Category Archives: motown weekends

by

Song of the Day #346: ‘I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)’ – Four Tops

fourtopsIt’s a truly sad fact that when I get to the chorus of this wonderful song, the lyrics that run through my mind are these: “I can’t help myself…. it’s Duncan Hines and nobody else!”

I guess there aren’t enough talented jingle writers out there for companies to pay for original tunes to sell their products. So instead they pony up the cash for classic songs, and all the memories and associations they carry, and co-opt them to peddle underwear and cake mix. Capitalism at its worse… when everything is for sale, is nothing sacred?

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #345: ‘Please Mr. Postman’ – The Marvelettes

marvelLike a lot of people, I’m sure, my first exposure to ‘Please Mr. Postman’ was through The Beatles’ excellent cover version on their 1963 album With the Beatles. It’s one of John Lennon’s best early vocal performances (check it out here).

In fact, I couldn’t have told you that a group called The Marvelettes performed the original version of this song — not before I found it on a Web site just the other day. And I certainly didn’t know that The Marvelettes’ ‘Please Mr. Postman,’ released in 1961, was the very first #1 hit for Motown Records in the U.S.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #339: ‘Baby Love’ – The Supremes

babyloveOne thing these Songs of the Day have made crystal clear to me over the past year is that my CD collection is woefully incomplete. This is my 10th Motown song since I started the Motown Weekends and I don’t own any of them. These are some of the best songs ever recorded and they haven’t found a spot on my shelf.

In large part, that’s because many of these songs were released in the days when the attention was on singles rather than albums. So averse as I am to greatest hits collections and other compilations, it’s tough to get all the good stuff without spending a fortune. But it’s probably high time I just got over that hangup and spent some time on iTunes assembling a kickass Motown playlist.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #338: ‘ABC’ – The Jackson 5

michaelWhile the news of Michael Jackson’s death was certainly surprising, it didn’t have a very strong emotional impact on me. That’s not to diminish his contribution to both music and pop culture (or his equally significant bridging of the racial divide in both). On the contrary, I hold his talent in the highest regard and my childhood is wrapped up in memories of ‘Thriller,’ ‘Beat It’ and ‘Billy Jean.’

I even saw him in concert on the Victory tour in 1984, sitting in the nosebleed seats at the Orange Bowl, my view obstructed by a metal pole. I don’t remember the show but I remember the experience.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #332: ‘What’s Going On’ – Marvin Gaye

marvingayeOne of my musical pet peeves is songs about current events, particularly protest songs. Even worse are songs that name-drop political figures.

A classic example, in an otherwise good song, is this verse from Sting’s ‘They Dance Alone’:

Hey Mr. Pinochet
You’ve sown a bitter crop
It’s foreign money that supports you
One day the money’s going to stop

Hey Sting… spare me.

Continue reading →