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Tamla T 54026 (B), July 1959
B-side of Going To The Hop
(Written by Berry Gordy and Charles Leverett)
Like the A-side, this is another uptempo doo-wop number, but it’s taken at a faster pace and has more pop/R&B overtones; instead of the gentle self-mocking comedy of Going To The Hop, this is a straightforward paean to the joys of Detroit, complete with unwelcome novelty “beep beep!” interjections.
Head Satintone Jim Ellis again takes lead vocal; his voice is unusual, slightly flat but quite distinctive (it sort of reminds me of Alan Wilson from Canned Heat, actually), and as with the A-side the four Satintones don’t ever really gel in a vocal harmony sense.
Just as the A-side had an unexpected surf guitar solo which called the Beach Boys to mind, so this B-side has lyrics which are thematically similar to the Beach Boys’ California Girls, as Ellis talks about the girls to be found in various locations across America before concluding, naturally, that Detroit girls are the best.
It’s not terribly exciting. Co-written by Chico Leverett, who was acknowledged by the rest of the group as its creative leader and songwriting maven, but whose track record thus far has to be judged as outstandingly ordinary, it’s flat and forgettable; the Beach Boys didn’t exist yet, and once they did they would take almost all their initial cues from black pop records like this one (or white knockoffs thereof), but Motor City bizarrely almost sounds like a lifeless Beach Boys pastiche.
According to the liner notes for The Complete Motown Singles: Volume 1, this song may have been the inspiration for the name for Berry Gordy’s new label, Motown, launched that September. Gordy offered $100 to whoever suggested the eventual name, and Leverett ventured “Motor City Records”. True to form, Gordy never paid up, saying Leverett’s suggestion wasn’t close enough. The liner notes (officially sanctioned by Motown, lest we forget) accept this explanation. I think a long drawn out “hmmmmmmmm” is an appropriate response at this point, possibly with a raised eyebrow for added effect.
Still, at this point the Gordy music empire was looking decidedly unremarkable. Of the seven official singles now released, one – the first one, Marv Johnson’s Come To Me – had been a hit, but the rest of the roster had failed to make any commercial impact at all. Two respectable R&B numbers (Eddie Holland’s Merry-Go-Round and Barrett Strong’s Let’s Rock), an excellent but largely uncommercial instrumental jam (the Swinging Tigers’ Snake Walk), and three somewhat underwhelming releases (this one, Chico Leverett’s solo stab Solid Sender and Ron & Bill’s terrible novelty atrocity It); that was all there was to show for seven months of financial struggle and back-breaking work. Sales had been poor, it’s arguable the two best songs to date (Johnson’s Whisper and Holland’s It Moves Me) had been tucked away on B-sides, and the company was being sustained by the money received from the sale of the contracts of Marv Johnson and Eddie Holland to United Artists, coupled with the production work Berry Gordy was doing for them on that label.
Gordy could be justly proud of what he’d done so far (seven singles in just over half a year and the company still afloat), but if you’d asked anyone at the time whether Tamla Records was going anywhere special, whether people would remember Berry Gordy in fifty years’ time, the answer would most likely have been a polite but firm “no, not really”. The next release would change all that.
MOTOWN JUNKIES VERDICT
(I’ve had MY say, now it’s your turn. Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment, or click the thumbs at the bottom there. Dissent is encouraged!)
You’re reading Motown Junkies, an attempt to review every Motown A- and B-side ever released. Click on the “previous” and “next” buttons below to go back and forth through the catalogue, or visit the Master Index for a full list of reviews so far.
(Or maybe you’re only interested in The Satintones? Click for more.)
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| The Satintones “Going To The Hop” |
Barrett Strong “Money (That’s What I Want)” |
Motown Junkies 
Much better than A-side, the vocal is sophisticated and original IMHO, and overall very remarkable song. I wasn’t familiar with any early Motown single other than Money, and thatd the one that stayed in my head
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This song reminds me of a song called “I Got Me A Cadillac” in the film Dreamgirls. Since Dreamgirls is “loosely” based on The Supremes…I bet they heard this song and based “Cadillac” off of it.
Not surprised Mr. Gordy didn’t dish out cash for the suggestion of Motor City Records either. Shady Gordy lol. But 1959 essentially explains to some extent why Gordy had to jip all Motown artist out of their cash (maybe not jip because their were plenty of singles that flopped, charm school, etc.) he had to make up for the lack of cash flow that did not come this particular year. It may sound as if I’m dissing Berry, but I think the man is brilliant and I really admire.
Interesting that you mentioned that the Beach Boys did not exist yet because I thought otherwise. I wondered if they were influenced by the early Motown records like this that now reminds people of them Well you answered my question up above by saying that yes they were influenced black records. Brian Wilson may have been a genius – a swag biting genius nonetheless!
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I really doubt that The Beach Boys were influenced by Early Motown recordings. They probably only heard “Money”, “Shop Around”, “Please Mr. Postman”, “Jamie”, “Playboy”, and a couple other Miracles’ songs before they started having their own hits. It IS clear that they were highly influenced by Chuck Berry’s guitar playing and songwriting for their instrumental work, and their vocals seem to have been influenced by “Caucasian”-style DooWop ballads and uptempo songs.
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Hi Robb,
Happy New Year my friend! Did you take some time off for the holidays? Hope you are well. Funny you guys were mentioning the Beach Boys/Motown etc. In some of their music I hear some subtle Motown influence (especially in their stuff from 65-66). Brian Wilson definitely utilized all of his influences (doo wop/harmony groups/Phil Spector/Brit Invasion). On some late 60s tunes (“Darlin” “wild Honey”) I hear some Motown influence. The “Wild Honey” album was considered the Beach Boys’ “soul album”. They even did a cover of S Wonder’s “I Was Made to Love Her.” Their “Holland” album from 1973 has some definite soul/maybe Motown influence. I hear Motown production values on some of their albums (“Beach Boys’ Today” “Pet Sounds”). The Motown influence was very subtle. I could go on for hours about the Motown influence on the Beatles …. but don’t worry I won’t !
I hope & pray that 2013 is a very good year for you sir!
You too Damecia, if you are reading this!
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Same to you! Yes, I’ve taken lots of time off. I’m visiting my sister in Winnipeg (2 month visit). I work some, but none during X-Mas/New Year period.
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Hi Grandpa Landini and the rest of you Motown Junkies! Sorry I’ve been away, but I’ve missed you guys = )
Grandpa Landini I would love to hear a little bit about the Beatles/Motown connection!
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Hi D,
Hope you had a good holiday. Mine was pretty good. Re. Beatles/Motown, a lot of what I hear (Motown influencing Beatles) is very, very subtle. Mostly production values. Also, Paul McCartney (who is a very underrated bass player) has mentioned in interviews that he was listening to a lot of Motown/Stax during the Beatles’ time & was influenced by their bass players. Also, the B’s used some Motown-ish horn arrangements on various songs (“Got to Get You Into My Life”; “Good Morning, Good Morning”; “Magical Mystery Tour”) And to my ears, some of the B’s songs just sound “Motown-ish” (ie “You Won’t See Me”; “Tell Me Why”) John Lennon mentioned something about a Smokey Robinson influence on “All I’ve Got To Do”. Of course, the B’s themselves did some Motown remakes too. Re. the Beatles, I am mostly a fan of their pre-“Pepper” stuff. I don’t necessarily think that the B’s were always consciously thinking “let’s sound like Motown”. I just think the influence is there. I could go as far as saying that the Beatles were blue-eyed soul to some degree. I personally thought the B’s were more “soulful” than the Rolling Stones but I am probably the only person in the known solar system who has never been a big Stones fan.
I think a lot of mid-60’s pop/rock had some Motown influence. John Sebastion of the Lovin Spoonful says he was influenced by Motown on some of their records. LIsten to “Daydream” & then listen to “Where Did Our Love Go”. I think the whole folk/rock thing (Simon & Garfunkel; Byrds etc) had some Motown influence – again mostly in production values & arrangements.
Of course, in the mid-sixties everyone (Motown; Beatles/British Invasion; folk-rock; StaX, Beach Boys etc) was influencing each other. That is why I think all those different artists/styles sounded so good together on the radio.
Anyway I could go on & on… I hope & pray you have a blessed 2013!
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This was a treat to read = )
I’m not really a fan of the big Beatles besides maybe 10 or less songs. My favorite being “Come Together.” What do you think about that track?
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Hi! Been really busy today! Oh wow “Come Together” came out when I was in 6th grade. I thought it was a really cool song & bought the 45. Now? Still a good song for what it is but not one of my desert island discs. By the way, your girl Miss Ross did a pretty wild version of this song on her “Everything is Everything” album. Groovy echo effects on the vocals (LOL!) Also, the Jean Terrell led Supremes did a pretty cool verson on “New Ways… Love Stays”. I also had a 45 of Ike & Tina Turner doing this song. Crazeee! Thanks for reading my long winded ramblings!
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oh no i enjoy reading your “ramblings” very insightful & delightful = ) to read. I agree it’s not one of my desert island songs either lol. Oh you know I know about Miss Ross versions she’s great on it especially at the end. Have you ever heard Michael Jackson’s version? It’s the best one in my opinion Michael totally makes it his own…but he was doing that as a kid.
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To my ear, the influence of Motown on the Beatles was overwhelming. Lennon’s vocal style is in many ways based on Smokey’s and they took the I vi thing and twisted it around in every imaginable way. McCartney’s testimonial in the Jamerson book/CD package is also extremely enlightening. The Beatles are reported to have gone through every 45 that came into NEMS record store with a fine tooth comb, with special attention to B-sides (so they could play less traveled covers). I’m almost sure that the “beep beep” of this track was a subliminal inspirations for Drive My Car. And I was also immediately struck by the comparison to the Canned Heat vocalist (and whichever earlier blues figure he was copying). Overall, I’d say this is a very forward-looking track and deserving of at least a 5.
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ThankS for putting things in retrospective for me. Now that I think about it Motown wasn’t Motown yet and early Rock n Roll is definitely heard in their sound.
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The only thing I really like about the song is probably that the name contributed to one of the greatest record label ever. The vocals don’t hurt either sounds ok. The lyrics are a little whack. 5/10
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This is a nice jump song, that would have done well in 1956 or 1957. But, it was way too late in mid 1959. It’s certainly listenable. I’d give it a “4”.
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I don’t really see the Beach Boys resemblance. Listen to the tonality in that A section: surely Leverett is trying to blend doo-wop with the country blues … and do I detect the influence of “The Wealthy Squire” https://mainlynorfolk.info/watersons/songs/thewealthysquire.html ? “And I’ll roam around from town to town/For the girl I left behind”. It has lots of low-key charm as well as deserving the credit for being experimental. Pity that the (as far as I can tell) straight-up doo-wop melody of the B section is no more than inoffensive.
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