Various Artists - Dancing In The Street: The Motown Originals (Album)
When it comes to record collecting, there is no such thing as too many motown compilations (well… unless you hate motown, that is… and for those that do, then why are you wasting your time reading this?!). With a title Dancing In The Street: The Motown Originals - you get the teaser that it is supposed to make you feel good, it is supposed to be upbeat, it is supposed to get you up on your feet, out on the street and The Jackson 5 alone almost had me doing it, I mean… I challenge you to stay still (or stay quiet) during I Want You Back. I don’t care how many CDs I have this on, it is a song that I won’t skip and will listen to right through in full.
This collection holds twenty-five motown classics focussing on the legends such as The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5 and The Supremes (as well as Diana Ross solos) holding the majority of the tracks but with welcomed appearances by Stevie Wonder (who is interestingly mentioned first on the cover but only holds one song on this collection) and Mavin Gaye. I’m sure you’ve heard all these songs before (many crossing your paths in movies you’ve grown up to) but these are the chosen ones you will want to keep listening to over and over again and these motown originals cover recurring theme everyone is familiar with- relationships. Whether it is about friendship, love or trust it is there for you to groove to and it is a great collection for education (sick of people referring to Human Nature alongside Reach Out? Well, this is the disc for you!).
Now whilst this isn’t titled a ‘best of’ some can argue that it is, but I add interject “if only it had a little more variety!” (throw in some Otis in there and possibly Aretha- minus Otis’ Respect) but these are the ones Universal has come up with and with every review I do I always mention favourites… which is proving to be difficult with this great selection of songs so to ease the pain I will choose one top song from each of the four main acts. Drum roll please… The winners are:
I Want You Back by The Jackson 5
My Girl by The Temptations
I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) by The Four Tops
But since I liked the title track over the three Supreme songs and Diana Ross tracks I am going to give the best song to Dancing In The Street from Martha Reeves and The Vandellas because, by the end of it, I was wide awake ready to get out on the street and head off to work!
