The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 4: 1964

1964 was not 1965 or 1966 for Motown in that it was still work in progress. That said, this was the year that the label really began to conquer the US, if not the world. The Supremes, The Temptations, Mary Wells, Martha & The Vandellas and Marvin Gaye all achieving huge hits. The Four Tops made their presence felt too and Smokey Robinson, both as a singer and composer, seemed to be everywhere. 

As with the 1965 collection, I have not reviewed the cheese - the country stuff, the crooners, the novelties or sometimes the simply sub-standard material. As you can see, though, there is still a hell of a lot still here. 

⭐ Star hits

💠 Hidden gems

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Disc One

Little Stevie Wonder - Castles In The Sand/Thank You (For Loving Me All The Way)

"Little" Stevie Wonder plays the bongoes and sings, accompanied by strings and wave sounds on this pleasant enough summer love song. It has real early sixties vibes to it. Thank You (For Loving Me All The Way) is delightfully rhythmic and Stevie's talent is clear for all to hear, but these two songs are no more than chronological reference points, really. Inessential, Sorry Little Stevie!

Martha & The Vandellas - Live Wire/Old Love (Let's Try Again)

The frantic Live Wire is a wildly uptempo we-write of Heat Wave and Quicksand. Martha was astounded by its fast pace when presented with it - she thought she wouldn't be able to keep up, but she does fine, of course. The whole track has a celebratory, party vibe to it. 

Old Love (Let's Try Again) is an attractively-syncopated slow and rhythmic ballad with a lovely warm vocal from Martha. Mary Wells had previously recorded it as the 'b' side to 1962's You Beat Me To The Punch single.

The Temptations - The Way You Do The Things You Do/Just Let Me Know ⭐

The first copper-bottomed Motown classic on this collection is this one from The Temptations. It is a Smokey Robinson song and comes from the album The Temptations Sing Smokey. Eddie Kendricks leads the lads with his beautiful, clear falsetto. The song is joyously enthusiastic and gave The Temptations their first number one hit on the r 'n' b charts. UB40 covered the song on their 1989 Labour Of Love II album. Daryl Hall & John Oates also did a great live version of it in the eighties, accompanied by Eddie Kendrick and David Ruffin. Check it out. 

Just Let Me Know is a harmonious and catchy number with (I think) David Ruffin on lead vocals and all the group contributing solidly. This group certainly had something. 

The Marvelettes - He's A Good Guy (Yes He Is)/Goddess Of Love

He's A Good Guy (Yes He Is) is an uptempo, handclapping rock 'n' roll-ish romper with Gladys Horton on lead vocals. It puts me in mind of some the Phil Spector girl group numbers from the early sixties, such as He's Sure the Boy I Love. Goddess Of Love dated back to 1962 and you can tell. It already has a bit of a dated feel to it, pleasant although it is in its slow, romantic groove. 

(Diana Ross &) The Supremes - Run, Run, Run/I'm Giving You Your Freedom

The first appearance in 1964 of The Supremes with a catchy little saxophone-enhanced and lively number that you would imagine would have been a hit, but wasn't. I'm Giving You Your Freedom was a smooth, sultry ballad of the sort that would appeal to The Beatles in 1963-64. Both these songs came from the Where Did Our Love Go album. There is a good stereo version of the album available on a Hip-O-Select double CD, which is excellent.

(Smokey Robinson &) The Miracles - (You Can't Let The Boy Overpower) The Man In You/Heartbreak Road

(You Can't Let The Boy Overpower) The Man In You is a serving of string-enhanced mid-pace rock 'n' roll that, perhaps surprisingly, didn't give the group a hit, despite its quality. Motown recordings. certainly weren't guaranteed hits as yet. Heartbreak Road is a pleasant little brass-backed early sixties groover of an uptempo ballad.

Marvin Gaye - You're A Wonderful One/When I'm Alone I Cry ⭐

Now available in superb, revelatory stereo on The Motown Stereo Box (which I thankfully own), You're A Wonderful One was a sort of re-tread of Can I Get A Witness, featuring the same pace and backing beat. It was actually more successful than Witness. It is the best track thus far on this collection, along with The Way You Do The Things You Do. Unfortunately, the very dated crooner ballad When I'm Alone I Cry is totally different and harks back to the previous decade. It fuelled Marvin's desire to be Motown's Sinatra.

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Disc Two

The Contours - Can You Do It/I'll Stand By You 💠

The totally irrepressible Contours re-visit the full-on party fun of Do You Love Me? They tell us that it's 1964 and we need to be getting down to the latest dance craze. I'll Stand By You is a shuffling ballad. I prefer the dance stuff, but the harmonies are impressive in a Drifters style.

R. Dean Taylor - My Lady Bug Stay Away From That Beatle

An interesting little rarity here - the first Motown from white Canadian singer Richard Dean Taylor. Over a very E St. Band seaside-fairground, organ-driven rockin' beat he warns girls to stay away from the latest craze - The Beatles. 

The Andantes - (Like A) Nightmare/If You Were Mine

Also available in The Motown Stereo Box is this punchy single from the Motown house backing vocalists The Andantes. The "like a nightmare" refrain is a replica of Martha & The Vandellas' "like a heatwave" line. Ironically, the girls ended up as backing vocalists again as Ann Bogan took over on lead vocals. Never mind, they were to sing on countless Motown hits. The song gained some popularity on the Northern Soul circuit. If You Were Mine is a ballad typical of Motown's output at the time. 

Mary Wells - My Guy/Oh Little Boy (What Did You Do To Me) ⭐

A huge hit here and one that still gets radio play today. The incredibly catchy Smokey Robinson song was the UK's first Motown chart entry and the US's third Motown pop number one, after The Marvelettes' Please Mr. Postman and Little Stevie Wonder's Fingertips (parts 1 & 2). I love the almost ad lib vocal bits near the end of the song. Mary had been Motown's first and biggest female star, but the times were a-changing.

Oh Little Boy (What Did You Do To Me) is a ballad but a strangely questioning, even cynical one a times. It is melodramatic and pounding and also features an incredible piece of falsetto singing from Mary - or so one may think - it was actually Liz Lands who sang that bit. Apparently, she was the only female singer at Motown capable of reaching such heights. It would actually be the last Motown recording for both Mary and Liz.

Martha & The Vandellas - In My Lonely Room/A Tear For That Girl 💠

More uptempo, saxophone-backed grooving from Martha and the girls. Despite its fast, party sound it betrayed a rather sad lyric about isolation, something that was somewhat incongruous. A Tear For The Girl is even more maudlin, but this time set against a slow, churchy, almost funereal backing. Martha's voice is gospelly glorious, however, taking us home in fine style. 

Shorty Long - Devil With The Blue Dress/Wind It Up 💠

Shorty Long's slow-pace bluesy grind of Devil With The Blue Dress, a big r 'n' b hit (unsurprisingly) was noticed by Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels who had a big hit with the song, segueing it with a cover of Little Richard's Good Golly Miss Molly and playing it at breakneck pace. Listening to that was a young Bruce Springsteen, who covered Ryder's version regularly as a concert encore. So, there you have a link from Shorty to Springsteen. 

Wind It Up has Shorty upping the tempo and giving it some as well. This is a fine little hidden gem for a list of such things. 

Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts/Land Of A Thousand Boys ⭐

Young Brenda Holloway achieved one of her biggest hits with this astonishingly mature performance for an eighteen year-old. Beautifully orchestrated, Brenda's voice is beautifully sensual. The rendition has become a timeless, much-covered classic. Brenda got so much feeling into her delivery, she subsequently said, because producer Hal Davis had made her so angry, bickering over who should sing the song. She sang with tears in her eyes.

Brenda, who also played the violin, wrote the smoochy, late-night Land Of A Thousand Boys herself - a most talented young lady. You get the feeling, over these volumes, however, that Motown never really did right by her, despite her many releases.

Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells - Once Upon A Time/What's The Matter With You Baby ⭐

By the time Marvin Gaye was paired with his duetting muse Tammi Terrell in January 1967, he was an old hand at the duetting game. Here he delivered a really top quality number with his first duet partner, Mary Wells, and they were Motown's top two names at the time. They merged voices together perfectly and seem to be just as fine a pairing as Marvin and Tammi would be. The song has a bit of a bossa nova swing to it in its gentle, swaying rhythm. Very early sixties. We even got a cute little vibes solo, mid-song. Nevertheless, Marvin didn't like the song, although Mary did.

What's The Matter With You Baby is equally good. Both songs have a fine, warm sound quality to them as well. Did they ever get on? Mary said no, but Marvin preferred to leave everyone guessing. Already a lothario, it seemed. 

Eddie Holland - Just Ain't Enough Love 💠

Songwriter Eddie here delivers his own version of an attractive song that The Isley Brothers would raucously and enthusiastically record in 1967. Eddie's version is nicely warm and string-free, giving it a real soulfulness. The Andantes are on back-ups, by the way.

The Temptations - I'll Be In Trouble/The Girl's Alright With Me 💠

I'll Be in Trouble, also covered by The Marvelettes, sounded a lot like The Way You Do The Things You Do, particularly on the bit just before the chorus. The song has a good saxophone solo in it too. Another of those is featured in the equally lively The Girl's Alright With Me, which is probably the better song. Both can be found in stereo on the Temptin' Temptations album.

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Disc Three

Stevie Wonder - Hey Harmonica Man/This Little Girl

Now no longer "Little", Stevie Wonder sings with a couple of other singers, I'm not sure who, on the lively, call-and-response fun of Mr. Harmonica Man. He, of course is the harmonica man. This Little Girl is a uptempo piano and handclaps romp with a feel of Ray Charles' What'd I Say, for me. It has a distinctive li-li-li vocal bit and a killer Stevie harmonica solo. The boy could play. Uh-huh. Proper r 'n' b. 

Marvin Gaye - Try It Baby/If My Heart Could Sing

Berry Gordy wrote the bluesy groove of Try It Baby for Diana Ross, but it seems to me like a man's song, ideal for Marvin. I love that loose, jazzy piano sound on the song too. If My Heart Could Sing is another of those forties-fifties style crooners. 

(Smokey Robinson &) The Miracles - I Like It Like That/You're So Fine And Sweet

Get a load of that beautiful, deep bassline on I Like It Like That, a lyrically and musically most appealing song. While you're there, the horn break is a killer too. A rousing, Mickey's Monkey-style drumbeat introduces the irresistible, toe-tapper You're So Fine And Sweet. Bobby Rogers is on lead vocals on this one, not Smokey He does a grand job too and the track is just so catchy. I love it. 

The Marvelettes - You're My Remedy/A Little Bit Of Sympathy, A Little Bit Of Love

Wanda Young Rogers makes her debut on lead vocals on the chunky and enjoyable You're My Remedy while Gladys Horton is back on lead duties on the beautifully soulful A Little Bit Of Sympathy, A Little Bit Of Love. Two quality offerings here.

(Diana Ross &) The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go/He Means The World To Me ⭐

Now - get those feet stomping. Yes, that sound is done by a guy stomping on the floor of the studio. The song was originally offered to The Marvelettes but they didn't want it, so the (then) lesser in the pecking order Supremes got the song and the rest is history. The song needed the subtle, nuanced lead that Diana Ross gave it. Diana didn't like the key she had to sing in, the others didn't want the song but it worked all round for The Supremes - it was number one in the pop and r 'n' b charts and number three in the UK charts. What did they know, huh? Interestingly, the song was never covered by another other artist at Motown, something extremely rare in those days of regular song-sharing.

He Means The World To Me is a ballsy Supremes ballad, with lots of shimmering pizazz. 

Brenda Holloway - I'll Always Love You/Sad Song

Another sultry ballad for Brenda in I'll Aways Love You. The song was also recorded by Blinky on her first Motown single in 1968. Even better, probably, is the soulful Sad Song. 

Mary Wells - When I'm Gone/Guarantee (For A Lifetime) ⭐

Talking of Brenda Holloway, a month after Mary Wells recorded When I'm Gone and then stormed out of Motown it became her song and it is featured in the 1965 volume. The backing track to both songs is the same, except for added strings on Brenda's version, and beautifully warm and bassy it is too. Both girls' renditions are good ones, actually. It is such a shame the way it ended up for Mary at Motown. It didn't have to be that way - so many misunderstandings, it seemed.

Guarantee (For A Lifetime) is a catchy and rhythmic little number with Mary telling us that "Mary's love is guaranteed for a lifetime". So, don't break Mary's heart, just take Mary's heart.

The Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving/Call On Me ⭐

One of this collection's seminal moments now - the first track on the first Four Tops album and their first single - also their first hit. It is big, powerful, muscular and catchy as well as introducing us to the magnificent voice of Levi Stubbs. Berry Gordy knew he had something good on his hands here and so did Holland-Dozier-Holland. Incidentally, it was the first time strings had been used on an H-D-H record. The result was special. The Four Tops had arrived - and how. The song was also done by The Supremes, Gladys Knight, Marvin and Kim and Marvin and Tammi. 

Those strings also embellish the smooth ballad Call On Me, featuring Lawrence Payton on lead this time. The song is vaguely reminiscent of Sam Cooke's You Send Me in places. Shorty Long recorded the song as the 'b' side to his 1966 single Function At The Junction.

Jimmy Ruffin - Since I've Lost You/I Want Her Love 💠

Some early Jimmy for you here. Since I've Lost You is a bold, brassy, soulful number with a wonderfully deep and melodic James Jamerson bassline. The song became one of my all-time favourites in the seventies when I heard The Temptations' 1969 version of it from their Puzzle People album and also from The  Temptations Special compilation that I owned. The Undisputed Truth also recorded it on their 1971 debut album. I love the song. Jimmy's version is good too., lest I forget who I'm supposed to be reviewing here! It should have been a hit.

I Want Her Love has a smooth, cocktail bar piano arrangement with accompanying brass and saxophone. A fine offering here from Jimmy, but unfortunately not a hit. His time would come. 

Eddie Holland - Candy To Me/If You Don't Want My Love

After this recording, Jackie Wilson-soundalike Eddie Holland packed it in as a singer, concentrating solely on songwriting. This wasn't a bad sign-off, though. Candy To Me is an uptempo number with a sort of Isley Brothers feel to it. If You Don't Want My Love is a smoochy ballad that The Four Tops also recorded, as the 'b' side to You Keep Running Away in 1967.

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Disc Four

Martha & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street/There He Is (At My Door)

It's an invitation across the nation. Pure Motown Gold. Nothing more, nothing less. Like on Nowhere To Run, a drum roll takes us skywards, followed by that iconic, singalong bass break and Martha telling us to get down all over the world. No more fighting and rioting - dancing is the answer. The song was originally intended for Kim Weston, and then Marvin Gaye, who viewed it, unbelievably, as a slow ballad! Martha demanded to sing it her way. She did so, and everyone approved, except the tape machine wasn't on. So, angered, she did it again and that is the glorious take we all know and love. The song was, of course, recorded by Mick Jagger and David Bowie in a good cause in 1985.

There He Is (At My Door) is a retro ballad recorded by the group's forerunner, The Vells, back in 1962. It is given a bit of a makeover here, with Martha's vocal dubbed on to it. It has a nice sound quality to it, particularly on Martha Reeves & The Vandellas: Gold, where it is in stereo. 

Tommy Good - Baby I Miss You/Leaving Here 💠

A couple of 2nd division Motown numbers here, the first written by  Motown regular songwriter  William "Mickey" Stevenson, the second by H-D-H. Both are ok, particularly the uptempo and incredibly catchy Leaving Here. That number earns its hidden gem diamond. I really like it - full of beaty drums, rhythm and blaring saxophone. Eddie Holland had recorded himself too, in 1963. I actually prefer Tommy Good's version. 

Carolyn Crawford - My Smile Is Just A Frown Turned Upside Down/I'll Come Running

The light and airy Smokey Robinson song My Smile Is Just A Frown Turned Upside Down was Carolyn Crawford's only hit. Isn't the title just so Smokey Robinson? I'll Come Running was a solid composition from Carolyn's own pen. It's actually pretty impressive. Incredibly, Carolyn was only fifteen!

Kim Weston - Looking For The Right Guy/Feel Alright Tonight

Looking For The Right Guy, another Smokey Robinson song, is the follow-up To My Guy that Mary Wells never had. It is virtual re-write of the song in places. It has a soulful jauntiness to it that makes it most appealing. Feel Alright Tonight is a warm, bluesy ballad suited to Kim's at times deep delivery. 

The Temptations - Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)/Baby Baby I Need You

From The Temptin' Temptations album which yielded so many singles, the 'a' side was an early Norman Whitfield composition - check out those rat-a-tat drums that put me in mind of The Rolling Stones' Get Off Of My Cloud. Baby Baby I Need You was a Smokey slowie taken from The Temptations Sing Smokey album. On both these albums you will find stereo versions of the songs, which I love, of course.

Jr. Walker & The All-Stars - Satan's Blues/Monkey Jump 💠

Coming from just before Jr. Walker started scoring hits, Satan's Blues was a slow, bluesy saxophone groove while, in contrast, Monkey Jump was an uptempo cooker. Both these authentic cuts are proof that Motown didn't just deal in pop singles, as they were often accused of doing. 

Shorty Long - It's A Crying Shame (The Way You Treat A Good Man Like Me)/Out To Get You

Talking of authentic, Shorty gives us a bluesily grinding number on the 'a' side here. as I have said throughout this series of compilations, Shorty put out some damn good records. He could blow harmonica too, as he proves here. Out To Get You is far more upbeat, and should have been the 'a' side, I guess. It rocks along appealing and has a nice, clear sound quality. Proper r 'n' b. 1964-style. The Rolling Stones didn't record this, but I reckon they will have liked it. There goes that harmonica again. 

(Smokey Robinson &) The Miracles - That's What Love Is Made Of/Would I Love You

Despite its nursery rhyme-influenced lyrics, That's What Love Is Made Of is a completely irresistible serving of Smokey pop, typical of the group's 1964-65 output. Would I Love You is a classy ballad, backed by some sumptuous strings and piano. 

Oma Heard - Lifetime Man/Mr. Lonely Heart

Described in the sleeve notes for this collection as "a forgettable stab at mimicking the British Invasion sound". I have to agree. There is something so Beatles about those high pitched "oohs" and the harmonica breaks, isn't there? The sound quality is pretty awful too. Other than that, I like it! Marvin Gaye sung with Oma, and also with an Oma Page. There was some mis-crediting involved between the two singers as well, but I can't be bothered to try and explain. It is very confusing!

Anyway, Mr. Lonely Heart is a slow, soulful ballad and is the more credible of the record's two sides. 

Marvin Gaye - Baby Don't You Do It/Walk On The Wild Side

Baby Don't You Do It is a frantically backed cooker of a track, almost as uptempo as Marvin had got thus far (excluding Can I Get A Witness and You're A Wonderful One, I guess). Walk On The Wild Side was a curio - a sort of big band swing number with a muffled sound quality. Given a better production it could have been much better.

The Velvelettes - Needle In A Haystack/Should I Tell Them ⭐

The Velvelettes liked their "popular sayings" song titles, didn't they (A Bird In The Hand....). Confusingly, the Marvelettes had one too in Too Many Fish In The Sea! Anyway, Needle In The Haystack is a marvellously catchy, singalong rock 'n' roll-influenced stomper. I love it and its killer saxophone break. The girls admitted "stealing" The Chiffons' "doo lang doo lang" backing vocals from their iconic He's So Fine single. No matter. The song still stands tall in its own right. The rest of it is quite different. 

Should I Tell Them is a poorly-produced and dated-sounding ballad. Not the girls' best at all, for me.  There's much better stuff out there from them - lots of it. 

Stevie Wonder - Happy Street/Soul Boy

Happy Street is another of Stevie's frenetic, drum and harmonica call-and-response poppy groovers. They were all he seemed to be releasing at this time. Sad Boy changes the mood with its orchestrated balladry.

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Disc Five

(Diana Ross &) The Supremes - Baby Love/Ask Any Girl ⭐

Following on from the successful Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love was number one everywhere, and possibly remains to this day as the archetypal Supremes song. The one everyone knows. The song was re-cut several times and the "early version" appears on the double CD release of the Where Did Our Love Go album. I have to say that this is my favourite version of the song - it is slower, gutsier, more bluesy, longer and has a great, deeper saxophone solo. It wasn't chosen, though, and the eventual, more handclappy, poppier and more shimmery release has gone down as one of the most influential pop singles of all time. There is also a "jukebox single version" that also sounds slightly different. Confusing, huh?

Ask Any Girl is a staccato-sounding and quite quirky number. Chris Clark also recorded the song and it is available on Chris Clark: The Motown Collection. 

Mary Wells - Whisper You Love Me Boy/I'll Be Available ⭐

Hold on - I thought Mary Wells had left Motown and has in the UK touring with The Beatles? Well, she was, but Motown were still making money out of her. Whisper You Love Me Boy is a fine follow-up to When I'm Gone, possessing an easy, smoky soulfulness. It also has a bit of a Northern Soul feel to me. I'm a big fan. The same applies to the very attractive and catchy upbeat sound of I'll Be Available. This was a fine 45.

Earl Van Dyke - Soul Stomp/Hot 'n' Tot

Jr. Walker meets Booker T & The MG's here as The Funk Brothers, led by Earl Van Dyke groove it up, the first is fast, the second slower. Sorry, I forgot to say that both are instrumentals. 

Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston - What Good Am I Without You/I Want You 'Round

Marvin met his new duet partner here, following Mary Wells' departure. The results were pleasing. The faster 'a' side is much the superior of the two.

The Spinners - Sweet Thing/How Can I

Sweet Thing is a very Northern Soul-ish song while How Can I is a fetching ballad with some infectious backing vocals. The Spinners would go on to put out much better material than this, though, as we know. Their time would come. They were still cutting their teeth and waiting for that big hit. It's A Shame would provide that, eventually. It would be a long wait, though.  

The Majestics - Hello Love/The Further You Look The Less You See

In a similar vein are these two tracks from The Majestics. Mid-pace, nicely delivered numbers, but ultimately nothing special. I quite like The Further You Look The Less You See, actually. I find it difficult to write too much about 45s like this. They're ok, and that's it. 

The Headliners - Tonight's The Night/You're Bad News 💠

Nothing much is known about The Headliners other than they were a blue-eyed soul group. Tonight's The Night rocks along in a very British Invasion sort of way. You're Bad News had a very mid-sixties pop-blues appeal. It is actually quite ahead of its time in some ways. I like the brass breaks and soulful thumpiness., along with a really good Hang On Sloopy-influenced bassline. It is catchy, early garage rock. 

The Marvelettes - Too Many Fish In The Sea/A Need For Love ⭐

After a run just above of several somewhat ordinary releases, we hit gold here with this totally infectious stomper of a track. It has a great beat, killer vocal, great saxophone and a singalong chorus. The pace doesn't let up for a minute. The best reproduction of the sound can be found on The Marvelettes Forever: The Complete Albums Collection Volume 1. Check out that bass, drum and piano intro - how good is that?

A Need For Love is a chunky, drum-powered ballad with a lot of soul to it, but it sounds a bit rough and ready and lacks the 'a' side's sheer verve. It is The Andantes on many of the vocals once more. The over-cook it a bit on the choruses, for me. Both lead Marvelettes vocals are taken by Gladys Horton. She sounded a lot like The Velvelettes' Cal Gill with her flirty-sounding, sexy cheekiness on Too Many Fish In The Sea.

(Diana Ross &) The Supremes - Come See About Me/You're Gone (But Always In My Heart) ⭐

The Supremes got bluesy on this gutsier number than the previous two had been. It notably "faded in". Within a few months The Beatles' Eight Days A Week did the same and they were said to have "invented" the technique. Yeah, right. Anyway, Come See About Me is one of my favourite Supremes stompers. It was unsurprisingly, a big Northern Soul hit. Listen to it, you can hear why. 

You're Gone (But Always In My Heart) was a mournful song with a military beat that hinted at the song's subject being lost in action. It was an early example of this sort of song, of which Motown would release a fair few as the years (and war) progressed. 

Stevie Wonder - Pretty Little Angel/Tears In Vain

Stevie Wonder seemed a bit stuck back the fifties-early sixties with his singles output at this time. Pretty Little Angel was a poppy early sixties-style pop song while Tears In Vain was a ballad with a retro feel that harked back to the same period. Considering Stevie got so many "big hit" stars awarded in my later reviews of these Motown collections, his lack of them here is somewhat surprising, isn't it? 

The Four Tops - Without The One You Love (Life's Not Worthwhile)/Love Has Gone 💠

Two more excellent numbers here from The Four Tops' first album. The 'a' side is not quite up to the standard of Baby I Need Your Loving, but it ain't half bad. H-D-H continued the "baby I need your sweet lovin'" theme that they had begun on Baby I Need Your Loving and in doing so they cleverly provided a link with the single that preceded it. The Tops re-recorded the song with The Supremes for their Magnificent 7 album in 1970.

Love Has Gone is a slower-pace, classy ballad. Both songs are available in stereo on the group's debut album. 

Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)/Forever ⭐

I have always been surprised by the fact that How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) darted from as early as 1964. It has 1966-67 written all over it for me. It has stood as a true Motown classic for many years now. It is a mature and seriously catchy number with an easy-going jazzy melody and that distinctive rolling piano backing. Marvin's vocal is top notch too, of course. The song has also been done by Jr. Walker & The All-Stars, who made it a hit all over again, and The Elgins. It is one of those Motown numbers that is guaranteed a high rating in many peoples' lists. It was duly a big hit in many charts at the time and its popularity has prevailed over the years. Quite rightly. It's great.  You can hear the quality stand out among its peers as you listen to this collection. 

Forever sees Marvin return to crooning on a ballad also recorded by Martha & The Vandellas. 

Kim Weston - A Little More Love/Go Ahead And Laugh

A Little More Love is a grandiose, dramatic ballad highly suited to Kim's strong, expressive voice. Go Ahead And Laugh is a different mix to the one she released in 1965. It is bassy and brassy and full of soul. 

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Disc Six

Martha & The Vandellas - Wild One/Dancing Slow 💠

Wild One built on the vitality of Dancing In The Street. It rocks and pounds just as much, this time tackling the "he's a rebel" theme of the bad boy with a heart of gold. A bit of a little gem is the seductive groove of Dancing Slow, which appeared on 1965's Dance Party album. You can find it there in luscious stereo too. 

Carolyn Crawford - When Someone's Good To You/My Heart

As I said earlier, I can't believe Carolyn Crawford was only fifteen. Her voice on When Someone's Good To You is so mature-sounding and experienced too. Or so it sounds. It's a good record, for sure. My Heart, also recorded by Tammi Terrell is a fine ballad too, but it is on the sultry 'a' side that Carolyn's voice sounded so good. Tammi's is probably the better version of the two, particularly on its more percussive backing. You can find it on A Cellarful Of Motown, Volume 2.

The Contours - Can You Jerk Like Me/That Day When She Needed Me

It's dance craze again cats! There were so many around. It seemed Motown invented the jerk to get in on the act, usually via the irrepressible Contours. The guys were so energetic and funky in their ebullient delivery that I find I love pretty much everything they did. Make your backbone jerk y'all. 

That Day When She Needed Me is a total contrast - a lovely, sleepy, warm and bassy ballad. 

(Smokey Robinson &) The Miracles - Come On Do The Jerk/Baby Don't You Go

Even Smokey Robinson & The Miracles had their shot at jerkin', and here they include Brenda Holloway on back-ups. The song is infuriatingly catchy and I can't help but like it. It is like The Contours song and has the energy of the group's own Mickey's Monkey. Like with The Contours' jerkin' single, they balanced the fast 'a' side with a slow ballad 'b' side.

Marvin Gaye - This Is The Life/My Way

Marvin felt that, in 1964, the only way for a black artist to get established was by singing to the "supper club" audience in what he called his "white voice". He released an album in that style called Hello Broadway and thought it was all one big mistake. He was right in some ways and wrong in others. The album and this track have a superb sound quality to them and a certain class, but soul they ain't, that was for sure. 

My Way is not, as you may think, the Frank Sinatra number. It is equally forthright, however. Marvin delivers these songs confidently, doing his best Nat King Cole, but his best work was yet to come, in other styles, as we all know.

The Temptations - My Girl/(Talkin' 'Bout) Nobody But My Baby ⭐

Ok - here we go - James Jamerson's bass, Robert White's twangy riff, those big drums, then it's David Ruffin time. Oh, and the brass and the strings are great too. In fact the whole song is just so damn perfect. It has been covered by many, many other artists, the most notable probably being Otis Redding. Eddie Holland and Norman Whitfield wrote it with David Ruffin directly in mind. They were right. Boy, does he nail it. Top ten Motown, without question. 

Lost in the glory of My Girl is Eddie Kendricks giving us a great vocal on (Talkin' 'Bout) Nobody But My Baby, backed by some solid brassy accompaniment. 

Choker Campbell's Big Band - Come See About Me/Pride And Joy

The tenor saxophonist from the Motortown Revue, Walter "Choker" Campbell gives us a couple of storming, saxophone-driven instrumentals here. The first is a straightforward romp through The Supremes' Come See About Me. The second, Pride And Joy is a boppy piece of jazzy fare. 

The Velvelettes - He Was Really Sayin' Something/Throw A Farewell Kiss

Ironically, both The Velvelettes and The Marvelettes recorded He Was Really Sayin' Something. It appeared on The Marvelettes' 1967 "pink" album. The song is just so good, whoever does it, I like both versions, but The Velvelettes' Cal Gill sexes it up with her groany "alright" response to the other girls' "bop-bop-sookie-doo-wah-wah" bit. Check out that big saxophone solo too. It is pure, unadulterated girl group Heaven. It became a huge hit in the eighties for deadpan-voiced UK group Bananarama. A travesty, The Velvelettes should have had a bigger hit with it than they did. 

Throw A Farewell Kiss is a lovely slow and sensual number to make this a great 45 rpm pairing to end this compilation with. Cal showed that she could sing in different styles with ease. 

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