The Complete Motown Singles Collection Vol. 12a: 1972

1972 was the year that Berry Gordy did the hitherto unthinkable and upped sticks, relocating Motown to the sunny and wealthy climes of Los Angeles. It marked a time of huge change for the label and although this is probably more obvious on the next volume in this series, there were still clear signs present here all the same.

While the next volume contained a lot more diversification into different styles and artists, and probably slightly more killer deep cuts, this is one that continues the socially aware/psychedelic soul trend of recent years, quite a bit of funk and also concentrates on the traditional soul side of Motown too. 

I have to say, though, that I prefer the second volume of 1972 material to this one - there are more true classics, more quality deep cuts and, for some reason, an overall richer sound quality. 

⭐ Star hits

💠 Hidden gems

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Disc One

The Four Tops - Simple Game/L.A. (My Town) 

Simple Game was a big, deep, orchestrated and romantic ballad with a powerful Levi Stubbs lead vocal as well as vocal contributions from all the group. It is full of superb vocal harmonies but it is not my favourite of their singles, I find it a bit too bombastic and less catchy than many of their other hits. That brass backing is very evocative however. It's a bit of a grower, I have to admit.

L.A. (My Town) finds the Detroit boys fervently singing the praises of new Motown headquarters location Los Angeles, claiming is as their town. That's Americans for you, they change loyalties with a re-location just as they do with their sports teams. That said, it is one of those evocative, sun-drenched "California soul" numbers that has a real early seventies atmosphere.

Jimmy Ruffin - Our Favourite Melody/You Gave Me Love

Our Favourite Melody has the now Motown veteran sounding like Smokey Robinson would on 1974's Just My Soul Responding. The "na-na-na" chorus is very Temptations-esque. Overall, it's a fine serving of soul and I'll enjoy Jimmy singing anything. The song and the one below actually dated from 1970's Groove Governor album.

You Gave Me Love was initially recorded by The Supremes for their 1969 Cream Of The Crop valedictory album. It sounds comfortable and soulful in Jimmy's most capable hands. I love pretty much everything he ever did and this excellent 'b' side is no different. It drips with soul. Backing vocals on this, incidentally, are supplied by The Originals.

The Marvelettes - A Breath Taking Guy/You're The One For Me Bobby 💠

Also dating from 1970, this was the last single from The Marvelettes. Only Wanda Young Rogers remained from the original line-up, backed here by The Andantes. They all did a great job on A Breath Taking Guy, which was originally a single for The Supremes in 1963, during their long "no hit period". Here it carries an updated bassy oomph to it, making it a bit of a forgotten gem. 

A killer deep bass-line enhances the 'b' side, You're The One For Me Bobby, which, despite its early sixties teen pop-ish title, is a solid, punchy soulster of a song. Wanda's voice is strong and expressive on this song. The song is a Smokey Robinson one and this would be The Marvelettes' last ever single release. 

The Originals - I'm Someone Who Cares/Once I Have You (I Will Never Let You Go)

I have never been a huge fan of The Originals, to be honest. They were a typical vocal harmony group who specialised in big, overwrought ballads. I'm Someone Who Cares is very representative of their work. The vocal, by C.P. Spencer, is a strong one, however.

Once I Have You (I Will Never Let You Go) is even more in late-night ballad territory. It is backed by a full, solid bass-line, but, that apart, there are many better cuts out there, for me at least.

Blue Scepter - Out In The Night/Gypsy Eyes

Something Motown seriously dabbled in after their relocation were white rock groups. Blue Scepter were one of those and this is the first of several decidedly un-Motown-sounding numbers. It is a rock song, albeit a soulful, brassy one. 

Gypsy Eyes is simply full-on riffy rock and wailing guitar soloing. Like all these diversifications, its presence here is an odd one.

The Undisputed Truth - What It Is?/California Soul 💠

What It Is? is upbeat, lively and full to the brim with pulsating funky soul. Joe Harris, Brenda Joyce and Billie Calvin lay down some fantastic vocals here. The sound is also absolutely wonderful in its remastered format. Big, warm, full and bassy. I love it. Like many Truth songs, it was initially cut by The Temptations, appearing on their Solid Rock album from the same year.

California Soul was a Nickolas Ashford-Valerie Simpson song, previously recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, amongst others. Here it is given that harmonious, funky Undisputed Truth treatment. The song completely drips with early seventies West Coast hippy funky vibe and it is also relevant that Motown had relocated from Detroit to Los Angeles and anything in praise of California, such as this and the above-mentioned The Four Tops' L.A. (My Town) was de rigeur. 

Posse - Feel Like Givin' Up/Take Somebody Like You

Posse were a five-man vocal group protegéd by Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations. They were very like them too, although without the same vocal range. Feel Like Givin' Up is an Originals-esque dramatic ballad that doesn't quite hit the mark for me.

I can say the same about Take Somebody Like You, to an extent, but it is way more hooky and far more lively than its 'a' side. The group's vocals are nicely in harmony and, as I said, the song has a catchiness. The problem with Posse, I guess, is that they were not the Temptations.

The Temptations - Take A Look Around/Smooth Sailing (From Now On)

Take A Look Around is a hard-hitting "think about the children" "message song". The Temptations had begun the trend for these sort of aware songs back in 1969. It begins with big, orchestrated brass and strings, before a harpsichord leads us into the infectious vocals from all group members. It is classic early seventies Temptations. Check out that deep bass-line too. Excellent. That said, it is not really catchy enough to be a big hit single. It has "album track" stamped all over it.

Smooth Sailing (From Now On) is a jaunty and poppy mid-sixties-style Motown number. It is quite Smokey Robinson & The Miracles-like, and was a hark back to the pre-psychedelic soul yeas for The Temptations. It's a good one though, far more commercially appealing than its 'a' side.

The Devastating Affair - I Want To Be Humble/My Place

The Devastating Affair were best known as backing singers on many Diana Ross solo recordings. Here they released a couple of songs in their own right. I Want To Be Humble showcases their mixed male and female vocal harmonies well, but it isn't particularly special. As with many of these 1972 songs, though, its stereo version is much better than the mono one. 

My Place is a groovy, vaguely funky little pop song. It has hints of Diana Ross & The Supremes' 1965-67 work, although the funky clavinet backing is very 1972. 

Michael Jackson - Rockin' Robin/Love Is Here And Now You're Gone ⭐

Yes, Rockin' Robin is pure bubblegum, but I still love it. I guess it just takes me back to my childhood. I was twelve, Jackson was twelve. I thought both the song and the boy were great at the time. Listening to it now, it still resonates as being a really good pop song. For a twelve year-old boy, you have to say it is pretty damn impressive, however poppy. Love the bongo and drums backing too. Flap those wings now.....

Diana Ross & The Supremes' Love Is Here And Now You're Gone gets a really confident treatment. It is very much the equal of the original and actually sounds quite a lot like it. Jackson's young voice sort of matches the original Diana Ross vocal. 

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Disc Two

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Can You Give Me Love With A Guarantee/If You're Gonna Leave (Just Leave) ⭐

Can You Give Me Love With A Guarantee was another fine, big-voiced ballad from the marvellous Gladys Knight. If it is classic, warm-voiced gospelly soul you are after, let Gladys serve you.

If You're Gonna Leave (Just Leave) isn't half bad either. Everything Gladys did was classy. The song was initially recorded in 1970 by the Originals. Give me Gladys's version all day long.

Frankie Valli - Love Isn't Here (Like It Used To Be)/Poor Fool

Sixties falsetto legend Frankie Valli (and The Four Seasons) signed to Motown at this point, which was somewhat surprising, I guess. This single was credited to Valli alone. Love Isn't Here (Like It Used To Be) has a huge rock guitar intro before it turns into a smoother ballad, featuring Valli's voice an octave or two lower than sometimes it had been. On the rousing chorus, however, he is unmistakable. As with some of this "new" Motown material, typically Motown it wasn't. 

Poor Fool is a classic voice, piano and slow, melodious bass-backed ballad. Once more the drums kick in for a big Valli chorus. Look, these two are ok, but there are many more Valli tracks that I prefer.

Jr. Walker & The All-Stars - Walk In The Night/I Don’t Want To Do Wrong ⭐

Walk In The Night, a beautiful, catchy saxophone-driven (mainly) instrumental, was a huge hit, and deservedly so. Once again, it is a successful partnership of saxophone and backing singers. Great stuff. I have loved the track for years now, right back to 1976, when I first heard it on the Motown Gold vinyl compilation. For me it is one of the greatest instrumental hits of all time. The only vocals on it are a few "walk in the night, dah-dooby-dooby-dah" lines. It is one of the biggest hits on this collection.

I Don’t Want To Do Wrong is a smoky, late night slice of sweet soul. The track, however, is basically an instrumental with layered backing vocals but somehow you don’t really notice. It works anyway. It didn't matter with the 'a' side and it doesn't matter here. A vocal version had been a hit the previous year for Gladys Knight.

Edwin Starr - Take Me Clear From Here/Ball Of Confusion

Big ol' bull elephant shouter Edwin Starr went full-on fuzzy psychedelic soul with the stomping Take Me Clear From Here, a very Temptations/Undisputed Truth-style song. 

Talking of The Temptations, Edwin's cover of their socially-aware classic Ball Of Confusion isn't really the match of theirs, despite some great bass and psych-ish fuzzy guitar swirling all over it. Its sheer freakout trippiness takes something away from the song, for me. If I hadn't heard the Temptations' version, though, I think I'd love it.

G. C. Cameron - I'm Gonna Get You (Parts 1 & 2) 💠

In a style somewhat similar to that of Edwin Starr we get ex-Spinner G. C. Cameron's excellent driving funker I'm Gonna Get You here. Spread across both sides of the 45 rpm single, it is a stream of consciousness ad hoc James Brown grunting serving of funk. Cameron just gets into his thang and keeps going as the brass wails and the fatback drums pound. This is possibly as deeply funky as Motown ever got. 

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Help Me Make It Through The Night ⭐

A true 100% classic Motown ballad and arguably Gladys's greatest ever single/song (certainly for Motown). Everything about it is just beautiful. There's really not much more to say, is there? Soul Heaven. What a bass-line too. The song was written, incidentally, by Kris Kristofferson while sitting on an oil tower platform in South Louisiana. Of all the songs in this collection, this is probably the most "classic", and the one everybody knows. It is said that the crackling during the spoken intro was left on there because Gladys sung it in one take, a take that was just so damn good it had to be the one for release. It may be an apocryphal story, but I hope not, because I like it. 

The Sisters Love - Mr. Fix-It Man/You've Got To Make the Choice 💠

The Sisters Love were not sisters, by the way. Mr. Fix-It is a fantastic piece of Memphis-style funky soul that sounds as if it is straight off the Stax label. Like all the girls' cuts, it is a mighty impressive one. It is one of those Motown songs that actually had a Southern soul sound to it. "If you can't fix it" - the sisters grittily sing - "maybe the milkman can". Interesting....

You've Got To Make The Choice is in the same kick-ass fatback style. Proper down 'n' dirty funky soul. As I said, there's something really Southern-sounding about these two songs.

R. Dean Taylor - Taos New Mexico/Shadow

White country-ish singer Taylor had hits with Indiana Wants Me, There's A Ghost In My House and Gotta See Jane. On Taos New Mexico he mines that Tex-Mex seam that Tony Christie did with Is The Way To Amarillo, the song full of Mariachi-style brass and a main girl character called Maria. It's about as un-Motown as you could possibly get, but it is incredibly singalong. I do like R. Dean Taylor.

The 'b' side, Shadow, sounds so 1968 to me. Lyrically, it's a bit dodgy, isn't it, with Taylor serenading a 14 year-old that has occupied his mind due to her having the "body of a woman". Oh dear. He wouldn't get away with that today, would he? Taylor often liked to inject a bit of "edge" into his lyrics. Again, it features some Mexican-influenced brass.

The Commodores - The Zoo (The Human Zoo)/I'm Looking For Love 💠

Full-on funk here from the youthful (comparatively) Commodores, long before their classic sweet, smooth soul years. Lionel Richie is on keyboards here, as opposed to out front. Produced by Gloria Jones and Pam Swayer, The Zoo (The Human Zoo) is an early funk classic from the group. It also achieved popularity on the Northern Soul scene, despite its funky sound.

I'm Looking For Love has an I'm Coming Out (Diana Ross) guitar riff and a vague Latin feel to its intrinsic funkiness. It's got great percussion throughout as well. The Commodores would not have a hit, however, until 1974's instrumental groover Machine Gun.   

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Disc Three    

Rare Earth - What'd I Say/Nice To Be With You

What'd I Say is indeed the Ray Charles song but, to. be totally honest, it sounds nothing like it. In places you get a riff or two that you recognise but it is pretty much like a Rare Earth original. Whatever, it is a seven minute plus rocking workout (the single version is, of course, shorter) that utilises both the group's instrumental prowess and their irrepressible energy. The jazzy bit about three minutes in is excellent. It rocks out big time.

Nice To Be With You is an acoustic and piano-backed ballad with no Motown feel to be found anywhere within earshot.

Eddie Kendricks - Let Me Run Into Your Lonely Heart/Eddie's Love

Let Me Run Into Your Lonely Heart is superbly funky, full of fatback drums, fine horns and guitar. Kendricks' vocal again proves his versatility. It is in the funky style of his later hits Keep On Truckin' and Boogie Down.

Eddie's Love is a fine, robust mid-paced number in a Temptations style that suffers a little from a somewhat grainy production and a slightly grating vocal from Eddie, surprisingly.

Thelma Houston - Me And Bobby McGee/No-One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever 💠

Later to be disco singer Thelma (Don't Leave Me This Way) Houston channels her inner Janis Joplin on this delightfully gritty Motown rarity. Many people have no idea that she covered the song. I love it, she gives it the soulful, dirty delivery it demands. 

Talking of great rarities, No-One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever is one of this collection's finest deep cuts. It's a great, bassy soul song with a killer chorus and Thelma shows just what a fine soul voice she has. Classic 1972 soul. It's amazing the little diamonds one can uncover on collections such as this. 

G.C. Cameron - What It Is, What It Is/You Are The Special One 💠

What It Is, What It Is (not to be confused with The Undisputed Truth song, What It Is?) is a mix of soul and funk-pop. Cameron's strong and soulful voice is augmented by some high-pitched female backing vocals (from Syreeta Wright, no less) and the song has a muscular brassy, bass sound. Nice one. Cameron certainly put out some seriously underrated material. 

You Are The Special One is more similarly industrial strength soul with a nice funky wah-wah, drum and vocal break in the middle. Top quality again.

The Jackson 5 - Little Bitty Pretty One/If I Have To Move A Mountain

Little Bitty Pretty One, a fifties doo-wop cover, features all the boys on shared lead vocals and is vibrant, catchy and singalong in that fifties sort of way. It does, however come over a little incongruously, much as Jermaine Jackson's Daddy's Home did later the same year, although this is much livelier. It is pretty irresistible, though, I have to say. It is not quite that Jackson 5 sound, though, is it?

If I Have To Move A Mountain finds Michael still in high voice mode on a syrupy but appealing ballad. I would put money that it was a track that dated from earlier sessions. I'm right too - it had been intended for an earlier album than The Lookin' Through The Windows one it ended up on.

The Supremes - Automatically Sunshine/Precious Little Things ⭐

Automatically Sunshine, a Smokey Robinson song, has Jean Terrell and Mary Wilson sharing vocals once more on the well-known and irresistibly appealing hit single. It is one of those I loved at the time of release and still do. Lord above, The Supremes put out some great singles from 1970-72. I love that intro and those smoky vocals.

Precious Little Things, the 'b' side, is a shuffling, rhythmic groove of a love song, featuring some jazzy and mighty attractive guitar from co-writer Marv Tarplin, of Smokey's Miracles, of course. It is a relaxing as a nice warm, bubbly bath. Check out that groovy piano bit near the end too. Many Motown records were full of little surprises like that.

The Courtship - It's The Same Old Love/Last Row, First Balcony

It's The Same Old Love is a sweet, lush and smooth love song, sung by Billy (What Is Black?) Proctor (see 12b). It was also recorded by the Jerry Ross Symposium (also see 12b). It has a lovely saxophone solo in the middle. It almost sounds like an early sixties Beatles song in its cadences at times. Something about the vocals and the lyrics.

Last Row, First Balcony is equally saccharine, albeit classily delivered. It is very Stylistics/Delfonics-ish. Nice harmonies but pretty insipid all the same. It is one of those that grows on me, however.

Xit - Nihaa Shil Hozho (I Am Happy About You)/End?

A total oddity here. Xit were a New Mexico group comprising Native Americans. This was a most unusual step for Motown to take. Nihaa Shil Hozho (I Am Happy About You) is an attractive folky slow-paced number sung partly in Navajo. It is totally uncommercial. An album track if ever I heard one. The group were trying to emulate Redbone, a Native American group who had achieved some contemporary success. Their album was called Plight Of The Redman and they dressed in buckskin for the cover's sepia photo. It looked as if it was taken in 1870.

End? has some typically Native American drums and vocals. Its vocal is a spoken diatribe concerning the treatment of the Native American. The group were unfortunately perceived as militant and they faded away. One of their members, Tom Bee, contributed the Native American chant that so enhanced Smokey Robinson's 1974 single Just My Soul Responding, however.

The Four Tops - I Can't Can't Quit Your Love/Happy (Is A Bumpy Road) 💠

I Can't Quit Your Love is a great deep cut from The Four Tops. It combines a contemporary muscular funk sound with a catchy chorus and a typically strong Levi Stubbs vocal. Wah-wah guitars dominate the song's excellent sound. It was the group's lowest chart placing to date, which was a shame, because it was a good one. The track was also recorded by Bobby Taylor in 1973 and The Jackson 5, who included it on their Skywriter album from the same year.

Happy (Is A Bumpy Road) had been recorded by The Supremes in 1971 and, despite The Four Tops making a solid, muscular fist of it, it is the girls' one that I much prefer.

Vincent DiMirco - I Can Make It Alone/Come Clean

I know nothing much about Vincent DiMirco other than this was his only single for Motown. The 'a' side is a pleasant, well-produced late night ballad while the 'b' side, Come Clean, is most unusual - a stripped back, bluesy acoustic guitar and voice lament. It is one of Motown's most unique cuts. DiMirco wrote The Supremes' Up The Ladder To The Roof with Frank Wilson and also wrote songs for The Originals, Edwin Starr, The Four Tops and David Ruffin.

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Disc Four

Stevie Wonder - Superwoman/I Love Every Little thing About You ⭐

Superwoman is another extended track in its album form, with definite vibes of some of the material on Fulfillingness' First Finale. It has a real laid-back soulful feel to it. It is what would come to be regarded as typical Stevie Wonder. Half way through it changes pace into its Where Were You When I Needed You  section. To be honest, the two halves are like two separate songs. It was the first bit that formed most of the single, unsurprisingly.

I Love Every Little Thing About You is a poppy, catchy number that you would imagine would have been a single, but wasn't - I'm not quite sure why but it remained on Superwoman's 'b' side. Maybe I should have had a say in Motown's choice of singles... Anyway, Stevie's percussion is as intoxicating as ever on this one and the chorus sticks in your head for the longest time, as they say. Syreeta recorded the song as a single herself later in 1972 (see the 12b collection).

Eric & The Vikings - It's Too Much For Man To Take Too Long/Time Don't Wait

Eric & The Vikings sound like a rock group, don't they? Well, they were a Detroit soul outfit and It's Too Much For Man To Take Too Long is actually a sumptuous Stylistics-ish ballad with a hard edge, a fine vocal and a hint of The O'Jays about it. It is a quality song and a real soul deep cut.

Time Don't Wait, a killer of a funkster, is also more than acceptable. Check out the wah-wah, the pounding beat and some excellent vocals. Why did some of these groups make it and others not, I wonder? Maybe there was just so much great soul around that the ones who fell by the wayside didn't really deserve to?

Howl The Good - Long Way From Home/Why Do You Cry

Long Way From Home is a soulful, gospelly ballad from this folk/rock group with a strange name, based, bizarrely on the name of a 10th century Welsh king named Hywel (phonetically pronounced Howl). It's a solid number with an impressive guitar solo in the middle. I quite like it, I have to say.

Why Do You Cry is a funky little gem of a Doobie Brothers/Marshall Tucker Band-sounding rocker. Motown it sure isn't, but it is a robust piece of early seventies fare. It's country rock, though, isn't it?

Marvin Gaye - You're The Man (Parts 1  & 2) ⭐

You're The Man (Parts 1 & 2) is a funky rant against political corruption, financial disparity and a lot of the issues that had been dealt with on What's Going On. The backing is similar, although here it is bassier and deeper and less orchestrated. "Politics and hypocrites is turning us all into lunatics..." sings Gaye, leaving us in no doubt that he is brassed off. Religion is the answer, he says, the "man" of the song's title being God. Gaye and Curtis Mayfield were certainly telling it as it was in 1972. 

Listen to that great wah-wah guitar too. The single was spread over the two sides of the 45, as was often the thing back then. The Temptations (Papa Was A Rolling Stone), Stevie Wonder (Fingertips) and Jr. Walker (Money (That's What I Want)) did it, amongst others.

Michael Jackson - I Wanna Be Where You Are/We Got A Good Thing Going

I Wanna Be Where You Are is lively and soulful, with a great bass-line and solid groove. It has a nice funk-lite appeal. Those Michael Jackson/Jacksons disco vibes were definitely taking root right here, weren't they? I like the easy-listening flute solo too. 

The catchy, singalong We've Got A Good Thing Going was a reggae hit for Sugar Minott in the late seventies. It is that version that I have always been more familiar with. Michael's version is appealing, though.

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - We've Come Too Far To End It Now

This was Smokey's penultimate single for Motown. It is a slow-pace ballad that is typically high quality, of course, but doesn't stick in my mind too much. 

The Undisputed Truth - Papa Was A Rolling Stone/Friendship Train

This is another original version of a Temptations classic from The Undisputed Truth - the iconic Papa Was A Rolling Stone. Despite it pre-dating The Temptations release, this one is definitely the inferior rendering, lacking that wonderful extended bass intro that so characterised The Temptations' version. Mind you, if this was the only version you had ever heard, its concise, deep, harmonious, soulful vibe would certainly impress. I applied that same theory to Edwin Starr's take on The Temptations' Ball Of Confusion.

A huge production track on the group's Face To Face With The Truth 1972 album is Ungena Za Ulimwenga (Unite The World) which is merged with Gladys Knight's Friendship Train to deliver one hell of a message for racial and cultural unity. The Friendship Train part of the medley is what we get here and damn good it is too.

Chris Holland & T-Bone - Get Me Some Help/If Time Could Stand Still

Another one-off only single here. Get Me Some Help is so very representative of early seventies pop. It is all handclaps and catchy chorus. It was never going to make it though. 

If Time Could Stand Still is probably the better of Holland's two songs, but his reedy, high-pitched voice just isn't very good. It seems even worse too because he is surrounded by so many great singers on this collection. Nice enough, I guess, but ultimately forgettable, I'm afraid.

Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Tear It On Down/I Want You Back ⭐

Tear It On Down is a big, brassy, punchy number chock full of full-on soul. It is the last great track from this seminal group. Martha is on top gospelly form on her vocal intro. She had one of the great (comparatively) underrated female Motown voices, along with Gladys Knight. This was the final single credited to Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. What a great run of hits they had too. 

I Want You Back is a cover of the iconic Jackson 5 number, but done slightly differently with a new introduction and a funky, jazzy feel in places. If it wasn't for the Jacksons' version, it would be pretty impressive. As is, however, you just can't help thinking of the wonderful original. I like it though. It has a different adult appeal, sounding at times like a completely different song.

Different Shades Of Brown - Label Me Love/Life's A Ball (While It Lasts)

Label Me Love is a competent enough soul ballad, but very much of its time, as indeed is Life's A Ball (While It Lasts). The group were another who never quite made it. Maybe the key word is competent, as opposed to special. 

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Disc Five

The Temptations - Mother Nature/Funky Music Sho' 'Nuff Turns Me On

Mother Nature is a conscious, "message" number from The Temptations, concerning ecological matters. It is a delicious, bleak slice of aware, responsible soul with a sumptuous bass-line and vocal. It is certainly not psychedelic soul, or funk. It is a sonorous ballad, and not single material, in my opinion. There were some strange choices for singles made sometimes.

For the 'b' side we get some "fake live" sound on Funky Music Sho' Nuff Turns Me On, which is three minutes or so of rumbling funky soul. It has a strangely muffled and tinny sound quality to it, which somewhat detracts from its intrinsic funkiness. Why the need for the fake live thing I'm not sure. It was quite a common thing around this time and the "live" crowds always sounded far more noisy than actual ones did!

Bobby Darin - Sail Away/Hard Headed Woman

Veteran Bobby Darin recorded several songs for Motown. Here he covers Randy Newman's uplifting, Negro Spiritual-influenced Sail Away, which is a great song. Darin does it justice too.

He also takes on Cat Stevens' Hard Headed Woman. Once more, the version is a good one. Of all Darin's admittedly surprising Motown releases, these two songs are my favourites. His voice sounds beautifully deep and expressive on both of them.

Suzee Ikeda - I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You/Mind, Body And Soul

Half-Japanese Suzee Ikeda was vocal coach to Michael Jackson. I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You was originally recorded by Syreeta Wright. Suzee's version is upbeat, slightly funky and pretty damn catchy. It probably deserved more success than it had, which wasn't much.

Mind, Body And Soul has a nice buzzy keyboard backing and Suzee's vocal is strong, like a more robust Diana Ross. The song is hooky and likeable. I like both these songs quite a bit. She never made it as a singer, though, and went back to her previous work, as well as getting involved in production.  

David Ruffin - A Little More Trust/A Day In The Life Of A Working Man 💠

Notoriously "difficult" ex-Temptation David Ruffin gave us his strongest solo song for quite a while here, on A Little More Trust, an impressive deep soul ballad. It flopped, though. Man, ain't there no justice? The timbre of David's vocal is a wonder to hear. Lovely. 

Even better, for me, is the superb, upbeat soul-funk of A Day In The Life Of A Working Man. The song taps into the socially aware zeitgeist of 1972 and it positively drips with raw, rough 'n' ready soul, straight from the streets and the backwoods. David Ruffin was arguably, along with Levi Stubbs, the finest male soul singer ever to grace the Motown label. He deserved more individual success. When I hear his voice I get the same tingle that Gladys Knight gives me. You rest well David, you troubled but glorious man. Thanks for the pleasure.

Blinky - Money (That's What I Want/For Your Precious Love 💠

Bespectacled, poor-sighted (hence her nickname) Blinky Williams was another in that long line of female Motown singers who just missed the already over-populated boat. It was such a shame because Lord above, this girl could sing. Her cover of Barrett Strong's legendary first single for Motown - Money (That's What I Want) - is an absolute treasure of a deep cut. Full of down 'n' dirty soul, it is a joy from beginning to end. Get a load of that saxophone solo. I love everything Blinky released.

Her strong voice is impressive on the ballad For Your Precious Love as well. The song was an old one that dated from 1959 originally. This girl could sing the phone book and it would sound good. She owns it. Check out another mid-song saxophone too. It goes without saying that I love the song's deep bass. Blinky eventually returned to her gospel roots, leading the 55-member Hollywood Choir in 1999.

Jr. Walker & The All-Stars - Groove Thang/Me And My Family 💠

Sax legend Jr. Walker is back here with a sumptuous but lively instrumental workout entitled, appropriately, Groove Thang. It sure has a sax-driven groove. It includes some fine rock guitar too. Again, incredibly unfairly, it wasn't a hit.

Me And My Family is an evocative, slow and nostalgic “we had it bad” look back at poorer days growing up. It goes without saying that the saxophone is immense. It soars from its first notes. It was written by Gladys Knight and Johnny Bristol and there is something truly glorious about it, reaching a huge saxophone-led climax. Take us home, Jr.

The Jackson 5 - Lookin' Through The Windows/Love Song ⭐

Lookin' Through The Windows was a superb, harmonious, catchy and soulful single, deservedly a big hit. It showcases the boys' vocal talent wonderfully and features some proto-disco strings in its backing. It has hit single all over it. I loved it back then and I always find it very nostalgic whenever I hear it. Michael's lead vocal is a strong one too. Indeed, everything about the single is pretty much perfect.

Love Song was not included on any album, quite an unusual thing back then. It is a pleasant, slow-paced, nicely rhythmic song that reflects its title. Its brassy mid-song break is representative of that sort of show song thing Motown often had going at the time, a bit on like Diana Ross's Last Time I Saw Him album from 1974.

The Blackberries - Somebody Up There/But I Love You More 💠

High up there in the list of Motown deep cuts is Somebody Up There. The Blackberries were a regular girl group of Motown backing singers during the L. A. years but this first single from them in their own right, criminally, was never released. I say criminally because it is a marvellous serving of vibrant gospelly soul. Why quality material like this wasn't released is a mystery. Motown have given it due retrospective respect, however, by using it as the 45 rpm single that comes with the set and featuring it on the cover (see the top of the page). It eventually got its release.

The smooth, smoochy ballad But I Love You More was included on The Supremes' debut post-Diana Ross album, 1970's Right On. The Blackberries' version is just as good, exactly as you would expect it to be from the experienced singers that they were.

Syreeta - To Know You Is To Love You/Happiness

To Know You Is To Love You is a fine duet between Stevie Wonder and Syreeta. It has a captivating, high quality rhythmic backing. It is arguably the best track on the 1972 Syreeta album and would have enhanced Wonder's Music Of My Mind album no end. It almost sounds like a Stevie solo number at times - his voice is so dominant as it leads off the song - but Syreeta's contribution is a fine, powerful one too. 

Happiness is a pleasant, subtly-backed number that builds up to a dramatically uplifting, gospel finish. Syreeta is bang on the money throughout, her voice takes us to Heaven. 

Crystal Mansion - Somebody Oughta Turn Your Head Around/Earth People

This collection ends with a couple of funk numbers from this Chicago collective. 

Somebody Oughta Turn Your Head Around is a seriously cookin' funker, with a couple of those groovy drum breaks that went on to be sampled a lot. There's some great guitar too. The track is proper no holds barred funk. The Undisputed Truth would end up doing a lot of this sort of thing by 1974 onwards.

Earth People was a trippy, slow pace cut of spacey Stevie Wonder-ish funk. It is very 1972 in its sound. It is a bit retrospectively hippy, though. Even by 1972 this sort of thing was beginning to sound a bit dated. The track is nothing like the 'a' side but I like the freakout at the song's end.

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