Essential Motown songs?

[todd0864]

If someone were to look into learning Motown classics what would be 10-15 essential tunes to learn/study?

 

[TedH]

If someone were to look into learning Motown classics what would be 10-15 essential tunes to learn/study?

Buy Standing in the Shadows of Motown and learn as many as you can; start with the titles that you recognize. Song list is here:

Standing in the Shadows of Motown: Deluxe Edition - Original Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic

 

[SurferJoe46]

Make "MY Girl" number one and expand from there all the way to "Ball Of Confusion".

 

[Jeff Bonny]

Are we talking strictly stuff that came out on the Motown label or 60's early 70's Soul songs in general that you'd be expected to cut in any key on a "Motown" type gig? I don't think I've ever done a Motown type gig where there wasn't a heavy Stax Atlanta presence....Aretha, Otis, Wilson Pickett, Staples, Booker T, Eddie Floyd etc.

I only ask because if we are talking Motown type gigs you're gonna look like a dick if you don't know stuff like Chain of Fools and Knock on Wood.

 

[todd0864]

Not for a gig. Just want to expand my musical knowledge.

 

[bass12]

From a bassist's perspective or a general, popular perspective?

 

[todd0864]

Either is fine.

 

[electracoyote]

From a commercial and musician's perspective, I'd start here.

Lots of great lists if you Google it too.

My Girl
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Standing in the Shadows of Love
Where Did Our Love Go?
Can't Hurry Love
I Want You Back
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Reach Out (I'll Be There)
Tears of a Clown
What's Going On?
Ain't No Mountain High Enough

 

[farace]

The best excuse for a CD boxed set ever, and disc three just kills me, the cream of the cream:

https://www.amazon.com/Hitsville-US...sa+the+motown+singles+collection+1959-1971+cd

 

[DWBass]

Tears Of A Clown has a great bassline. Here's a vid of me playing it.

 

[winterburn69]

From a commercial and musician's perspective, I'd start here.

Lots of great lists if you Google it too.

My Girl
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Standing in the Shadows of Love
Where Did Our Love Go?
Can't Hurry Love
I Want You Back
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Reach Out (I'll Be There)
Tears of a Clown
What's Going On?
Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Great list, although I'd also add:
I heard through the grapevine
Signed, sealed, delivered
Uptight
Home cookin'
Do you see my love (for you growing)

Don't forget Earl Van Dyke's "The Motown Sound"
Cissy Strut is a highlight for sure
Fever in the funkhouse (by James Jamerson) is an essential as well.

 

[PlanetNewJersey]

I'm surprised that nobody's said Bernadette yet. Classic JJ baseline. What's going on is another great one.

 

[MCF]

From a commercial and musician's perspective, I'd start here.

Lots of great lists if you Google it too.

My Girl
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Standing in the Shadows of Love
Where Did Our Love Go?
Can't Hurry Love
I Want You Back
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Reach Out (I'll Be There)
Tears of a Clown
What's Going On?
Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Pretty good list. If you nail these, you'll be able to pick up fifty more that are very similar in no time.

 

[MCF]

Great list, although I'd also add:
I heard through the grapevine
Signed, sealed, delivered
Uptight
Home cookin'
Do you see my love (for you growing)

Don't forget Earl Van Dyke's "The Motown Sound"
Cissy Strut is a highlight for sure
Fever in the funkhouse (by James Jamerson) is an essential as well.

+1 to Signed, sealed..fun to play pattern.

 

[Ace Of Bass]

Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Baby Love
I Want You Back
Bernadette
Contusion
Daddy Could Swear (I Declare)
Darling Dear
I Wanna Be Where You Are
Stop In The Name Of Love
The Tracks Of My Tears
Ball of Confusion
Life Is For Learning
Sparrow
And This Is Love
Funk Me
Soon I'll Be Loving You
Golden Lady
All The Way Around
You're The Best Thing That's Ever Happened
Midnight Train To Georgia
I'll Be There (Reach Out)
Quiet Storm
Just To Keep You Satisfied
You Sure Love To Ball
Someday We'll Be Together
My Cherie Amour
Anger
What's Happening, Brother
Got To Give It Up
Golden Lady
You Are The Sunshine of My Life
If This World Were Mine
Your Precious Love
ABC
After The Dance
Don't Mess With Bill
I Can't Get Next To You
Never Can Say Goodbye
Send One Your Love
Power Flower
Ordinary Pain
Superwoman
Girl Blue
You've Got It Bad Girl
For Once In My Life
Get Ready
Dancing In The Street
Too High
Highest Ground
Living For The City
What's Going On
You Can't Hurry Love
Stop! The Love You Save
When Did You Stop Loving Me
I Want You
Smile Please
I Am Singing
Bird Of Beauty

...I may have forgotten one of two...

 

[edencab]

I'll Take You There
Mr Big Stuff

2 of my faves

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

From a commercial and musician's perspective, I'd start here.

Lots of great lists if you Google it too.

My Girl
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Standing in the Shadows of Love
Where Did Our Love Go?
Can't Hurry Love
I Want You Back
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Reach Out (I'll Be There)
Tears of a Clown
What's Going On?
Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Excellent start.

 

[NortyFiner]

Just flipping through the Motown section of my iPod...

My Girl, Ain't to Proud to Beg, Ball of Confusion, Get Ready...pretty much anything by the Temptations, really.

One from Smokey I didn't see on the prior lists: Second That Emotion.

Isley Brothers: Shout.

The Supremes: Can't Hurry Love, Come See About Me.

Shirelles: Mama Said

Aretha Franklin: Think, RESPECT, and so on.

The Big Three (with Mama Cass): Wild Women Don't Get the Blues. It belongs in that musical tradition.

Pretty much anything on the Blues Brothers soundtrack...

 

[electracoyote]

Aretha Franklin: Think, RESPECT, and so on.

The Big Three (with Mama Cass): Wild Women Don't Get the Blues. It belongs in that musical tradition.

Pretty much anything on the Blues Brothers soundtrack...

I thought OP wanted classic Motown recordings.

 

[lbbc]

Aretha, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, Temptations Wilson Pickett...anything, that should get you started.