25. Eugene Remus: “You Never Miss A Good Thing”
Not remarkable in either version, and one of the weaker Motown singles to this point, it’s perhaps not surprising that Remus wasn’t given any more singles in the future.
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24. The Satintones: “Sugar Daddy”
The Satintones had really upped their game for the A-side of this single, the spectacularly good My Beloved, so it’s more than a little disappointing to see them turning in a fairly pedestrian midtempo R&B number on the flip side, aping the comedy doo-wop of the Coasters with a forgettable tune and slightly ropey harmonies.
23. The Satintones: “My Beloved”
After the slightly ropey harmonising on the previous Satintones records, this one shows that these guys really could do tight harmonies and complicated arrangements after all. Rather unexpectedly, this turns out to be one of the best ’59/’60 Motown singles, all the more welcome for being a surprise. (9)
22. The Miracles: “(You Can) Depend On Me” (first version)
Quite pretty, clearly intended as a slowie ballad in the Bad Girl vein, sung in a very high register by young Smokey, who gives it his all, but not really to any particular end. More of an exercise in vocal range than a real song, it’s pretty forgettable, to be honest.
21. The Miracles: “The Feeling Is So Fine”
The song doesn’t really go anywhere, there are no real surprises, and although it’s not without its charm, as a single it’s not a patch on Bad Girl. (5)
20. The Miracles: “I Love Your Baby”
After the soaring, lovely Bad Girl, this somewhat ill-considered B-side sends the listener crashing back down to earth with a bump. (2)
19. The Miracles: “Bad Girl”
This is songcraft on quite another level from the workaday R&B and doo-wop that had been Motown’s stock in trade up until now; not even twenty and already a class apart, this is a superb calling card for one of the all-time great songwriters.
18. Nick & The Jaguars: “Cool And Crazy”
It’s not completely impossible to put this alongside something like the Funk Brothers’ Snake Walk and understand they were both released by the same label. It’s still an oddity, though. (5)
17. Nick & The Jaguars: “Ich-i-bon #1”
More than anything else, it serves to illustrate just how widely Berry Gordy would cast his net if he thought there was a hit to be had out of it. This time, there wasn’t. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this complete commercial curveball baffled black radio, confused consumers, sold bog-all copies and is now one of early Motown’s rarer curios. (4)
16. Barrett Strong: “Oh I Apologize”
It would be at least another two years before Motown consistently delivered singles approaching this level of quality, but this pair of sides is such a major leap forward compared to what went before that Barrett Strong should be considered the first great Motown artist. (8)
15. Barrett Strong: “Money (That’s What I Want)”
The whole thing is just an unstoppable, nasty, mean, sexy groove. Everything on the record just demands attention – the raw-throated, almost-shouted vocals, the thundering bass, the spiky, twanging guitars, everything. And somehow it all works. (9)
Motown Junkies 