5-CD set brings acclaimed series to an end, with 100 classic & rare tracks. The Complete Motown Singles, an acclaimed, multi-disc series covering the companys wide-ranging and massively successful output from 1959-1972, comes to its conclusion with the release of Volume 12B, a 5-disc set of the companys output from the last half of 1972.
This final volume is another stunning release, with 100 remastered tracks, several of them rare and unreleased, along with a 130-page booklet that tells the story of Motown finding a path from its original Hitsville headquarters to the sun and surf of Los Angeles.
Theres the MoWest label, and its fits and starts; the Temptations, remaining in Detroit and hitting No. 1 again, with Papa Was A Rollin Stone; the maturation of Stevie Wonder, who begins an unstoppable run with Superstition; and with Good Morning Heartache, Trouble Man and Ben, respectively, Motown emerges with Diana Ross, movie star, Marvin Gaye, movie score composer, and Michael Jackson, solo act with a No. 1 movie theme. There are brief hellos to such diverse artists as Puzzle, Wolfe, Martin & Finley, Odyssey and 1960s pop icon Lesley Gore. Jermaine Jackson debuts as another solo act from the Jackson 5.
There are also rare tracks from: Valerie Simpson, whose unreleased single version of Genius features an alternate vocal from the LP release; G.C. Cameron & Willie Hutch, whose scheduled duet version of Come Get This Thang went unissued until Camerons album release two years later, but without Hutchs voice; Marvin Gaye, whose poignant Christmas single sat on a shelf for 20 years; and Funk Brothers bassist Bob Bobbitt, whose funky Soul label single Gospel Truth was cancelled.
With Volume 12B there are also bittersweet goodbyes to the Four Tops, who end their Motown reign with the top 10 R&B hit (It's The Way) Nature Planned It; Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, who release I Can't Stand To See You Cry before continuing as two separate acts; and Gladys Knight & the Pips, who end this series appropriately: Neither One of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye).
As always, there's more in this final volume: our standard album style packaging features a reproduction of the original Gordy single Papa Was A Rollin Stone, a Grammy winner for the Temptations and the songs arranger Paul Riser.
The book includes two essays and nostalgic and emotional reminiscence by original Four Top Abdul Duke Fakir, and part two of the Detroit-to-L.A. overview by Susan Whitall, a longtime writer for The Detroit News.
There are dozens of rare photos, and the detailed track-by-track annotations by Grammy-nominated Bill Dahl and co-producers Keith Hughes and Harry Weinger. The latter gentlemen also contribute series postscripts that offer back stories of the Motown tape vault, session logs and tape cards, bringing to light the historical touchstones that have contributed to a new understanding of the Motown experience.
Its a fitting farewell to The Complete Motown Singles series.
Disc 71 (Vol. 12B/Disc 1) | |
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1. Your Wonderful Sweet Sweet Love – The Supremes | |
2. The Wisdom Of Time – The Supremes | |
3. Green Grow The Lilacs – The Festivals | |
4. So In Love – The Festivals | |
5. Green Grow The Lilacs [stereo promo version] – The Festivals | |
6. What Is Black – Billy Proctor | |
7. I Can Take It All – Billy Proctor | |
8. What Is Black [stereo promo version] – Billy Proctor | |
9. Ben – Michael Jackson | |
10. You Can Cry On My Shoulder – Michael Jackson | |
11. That’s How Love Goes – Jermaine Jackson | |
12. I Lost My Love In The Big City – Jermaine Jackson | |
13. Duck You Sucker – Jerry Ross Symposium | |
14. It Happened On A Sunday Morning – Jerry Ross Symposium | |
15. (It’s The Way) Nature Planned It – Four Tops | |
16. I’ll Never Change – Four Tops | |
17. Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love – Odyssey | |
18. Broken Road – Odyssey | |
19. The Night – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons | |
20. Sun Country – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons | |
21. Daddy Could Swear, I Declare – Gladys Knight & The Pips | |
22. Can’t Give It Up No More – Gladys Knight & The Pips | |
Disc 72 (Vol. 12B/Disc 2) | |
1. Keep On Running – Stevie Wonder | |
2. Evil – Stevie Wonder | |
3. The Morning After – Michelle Aller | |
4. Spend Some Time Together – Michelle Aller | |
5. Just Not Gonna Make It – Michelle Aller | |
6. Walk On, Don’t Look Back – Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons | |
7. Who Is The Leader Of The People – Edwin Starr | |
8. Don’t Tell Me I’m Crazy – Edwin Starr | |
9. Who Is The Leader Of The People [stereo promo version] – Edwin Starr | |
10. Gospel Truth – Bob Babbitt | |
11. Running Like A Rabbit – Bob Babbitt | |
12. If You Let Me – Eddie Kendricks | |
13. Just Memories – Eddie Kendricks | |
14. I Guess I’ll Miss The Man – The Supremes | |
15. Over And Over – The Supremes | |
16. The Good Things (Where Was I When Love Came By) – The Naturals | |
17. Me And My Brother – The Naturals | |
18. The Good Things (Where Was I When Love Came By) [stereo promo version] – Naturals | |
19. I Love Every Little Thing About You – Syreeta | |
20. Black Maybe – Syreeta | |
20. Black Maybe – Syreeta | |
Disc 73 (Vol. 12B/Disc 3) | |
1. Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone (Vocal) – The Temptations | |
2. Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone (Instrumental) – The Temptations | |
3. Corner Of The Sky – The Jackson 5 | |
4. To Know – The Jackson 5 | |
5. Good Time Sally – Rare Earth | |
6. Love Shines Down – Rare Earth | |
7. Genius – Valerie Simpson | |
8. Silly Wasn’t I – Valerie Simpson | |
9. I Believe I’m Gonna Take This Ride – Valerie Simpson | |
10. What If – Thelma Houston | |
11. There Is A God – Thelma Houston | |
12. Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don’t Say No) – The Undisputed Truth | |
13. Girl You’re Alright – The Undisputed Truth | |
14. With A Little Help From My Friends – The Undisputed Truth | |
15. Girl You’re Alright [stereo promo version] – The Undisputed Truth | |
16. She Said That – Lesley Gore | |
17. The Road I Walk – Lesley Gore | |
18. Spanish Harlem – The Crusaders | |
19. Papa Hooper’s Barrelhouse Groove – The Crusaders | |
Disc 74 (Vol. 12B/Disc 4) | |
1. Superstition – Stevie Wonder | |
2. You’ve Got It Bad Girl – Stevie Wonder | |
3. You’ve Got My Mind – Sisters Love | |
4. Try It You’ll Like It – Sisters Love | |
5. Songwriter – Repairs | |
6. Fiddler – Repairs | |
7. Average People – Bobby Darin | |
8. Something In Her Love – Bobby Darin | |
9. Since I Met You There’s No Magic – Celebration | |
10. The Circle Again – Celebration | |
11. Come Get This Thang – G.C. Cameron & Willie Hutch | |
12. My Woman – G.C. Cameron & Willie Hutch | |
13. Daddy’s Home – Jermaine Jackson | |
14. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) – Jermaine Jackson | |
15. I Can’t Stand To See You Cry – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | |
16. With Your Love Came – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | |
17. I Can’t Stand To See You Cry [stereo promo version] – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | |
18. Happy (Love Theme From “Lady Sings The Blues”) – Bobby Darin | |
Disc 75 (Vol. 12B/Disc 5) | |
1. Trouble Man – Marvin Gaye | |
2. Don’t Mess With Mr. T – Marvin Gaye | |
3. Robot Man – Jay & The Techniques | |
4. I’ll Be Here – Jay & The Techniques | |
5. Long Life And Success To The Farmer - Martin & Finley | |
6. Half Crazed – Martin & Finley | |
7. Take It Out On Me – Jerry Ross Symposium | |
8. It’s The Same Old Love – Jerry Ross Symposium | |
9. Love Ain’t Love (Till You Give It To Somebody) – The Courtships | |
10. Oops, It Just Slipped Out – The Courtships | |
11. We’re Gonna Have A Good Time – Rare Earth | |
12. Would You Like To Come Along – Rare Earth | |
13. Ballad Of The Unloved – Wolfe | |
14. Tale Of Two Cities – Wolfe | |
15. It’s Not The Last Time – Puzzle | |
16. On With The Show – Puzzle | |
17. Good Morning Heartache – Diana Ross | |
18. God Bless The Child – Diana Ross | |
19. I Want To Come Home For Christmas – Marvin Gaye | |
20. Christmas In The City – Marvin Gaye | |
21. Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) – Gladys Knight & The Pips |