Customer Reviews

Motown 40 Forever

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're looking for a general overview of Motown's glory days, you are better off with the 1994 boxed set Hitsville U.S.A. than you are with this. Sure it costs more but it's almost all wheat and no chaff.

It's not that the material on this set is bad. You can't go wrong with "What Becomes of the Brokenheated", "War", "My Girl" and on and on. But the collection focuses too much on the label's post 1971 stuff; almost half the collection. There's nothing wrong with "SuperFreak" or the vastly underrated "Somebody's Watching Me" but the vision of Motown is communicated better by the 60's tracks. An act like Boys II Men, recorded after Berry Gordy sold the label, has really nothing to do with the original Motown artists except the actual label on the record.

The modern songs can be easily obtained on a variety of compilations, so they don't make this an essential buy. So, save up and buy the boxed set and give the 60's Motown the in depth attention it deserves.

"The Motown Sound" evolved from a product to a corporate symbol to representing a history and lifestyle, as much so in its own way as the Playboy bunny or Disney's Mickey Mouse. Motown Records celebrated its 40th birthday much as did the baby-boomer generation that built and reveres it; with half-shares dignity and defiance, welcoming the reverence of accomplishment while denying the effects of age.

"Motown 40 Forever" charts the label transition from trailblazer to follower. The music, even to the most devoted fan, becomes more faceless as you listen. "It's what's in the groves that count" was a Motown slogan, never more obvious than moving from the historic Four Tops, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Supremes and Stevie Wonder hits to producer-driven one-shots on Disc Two.

The album has its misfires. Diana Ross' "When You Say That You Love Me" is a bombastic, worthless ballad; rapper/producer/icon Puff Daddy (praised as a cultural successor to Berry Gordy in the liner notes) mixes the Jackson Five's "I Want You Back" into an awkward rap/jazz/whatever medley. Nonetheless, the essential music on "Motown 40 Forever" is the 60s-into-70s singles that are its legacy. Those that are here are essential, but are found in better company on other collections.

Hitsville USA is a far better compilation than this

Besides all the great "popular" songs on this CD,you can find the 80'S hit "Somebody's Watching Me" - by Rockwell, an artist who sounds much like Michael Jackson. It also has the Puffy remix of The Jackson Five.

I'm not very familiar with the Motown sound, but listening to this CD really made me a fan! I loved "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and cuts by Diana Ross, Barry White, Marvin Gaye and the Supremes. A must get if you want to know about the role of soul! (in music).

It had the music of my parents and the music of my generation. It is an historic CD and is well worth listening to many times over and makes an excellent gift to music lovers and collectors.

Motown 40 collects some of Motown's greatest hits in honor of the label's 40th anniversary. The brainchild of Berry Gordy, Motown was originally christened Tamla Records in 1959. The first two tracks, Please Mr. Postman by the Marvelettes and Shop Around by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, were both early #1 hits, and the string of memorable hits continues with Heat Wave (in my opinion, the best Motown song ever), My Guy, Sugar Pie Honey Bunch, ABC, Stop! In the Name of Love, Someday We'll Be Together, Ma Cherie Amour, Tears of a Clown, What's Going On, and Dancing In the Street.

Motown's powerhouse songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland left the label in 1967 over royalty disputes and the label relocated from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1972. The hits tapered off, although they still owned several successful groups like the Commodores, Lionel Richie, Rick James, Teena Marie, Boyz II Men and DeBarge. The second disc of Motown 40 reflects this transitional period; I found it to be more inconsistent, and these songs haven't aged as well as those on the first disc. I loved the inclusion of Diana Ross's gay anthem I'm Coming Out (supposedly inspired when the song's author encountered a Diana Ross impersonator in a men's restroom), Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On, and Jermaine Jackson's Let's Get Serious. I would have preferred to see DeBarge's Rhythm of the Night. I liked the inclusion of Rockwell's Someone Is Watching Me; (with a cameo by Michael Jackson) it brought back memories of watching the Disney TV cartoon music video as a kid. The Puff Daddy (sorry, P. Diddy) remix of the Jackson 5's I Want You Back was utterly forgettable; if that's what it takes to sell Motown these days, then let classic Motown rest in peace.

If you're new to the Motown catalog, this is a good starting point, with enough familiar hits from Motown's Hitsville USA heyday to satisfy casual fans. For the serious collector, you're better off bypassing this and snapping up Hip-o Select's reissues of the Complete Motown Singles, featuring every A- and B-side from 1959-1970 (there are currently 10 box sets).

This CD is great. It signifies all that is mowtown, it makes me feel just yummy inside. I love this CD, because of it's ability to soothe me with recent sounds like Boyz to Men that are straight up kickin. Or bring me back to my past with bands like the temptations or the four tops. Kids who are 14 will love it, or old people like me (jk), will like it too. Yo ellen in da house-Lanyon

I'm not familiar with motown but this gave me a good taste of real music. I especaily like "Papa was a Rollin' Stone". So order this cd of motown masterpieces today. (it wasn't all that great)

has to be the best motown around very enjoyable and reasonable priced