Martha and the Vandellas – “Jimmy Mack,” Pop # 10, R&B # 1 By Joel Francis “Jimmy Mack” capped a remarkable four-year run by the trio that started with “Come and Get These Memories” in 1963. Like most of the group’s hits during that time, “Jimmy Mack” was written and produced by the redoubtable Holland-Dozier-Holland [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Martha and the Vandellas’
Martha and the Vandellas – “Jimmy Mack”
Posted in Motown, Song Review, tagged Hitsville U.S.A., Holland-Dozier-Holland, Lyndon Johnson, Martha and the Vandellas, Martha Reeves, Vietnam War on August 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Marvelettes – “Don’t Mess With Bill”
Posted in Motown, tagged Berry Gordy, Hitsville U.S.A., Martha and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson, Supremes on January 21, 2009 | 2 Comments »
The Marvelettes – “Don’t Mess With Bill,” Pop #7, R&B #3 The three years between this hit and the Marvelettes’ previous chart entry, “Beechwood 4-5789,” saw them slide from Barry Gordy’s go-to girl group to third fiddle behind Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes. After passing on “Where Did Our Love Go,” which became [...]
Martha and the Vandellas – “Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)”
Posted in Motown, tagged Berry Gordy, Hitsville U.S.A., Holland-Dozier-Holland, Joel Francis, Kim Weston, Martha and the Vandellas, Martha Reeves, soul music, the Supremes on January 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Martha and the Vandellas – “Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things),” Pop #70, R&B #22 By Joel Francis Martha and the Vandellas didn’t do many ballads. Their best-known songs – “Heat Wave,” “Jimmy Mack” and “Nowhere to Run” – are all relentlessly upbeat. Despite the drastic change in tempo, the three songs above share at [...]
Martha and the Vandellas – “Nowhere To Run”
Posted in Motown, tagged Funk Brothers, Hitsville U.S.A., Holland-Dozier-Holland, Martha and the Vandellas on November 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Martha and the Vandellas – “Nowhere To Run,” Pop #8, R&B #5 Every element positively soars in this song. The brief, simple horn riff lifts off and Martha Reeves’ voice pushes the listener into the stratosphere. Funk Brother Benny Benjamin’s bouncing drums and ascending backing vocals from the Vandellas keep the track in the air [...]
Martha and the Vandellas – “Dancing in the Street”
Posted in Motown, review, tagged David Bowie, Hitsville U.S.A., Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, Mick Jagger, music, soul music, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, the Who, Van Halen on September 23, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Martha and the Vandellas – “Dancing in the Street,” Pop #2 By Joel Francis Poor, poor Kim Weston. Had she not passed on this song, she may be remembered for that being Marvin Gaye’s first duet partner. Instead, Martha Reeves got to place another jewel in her crown. Funk Brother Benny Benjamin’s great drumming and [...]
Martha and the Vandellas – “(Love is Like A) Heat Wave”
Posted in Motown, tagged Hitsville U.S.A., Holland-Dozier-Holland, Joel Francis, Martha and the Vandellas, Motown, music, soul music on August 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Martha and the Vandellas – “(Love is Like A) Heat Wave,” Pop #4, R&B #1 When the mercury starts pushing past the century mark my first inclinations are to shave my head and hibernate near the air conditioning. If actual heat waves were more like this song, I’d be dancing in the streets. Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote [...]
Marvin Gaye – “Pride and Joy”
Posted in Motown, tagged Berry Gordy, Hitsville U.S.A., Martha and the Vandellas, Martha Reeves, Marvin Gaye, music, soul music on July 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Marvin Gaye – “Pride and Joy,” Pop #10, R&B #2 The bouncy piano that opens and propels this track may be pure Chicago blues and Gaye’s singing more jazz than soul, but the backing vocals are pure Motown. Supported by Martha and the Vandellas, Gaye reunited with Norman Whitfield and Mickey Stevenson for this jaunty [...]
Martha and the Vandellas – “Come and Get These Memories”
Posted in Motown, tagged Hitsville U.S.A., Holland-Dozier-Holland, Martha and the Vandellas, Martha Reeves, music, soul music on July 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Martha and the Vandellas – “Come and Get These Memories,” Pop #29, R&B #6 “Come and Get These Memories” would be less memorable were it not the Motown debut of both singer Martha Reeves and the songwriting team of Brain Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland. Though Holland-Dozier-Holland would dominate both the charts [...]
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