A clear statement of intent, both from the singer – who had slogged through two years of flops at United Artists without ever hinting he had this sort of performance in him – and from the writers, each of whom was making a real name for themselves. Quite superb. (8)
An interesting exercise and no more; inconsequential to the point of pointlessness. […click title to read more]
A disappointingly straightforward rocker with little to commend it; opening with an unexpected guitar solo, it quickly settles into a shuffling R&B/blues-influenced groove and then fails to go anywhere at all. […click title to read more]
Not a patch on the A-side, and Wanda’s incredibly high pitched falsetto vocals are actually painful to listen to in places.
This is just about as good as any pop record that had ever been made up to that point, and while it would still be years before Motown approached anywhere near this level of quality on every release, it’s still an essential inclusion in any Motown best-of shortlist. In a word: marvellous. (10)
It’s an indicator of where the HDH stable would eventually ply its trade: knocking out a straight pop song with a strong hook and effortless charm, but twisted ever so slightly so that the tune grabs the ear and forms the beginning of an involuntary smile.
This is a worthy successor to My Beloved and Angel; that should be enough for anyone. (7)
Immensely likeable, genuinely beautiful, and above all pants-wettingly good. Even if it sounds nothing like the Supremes everyone knows, it’s as good a début single as anyone, anywhere, has ever recorded. (10)
The flip of Raynoma Liles Gordy (“Miss Ray”)’s only Motown single is a strange affair; having turned in a charming if slightly technically-challenged lead vocal on the plug side, here she offers up a keyboard “solo” on a brief, thin instrumental. (I’m assuming the keyboard part is hers, there’s no indication in the liner notes as to who played what).
You could easily picture this having made the pop Top 30 in 1961; instead, sadly, it sank without trace, and its performer joined the ever-growing ranks of Motown chart flop acts. Lumpkin, at least, would be given a further chance to prove himself. (7)
It’s not exactly Marvin and Tammi, but nobody’s claiming that; what it is is plenty of fun, and there’s extra satisfaction to be gained from knowing this is the record that started Motown down the duet path. (6)
Motown Junkies 