223. Martha & The Vandellas: “I’ll Have To Let Him Go”
The entire world had been put on notice that Motown had found another great group, almost out of nowhere; next stop, the charts. (6)
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222. The Charters: “Show Me Some Sign”
It’s a safe bet to say that the Charters were better songwriters than performers. (3)
221. The Charters: “Trouble Lover”
A decent song ruined by poor playing and bad production. The Charters aren’t the Funk Brothers by any stretch of the imagination, and listening to this just highlights how important Motown’s house band were for doing justice to – or even improving – the material they were given. (4)
220. Hattie Littles: “Here You Come”
If the A-side had seemed like a conscious attempt to reposition Hattie away from being a blues artist and towards a more R&B/pop place, then this takes things considerably further: it sounds like something that could have been cut by Mary Wells. (8)
219. Hattie Littles: “Your Love Is Wonderful”
Not really blues in itself, it’s at the outer edges of blues-flavoured R&B balladry – but it’s still not really all that commercial. (7)
218. Singin’ Sammy Ward: “Part Time Love”
Not as good as the A-side, but it’s quality stuff and plenty of fun nonetheless, as well as a reminder that Motown in 1962 still hadn’t given up on the blues. (7)
217. Singin’ Sammy Ward: “Someday Pretty Baby”
A cracking record, a rollicking, hot-tempered midtempo number – sat astride the imaginary line that divides “R&B-flavoured blues” and “bluesy R&B” – that demands to be turned up loud. (9)
216. Eddie Holland: “It’s Not Too Late”
The tune is quite pretty, but all told this is a repetitive, thin, flimsy bit of late-Fifties uptempo doo-wop, a throwback the sort of material Eddie Holland was already leaving behind at the time of this single’s release. (3)
215. Eddie Holland: “If It’s Love (It’s Alright)”
Basically a reworking of Jamie, twice as fast and much more likeable, with 50% more Jackie Wilson. (7)
214. The Miracles: “If Your Mother Only Knew”
Too good to be thrown away as either an album track or a B-side, quite frankly, as it might have made one of the better early Miracles singles – but its presence on this reissue at least lets me talk about it at length. Hurrah for commercial pressures! (7)
213. The Wright Specials: “Pilgrim Of Sorrow”
An exceptionally fine record, and as promising a start as was ever going to be possible for the new Divinity Records imprint. I love it. (9)
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