Motown: The Complete No. 1’s

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 3 available)

Tracklist

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#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Mama’s Pearl
producer:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
arranger:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
recording of:
Mama’s Pearl
writer:
Alphonso Mizell, The Corporation (Motown songwriters), Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren and Deke Richards (American songwriter and record producer)
The Jackson 53:12
2Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)
producer:
Norman Whitfield
lead vocals:
Eddie Kendricks (from 1970-01-24 until 1970-12-03)
vocals:
The Temptations (Motown soul vocal group) (from 1970-11-24 until 1970-12-03)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1971), Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1971), Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1971) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1971)
recorded at:
Golden World in Detroit, Michigan, United States (from 1970-11-24 until 1970-12-03)
part of:
Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 233) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 389)
recording of:
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) (from 1970-11-24 until 1970-12-03)
lyricist:
Barrett Strong
composer:
Norman Whitfield
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc. and Stone Agate Music
The Temptations53:48
3What’s Going On
producer:
Marvin Gaye
mixer:
Lawrence Miles (on 1971-05-06)
instruments:
Detroit Symphony Orchestra (on 1971-05-06) and The Funk Brothers (on 1971-05-06)
percussion [box drum], piano and lead vocals:
Marvin Gaye (on 1971-05-06)
background vocals:
Lem Barney (on 1971-05-06), Mel Farr (on 1971-05-06) and Marvin Gaye (on 1971-05-06)
conductor:
David Van dePitte (on 1971-05-06)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1971) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 2020)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (on 1971-05-06)
part of:
Helsingin Sanomat: 100 maailman parasta laulua (2022-1-15) (number: 4), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 4), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 6), Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 102) and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 500 Songs That Shaped Rock
recording of:
What’s Going On (on 1971-05-06)
lyricist and composer:
Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland (songwriter 1930-1996) and Marvin Gaye
publisher:
EMI Songs Australia, FCG Music, Jobete Music Co., Inc., MG III Music, NMG Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd. and Stone Agate Music Corp.
sub-publisher:
イーエムアイ音楽出版 フジパシフィック事業部 (EMI Music Publishing Japan, Fujipacific Division) (until 2021-06-30) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング フジパシフィック事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., Fujipacific Division) (from 2021-07-01 to present)
recording of:
What’s Going On (Japanese version)
writer:
Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland (songwriter 1930-1996) and Marvin Gaye
translator:
杉山清貴 (Kiyotaka Sugiyama)
translated version of:
What’s Going On
Marvin Gaye4.253:54
4Never Can Say Goodbye
producer:
Hal Davis
arranger:
Gene Page
recording of:
Never Can Say Goodbye
lyricist and composer:
Clifton Davis (musical theatre actor, singer and songwriter)
publisher:
EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), EMI Songs Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc. and Portable Music Co., Inc.
The Jackson 54.53:00
5Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
producer:
Marvin Gaye
mixer:
Lawrence Miles (, on 1971-05-06)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (in 1971-03)
mellotron, piano and lead vocals:
Marvin Gaye (in 1971-03)
solo tenor saxophone:
Wild Bill Moore (jazz and R&B saxophonist) (in 1971-03)
background vocals:
The Andantes (in 1971-03) and Marvin Gaye (in 1971-03)
conductor:
David Van dePitte (in 1971-03)
arranger:
David Van dePitte
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1971)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (in 1971-03)
recording of:
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (in 1971-03)
lyricist and composer:
Marvin Gaye
publisher:
Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc., イーエムアイ音楽出版 フジパシフィック事業部 (EMI Music Publishing Japan, Fujipacific Division) (until 2021-06-30) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング フジパシフィック事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., Fujipacific Division) (from 2021-07-01 to present)
sub-publisher:
香港商百代音樂股份有限公司台灣分公司 (EMI Music Publishing (S E Asia) Ltd., Taiwan Branch)
Marvin Gaye4.73:14
6I’m Still Waiting
producer:
Hal Davis and Deke Richards (American songwriter and record producer)
arranger:
Gene Page and Paul Riser
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1967) and Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 2015)
recording of:
I’m Still Waiting
lyricist and composer:
Deke Richards (American songwriter and record producer)
publisher:
Jobete Music Co., Inc.
Diana Ross33:44
7Smiling Faces Sometimes
producer:
Norman Whitfield
orchestrator:
Jerry Long (Motown songwriter Jerry Long, Sr.)
cover recording of:
Smiling Faces Sometimes
writer:
Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield
recording of:
Smiling Faces Sometimes
writer:
Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield
The Undisputed Truth4.53:16
8Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
producer:
Marvin Gaye
mixer:
Lawrence Miles (on 1971-05-06)
conductor:
David Van dePitte
arranger:
David Van dePitte
recording of:
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
composer:
Marvin Gaye and James Nyx (R&B songwriter)
publisher:
Jobete Music (UK) Ltd.
Marvin Gaye4.355:27
9Got to Be There
producer:
Hal Davis
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) (from 1970-06 until 1970-07)
arranger:
Dave Blumberg
recording of:
Got to Be There (from 1971-06 until 1971-07)
lyricist and composer:
Elliot Willensky
vocals arranger:
Willie Hutch
Michael Jackson33:24
10Rockin’ Robin
producer:
Mel Larson and Jerry Marcellino
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) (in 1971-10)
arranger:
James Anthony Carmichael
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1972)
cover recording of:
Rockin’ Robin (in 1971-10)
lyricist and composer:
Jimmie Thomas
publisher:
Copyright Control (not for release label use! this is only for copyrights and publishing relationships), J. Albert & Son and Recordo Music Pub.
part of:
Baby It’s You! (jukebox musical, book by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott)
Michael Jackson4.62:34
11I Wanna Be Where You Are
producer:
Hal Davis
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
arranger:
James Anthony Carmichael
recording of:
I Wanna Be Where You Are
lyricist:
Leon Ware (US singer-songwriter, composer, pianist, keyboardist)
composer:
Arthur “T‐Boy” Ross
publisher:
Jobete Music Co., Inc.
sub-publisher:
EMI Music Publishing Japan, Fujipacific Division (until 2021-06-30) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング フジパシフィック事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., Fujipacific Division) (from 2021-07-01 to present)
Michael Jackson42:59
12Ben
producer:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) (in 1972)
arranger:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label)
recording of:
Ben (in 1972)
lyricist:
Don Black (English lyricist)
composer:
Walter Scharf
publisher:
Jobette Music (in 1972)
part of:
The 45th Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 2)
Michael Jackson3.852:46
13Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
producer:
Norman Whitfield
lead vocals:
Dennis Edwards (US soul & R’n’B singer) (in 1972), Damon Harris (in 1972) and Richard Street (in 1972)
conductor:
Paul Riser (in 1972)
arranger:
Paul Riser
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1972) and Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1972)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 168) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 333)
cover recording of:
Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone (in 1972)
lyricist and composer:
Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Stone Diamond Music Corporation, イーエムアイ音楽出版 フジパシフィック事業部 (EMI Music Publishing Japan, Fujipacific Division) (until 2021-06-30) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング フジパシフィック事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., Fujipacific Division) (from 2021-07-01 to present)
The Temptations46:58
14Superstition
recording engineer:
Joan DeCola and Austin Godsey
Moog programming:
Malcolm Cecil (in 1972) and Robert Margouleff (in 1972)
associate producer:
Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff
producer:
Stevie Wonder
mixer:
Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff
clavinet, drums (drum set) and Moog:
Stevie Wonder (in 1972)
saxophone:
Trevor Lawrence (70s–90s saxophonist & producer, father of Trevor Lawrence Jr.) (in 1972)
trumpet:
Steve Madaio (in 1972)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 2020)
recorded at:
Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York, New York, United States (in 1972)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 12) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 74)
recording of:
Superstition
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
publisher:
Black Bull Music, 大洋音楽 (Taiyō Music), Jobete Music Co., Inc. (in 1972) and Stein & Van Stock, Inc. (in 1972)
Stevie Wonder4.854:28
15Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)
producer:
Joe Porter (producer)
arranger:
Artie Butler and Michael Omartian
recording of:
Neither One of Us
lyricist:
Jim Weatherly (American singer/songwriter)
composer:
James D. Weatherly (American singer/songwriter)
publisher:
Universal–Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.
Gladys Knight & the Pips3.754:22
16Masterpiece
producer:
Norman Whitfield
lead vocals:
Dennis Edwards (US soul & R’n’B singer), Melvin Franklin, Damon Harris and Richard Street
spoken vocals:
Otis Williams (US baritone singer, member of The Temptations & The Distants)
arranger:
Paul Riser
recording of:
Masterpiece
lyricist and composer:
Norman Jesse Whitfield
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd. and Stone Diamond Music Corporation
The Temptations44:23
17You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Moog programming and associate producer:
Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff
engineer:
Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff
producer:
Stevie Wonder
bass guitar:
Scott Edwards (bassist) (in 1972)
congas:
Daniel Ben Zebulon (in 1972)
background vocals:
Gloria Barley (in 1972), Jim Gilstrap (in 1972) and Lani Groves (in 1972)
lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder (in 1972)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1972)
part of:
Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 83), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 183) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 281)
recording of:
You Are the Sunshine of My Life (in 1972)
lyricist and composer:
Stevie Wonder
publisher:
Black Bull Music, Inc., Jobete Music Co., Inc. (in 1972) and Stein & Van Stock, Inc. (in 1972)
part of:
The Real Book (compilation of jazz standards, Volume I)
Stevie Wonder4.32:52
18Touch Me in the Morning
producer:
Tom Baird (Motown producer) and Michael Masser
arranger:
Tom Baird (Motown producer) and Gene Page
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1973)
recording of:
Touch Me in the Morning
writer:
Michael Masser and Ron Miller (Motown songwriter Ronald Norman Miller)
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.) and Jobete Music Co., Inc.
Diana Ross3.353:49
19Let’s Get It On
engineer:
William McMeekin and Art Stewart
producer:
Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend
mixer:
Cal Harris
bass guitar:
Wilton Felder (on 1973-03-22)
bongos and congas:
Eddie “Bongo” Brown (on 1973-03-22) and Bobbye Hall (on 1973-03-22)
drums (drum set):
Paul Humphrey (jazz, r&b drummer) (on 1973-03-22)
guitar family:
Don Peake (on 1973-03-22), Louie Shelton (on 1973-03-22), David T. Walker (on 1973-03-22) and Melvin “Wah Wah” Watson (on 1973-03-22)
percussion:
Emil Richards (on 1973-03-22)
piano:
Marvin Gaye (on 1973-03-22), Marvin Jenkins (on 1973-03-22) and Joe Sample (on 1973-03-22)
saxophone:
Plas Johnson (on 1973-03-22) and Ernie Watts (Ernest James Watts, jazz and blues saxophonist) (on 1973-03-22)
vibraphone:
Victor Feldman (jazz musician) (on 1973-03-22) and Emil Richards (on 1973-03-22)
background vocals and lead vocals:
Marvin Gaye (on 1973-03-22)
conductor:
René Hall (on 1973-03-22)
recorded at:
Motown Studios - Hitsville West in West Hollywood, California, United States (on 1973-03-22)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 167) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 264)
recording of:
Let’s Get It On (on 1973-03-22)
writer:
Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend
publisher:
Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc., Jobete Music Ltd and Stone Diamond Music Corporation
Marvin Gaye4.14:51
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Credits

Release

art direction:Hugh Brown (US art director and photographer)
Michele Horie
Vartan (art direction)
associate producer:Andrew Skurow
executive producer:Pat Lawrence
producer:Harry Weinger (task: compilation)
mastering:Kevin Reeves (engineer)
design:Hugh Brown (US art director and photographer)
Coco Shinomiya
mastered at:Universal Mastering Studios-East in Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/release/13830643 [info]
ASIN:US: B07NZ42KKN [info]

Release group

dedicated to:Levi Stubbs
Norman Whitfield
Richard ‘Popcorn’ Wylie (Pianist, singer, producer, band director and songwriter)
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/1572266 [info]