Motown!

[simonsteph 0]

I may have missed somthing here but what i would call motown others dont.

 

Can anyone help me with a list of motown classics that people like to be played - this is not my strong subject lol

[Andy Westcott 0]

There is only one definition of 'Motown', and that's the music recorded on that label.

Despite this, 'motown' seems almost to be considered a genre these days, but that's obviously not the case.

 

We can, however, pin down a style of music typical of that commonly recorded, and examples of this would be:

Mary Wells - My Guy

Diana Ross - Chain Reaction

Edwin Starr - Stop Her On Sight

Diana Ross & Supremes - Baby Love

Jackie Wilson - Your Love Keeps Lifting Me

Billy Ocean - Love Really Hurs Without You

 

One not on the Tamla Motown label, but sounding as though it should have been is Phil Collins - Two Hearts, and there are a few others like this.

[dh140770 0]

as per Andy, it is strictly the label, but if you are refering to the genre then I would say that Chain Reaction and Love Really Hurts without You aren't Motown tracks. Just my opinion

 

Other tracks include

- Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Jimmy Mack

- Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston - It Takes Two

- Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself

- Elgins - Heaven Must've Sent You

- Tears of a Clown - Smokie and the Miracles

 

That's Motown to me anyhow.

 

[alicat 0]

as per Andy, it is strictly the label, but if you are refering to the genre then I would say that Chain Reaction and Love Really Hurts without You aren't Motown tracks. Just my opinion

 

Other tracks include

- Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Jimmy Mack

- Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston - It Takes Two

- Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself

- Elgins - Heaven Must've Sent You

- Tears of a Clown - Smokie and the Miracles

 

That's Motown to me anyhow.

 

I always find tracks 2,3,&4 listed above out of the five, people slow dance to them - every time !!

 

[Norfolk DJ 0]

I may have missed somthing here but what i would call motown others dont.

 

Can anyone help me with a list of motown classics that people like to be played - this is not my strong subject lol

 

Isley Brothers - Thia old heart of mine

Four Tops - The same old song

Diana Ross & Supremes - Come see about me

Marvelettes - Needle in a haystack

 

To be honest there is only about 12 or so Motown tracks that are very popular. The rest would be played if they were clearly heavily into Motown. As I've said on here before. It aint as popular as it used to be.

 

Rob

 

[supersound dj 0]

Motown is what it says,...Tracks that came from the motor city(Detroit).There is the motown lable and of course Tamla.

 

Motown wasnt just 60s it progressed through to the 80s and beyond.

 

 

Paul

[Paul Smith 0]

Here's some of the more popular artists/bands who recorded on the Motown label

 

 

• Lionel Richie (& Commodores)
• Stevie Wonder
• Diana Ross (& Supremes)
• Marvin Gaye
• Michael Jackson
• Jackson 5
• Gladys Knight (& The Pips)
• Marvelettes
• Martha Reeves (& The Vandellas)
• Smokey Robinson (& The Miracles)
• Temptations

[wendyice 0]

Isley Brothers - Thia old heart of mine

Four Tops - The same old song

Diana Ross & Supremes - Come see about me

Marvelettes - Needle in a haystack

 

To be honest there is only about 12 or so Motown tracks that are very popular. The rest would be played if they were clearly heavily into Motown. As I've said on here before. It aint as popular as it used to be.

 

Rob

 

 

are we playing to the same crowds.

 

i have loads of motown that goes down well without anyone being heavily into it.

 

it is / was one of the largest mass appeal genres ever.

[deejaymitch 0]

I love Motown but rarely get the chance to play any. It gets a good recent from a small section but generally it doesn't go down that well at all. Shame really.

[wendyice 0]

i seem to asked for it a lot,

 

i.e.

when you do my party can we have plenty of motown.

 

only too pleased to oblige.

[robbiedj 0]

As already said, motown is from the motown i.e. Detroit, labels.

 

But you will probably find that the customer also expects Philly tracks such as the wall of sound collections and some that are really soul. Always try to elicit their idea of motown, it may not be yours. tongue out icon

[wendyice 0]

motown is motown is motown.

 

 

 

its like saying burgers are sausages , they are both meat but different.

 

motown came from the words motor town ie: detroit.

 

but when motown moved it was still motown.

 

the sub labels of motown are immense, they even have country music .

 

but motown is motown is motown.

 

not my fault people thing philly is motown. i'll explain the difference but .........see line one.

 

[simonsteph 0]

thanks for your help

 

your advice is as great as ever

[spinner 0]

Marvelettes - Needle in a haystack

 

 

Rob

 

That's the Velvelettes. And they're still performing!

 

[Pete Best 0]

Just a little in info

We got Martha Reeves comin over later this year also

Frank Wilson

Contours

Brenda Holloway

And a few others do perform ill keep you updated when contracts are signed also we will be doin interviews for a radio show.

KTF

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

i see a potential debate here, if you want to be 100% accurate, then yes its anything on the Motown label (which still exists today)

 

However when people ask for Motown, they mean Handbag Soul!

Diana Ross and the Supremes

Four Tops

Temptations

The Elgins

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Isley Brothers

Mary Wells

Velvelettes

 

basically good old motown tracks + tracks that are similar for the ladies to dance around their handbags too!

 

its like if someone asks you for some Tidy Trax, when they just mean Hard House

 

or can you Hoover the floor (vacuum) etc etc

 

as a DJ i find its very important to know what people mean and not always take them literally! If someone asks for Whitney Houston in the middle of the 80's set, its fairly safe to assume they want "i wanna dance with somebody" and not "i will always love you". So if someone asks for some motown, i wont put Lionel Ritchie on!

[disco4hire 1]

If you get asked for Motown the first consideration should be their age, if they're late 40's to 65ish they usually want what would be best called 60's soul, a mixture of motown, soul, northern soul, philly and stax. If they're much younger you would be best sticking to the best known dozen tracks that have already been mentioned. There is an excellent double compilation CD, I think it's called 'Motown dance party' it should be in every DJ's case along with Mastermixes 4 CD 'Soul Box'

The following always go down well with the 40+ crowd

 

Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache - Johnny Johnston

(Blame It) On The Pony Express - Johnny Johnston

Out On The Floor Dobie Gray

You Can Do Magic - Limmy and the family cooking

There's a Ghost in My House - R Dean Taylor

Soul Finger - Bar Kays

You've Got Me Dangling On A String - Chairman of the board

[markthedoc 0]

You've Got Me Dangling On A String - Chairman of the board

 

I play that tune at every gig... Absolutely love it. :toot:

[disco4hire 1]

I play that tune at every gig... Absolutely love it. :toot:

 

Try the others!

 

[wendyice 0]

i see a potential debate here, if you want to be 100% accurate, then yes its anything on the Motown label (which still exists today)

 

However when people ask for Motown, they mean Handbag Soul!Diana Ross and the Supremes

Four Tops

Temptations

The Elgins

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Isley Brothers

Mary Wells

Velvelettes

 

basically good old motown tracks + tracks that are similar for the ladies to dance around their handbags too!

 

its like if someone asks you for some Tidy Trax, when they just mean Hard House

 

or can you Hoover the floor (vacuum) etc etc

 

as a DJ i find its very important to know what people mean and not always take them literally! If someone asks for Whitney Houston in the middle of the 80's set, its fairly safe to assume they want "i wanna dance with somebody" and not "i will always love you". So if someone asks for some motown, i wont put Lionel Ritchie on!

 

 

thats a bit of a generalisation. its like when people ask for chips they mean potatoes. if someone asks me for motown they get 40 years of experience in playing, listening to and dancing to motown.

 

if the ask for old soul thay get 60's 70'd classic soul.

 

handbag soul is just that whatever label it is on same for blue eyed soul.

 

what made the motown sound was the way the music was arranged and the emphasis on strings and the like.

 

stax was a more brass led genre funkier and edgier, whereas philly was softer and more melodic.

 

so if peeps want motown it is motown they get.

 

the op asked what are some classic motown tracks. we getting slightly off topic.

 

but for anyone to say that harold melvin for instance is motown is rubbish.

[Robster 0]

How would some people react if they asked for motown and i played superfreak by rick james is that motown to you? i would class it as funk but he is on motowns official site as a legend he signed for motown in 1977

[wendyice 0]

thats where your judgement comes in, motown also had a country label subsiduary i wouldnt play that either.

[Andy Westcott 0]

Yes - I think you have to get into the requestor's mind to a degree and make certain assumptions about what they really mean when they request Motown, but in the main I believe they bean your typical Chain Reaction/My Guy type of sounds, the ones withy the stomping beat the tambourine and the strident vocal sound quality.