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I need more songs like this (Motown-R)

mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
edited March 2008 in Strut Central
Any recommendations for songs with this kind of feel, highly welcome. My Motown (or related) knowledge is pretty thin compared to Southern soul so offer up even obvious shit. Edwin Starr: Running Back and ForthDiana Ross and the Supremes: He's My Sonny Boy

  Comments

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    bumpity bump
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    I think the main thing those songs have in common is that they are 'Motown that is acceptable to funk dudes'

    another you might try is the Marvellettes 'Don't Make Hurting Me A Habit'

  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    I think the main thing those songs have in common is that they are 'Motown that is acceptable to funk dudes'

    The common denominator I noticed is that they both have sing-songy, bubblegummy melodies (also hear: Barbara Acklin's non-Motown "I'll Bake Me A Man"). Other than that, they seemed no more "funkier" than anything else. Never heard the Marvelletes track...
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    Marvellettes "Here I Am Baby" 45
    Martha and the Vandellas "Show me The Way" 45
    Chuck Jackson "Arrives" LP
    Chuck Jackson "Goin Back" LP
    Stevie Wonder "Everytime I See You I Go Wild" 45
    Eddie Kendricks "Let Me Run Into Your Lonely Heart" 45
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    I think the main thing those songs have in common is that they are 'Motown that is acceptable to funk dudes'

    The common denominator I noticed is that they both have sing-songy, bubblegummy melodies (also hear: Barbara Acklin's non-Motown "I'll Bake Me A Man"). Other than that, they seemed no more "funkier" than anything else. Never heard the Marvelletes track...

    the drums on both are shuffle-ly & both have been announced at various times by tastemakers as 'the funky motown cut' or somesuch - see big daddy / dante carfagna

    motown is usually on the upbeat
  • kidinquisitivekidinquisitive 1,627 Posts
    Mary Wells "You Beat Me To The Punch" would be up there with the Edwin Starr for my favorite Motown cuts. I still can't figure out how that's from 1962. It literally sounds like they jumped ahead 5 or 6 years or so. Or it took the rest of the world 6 years to catch up.
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    the Marvellettes 'Hunter Gets Captured By the Game' is
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I just discovered Jonah Jones on Motown doing Uptight.

    Just thought I would share.

    I like that whole War and Peace record, and wonder if the Spanish Harlem cut wouldn't fit the sound you are looking for.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    I'm open to practically everything. And I'm not looking for "funky" Motown - upbeat, dance-able and something other than the uber-obvious is good enough for me. Hand-clappy soul? Hells yeah.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    I should add though - what I love about the Edwin Starr and Supremes cuts above is just the "feel" of it, for lack of a more precise term. In contrast, "Show Me the Way," for example, wasn't quite "there." Actually, maybe Soul Hawk has a point - maybe it is a "funk thing" since I can't seem to put my finger on it elsewise.

    "You Beat Me to the Punch" is some shit I can definitely get with - reminds me a lot of "She Took You For a Ride" by Aaron Neville or even Robert Parker's "I Caught You In a Lie."
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Oh, and I'm not looking for just for Motown. It's just an easy starting point.
  • Secret_ChimpSecret_Chimp 915 Posts
    I don't know if it fits with the tracks you listed, but Smokey Robinson's "Want Me" just kills me. Someone did a really nice re-edit recently. Definitely check that out if you're not already familiar.
  • BreakSelfBreakSelf 2,925 Posts
    Sounds like you might be into the Freddie Terrel (Soul Expedition fame) 45 on Capitol, if you aren't already familiar with it. One of my favorite pick ups from last year.

    "You Had it Made"
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    Sounds like you might be into the Freddie Terrell (Soul Expedition fame) 45 on Capitol, if you aren't already familiar with it. One of my favorite pick ups from last year.

    "You Had it Made"

    Nice pick up. Those are hard to come by. Got the flip?


    Ol*ver - Got Eddie Kendricks' "Date With The Rain?"
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    "Got Eddie Kendricks' "Date With The Rain?" "

    No doubt. LOVE that song and the whole album PLUS the disco edit of that song is one of my fave things ever.
  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    I think the main thing those songs have in common is that they are 'Motown that is acceptable to funk dudes'

    another you might try is the Marvellettes 'Don't Make Hurting Me A Habit'


    Dope break (on the 45 rpm anyway) that I've big upped a billion times up in here. Oh yeah, Spanky check out "Sad and Lonesome Feeling" by Jimmy Ruffin (from his "Ruff and Ready" LP). I'd list more, but my LPs are in boxes, but I'm racking my brain to think of more songs of the "style" you said you liked. Like others, I'd say check out the Marvalettes, also Junior Walker and the Four Tops had some later stuff with that feel. A lot of Mercury soul stuff comes to mind with songs of that "feel" too ala Gene Chandler, some of Jerry Butler songs, etc.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    that "you're the one for me, bobby" schitt by the marvelettes is IMO (r.i.p. dilla)
    martha reeves got that real schitt
    also love "flower child" by david ruffin and about a thousand other little-known album cuts by well known Motown artistes... i put that edwin starr jam on one of my tapes a while back
    wish i had an instrumental of tammi terrell "i can't believe you love me"
  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    the Spinners is another group I would recommed - they have an albums worth of stuff on Motown from around 1965 that is

    this is from before they hit on VIP with 'It's A Shame' & signed to Atlantic

  • captainplanetcaptainplanet 626 Posts
    Hand-clappy soul? Hells yeah.

    just discovered Smokey's "Dancing's Alright" from 67. floor stormer for sure.
  • maocontentmaocontent 559 Posts
    O, another non-Motown tune to check for that you might find similarly 'hand-clappy' & 'feel good-ish': Continental Four - "The Way I Love You" on Jay-Walking. Pretty easy to find too.

    Also highly recommended & Motown-afffiliated: Martha & the Vandellas - "Love Guess Who" - not "funky" at all - but a sweet sounding x-over track w/ sad, stalker-ish lyrics.
  • maocontentmaocontent 559 Posts
    I think the main thing those songs have in common is that they are 'Motown that is acceptable to funk dudes'

    another you might try is the Marvellettes 'Don't Make Hurting Me A Habit'


    Dope break (on the 45 rpm anyway) that I've big upped a billion times up in here.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak


    Yeah, same on the LP version too - tho, break or no break it's well worth bigging up a billion times.
  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    O, another non-Motown tune to check for that you might find similarly 'hand-clappy' & 'feel good-ish': Continental IV[/b] - "The Way I Love You" on Jay-Walking. Pretty easy to find too.

    Yeah, great track. Tons of feelin'! Not available on the Dream World LP, just 45.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Thanks for all the suggestions (keep 'em coming).

    More songs I thought about in the vein of what I'm talking about:

    Tammi Terrel: Baby Don't You Worry
    Three Karats: Yes I Will
    Doris Troy: Just One Look
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    dont know if this fits the bill, but I thought I would share...a sister funk raer that I recently flipped over and discovered this nice little soul tune
    Ann Bogus of the Fabulous Dominoes "Dont Ask Me to Love Again"
  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    Thanks for all the suggestions (keep 'em coming).

    More songs I thought about in the vein of what I'm talking about:

    Tammi Terrel: Baby Don't You Worry
    Three Karats: Yes I Will
    Doris Troy: Just One Look

    Ever hear Tammi Terrell Montgomery's James Brown-produced tracks on "Try Me?" Good stuff that can be bought cheaply.
  • buttonbutton 1,475 Posts
    Major label funky soul "jams" (an over used word I generally avoid but definately applicable in this case)

    Three big ones off the top of my head would be:

    Barbara Acklin - am i the same girl
    TSU tornadoes- got to get through to you
    Five Stairsteps - Stay Close to me
    ummm
    The ethics - I want my baby back, for sure

    Barbara Mercer - Hey
    Jackie Wilson -Helpless
    Herman Griffin - are you for me or against me

    Yeah, if you left me with those two tracks at our DJ night I'd likely queue up some of these records.
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    This thread was real inspiring, so I got my own request.

    Anybody know of any Motown output similar to this song.



    Brenda Holloway - Trapped in a Love affair.

    - spidey
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