100 UNDERRATED MOTOWN SONGS FROM THE ARCHIVES YOU SHOULD HEAR: #90-81. Another 10 songs added next week.

Caffe` Latte` presents…

100 UNDERRATED TRACKS FROM THE

MOTOWN
ARCHIVES  

YOU GOTTA HEAR!

Each week, ten obscure or rare Motown recordings will be highlighted. You can hear the added songs on spotify. The playlist will be updated weekly.

https://open.spotify.com/user/alanrosscaffelatte

 

spotify:user:alanrosscaffelatte

90

HIP CITY Part 2

Junior Walker & The All Stars

Junior Walker & The All Stars stand out from the rest of the Motown stable. Their discs were grittier and infused with brilliant musicianship. "Hip City" was a 1968 chart entry with Parts 1 & 2 on the single's 2 sides. It was included on the group's album 'Home Cookin'".

89

BAD WEATHER

The Supremes

Stevie Wonder produced and co-wrote The Supremes' 1973 single "Bad Weather". This was the trio's last chart single with Jean Terrell. She quit the group shortly after, followed by Linda Laurence. The latter left to raise a family.

88

COME TO ME

Marv Johnson

Notable for being the 1st Motown release, "Come To Me" was distributed nationally on the United Artists label. Issued in 1959, Marv Johnson co-wrote the song with Berry Gordy Jr., who also handled production. This disc ushered Motown onto the national singles chart (through subsidiary label Tamla).

87

BLAME IT ON THE SUN

Stevie Wonder

"Blame It On The Sun" was a ballad included on Wonder's 1972 album 'Talking Book'. He co-wrote the song with Syreeta Wright. Diana Ross covered it for her 1991 release 'The Force Behind The Power'.  

86

SWEET THING

The Spinners

The Spinners languished in oblivion for most of the group's time at Motown. "Sweet Thing" was issued in 1964 and failed to chart. They enjoyed a string of hits once they signed with Atlantic Records.

85

HARMOUR LOVE

Syreeta Wright

Included on Syreeta Wright's 3rd studio album 'One To One', "Harmour Love" was written and produced by her ex-husband Stevie Wonder. The 1975 single fared better in Britain than in the U.S.

84

SOMETHING ON MY MIND

Diana Ross

A track from Diana Ross' 1970 solo debut LP, "Something On My Mind" was penned by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson.

83

FLOWER CHILD

David Ruffin

David Ruffin dropped his solo debut album in 1969. The former member of the Temptations' 'My Whole World Ended' reached #1 on the R&B Albums chart. "Flower Child" was a highlight track co-written by Johnny Bristol.

82

aCTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

Mable John

Blues singer Mable John was one of the first artists to sign with Motown's Tamla label. The 1961 single "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" was composed & produced by Berry Gordy Jr.

81

FUNCTION AT THE JUNCTION

Shorty Long

Shorty Long's recorded output was unlike the lush and polished pop of his label mates such as the Supremes and The Temptations. The singer wrote "Function At the Junction" with Eddie Holland. Lamont Dozier produced the cut with Brian Holland. On paper, this augured well for Long. The single struggled when it was released in 1966. Long's biggest hit was "Here Comes The Judge" which made #8 Pop  and 4 R&B 2 years later.