The show, hosted by Fearne Cotton and Hollywood star Jamie Foxx, featured a run through of some of Jackson’s biggest hits, opening with Ne-Yo’s well received versions of “Billie Jean” and “The Lady In My Life.” This was followed by performances from an eclectic mix of modern and vintage performers, including:

It was also a family affair, with performances from Jackson’s nephews, 3T, his sister, La Toya, and his brothers, Tito, Marlon and Jackie, who performed “Blame It On the Boogie” with boy band JLS.

Beyonce appeared via a pre-taped performance of “I Wanna Be Where You Are” that was introduced by Jackson’s children Prince, Blanket and Paris.

The evening concluded with many of the performers returning to the stage to sing “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.”

The Michael Forever concert was organised by Michael’s brothers Tito, Marlon and Jackie. There was division within the family over the timing of the concert, with brothers Jermaine and Randy stating that the concert was inappropriate due to the ongoing trial of Jackson’s doctor. Commenting on this controversey, Tito, Marlon and Jackie told Sky News:

The Black Eyed Peas and Jennifer Hudson both withdrew from the show, citing “unavoidable circumstances” and “major production issues,” respectively.

A portion of the profits from the show will go to the AIDS Project Los Angeles and Prince’s Trust, which were both charities supported by Michael Jackson.

The single was released in November, 1962 and the song was also featured on the 1963 album “The Fabulous Miracles.”

Although only 22-years-old when “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” was recorded, The Miracles’ lead singer Smokey Robinson was already Vice President of Motown Records and well established as the most important creative force at the label. Smokey had written and recorded Motown’s first million seller in 1960, “Shop Around,” which also hit number one on Billboard’s R&B chart, and he was also having success writing for other artists, including a trio of top 10 hits for Mary Wells – “The One Who Really Loves You,” “You Beat Me to the Punch” and “Two Lovers.”

Smokey has said that the inspiration for “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” came from wanting to replicate the mood and spirit of Sam Cooke’s classic “Bring It On Home To Me.” The infectious doo wop melody, close harmonies, and general interplay with the backing vocalists do evoke the Cooke classic, but it’s lyrical themes are a real departure. From the outset of the song, we encounter the unexpected juxtaposition of the contrasting statements – “I don’t like you, but I Love you.” Most love songs directed at the pop market either celebrate a relationship or bemoan unrequited or lost love, but here we have Smokey taking a more imaginative angle, with the girl featured as both the object of his affection and the source of his frustration. The song further explores the irrationality of his love and the sometimes fine line between love and hate with lyrics such as:

In modern parlance, the singer’s girlfriend appears to be employing “treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen” tactics.

Any discussion of “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” is not complete without mention of the brilliant intro, which comprises a bluesy piano line followed by Marv Tarplin’s simple but classic guitar riff. Great pop songs feature moments that make you want to play them time and time again. The intro is one of several such moments on this recording.

For all its strengths, the recording is not perfect. There are (dare I say it?) some tuning issues here and there, but some would argue (and I would agree) that such imperfections give character to a recording and make them much more appealing than the faultless but often charmless autotuned perfection of many modern pop songs.

The Miracles – “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”

“You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.

Authorship

The words and music for “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” were written solely by Smokey Robinson.

Recording date/location

“You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” was recorded on October 16, 1962 in Studio A of Hitsville USA, Detroit.

Musicians

The Miracles were:

• Smokey Robinson – lead vocal
• Bobby Rogers – harmony lead vocal and backing vocal
• Pete Moore – backing vocal
• Ronnie White – backing vocal
• Claudette Rogers Robinson – backing vocal.
• Marv Tarplin – guitar.

The rest of the instrumentation was provided by Motown’s legendary house band The Funk Brothers.

Chart performance

“You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart on February 10, 1963. The single knocked the Smokey Robinson-penned Mary Well’s single “Two Lovers” off the top spot.

“You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” peaked at number eight on Billboard’s Hot 100.

Other notable recordings

The Beatles – “You Really Got a Hold on Me”

The Beatles’ version of the song is probably as well known as the original. The band were on the cusp of superstardom when they featured the song on their second album “With The Beatles” in November 1963. It’s a fairly straight cover, with John Lennon taking the lead vocal duties and George Harrison singing harmony. George Martin plays the important piano part.

The Beatles’ cover undergoes a minor title change, with “You’ve” becoming “You.”

The song remained a favourite with the band and would feature in their 1970 documentary movie “Let It Be” which featured footage of the sessions for the album of the same name.

The Small Faces – “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”

The Small Faces gave “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” an ‘in your face’ blues rock treatment, with Steve Marriott’s strong and intense lead vocals suiting the lyric.

The song was a worthwhile inclusion on the band’s 1967 album “From The Beginning.”

There will be a new Song of the Week on October 3.

“You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” is available on the greatest hits set “Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – The Definitive Collection.” It is also on the excellent 2-CD compilation “The Miracles: Depend On Me” which features the group’s first four albums, including “The Fabulous Miracles.”

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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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“The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House” will be hosted by Jamie Foxx. Artists scheduled to perform include Smokey Robinson, John Legend, Sheryl Crow, Seal, Nick Jonas, Amber Riley, Natasha Bedingfield, Gloriana, Ledisi, Mark Salling and Jordin Sparks.

The PBS “In Performance at the White House” series began in 1978 and has featured a broad range of musical genres over the years and some of the biggest music stars of all time, including Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin.

“The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House” promo

“The Motown Sound: In Performance at the White House” will be televised on March 1 at 8 pm ET on PBS stations nationwide. It will also be shown on March 11 on the American Forces Network to American service men and women around the world.

“The Tracks of My Tears” also opened the group’s album “Going to a Go-Go”, which was released in November 1965.

The Miracles were one of the first acts signed to Tamla Records, when it was formed in 1959 – it was soon reincorporated as Motown. By the time “Tracks of My Tears” was recorded, Smokey was vice-president of the company and the Miracles had several hits behind them, including “Shop Around”, “You Really Got a Hold on Me” and “Ooh Baby Baby.” Robinson had also penned big hits for other Motown legends, including The Temptations and Mary Wells.

Like many tracks of the classic Motown era, “The Tracks of My Tears” is a timeless recording. The song begins with one of the most memorable, albeit simple guitar riffs of all time, before the atmospheric backing vocals kick in ahead of Smokey’s subdued and restrained opening lead vocals. The song builds in intensity throughout as the singer communicates his loveless plight.

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – “The Tracks of My Tears”

In 1986, “The Tracks of My Tears” reached a new generation with its memorable inclusion in the Oscar-winning movie “Platoon.”

In 2007, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It has also received “The Award Of Merit” from The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

Smokey Robinson sang “The Tracks of My Tears” with Lionel Richie and Chris Brown at the 49th annual Grammy Awards in 2007. He also duetted on the song with Stevie Wonder in 2009 during the excellent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Show at Madison Square Garden.

“The Tracks of My Tears” is featured on Rod Stewart’s 2009 album “Soulbook“, with Smokey joining Rod on the track.

Authorship

“The Tracks of My Tears” was written by Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore and Marvin Tarplin of “The Miracles.” Tarplin has said that Harry Belafonte’s calypso hit “The Banana Boat” song was the inspiration for the melody, noting that “It’s basically the same changes, but at another tempo with another type of feeling.” Robinson contributed most of the lyrics, but Moore added some key lines.

As a member of The Miracles and as a solo artist, Robinson wrote thirty-seven Top 40 hits for Motown between 1960 and 1987. “The Tracks of My Tears” is arguably the best and most enduring of the lot.

Recording date/location

“The Tracks of My Tears” was recorded in the spring of 1965 at Hitsville USA (Studio A), 2648 West Grand Blvd., Detroit, Michigan. This is now the location of the Motown Historical Museum.

Musicians

The Miracles were:

• Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
• Marv Tarplin – guitar
• Claudette Rogers Robinson – background vocals
• Pete Moore – background vocals (vocal arranger)
• Ronnie White – background vocals
• Bobby Rogers – background vocals.

“The Tracks of My Tears” also featured contributions from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Motown’s legendary house band The Funk Brothers.

Chart performance

“The Tracks of My Tears” peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 29, 1965. It also reached number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart. After a gap of four years, the song was released in the UK in 1969 and reached number nine.

The album on which “The Tracks of My Tears” appeared, “Going To A Go-Go”, reached number eight on the Billboard albums chart (their best ever chart position) and number one on the Billboard R&B albums chart.

Covers

“The Tracks of My Tears” has been covered numerous times since the mid-60s, by artists as diverse as Dean Martin and Billy Bragg. Here’s three examples…

Johnny Rivers – “The Tracks of My Tears”

It’s strange to think that even though Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ original is now regarded as an all time classic, it was not the highest charting version of “The Tracks of My Tears” in the 1960s. Johnny Rivers’ version released in 1967 reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Johnny’s middle of the road, lower key effort is appealing enough, but doesn’t match the intensity of the great original.

Gladys Knight & The Pips – “The Tracks of My Tears”

Smokey Robinson’s fellow Motown stars, Gladys Knight & The Pips, included “The Tracks of My Tears” on the B-side of their single “If I Were Your Woman” in 1970. The arrangement is similar to The Miracles’ original, but Gladys Knight’s phrasing keeps it interesting.

Linda Ronstadt – “The Tracks of My Tears”

Linda Ronstadt hit number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her cover of “The Tracks of My Tears” in 1975 and also featured it on her Platinum-selling album “Prisoner in Disguise” in the same year. Her version retains the famous guitar intro, but has a more country feel than the original. She would go on to duet with Smokey Robinson on the song at the “Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever” special in 1983.

There will be a new Song of the Week on January 24.

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ “The Tracks of My Tears” features on the album “Going to a Go-Go” and numerous compilation albums, including “Smokey Robinson & The Miracles” – The Definitive Collection.”

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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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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”

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The film comprises footage from concerts held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on October 28 and 29, 1964. T.A.M.I means either Teenage Awards Music International or Teen Age Music International – both phrases were used in the show’s publicity. The line up for the shows was fantastic, with a number of legendary acts, including James Brown, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and Chuck Berry – all in their prime!

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.”

Rick Rubin has called the James Brown’s performance at the T.A.M.I show “the single greatest rock ‘n’ roll performance ever captured on film.” Keith Richards has said that The Stones decision to follow Brown on stage was one of the worst mistakes of their career because it was impossible to top him.

The T.A.M.I. Show trailer

The T.A.M.I show was directed by Steve Binder who would go on to direct Elvis Presley’s legendary 1968 television special.

As a taster, here’s Chuck Berry’s rocking version of Johnny B. Goode from the T.A.M.I Show:

This is the first time there has been an authorised release of this film in any format. Don’t pass it up.

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The first performance was by Yolanda Adams who sang the Sam Cooke classic “A Change is Gonna Come.” This was followed by performances from Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Smokey Robinson, John Mellencamp, Natalie Cole, John Legend, Seal, The Blind Boys of Alabama, the Howard University Choir, The Freedom Singers, and Dr Bernice Johnson Reagon. Everyone, including President Obama, finished off the concert with a sing-along of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Here’s some highlights from the show.

President Obama’s introduction

Bob Dylan – “The Times, They are a Changin”

Joan Baez – “We Shall Overcome”

Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson – “People Get Ready”

The complete show can be viewed at:
http://www.pbs.org/inperformanceatthewhitehouse/

In addition, photographer Jamie-James Medina spent a year taking portraits of these legends for Observor Music Monthly. The results are impressive and are presented with the articles.

The following articles are included in the series:

Jerry Lee Lewis: the hellfire pianist by Ray Davies

Chuck Berry: hail, hail, rock ‘n’ roll by Bobby Gillespie

Little Richard: the outrageous pianist by Richard Hawley

Pete Seeger: pioneer of protest by Billy Brag

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: folk pioneer by Roger McGuinn

Etta James: blues powerhouse by Adele

Smokey Robinson: the soul of Motown by Corinne Bailey Rae

Little Anthony: the original teen dreamer by Pete Waterman

Ornette Coleman: jazz revolutionary by Seb Rochford

Sonny Rollins: sax colossus by Charlie Watts

Dave Brubeck: piano’s gentle giant by Jamie Cullum

Jimmy Scott: a voice from another world by Sufjan Stevens

Wanda Jackson: rockabilly queen by Imelda May

Kris Kristofferson: the thinking man’s outlaw by Steve Earle

Charlie Louvin: the singer of God-fearing country by Emmylou Harris

Ralph Stanley: preaching the gospel of bluegrass by Martin Carthy

T-Model Ford: boss of the blues by Dan Auerbach

Honeyboy Edwards: Delta bluesman by Paul Jones

Pinetop Perkins: the oldest living bluesman by Seasick Steve

Buddy Guy: guitar visionary by John Mayer

Les Paul: the innovator by Slash

The Living Legend series was conceived before Les Paul’s death, but the portrait and tribute remained part of the series.