Various Artists - Motown Singles, Vol. 4

Hip-O Select presents the next volume in its acclaimed continuing series of every Motown single (A- and B- side) of the Detroit era. The Complete Motown Singles, Volume 4: 1964, with 163 songs on six compact discs. My Guy, Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love, The Way You Do The Things You Do, Dancing In The Street, Every Little Bit Hurts, Baby I Need Your Loving, How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) scale the charts the Supremes, the Temptations, Martha & The Vandellas, Brenda Holloway and Marvin Gaye are everywhere... the Holland-Dozier-Holland writing and production team define The Motown Sound... Jr. Walker & The All Stars debut on the new Soul label; the veteran Four Tops get a hit; Miss Wells turns 21, and leaves. The Funk Brothers band is given a single release, with bandleader Earl Van Dykes name on the label.And yet even as the Motown machine began to click founder Berry Gordy continued to hedge his bets: listen for odd novelties like the seasonal Randy, The Newspaper Boy by Ray Oddis, and Set Me Free by radio personality Lee Alan. Motown kept active its country label, Mel-O-Dy, from Gene Henslees weeper Shambles to Howard Crocketts passable Johnny Cash impersonation on My Lils Run Off. Theres even Bruce Channel, hot from his smash pop hit, Hey! Baby, trying out a Snakepit groove on his R&B-country update of Satisfied Mind. Marvin Gaye is given a long leash to test his jazz sensibilities. Sammy Ward has a last shot at the blues.Every detail is here, in a package keeping with the series that also boasts an expanded 132-page booklet. The Supremes first of three No. 1 hits that year, Where Did Our Love Go b/w He Means The World To Me, is the true vinyl single in the box sets cover page. There are faithful reproductions of classic picture sleeves and record labels,some seen for the first time since they were first released. Product Description

Wells departs; Ross reigns

This Vol. 4 box set features interesting facts about tracks & artists (including other working song titles & recording dates), singles scheduled for release, rare photos, and more. Here are just some worthy mentions:

- Opening essay by Janie Bradford
- "Thank You (For Loving Me All the Way)" may be Little Stevie Wonder's first recording in 1961.
- The Serenaders are the actual singers on "Say Say Baby", not the wrongly credited Creations.
- Smokey productions for Bobby Breen, Carolyn Crawford, Kim Weston ("My Guy" soundalike), Mickey McCullers aka McCullough, and The Contours.
- The Hornets. A-side "Give Me A Kiss" recorded as by Mike Varo (the little Italian footstomper heard on songs like "Where Did Our Love Go"); B-side "She's My Baby" recorded as by Mike & the Modifiers.
- "Set Me Free" by Lee Alan with help from "The Vendellas", Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye.
- R.Dean Taylor A&B-side produced by Holland & Dozier.
- The Andantes only single although the lead vocal, Ann Bogan who later joined The Marvelettes, wasn't a group member. Killer party song and killer ballad thanks to H-D-H.
- "Oh Little Boy (What Did You Do to Me)". Did you ever think Mary Wells hit that high note? It was actually Liz Lands.
- "When I'm Gone" (Motown 1061) and "Whisper You Love Me Boy" (Motown 1065) both scheduled for release after Mary Wells left the company.
- "Baby I Need Your Loving" originally assigned to Holland-Dozier as recording artists.
- Norman Whitfield finds his sound on tracks for Jimmy Ruffin, Marvelettes, and Velvelettes.
- Eddie Holland retires as an artist with what may be his best single. I love the versions of "If You Don't Want My Love" by him and by Martha Reeves!
- "Dancing In the Street" originally assigned to Marvin Gaye as a romantic ballad. No mention that it was intended for Kim Weston although written in her attic.
- Oma Heard was wrongfully credited as "Oma Page" duetting on the 4-CD Marvin Gaye box set in 1990.
- "Hello Love" recorded as by The Majestics, then later re-recording it as The Monitors.
- Soul 35007 single "Do the Pig"/"Thompin'" by the Merced Blue Notes isn't included.
- Single after single released by Howard Crockett and Dorsey Burnette but no Motown album.
September 29, 2008

Too expensive

i have nothing but praise for this series but why are the box sets so expensive? November 9, 2007

1964 Marathon

1964 is now the year. Motown is churning out hit after hit just like the automobile assembly lines in Detroit ! Could anyone imagine 163 songs , 7 hours , 7 minutes ? Well , here it is on 6 discs. If you have the other three , you are now officially over 24 hours of Motown singles. I LOVE Hip-O Select!!! This project is historic on so many levels. Be part of the history-----Buy these limited editions now !! The monetary and historical / sentimental value can only increase in the coming years. November 7, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...