GREATEST HITS FORTNIGHT (FEBRUARY 6-19, 2012)
When compiling lists of music that you would take with you to the hypothetical desert island, greatest hits compilations are usually forbidden. However, I would gladly break that rule to take this with me. Long time readers of this space know that my soul music tastes usually lean toward Stax/Muscle Shoals Southern soul, but these smooth tunes are the tops of the Motown catalog. IMO, Gaye and Stevie Wonder were the best that Motown had to offer. Gaye sings pretty good for a drummer ;-) This disc is subtitled "17 Spectacular Performances" and this is one of those rare times when the music lives up to the hype. I'm going to stop there before I gush all over this blog. I think you get the point.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #80
Tracks: 17 tracks here, including 4 duets with Tammi Terrell, and I love all of 'em. If I had to pick some favorites, I'd choose You're All I Need To Get By, What's Going On, Mercy Mercy Me, Let's Get It On, and Got To Give It Up (Part 1). The only track I'm even to tempted to skip is I Heard It Through The Grapevine, not because it's a bad song, but because it has been so overplayed that maybe I've reached my saturation point (sending out an eyeroll and a big, sarcastic "thanks a lot" to The California Raisins and The Big Chill).
| Song | R&B | Hot 100 |
| How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) | 3 | 6 |
| Your Precious Love | 2 | 5 |
| Ain't That Peculiar | 1 | 8 |
| If I Could Build My Whole World Around You | 2 | 10 |
| That's The Way Love Is | 2 | 7 |
| You're All I Need To Get By | 1 | 7 |
| I'll Be Doggone | 1 | 8 |
| I Heard It Through The Grapevine | 1 | 1 |
| Too Busy Thinking About My Baby | 1 | 4 |
| What's Going On | 1 | 2 |
| Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing | 1 | 8 |
| Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) | 1 | 9 |
| Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) | 1 | 4 |
| Trouble Man | 4 | 7 |
| Let's Get It On | 1 | 1 |
| Distant Lover | 12 | 28 |
| Got To Give It Up (Part 1) | 1 | 1 |
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I remember buying this on a rainy day in Victoria, but listening to almost any Motown recording makes me want to re-watch Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, an excellent documentary about The Funk Brothers.
While I had heard of Marvin Gaye all my life, my curiosity was piqued as a teenager when I saw a copy of Marvin Gaye's Super Hits (1970) in a photo on the inner cover of Joe Jackson's 1982 album, Night And Day, which I've already gushed about.
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