Tag Archives: The Funk Brothers

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Away We A Go-Go

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In November 1966, “Tamla Motown” label released “Away We a Go-Go”, album by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (second album by the name of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles). It was recorded in 1966, at “Hitsville USA” in Detroit, and was produced by Smokey Robinson, Mickey Gentile, Frank Wilson, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Norman Whitfield and Ivy Jo Hunter.

Personnel:

  • Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
  • Ronnie White – backing vocals
  • Bobby Rogers – backing vocals
  • Warren “Pete” Moore – backing vocals
  • Claudette Robinson – backing vocals
  • Marv Tarplin – guitar
  • The Funk Brothers  – instrumentation
  • Various New York session musicians – instrumentation
  • The Andantes – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Whole Lot of Shakin’ in My Heart (Since I Met You) – Frank Wilson
  2. You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Pino Donaggio, Simon Napier-Bell, Vicki Wickham, Vito Pallavicini
  3. Come ‘Round Here) I’m the One You Need – Holland-Dozier-Holland
  4. Save Me – Smokey Robinson, Robert Rogers, Warren Moore
  5. Oh Be My Love – Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore
  6. Can You Love a Poor Boy – Ivy Jo Hunter, Stevie Wonder
  7. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep – Norman Whitfield, Edward Holland, Jr.
  8. I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  9. Baby Baby – Helen Lewis, Kay Lewis
  10. Walk On By – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  11. Swept for You Baby – Smokey Robinson
  12. More, More, More of Your Love – Smokey Robinson

Diana Ross & The Supremes: Love Child

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On November 13, 1968, “Motown” label released “Love Child”, the fifteenth Diana Ross & the Supremes studio album. It was recorded February – October 1968, and was produced by Berry Gordy, Frank Wilson, R. Dean Taylor, Deke Richards, Henry Cosby, Smokey Robinson, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Marv Johnson, George Gordy, Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol.

Personnel:

  • Diana Ross – lead vocals
  • Mary Wilson – backing vocals
  • Cindy Birdsong – backing vocals
  • The Andantes – backing vocals
  • Nickolas Ashford – backing vocals
  • Valerie Simpson – backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra – instrumentation
  • Los Angeles area session musicians – instrumentation

Track listing:

  1. Love Child – Pam Sawyer, R. Dean Taylor, Frank Wilson, Deke Richards
  2. Keep an Eye – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  3. How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone – Pam Sawyer, Frank Wilson
  4. Does Your Mama Know About Me – Tom Baird, Tommy Chong
  5. Honey Bee (Keep on Stinging Me) – Janie Bradford, Debbie Dean, Deke Richards
  6. Some Things You Never Get Used To – Nikolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  7. He’s My Sunny Boy – Smokey Robinson
  8. You’ve Been So Wonderful to Me – Anna Gordy Gaye, George Gordy, Allen Story
  9. (Don’t Break These) Chains of Love – George Beauchamp, Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
  10. You Ain’t Livin’ Till You’re Lovin’ – Nikolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  11. I’ll Set You Free – Gwen Fuqua, B. Gordy, Ivy Jo Hunter, Renee Tener
  12. Can’t Shake It Loose – Sidney Barnes, George Clinton, Joanne Jackson, Rose Marie McCoy

Four Tops: Four Tops Second Album

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On November 13, 1965, “Motown” label released “Four Tops Second Album”, the second Four Tops studio album. It was recorded in 1965, at “Hitsville USA” in Detroit, and was produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Smokey Robinson.

Personnel:

  • Levi Stubbs – lead (baritone) and backing vocals
  • Abdul Fakir – first tenor and backing vocals
  • Renaldo Benson – bass backing vocals
  • Lawrence Payton – second tenor backing vocals, lead vocals, keyboards
  • The Andantes – backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation

Track listing:

All tracks by Holland–Dozier–Holland (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland), except where noted.

  1. I Can’t Help Myself
  2. Love Feels Like Fire
  3. Is There Anything That I Can Do – Warren “Pete” Moore, Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
  4. Something About You
  5. It’s the Same Old Song
  6. Helpless
  7. Just as Long as You Need Me
  8. Darling, I Hum Our Song
  9. I Like Everything About You
  10. Since You’ve Been Gone
  11. Stay in My Lonely Arms
  12. I’m Grateful – Eddie Holland, Cleo Drake, George Fowler

The Miracles: Cookin’ With The Miracles

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On November 13, 1961, “Tamla” label released “Cookin’ with the Miracles” the second Miracles (The) album. It was recorded in 1961, at “Hitsville USA” in Detroit, “RCA Studios” in Chicago, and was produced by Berry Gordy Jr.

Personnel:

  • Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
  • Ronnie White – backing vocals
  • Bobby Rogers – backing vocals
  • Warren “Pete” Moore – backing vocals
  • Claudette Robinson – backing vocals
  • Marv Tarplin – guitar
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Berry Gordy, Jr. – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. That’s the Way I Feel – Berry Gordy Jr, Smokey Robinson
  2. Everybody’s Gotta Pay Some Dues – Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
  3. Mama – Smokey Robinson, Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy Jr.
  4. Ain’t It Baby – Berry Gordy Jr, Smokey Robinson
  5. Determination – Smokey Robinson
  6. You Never Miss A Good Thing – Berry Gordy Jr, Smokey Robinson
  7. Embraceable You – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  8. The Only One I Love – Smokey Robinson
  9. Broken Hearted – Berry Gordy Jr, Smokey Robinson
  10. I Can’t Believe – Smokey Robinson

The Miracles: The Miracles Doin’ Mickey’s Monkey

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On November 11, 1963, “Tamla” label released “The Miracles Doin’ Mickey’s Monkey”, the fifth Miracles (The) album. It was recorded in 1963, at “Hitsville USA”, and was produced by Smokey Robinson, Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier.

Personnel:

  • Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
  • Claudette Rogers Robinson – lead and backing vocals
  • Bobby Rogers – backing vocals
  • Ronnie White – backing vocals
  • Pete Moore – backing vocals
  • Marv Tarplin – guitar
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Stanley Mouse – artwork

Track listing:

  1. Mickey’s Monkey – Holland-Dozier-Holland
  2. Dance What You Wanna – James Alexander, Sam Cooke, Clifton White
  3. The Wah-Watusi – Dave Appell, Kal Mann
  4. The Twist – Hank Ballard
  5. Dancin’ Holiday – Diane Rogers, Fred Smith, Zelda Samuels
  6. Land of a Thousand Dances – Chris Kenner
  7. I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying – Holland-Dozier-Holland
  8. The Monkey Time – Curtis Mayfield
  9. The Groovey Thing – Smokey Robinson
  10. Twist and Shout – Phil Medley, Bert Russell
  11. Do You Love Me – Berry Gordy, Jr.  

Diana Ross & The Supremes And The Temptations: Diana Ross & The Supremes Join The Temptations

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On November 6, 1968, “Motown” label released “Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations”, album by Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. It was recorded May – September 1968, and was produced by  Frank Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Al Cleveland, Henry Cosby, Terry “Buzzy” Johnson, Nickolas Ashford and Deke Richards.

Personnel:

  • Diana Ross & The Supremes – vocals
  • The Temptations – vocals
  • Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong, Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, The Andantes – backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra – horns, strings
  • Los Angeles area session musicians – instrumentation

Track listing:

  1. Try It Baby – Berry Gordy
  2. I Second That Emotion – Smokey Robinson, Al Cleveland
  3. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  4. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me – Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Jerry Ross
  5. This Guy’s in Love With You – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  6. Funky Broadway – Arlester Christian
  7. I’ll Try Something New – Smokey Robinson
  8. A Place in the Sun – Ron Miller, Bryan Wells
  9. Sweet Inspiration – Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham
  10. Then – Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore
  11. The Impossible Dream – Joe Darion, Mitch Leigh

Martha Reeves And The Vandellas: Natural Resources

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On September 8, 1970, “Gordy” label released “Natural Resources”, the seventh Martha Reeves and the Vandellas album. It was recorded 1969 – 1970, and was produced by Henry Cosby and Clarence Paul.

Personnel:

  • Martha Reeves – lead and backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • The Andantes – backing vocals
  • Lois Reeves – backing vocals
  • Sandra Tilley – backing vocals
  • Valerie Simpson – backing vocals
  • Nickolas Ashford – backing vocals
  • David Van De Pitte – arrangements
  • Henry Cosby – arrangements
  • Paul Riser – arrangements
  • Robert White – arrangements
  • Wade Marcus – arrangements
  • Curtis McNair – art direction, design
  • Jim Hendin – photography
  • Tom Schlesinger – graphic supervision

Track listing:

  1. Something – George Jarrison
  2. Easily Persuaded – Dick Cooper, Clarence Paul, Ernie Shelby, Morris Broadnax
  3. Didn’t We – Jimmy Webb
  4. I’m in Love – Ernie Shelby
  5. Love, Guess Who – Clarence Paul, Ermie Shelby
  6. Everybody’s Talking – Fred Neil
  7. Put a Little Love in Your Heart – Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, Randy Myers
  8. The Hurt Is Over (Since I Found You) – Duke Browner
  9. Take a Look – Clyde Otis
  10. Won’t It Be So Wonderful – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  11. I Should Be Proud – Henry Cosby, Joe Hinton, Pam Sawyer
  12. People Got to Be Free – Felix Cavaliere, Ed Brigati

The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go

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On August 31, 1964, “Motown” label released “Where Did Our Love Go”, the second Supremes (The) studio album. It was recorded December 1962 – Augudt 1964, at “Hitsville U.S.A.” in Detroit, and was produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield and Robert Gordy.

Personnel:

  • Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson – lead and backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Robert White – guitar
  • Eddie Willis – guitar
  • Joe Messina – guitar
  • Earl Van Dyke – piano
  • James Jamerson – bass
  • Richard “Pistol” Allen – drums
  • Uriel Jones – drums
  • Jack Ashford – vibraphone
  • Andrew “Mike” Terry – baritone saxophone
  • Hank Cosby – tenor saxophone
  • Mike Valvano – footstomps
  • The Four Tops, and Holland–Dozier–Holland – backing vocals
  • The Love-Tones – backing vocals
  • Bernard Yeszin, Wallace Mead – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Holland–Dozier–Holland, except as noted.

  1. Where Did Our Love Go
  2. Run, Run, Run
  3. Baby Love
  4. When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes
  5. Come See About Me
  6. Long Gone Lover – Smokey Robinson
  7. I’m Giving You Your Freedom
  8. A Breathtaking Guy – Smokey Robinson
  9. He Means the World to Me – Norman Whitfield
  10. Standing at the Crossroads of Love
  11. Your Kiss of Fire – Robert Gordy, Harvey Fuqua
  12. Ask Any Girl

Marvin Gaye: In the Groove

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On August 26, 1968, “Tamla” label released “In the Groove”, the eighth Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded 1967 – 1968, and was produced by Norman Whitfield, Ivy Jo Hunter and Frank Wilson.

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – lead vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra – instrumentation
  • The Andantes – backing vocals
  • The Originals – backing vocals
  • Gladys Knight & The Pips – backing vocals
  • Telma Hopkins – backing vocals
  • Joyce Vincent Wilson – backing vocals
  • Pamela Vincent – backing vocals 
  • Herbart – design

Track listing:

  1. You – Jeffrey Bowen, Jack Coga, Ivy Jo Hunter
  2. Tear Ot on Down – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  3. Chained -Frank Wilson
  4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  5. At Last (I Found a Love) – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover
  6. Some Kind of Wonderful – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  7. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever – Ivy Jo Hunter, Stevie Wonder
  8. Change What You Can – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover
  9. It’s Love I Need – Stephen Bowden, Ivy Jo Hunter
  10. Every Now and Then – Eddie Holland, Frank Wilson
  11. You’re What’s Happening (In the World Today) – George Gordy, Robert Gordy, Allen Story
  12. There Goes My Baby – Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell

The Supremes And Four Tops: The Return Of The Magnificient Seven

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On July 13, 1971, “Motown” label released “The Return of the Magnificent Seven”, the second Supremes (The) and Four Tops collaborative album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Frank Wilson.

Personnel:

  • Jean Terrell – vocals
  • Mary Wilson – vocals
  • Cindy Birdsong – vocals
  • Levi Stubbs – vocals
  • Abdul “Duke” Fakir – vocals
  • Lawrence Payton – vocals
  • Renaldo “Obie” Benson – vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • David Van DePitte, Henry Cosby, Paul Riser, Tom Baird – arrangements
  • Frank Wilson – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart – Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris
  2. I Wonder Where We’re Going – Tom Baird
  3. Call Me – Tony Hatch
  4. One More Bridge to Cross – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  5. If You Could See Me Now – Janie Bradford, Joe Hinton, Henry Cosby
  6. I’ll Try Not to Cry – Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris
  7. I’m Glad About It – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  8. Let’s Make Love Now – Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris
  9. I Can’t Believe You Love Me – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
  10. Where Would I Be Without You Baby – Clarence McMurray, Martin Coleman
  11. What Do You Have to Do (To Stay on the Right Side of Love) – Pam Sawyer, Leon Ware