Community Chest - 'You've won second prize in a beauty contest. Move straight to frontman for The Commodores'Motown has reached it's 50th birthday. It's officially middle- aged! So in celebration (or commiseration of the occasion), here's my hats off to Hitsville - where, rather than cracking out the usual classics, I'll roll out a few retreads of the Big Wheels of Motown..
Lee Moses thumps and thunders through, 'Reach Out' taking it to a new level of uptempo urgency
Lee Moses - Reach Out I'll Be There
Shirley Scott's higgledy-piggeldy-my-funky-keyboard cut of 'Want You Back'is a joy and a gem
Shirley Scott - I Want You Back
I'm guessing Ella was going through her 'mod' period (I've got a handful of her Beatles belters, and a Cream cover cut from the same swishery) when she cracked off this hipshaking take on 'Grapevine'
Ella Fitzgerald - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Perhaps I'll post some genuine Tamla treats next week..
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ReplyDeleteI just luuuv Motown - Thats it! My minds made up! I'm gonna have a Motown day today.....
ReplyDeleteChance - 'Berry Gordy agrees to pay you a flat hourly rate whilst siphoning off royalties for himself - go back on the road (do not pass Go, do not collect $200)'
ReplyDeleteI've the complete singles between 59 and 70 on the go at the moment, some class a's and b's in there. But my Motown post for my first Sounds For Sunday will probably be from the Cellarful Of Motown series. If you haven't got those already do so. Rare and unreleased items that are as good as if not better proper releases. Go fill your boots. My recommendation for the week.
ReplyDeleteYes every day should have some Tamla Lil - and don't forget there's more Motown here
ReplyDeleteWhat do you reckon the little pieces are Davy? A Wheel, A Beehive (the hair-do), that fly from Chartbusters six
I think I've got those Simon, Vol's 1 and 2. Standing In The Shadows of Motown (Special edition)is worh grabbing for disc 2 loads of rarities and instrumental takes..
The fly! Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteIt's by Roger Dean you know (the Jack Vettriano of Prog)- yours for £40 earth pounds
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to Motown! It's hard to believe it's 50 years old. Wow. I love the music of Motown. So many of the classic hits come from them. I still love those songs. They are timeless. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteExcellent tunes there Mr Mondo. Love the Shirley Scott track and Lee Moses has a touch of the 'Phoenix Nights' houseband keyboard sound about it - still love it though!
ReplyDelete50 years Keith - and what quality, as Simon says some of the outtakes and cast offs are well worth a blast..
ReplyDeleteLee Moses does one of the best version of Daytripper you'll ever hear Cocktails - and call me an old softy but this is one of my fave Motown albums
Ah, Mr Mondo, Touch Me in the Morning is [ahem] one of the most [cough] played tunes on my ipod.
ReplyDeleteYou should try the album Cocktails it will melt you - gorgeous, and only three Earth pounds too
ReplyDeleteYou're right, there is no excuse not to get that - it's in the post!
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