Gaye was so impressed with the double-lead feel that he kept it, influencing his later recordings where he mastered vocal multi-layering adding in three different vocal parts. Before presenting the song to Gordy, he produced a false fade to the song, bringing the song back for a few seconds after it was initially to have ended. The song was also notable for its use of major seventh and minor seventh chords, which was a fairly uncommon use at the time. Gaye recorded the song's b-side, "God Is Love", on the same day.

When Gordy heard the song after Gaye presented the song to him in California, he turned down Gaye's request to release it, telling Gaye he felt it was "the worst thing I ever heard in my life". When Harry Balk requested the song to be released, Gordy told him the song featured "that Dizzy Gillespie stuff in the middle, that scatting, it's old". Gaye responded to this rejection by refusing to record material unless the song would be released, going on strike until, he felt, Gordy saw sense in releasing it.

Anxious for Marvin Gaye product, Balk got Motown's sales vice president Barney Ales to release the song, releasing it on January 17, 1971, sending 100,000 copies of the song to radio stations across the country. The initial success of this led to a further 100,000 to reach demand, selling over 200,000 copies within a week. The song was issued without Gordy's knowledge.


RANK-BALLOTS-POINTS-TITLE-ARTIST
001 - 30-1718 - What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
002 - 31-1480 - Dancing In The Street - Martha & The Vandellas
003 - 27-1382 - My Girl - Temptations
004 - 25-1372 - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
005 - 25-1358 - Superstition - Stevie Wonder
006 - 28-1310 - The Tracks of My Tears - Miracles
007 - 26-1301 - Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops
008 - 24-1107 - I Want You Back - Jackson 5
009 - 22-1033 - Living For The City - Stevie Wonder
010 - 22-987 - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - Temptations
011 - 26-960 - Please Mr Postman - Marvelettes
012 - 22-934 - The Tears of a Clown - Miracles
013 - 20-891 - Money (That's What I Want) - Barrett Strong
014 - 24-884 - You've Really Got A Hold On Me - Miracles
015 - 21-872 - Do You Love Me - Contours
016 - 20-872 - Where Did Our Love Go - Supremes
017 - 22-846 - Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Four Tops
018 - 22-845 - Nowhere To Run - Martha & The Vandellas
019 - 20-844 - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
020 - 19-799 - My Guy - Mary Wells
021 - 22-775 - Heat Wave - Martha & The Vandellas
022 - 21-765 - I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops
023 - 19-734 - Ain't Too Proud To Beg - Temptations
024 - 15-730 - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - Marvin Gaye
025 - 19-715 - Stop! In The Name Of Love – Supremes
026 - 14-698 - War - Edwin Starr
027 - 17-696 - Shop Around - Miracles
028 - 15-693 - Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
029 - 16-690 - Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye
030 - 15-673 - Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
031 - 16-647 - Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder
032 - 14-613 - You Can't Hurry Love - Supremes
033 - 14-612 - Ooo Baby Baby - Miracles
034 - 18-609 - Just My Imagination - Temptations
035 - 12-583 - Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder
036 - 13-578 - This Old Heart of Mine – Isley Brothers
037 - 14-571 - You Keep Me Hangin' On - Supremes
038 - 11-550 - Fight The Power - Public Enemy
039 - 15-514 - Come See About Me - Supremes
040 - 13-506 - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted – Jimmy Ruffin
041 - 12-505 - Baby Love - Supremes
042 - 13-499 - The One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells
043 - 12-453 - I Can't Get Next To You - Temptations
044 - 11-451 - Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
045 - 09-410 - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Gladys Knight & The Pips
046 - 11-402 - Ball of Confusion - Temptations
047 - 10-395 - As - Stevie Wonder
048 - 10-367 - Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye
049 - 10-366 - Cloud Nine - Temptations
050 - 10-366 - Come And Get These Memories - Martha & the Vandellas
051 - 12-359 - Get Ready - Temptations
052 - 09-352 - Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
053 - 10-351 - Can I Get A Witness - Marvin Gaye
054 - 08-338 - Every Little Bit Hurts - Brenda Holloway
055 - 08-337 - You Beat Me To The Punch - Mary Wells
056 - 10-326 - Fingertips - Little Stevie Wonder
057 - 10-325 - I'll Be There - Jackson 5
058 - 09-321 - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) - Frank Wilson
059 - 08-321 - Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing - Stevie Wonder
060 - 10-319 - (I Know) I'm Losing You - Temptations
061 - 10-313 - I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson & Miracles
062 - 09-313 - I Was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder
063 - 07-311 - I Want A Love I Can See - Temptations
064 - 09-300 - ABC - Jackson 5
065 - 10-295 - It's The Same Old Song - Four Tops
066 - 06-290 - Visions - Stevie Wonder
067 - 06-288 - Bye Bye Baby - Mary Wells
068 - 06-287 - Needle in a Haystack – Velvelettes
069 - 07-285 - Baby I'm For Real - Originals
070 - 08-283 - Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
071 - 10-278 - The Way You Do The Things You Do - Temptations
072 - 07-276 - Twenty-Five Miles - Edwin Starr
073 - 06-270 - Upside Down - Diana Ross
074 - 09-269 - Jimmy Mack – Martha and Vandellas
075 - 07-266 - Bernadette - Four Tops
076 - 06-263 - For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
077 - 09-260 - Ask The Lonely - Four Tops
078 - 06-253 - My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
079 - 06-249 - The Love You Save - Jackson 5
080 - 07-247 - I'm Coming Out - Diane Ross
081 - 06-243 - I'll Be Doggone - Marvin Gaye
082 - 08-240 - You’re All I Need to Get By - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
083 - 06-240 - I Wish It Would Rain - Temptations
084 - 08-238 - Smiling Faces Sometimes – Undisputed Truth
085 - 05-238 - Got To Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
086 - 08-235 - Hitch Hike - Marvin Gaye
087 - 04-229 - Bad Girl - Miracles
088 - 04-226 - Get Ready - Rare Earth
089 - 07-225 - Beauty Is Only Skin Deep - Temptations
090 - 06-224 - I Wish - Stevie Wonder
091 - 05-223 - Since I Lost My Baby - Temptations
092 - 07-221 - Heaven Must Have Sent You - Elgins
093 - 07-221 - Too Many Fish In The Sea - Marvelettes
094 - 06-215 - Brick House - Commodores
095 - 04-215 - Distant Lover - Marvin Gaye
096 - 05-214 - Beechwood 4-5789 - The Marvelettes
097 - 05-212 - Psychedelic Shack - Temptations
098 - 07-210 - Going to a Go-Go - Miracles
099 - 06-210 - It Takes Two - Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston
100 - 05-207 - You Haven't Done Nothin' - Stevie Wonder
101 - 05-204 - When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes - Supremes
102 - 04-203 - Strange I Know - Marvelettes
103 - 06-200 - Someday We'll Be Together - Supremes
104 - 03-196 - Envious - Linda Griner
105 - 06-194 - Pastime Paradise - Stevie Wonder
106 - 05-191 - Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye
107 - 04-191 - I'll Try Something New - Miracles
108 - 04-190 - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
109 - 06-189 - Mickey's Monkey - Miracles
110 - 06-189 - Pride And Joy - Marvin Gaye
111 - 05-187 - The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage - Miracles
112 - 05-186 - It's A Shame - Spinners
113 - 05-185 - The Bells - Originals
114 - 06-184 - I Want You - Marvin Gaye
115 - 07-180 - He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' - Velvelettes
116 - 04-180 - Forever - Marvelettes
117 - 05-169 - Love Child - Supremes
118 - 04-168 - Funny - Contours
119 - 06-165 - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Marvin Gaye
120 - 05-161 - Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart - Supremes
121 - 04-161 - Way Over There - Miracles
122 - 03-161 - Who's Lovin' You - Jackson 5
123 - 04-157 - Stubborn Kind of Fellow - Marvin Gaye
124 - 06-156 - Standing In The Shadows of Love - Four Tops
125 - 04-156 - Walk Away Renee - Four Tops
126 - 05-155 - Easy- Commodores
127 - 05-155 - Don't Look Back - Temptations
128 - 03-154 - Function at the Junction - Shorty Long
129 - 05-149 - If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight & Pips
130 - 05-147 - Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
131 - 04-142 - Playboy - Marvelettes
132 - 04-142 - You'll Lose A Precious Love - Temptations
133 - 04-142 - Master Blaster (Jammin’) - Stevie Wonder
134 - 05-139 - You're A Wonderful One - Marvin Gaye
135 - 04-139 - Friendship Train - Gladys Knight & Pips
136 - 04-136 - I Hear A Symphony - Supremes
137 - 03-136 - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game - Marvelettes
138 - 03-135 - Paradise - Temptations
139 - 05-134 - (I'm A) Road Runner - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
140 - 05-131 - Quicksand - Martha & The Vandellas
141 - 03-131 - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Supremes and Temptations
142 - 03-131 - Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) - Stevie Wonder
143 - 02-130 - You’re My Desire – Equadors
144 - 02-128 - Walk Away From Love - David Ruffin
145 - 02-125 - A Favor For a Girl - Brenda Holloway
146 - 03-124 - I'll Turn To Stone - Four Tops
147 - 03-124 - Hello - Lionel Richie
148 - 04-123 - Too Busy Thinking About My Baby - Marvin Gaye
149 - 03-123 - Would I Love You - Miracles
150 - 04-119 - Seven Rooms of Gloom - Four Tops
151 - 03-117 - A Fork In The Road - Miracles
152 - 05-115 - You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
153 - 04-115 - I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) - Stevie Wonder
154 - 03-114 - Reflections - Supremes
155 - 02-114 - Square Biz - Teena Marie
156 - 04-113 - Two Lovers - Mary Wells
157 - 03-111 - The Only One I Love - Miracles
=======================================================================
158 - 02-110 - I'm Still Waiting - Diana Ross
159 - 04-109 - Too High - Stevie Wonder
160 - 02-109 - My Baby Loves Me - Martha & Vandellas
161 - 03-108 - Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
162 - 04-106 - Leaving Here - Eddie Holland
163 - 03-103 - Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson
164 - 03-103 - Your Baby's Back - Downbeats
165 - 02-103 - Love Hangover - Diana Ross
166 - 02-102 - First I Look at the Purse - Contours
166 - 02-102 - Golden Lady - Stevie Wonder
168 - 02-102 - There's a Ghost in My House - R. Dean Taylor
169 - 03-100 - Take Me In Your Arms - Kim Weston
170 - 03-100 - My Girl Has Gone - Miracles
171 - 05-99 - Back In My Arms Again - Supremes
172 - 03-99 - What Love Has Joined Together - Temptations
173 - 03-99 - Another Star - Stevie Wonder
174 - 02-99 - What's Happenin' Brother - Marvin Gaye
175 - 03-97 - That Day When She Needed Me - Contours
176 - 02-97 - Let It Whip - Dazz Band
177 - 03-96 - Never Can Say Goodbye - Jackson 5
178 - 02-95 - I'll Keep Holding On - Marvelettes
179 - 02-95 - My World Is Empty Without You - Supremes
180 - 04-94 - Part-Time Lover - Stevie Wonder
181 - 04-93 - The Girl's Alright With Me - Temptations
182 - 03-93 - Isn't She Lovely - Steveie Wonder
183 - 02-93 - More Love - Smokey Robinson & Miracles
184 - 02-93 - I Wanna Be Where You Are -- Michael Jackson
185 - 04-92 - Something About You - Four Tops
186 - 02-91 - Does Your Mama Know About Me - Bobby Taylor & Vancouvers
187 - 02-91 - (You Can) Depend On Me - Miracles
188 - 02-89 - Sad Souvenirs - Four Tops
189 - 02-88 - One More Heartache - Marvin Gaye
190 - 02-87 - Come Get to This – Marvin Gaye
191 - 02-86 - The Night - Frankie Valli & Four Seasons
192 - 03-85 - Super Freak - Rick James
193 - 02-82 - Contract On Love - Stevie Wonder
194 - 02-82 - I'll Cry Tomorrow - Serenaders
195 - 02-82 - It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday - Boyz II Men
196 - 03-80 - My Old Piano - Diana Ross
197 - 02-79 - Old Love (Let's Try It Again) - Mary Wells
198 - 02-79 - Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam) - Monitors
199 - 02-78 - Being With You - Smokey Robinson
200 - 02-77 - Angel - Satintones
201 - 03-75 - Neither One of Us - Gladys Knight & Pips
202 - 02-74 - I Need Your Lovin' - Teena Marie
203 - 02-74 - My Smile Is Just A Frown - Carolyn Crawford
204 - 02-71 - Theme From Mahogany - Diana Ross
205 - 02-70 - The Happening - Supremes
206 - 02-70 - River Deep Mountain High - Supremes & Four Tops
207 - 02-70 - U.N.I.T.Y. - Queen Latifah
208 - 02-69 - Give It To Me, Baby - Rick James
209 - 02-68 - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Jr. Walker & the All-Stars
210 - 02-67 - All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie
211 - 03-66 - I Love Your Smile - Shanice
212 - 02-66 - Devil With The Blue Dress On - Shorty Long
213 - 03-65 - My Whole World Ended - David Ruffin
214 - 02-65 - It's Growing - Temptations
215 - 02-64 - Baby Don't You Do It - Marvin Gaye
216 - 02-64 - Give Me Your Love - Sisters Love
217 - 02-63 - You're Gonna Love My Baby - Barbara McNair
218 - 03-62 - Up The Ladder To The Roof - Supremes
219 - 02-62 - One Day in Your Life - Michael Jackson
220 - 02-61 - If I Should Die Tonight - Marvin Gaye
221 - 02-59 - Love Machine - Miracles
222 - 02-59 - Come To Me - Marv Johnson
223 - 02-59 - End of The Road - Boyz II Men
224 - 02-59 - Flyin' High In The Friendly Sky - Marvin Gaye
225 - 02-59 - Your Wonderful Love - Temptations
226 - 03-58 - Shake & Fingerpop - Jr. Walker & All Stars
227 - 02-58 - My Baby - Temptations
228 - 02-58 - Love Me All the Way - Kim Weston
229 - 02-55 - Bag Lady - Erykah Badu
230 - 02-55 - You're My Everything - Temptations
231 - 02-54 - They Won’t Go When I Go - Stevie Wonder
232 - 02-51 - What's Easy For Two Is Hard For One - Mary Wells
233 - 02-51 - Nightshift - Commodores
234 - 02-50 - Come On And See Me - Tammi Terrell
235 - 02-49 - That's The Way Love Is - Marvin Gaye
236 - 02-47 - Motownphilly - Boyz II Men
237 - 02-46 - If You Really Love Me - Stevie Wonder
238 - 02-43 - Help Me Make It Through the Night - Gladys Knight & The Pips
239 - 02-37 - What's So Good About Good-By - Miracles
240 - 02-37 - Your Precious Love - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
======================================================================


Below is a list of all songs that were only listed on one ballot:

Abraham, Martin and John - Marvin Gaye
Ain't It Baby - Miracles
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross
All In Love Is Fair - Stevie Wonder
All This Love - DeBarge
Along Came Love - Miracles
Always in My Heart - Supremes
A Place In The Sun - Stevie Wonder
A Simple Game - Four Tops
As Long As I Know He's Mine - Mary Wells
A Tear For The Girl - Marth & Vandellas
A Thrill A Moment - Kim Weston
Baby Baby - Miracles
Baby, Baby I Need You - Temptations
Ball of Confusion - Undisputed Truth
Because I Love Her - Valadiers
Ben - Michael Jackson
Big Lady - Erykah Badu
Blame It On The Sun - Stevie Wonder
Boogie on Reggae Woman - Stevie Wonder
Boys - Mary Jane Girls
Brother's Gonna Work It Out - Willie Hutch
Candy Man - Mary Janes Girls
Cause We've Ended as Lovers - Syreeta
Check Yourself - Temptations
Choose You - Willie Hutch
Cold Blooded - Rick James
Come See About Me - Jr. Walker & All-Stars
Corner Of The Sky -- Jackson 5ive
Creepin' - Stevie Wonder
Daddy Could Swear (I Declare) - Gladys Knight & Pips
Dancing Machine -- Jackson 5
Dancing on the Ceiling - Lionel Richie
Destination Anywhere - Marvelettes
Didn't Cha Know - Erykah Badu
Didn't You Know (You'd Have To Cry Sometime) - Gladys Knight & Pips
Do I Do - Stevie Wonder
Don't Look Any Further - Dennis Edwards
Don't Mess With Bill - Marvelettes
Don’t Send Me Away – Temptations
Doobedoo’ndoobe Doobedoo’ndoobe Doobedoo’ndoo - Diana Ross
Do The Boomerang - Jr. Walker & All-Stars
Do What You Gotta Do - Four Tops
Easy Goin' Evening ( My Mama's Call ) - Stevie Wonder
Eh Compari - Gaylord And Holiday
Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knoight & Pips
Farewell My Love - Temptations
Forget About Me - Carolyn Crawford
Funky Music Shure 'Nuff Turns Me On - Temptations
(Girl) Why You Wanna Make Me Blue - Temptations
Give A Little Love - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Goin' Back To Indiana - Jackson 5
Good-By Cruel World - Linda Griner
Gotta Hold On To This Feeling – Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
Have a Talk with God - Stevie Wonder
Heavy Day - Syreeta
He's A Friend - Eddie Kendricks
Hello - Erykah Badu feat. Andre 3000
Hello Love – Monitors
Helpless - Kim Weston
Here Comes The Judge - Shorty Long
He's All I Got - Supremes
He's Seventeen - Supremes
Hey Jude - Temptations
I Ain't Gonna Stand For It - Stevie Wonder
I Am Bound - Golden Harmoneers
I Am Love - Jackson 5
I Call It Pretty Music, But The Old People Call It The Blues - Stevie Wonder
I Can't Believe - Miracles
I Could Never Love Another - Temptations
I Don't Blame You At All - Smokey Robinson & Miracles
If I Could Build My Whole World Around You - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
I Don't Want To Take A Chance - Mary Wells
If It's Love - Eddie Holland
If I Were a Carpenter - Four Tops
If My Heart Could Tell The Story - Edwin Starr
If You Can Want - Smokey Robinson & Miracles
I Guess I’ll Always Love You – Isley Brothers
I Just Called to Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
(I Know) I'm Losing You - Rare Earth
I Like It - DeBarge
I'll Take Care of You - Marvin Gaye
I’m In A Different World - Four Tops
I'm Ready For Love - Martha & Vandellas
I'm The One You Need - Miracles
In And Out of My Life - Martha & Vandellas
Indiana Wants Me - R. Dean Taylor
I Need You - Herman Griffin
In My Diary - Spinners
In My House - Mary Jane Girls
In My Lonely Room - Martha & Vandellas
It Ain't No Use - Stevie Wonder
It Must Be Magic - Teena Marie
It’s Been a Long Time – Elgins
It Should Have Been Me - Kim Weston
I've Been Good To You - Miracles
I Will Never Love Another - Five Smoothtones
I Wish You Were Here - Billy Eckstine
I Wonder Why - Billy Eckstine
I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is - Blinky
Jesus Children of America - Stevie Wonder
Joy (Takes Over Me) - Stevie Wonder
Just a Little Misunderstanding - Contours
Just Be Yourself - LaBrenda Ben
Just Look What You've Done - Brenda Holloway
Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life) - Four Tops
Just to Keep You Satisfied - Marvin Gaye
Keep on Truckin' - Eddie Kendricks
Knocks Me Off My Feet - Stevie Wonder
Laughing Boy - Mary Wells
Left With a Broken Heart – Four Tops
Little Girl Blue - Marvelettes
Looking For Another Pure Love - Stevie Wonder
Looking For The Right Guy - Kim Weston
Looking Through the Windows - Jackson 5
Look What You Done To Me - Commodores
Love, Guess Who - Martha & Vandellas
Love's Gone Bad - Chris Clark
Machine Gun - Commodores
Malinda – Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers
Mama's Pearl - Jackson 5
Mary Jane - Rick James
Masterpiece - Temptations
Maybe Your Baby - Stevie Wonder
Merry Go Round - Eddie Holland
Misery - Barrett Strong
My Baby Gave Me Another Chance - Amos Milburn
My Beloved - Satintones
My People...Hold On - Edie Kendricks
Never Again - Supremes
Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer - Stevie Wonder
Never in Your Sun - Stevie Wonder
Never Leave your Baby's Side - Martha & Vandellas
No Love - Mable John
Nothing But Heartaches - Supremes
Nothing's Too Good For My Baby - Stevie Wonder
Oh I Apologize - Barrett Strong
One Of These Days - Marvin Gaye
Ordinary Pain - Stevie Wonder
Penitentiary Philosophy - Erykah Badu
Remember Me - Diana Ross
Rhythm Of The Night -- DeBarge
Right On - Marvin Gaye
Runaway Child, Running Wild - Temptations
Saturn - Stevie Wonder
Save Me From this Misery - Isley Bros.
Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
Seek and You Shall Find (Isley Bros.)
Send One Your Love - Stevie Wonder
Shakey Ground - Temptations
Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day - Stevie Wonder
Simple Song of Freedom - Bobby Darin
Sleep (Little One) - Herman Griffin
Slow Down Heart - Temptations
So Long Baby - Marvelettes
Somebody’s Watching Me - Rockwell
Stoned Love - Supremes
Strange Love - Mary Wells
Sugar Daddy - Jackson 5
Summer Soft - Stevie Wonder
Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are) - Temptations
Swept For You Baby - Miracles
Take Some Time Out for Love - Isley Bros
Take This Heart of Mine - Marvin Gaye
The Answer Is Love - Billy Eckstine
The Crown – Gary Byrd & The GB Experience
The Day You Take One (You Have to take the Other) - Marvelettes
The End of Our Road - Marvin Gaye
The Feeling Is So Fine - Miracles
Three Times A Lady - Commodores
Touch Me In The Morning - Diana Ross
'T' Plays It Cool - Marvin Gaye
Truly Yours - Spinners
Try It Baby - Marvin Gaye
Two Can Have a Party - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Stevie Wonder
Video - India.Arie
Walk On By - Miracles
Was Born This Way - Carl Bean
Water Runs Dry - Boyz II Men
What Am I Gonna Do Without You - Chuck Jackson
Whatever Makes You Happy - Miracles
What Love Has Joined Together - Mary Wells
What's The Matter With You Baby - Mary Wells & Marvin Gaye
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You - Marvin Gaye
When I'm Gone - Brenda Holloway
When the Words from Your Heart (Get Caught Up In Your Throat) - Miracles
Whisper - Marv Johnson
Whole Lotta Woman - Contours
Wholy Holy - Marvin Gaye
Who Wouldn't Love A Man Like That - Mable John
Wild One - Martha & Vandellas
Window Seat - Erykah Badu
With Each Beat of My Heart - Stevie Wonder
Without The One You Love - Four Tops
With You I’m Born Again - Billy Preston & Syreeta
Yesterday Dreams - Four Tops
You - Marvin Gaye
You And I - Rick James (Teena Marie)
You Haven't Seen My Love - Ones
You Made A Fool Out Of Me - Mable John
You Must Be Love - Miracles
Young, Gifted And Black - Bob & Marcia
Your Heart Belongs To Me - Supremes
You've Got to Pay Bills - Miracles
You've Made Me So Very Happy - Brenda Holloway
Zing Went The Strings of My Heart - Satintones
Zoom - Commodores
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PlasticRam
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by PlasticRam »

Thanks for the great presentation, Hymie!
I feel like that
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mileswide
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by mileswide »

Just Look What You've Done didn't occur to me until weeks after the results started when the lyric "You've turned my dreams to dust" crossed my mind. Wish I'd remembered that in time but obviously that didn't detract from another enjoyably conducted rollout, cheers Hymie!
All I got inside is vacancy!
Hymie
Running Up That Hill
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

Got a nice note from one of the email voters.

Just want to thank you for this stunning labour of love. It's been fascinating and rewarding to see the process unfold, and your learned commentaries have been enlightening, fun, and often moving.
Deeply appreciated.

Best wishes,
John

www.johnplantmusic.com
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Elder
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Elder »

You do a great job with these polls.

I think your searches should be included in the "History of AM Forum Polls" topic so that they are not forgotten in the forum.
Fetch the Bolt Cutters...
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Honorio
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Honorio »

Excellent work, Hymie. And excellent choices from everyone who participated. The Top 10 is pure gold.
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prosecutorgodot
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by prosecutorgodot »

Thanks Hymie, this was my favorite poll that you've done. The results make a very good case that Motown may be the single greatest music label (at least for singles).
Hymie
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Hymie »

prosecutorgodot wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:52 pm Thanks Hymie, this was my favorite poll that you've done. The results make a very good case that Motown may be the single greatest music label (at least for singles).
I'd have to go with Atlantic (and their subsidiaries) as the greatest label.
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Father2TheMan
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Re: Best Motown Songs - RESULTS

Post by Father2TheMan »

Thanks for the great rollout Hymie. I will definitely have some new tunes on my yearly lists when the decades pill rolls around to the 60s and 70s.

Atlantic would also be fodder for an interesting poll, I agree.
"The laughs come hard in Old Lang Syne....."
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