Although it would become one of Marvin Gaye’s signature tunes and Motown’s best selling single of the 1960s, the world almost didn’t get to hear this recording of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Smokey Robinson and the Miracles had actually recorded the song first, but it had been deemed unsuitable for release by Motown head Berry Gordy Jr. The next recording was by Gaye, but again the hit potential was not recognised and it remained in the vault for months, during which time Gladys Knight and the Pips had a number two hit with their later recording of the song.

With the Gladys Knight hit highlighting the song’s merits, Gaye’s recording was included on his album “In the Groove” in August 1968. Songwriter/producer, Norman Whitfield, was intent on the song also being released on single and got his wish after radio airplay of the album track received a very enthusiastic response from listeners. The single was so successful that the “In the Groove” album was later re-released with the new title “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.”

The song is about a man who is distraught, surpised and confused over rumours of his partner’s infidelity. These mixed emotions are cleverly communicated through the lyrics. The singer begins in confrontational fashion (“I bet you’re wondering how I knew/About your plans to make me blue”), before revealing the depth of his feelings for her (“Losin’ you would end my life you see/Cause you mean that much to me”) and finally doubting the rumours and seeking reassurance (I can’t help bein’ confused/If it’s true please tell me dear/Do you plan to let me go/For the other guy you loved before?).

Singing near the top of his range, Gaye’s vocal communicates his vulnerable state of mind brilliantly. When he half screams “guy” in the line “With some other guy that you knew before,” he sounds barely in control. Norman Whitfield, deserves credit here for it was he who convinced a reluctant Gaye to sing the song in a higher, less comfortable key.

Whitfield’s excellent production was also key to the song’s success. The dramatic electric piano line, tom-tom drums (Whitfield had instructed the drummer to provide an “Indian” feel), and inspired string arrangement provide an edgy and powerful backing that pefectly complements Gaye’s vocal.

Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”

Authorship

“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” was written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield, who would collaborate on many other Motown classics, including “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.”

Barrett Strong was a staff writer for Motown at the time and had also written and performed the label’s first hit, “Money (That’s What I Want),” in 1959.

In the September 8, 1988 issue of Rolling Stone, Barrett recalled how “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” first began to take shape:

As noted above, Whitfield also produced the recording of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” as he would for the Gladys Knight and the Pips’ hit version.

Whitfield would become the key Motown producer in the post Holland-Dozier-Holland era.

Recording date/location

“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” was recorded on April 10, 1967 at Hitsville USA (Studio A) in Detroit, Michigan.

Musicians

Marvin Gaye’s vocals were backed by the legendary Motown house band, the Funk Brothers:

Backing vocals were provided by The Adantes – Marlene Barrow, Jackie Hicks and Louvain Demps.

The orchestral part was provided by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Chart performance

“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 8, 1968 and remained on top for an impressive seven weeks. The week that the song hit the top spot, Motown occupied the top three positions on the Hot 100, with Diana Ross & the Supremes’ “Love Child” at number two and Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life” at number three.

The song hit number one on the UK singles chart for the week ending March 29, 1969 and stayed there for three weeks. This was Gaye’s first and only UK number one. It also hit number eight when re-released in the UK in 1986, following its use in a commercial for Levi’s 501s.

Other notable recordings

Gladys Knight and the Pips – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”

Gladys Knight and the Pips recorded the song two months after Gaye, but had a major hit with it almost exactly one year before him. The arrangement is faster and less intense than Gaye’s version, bringing to mind Aretha Franklin’s work in this period. The bass line that helped make the Gaye recording so memorable is only hinted at here.

Gladys Knight and the Pips’ version of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” features on the album “Everybody Needs Love” and various compilations, including “The Way We Were: the Best of Gladys Knight and the Pips.”

Creedence Clearwater Revival – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s cover took the key features of the Gaye version and added some rock elements, including heavier drum work and an effective guitar break. The group clearly loved the song as the version on their “Cosmo’s Factory” album is 11 minutes long, due mainly to an extended guitar break.

Here it appears in edited form.

There will be a new Song of the Week on September 5.

Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” appears on a number of compilation albums, including the two-CD “Marvin Gaye – Gold.”

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Ed Sullivan showcased most of the legendary Motown acts on his television show throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, including the Jackson 5, the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Temptations and the Four Tops. These superb performances have now been fully restored for release in the US and Canada on a 2-DVD set titled “Motown Gold from The Ed Sullivan Show“

Also on the way on DVD are “The Best of the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan Show and “The Best of The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan Show,” which celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary groups.

“Motown Gold from The Ed Sullivan Show” promo:

“Motown Gold from The Ed Sullivan Show” is a three volume set presented across two DVDs. The following performances are included:

DVD One

Volume 1

1. The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back, ABC

2. The Supremes – You Can’t Hurry Love

3. The Temptations – Don’t Look Back

4. Four Tops – Reach Out I’ll Be There

5. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – I Second That Emotion, If You Can Want, Going To A Go-Go

6. Gladys Knight & The Pips – If I Were Your Woman

7. Stevie Wonder – Fingertips Pt. 2

8. Diana Ross & The Supremes – I’m Living in Shame

9. The Temptations – Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)

10. Marvin Gaye – Take This Heart of Mine

11. Diana Ross & The Supremes – Love Child

12. The Temptations – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There,My Sweet Lord

13. Diana Ross & The Supremes – Someday We’ll Be Together.

BONUS

14. Gladys Knight & The Pips – I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

Volume 2

1. The Jackson 5 – Stand, Who’s Lovin’ You,I Want You Back

2. The Supremes – Come See About Me

3. Stevie Wonder – For Once In My Life

4. Martha & The Vandellas – Dancing In The Street

5. The Temptations – Get Ready

6. The Supremes – My World Is Empty Without You

7. Four Tops – When You’re Smiling, It’s The Same Old Song, Something About You, I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)

8. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Abraham, Martin & John

9. The Supremes – Come See About Me, Stop! In The Name Of Love, You Can’t Hurry Love, You Keep Me Hangin’ On, I Hear A Symphony

10. The Temptations – Runaway Child, Running Wild

11. The Supremes – Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart.

BONUS

14. Four Tops – All In The Game, Nice & Easy.

Disc Two

Volume 3

1. Diana Ross & The Supremes – Forever Came Today

2. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Doggone Right

3. The Jackson 5 – The Love You Save

4. The Temptations – I Can’t Get Next To You

5. The Supremes – The Happening

6. Four Tops – Reach Out I’ll Be There, I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch), Bernadette, Climb Ev’ry Mountain

7. Gladys Knight & The Pips – Nitty Gritty, By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Stop and Get a Hold of Myself

8. The Temptations – You’ve Made Me So Very Happy

9. Diana Ross & The Supremes – In And Out Of Love

10. The Temptations – Psychedelic Shack

11. Diana Ross & The Supremes – Love Child.

BONUS

12. Four Tops – Put A Little Love In Your Heart.

“The Best of the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan Show”

“The Best of the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan Show” features 22 classic performances from the group, including the smash hits “Come See About Me,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Stop! In The Name of Love” and “Baby Love.” This DVD includes performances that are not featured on the Motown Gold set and vice versa, so if you want to own the lot it will be necessary to double-dip.

“The Best of the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan Show” promo:

“The Best of the Supremes on the Ed Sullivan Show” tracklist:

1. Come See About Me

2. You Can’t Hurry Love

3. Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart

4. My Favorite Things

5. The Happening

6. More

7. Love Child

8. Always

9. You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You

10.No Matter What Sign You Are

11.Medley: Baby Love, Stop! In The Name of Love, Come See About Me, My World Is Empty Without You, You Can’t Hurry Love, The Happening, You Keep Me Hanging On, Reflections, Love Child, I Hear A Symphony

12. Forever Came Today

13. BONUS Up The Ladder To The Roof.

“The Best of the Temptations on the Ed Sullivan Show”

“The Best of the Temptations on the Ed Sullivan Show” presents 21 great performances, including “My Girl,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Psychedelic Shack.” The collection includes two Medleys not featured on the Motown Gold DVD, including one with the Supremes.

“The Best of The Temptations on The Ed Sullivan Show” promo:

“The Best of the Temptations on the Ed Sullivan Show” tracklist:

1. Medley: Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue), All I Need, My Girl, I’m Losing You

2. Don’t Look Back

3. Medley with The Supremes: Get Ready, Stop! In The Name of Love, My Guy, Baby Love, I’m Losing You

4. Runaway Child, Running Wild

5. I Can’t Get Next To You

6. You’ve Made Me So Very Happy

7. Psychedelic Shack

8. Get Ready

9. Medley: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, My Sweet Lord

10. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)

BONUS

11.Hello Young Lovers

12. Autumn Leaves.

The three releases are out on September 13 in the US and September 20 in Canada. All can be pre-ordered now from:

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The DVD features footage from concerts held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on October 28 and 29, 1964, with appearances by some of the biggest names of the era, including James Brown, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and Chuck Berry.

T.A.M.I stands for Teenage Awards Music International.

The full list of performers is as follows:

• James Brown & The Flames – “Out Of Sight,” “Prisoner Of Love,” “Please, Please, Please,” and “Night Train”
• Chuck Berry – “Johnny B. Goode,” “Maybellene,” “Sweet Little Sixteen,” and “Nadine (Is it You?)”
• Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – “Thats What Love Is Made Of,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” and “Mickey’s Monkey”
• Marvin Gaye – “Stubborn Kind Of Fellow,” “Pride And Joy,” “Can I Get A Witness,” and “Hitch Hike”
• The Rolling Stones – “Around and Around,” “Off The Hook,” “Time Is On My Side,” “It’s All Over Now,” and “I’m All Right”
• The Supremes – “When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes,” “Run, Run, Run,” “Baby Love,” and “Where Did Our Love Go?”
• The Beach Boys – “Surfin U.S.A.,” “I Get Around,” “Surfer Girl,” and “Dance, Dance, Dance”
• Gerry & The Pacemakers – “Maybellene,” “Dont Let The Sun Catch You Crying,” “Its Gonna Be Alright,” “How Do You Do It?,” and “I Like It”
• Lesley Gore - “Maybe I Know,” “You Dont Own Me,” “You Didnt Look Around,” “Hey Now,” “Its My Party,” and “Judy’s Turn To Cry”
• Jan & Dean – “(Here They Come) From All Over The World,” “The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)” and “Sidewalk Surfin”
• Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas – “Little Children,” “Bad To Me,” “I’ll Keep You Satisfied,” and “From A Window”
• The Barbarians - “Hey Little Bird.”

The show closes with all performers on “Let’s Get Together.”

The T.A.M.I. Show trailer

If you want further information on the film, check the Classic Pop Icons T.A.M.I. Show review of last year’s US version.

“The T.A.M.I. Show DVD” is available to buy now from:

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Cameron Crowe and F. Garry Gary had both been linked with the project, but abandoned it.

“Sexual Healing” will concentrate on the period that Gaye was living in Ostend, Belgium and recording his final studio album, “Midnight Love.” There is no news on who will play the Motown legend.

Temple has previously directed the Sex Pistols documentaries “Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle” and “The Filth and the Fury”, the Joe Strummer documentary “Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten” and the Paul Weller documentary “Paul Weller: Find the Torch.” He has also been linked with the forthcoming dramatisation of the Kinks’ story.

Hebb was raised in Nashville and became a versatile musician and showman early on, playing trumpet, guitar, piano and percussion. He performed with his brother Harold as a song and dance team in the 1950s, which brought him to the attention of Roy Acuff, whose band Hebb joined. He would later join Johnny Bragg and the Marigolds and then replace Mickey Baker in Mickey and Sylvia for a time.

The song “Sunny” was written in 1963. Some believe that it was written in response to the double tragedies of JFK’s murder on 23 November and his brother Harold’s murder the day after in a knife fight in a Nashville nightclub. Hebb recorded “Sunny” in New York City and it was a smash hit when released in 1966. The success of the song led to a tour with the Beatles. Hebb also managed two more moderate hits over the next year – “A Satisfied Mind” and “Love Me.”

Hebb wrote many songs for other artists, including “A Natural Man” for Lou Rawls, which won a Grammy in 1971, but “Sunny” was his most significant achievement. The song has been covered by hundreds of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Cher, Wilson Pickett, Ella Fitzgerald, Dusty Springfield and Boney M.

Let’s remember Bobby Hebb through some of the best versions of his most famous composition, starting with his own.

Bobby Hebb – “Sunny”

Marvin Gaye – “Sunny”

Dusty Springfield – “Sunny”

Frank Sinatra – “Sunny”

Cher – “Sunny”

Stevie Wonder – “Sunny”

Howard to play Marvin Gaye

The website, Deadline, reports that Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard is on board to play the Motown legend. Will Smith had been approached but turned the role down. I’m glad of that. Will is a fine actor, but can anyone imagine him played Marvin Gaye? Howard also has a musical background and his debut album, “Shine Through It,” was quite well received.

The movie will be produced by Scott Rudin. Among his many past credits are “Revolutionary Road,” “No Country for Old Men,” “School of Rock” and “The Hours.”

The project apparently has the support of Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr and the rights have been secured for Gaye’s music.

It’s encouraging that this project is in the hands of such an accomplished director. Cameron Crowe’s directorial debut was the 1980s classic “Say Anything,” after which he directed “Singles,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Almost Famous,” “Vanilla Sky,” and “Elizabethtown.” Currently he is working on a Pearl Jam documentary set for release next year.

When I bought Shout Factory’s first ever issue of the legendary lost concert film The TAMI Show, my night was shot. I spent two hours watching the movie. Then there were another two plus hours soaking up the special features and replaying favorite moments. Then there was the trip to my CD collection to revisit the original recordings of all the great hits I had heard in the show. That’s how caught up I was in the excitement generated by this magnificent film and its magnificent presentation on DVD.

As hard as it may be to believe, I approached the DVD with some hesitancy. I had seen the TAMI Show on late night local TV 15-20 years ago. I was impressed by it and I have seen bits and pieces of the show on anthologies since then. Memory is a funny thing though. Nearly two decades down the line I imagined that part of my initial thrill was just the novelty of seeing video footage of the Beach Boys, the Supremes, the Miracles, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Lesley Gore and Chuck Berry all on the same bill. I also looked askance at some of the acts on the program like Gerry and the Pacemakers and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas whom I didn’t expect much from in a live concert. Even favorites like Gore, whose hits were sub-Spector studio concoctions with much of their distinct flavor coming from the double tracking of her voice, seemed bound to disappoint. Plus, when a show gets a rep like The TAMI Show’s, it is very easy to fall short of the hype. Anything short of a miracle is a disappointment. Well, The TAMI Show is a miracle, a perfect crystallization of everything that rock ‘n’ roll was about at this crucial point in its development.

The lineup of talent compiled by Producer Bill Sargent and arranger/conductor Jack Nitzsche, with the help of Director Steve Binder’s management team – Chuck Berry, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, the Supremes, the Barbarians, James Brown and the Famous Flames, and the Rolling Stones – was on the absolute edge of what was happening in that moment. It also captured in Berry – where the music came from – in artists as diverse as the Beach Boys, the Supremes, and Gerry and the Pacemakers – where the music was at – and, in acts like the Supremes, the Barbarians, James Brown and the Rolling Stones – where it was going. It’s really an amazing achievement, particularly when you consider that acts like the Stones were really just in the birth pains of their U.S. careers.

The lineup of songs is nearly perfect. Of the 46 titles performed, 37 made the Billboard Top 40 with 21 of those reaching the Top Ten, and four making it all the way to the Top spot. It really was all killer, no filler. This doesn’t seem very surprising until you realize how hard it really is to capture a moment like this, particularly on film. Watch any of the early rock ‘n’ roll movies and you’ll hear many songs you don’t know. Here those songs are few and far between, and even some of the smaller hits like Jan and Dean’s great title theme “Here They Come (from All Over the World),” are now cult classics. What’s more, most of these were then current hits. The Supremes’ “Baby Love” would make #1 two days after they sang it on the October 29, 1964 show. This means you not only get to see the in-their-prime artists sing their songs in their moment, but also see how those songs played, and what they meant to their original audience.

Picking highlights of the T.A.M.I. show is extremely difficult. The show’s legend, of course, is James Brown and he does not disappoint. Much has been made of his dramatic mock stage faints and revivals on “Please, Please, Please.” It truly is a show stopping performance, but his work is equally impressive on a stunning “Prisoner of Love.” The song hits a dramatic crescendo on an extended bridge where the Flames repeat the title phrase over and over again, while Brown answers them back. Binder keeps his camera on a medium shot of Brown. Standing there with his head rolled back and his eyes closed, he gets us caught up in his personal agonized trance. When he explodes with a scream and a drop to his knees, it’s our escape as well as is.

Amazingly, a few minutes later when Brown is shimmying across the stage on one leg during “Night Train” we forget even that miracle. We’re completely caught up in the moment. The entire show is like that. Every thrill seems to top the last; there is hardly any looking back.

There’s Chuck Berry appearing looser than he ever was in any of the old rock ‘n’ roll movies. There’s no duck walk, but he slips his hips with fluidity. His facial expressions are a scream Lesley Gore, even without a double track, delivers a mesmerizing version of her early feminist anthem “You Don’t Own Me,” filled with personal passion even if she isn’t as gifted a visual performer as Brown or Berry. The Beach Boys have a beautiful set highlighted by a sublime reading of “Surfer Girl.” The nattily dressed Miracles maybe top them all. Their recreation of “the monkey” dance craze (also performed by the Beach Boys and a handful of other acts on the bill), seems a little silly to modern eyes, but when they start undulating in the middle of “Mickey Monkey” you can understand the sexual excitement at the heart of a lot of dance classics. When Binder cuts away from Smokey thrusting his pelvis towards the rear curtain (and away from the crowd) we think he’s going to go safe, but he cuts to a dancer writhing on the floor and we see he really gets it.

Even the lesser performers come through. Buoyed by the crowd, Gerry and the Pacemakers deliver the performance of their lives. On record, their “Maybellene” is rather fey. Buoyed though by the rabid live audience and appearing on the same stage as Chuck Berry himself, their performance of the song is muscular and energetic here. Gerry Marsden doesn’t shout like Little Richard, but he shows some growling conviction on the up-tempo material. This goes for even the Pacemakers’ other lightweight up-tempo singles. When the group slides into its forte on the haunting “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying” the results are spellbinding.

The legendary flop Rolling Stones’ performance is anything but. The up and coming Stones are upstaged by Brown, but they drive the audience crazy and deliver a great set. Its only flaw is Jagger’s overt mimicking of Brown’s moves. The Stones were great, but they weren’t an original yet.

James Brown & Mick Jagger backstage

The crowd is absolutely electric throughout the event. Operating at a constant roar, their energy never lags and the performers respond. It’s very difficult not to get caught up in it. When the rest of the cast comes out behind Lesley Gore on “It’s My Party” the crowd’s appreciation is so overwhelming you get really excited as if it were a joint performance by all these great stars, rather than a solo with the rest of the group cheering the singer on. It’s almost overflowing with momentum. This is kind of surprising because we learn in the audio commentary that the show would often be stopped in between the performers to reset the cameras and the stage.

We never see that on film. On camera, the flow is continuous. Binder’s pace is breathless moving from one performer to the next. It’s like being on a musical roller coaster, an impression increased by the fact that so many of the numbers are up tempo and because they’re all so well known. That sense of speed is abetted by the fact that many of the numbers are presented in abbreviated versions. It’s as if you’re in the next one before you realize you’re out of the last.

Visually, as the book accompanying the set points out, the show is short on spectacle. The set is basically a scaffold, occasionally complemented by a paper mache curtain. The star power energy and visual presentation of the performers are what knock us out. It’s amazing how much some of the classic rockers got out of so little. Jan and Dean, for instance, give us a charge by pulling a skateboard out of a guitar case and riding it down the stage, almost into the audience. It’s a low tech trick, but it’s so sudden, relatively unexpected and Dean is so cool and athletic in the few seconds he rides the board, it’s absolutely musical.

Binder, who later went on to work on Elvis’ ’68 comeback special, perfectly understands the music and never misses a performer’s tricks. He has many of his own. His opening of the show, a hand-held shot following reckless Jan and Dean swaying through busy L.A. Streets on their skateboards, is a classic. Then Binder gives us some great shots of the stars going through their paces getting ready for the show. On stage, Binder amplifies the action with multiple exposures and inventive camera angles that make full use of the widescreen. (This is a film not a TV show.) Perhaps his most inspired innovation was rubbing Vaseline on the cameras during the ballads, giving these performances a dreamlike vibe. He’s not flawless though. The go go dancers that surround every number uncomfortably date the show. But, overall, if this had been the only thing that Binder did, his reputation as a behind the scenes rock legend would be secure.

Marvin Gaye and Tami Show director Steve Binder

The DVD presentation of the film lives up to the content of the show. While the audio is sometimes a little shrill, it’s never less than listenable. This is not a 2010 concert here. The video quality is not as good as studio movies of the era, but far better than classic kinescopes we’ve seen from TV shows. There is some grain in the film, but the images are sharp. You can even see the stains on James Brown’s pants after his knee drops.

The DVD extras are very fine, led by a nicely designed 20-page booklet. The booklet’s photos aren’t especially rare, but there are some cool little novelties like photos of show tickets and a reproduction of parts of a vintage 16 magazine spread on the show. Pop Historian Don Waller’s notes offer a good appraisal of the era and provide the skinny on how the show all came together. There’s also a list of all the songs that are performed in the concert.

Additionally, you get a small smattering of radio advertisements for the show and the obligatory trailer. This has an optional audio commentary from movie director John Landis who actually attended the concert. Landis’ commentary is funny and the trailer actually has some inadvertent insights about the show and the early ’60s pop music scene. For instance, James Brown scholars will get a kick out of Brown’s billing as “the newest show biz sensation.” Brown’s recording and R&B hit-making career was almost a decade old by that time. As Landis points out, though, to the mainstream audience he really was a newbie.

As there should be on a set like this, there are chapter breaks and selections for every musical number. The greatest bonus is the feature length audio commentary by Binder and Waller. Binder has great stories to tell about the making of the show including one about Chuck Berry almost putting the kibosh on the whole shebang by demanding payment in cash before going on stage. He also explains the mystery of the Beach Boys’ disappearance from the show after its initial run.

T.A.M.I. Show DVD trailer

The director also has some swell stories about his five decades in directing shows like this. Some of the funniest anecdotes are about his attempts to deal with tone deaf network suits. For instance, when Binder directed the Elvis comeback show, NBC executives wanted him to use the Bob Hope orchestra on the show. An even more outrageous clash occurred when he was filming a Diana Ross musical spectacle for CBS in the early 1980s and executives insisted on the participation of Larry Hagman!

Waller’s work is also meritorious; he provides some great additional facts and context. However, he should have left his sexist “compliment” that Lesley Gore was “not just a pop tart” at home.

Overall, this is a great tribute to a great show. It’s a shame that it has taken this long to find a release in the home video medium, or a complete release in any medium. Too many people have not seen this film. So many of the performers- Brown, Beach Boys’ Carl and Dennis Wilson, Jan Berry, Miracle Ronnie White among others- passed away before this video memorializing this glorious moment in their glorious careers was available for mass consumption. For too long, this show was a dusty memory, a legend more heard of then actually seen, a desecrated bootleg that only hinted at the show’s glory. Now it is here and pop music fans who have’n't seen this show yet owe it to themselves to at least rent this DVD. If you love pop music you don’t want your life to have gone by without at least witnessing this crown jewel of the art form at least once.

Here’s the full list of performances:

Jan & Dean
SHOW OPEN: (Here They Come) From All Over The World
Chuck Berry
Johnny B. Goode
Maybellene
Gerry And The Pacemakers
Maybellene
Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying
It’s Gonna Be Alright
Chuck Berry
Sweet Little Sixteen
Gerry And The Pacemakers
How Do You Do It?
Chuck Berry
Nadine (Is It You?)
Gerry And The Pacemakers
I Like It
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
That’s What Love Is Made Of
You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
Mickey’s Monkey
Marvin Gaye
Stubborn Kind Of Fellow
Pride And Joy
Can I Get A Witness
Hitch Hike
Lesley Gore
Maybe I Know
You Don’t Own Me
You Didn’t Look Around
Hey Now
It’s My Party
Judy’s Turn To Cry
Jan & Dean
The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)
Sidewalk Surfi’n’
The Beach Boys
Surfi’n’ U.S.A.
I Get Around
Surfer Girl
Dance, Dance, Dance
Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
Little Children
Bad To Me
I’ll Keep You Satisfied
From A Window
The Supremes
When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes
Run, Run, Run
Baby Love
Where Did Our Love Go
The Barbarians
Hey Little Bird
James Brown & The Flames
Out Of Sight
Prisoner Of Love
Please, Please, Please
Night Train
The Rolling Stones
Around And Around
Off The Hook
Time Is On My Side
It’s All Over Now
I’m All Right
All Performers
Show Close: Let’s Get Together

Bonus Features
Commentary by Director Steve Binder
Original Trailer with Commentary by John Landis
Original T.A.M.I. Show Radio Spots
Commemorative Booklet

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Not surprisingly, the list contains some of the most famous protest songs of all time, including John Lennon’s “Imagine,” Bob Dylan’s “The Times They are a-Changin’” and Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land,” which takes the top spot. However, the list isn’t entirely predictable. Yes, Lennon’s peace anthem is there, but only at number 18. The far less high profile “Shipbuilding” by Robert Wyatt/Elvis Costello made number eight and Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” made number 12.

Top: Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan Bottom: John Lennon, Nina Simone

Clearly, many voters took the question seriously and didn’t simply go for the most obvious choices.

The profile of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” was raised greatly after a Facebook campaign led to it becoming the UK’s Christmas number one last year, so it’s no surprise that this song was the number 12 pick.

Top 20 political songs

1. Woody Guthrie – This Land Is Your Land
2. The Special AKA – Free Nelson Mandela
3. Bob Dylan – The Times They are a-Changin’
4. Billie Holiday – Strange Fruit
5. Claude de Lisle – La Marseillaise
6. U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday
7. Eugene Pottier – The Internationale
8. Robert Wyatt/Elvis Costello – Shipbuilding
9. Sex Pistols – God Save the Queen
10. William Blake – Jerusalem
11. The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again
12. Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name
13. Tracy Chapman – Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution
14. Nina Simone – Mississippi Goddam
15. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On?
16. Gil Scott-Heron – The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
17. Bob Marley – Redemption Song
18. John Lennon – Imagine
19. Pete Seeger – Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
20. Tom Robinson – Glad to Be Gay

These type of lists rarely satisfy anyone, as they reflect the diverse tastes of those who have voted. It’s an interesting selection though and pleasingly eclectic. If nothing else, these polls do prompt us to reconsider and listen to songs we haven’t heard in a while. Here’s a selection from the top 20.

Woody Guthrie – “This Land is Your Land”

Nina Simone – “Mississippi Goddam”

Bob Marley – “Redemption Song”

John Lennon – “Imagine”

The excellent New Statesmen article provides a commentary on each of the tracks and a link to a podcast where you can listen to them.

With the Motown Records fan base spreading across Europe in the 1960s, the company decided that its major stars should perform foreign language versions of their hits to appeal to these markets. This new 2-CD set includes all 38 of these tracks from The Supremes, The Temptations, The Miracles, The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Edwin Starr, Jimmy Ruffin, and the Velvelettes.

The package includes a 24-page booklet featuring rare photos of Motown stars in settings around the world, reproductions of the original single sleeves, a sticker sheet, and an essay by Dr. Andrew Flory

Tracks

Disc 1 – Italian
1. The Supremes – L’Amore Verrà [You Can’t Hurry Love]
2. The Supremes – Se Il Filo Spezzerai [You Keep Me Hangin’ On]
3. Four Tops – Piangono Gli Uomini [I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)]
4. The Temptations – Solamente Lei [My Girl]
5. The Temptations – Sei Solo Tu [The Way You Do The Things You Do]
6. Stevie Wonder – Il Sole E’ Di Tutti [A Place In The Sun]
7. Stevie Wonder – Passo Le Mie Notti Qui Da Solo [Music Talk]
8. The Miracles – Non Sono Quello Che Tu Vuoi [(Come ‘Round Here) I’m The One You Need]
9. Jimmy Ruffin – Se Decidi Cosi’ [What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted]
10. Four Tops – Gira, Gira [Reach Out I’ll Be There]
11. Four Tops – L’Arcobaleno [Walk Away, Renee]
12. Stevie Wonder – Dove Vai? [Travlin’ Man]
13. Stevie Wonder – Non Sono Un Angelo [I’m Wondering]
14. Stevie Wonder – Se Tu Ragazza Mia
15. Stevie Wonder – My Cherie Amor [My Cherie Amour]
16. Stevie Wonder – Solo Te Solo Me Solo Noi [Yester Me, Yester You, Yesterday]
17. Edwin Starr – Che Forza [Soul Master]
18. Edwin Starr – Dolce Amore [Oh How Happy].

Disc Two – German/French/Spanish
1. The Supremes – Moonlight And Kisses
2. The Supremes – Baby, Baby, Wo Ist Unsere Liebe [Where Did Our Love Go]
3. The Supremes – Thank You Darling
4. The Supremes – Jonny Und Joe [Come See About Me]
5. The Tempations – Mein Girl [My Girl]
6. The Temptations – Blue Bird
7. Marvin Gaye – Wie Schön Das Ist [How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)]
8. Marvin Gaye – Sympatica
9. The Velvelettes – Puisque Je Sais Qu’il Est À Moi [As Long As I Know He’s Mine]
10. The Velvelettes – Tu Perds Le Plus Merveilleux Garcon Du Monde [You Lost The Sweetest Boy]
11. The Velvelettes – Le Hoky Poky [(Monkey) Hoky Poky]
12. The Velvelettes – Je Veux Crier [My Foolish Heart (Keeps Hanging On To A Memory)]
13. Martha Reeves & the Vandellas – Yo Necesito De Tu Amor [I’m Ready For Love]
14. Martha Reeves & the Vandellas – Jimmy Mack
15. Stevie Wonder – Mi Ayer Tu Ayer El Ayer [Yester Me, Yester You, Yesterday]
16. Stevie Wonder – Mi Querido Amor [My Cherie Amour]
17. Stevie Wonder – Un Lugar En El Sol [A Place In The Sun]
18. Stevie Wonder – Por Primera Vez [For Once In My Life]
19. Bonus Track: 1. Jermaine Jackson – Seamos Serios [Let’s Get Serious]
20. Bonus Track: 2. Smokey Robinson – Aqui Con Tigo [Being With You].

Here’s a sample of how the Supremes sound singing one of their biggest hits in Italian…

The Supremes – “L’Amore Verrà”

Click to buy now from Amazon.com Click to pre-order from Amazon.co.uk

In 1956, Coca-Cola ended its 50-year relationship with advertising agency D’Arcy and transferred the company’s advertising account to McCann-Erickson. The aim was to more successfully utilise new media and this was achieved with two campaigns in the 1950s – “The Sign of Good Taste” (1957) and “Be Really Refreshed” (1959).

Pop performers such as the McGuire Sisters, Connie Francis, Emmett Kelly, Anita Bryant, and the Brothers Four were involved in these campaigns.

Connie Francis

“Things Go Better with Coke”

The next major campaign was “Things Go Better with Coke,” which commenced in 1963. For this campaign, there was an explosion in the number and quality of ads, and the number of top music stars involved. There were radio and/or television commercials recorded by some huge stars under the “Things Go Better with Coke” campaign, including the Supremes, Jay and the Americans, the Moody Blues, Jan and Dean, Roy Orbison, Petula Clark and Ray Charles.

These stars were asked to incorporate the “Things Go Better with Coke” slogan into a song, which was generally inspired by one of their big hits, eg Tom Jones’ Coke commercial uses the melody and arrangement of “It’s Not Unusual.”

Here’s some entertaining jingles from the “Things Go Better with Coke” campaign.

The Supremes

Roy Orbison

The Shirelles

Everly Brothers

The Moody Blues

Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin

Ray Charles would switch his allegiance in the early 1990s and make commercials for Diet Pepsi.

Tom Jones

Marvin Gaye

The Troggs

The Four Seasons

Sixty-four of the “Things Go Better with Coke” jingles were released on a CD in the 1990s. The CD has been discontinued, but can still be picked up from some sellers.