695. The Temptations: “Fading Away”
Right at the end of that fabled partnership, more than any other Smokey/Temptations joint, is a song that sounds more like the Miracles than the Miracles themselves. (9)
Category Archives: Writing credit: Pete Moore
691. Marvin Gaye: “When I Had Your Love”
Marvin Gaye’s time with Smokey Robinson is drawing to a close here on Motown Junkies, but this absolutely has to go down as one of their best team-ups. It’s weird and it’s thought-provoking and it’s utterly beautiful, and it will stay on your mind for months on end (trust me on that last one). I love it. (9)
690. Marvin Gaye: “One More Heartache”
Marvin’s life story was a fascinating patchwork of weird, unbelievable things; here, his musical story treads the same odd pathways, and the results are a strange, groovy trip, but a trip which still compels you to get up and dance. I love it. (9)
674. The Miracles: “Choosey Beggar”
A success all round, then, leaving aside the nagging curiosity as to what might have happened with just a couple more days’ work: a fitting way to cap the best year so far in the Motown careers of both Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, now restored to their full powers. Roll on 1966. (8)
673. The Miracles: “Going To A Go-Go”
Genuinely excellent, the sort of thing that helps give Motown its good name. And it’s better than anything the Miracles have ever done in this mode until now, there’s no doubt about it. Excellent. Just not quite as excellent as some of the Miracles’ 1965 highlights. (8)
638. The Temptations: “My Baby”
Is it a worthy follow-up to either My Girl or My Guy? You’d have to say no. Is it a worthy continuation of the recent glorious string of Temptations singles? Again, surely the answer would be no. But for all of that, is it a bad record? Of course it isn’t. (5)
636. The Miracles: “My Girl Has Gone”
It’s not bad, and I’ll never turn down the chance to hear the golden-era Miracles doing what they do best. It’s just that after all the riches they’ve given us recently, and with all the riches they’re going to be giving us just around the corner, this feels like a stopgap, and therefore something of a let-down. (5)
634. Marvin Gaye: “Ain’t That Peculiar”
Not for the first time, Marvin Gaye sounds every inch the pop superstar, and once again here he’s made an excellent pop record. The difference, now, is that he’s making excellent records that sound like Marvin Gaye records, and everyone else is hereby put on notice. (8)
603. The Miracles: “A Fork In The Road”
Sumptuous in its beauty, quietly devastating in its lyrics… I don’t know how he’s doing this. (8)
602. The Miracles: “The Tracks Of My Tears”
For the second time in a row, the Miracles are shafted out of a (10) simply because I’ve only got fifty to award, and I’d run out of them. But, again, if you were to say this one was your favourite Miracles single, favourite Motown single, even… I’d get it. (9)
590. The Temptations: “Since I Lost My Baby”
The Temptations cover themselves in glory here. This is the sound of a group absolutely on top of their game; the true follow-up to My Girl, and – unexpectedly – very nearly as good. (9)
Motown Junkies 