Everybody Prepare: the Motown Countdown

Hello, my friends! My creativity is running circles around me: I had to press pause on the Divas' stories for a few days because I've been preparing for our most ambitious countdown yet. And when I say "our", I mean "our". You're going to help me do it.

The excuse: not that we need one, but the thing is that Motown, the record company that made Detroit a household name all over the world, was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959. Which means that if we begin our countdown after the Nick Cave one, we'll be just in time to celebrate the company's 60th anniversary. Because it certainly won't be a short countdown. You will be voting for a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 200 songs and the final list will have at least 200 songs and maybe as many as 400. More of that in a minute.

One cannot overemphasize the importance of Motown: For many decades, it was the highest-earning African American business in the United States. It gave voice to dozens of great artists, as well as performing a civic duty; MLK's The Great March to Freedom and The Great March on Washington were both released as albums on the Gordy label (a Motown subsidiary) in 1963.

Artistically, to put it into perspective, in the 1960s, the contribution of Motown was as important as that of the Beatles and the rest of British Beat. Perhaps even more so: Motown was the wrecking ball that (to a large extent) busted the wall of segregation in Pop music. White teenagers were buying the hits by the Supremes, the Temptations, etc, as much as black teenagers. Then in the 1970s, we witnessed the beautiful maturity of artists such as Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, who gave us masterpieces for the ages.

Don't worry, I did much of the hard work for you: I have painstakingly compiled a list of 420 songs, that cover the period from the first Motown hit single in 1959, to the last #1 hit Boyz II Men, the label's last superstars, had in 1997. By the way, the company was independent until June 28, 1994, before it was bought off by MCA. For a record label to remain independent for more than 35 years, it certainly is no small feat.

The list is more or less chronological and is sorted by artist. The basis of the list were the hits (either a top 40 hit on the US Hot 100, a top 10 hit on the US R&B chart, or a top 20 hit on the UK singles chart), but I may have omitted a few hits in favor of including some worthy lesser successes or album cuts instead. If you feel that a favorite of yours or two are not on the list, feel free to say so. Any song that gets five suggestions or more will be automatically added to the list.

As I said before, you can vote for a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 200 songs. You just put your songs, along with the artists' names, in order of preference and I will do the rest.

Where can you vote?

You can vote in the comments' section (just don't vote as Anonymous, because I can't differentiate between one Anonymous and another). If you're my Facebook friend, you can also vote through the Messenger or with a Private Message.

I would very much appreciate if you, along with your list, spare a few words to share your opinion on this blog with me. Please, be kind.

How long will the voting last?

The voting begins today and will close approximately 6 weeks from now. I believe in transparency, so this is how I will grade the lists: I will assign 300 points for the top song on each list, 280 for #2, 270 for #3, 260 for #4, 250 for #5, 240 for #6, 230 for #7, 220 for #8, 210 for #9, and 200 for #10, 190 points for #11, 189 for #12, 188 for #13, etc, and finally 1 point for #200. I will then add the points and begin the countdown. Every song that received votes will be included, which means that the list could have as few as 200 songs, or as many as 420 songs, or more (if you nominate songs outside the list).

Record Man, Alan, and Snicks, I hope that you will participate in this, as you successfully did in the previous one. I also hope that many other friends will also participate - sometimes I feel as if I'm talking to a wall - it's discouraging. Since you now have my email address, there's no excuse for not participating. I mean, is it that tough to choose 20 songs, if 200 sounds like a lot?

Having said that, when I prepare a list, I usually have a pretty clear idea what my top 10 is, or my top 5 at the very least, before I even begin compiling. This time, I have no idea at all. This will be fun...

Where can you listen to the songs?

You probably realize that I cannot embed 420 videos in one story, today. I will present them with their videos gradually when the countdown begins. In the meantime, you can listen to all the songs on YouTube or any of the streaming services, like Deezer, Spotify, iTunes, etc. However, for those who don't have the time to listen to every song, I have taken the liberty to highlight the ones I think are not to be missed. Mind you, that doesn't necessarily mean that this is my personal list: I haven't even begun compiling that.

Here is the list. Enjoy!

Marv Johnson

Come to Me

Barrett Strong

Money (That's What I Want)

The Miracles

Shop Around

Who's Lovin' You

What's So Good About Goodbye

You've Really Got a Hold on Me

Mickey's Monkey

I Like It Like That

Ooo Baby Baby

The Tracks of My Tears

My Girl Has Gone

Going to a Go-Go

(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage

More Love

I Second That Emotion

If You Can Want

Baby, Baby Don't Cry

The Tears of a Clown

I Don't Blame You at All

The Miracles (without Smokey)

Do It Baby

Love Machine

Ain't Nobody Straight In LA

Smokey Robinson

Baby That's Backatcha

Quiet Storm

Cruisin'

Let Me Be the Clock

Being with You

Just to See Her

One Heartbeat

The Marvelettes

Please Mr. Postman

Playboy

Beechwood 4-5789

Too Many Fish in the Sea

Don't Mess with Bill

The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game

When You're Young and in Love

My Baby Must Be a Magician

Eddie Holland

Jamie

Leaving Here

Mary Wells

The One Who Really Loves You

You Beat Me to the Punch

Two Lovers

Laughing Boy

You Lost the Sweetest Boy

What's So Easy for Two Is So Hard for One

My Guy

The Contours

Do You Love Me

Marvin Gaye

Stubborn Kind of Fellow

Hitch Hike

Pride and Joy

Can I Get a Witness

You're a Wonderful One

Try It Baby

Baby Don't You Do It

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)

I'll Be Doggone

Pretty Little Baby

Ain't That Peculiar

One More Heartache

Little Darling (I Need You)

Your Unchanging Love

I Heard It Through the Grapevine

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby

Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)

That's the Way Love Is

The End of Our Road

What's Going On

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Save the Children

Trouble Man

Let's Get It On

Come Get to This

Distant Lover (Live)

I Want You

Got to Give It Up

Marvin Gaye Duets

Once Upon a Time (with Mary Wells)

What's the Matter with You Baby (with Mary Wells)

It Takes Two (with Kim Weston)

Ain't No Mountain High Enough (with Tammi Terrell)

Your Precious Love (with Tammi Terrell)

If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (with Tammi Terrell)

Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing (with Tammi Terrell)

You're All I Need to Get By (with Tammi Terrell)

The Onion Song (with Tammi Terrell)

You're a Special Part of Me (with Diana Ross)

Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) (with Diana Ross)

My Mistake (Was to Love You) (with Diana Ross)

You Are Everything (with Diana Ross)

Martha and the Vandellas

Come and Get These Memories

Heatwave

Quicksand

Dancing in the Street

Nowhere to Run

My Baby Loves Me

I'm Ready for Love

Jimmy Mack

Honey Chile

Stevie Wonder

Fingertips

Uptight (Everything's Alright)

Nothing's Too Good for My Baby

Blowin' in the Wind

A Place in the Sun

I Was Made to Love Her

I'm Wondering

Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)

Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day

For Once in My Life

My Cherie Amour

Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday

Never Had a Dream Come True

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours

Heaven Help Us All

We Can Work It Out

Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer

If You Really Love Me

Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)

Superstition

You Are the Sunshine of My Life

I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)

Higher Ground

Living for the City

Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing

All in Love Is Fair

He's Misstra Know It All

You Haven't Done Nothin'

Boogie On Reggae Woman

They Won't Go When I Go

Love's in Need of Love Today

Pastime Paradise

I Wish

Isn't She Lovely?

Sir Duke

Another Star

As

Send One Your Love

Master Blaster (Jammin')

I Ain't Gonna Stand for It

Lately

Happy Birthday

That Girl

Do I Do

I Just Called to Say I Love You

Love Light in Flight

Part-Time Lover

Go Home

Overjoyed

Skeletons

The Temptations

The Way You Do the Things You Do

Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)

My Girl

It's Growing

Since I Lost My Baby

My Baby

Get Ready

Ain't Too Proud to Beg

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep

(I Know) I'm Losing You

You're My Everything

I Wish It Would Rain

I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)

Cloud Nine

I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (& The Supremes)

Runaway Child, Running Wild

Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down

I Can't Get Next to You

Psychedelic Shack

Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)

Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)

Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)

Papa Was a Rollin' Stone

Masterpiece

Plastic Man

Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)

Let Your Hair Down

Happy People

Shakey Ground

Shorty Long

Devil With The Blue Dress

Brenda Holloway

Every Little Bit Hurts

When I'm Gone

You've Made Me So Very Happy

The Four Tops

Baby I Need Your Loving

Ask the Lonely

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)

It's the Same Old Song

Something About You

Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)

Reach Out I'll Be There

Standing in the Shadows of Love

Bernadette

7-Rooms of Gloom

You Keep Running Away

If I Were a Carpenter

Walk Away Renée

Still Water (Love)

It's All in the Game

River Deep – Mountain High (& The Supremes)

Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)

MacArthur Park

A Simple Game

Caroline Crawford

My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down)

The Velvelettes

Needle In a Haystack

He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'

The Supremes

When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes

Where Did Our Love Go

Baby Love

Come See About Me

Stop! In the Name of Love

Back in My Arms Again

Nothing but Heartaches

I Hear a Symphony

My World Is Empty Without You

Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart

You Can't Hurry Love

You Keep Me Hangin' On

Love Is Here and Now You're Gone

The Happening

Diana Ross & the Supremes

Reflections

In and Out of Love

Love Child

I'm Livin' in Shame

The Composer

No Matter What Sign You Are

Someday We'll Be Together

The Supremes (without Diana)

Up the Ladder to the Roof

Everybody's Got the Right to Love

Stoned Love

Nathan Jones

Floy Joy

Automatically Sunshine

Diana Ross

Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Remember Me

Surrender

I'm Still Waiting

Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoo

Good Morning Heartache

Touch Me in the Morning

All of My Life

Last Time I Saw Him

Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)

Love Hangover

Gettin' Ready for Love

The Boss

Upside Down

I’m Coming Out

My Old Piano

It’s My Turn

Endless Love (& Lionel Richie)

When You Tell Me That You Love Me

Frank Wilson

Do I Love You? (Indeed I Do)

Jr. Walker & The All-Stars

Shotgun

(I'm A) Road Runner

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)

What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)

These Eyes

Kim Weston

Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)

The Elgins

Heaven Must Have Sent You

The Isley Brothers

This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)

Behind a Painted Smile

Put Yourself in My Place

Jimmy Ruffin

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted

I've Passed This Way Before

Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got

Farewell Is a Lonely Sound

It's Wonderful (To Be Loved by You)

Gladys Knight & the Pips

Everybody Needs Love

I Heard It Through the Grapevine

The End of Our Road

Didn't You Know (You'd Have to Cry Sometime)

The Nitty Gritty

Friendship Train

You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You)

If I Were Your Woman

I Don't Want to Do Wrong

Make Me the Woman That You Go Home To

Help Me Make It Through the Night

Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)

Daddy Could Swear, I Declare

Chris Clark

Love's Gone Bad

R. Dean Taylor

There's A Ghost In My House

Gotta See Jane

Indiana Wants Me

The Monitors

Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)

Time Is Passin’ By

Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers

Does Your Mama Know About Me

Edwin Starr

Twenty-Five Miles

War

Stop The War Now

David Ruffin

My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me)

Walk Away from Love

The Originals

Baby, I'm For Real

The Bells

The Jackson 5

I Want You Back

ABC

2-4-6-8

The Love You Save

I'll Be There

Mama's Pearl

Never Can Say Goodbye

Maybe Tomorrow

Sugar Daddy

Little Bitty Pretty One

Lookin' Through The Windows

Doctor My Eyes

Corner Of The Sky

Hallelujah Day

Skywriter

Get It Together

Dancing Machine

I Am Love

Jermaine Jackson

Daddy's Home

Let's Get Serious

Michael Jackson

Got to Be There

Rockin' Robin

I Wanna Be Where You Are

Ain't No Sunshine

Ben

Just a Little Bit of You

One Day in Your Life

Rare Earth

Get Ready

(I Know) I'm Losing You

Born To Wander

I Just Want to Celebrate

Hey Big Brother

The Spinners

I'll Always Love You

It's a Shame

Tom Clay

What the World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin and John

The Undisputed Truth

Smiling Faces Sometimes

Eddie Kendricks

Keep on Truckin'

Boogie Down

Son Of Sagittarius

Shoeshine Boy

Commodores

Machine Gun

Slippery When Wet

Sweet Love

Just to Be Close to You

Easy

Brick House

Too Hot To Trot

Three Times a Lady

Sail On

Still

Lady (You Bring Me Up)

Oh No

Nightshift

Lionel Richie

Truly

You Are

My Love

All Night Long (All Night)

Running with the Night

Hello

Stuck on You

Penny Lover

Say You, Say Me

Dancing on the Ceiling

Love Will Conquer All

Ballerina Girl

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

The Night

Willie Hutch

Love Power

Syreeta Wright

Your Kiss Is Sweet

With You I'm Born Again (with Billy Preston)

Yvonne Fair

It Should’ve Been Me

Thelma Houston

Don't Leave Me This Way

Carl Bean

I Was Born This Way

Rick James

You and I

Mary Jane

Bustin' Out

Give It to Me Baby

Super Freak

Dance Wit' Me

Cold Blooded

17

Teena Marie

Square Biz

DeBarge

I Like It

All This Love

Time Will Reveal

Rhythm of the Night

Who's Holding Donna Now

You Wear It Well

El DeBarge

Who's Johnny

Love Always

Real Love

Dazz Band

Let It Whip

Joystick

Let It All Blow

Charlene

I've Never Been to Me

Rockwell

Somebody's Watching Me

Mary Jane Girls

All Night Long

In My House

Stacy Lattisaw

Nail It to the Wall

Where Do We Go from Here (& Johnny Gill)

Bruce Willis

Respect Yourself

Under the Boardwalk

The Boys

Dial My Heart

Lucky Charm

Crazy

Today

Girl I Got My Eyes On You

Why You Get Funky On Me

Public Enemy

Fight the Power

The Good Girls

Your Sweetness

Love Is Like An Itchin' In My Heart

Gerald Alston

Slow Motion

Getting Back Into Love

Johnny Gill

Rub You the Right Way

My, My, My

Fairweather Friend

Wrap My Body Tight    

Another Bad Creation

Iesha

Playground

Boyz II Men

Motownphilly

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday

Uhh Ahh

End of the Road

In the Still of the Nite (I'll Remember)

I'll Make Love to You

On Bended Knee

Water Runs Dry

4 Seasons of Loneliness

M.C. Brains

Oochie Coochie