Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
Classic rock, pop, and soul songs from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
You can’t look at the hit songs of 1971 without including that Motown classic, the groundbreaking “What’s Going On” by the legendary Marvin Gaye. “What’s Going On” was the lead track from Mr. Gaye’s 1971 album of the same name; released as a single in January of 1971, it hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Cash…
Today’s classic Motown song of the day is “Bernadette” by the Four Tops. It was released in February of 1967 and peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. “Bernadette” was a ground-breaking tune, especially for bass players. Motown legend James Jamerson played bass and showed all the other players out there…
Today’s classic soul song of the day is “It’s a Shame” by the Spinners. It was their last recording for Motown’s V.I.P. subsidiary and their only Motown hit before they moved over to Atlantic Records and had a bevy of hits there, including “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love?,” “One of a Kind (Love Affair),” “Mighty…
This is the last day of Motown week here at the classic song of the day blog, and our final classic Motown song of the day is “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” a song great enough to be a hit for two different Motown artists within the span of three years. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” was first released by…
Today’s classic Motown song of the day comes from one of Motown’s top composers and performers. It’s “The Tears of a Clown” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. This one was initially released on the Miracles’ 1967 album, Make It Happen, but not released as a single. Motown released it as a single in England in 1970, where it rose…
Today’s classic Motown song of the day is my favorite Motown tune, period, and I know it’s probably one of yours, too. I’m talking about “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” sung by the inimitable Levi Stubbs and the Four Tops. Released in April of 1965, this tune topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and Billboard’s…
Today’s classic Motown song of the day is perhaps the most well-known and most fondly remembered of them all, “My Girl” by the Temptations. Released on Motown’s Gordy label in late December of 1964, it rose all the way to #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles charts. “My Girl” was arguably the biggest…
Today’s classic Motown song of the day comes from the label’s most successful act, the Supremes. “You Can’t Hurry Love” was released in July of 1966 and went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for two weeks. It was their seventh #1 hit to that point, with more to come. “You Can’t Hurry…
Today’s classic Motown song of the day is “Heat Wave,” which was a hit twice—for Martha and the Vandellas in 1963 and a little over a decade later for Linda Ronstadt. We’ll focus on the original version first, since this is Motown week at the Classic Song of the Day blog. Martha and the Vandellas recorded “Heat Wave” on June…