Customer Reviews
Reaping Rich Rewards - By: David R. Bishop, 27 Jun 2008 
This one followed Volume 3 to the top of the UK Album chart. It was tucked between Pink Floyd & Led Zeppelinin October 1970.
The hits were coming thick & fast for Tamla Motown. Wheras Vol 3 was nearly half re-releases, there was only one on here. The Four Tops' anthemic 'I Can't Help Myself', finally got UK justice with a top ten placing. Their version of Jimmy Webb's 'Do What You Gotta Do' made number 11. Motown & Jimmy had a win-win relationship. His first song writing royalty cheque came from a song he wrote on The Supremes' 1965 Christmas album.
The stock split of Diana Ross & The Supremes is catalogued here. In America, their final single together 'Someday We'll Be Together' was their biggest hit, selling 2 million copies. It stalled outside the top ten here. The (Jean Terrell lead) Supremes first single 'Up The Ladder To The Roof' was the only top ten hit here by any of them. Who would remember now that Diana Ross' first single 'Reach Out And Touch' stalled outside of our top 30. It would become a staple of her concerts for many years.
Stevie Wonder was going strong & getting ready to throw off the artistic shackles of the Motown sound, as was Marvin Gaye. 'The Onion Song' was Marvin & Tammi's biggest British hit. Due to Tammi's poor health, Valerie Simpson did the female lead on that one.
Jimmy Ruffin was proving more popular here thanin America. He frequently toured herein the clubs of the North, which became the eastern wing of the chittlin' circuit.
The Jackson 5 began their phenominal run of successin 1970. Their first two American No 1s were also big hitsin the UK.
The Tempts were finally getting something like decent UK chart placings. Even their collaboration with DR& S 'I Second That Emotion' made our top twenty. Smokey's original only made the top thirty a year or so before.
Junior Walker's move to a more mellow sound 'What Does It Take To Win Your Love' gave him a UK top 20. He was reluctant to record the song at first, but they persuaded him.
This was a good time for Tamla Motownin the UK.
Volume 4 of 12 looks at 1969 and 1970 - By: Peter Durward Harris, 14 Mar 2005 As the sixties gave way to the seventies, Motown were still going very strongly as this collection shows. The oldest track is I can't help myself (Four Tops), which was only a minor UK hit first time around (although it was an American number one hitin 1965) but made the UK top ten when re-issuedin 1970. The Temptations made the UK top twenty three timesin the period covered by this volume - once with Diana Ross & the Supremes (I second that emotion) & twice by themselves (Cloud nine, I can't get next to you) although none of these tracks made the top ten. Although the Temptations now get the recognition they deservein the UK, they were far more popularin America back then.
Apart from her collaboration with the Temptations, Diana Ross is represented here by Reach out & touch (a minor UK hit - her first solo hit) & her last hit billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes (Someday we'll be together) but this was really a Diana Ross solo record - it made the UK top twenty. The Supremes began their career without Diana by making the UK top ten with Up the ladder to the roof.
The Jackson 5 started their career with two UK top ten hits (I want you back, ABC). Other UK top ten hits here are Farewell is a lonely sound (Jimmy Ruffin), Too busy thinking about my baby (Marvin Gaye), Onion song (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - except that it wasn't Tammi at all as she was terminally ill & unable to sing - another singer took Tammi's place), Yester-me yester-you, yesterday & Never had a dream come true (both Stevie Wonder).
Only two tracks here failed to make the UK top ten - Do what you gotta do (Four Tops) & What does it take to win your love (Junior Walker) - but both came close.
This is a very strong compilation of some of Motown's classic songs that hit the charts at rhe end of the sixties & the start of the seventies.
