The Greatest Hits of Classic R&B

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Tracklist

1CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)
producer:
Stevie Wonder
lead vocals:
Stevie Wonder (in 1970)
arranger:
Paul Riser
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1970)
part of:
Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1970 (number: 31)
recording of:
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (in 1970)
writer:
Lee Garrett, Lula Mae Hardaway (songwriter), Syreeta (US singer‐songwriter active 1970s–80s) and Stevie Wonder
publisher:
Black Bull Music, EMI Music (do not use as release label! this is a music publisher), EMI Music Publishing (do not use as a release label!), Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music Co., Inc., Sawandi Music, Stone Agate Music and 大洋音楽 (Taiyō Music)
Stevie Wonder4.32:40
2Where Did Our Love Go
producer:
Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland (Motown producer & songwriter)
baritone saxophone:
Mike Terry (60s US soul arranger/conductor) (on 1964-04-08)
bass:
James Jamerson (on 1964-04-08)
drums (drum set):
Richard "Pistol" Allen (on 1964-04-08)
foot stomps [footstomps]:
Michael Valvano (on 1964-04-08)
guitar:
Robert White (US funk/soul guitarist) (on 1964-04-08) and Eddie Willis (on 1964-04-08)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (on 1964-04-08)
piano:
Earl Van Dyke (on 1964-04-08)
vibraphone:
Jack Ashford (American Label owner, producer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and arranger) (on 1964-04-08)
background vocals:
Florence Ballard (on 1964-04-08) and Mary Wilson (on 1964-04-08)
lead vocals:
Diana Ross (on 1964-04-08)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (on 1964-04-08)
part of:
Dave Marsh: The Best of the Top 40 Singles: 1964 (recordings) (number: 9), Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 29) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 472)
recording of:
Where Did Our Love Go (on 1964-04-08)
lyricist:
Eddie Holland (Motown songwriter, lyricist of Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team)
writer:
Holland / Dozier / Holland
composer:
Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland (Motown producer & songwriter)
publisher:
Jobete Music (UK) Ltd. and Jobete Music Co., Inc.
The Supremes52:34
3Ain't Too Proud To Beg
producer:
Norman Whitfield
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11)
background vocals:
Melvin Franklin (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11), Eddie Kendricks (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11), Otis Williams (US baritone singer, member of The Temptations & The Distants) (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11) and Paul Williams (member of The Temptations) (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11)
lead vocals:
David Ruffin (soul singer, member of The Temptations) (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1966)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11)
recording of:
Ain’t Too Proud to Beg (from 1966-01-04 until 1966-01-11)
lyricist:
Eddie Holland (Motown songwriter, lyricist of Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team) and Norman Whitfield
composer:
Norman Whitfield
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Stone Agate Music and Stone Agate Music Division
cover recording of:
Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
lyricist:
Eddie Holland (Motown songwriter, lyricist of Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team) and Norman Whitfield
composer:
Norman Whitfield
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Stone Agate Music and Stone Agate Music Division
The Temptations52:33
4The Tears of A Clown
guitar:
Marvin Tarplin (on 1966-09-26)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (on 1966-09-26)
background vocals:
Warren “Pete” Moore (on 1966-09-26), Claudette Robinson (on 1966-09-26), Bobby Rogers (on 1966-09-26) and Ronald White (soul singer, founding member of The Miracles) (on 1966-09-26)
lead vocals:
Smokey Robinson (on 1966-09-26)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1967) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1970)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (on 1966-09-26)
part of:
Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 190) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 313)
recording of:
The Tears of a Clown (on 1966-09-26)
lyricist:
Smokey Robinson
composer:
Henry Cosby, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder
publisher:
Black Bull Music, Inc., Jobete Music Ltd and Jobette Music (UK) Ltd.
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles3.92:58
5I Want You Back
producer:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
bass guitar:
Wilton Felder (in 1969-07)
drums (drum set):
Gene Pello and Johnny Jackson (drummer for Jackson 5) (in 1969-07)
guitar:
Donald Peake, David T. Walker and Tito Jackson (in 1969-07)
guitar [lead guitar]:
Louis Shelton (in 1969-07)
keyboard:
Clarence McDonald and Ronnie Rancifer (in 1969-07)
percussion:
Sandra Crouch and Marlon Jackson (in 1969-07)
piano:
Fonce Mizell, Freddie Perren, Joe Sample and Ronnie Rancifer (in 1969-07)
background vocals:
Jackie Jackson (member of the Jackson 5), Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”), Keith Washington, Jermaine Jackson (soul/pop singer, of Jackson 5) (in 1969-07), Marlon Jackson (in 1969-07) and Tito Jackson (in 1969-07)
lead vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”) (in 1969-07)
vocals:
Jackie Jackson (member of the Jackson 5) (in 1969-07)
arranger:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1969)
recorded at:
The Sound Factory West in West Hollywood, California, United States (in 1969-07, from 1969-07 until 1969-09)
music videos:
I Want You Back by The Jackson 5 (The Jacksons, formerly “The Jackson 5”)
part of:
Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 23), Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1970 (number: 28), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 500 Songs That Shaped Rock, Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 104) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 120)
recording of:
I Want You Back (in 1969-07)
lyricist and composer:
The Corporation (Motown songwriters)
publisher:
EMI April Music Inc., 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)
part of:
MJ: The Musical
The Jackson 54.153:00
6I Heard It Through the Grapevine
producer:
Norman Whitfield
bass [1962 Fender Precision Bass]:
James Jamerson (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
congas and tambourine:
Jack Ashford (American Label owner, producer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and arranger) (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
drums (drum set):
Uriel Jones (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
French horn:
Don Ozga (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10) and Edwin Jones (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
guitar [1964 Gibson Firebird III]:
Eddie Willis (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
guitar [Fender Telecaster with Jazzmaster Neck]:
Joe Messina (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
Hammond organ [B-3]:
Earl Van Dyke (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
tom-tom:
Richard "Pistol" Allen (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
Wurlitzer electric piano:
Johnny Griffith (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
background vocals:
The Andantes (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10), Marlene Barrow (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10), Louvain Demps (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10) and Jackie Hicks (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
lead vocals:
Marvin Gaye (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
orchestra:
Detroit Symphony Orchestra (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
strings arranger:
Paul Riser (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
orchestrator:
Paul Riser (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1968) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 2020)
recorded at and mixed at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
part of:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 500 Songs That Shaped Rock, Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 80), Billboard: Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs (number: 93), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 119) and Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 307)
cover recording of:
I Heard It Through the Grapevine (from 1967-02-03 until 1967-04-10)
writer:
Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield
publisher:
EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), EMI Songs Australia, EMI Songs Scandinavia AB, Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobette-Carlin Music Ltd., Stone Agate Music, Stone Agate Music Division 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)
Marvin Gaye4.053:16
7I Got You (I Feel Good)
recorded in:
Miami, Florida, United States (on 1965-05-06)
producer:
James Brown (The Godfather of Soul)
alto saxophone:
Nat Jones (Saxophonist and organist, worked with James Brown) (on 1965-05-06) and Maceo Parker (US funk/jazz saxophonist) (on 1965-05-06)
bass:
Bernard Odum (on 1965-05-06)
drums (drum set):
Melvin Parker (on 1965-05-06)
guitar:
Alphonso "Country" Kellum (on 1965-05-06) and Jimmy Nolen (on 1965-05-06)
organ:
Nat Jones (Saxophonist and organist, worked with James Brown) (on 1965-05-06)
tenor saxophone:
Al "Brisco" Clark (on 1965-05-06), St. Clair Pinckney (on 1965-05-06) and Eldee Williams (on 1965-05-06)
trombone:
Levi Rasbury (on 1965-05-06)
trumpet:
Joe Dupars (on 1965-05-06), Mike Ridley (on 1965-05-06) and Ron Tooley (American trumpeter) (on 1965-05-06)
lead vocals:
James Brown (The Godfather of Soul) (on 1965-05-06)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
PolyGram Records, Inc. (not for release label use! US division of PolyGram) (in 1965), Universal Records Inc. (not for release label use! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1965) and PolyGram Inc. (1978–1990) (in 1988)
recorded at:
Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, United States (on 1965-05-06)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 78) and Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 359)
cover recording of:
I Found You (a.k.a. I Got You (I Feel Good)) (on 1965-05-06)
lyricist and composer:
James Brown (The Godfather of Soul)
publisher:
Fort Knox Music Co, Hudson Bay Music Inc., J. Albert & Son Pty. Ltd., Peter Maurice Music Co. Ltd., Trio Music Co., Inc. and Try Me Inc.
James Brown4.72:48
8Please Mr. Postman
producer:
Robert Bateman (R&B singer/songwriter/record producer) and Brian Holland (Motown producer & songwriter)
bass:
James Jamerson (in 1961-04)
drums (drum set):
Benny Benjamin (US drummer) (in 1961-04) and Marvin Gaye (in 1961-04)
guitar:
Eddie Willis (in 1961-04)
handclaps:
Katherine Anderson (United States motown singer) (in 1961-04), Wyanetta “Juanita” Cowart (in 1961-04), Georgeanna Tillman (in 1961-04) and Wanda Young (aka Wanda Young, singer in The Marvelettes) (in 1961-04)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (in 1961-04)
percussion:
Eddie “Bongo” Brown (in 1961-04)
piano:
Richard ‘Popcorn’ Wylie (Pianist, singer, producer, band director and songwriter) (in 1961-04)
background vocals:
Katherine Anderson (United States motown singer) (in 1961-04), Wyanetta “Juanita” Cowart (in 1961-04), Gladys Horton (in 1961-04), Georgeanna Tillman (in 1961-04) and Wanda Young (aka Wanda Young, singer in The Marvelettes) (in 1961-04)
lead vocals:
Gladys Horton (in 1961-04)
recorded at and mixed at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (in 1961-04)
part of:
Dave Marsh: The Best of the Top 40 Singles: 1961 (number: 10), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 331) and Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 410)
recording of:
Please Mr. Postman (in 1961-04)
writer:
Robert Bateman (R&B singer/songwriter/record producer) (in 1961), Georgia Dobbins (in 1961), William Garrett (in 1961), Freddie Gorman (in 1961) and Brian Holland (Motown producer & songwriter) (in 1961)
publisher:
Dominion Music, EMI Blackwood Music Inc., EMI United Partnership Ltd., Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc., Stone Agate Music Division and United Partnership Ltd.
The Marvelettes4.62:25
9Rescue Me
producer:
Billy Davis (r&b producer/songwriter/performer Roquel Davis), Raynard Miner and Carl Smith (US songwriter and producer active in Chicago)
lead vocals:
Fontella Bass
arranger:
Phil Wright (American jazz pianist and assistant to Barbara Morrison)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1965) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1965)
part of:
Dave Marsh: The Best of the Top 40 Singles: 1965 (recordings) (number: 31)
recording of:
Rescue Me
writer:
Raynard Miner and Carl Smith (US songwriter and producer active in Chicago)
publisher:
United Artists Music Co., Inc. (ended), Chevis Music Publ. Corp. and Reservoir 416
Fontella Bass4.52:56
10Come See About Me
producer:
Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland (Motown producer & songwriter)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (on 1964-07-13)
background vocals:
Florence Ballard (on 1964-07-13) and Mary Wilson (on 1964-07-13)
lead vocals:
Diana Ross (on 1964-07-13)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (on 1964-07-13)
recording of:
Come See About Me (on 1964-07-13)
lyricist:
Eddie Holland (Motown songwriter, lyricist of Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team)
writer:
Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland (Motown producer & songwriter) and Eddie Holland (Motown songwriter, lyricist of Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team)
composer:
Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland (Motown producer & songwriter)
publisher:
Stone Agate Music Division
The Supremes52:41
11Shop Around
guitar:
Marvin Tarplin (in 1960)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (in 1960)
background vocals:
Claudette Rogers Robinson (in 1960), Warren “Pete” Moore (in 1960), Bobby Rogers (in 1960) and Ronnie White (soul singer, founding member of The Miracles) (in 1960)
lead vocals:
Smokey Robinson (in 1960)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (in 1960)
part of:
Dave Marsh: The Best of the Top 40 Singles: 1960 (number: 15), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 495)
recording of:
Shop Around (in 1960)
writer:
Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson
The Miracles2.752:47
12My Girl
producer:
Smokey Robinson and Ronald White (soul singer, founding member of The Miracles)
bass:
James Jamerson (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
drums (drum set):
Benny Benjamin (US drummer) (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
guitar:
Robert White (US funk/soul guitarist) (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
strings:
Detroit Symphony Orchestra (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
background vocals:
Eddie Kendricks (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17), Otis Williams (US baritone singer, member of The Temptations & The Distants) (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17) and Paul Williams (member of The Temptations) (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
lead vocals:
David Ruffin (soul singer, member of The Temptations) (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
performer:
The Temptations (Motown soul vocal group) (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
strings arranger:
Paul Riser
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1964)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
part of:
Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 3), Dave Marsh: The Best of the Top 40 Singles: 1965 (recordings) (number: 11), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 43) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 88)
recording of:
My Girl (from 1964-09-25 until 1964-11-17)
lyricist:
Smokey Robinson
composer:
Smokey Robinson and Ronald White (soul singer, founding member of The Miracles)
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc., Music for Africa (South Africa), Poochum, 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 Temptations4.52:44
13Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
producer:
Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson
instruments:
The Funk Brothers (on 1967-10-06)
background vocals:
Valerie Simpson (in 1967) and Nickolas Ashford (on 1967-10-06)
lead vocals:
Marvin Gaye (on 1967-10-06) and Tammi Terrell (on 1967-10-06)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1968)
recorded at:
Hitsville (Motown Records) in Detroit, Michigan, United States (on 1967-10-06)
recording of:
Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing (on 1967-10-06)
writer:
Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson
publisher:
EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., 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), Jobete Music Co., Inc. (from 1967 to present) 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)
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell42:15
14Soul Man
recorded in:
Memphis, Tennessee, United States (on 1967-08-10)
producer:
Isaac Hayes, David Porter (US soul musician, producer & songwriter) and Jim Stewart (US producer, founder for Stax & Volt Records)
instruments:
Booker T. & the MG’s (in 1967) and The Mar‐Keys Horns (in 1967)
lead vocals:
Sam Moore (singer, ex "Sam and Dave") (in 1967) and David Prater (soul artist) (in 1967)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
HHO Recordings Ltd., WEA International Inc. (not for release label use! copyrights holder, distributor for the world outside of the US) (in 1966) and Atlantic Recording Corporation (not for release label use! copyrights holder, distributor within the US) (in 1967)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 458)
recording of:
Soul Man (on 1967-08-10)
writer:
Isaac Hayes (in 1967) and David Porter (US soul musician, producer & songwriter) (in 1967)
publisher:
EMI Music Publishing (do not use as a release label!), Rondor Music (London) Ltd., Rondor Music Ltd. (publisher), Walden Music, Inc., Warner Chappell Music Ltd. (no slash; used 1988–1996), Warner Chappell North America, Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP) (in 1986) and Walden Music Corp. (publisher) (in 1986)
Sam & Dave4.52:37
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Credits

Release

distributed by:Compass Productions (budget compilations)
copyrighted (©) by:Compass Productions (budget compilations) (in 2008)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:Universal Music Enterprises (not for release label use; catalog/reissue division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 2008)