MOTOWN REGGAE

Many of the classic Jobete-published Motown songs have been successfully recorded in reggae style. Some of them became hit records in their own right in the UK such as GOOD THING GOING by Jamaican singer Sugar Minott which hit #4 over there in the spring of 1981. Another fine reggae reworking of a Motown milestone is UB40's take on THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO. And when the late Peter Tosh also stepped into Temptations country with his 1978 version of (YOU GOT TO WALK AND) DON'T LOOK BACK, Mick Jagger joined him on the session.

Here is a selection of outstanding reggae interpretations of Motown favorites:

AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING (Ashford/Simpson)
by Bob & Marcia (Trojan)

AIN'T THAT PECULIAR (Robinson/Moore/Rogers/Tarplin)
by Delroy Wilson (Trojan)

BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING (Holland/Dozier/Holland)
by Delroy Wilson (Trojan)

BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP (Whitfield/Holland)
by Aswad (Virgin)

BLAME IT ON THE SUN (Wonder/Wright)
by Inner Circle (Big Beat)

BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU (IF I COULD BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU) (Bristol/Fuqua/Bullock)
by The Uniques (Lee's)

DOGGONE RIGHT (Cleveland/Robinson/Tarplin)
by Bobby Blue (Trojan)

EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE (Whitfield/Holland)
by John Holt (Trojan)
by Slim Smith (Trojan)

FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE (Miller/Murden)
by Desmond Dekker (Trojan)

GOOD THING GOING (WE'VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING)(Gordy/Mizell/Perren/Richards)
by Sugar Minott (RCA)

I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU (Whitfield/Strong)
by The Jay Boys (Trojan)

I SECOND THAT EMOTION (Robinson/Cleveland)
by The Chosen Few (Trojan)

IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG (Holland/Dozier/Holland)
by Delroy Wilson Trojan)

JUST AS LONG AS YOU NEED ME (Holland/Dozier/Holland)
by Busty Brown (Trojan)

JUST MY IMAGINATION (Whitfield/Strong)
by Dave Barker (Trojan)
by Lloyd Charmers (Trojan)

LET'S GET IT ON (Gaye/Townsend)
by Ken Boothe (Trojan)
by Lloyd Charmers (Trojan)

MY CHERIE AMOUR (Cosby/Moy/Wonder)
by The Harry J Allstars (Trojan)

MY GIRL (Robinson/White)
by Dennis Brown (Trojan)

MY GUY (Robinson)
by Joy White (Trojan)

THE ONE WHO REALLY LOVES YOU (Robinson)
by Marcia Griffiths (Island)

PAPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE (Whitfield/Strong)
by The Pioneers (Trojan)

PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE (Holland/Dozier/Holland/Thornton)
by Cornell Campbell (Emporio)
by Delroy Wilson (Trojan)

SINCE I LOST MY BABY (Robinson/White)
by Derrick Harriott (Trojan)
by The Tamlins (Trojan)

SOMEDAY WE'LL BE TOGETHER (Bristol/Beavers/Fuqua)
by Audrey (Trojan)

SWEET HARMONY (Robinson)
by Lloyd Charmers (Trojan)

THE TEARS OF A CLOWN (Wonder/Robinson/Cosby)
by The Chosen Few (Trojan)

THREE TIMES A LADY (Richie)
by Sanchez (Emporio)

TOUCH ME IN THE MORNING (Masser/Miller)
by John Holt (Trojan)

THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO (Robinson/Rogers)
by UB40 (Virgin)

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WIN YOUR LOVE (Bristol/Fuqua/Bullock)
by Alton Ellis (Heartbeat)

YESTER-ME, YESTER-YOU, YESTERDAY (Miller/Wells)
by John Holt (Trojan)

(YOU GOTTA WALK) DON'T LOOK BACK (Robinson/White)
by Peter Tosh & Mick Jagger (EMI)

YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON (Holland/Dozier/Holland)
by Mike Dorane (Trojan)

YOU'LL LOSE A PRECIOUS LOVE (Robinson)
by The Uniques (Trojan)

YOU'VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME (Robinson)
by Derrick Harriott (Trojan)

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Hear audio extracts of these songs on our website

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Please remember as always that these lists are based on songs controlled by EMI in the U.S. and that control of certain copyrights varies by territory.

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ROCK ON !
Alan Warner

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