• About Motown Junkies
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    • A
      • Alan, Lee
      • Andantes
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    • B
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      • Burnadettes
      • Burnette, Dorsey
    • C
      • Campbell, Choker
      • Channel, Bruce
      • Charters
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      • Clark, Chris
      • Contours
      • Crawford, Carolyn
      • Creations
      • Crockett, Howard
    • D
      • Dalton Boys
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      • Dean, Debbie
      • Diamond, Hank & Carol
      • Downbeats
      • Dozier, Lamont
    • E-F
      • Eckstine, Billy
      • Elgins
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    • G
      • Gaye, Marvin
      • Golden Harmoneers
      • Good, Tommy
      • Gorman, Freddie
      • Gospel Stars
      • Greer, Paula
      • Griffin, Herman
      • Griffith, Johnny
      • Griner, Linda
    • H
      • Hamilton, Dave
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      • Holland-Dozier
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    • I-J
      • Isley Brothers
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      • John, Mable
      • Johnson, Marv
      • Jones, Wade
    • K-L
      • Kayli, Bob
      • Lands, Liz
      • Lee & the Leopards
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      • Lewis Sisters
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      • Long, Shorty
      • Lumpkin, Henry
    • M
      • Majestics
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      • Mann, Columbus
      • Martha & the Vandellas
      • Martin, Tony
      • Marvelettes
      • McCullers, Mickey
      • McKenzie, Don
      • McNair, Barbara
      • Merced Blue Notes
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      • Miracles
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      • Mullins, Dee
    • N-R
      • Nick & the Jaguars
      • Oddis, Ray
      • Parks, Gino
      • Paul, Bunny
      • Pirates
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      • Ron & Bill
      • Ruffin, Jimmy
    • S
      • Satintones
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    • T
      • Taylor, R. Dean
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      • Temptations
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      • Twistin’ Kings
    • U-V
      • Valadiers
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      • Van Dyke, Connie
      • Van Dyke, Earl
      • Vells
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    • W-Z
      • Walker, Junior (& All-Stars)
      • Ward, (Singin’) Sammy
      • Washington, Earl
      • Wells, Mary
      • Weston, Kim
      • Williams, André
      • Wilson, Frank
      • Wonder, Stevie
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      • Wylie, Richard “Popcorn”
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Motown Junkies

~ because it's what's in the grooves that counts

Motown Junkies

Category Archives: Writing credit: Janie Bradford

632. Kim Weston: “Don’t Compare Me With Her”

July 23, 2013

It’s a mess – but it’s a likeable mess, and thanks to Kim’s vocal, rolling with the punches so adroitly you can’t help but applaud, it’s probably better than it has any right to be. (6)

Continue reading →

587. Marv Johnson: “I’m Not A Plaything”

February 26, 2013

I don’t know if this is Marv Johnson’s best Motown single side – there are a few more to come yet, not to mention a highly unlikely late-career revival, which are ripe for rediscovery – but I do know I really, really like it. Good show. (8)

Continue reading →

453. Carolyn Crawford: “My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down)”

January 31, 2012

Enough to suggest Carolyn could have been a major talent. Even if that’s a stretch, it’s certainly plausible she might have become another Brenda Holloway, Barbara McNair – or Tammi Terrell. In the absence of that alternate-universe career, this will have to do, and it’s not half bad. (7)

Continue reading →

349. The Darnells: “Come On Home”

April 16, 2011

Since they barely altered the record from its previous appearance, I suppose there’s no need for me to write too much (everything I said the first time round still applies)… and no need to alter the mark either. Pointless and confusing. (3)

Continue reading →

321. The Marvelettes: “Tie A String Around Your Finger”

February 13, 2011

if the Marvelettes were about to give up their crown as Motown’s top girl group, they were doing so as gracefully as possible. (7)

Continue reading →

319. The Temptations: “May I Have This Dance”

February 6, 2011

It’s not awful, but nor is it hugely impressive; this single marks a sort of watershed for the Temptations, who were about to leave this sort of stuff behind forever. 4

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315. Holland-Dozier: “Come On Home”

February 2, 2011

So inconsequential that there’s almost nothing to it. Two minutes of instrumental blues piano tinkling, drums, horns and handclaps, a bit of organ, and that’s your lot. 3

Continue reading →

293. Mary Wells: “Your Old Stand By”

December 14, 2010

Unusually for a big-ticket Motown single, it’s a song that rewards repeated listens, rather than grabbing you by the lapels and proclaiming its greatness. (8)

Continue reading →

288. The Miracles: “I Can Take A Hint”

December 8, 2010

Bereft of a catchy tune, or any real hooks in the chorus; it’s all okay, not at all objectionable but never thrilling either. It’s okay. (5)

Continue reading →

251. Little Stevie Wonder: “Contract On Love”

October 29, 2010

An enjoyable record, hardly a classic single but a vast improvement on what had come before. It was still very early days for both writers and singer, and there was much better to come from both, but this was at least a step in the right direction. (6)

Continue reading →

238. The Supremes: “Time Changes Things”

October 6, 2010

A nice set-filler, a pretty bit of enjoyable “middle of Side Two” album padding, but it’s not catchy or instant enough to cut it as a hit record in its own right. (6)

Continue reading →

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MOTOWN JUNKIES

This is Motown Junkies, an unofficial track by track history of Motown: in-depth analysis and discussion of both sides of every Motown single ever released between 1959 and 1988. Enjoy!

 

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Recent Posts

  • 694. The Temptations: “Get Ready”
  • 693. The Four Tops: “Just As Long As You Need Me”
  • 692. The Four Tops: “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over)”
  • 691. Marvin Gaye: “When I Had Your Love”
  • 690. Marvin Gaye: “One More Heartache”

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Motown Junkies

This is Motown Junkies, an unofficial guide to every Motown single ever released, or planned for release, on every US Motown label (or via Tamla Motown in the UK), featuring reviews of each A-side and B-side in chronological order. New reviews appear every couple of days.

Think of it as an unauthorised track-by-track companion to the magnificent The Complete Motown Singles CD box sets, and beyond, with marks out of ten.

I'm NOT Paul Nixon.

FURTHER INFORMATION

More info about the blog (and me) can be found here. If you want to leave a comment on any review, please feel free to do so - all feedback, corrections, disagreements and encouragements gratefully received. If you've something you'd rather not say in public, I can be contacted at fosse8 at gmail dot com.

(Oh, and if you arrived here looking for the Motown Junkies music group, they're nothing to do with me, I'm afraid - but they are very nice people, and they can be found at www.motownjunkies.com instead.)

HOW TO USE THIS BLOG

You can jump straight to the full list of reviews so far in the Master Index, or browse by label instead.

If you're looking for something a bit more specific, you can click an artist's name in the "Artist" menu at the top of the screen to see a little biography and all the reviews we've done for them so far. Only people whose records I've already discussed appear there at the moment - more names will be added to the lists all the time as I work my way through Motown's history, so do keep checking back!

Alternatively, the front page displays excerpts from the most recent reviews, and on the right hand side of the screen you'll see a list of the most recent entries and also a sampling of the most popular entries from the last 48 hours, as well as the latest comments left by visitors.

Dive in, explore and have fun!

LEGAL STUFF

This is an unofficial site, and is not affiliated in any way with Universal Motown, Hip-O Select or any of the artists referred to in the blog.

Where indicated, label scan images appear by kind permission of Lars "LG" Nilsson (as originally prepared for the Complete Motown Singles series).

Digital images courtesy of Gordon Frewin are supplied for use at motownjunkies.co.uk by arrangement. All applicable rights reserved. No unauthorised republication is permitted.

Many label images were kindly provided by Robb Klein, together with invaluable historical research.

All text © Motown Junkies, 2009-19. All rights reserved.

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