Collection [Extra tracks, Import]

Barrett Strong | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 22, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: Universal UK
• ASIN: B0000TZ7T0
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,621 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Money (That's What I Want)

2. Oh I Apologize

3. Yes No Maybe So

4. You Knows What To Do

5. I'm Gonna Cry (If You Quit Me)

6. Whirlwind

7. Money And Me

8. You Got What It Takes

9. Two Wrongs Dont Make A Right

10. Misery

11. Let's Rock

12. Do The Very Best You Can

13. Tell All Your Friends

14. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

15. Believe It Or Not

16. Who's Taken My Place

17. I'll Make It Up To You

18. Sugar Daddy

19. That's All You Need

20. Youre Too Young

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

2004 compilation for the Motown singer/composer features 22 tracks, best known for his 1960 hit 'Money (That's What I Want)' which is included here. Spectrum.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As Thorough As They Get, March 29, 2011

By 

AvidOldiesCollector (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collection (Audio CD)

Barrett Strong (born in West Point, Mississippi on February 5, 1941) is often listed among the One-Hit Wonders of music for his Money (That's What I Want) in early 1960, and I suppose for some who only look upon Top 40 Pop hits as the signpost for a "hit" that's true. But he did have two other R&B charters which came along much later and so, for those of us who look upon a hit as anything that made the main Billboard charts, he avoids the tag.

As for Money, it got its start in 1959 in Berry Gordy's studio when he and his songwriting partner, Janie Bradford, were fleshing out a tune they had written which had used What'd I Say by Ray Charles as inspiration. As the usual studio kibitzing went on, and in response to Berry's query as to what they should name it, Janie yelled back "Money .. that's what I want." After some laughter and the tossing back and forth of appropriate lines, the song was finished and Barrett Strong chosen to cut the side.

He had already recorded the non-hit Let's Rock b/w Do The Very Best You Can on Tamla 54022 back in April and even though he wasn't Gordy's first choice to do Money, he happened to be available and so, after many, many takes, it was pressed onto Tamla 54027 b/w Oh I Apologize. But because Strong was, by then, technically under contract to Gwen and Anna Gordy, Berry's sisters, it was released for distribution as Anna 1111. The result was more than they dared hope as it rose to # 2 R&B and # 23 Pop in early 1960.

But after that, it was clear that the song had been the catalyst - not the singer, and when Yes, No, Maybe So b/w You Know What To Do came out shortly thereafter on Anna 1116 it went nowhere (it was also assigned Tamla 54029). Subsequent releases on Tamla also failed to make any charts: I'm Gonna Cry (If You Quit Me) b/w Whirlwind (Tamla 54033 in August 1960); You Got What It Takes b/w Money And Me (Tamla 54035 in February 1961) and Misery b/w Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right (Tamla 54043 in June 1961).

But that wasn't the end of his story. After meeting Norman Whitfield, a producer, they collaborated on writing some of the most memorable tunes to ever come out of Motown, including what many consider to be the greatest R&R song of all time, I Heard It Through The Grapevine, along with Smiling Faces Sometimes, Cloud Nine, War, I Can't Get Next To You, Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today), Psychedelic Shack, Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Just My Imagination (Running Away From Me), and many others - too numerous to mention. Suffice it to say, he was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame in 2004.

Nor was he quite finished performing as a recording artist. Once Motown changed locations from Michigan to California, he attempted to re-start his own singing career by signing with Epic, turning out Stand Up And Cheer For The Preacher on Epic 11011 (b/w an instrumental version), which finished at # 78 R&B in late summer 1973. Two years later he did Is It True? for Capitol which, b/w Anywhere on Capitol 4052, topped out at # 41 R&B in May 1975. In 1981 he cut Rock It Easy b/w Love Will Make It Alright for Phase II Records. All to no avail. Clearly his forte was writing.

When it comes to his own performances, this U.K. release gives you everything you need and then some, including previously unreleased sides, excellent sound and some informative liner notes. Certainly a better value than the 20th Century Masters Millennium volume.