Motown Chartbusters, Vol. 5 [Import]

Track Listings

1. Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

2. War - Edwin Starr

3. Love You Save - The Jackson 5

4. Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) - The Temptations

5. It's All in the Game - The Four Tops

6. Heaven Help Us All - Stevie Wonder

7. It's Wonderful (To Be Loved by You) - Jimmy Ruffin

8. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross

9. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder

10. Stoned Love - The Supremes

11. Abraham, Martin and John - Marvin Gaye

12. Still Water (Love) - The Four Tops

13. Forget Me Not - Martha & the Vandellas

14. It's a Shame - The Detroit Spinners

15. I'll Be There - The Jackson 5

16. I'll Say Forever My Love - Jimmy Ruffin

Motown Chartbusters, Vol. 5,Various Artists,Universal Int'l,Motown,Pop,Pop-Soul,Psychedelic Soul,R&B,Smooth Soul,Soul,Soul/R & B Collections,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues,Urban

Tracks:

Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
War - Edwin Starr
Love You Save - The Jackson 5
Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) - The Temptations
It's All in the Game - The Four Tops
Heaven Help Us All - Stevie Wonder
It's Wonderful (To Be Loved by You) - Jimmy Ruffin
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
Stoned Love - The Supremes
Abraham, Martin and John - Marvin Gaye
Still Water (Love) - The Four Tops
Forget Me Not - Martha & the Vandellas
It's a Shame - The Detroit Spinners
I'll Be There - The Jackson 5
I'll Say Forever My Love - Jimmy Ruffin

Customer Reviews:

Volume 5 of 12 looks at 1970 and 1971.......2005-03-14

Beginning with Tears of a clown (a UK number one hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles), this volume contains plenty of high-charting hits. Other UK top ten hits include War (Edwin Starr), The love you save, I'll be there (both Jackson 5), Ball of confusion (Temptations), It's all in the game, Still water (both Four Tops), It's wonderful, I'll say forever my love (both Jimmy Ruffin), Ain't no mountain high enough (Diana Ross), Stoned love (Supremes) and Abraham Martin and John (Marvin Gaye - in America it was Smokey Robinson and the Miracles who had the hit with this song).

Only four tracks here failed to make the UK top ten. Forget me not (Martha Reeves and the Vandellas) only just missed, while Signed sealed delivered (Stevie Wonder) and It's a shame (Detroit Spinners - known just as the Spinners in America) also made the UK top twenty. Heaven help us all (Stevie Wonder) just made the UK top thirty.

This is a very strong compilation of some of Motown's classic songs from 1970 and 1971, showing that (at that stage) Motown was still the leading soul-pop label.

The Classic Sound Of Motown.......2002-11-02

Excellent compilation, continuing the classic Motown Chartbusters series. This set glides you through some of Motown's most famous classics through the late 1960's through to the dawn of the seventies. The albums opener is the superb The Tears of A Clown, one of Motowns definitive classics by the magnificent Smokey Robinson And The Miracles. Smokey Robinson had once been described by Bob Dylan "as the greatest ever living poet"! Certainly nothing of an understatement and this track remains timeless. This steadily leads to the roaring War by the highly underated Edwin Starr. Offering (at the time) a controversial political statement this is quite possibly Edwin's greatest ever recording and certainly is his most famous and the landmark of his career. Surprisingly The Love You Save by the Jackson 5 is more dated in comparison to the rest of the albums offerings, though Michael Jacksons distinctley young squeaky voice still has undeniable appeal. The fabulous Temptations are featured on here with one of their most supeb recordings offering again social and political statements on the soulful Ball Of Confusion (Thats What The World Is Today). Lead singer Dennis Edwards rocketing voice is complimented by superb backing vocals from the rest of the group. Another of Motowns all-time great groups is The Four Tops where Levi Stubbs puts in a beautiful, moving performance on the sensual ballad, It's All In The Game. Stevie Wonder, who is nothing short of a genius, puts in a sensitive and touching performance on Heaven Help Us All, whilst Jimmy Ruffin was another of Motown's artist thats acheivements were highly underated. His performance on the classic It's Wonderful To Be Loved by You, is timeless! This leads to the triumphant Ain't No Mountain High Enough, by the fabulous Queen of Motown herself - Diana Ross. Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson wanted to capture Diana's sensual speaking voice on record and they do so highly effectivley on this Soul classic. Diana speaks through the verses, oozing sexual charisma and sensuality and the rhythm steadily builds to its rip-roaring, exalting climax. A timeless classic that shoto to the top of the U.S charts and became one of Motowns and indeed Diana's biggest sellers. The infectious musical arrangements on the classic Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours is complimented by a fantastically upbeat vocal performance from the magical Stevie Wonder, whilst Stoned Love by The Supremes (with the line up of Jean Terrell as lead vocalsit and Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong assuming backing duties) was quite possibly their greatest acheivement after Diana Ross left the group for a solo career. It gives hints of the Diana Ross led, Holland Dozier Holland era in the 1960's. One of the great geniuses of Soul music, Marvin Gaye is featured on the breathtakingly beautiful, Abraham, Martin & John where his soulful harmonies remain as exquisite as ever. There is another recording featured by the fantastic Four Tops on the timeless Stil Water (Love), whilst there is a classic cut featured by another of Motowns underated groups, Martha Reeves And The Vandellas with the catchy Forget Me Not, which has all the elements of that classic and distinct Motown sound. The sheer volume and power of Martha Reeves voice is masterful and deserved much better credit than it received at the time. Another infectious number is The Detroit Spinners, It's A Shame whilst The Jackson 5's I'll Be There falls a little on the schamltzy side though is still unforgetably beautiful whilst Jimmy Ruffin's mid tempo classic, I'll Say Forever My Love closes the album on a high.
All of these Motown classics have an undeniable timeless quality to them and shouldn't be ignored as milestones in musical history. From Diana Ross to Marvin Gaye, to The Four Tops and The The Temptations, theses are all quite clearly the definitive soul singers that have set standrs with todays new generation of artists. And the catchy hooks and striking musical arrangements of The Motown Sound is one that will never be captured again as they remain unique to this golden era. An essential compilation!

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