Customer Reviews

The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 5: 1965

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Well, if you're reading this, you're likely already a soul aficionado. You probably own a good dozen Motown records, but you're looking to dig deeper. If you want to hit the vein right when the label was really hitting its' stride, 1965 is a great place to start. If you pick up this set you'll end up with:

- The equivalent of a Brenda Holloway album

- Some kooky instrumentals from Earl Van Dyke and the Soul Brothers

- much of the best Four Tops singles ("Ask The Lonely", "I Can't Help Myself", "It's The Same Old Song"....)

- 8 kickass instrumentals from Jr. Walker and The Allstars

- An amazing Kim Weston track, "A Thrill A Moment"

- "Nowhere To Run" by Martha & The Vandellas - one of the best Vietnam-era tracks, ever

- Marvin Gaye, just as he was finding his footing ("Ain't That Peculiar

, "I'll Be Doggone")

- The same deal with Stevie Wonder ("Uptight", "High Heel Sneakers")

- The equivalent of an entire Supremes album chock full of great tracks ("Stop! In The Name of Love" is only the beginning here...)

- Some formative Temptations tunes

- Some sort of out-of-place crooning by a 51-year-old Billy Eckstine (not bad, just a little strange for this set)

I think that the 1966 set is a little more rockin', but this set is rock-solid, and if you wanted to know what the car radio sounded like in 1965, this is the set to check out.

The Complete Motown Singles is a highly ambitious series of box sets that aims to archive each and every single released on Berry Gordy's group of labels. From its humble origins in 1959, unlike other label-themed box sets such as the Stax-Volt collection, it does not limit itself to mostly A-sides, but includes all B-sides too. In fact, it goes the extra mile by also including every promo mixes and variant pressing. There are also some singles that didn't get released, and some novelty discs of interviews and so forth. Volume 1 covered the years from 1959 to 1961, but from 1962 through the rest of the sixties each set covers a single year, using varying number of discs that increased as the labels became more prolific.

I could have chosen any of the Volumes for review, but from a British perspective, 1965 is the year to go for because it was when the Tamla Motown label was launched here via EMI. There had been hits the year before for the Supremes, Mary Wells and Martha and the Vandellas, all on the Stateside label, but no context for them beyond the fact that they came from the other side of the Atlantic, no sense that they were connected. Tamla Motown's appearance meant that far more of the American releases got an airing here and for the first time it had its own identity. It was in March 1965 also that the Motown Revue came to England to tour and recorded an hour-long TV special for Ready Steady Go! For many people this was their first exposure to a new phenomenon. 1965 became the year that Motown both entered the mainstream in the US, battling racial barriers along the way, and went global.

In its infancy, Motown had not yet found its hallmark sound and mingling among the earthy R&B it did so well could be found country, jazz, balladeers, novelty pop and all-sorts, now best forgotten. Although by 1965 it had very much found its stride, it is surprising to discover that it was still releasing singles in all these genres and more: folk-rock, rockabilly, British invasion style pop, even a French ballad singer called Richard Anthony, who I remember but had no idea was linked to Motown. These were usually on smaller subsidiary labels, and very much cut into the flow of these CDs, especially since they are, by and large, terrible. I'm glad they are there, they are after all a part of the story, but am thankful for Program Play. Most of the rest, however, is classic Motown in its heyday, with a notable shortage of clunkers.

Motown was an in-house operation, based on the model of Detroit's car industry, with its own artist roster, writers, arrangers, producers and engineers, and with most personnel having more than one role. Smokey Robinson for example was not only Berry Gordy's right hand man, he was also lead singer for the Miracles, songwriter and producer for a number of Motown acts.

Motown also had its own publishing (Jobete), its own studio and, most importantly, its legendary house band. At the time their identities were jealously guarded but we now know that by 1965 their core members included bandleader and keyboard player Earl Van Dyke; guitarists Robert White, Eddie Willis, Joe Messina; Jack Ashford on vibes; the matchless James Jamerson on bass; and powerhouses Benny Benjamin, Pistol Allen or Uriel Jones on drums. In addition were loads of brass players and members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Between them they ran up thousands and thousands of studio hours at the magic snakepit in Hitsville Studio A, creating the phenomenal grooves that splatter this box set with unearthly goodness, and 1965 was a time when it was all working at its best.

The sixties was primarily a singles market, and major artists released far more singles in a year than is now the case. Consequently, if we bunch together all the tracks by, say, the Supremes, who were at their hottest, you get well over an album's worth of songs, and the same is true of the Four Tops, also mainly produced by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team, who were at the top of their game.

There are also numerous classic sides by established names like the Temptations, the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder and the Contours; and a few equally strong sides from aspiring and upcoming acts such as Junior Walker and the All Stars, Kim Weston, the Marvelettes and the Velvelettes.

Amongst those making their first appearance on the label in 1965 are Barbara McNair, an actress with a slightly jazzier singing style, who became Playboy's first black centre-fold in 1968; and Tammi Terrell, who was destined to shine brightly with Marvin Gaye before coming to a tragically premature end.

Berry Gordy was extending his reach into other parts of the states and developing artists and facilities in Los Angeles, and recording the local talent either in Detroit or at studios in Los Angeles, using the Wrecking Crew (the same team who can be found on Beach Boys records and Phil Spector productions), and so we find Frank Wilson, whose withdrawn single Do I Love You (Yes I Do) became the most sought after and valuable piece of Motown vinyl, the Vows, the Lewis Sisters and the underrated Brenda Holloway, whose singles When I'm Gone, Operator and You Can Cry On My Shoulder, all came out in 1965. She lived there and recorded mostly with Los Angeles based producers Hal Davis and Marc Gordon. The Supremes also added vocals to existing band tracks there while in the area. Jimmy Webb began his association with Motown at this time, submitting his songs to Jobete and having a couple recorded in Los Angeles for a single by Danny Day. California native Chris Clark, a six-foot blue-eyed platinum blonde likened to Dusty Springfield, also sprang up from the city. A few years later, of course, Berry Gordy was to move the whole operation to the city of angels, with mixed results to say the least.

One of the most interesting rarities on the set is the Supremes' track Things Are Changing, originally a promo for the Advertising Council's Public Service Announcement for Equal Employment Opportunities Campaign, promoting racial and ethnic equality in the workplace, and produced by Phil Spector. Motown had aped the Spector sound in the past, but this seems to be the closest involvement with the man himself. Two other versions of the song, one by the Blossoms and one by Jay and the Americans, using the same backing, were also released for the campaign at the same time.

This box set tells a story that "greatest hits" and "best of..." collections simply cannot, and the detailed booklet notes and illustrations amply demonstrate what a mighty phenomenon Motown was around the world at that time.

If, like me, you're interested in this six-disc collection as a slab of the classic Motown R&B sound, be forewarned that you'll probably not want to listen to a quarter of its tracks more than once. Thirty-nine of the 166 tracks are country tunes (Howard Crockett), jazz (Billy Eckstine), bad pop (Dalton Boys), novelties (Childrens' Christmas Song), instrumental covers (Earl van Dyke and the Soul Brothers), or just plain annoying (Little Lisa, The Lewis Sisters' "He's an Oddball"). If you're interested in this collection primarily as a historical artifact you won't mind the dross; otherwise, listen before you buy.

The tracks I never want to hear again:

111 - dee mullins - love makes the world go round but money greases the wheel

112 - dee mullins - come on back (and be my love again)

204 - the hillsiders - you only pass this way one time

205 - the hillsiders - rain is a lonesome thing

216 - howard crockett - all the good times are gone

217 - howard crockett - the great titanic

222 - jr. walker and the all stars - do the boomerang

226 - billy eckstine - down to earth

227 - billy eckstine - had you been around

303 - the lewis sisters - hes an oddball

308 - the supremes - supremes interview

313 - danny day - this time last summer

314 - danny day - please dont turn the lights out

315 - dorsey burnette - why break my heart (just to run around)

316 - dorsey burnette - theyre only words

323 - jr. walker and the all stars - shake and fingerpop

324 - jr. walker and the all stars - cleos back

415 - tony martin - the bigger your heart is (the harder youll fall)

416 - tony martin - the two of us

417 - richard anthony - i dont know what to do

418 - richard anthony - what now my love

419 - little lisa - hang on bill

420 - little lisa - puppet on a string

424 - the lewis sisters - you need me

425 - the lewis sisters - moonlight on the beach

428 - the supremes - things are changing

511 - earl van dyke and the soul brothers - i cant help myself (sugar pie honey bunch)

512 - earl van dyke and the soul brothers - how sweet it is (to be loved by you)

517 - the headliners - we call it fun

521 - the dalton boys - ive been cheated

522 - the dalton boys - take my hand

523 - the dalton boys - somethings bothering you

524 - r. dean taylor - lets go somewhere

601 - barbara mcnair - youre gonna love my baby

602 - barbara mcnair - the touch of time

603 - the supremes - childrens christmas song

604 - the supremes - twinkle twinkle little me

618 - tony martin - ask any man

619 - tony martin - spanish rose

This Vol. 5 box set features interesting facts about tracks & artists (including other working song titles & recording dates), singles scheduled for release, rare photos, and more. Here are just some worthy mentions:

* Not issued on The Elgins' Darling Baby LP, scheduled VIP 25007 single "Do You Know What I'm Talkin' About" prod by Norman Whitfield (1964); "You Say You Love Me" (1963).

* Richard "Popcorn" Wylie confirms no involvement in The Vows' remake of "Buttered Popcorn".

* Brenda Holloway's Tamla 54121 scheduled single. A) "You've Changed Me"; B) "Who's Loving You" prod by Holland & Dozier.

* Musical family: The Lewis Sisters, Little Lisa (later recorded as Leeza Miller).

* "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)" first given to Vandellas, Eddie Holland, and The Downbeats before Kim Weston's turn.

* 1st version of "Ain't That Peculiar" sounds more like a demo. Why would they press that version? "She's Got to Be Real" recorded in 1963.

* Another Holland & Dozier track produced for R.Dean Taylor.

* Chris Clark's "Don't Be Too Long" 1st recorded by Anita Knorl in 1962.

* "Put Yourself In My Place" & "Darling Baby" both first assigned to The Supremes.

This entire series is amazing. I believe it will be completed at the publication of the 12th volume, and each volume has 5 or 6 discs. I am up to Volume 9, and I can't really say there has yet been a single weak song. And I have now discovered so many awesome Motown songs I had never even heard before! This truly is a treasure trove. Yes, some songs are better than others, but all the music from this amazing dozen-year Motown era is great. The British Invasion may have brought over the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and many others, but our American Motown is of equal or better historic significance. This music is just so consistently CLASSY it defies words. Elegance just pours out from each disc here, it is unprecedented and will never be equaled in the future.

I've been surprised to learn that there are styles of music other than soul on the Motown label. There is some very good country music as well. These discs also have a smattering of interviews and some other holiday-type nonsense which are very fun to hear and which puts the entire era in context.

The packaging for the entire series is the best I've ever seen. It is a little hard to hold the book open so you can pull out or put in the discs, but this is a minor struggle and it is well worth it. The discs are held tightly in place and are well protected, and the historical information about any particular song is readily accessible. The 45 disc which slots into the front cover is really an innovative and clever flourish, and it gives the volume's book a really nice upgrade.

Okay, here is the bummer, and it is a major one. If you are like me, you are going to want the entire series if you buy even a single volume. You will buy the first volume and you will immediately realize that it is a worthwhile investment to obtain the entire series. And who really wants to own only part of a series of anything? The cost of even one volume here is enough that you'll probably want the entire collection. Well, as I write this, in January of 2009, volume 6 is no longer available. Gone. Completely gone, except for some guy trying to sell copies for $2000 as an Amazon-affiliated seller. As good as this music is, I'm not going to spend $2000 on a single volume. Yes, I've searched eBay relentlessly for months, with no luck at all. Yes, I've searched the virtual catacombs of international online sellers, with no luck at all.

So, I'm already over a thousand bucks into this series and yet my collection is missing one of the best volumes (it covers 1966 when a lot of the talent was at their crescendos). I've twice emailed Hip-O Select Records, the publisher, and not heard a word back. I've called their customer service, and they were clueless and indifferent. The girl who answered the phone for them did not know a thing about the series. Basically what has happened, by proclaiming this as a "Limited Edition," is that they have created an inducement for various sellers to hoard the best volumes and then to gouge Motown fans later when the inventory held by legitimate sellers is gone. They then jack the price up into the stratosphere.

So, one can only hope that Hip-O Select does another run of these amazing Motown volumes. If you are a Motown fan, you will be astonished when you hear all the incredible treasures which this series contains.

1965. Motown at the top of the musical mountain. 167 songs on 6 discs. You've heard about these phenomenal sets , take the plunge. If you appreciate what Motown did , you won't be disappointed. You will have every single from a premier year-1965. Just be prepared to be smitten and spellbound !

This set shows what that little R&B company in Detroit was doing from the time it was founded in 1959 right up to 1965. All the changes at the record company led to many innovations, and the the first one is the fact that the Holland-Dozier-Holland hit writing machine were churning out hits for the Four Tops, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and of course, the Supremes.

Another innovation is that Stevie Wonder's voice had finally changed (for the better). It was no longer the kiddie voice with the high pitch, or the horrible voice he had to endure for a year because of puberty, but the beginnings of his classic and mature tenor voice. His classic hit, "Uptight (Everything's Alright)," used his new voice to great effect. We would hear more from Mr. Wonder as the years go by, but that's for another day.

All the classic hits are here, of course, and even some odd filler that isn't so bad compared to the crap that's on radio nowadays.

This set I would highly recommended to buy for download.