VA - Motown: The Early Years 1959-62 (2020)

Probably more than any other single creative and production source, the Motown operation, founded in Detroit by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records in January 1959, has made an extraordinarily powerful and significant contribution to popular music over the last 60 years, with a seemingly never-ending supply of uniquely talented artists and writers, chart hits and landmark albums. This great-value 80-track 3-CD set seeks to capture the essence and character of its musical output during the first few years of its existence, when it made its first highly significant impact on the pop and R&B scene. It includes all the entries in the US pop and R&B charts on the Tamla, Motown and Gordy labels during that time - from a standing start, there were 33 of them - including iconic hits like The Marvelettes’ pop No. 1 “Please Mr. Postman”, and the R&B No. 1s “Shop Around” and “You've Really Got A Hold On Me” by The Miracles, “You Beat Me To The Punch” and “Two Lovers” by Mary Wells, and The Contours’ “Do You Love Me”. Along with those hits are selected sides from the majority of the releases on the Tamla, Motown, Gordy, Mel-O-Dy and Divinity labels during this era, featuring many obscure and collectable artists and records along with early hits and releases by the likes of Marv Johnson, Barrett Strong, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Little Stevie Wonder, The Temptations and many more. It’s a feast of evocative recordings produced in a remarkable creative environment, which offers a hugely entertaining insight into the early evolution of one of a unique music industry powerhouse.

Track List:
CD1

01 - Marv Johnson - Come To Me
02 - Chico Leverett - Solid Sender
03 - The Swinging Tigers - Snake Walk (Part 1)
04 - Ron - It
05 - The Miracles - Bad Girl
06 - The Miracles - Way Over There
07 - The Satintones - My Beloved
08 - Nick - Ich-I-Bon #1
09 - Eugene Remus - You Never Miss A Good Thing
10 - Popcorn - Custer's Last Man
11 - Barrett Strong - Money
12 - Barrett Strong - Oh I Apologize
13 - Mable John - Who Wouldn't Love A Man Like That
14 - Singin' Sammy Ward - Who's The Fool
15 - The Miracles - Shop Around
16 - The Miracles - Who's Lovin' You
17 - Sherri Taylor - Oh Lover
18 - Herman Griffin - True Love (That's Love)
19 - Mary Wells - Bye Bye Baby
20 - Henry Lumpkin - I've Got A Notion
21 - Jimmy Ruffin - Don't Feel Sorry For Me
22 - Little Iva - When I Needed You
23 - The Miracles - Ain't It Baby
24 - Debbie Dean - Don't Let Him Shop Around
25 - Richard Wylie - Money (That's What I Want)
26 - The Gospel Stars - He Lifted Me

CD2

01 - Mickey Woods - Poor Sam Jones
02 - Andre Williams - Rosa Lee (Stay Off The Bell)
03 - Lee - Come Into My Palace
04 - Gino Parks - Same Thing
05 - The Miracles - Mighty Good Lovin'
06 - The Miracles - Broken Hearted
07 - Mary Wells - I Don't Want To Take A Chance
08 - The Marvelettes - Please, Mr. Postman
09 - The Marvelettes - So Long Baby
10 - The Golden Harmoneers - I Am Bound
11 - Rev. Columbus Mann - They Shall Be Mine
12 - The Equadors - Someone To Call My Own
13 - Pete Hartfield - Love Me
14 - The Miracles - Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues
15 - Joel Sebastian - Angel In Blue
16 - Freddie Gorman - The Day Will Come
17 - Bob Kayli - Small Sad Sam
18 - Don McKenzie - Whose Heart (Are You Gonna Break Now)
19 - The Miracles - What's So Good About Good-Bye
20 - The Twistin' Kings - Xmas Twist
21 - The Wright Specials - That's What He Is To Me
22 - The Marvelettes - Twistin' Postman
23 - Mary Wells - The One Who Really Loves You
24 - The Downbeats - Your Baby's Back
25 - Little Otis - I Out-Duked The Duke
26 - The Temptations - Dream Come True
27 - The Miracles - I'll Try Something New

CD3

01 - The Marvelettes - Playboy
02 - The Valadiers - Because I Love Her
03 - The Supremes - Your Heart Belongs To Me
04 - Little Stevie Wonder - I Call It Pretty Music But The Old People Call It The Blues (Part 1)
05 - Mickey McCullers - Same Old Story
06 - Lamont Dozier - Dearest One
07 - The Creations - This Is Our Night
08 - The Marvelettes - Someday, Someway
09 - The Marvelettes - Beechwood 4-5789
10 - Saundra Mallett & the Vandellas - Camel Walk
11 - Marvin Gaye - Stubborn Kind Of Fellow
12 - The Contours - Do You Love Me
13 - The Contours - Move Mr. Man
14 - Mary Wells - You Beat Me To The Punch
15 - Mary Wells - Old Love (Let's Try It Again)
16 - Martha and the Vandellas - I'll Have To Let Him Go
17 - Eddie Holland - Jamie
18 - Mary Wells - Two Lovers
19 - Mary Wells - Operator
20 - The Vells - You'll Never Cherish A Love So True ('Til You Lose It)
21 - The Supremes - Let Me Go The Right Way
22 - The Miracles - You've Really Got A Hold On Me
23 - The Miracles - Happy Landing
24 - The Marvelettes - Strange, I Know
25 - Marvin Gaye - Hitch Hike
26 - The Contours - Shake Sherry
27 - Labrenda Ben - Camel Walk