Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1972-1992 [Box set, Original recording remastered]

Va-Hitsville Usa | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 27, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Motown
• ASIN: B00004U04R
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,835 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #91 in Music > R&B > New Jack

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Got to Be There

2. Floy Joy

3. A Simple Game

4. Walk in the Night

5. Ben

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Quiet Storm

2. Love Hangover

3. I Want You

4. Don't Leave Me This Way

5. Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Upside Down

2. Give It to Me Baby

3. One Day in Your Life

4. Square Biz

5. Lady (You Bring Me Up)

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Part-Time Lover

2. Who's Johnny

3. Lady Soul

4. Nail It to the Wall

5. Talk to Me

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not as many "hits", but filled with great recordings, May 16, 2003

By 

James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1972-1992 (Audio CD)

The first box set dealt with Motown's Golden Era (1959 - 1971) when they were a hit factory in Detroit. This set captures highlights from the next 20 years, after Motown had relocated in Los Angeles and the hits weren't so automatic. Because of the large number of great recordings found here that aren't readily available elsewhere, this set for me - a Motown collector - was far more enjoyable.

Disc one covers 1972 - 1975 and includes The Four Tops' dramatic "A Simple Game" (written and produced by members of the Moody Blues). A huge hit in England, it undeservedly stiffed here, and wasn't available on disc until this set (it is now also available domestically on the Four Tops box set FOUREVER). There's also the irresistible Valerie Simpson solo gem "Silly, Wasn't I" and the nostalgic "Shoe Shoe Shine" by the flamboyant Dynamic Superiors (try finding any of the Superiors' recordings on disc elsewhere!) Another rarity is G.C. Cameron's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" - a far superior recording to the Boyz II Men hit remake.

Disc two captures recordings from 1976 - 1979. High Inergy's only real hit, the classy "You Can't Turn Me Off," clearly shows that these gals were underappreciated and underutilized. Sassy Bonnie Pointer - represented here by her only top ten hit "Heaven Must Have Sent You" - and fiery Thelma Houston - with her Grammy winning "Don't Leave Me This Way" - also deserved more success. The disc belongs to Smokey Robinson, though, with his lush hits "Quiet Storm," "Crusin'," and "Being With You."

Disc three tackles 1980 through 1985. Lionel Richie and Rick James' prominence at Motown at the time is apparent with their hefty appearances as artists and producers on this disc. My favorites include a latterday Motown effort by Michael Jackson ("One Day In Your Life" - perhaps the most touching recording he ever made), and the only real solo hit for former Temptations' lead singer Dennis Edwards' (the reggae tinged "Don't Look Any Further"). There's lots of fun dance stuff here too: Dazz Band's "Let It Whip," DeBarge's "Rhythm Of The Night," and Miss Ross' "Upside Down."

Disc Four, spanning 1985 - 1992, shows Motown in transition. Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and Smokey Robinson (the last of the artists from the Glory days) lead off the disc with some strong efforts, but by track eight the baton has been passed to youngsters like Johnny Gill and Boyz II Men. With a completely different sound and approach (and demographic) on the latter tracks, the set should have probably ended in 1987 with the Smokey hits (also leaving off the noisy Stacy Lattishaw piece of poop "Nail It To The Wall").

Motown is now just a name. Berry Gordy sold the label long ago, which conglomerate Universal Music now oversees. Since they and the other number crunchers who run the music industry today will never allow such joyous music to be created ever again, it is important to appreciate the magic found here.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic collection, December 8, 2000

By 

G. Sawaged - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1972-1992 (Audio CD)

This is a terrific set of some of the best songs from Motown from 1972 to 1992. Not only are the songs great, but the book (68 pages) that comes with it is very informative. Each artist has at least half a page devoted to them, with photos and an essay, and in most cases its a page or even two. There are even track-by-track annotations of the songs. What is also nice is that it is not just the well known artists that are featured, but also the lesser known ones that had the odd hit or two. It's a fantastic follow-up to the previous Hitsville collection, and highly recommended to anyone who loves the Motown sound.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Motown update, November 28, 2001

By 

M. Hew (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1972-1992 (Audio CD)

This box set seeks to recapture the magic of the first motown box set and while it delivers great music, it doesn't quite live up to its predecesor. The first box defined a time. Motown was called "the sound of young america" and that can be heard in the music. Joyful, questioning, urgent, fun, pleading. That was the 60's and that was the first box set. The second set suffers from the fact that Motown was not as big a music force in the 70's. The music does not have the vitality of the earlier decade. That being said, it does contain some marvelous music. The first 2 discs especially. Motown lives on in this box, just not as robustly as it did in the earlier one. I would recommend it, but I don't think it will occupy as much of your time as the first box set. It's note worthy for some of the one hit wonders that were included (like berry Gordy's own son who went under the moniker "rockwell"). Fun but not memorable collection.