top 5 favorite motown/funk/soul songs

[your idol]

just like the title says. what ae your top 5 soul funk motown songs. im lookin for deep down record diggers to chime in on this.

ill go first.


1) James Carr- Youve got my mind messed up
2) Dee Dee Warwick-Suspicious minds
3) Sly and the family stone- If you want me to stay
4) Bill Withers- Better off dead
5) Stevie Wonder- I believe (when i fall in love it will be forever)

[Clark Dark]

Stevie Wonder, "scoo be doo be doo dah day"
Jackson 5, "maybe tomorrow"
Four Tops, "Bernadette"
Temptations, "memories"
Supremes, "how long has that evening train been gone"

[autofile]

At the moment, these 5 are in my playlist:

1) Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues
2) Temptations - Standing On Shakey Ground
3) Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man
4) Wilson Pickett - 99 1/2
5) Roger Collins - She's Looking Good

Oh, but wait.......I forgot Stevie.......and the Four Tops........and Ray Charles......and......Gladys Knight......and.....I could go on and on......

[5StringBlues]

Stevie Wonder - Too High
Stevie Wonder - You haven't Done Nothing
Ohio Players Skin Tight/Funky Worm
Isaac Hayes - Walk On By
Sly and the Family Stone - There's A Riot Going On (the whole album )
Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Real Mother For Ya'


This could go on for pages.

[braydensharrar]

1. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
2. Jackson 5 - Darling Dear
3. Marvin Gaye/ Tammi Terrel - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
4. The Temptations - My Girl
5. Jackson 5 - "Dancing Machine"

I could go for days..

~B

[Thornton Davis]

In no particular order.

The Four Tops - Reach Out, I'll Be There
Stevie Wonder - I Wish
The Four Tops - Bernadette
Sam and Dave - Soul Man
James Brown - I Feel Good

Don't get me started I love Motown.

TD

[P. Aaron]

Trouble Man: Marvin Gaye
My Cherie Amour: Stevie Wonder
Cloud Nine: The Temptations
Hip Hug Her: Booker T. & The MG's
Funky Broadway: Wilson Pickett

Yes one could go on all day.

[IotaNet]

This is next to totally impossible to do in 5 songs!

James Brown: Sex Machine
Earth Wind & Fire: Fantasy
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
Parliament: Funkentelechy
Slave: Snap Shot

Honorable Mention:
Ohio Players: Sweet Sticky Thing

[Tandrew]

I just wanted to say nice on the Funkentelechy IotaNet, I love that song (bass is sweet, is that Bernie, Bootsy or someone else?), but I really dig the guitar chords in that song 'specially on the change up.

I'd throw my .02 cents in on the thread, but it'd be hard to come up with just 5

[your idol]

Originally Posted by IotaNet

This is next to totally impossible to do in 5 songs!

James Brown: Sex Machine
Earth Wind & Fire: Fantasy
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
Parliament: Funkentelechy
Slave: Snap Shot

Honorable Mention:
Ohio Players: Sweet Sticky Thing

good look on the ohio players ewf and slave...thats what im lookin for

and i KNOW its impossible as my top 5 changes with the wind on this one..thats why i did it. there will be people who cant help but post a new 5 every 3 ays..ill probably be one of em

[smoothoperator]

Fav Motown (Jamerson) basslines:

1. Darling Dear - Jackson 5
2. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Supremes & Temps
3. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Gaye/Terrell
4. Bernadette - Tops
5. Never Can Say Goodbye - Jackson 5

[woolysock]

In no particular order:

1) Donny Hathaway - What's Going On (A very cool version)
2) Marvin Gaye - Ain't That Peculiar
3) Stevie Wonder - I Was Made To Love Her
4) Gladys Knight - Grapevine
5) Jr Walker - Roadrunner

[bass12]

Today's picks would be:

"Bustin' Loose" by Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers
"Deaf Hook-Up Connection" by Don Blackman
"Hollywood Dreaming" by Father's Children
"Sun Goddess" by Ramsey Lewis
"We Got More Soul" by Dyke & The Blazers

Tomorrow's might be different!

[bassist4dalord]

1. What's Goin' On? - Marvin Gaye
2. I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
3. Soul Man - Sam & Dave
4. Just My Imagination - The Temptations
5. Fire - Ohio Players

[rappa29]

As already stated, there CANNOT BE ONLY 5!

Off the top of my head, for Motown...

1.) Gladys Knight\Pips - Heard It Through The Grapevine. I love some Marvin, but Gladys' version kicks his to the curb, IMHO of course!

2.) Temptations - I Can't Get Next To You. This is one of those crank it up and play drums on the steering wheel, sing at the top of your lungs with the windows rolled down!

3.) Marvin Gaye/ Tammi Terrel - Ain't No Mountain High Enough. LOVE THIS SONG! Another sing out loud, BOTH PARTS, with your windows rolled down! Gets me motivated!

4.) Jackson 5 - Who's Loving You. The ultimate breakup song! Even though it's sung by a 9yo (or however old MJ was)! LOL!

5.) Stevie Wonder - Master Blaster (Jammin'). Can't pick just one, so I'll pick this since it's the one I heard most recently!

Non Motown Artists:
1.) Aretha Franklin - Baby I Love You
2.) Funkadelic - Red Hot Mama
3.) Maceo Parker - Pass The Peas
4.) Ohio Players - Fopp
5.) Donny Hathaway - I Believe To My Soul

Again, there CANNOT BE ONLY 5 (or 10 in my case)!

Great thread. Gives me a good list of some stuff to check out that I haven't heard before!

[DWBass]

Hmmm....Motown

Four Tops - Reach Out (I'll Be There)
Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Lovin
Jackson 5 - I Wanna Be Where You Are
Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
Jackson 5 - Never Can Say Goodbye

Non Motown..........Funk & Soul

Most Slave basslines
Most Graham Central Station basslines
Pleasure - Glide

Way too many to mention. Visit the Funk 101/102 sticky threads. Plenty of funk basslines mentioned there!

[paul_wolfe]

Motown tracks - could go on forever....

For funkier tunes - how about some early TOP...

1) Only So Much Oil In The Ground
2) This Time It's Real (Rocco is great at funky shuffles...)
3) Soul Vaccination
4) What Is Hip
5) You're Still A Young Man (Rocco is also great at funky ballads...)

[Bassist30]

If its Motown I say.

My Girl
Shotgun
Sign Sealed delivered
ABC/I want you back - Sorry had to sneak the 2 in together
Mercy Mercy Me

funk

What is hip Rocco
Barbary Coast Jaco/weather report
Hair Graham
Frog on my face Doug Johns Man having it played so funky in 9 makes it that much stanky
Not just knee deep George Clinton

OK OK the later isn't Motown, but still funky. Just that I hear what came out of motown in these particular songs.

[bstringkyle]

Marvin Gaye-What's Going on
Stevie Wonder-Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Stevie Wonder-I was made to love
The temptations-Papa was a Rollin' Stone
Marvin Gaye-Heard it through the Grapevine

[gweimer]

Yeah, it's definitely hard to narrow it down to five, but here's what I came up with:

"Love and Happiness" - Al Green
"Reach Out, I'll Be There" - Four Tops
"Rock Steady" - Aretha Franklin
"Everyday People" - Sly and the Family Stone
"Knock on Wood" - Eddie Floyd


Not enough room in five songs to include:
"What's Going On?" - Marvin Gaye
"Bernadette" - Four Tops
"Family Affair" - Sly
"What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?" - Jimmy Ruffin