Motown 40 Forever

• Artist: Various Artists
• Rating:
• Release Date: January 27, 1998
• Total Time: 146:30
• Type: Collection (various artists)
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

Motown never tires of finding ways to repackage their history, but a 40th anniversary celebration is one of the better excuses they could have for releasing another multi-disc retrospective, such as the double-disc Motown 40 Forever. Unfortunately, devoting the first disc to classic '60s hits and isolating '80s and '90s singles works against the compilation -- it only illustrates that the first two decades of the label's history (particularly the very first decade) were much stronger creatively than the last two, especially since classic '70s singles are used on both discs. Taken individually, however, each disc is quite entertaining. The first contains such classics as "Shop Around," "Heat Wave," "My Guy," "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)," "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted," "ABC," "My Cherie Amour," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "What's Going On," "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "Tears of a Clown," and "Dancing in the Street." It would have been nice if the disc was sequenced in chronological order, but it's still a blast. The second disc has its moments, too -- "Superfreak," "Let It Whip," "War," "Three Times a Lady," "Superstition," and "Let's Get It On" are terrific, while songs like "Rub You the Right Way" and "Somebody's Watching Me" are nice period pieces. The remix of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" is unnecessary, but it does little to dilute a thoroughly entertaining, if redundant, collection. ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Please Mr. Postman (Lyrics)	Brian Holland, Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Robert Bateman, Freddie Gorman	The Marvelettes	(2:27)
Shop Around	Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy, Jr.	Smokey Robinson & the Miracles	(2:46)
(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave	Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland	Martha & the Vandellas	(2:43)
My Guy (Lyrics)	Smokey Robinson	Mary Wells	(2:53)
Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing (Lyrics)	Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson	Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell	(2:15)
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)	Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland	The Four Tops	(2:43)
Baby, I'm for Real (Lyrics)	Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye	The Originals	(3:18)
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (Lyrics)	Paul Riser, William Weatherspoon, James Dean	Jimmy Ruffin	(2:59)
Keep on Truckin' (Lyrics)	Leonard Caston, Frank Wilson, Anita Poree	Eddie Kendricks	(3:32)
ABC (Lyrics)	Berry Gordy, Jr., Alphonso Mizell, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards	The Jackson 5	(2:57)
Stop! In the Name of Love (Lyrics)	Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland	Diana Ross	(2:53)
My Cherie Amour	Henry Cosby, Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy	Stevie Wonder	(2:53)
Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)	Jim Weatherly	Gladys Knight & the Pips	(4:22)
Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)	Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	The Temptations	(3:47)
What's Going On (Lyrics)	Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland	Marvin Gaye	(3:42)
Someday We'll Be Together	Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Jackey Beavers	Diana Ross & the Supremes	(3:27)
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone (Lyrics)	Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	The Temptations	(6:58)
I'll Be There (Lyrics)	Hal Davis, Berry Gordy, Jr., Willie Hutch, Bob West	The Jackson 5	(3:58)
Tears of a Clown	Smokey Robinson, Henry Cosby, Stevie Wonder	Smokey Robinson & the Miracles	(3:00)
When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Lyrics)	Albert Hammond, John Bettis	Diana Ross	(4:12)
Dancing in the Street	Marvin Gaye, Ivy Hunter, William "Mickey" Stevenson	Martha & the Vandellas	(2:39)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Super Freak (Lyrics)	Rick James, Alonzo Miller	Rick James	(3:24)
Let It Whip	Reggie Andrews, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler	Dazz Band	(4:06)
Rub You the Right Way (Lyrics)	Terry Lewis, James Harris	Johnny Gill	(4:14)
Let's Get Serious	Lee Garrett, Stevie Wonder	Jermaine Jackson	(3:33)
Fire and Desire (Lyrics)	Rick James	Rick James, Teena Marie	(5:46)
Somebody's Watching Me (Lyrics)	Rockwell	Rockwell	(3:55)
My Girl (Lyrics)	Smokey Robinson, Ronald White	The Temptations	(2:43)
War (Lyrics)	Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	Edwin Starr	(3:22)
I'm Coming Out (Lyrics)	Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers	Diana Ross	(3:54)
All Night Long (All Night)	Lionel Richie	Lionel Richie	(4:15)
All This Love (Lyrics)	El DeBarge	DeBarge	(4:09)
Three Times a Lady (Lyrics)	Lionel Richie	The Commodores	(3:38)
I Love Your Smile (Lyrics)	Shanice Wilson, Bernard Jackson, Narada Michael Walden, Jack Baker	Shanice	(4:23)
I'll Make Love to You (Lyrics)	Babyface	Boyz II Men	(3:58)
Superstition	Stevie Wonder	Stevie Wonder	(4:01)
Let's Get It On (Lyrics)	Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend	Marvin Gaye	(4:01)
Him or Me	Lee Drakeford, Gene Griffin, Wesley Adams, Larry McCain, Larry Singletary	Today	(4:20)
Don't Look Any Further (Lyrics)	Franne Golde, Duane Hitchings, Dennis Lambert	Dennis Edwards, Siedah Garrett	(4:04)
I Want You Back (Lyrics)	Berry Gordy, Jr., Alphonso Mizell, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards	The Jackson 5	(4:20)

Credits

Babyface (Producer), Boyz II Men (Performer), The Commodores (Performer), DeBarge (Performer), Dennis Edwards (Performer), The Four Tops (Performer), Siedah Garrett (Performer), Marvin Gaye (Producer), Marvin Gaye (Performer), Johnny Gill (Performer), The Jackson 5 (Performer), Jermaine Jackson (Producer), Jermaine Jackson (Performer), Rick James (Arranger), Rick James (Producer), Rick James (Performer), Teena Marie (Performer), The Marvelettes (Performer), The Originals (Performer), Lionel Richie (Producer), Lionel Richie (Performer), Smokey Robinson (Producer), Rockwell (Performer), Diana Ross (Performer), Jimmy Ruffin (Performer), Edwin Starr (Performer), The Temptations (Performer), Mary Wells (Performer), Today (Performer), Bernard Edwards (Producer), Nile Rodgers (Producer), Shanice (Performer), George Jackson (Executive Producer), Reggie Andrews (Arranger), Reggie Andrews (Producer), Peter Asher (Producer), Nickolas Ashford (Producer), Johnny Bristol (Producer), James Anthony Carmichael (Producer), Leonard Caston (Producer), Sean "Puffy" Combs (Executive Producer), Henry Cosby (Producer), Hal Davis (Producer), Dazz Band (Performer), Eldra DeBarge (Producer), Lamont Dozier (Producer), Berry Gordy, Jr. (Arranger), Berry Gordy, Jr. (Producer), Iris Gordy (Producer), Gene Griffin (Producer), Brian Holland (Producer), David Irvin (Art Direction), David Irvin (Design), David Irvin (Illustrations), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Arranger), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Associate Producer), Jimmy Jam (Producer), Eddie Kendricks (Performer), Dennis Lambert (Arranger), Dennis Lambert (Producer), Terry Lewis (Producer), Narada Michael Walden (Arranger), Narada Michael Walden (Producer), Alphonso Mizell (Arranger), Alphonso Mizell (Producer), Richard Morris (Producer), Curtis Anthony Nolen (Arranger), Curtis Anthony Nolen (Producer), Freddie Perren (Arranger), Freddie Perren (Producer), Joe Porter (Producer), Martha Reeves (Performer), Timmy Regisford (Remixing), Deke Richards (Arranger), Deke Richards (Producer), Teddy Riley (Producer), Paul Riser (Arranger), Valerie Simpson (Producer), William "Mickey" Stevenson (Producer), Tammi Terrell (Performer), Ed Townsend (Producer), David Van De Pitte (Arranger), William Weatherspoon (Producer), Norman Whitfield (Producer), Stevie Wonder (Arranger), Stevie Wonder (Producer), Stevie Wonder (Performer), Nelson George (Liner Notes), Frank Wilson (Producer), Diana Ross & the Supremes (Performer), Gladys Knight & the Pips (Performer), Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (Performer), Clarence Avant (Executive Producer), David Harley (Art Direction), David Harley (Design), Dazz (Arranger), McDavid Henderson (Illustrations), Bob West (Arranger)