ALL THE MOTOWN #1s RANKED (#60-56). Continues in 2 days.

Caffè Lattè pays tribute to the 141 songs on Tamla Motown and its subsidiary labels that reached #1 on the U.S. Pop / Soul charts, ranked in order of impact and influence. Each song’s year of chart peak; weeks spent at the top & writer(s) is included.

All the MOTOWN

No. 1 SINGLES

Hear the songs as the countdown continues on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/26CwsmyHenDGwqbVozUPxz?si=def5399e3bfc472f

*60

LOVE HANGOVER

Diana Ross

[1976] Soul 1 / Pop 2

Pam Sawyer; Marilyn McLeod

Another gem from Tamla Motown co-written by Sawyer. This hit saw Motown finally surrender to the undeniable popularity of disco. Ross approached the recording session with as much hesitation as her label and the musicians gathered in the studio. Berry Gordy Jr. felt the song was right for Ross. His instincts were correct. Ross took off her shoes and with some help from vodka, proceeded to cut the track. As the single climbed the charts, Motown scored its first disco-tinged smash. More would follow.

*59

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I’M YOURS

Stevie Wonder

[1970] Soul 6

Stevie Wonder; Lee Garrett; Syreeta Wright; Lula Mae Hardaway

As the 1960s gave way to the new decade, Wonder was maturing. This was the first of his #1s produced by him. The hit was co-written with Garrett (a singer he met while at the Michigan School for the Blind), his future wife Wright and mother Hardaway. Little Stevie Wonder had grown up. His 1970s output would see him reach new commercial and critical highs.

*58

GET READY

The Temptations

[1966] Soul 1

William “Smokey” Robinson

Until this hit, lead vocal duties on the group’s hits were handled by various group members. “Get Ready” gave that role to Eddie Kendricks. The most recent A-side he had sung lead on was the #11 hit “Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)” back in 1964.The new song would be one of his final Temptations singles in that role. Its follow-up single would see David Ruffin dominate the spotlight.

*57

YOU’VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME

The Miracles

[1963] Soul 1

William “Smokey” Robinson

Two years after the group’s first chart-topping single, The Miracles returned to #1 with this hit. At the time, Robinson was the leading songwriter at the label. He was creating hits for acts such as Mary Wells, The Temptations and Marvin Gaye as well as The Miracles. In 1963, The Beatles covered the song on their sophomore UK album.

*56

I WISH

Stevie Wonder

[1977] Soul 5 / Pop 1

Stevie Wonder

A 1976 Motown picnic inspired Wonder to pen this infectious hit. “I Wish” was one of the final tracks completed for his ‘Songs In The Key Of Life’ album. In 1974, Wonder collected the Album of the Year Grammy for ‘Innervisions’. He was victorious in the same category the following year for ‘Fulfillingness’ First Finale’. With no new LP out in 1976, Paul Simon won. The 1977 Grammy was awarded to ‘Songs In The Key Of Life’.