by Kristin Battestella
I dare say everyone and anybody can
name at least one song by the stars in this quartet. So go ahead and
sing a long or stuff everyone's stocking with more of these timeless
classics and divine essentials.
The Best of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: 20th Century Masters Millennium Collection –
Other than the somewhat tacked on “Just to See” and later day
“Love Machine featuring Billie Griffith” included over the absent
“Going to a Go-Go,” there's not much to dislike about this
greatest hits compilation featuring “Tears of a Clown,”
“Cruisin,” and every Motown hit in between. Distinctions between
single versions, album editions, mono or single tracks, and various
billings as The Miracles, Smokey Robinson, and Smokey Robinson and
The Miracles may irk expert completists. However, the ever smooth
“Ooo Baby Baby,” irresistible “Tracks of My Tears,” and my
favorite “You Really Got a Hold on Me” more than make up for the
series' lengthy title or other any other quibbling technicalities in
this quick thirty-eight minutes. You simply don't hear catchy hits
like “Shop Around” or “I Second That Emotion” and the
grooving “Mickey's Monkey” or “More Love” on the radio
anymore – sacrilege! Downsizing soul lovers may not have the room
or equipment for poor sounding records, either, and these tracks
certainly sound better than my scratchy 45s! This set is a great,
affordable download for an old school newcomer's Motown education as
well as the perfect nostalgic stocking stuffer for older, reminiscing
relatives.
The Definitive Collection: Diana Ross and The Supremes – On one hand, the chronological
order here belies The Supremes somewhat, as the incredibly catchy
“Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” and “Come See About
Me” are intentionally orchestrated hits with similar rhythms and
hooks. If you like one Supremes song, you will immediately recognize
every other one, and that was the Motown plan. However, as this 2008
session progresses, the power of the group emerges with increasingly
toe tapping and singing along staples like “Stop! In the Name of
Love,” “Back in My Arms Again,” “Nothing but Heartaches,”
and “I Hear a Symphony.” Grand dame Diana Ross' vocals strengthen
amid the hallmark harmonies of Mary and Flo in “My World is Empty
without You,” “Love is Like an Itching in My Heart,” and the
indispensable “You Can't Hurry Love.” It's quite fascinating to
open with a packaged cookie cutter girl group and over an hour hear a
decade's worth of musical growth becoming the bittersweet pinnacle of
“You Keep Me Hangin' On” and “Love is Here and Now You're
Gone.” Mature, psychedelic touches raise “Reflections” and the
then saucy of “The Happening,” “Love Child,” and “I'm
Living in Shame” – replacing the early happy go lucky beats with
scandals and sophistication before the co - Temptations titan “I'm
Gonna Make You Love Me” and my ironic finale favorite “Someday
We'll Be Together.” This set is indeed a definitive, superb
encapsulation of everything a new Supremes fan needs as well as the
tunes for which longtime listeners yearn – because alas, sometimes
one's Supremes A Go Go record
just won't play anymore. And yes, I did have a cat named Baby Love,
what of it?
The Drifters Golden Hits
– Glory! This compilation originally from 1968 has that elusive
original songs by the original artists –
an essential adherence when one is seeking the delicious
strings of my favorite “There Goes My Baby,” the sweet “If You
Cry True Love,” effortless “Dance with Me,” forever dynamite
“This Magic Moment,” and perennial last call “Save the Last
Dance for Me.” And that's not to mention “I Count the Tears,”
“Up on the Roof,” and “On Broadway.” Hot diggity I'm running
out of superlatives! Yippee “Under the Boardwalk” and its often
overlooked sequel “I've Got Sand in My Shoes” round out the happy
listening here alongside “Saturday Night at the Movies.” However,
knowing The Drifters' penchant for revolving door membership do
overs, “Some Kind of Wonderful” does sound like a CD reissue
re-record, and there are other similarly named but inferior
compilations to beware. Though already packing a musical education if
there ever was one in just a half hour, I suppose you can't win them
all as this set obviously lacks singles from the Clyde McPhatter era.
“Please Stay” and “Sweets for My Sweets” are also missing,
but fortunately, the original essentials of the Ben E. King, Rudy
Lewis, and Johnny Moore leads are here. Did I say glory? Glory! When
you need a quality Drifters release, this is the one to get. 
Sam Cooke Portrait of a Legend: 1951-1964 – This extensive, exceptional, much-lauded
seventy-seven minute 2003 collection combines classic hits and
soulful gospel tunes alongside a plethora of memorable Cooke gems
including “You Send Me,” “Only Sixteen,” “Cupid,” “What
a Wonderful World,” “Chain Gang,” “Another Saturday Night,”
and “Having a Party.” Whew! There are quality cutting a rug hits,
too, such as “Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha,” “Meet Me at
Mary's Place,” “Good Times,” “Twistin' the Night Away,” and
“Shake” amid ballads like “I'll Come Running Back to You,”
“You Were Made for Me,” “Sad Mood,” “Nothing Can Change
This Love,” “That's Where It's At,” and my impeccable fave
“Bring It on Home to Me.” But wait, there's still more catchy
romantic smooth and sway with “Lovable,” “Just for You,” “Win
Your Love for Me,” “Sugar Dumpling,” and “(Aint' That) Good
News.” Updated covers including “(I Love You) For Sentimental
Reasons,” “Little Red Rooster,” “Summertime,” and
“Tennessee Waltz” are peppered among the inspiring breezy “Touch
the Hem of his Garment” and spiritual “Jesus Gave Me Water”
before the humming “Soul” thirty second hidden track and the ever
important posthumous “A Change is Gonna Come.” Indubitably, this
is much more exhaustive than the shorter, now more elusive The
Best of Sam Cooke – a fine set
that was one of my first over-played and chewed up cassettes. From
grooves to bittersweets and all the pop and balladry in between, this
set is a jam-packed present with a little bit of everything one needs
to love this tragic soul pioneer.
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