By Bob Berry

The three names, Holland-Dozier-Holland, need no further introduction.

The songs are their signature. “Baby Love”,  “Stop! In The Name Of Love”, “Baby, I Need Your Loving”, “Reach Out, I’ll Be There”, “Heatwave”, “Come And Get These Memories”, “Can I Get A Witness”, “This Old Heart Of Mine”, “Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)”, “(I’m A) Road Runner”.

There,  I just did a Keener Top Ten without breaking a sweat! Or going past 1966!

Brian, Lamont and Eddie were Motown’s greatest songwriting team. Except, of course, for Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, The Corporation, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and others. Hard to say who’s the greatest. It’s like all these years later, Berry Gordy’s “who’s hot?” competitions still play out.

Today is Eddie Holland’s birthday, which was gonna make an obvious, but difficult choice for the Friday Song. Until I discovered that one of H-D-H’s first hits was written for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles! Top Ten in 1963, it’s “Mickey’s Monkey” LIVE, on a Motown Revue special for Britain’s Ready, Steady Go. See how many Motown stars (is that Stevie on harmonica?) you spot.

And you can do the monkey, too-it’s The Friday Song on Keener!

By Bob Berry

Keener’s Scotty Regan tells a great story about The Four Tops, and their lead singer Levi Stubbs.

It seems one day Scotty was walking into Motown’s offices on W. Grand Blvd, when he runs into Levi, and asks how he was doing. The answer (which I am paraphrasing) threw him for a loop:

“Man, Holland-Dozier-Holland just had us record our worst song ever. They had me singing like a black Bob Dylan..”. And off Levi steamed.

As it turns out, Levi was wrong, twice. “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” became the Tops’ second Number One single, 49 years ago today, October 12th, 1966.

And he forgot that Levi Stubbs, pushed to imitate Dylan or not, was always, unmistakably, Levi.

I hope you enjoy Throwback Thursday, with “Reach Out” (and Scotty helping out on vocals!) recorded live at The Roostertail for Keener’s Motown Monday. May Levi, Larry and Obie rest in peace, with thanks for the joy they brought us, then and now.

By Bob Berry

When I was researching Motown’s #1’s of September, 1970, I neglected to mention another Detroit gem that was Number One for six weeks. In the United Kingdom!

It was “Band Of Gold“, and it was about a “Detroit” as a record could be.

Sung by The D’s Freda Payne with backup vocals by Joyce Wilson and Thelma Hopkins (who soon became Dawn, with Tony Orlando). Written (under the pseudonym Edythe Wayne) by Motown legends Holland-Dozier-Holland, with members of the Funk Brothers including Dennis Coffey, Bob Babbitt, and Uriel Jones on the track. Recorded in Detroit and released on HDH’s new Invictus label.

If it was anymore Detroit, each 45 would have come with a coupon for a Lafayette or American Coney Island!

Released in the summer of 1970, here’s “Band of Gold”, the Friday Song on Keener!

By Bob Berry

I had about an hour drive on I-75 last night, and after selecting a CD for the ride (and playing it at a far too loud volume), came to this conclusion:

It had been too doggone long, since I had played or heard, Marvin Gaye’s “doggone” song, and the other early 60’s classics. Hits like “Stubborn Kind of Fellow”, “Pride and Joy”, “Hitchhike”, “Ain’t That Peculiar”, “You’re A Wonderful One”, Marvin’s first hit duet, “It Takes Two”, with the great Kim Weston, and, yes, the Smokey Robinson written and produced “I’ll Be Doggone”.

Remarkable songs, sometimes over-looked in the rightful appreciation of  “What’s Going On” and on through to  “Sexual Healing”. But take another listen to the early Marvin Gaye “songbook”. From his use of his three-octave range, through the evolution of The Funk Brothers, to working with Motown’s writer/producers Mickey Stevenson, Holland-Dozier-Holland and Smokey; the results that came out of the”Snakepit”, were fabulous!

Conclusion?  ANY Marvin is great Marvin. And maybe better, live. Check out Marvin’s medley on 1964’s “The T.A.M.I. Show”, with Darlene Love and The Blossoms and the “Wrecking Crew” house band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpnf82hD5Ic