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Elly Roberts reviews
The No.1s
Motown / Universal Music TV
- Year: 2004
- Rating: 10/10
- Cat. No: 9818019
Track listing:
- 1.Where Did Our Love Go
2.Baby Love
3.Come See About Me
4.Stop ! In The Name Of Love
5.Back In My Arms Again
6.You Cant Hurry Love
7.You Keep Me Hangin On
8.Love Is Here And Now Youre Gone
9.The Happening
10.Reflections
11.Love Child
12.Im Gonna Make You Love Me
13.Someday Well Be Together
14.Stoned Love
15. Aint No Mountain High Enough
16.Im Still Waiting
17.Touch Me In The Morning
18.Theme From Mahogany
19.Love Hangover
20.Upside Down
21.Im Coming Out
22.Endless Love
23.Chain Reaction
24. You Keep Me Hangin On ( Almighty Remix )
This Worlds most successful girl group,Diane Earle (aka Diana Ross ) Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard turn up onThe No.1s. Its a popular theme at the moment: The Beatles and Elvisgot the treatment now its Tamla Motowns biggest stars.
The chart-topping Soul trios greatest UK moments, as they roll back the years,crammed into 24 tracks. Bursting at the seams with out-and-out pop classics,its a mouth-watering nostalgia trip from the halcyon days of Motown. BerryGordys objective was to smoothen up the rawer Stax / Verve interpretation ofthe genre, by employing songwriters like Holland , Dozier and Holland, Gambleand Huff, and Ashford and Simpson.
They blazed a trail both here and the States, but the CD packshot doesnttell the whole story. Two other singers who contributed to their overallsuccess: Cindy Birdsong replaced Ballard in the late 60s, then Jean Terrellreplaced Ross in 1970. This final line-up ran out of steam in 1974. Ross hadgone before Stoned Love, then she amassing world-wide radio-friendly hits,singing on at least one hit every year for a record 32 years (64-96).
All permutations are explored, but its probably not a definitive. Youll knowjust about every song off by heart the smoochers Im Still Waiting, ImGonna Make You Love Me (with The Temptaions) and the groovers Where DidOur Love Go, Stoned Love, Stop! In The Name Of Love et al.
Bonus tracks include Chain Reaction and a bang up-to-date storming clubAlmighty Remix of You Keep Me Hanging On. Just the job for parties:Check out the Funk Brothers on swinging instruments – Hitsville USA at itsbest.
Review copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004.
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Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.