Motown Chartbusters: Volume 8

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Stevie Wonder - Superstition 1972

Stevie Wonder's work, as noted for the review of Keep On Running, was notable in this period for its use of the clavinet, an electronic keyboard that produced that trademark funky sound particularly utilised on the now iconic Superstition. The song is arguably the finest in this collection, along with Papa Was A Rolling Stone. Doncha just love that drum intro followed by the clavinet? Notably, the song almost didn't make it on to the Talking Book album, or to be recorded by Wonder at all. Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck had worked with Wonder on the song, and was due to record it himself as a freebie but Berry Gordy refused point blank, unhappy that Stevie was seemingly going to give away such a great song. He insisted on it being the lead-off single. Beck and Wonder consequently fell out over the kerfuffle, much to Stevie's chagrin, although Beck later cut the song himself, releasing it on his Beck, Bogert & Appice "supergroup" album in 1973. Incidentally, on Beck's 1975 Blow By Blow album a track called Thelonious was a Wonder number, offered as a replacement for Superstition. Also on that album was Cause We've Ended As Lovers, done by Beck as an instrumental (the vocal version of the song was done by Syreeta Wright). Stevie and Jeff were obviously friends again.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) 1972

Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) is a copper-bottomed, fully-authenticated classic and needs no introduction, with superb vocals from both Gladys and The Pips. It was the wonderfully-voiced Gladys and her group's final single for Motown, so, unwittingly, it was a goodbye from her too. Whatever, it is proper soul. 

The Temptations - The Law Of The Land 1973

The Law Of The Land is the last truly great Temptations classic. It is a superb, uplifting, upbeat, pounding slab of soul magnificence. I love it and never tire of its infectious, pulsating rhythms. From its first few seconds, it kicks serious ass. When the drums kick in - wow. One of my favourite tracks of all time, from anyone. Just perfect. 

Jr. Walker & The All Stars - Take Me Girl I'm Ready 

Another stone cold Jr. Walker corker here in the stonking sax-laden soul/pop of Take Me Girl I'm Ready - the first Jr. Walker single I ever bought. It is a wonderful tune. Classic Motown. However, it doesn't always make "best of" Motown lists and it should make every single one. From its blaring, bull-horn sax to its joyous vocal it's a genuine diamond of a single.

The Jackson 5 - Skywriter 1973

I remember liking this at the time as did many people, so the apparently-waning Jackson 5 still had a hit left in them. At that time I was around fourteen and obsessed with the charts, so these two songs have good memories for me. Skywriter was actually a funky-ish number that I am sure would have appealed to the boys (they sing it with a real vibrancy). It had an absolutely killer clavinet riff and to be honest the track really cooks, one of their forgotten corkers, for me. 

Diana Ross - Touch Me In The Morning 1973

Touch Me In The Morning is just sumptuous, an all-time beautiful classic. It is full of grandiose but soulful atmosphere and is delivered with a gorgeous vocal, one of Ross's best. It is so nostalgic, for me, of the summer of 1973, when I was fourteen.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - The Look Of Love 1973

Dating from 1968 but re-released in the UK in 1973, The Look Of Love is sumptuous, of course, and has become one of her best known songs. Everything about it is perfect - the warm bassline, the strings, Burt Bacharach and Hal David's lyrics and music, Gladys's voice. It just oozes quality, doesn't it?

Michael Jackson - Morning Glow 1973

This attractive and very seventies-sounding ballad was a minor hit single for Michael, who was entering into that strange period between his "kid" output and his adult-oriented disco stuff. As with all his material, though, it is quality. 

The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone 1972

Up next is an absolute classic. A track that proved The Temptations were anything but finished - as had been suggested by some - not for a while at least. Here you get the full twelve minute version. Papa Was A Rolling Stone has that intoxicating bass and slow burning funky orchestration of an intro before Dennis Edwards comes in with his legendary "it was the third of September..." opening line. Great stuff. Funnily enough, Whitfield first used the song with his other main group, The Undisputed Truth. Good as they were, this is the definitive version, no doubt about that. I really love the instrumental version that appeared as the (edited) single's 'b' side too.

Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On 1973

Released in 1973, with this incredibly sensual single Marvin Gaye didn't attempt to repeat the social-religious comment of the titanic achievement that was What's Going On. Instead he went all "lover man" style and let his lady be in no doubt that she sure loved to ball and they should get it on as soon as possible. Classic seduction material. Dim those lights......

The Supremes - Bad Weather 1973

The last appearance of the wonderful Jean Terrell with The Supremes. The old magic that had shone so bright through 1970-1972 had slightly gone but that is being a tad unfair for this is still a very fine single. It is proto-disco in style, anticipating the next big genre. Indeed, it was possibly one of Motown's first disco groovers and ground-breaking for that reason.

Michael Jackson - Ben 1972

Ben is incredibly cheesy, of course, but it is so nostalgic for those of us who grew up at the time of its release. I was thirteen when it came out. So, I believe, was Michael Jackson. The rear cover of the Ben album showed Michael on his bike - that could have been me at the same time. 

Stevie Wonder - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life 1972

There is a relaxed feel to many of the songs from Stevie by now, led by the beautiful and now timeless shuffle of You Are The Sunshine Of My Life. It is just so good that it is somewhat difficult to write about it. It just grooves, effortlessly, doesn't it?

The Jackson 5 - Hallelujah Day 1973

Hallelujah Day was a catchy pop song with a singalong chorus. It had a great piano-bass intro and some great vocals and was probably the group's last great pop-soul single - the last one with that unbridled, typically Jackson 5 youthful vitality. 

Jr. Walker & The All-Stars - Way Back Home 1971

Here we get firstly the marvellous vocal version of Way Back Home, with Jr. sounding like a revivalist preacher addressing a congregation as he waxes lyrical about the old days home in the South, swimming in the muddy creek 'n' all. The instrumental is a fine listen too, thanks to Walker's wonderful sax. Anything Jr. does gets my vote all day long. He was the man. While writing this I am also reading something else very sad (multi-tasking!) and Jr's sax-blowing is lifting my spirits higher. I'm not really one for lists - preferring to cover everything, good or bad - but this would make any "best Motown" lists that I could come up with. 

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Help Me Make It Through The Night 1972

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. 

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