Quick Overview

Motown did so many things well in the ’60s and early ’70s that this overview of the label’s smashes (and some lesser-known classics) practically demands four CDs. It gets them, too, filling them with single mixes of more than 100 tracks. That the running order begins with Barrett Strong’s statement of purpose “Money (That’s What I Want)” and ends with Marvin Gaye’s statement of concern “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” says a lot about how far the company moved in its golden decade–but no more so than what the same two cuts’ differences in sound get across. The company was able to blend the smooth and the harsh in ways that few other pop entities have ever mastered, thereby getting over not only to the feet and the wallet, but to the heart.

Nearly every one of these 104 tracks is a hit, and we mean a big hit, from 36 different, very famous artists-the Supremes, Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas et cetera, et cetera . With a 68-page booklet and songs like-just for example- Stop! In the Name of Love . A must.

 

Main Features:

Audio CD (January 13, 2009)
Original Release Date: November 3, 1992
Number of Discs: 4
Format: Box set
Label: Motown

 

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Money (That’s What I Want) – Barrett Strong

2. Shop Around – The Miracles

3. Please Mr. Postman – The Marvelettes

4. Jamie – Eddie Holland

5. The One Who Really Loves You – Mary Wells

6. Do You Love Me – The Contours

7. Beechwood 4-5789 – The Marvelettes

8. You Beat Me To The Punch – Mary Wells

9. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow – Marvin Gaye

10. Two Lovers – Mary Wells

11. You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me – The Miracles

12. Come and Get These Memories – Martha & the Vandellas

13. Pride And Joy – Marvin Gaye

14. Fingertips- Part 2 – Little Stevie Wonder

15. (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave – Martha & the Vandellas

16. Mickey’s Monkey – The Miracles

17. Leaving Here – Eddie Holland

18. The Way You Do The Things You Do – The Temptations

19. My Guy – Mary Wells

20. Devil With The Blue Dress – Shorty Long

21. Every Little Bit Hurts – Brenda Holloway

22. Baby I Need Your Loving – Four Tops

23. Dancing in the Street – Martha & the Vandellas

24. My Smile Is Just a Frown (Turned Upside Down) – Crawford, Carolyn

25. Needle in a Haystack – Velvelettes

26. Baby Love – Supremes

27. Come See About Me – Supremes

28. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) – Gaye, Marvin

Disc: 2

1. My Girl – The Temptations

2. He Was Really Sayin Somethin’ – The Velvelettes

3. Ask The Lonely – Four Tops

4. Shotgun – Jr. Walker & The All Stars

5. Nowhere to Run – Martha & the Vandellas

6. When I’m Gone – Brenda Holloway

7. OOO Baby Baby – The Miracles

8. I Can’t Helf Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) – Four Tops

9. First I Look At The Purse – The Contours

10. The Tracks Of My Tears – The Miracles

11. It’s The Same Old Song – Four Tops

12. Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) – Martha & the Vandellas

13. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) – Kim Weston

14. Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder

15. Don’t Mess With Bill – The Marvelettes

16. Darling Baby – The Elgins

17. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) – Isley Brothers

18. Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam) – The Monitors

19. Function At The Junction – Shorty Long

20. (I’m A) Roadrunner – Jr. Walker & The All Stars

21. Ain’t Too Proud To Beg – The Temptations

22. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted – Jimmy Ruffin

23. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – Jr. Walker & The All Stars

24. Love Gone Bad – Chris Clark

25. You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes

26. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep – The Temptations

27. Heaven Must Have Sent You – The Elgins

Disc: 3

1. Reach Out I’ll Be There – Four Tops

2. I’m Losing You – The Temptations

3. Standing In The Shadows Of Love – Four Tops

4. It Take Two – Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston

5. The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game – Marvelettes

6. Jimmy Mack – Martha & The Vandellas

7. Bernadette – Four Tops

8. Ain’t No Mountian High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

9. More Love – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Gladys Knight & The Pips

11. I Second That Emotion – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

12. I Wish It Would Rain – The Temptations

13. I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You – Rita Wright

14. Does Your Mama Know About Me – Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers

15. Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrel

16. Love Child – Diana Ross & The Supremes

17. For Once In My Life – Stevie Wonder

18. Cloud Nine – The Temptations

19. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye

20. Baby, Baby Don’t Cry – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

21. Twenty-Five Miles – Edwin Starr

22. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) – David Ruffin

23. What Does It take (To Win Your Love) – Jr. Walker & The All Stars

24. I Can’t Get Next To You – The Temptations

25. Baby I’m For Real – The Originals

26. Up The Ladder To The Roof – The Supremes

Disc: 4

1. I Want You Back – The Jackson 5

2. The Bells – The Originals

3. Gat Ready – Rare Earth

4. ABC – The Jackson 5

5. Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today) – The Temptations

6. The Love You Save – The Jackson 5

7. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder

8. War – Edwin Starr

9. It’s A Shame – The Spinners

10. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross

11. Still Water (Love) – Four Tops

12. I’ll Be There – The Jackson 5

13. The Tears Of A Clown – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

14. Stoned Love – The Supremes

15. If I Were Your Woman – Gladys Knight & The Pips

16. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) – The Temptations

17. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye

18. Never Can Say Goodbye – The Jackson 5

19. Nathan Jones – The Supremes

20. I Don’t Want To Do Wrong – Gladys Knight & The Pips

21. Smiling Faces Sometimes – The Undisputed Truth

22. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) – Mavin Gaye