I've wolfed down Motown classics since I was kid, but over-indulgence dulls the palate. If I play them these days, it's usually by accident. But most of the Hitsville tracks in this list are not classics. And a couple were never released as singles at all. My personal favourite is The Contours' "First I Look At The Purse". Put aside its cynicism, and just listen to the carefully crafted narrative. It's written in grammatical English and perfectly matches both the rhythm and melody — to question 'lookism' in a musical form which was the very pinnacle of 60s 'glitz and glamour'. Dicey Reilly is the feature song, because there's never any need to justify a good old pub sing-along. And Today's Thursday, so the featured language is Italian.
Motown Soul
- First I Look At The Purse Contours
- The Flick Earl Van Dyke
- You've Made Me So Very Happy Brenda Holloway
- Here Comes The Judge Shorty Long
- Bad, Bad Weather (Till You Come Home) Detroit Spinners
- Heartbreak Road Miracles
- If You Love Her Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
- Hot Cha Jr. Walker & The All Stars
- World So Wide, Nowhere To Hide (From Your Heart) Jimmy Ruffin
- I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You) Marv Johnson
1970
- Ta-hi (Pra voce gostar de mim) Celly Campello
- Vai ser assim Martinha
- Bla-bla-bla Norbert
- Rozen Voor Sandra Jimmy Frey
- Le prélude... et la suite Ann Sorel
- Tipitipiti Dalida
- Lui, Lui, Lui Orietta Berti
- Llora Llora Cecilia Pantoja
- Ven a mi Els Trons
- Il mare in cartolina Isabella Iannetti
Dicey Reilly
- Dicey Reilly Blarney Lads
- Dicey Riley Noel McLoughlin
- Dicey Riley The Jolly Beggarmen
- Poor Old Dicey Reilly The Dubliners
- Dicey Reilly Brian Roebuck
- Dicey Reilly Crikwater
- Dicey Reilly Frank Harte
- Dicey Reilly Knacker's Yard
- Dicey Reilly The Wolfe Tones
Italian
- Giuseppe Peppino di Capri
- Quando 'na donna se pente Gigi Proietti
- A Sant'Efisio Luigi Lai
- Caldo E Scuro Francesco De Gregori
- I dubbi dell'amore Enrico Ruggeri
- Aline (Italian) Christophe
- Oui oui oui Mina
- Benzina Tazenda
- Monti di Mola Fabrizio de André
- La noeva ~ Cegni bello Sulutumana