The Motown Story

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

Tracklist

1▶CD
2▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Papa 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 Temptations46:57
2I’ll Be There
producer:
Nickolas Ashford, Hal Davis and Valerie Simpson
arranger:
Bob West (US session bassist, producer & songwriter)
recording of:
I’ll Be There (in 1970-06)
writer:
Bob West (US session bassist, producer & songwriter), Hal Davis, Berry Gordy and Willie Hutch
publisher:
EMI April Music Inc., EMI Songs Australia, Jobete Music Co., Inc. and Stone Diamond Music Corporation
part of:
MJ: The Musical
The Jackson 54.353:58
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)
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 Gaye4.253:50
4Three Times a Lady
producer:
James Anthony Carmichael and Commodores (US funk/soul band with Lionel Richie)
lead vocals:
Lionel Richie
arranger:
James Anthony Carmichael and Commodores (US funk/soul band with Lionel Richie)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1978), Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1978, in 1979) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1978)
part of:
Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1978 (number: 10)
recording of:
Three Times a Lady
lyricist and composer:
Lionel Richie
publisher:
Brenda Richie Publishing, Brockman Enterprises, Inc., EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc. and Libren Music
Commodores3.653:38
5Hello
producer:
James Anthony Carmichael and Lionel Richie
performer:
Ocobamba
brass [horn] arranger and strings [string] arranger:
James Anthony Carmichael
arranger:
James Anthony Carmichael and Lionel Richie
vocals arranger:
Lionel Richie
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1983)
recording of:
Hello
lyricist and composer:
Lionel Richie
writer:
James Anthony Carmichael
publisher:
Warner Brothers Music Ltd. (UK subsidiary, so named between 1970/01/23–1971/04/26 and 1972/04/25–1988/08/23)
Lionel Richie3.854:09
6Love Hangover
producer:
Hal Davis
arranger:
Dave Blumberg and Clay Drayton
recording of:
Love Hangover
writer:
Marilyn McLeod (soul/jazz singer and songwriter) and Pam Sawyer (British‐born American lyricist and songwriter)
publisher:
Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.) and Jobete Music Co., Inc.
Diana Ross3.253:46
7Don’t Leave Me This Way
producer:
Hal Davis
vocals:
Thelma Houston (in 1976)
arranger:
Art Wright (guitar)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1976)
edit of:
Don’t Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 355) and Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 432)
cover recording of:
Don’t Leave Me This Way (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes song)
writer:
Kenneth Gamble (songwriter for Philadelphia International), Cary Gilbert and Leon Huff (Philly soul producer, of Gamble & Huff)
publisher:
Copyright Control (not for release label use! this is only for copyrights and publishing relationships) and Warner–Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
Thelma Houston4.53:38
8Superstition
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)
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 Wonder4.854:27
9Let’s Get It On
producer:
Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend
percussion:
Emil Richards
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label), Motown Record Corp. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1973) and UMG Recordings, Inc. (operational headquarters of Universal Music Group, based in Santa Monica, USA; read annotations) (in 1973)
remix of:
Let’s Get It On (album version) by Marvin Gaye
part of:
Billboard: Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs (number: 46)
recording of:
Let’s Get It On
writer:
Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend
publisher:
Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Jobete Music Co., Inc., Jobete Music Ltd and Stone Diamond Music Corporation
Marvin Gaye43:58
10Being With You
assistant engineer:
Richie Griffin
engineer:
Howard Lee Wolen and Mark Wolfson
producer:
George Tobin
mixer:
Mike Piccirillo and George Tobin
arranger:
George Tobin
recorded at and mixed at:
Studio Sound Recorders in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
recording of:
Being With You
lyricist and composer:
Smokey Robinson
publisher:
Bertram Music Company, Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.), Jobete Music Co., Inc. and Primary Wave Robinson
Smokey Robinson43:58
11Upside Down
producer:
Bernard Edwards (American bassist and record producer) and Nile Rodgers
vocals:
Diana Ross
conductor:
Bernard Edwards (American bassist and record producer) and Nile Rodgers
remixer:
Russ Terrana
arranger:
Bernard Edwards (American bassist and record producer) and Nile Rodgers
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1980)
part of:
Billboard: Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs (number: 89)
recording of:
Upside Down
writer:
Bernard Edwards (American bassist and record producer) and Nile Rodgers
publisher:
Bernard’s Other Music, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Tommy Jymi Inc., ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division), ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
Diana Ross3.754:07
12Superfreak
recording engineer and mixer:
Tom "Super" Flye
assistant engineer:
Rick "Port Hole" Sanchez
engineer:
Bobby Brooks (US producer/engineer/remixer), Rick "Port Hole" Sanchez and Tom "Super" Flye
executive producer:
Alonzo Miller (Singer-songwriter, producer)
producer:
Rick James (US vocalist, multi‐instrumentalist, composer & producer)
bass:
Oscar Alston
drums (drum set):
Lanise Hughes
electric piano and synthesizer [Crumar]:
Levi Ruffin, Jr.
guitar:
Tom McDermott (guitarist)
handclaps and percussion:
Oscar Alston, Rick James (US vocalist, multi‐instrumentalist, composer & producer) and Tom McDermott (guitarist)
other instruments [flexatone] and vibraslap:
Rick James (US vocalist, multi‐instrumentalist, composer & producer)
tenor saxophone:
Daniel LeMelle
background vocals:
Dennis Edwards (US soul & R’n’B singer), Melvin Franklin, Taborah Johnson, Glenn Leonard, Richard Street and Otis Williams (US baritone singer, member of The Temptations & The Distants)
horn arranger:
Daniel LeMelle and Rick James (US vocalist, multi‐instrumentalist, composer & producer)
arranger:
Rick James (US vocalist, multi‐instrumentalist, composer & producer)
recorded at:
Motown Studios - Hitsville West in West Hollywood, California, United States (background vocals) and The Plant Studios (1981–2008) in Sausalito, California, United States
mixed at:
Westlake Studios (founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s) in West Hollywood, California, United States
part of:
VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s (compiled in 2006) (number: 71), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 153) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 477)
recording of:
Super Freak
lyricist and composer:
Alonzo Miller (Singer-songwriter, producer) and Rick James (US vocalist, multi‐instrumentalist, composer & producer)
publisher:
Jobete Music Co., Inc. and Stone Diamond Music Corporation
Rick James4.153:24
13Nightshift
associate producer:
Peter Wolfe (Austrian classical/jazz composer/producer, keyboards for Zappa) and Jeremy Smith (producer/engineer)
producer:
Dennis Lambert
arranger:
Peter Wolfe (Austrian classical/jazz composer/producer, keyboards for Zappa)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Company, L.P. (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1984)
edit of:
Nightshift by Commodores (US funk/soul band with Lionel Richie)
recording of:
Nightshift
writer:
Franne Golde, Dennis Lambert and Walter Orange
publisher:
BMG Platinum Songs US, Careers–BMG Music Publishing, Inc., Franne Golde Music, Reservoir Media Music, Rightsong Music Inc., Universal Music Careers, Warner–Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (publisher; do NOT use as release label) and Zomba Enterprises, Inc.
Commodores4.354:21
14All Night Long
producer:
James Anthony Carmichael and Lionel Richie
brass [horn] arranger and strings [string] arranger:
James Anthony Carmichael
arranger:
James Anthony Carmichael and Lionel Richie
vocals arranger:
Lionel Richie
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1983) and Motown Records (not for label use; use “Motown” instead) (in 1983)
recording of:
All Night Long (All Night)
lyricist and composer:
Lionel Richie
publisher:
Brenda Richie Publishing, Brockman Music and Rondor Music (Australia) Pty Ltd
Lionel Richie3.44:20
15Don’t Look Any Further
recording engineer:
Jeremy Smith (producer/engineer)
drum machine programming and associate co-producer:
Paul M. Jackson, Jr. (fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist)
producer:
Dennis Lambert
bass guitar:
Nathan East
bass synthesizer and electric guitar [Valley Arts Stratocaster]:
Paul M. Jackson, Jr. (fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist)
cabasa, shakers, talking drum, tambourine and timbales:
Paulinho da Costa (Brazilian percussionist)
synthesizer:
Dennis Lambert
guest vocals:
Siedah Garrett
arranger:
Dennis Lambert and Paul M. Jackson, Jr. (fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist)
recorded at:
Soundcastle Studios (former LA location) in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California, United States
mixed at:
Motown Studios - Hitsville West in West Hollywood, California, United States
recording of:
Don’t Look Any Further
writer:
Franne Golde, Duane Hitchings and Dennis Lambert
publisher:
BMG Platinum Songs US, Universal Music Careers and VMG Worldwide
Dennis Edwards4:04
16Somebody’s Watching Me
producer:
Curtis Anthony Nolen and Rockwell (R & B – “Somebody’s Watching Me”)
background vocals:
Jermaine Jackson (soul/pop singer, of Jackson 5)
guest vocals:
Michael Jackson (“King of Pop”)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Motown Record Corporation (company credits only; do NOT use as release label) (in 1983)
part of:
VH1’s 100 Greatest One‐Hit Wonders of the ’80s (number: 20)
recording of:
Somebody’s Watching Me
lyricist and composer:
Rockwell (R & B – “Somebody’s Watching Me”)
publisher:
EMI Music (do not use as release label! this is a music publisher) and Jobete Music (appears also as: Jobete Msc.)
Rockwell3.853:55
17I Love Your Smile
producer:
Narada Michael Walden
arranger:
Narada Michael Walden
produced for:
Perfection Light Productions
recording of:
I Love Your Smile
writer:
Jarvis Baker, Sylvester Jackson, Shanice Lorraine Wilson-Knox and Narada Michael Walden
publisher:
Carlin Music Corporation, EMI April Music Inc., EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), Gratitude Sky Music, Inc., Shanice 4 U Music and WB Music Corp. (1929–2019)
Shanice44:24
18I’ll Make Love to You
drums (drum set) programming:
Rayford Griffin
assistant engineer:
David Betancourt (engineer), Milton Chan (Recording Engineer), Marty Hornburg and Jamie Seyberth
engineer:
Brad Gilderman
producer:
Babyface (R&B musician Kenny Edmonds)
mixer:
Mick Guzauski
bass:
Reggie Hamilton
synthesizer:
Babyface (R&B musician Kenny Edmonds)
produced for:
ECAF Productions, Inc.
recorded at:
Larrabee Sound Studios (present day location in North Hollywood, since 1991) in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States and The Enterprise (aka Enterprise Studios) in Burbank, California, United States
mixed at:
Encore Recording Studios in Burbank, California, United States
part of:
Billboard: The 500 Best Pop Songs (as of October 2023) (number: 185)
recording of:
I’ll Make Love to You
lyricist and composer:
Kenny Edmonds (R&B musician Kenny Edmonds)
Boyz II Men4.653:57

Credits

Release

ASIN:FR: B00004USXI [info]