April 29, 2018

 

In 66 ‘How Sweet It Is’

entered the UK charts at No. 22,

and with 4 Top Twenty hits to follow,

Junior Walker & The All Stars, our minds blew.

 

‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’,

with ease, won every heart.

This Stevie Wonder No.1 of 84

coming 18 years after ‘Uptight’ made the UK chart.

 

‘Stop In The Name Of Love’

found The Supremes on Tamla Motown ground,

after 3 hits on the Stateside label,

including ‘Baby Love’ – a No.1 sound.

 

Favourites from Martha Reeves & The Vandellas,

were ‘Nowhere to run’ and ‘Dancing In The Street’

and The Miracles ‘Going To A Go-Go’

had everyone up on their feet.

 

‘Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me’

sang Gladys Knight & The Pips.

and  ‘It Takes Two’  by Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston,

another song,  always on our lips.

 

’25 Miles’ and ‘War’

came from Edwin Starr.

And ‘Tracks Of My Tears & ‘Tears Of A Clown’,

by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – setting the bar.

 

‘I Want You Back’ and ‘ABC’,

and ‘The Love You Save’ and ‘I’ll Be There’ –

Four consecutive US number ones –

from The Jackson 5, making the world aware.

 

‘This Old Heart Of Mine’ – also a classic,

along with ‘Behind A Painted Smile’.

and,  ‘I Guess I’ll Always Love You’ – another hit,

showing The Isley Brothers had style.

 

‘These Things Will Keep Me Loving You’ –

a top 40 for The Velvelettes  in 71,

and ‘The Onion Song’ from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell –

so poignant, now they are gone.

 

Let The Music play.

 

Written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

April 21, 2018

 

 

Tune in to Tony’s Time Machine 

at NOON on 1st May 2018

For another great Tamla Motown Special,

including Tony’s warm Interview with

The Four Tops  founder member – ‘Duke’ Abdul Fakir.

 

Tune in to Tony’s Time Machine

at NOON on Tuesday, 24th April 2018 

for another magical hour of

great music and chat, including 

a special guitar track from Liam.

 

This week Tony will be 

celebrating The Motown years,

and he will also be reading

3 new poems 

For The Love Of The Four Tops,

For The Love Of The Temptations,

&

For The Love Of Tavares –

all written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

Enjoy the fastest hour of the day,

as you dance the time away.

 

April 19, 2018

 

 

Released on Stateside in 65,

‘My Girl’ was The Temptations first UK hit.

Then, ‘Its Growing’ on Tamla Motown,

saw new fans eyes, brightly lit.

 

In 66, three more hits followed –

‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’  reaching 21,

and with ‘Beauty Is Only Skin Deep’, and

‘(I know) I’m Losing You’ – they had the Top 20 won.

 

Still on the Tamla Motown label was their next hit in 67 –

with ‘You’re My Everything’ –  in the charts at No. 26,

The Temptations were now established,

giving loyal fans their fix.

 

68,  saw two songs reach the mid 40s –

‘I Wish It Would Rain’  – being the first of these,

followed by ‘I Could Never Love Another’ –

this group just continued to please.

 

In 69, ‘I’m Gonna Make You Love Me’ – 

their highest hit to date at No.3,

when Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations

touched our hearts so powerfully.

 

Once more on their own, then followed –

‘Get Ready’ and then ‘Cloud Nine’

Both these hits were dance-floor pleasers

and life seemed so divine.

 

Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations

joined forces once more with devotion,

ending the decade with another hit –

when at No.18 came ‘I Second That Emotion’.

 

Still on Tamla Motown, their first hit of 70 –

at No.13, was ‘I Can’t Get Next To You’.

and Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations

gave us – ‘Why ( Must We Fall In Love)’, too.

 

Then two more hits came in 70,

the next being ‘Psychedelic Shack’,

and finally ‘Ball Of Confusion’,

at No.7 – a punch did pack. 

 

‘Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)’ –

their only hit, (making No.8) in 71.

and with 2 more singles in 72,

this hit machine had us all won.

 

 ‘Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)’

peaked at No.32,

and ‘Take A Look Around’, at No.13,

in the Top 20 view.

 

‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone’,

came along next in 73,

peaking in the charts at No.14.

and a particular favourite, proved to be.

 

Also in 73, at No. 41,

was ‘Law Of The Land’,

and in 82, ”Standing On The Top (Part 1)’,

featuring Rick James, on Motown, made a stand.

 

‘Treat Her Like A Lady’

peaked at No.12 in 84.

and in 87, ‘Papa Was A Rolling Stone (Remix)’ – 

just as great as before.

 

In 88, ‘Look What You Started’

was the next one in line,

and ‘All I Want From You’ –

then followed on in 89.

 

At No.2 on Epic

came ‘My Girl’ in 92.

also in this year  ‘The Jones’,

on Motown, the last in this queue.

 

Eddie Kendricks had 2 solo hits –

‘Keep On Truckin’,  a US No.1, in 73.

This song also making the UK Top 20,

and a winner, sure proved to be.

 

His next single came in 74,

‘Boogie Down’ – a Top 40 hit in the UK

He sadly died, aged 52, in 92,

though his music, in our hearts will stay.

 

In 76, David Ruffin had a solo hit –

‘Walk Away From Love’, making No.10

He sadly died, aged 50, in 91.

Thank You for the music – Amen.

 

Written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

April 13, 2018

 

 

In 76, this US male group,

had us up on the dance floor,

when ‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel’

exploded into the UK charts at No.4.

 

‘Don’t Take Away The Music’,

they so convincingly did implore,

as their second UK hit,

once again climbed to No.4.

 

77  brought 3 more hits –

these guys could do no wrong!

The ‘Mighty Power Of Love’,

being their next song to come along.

 

Then, Whodunnit’ made the Top Ten,

and ‘One Step Away’ reached  No.16  –

All their hits on the Capitol label,

and loved by every Disco teen.

 

In 78, ‘The Ghost Of Love’

got as high as No.29,

then ‘More Than A Woman’, at No 7 –

another Top Ten we thought divine.

 

Their last single of 78,

was ‘Slow Train To Paradise’, at 62,

and then a gap of 8 years,

before two hits, long overdue.

 

‘Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel’,

peaked at No 12, in 86,

and ‘It Only Takes A Minute’ –

the last hit, in this great ‘Tavares’ mix.

 

Written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

 

 

 

April 10, 2018

 

 

‘I Can’t Help Myself’ hit the charts in 65,

followed by ‘It’s The Same Old Song’.

In 66 ‘Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever’ arrived,

and ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’, a No.1 song.

 

‘Standing In The Shadows Of Love’ came in 67  –

one of 5 hits – the next being ‘Bernadette’.

And ‘Seven Rooms Of Gloom’ followed on,

but this year wasn’t finished yet.

 

The Four Tops then gave us 

‘You Keep Running Away’

and everyone’s favourite, ‘making the Top 3,  

was ‘Walk Away Renee’.

 

In 68, If I Were A Carpenter’ made No.7 ,

and ‘Yesterday’s Dream’s’  followed on.

‘I’m In A Different World’, their last hit of this year,

proving this Group second to none..

 

In 69 came two Top Twenty hits –

‘What Is A Man’ and ‘Do What You Gotta Do’.

‘I Can’t Help Myself’, their first Top Ten of 70,

and also ‘It’s All In the Game’ – a song we loved too.

 

Their final  hit of 70 –  ‘Still Water (Love)’ ,

also peaked at No.10,

and ‘Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)’

the first hit of 71,  for these Motown Men.

 

Next, with The Supremes, came ‘River Deep Mountain High’.

followed at No.3 by ‘Simple Game’. 

Then, ‘You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart’ –

again with The Supremes, making the the Top 30 frame.

 

In 72, Bernadette re-appeared,  then,

‘Walk With Me Talk With Me Darling’, at No 32,

and lastly ‘ Keeper Of The Castle’,

at No. 18, appeared into view.

 

In 73, ‘Sweet Understanding Love’ – a Top 30 –

their 2nd hit on the Probe Label,

before switching to Casablanca in 81,

which brought two Top 20 hits to the table.

 

The first being  ‘When She Was My Girl’,

which reached up to No.3,

followed by  ‘Don’t Walk Away’,

which also filled fans with glee.

 

‘Tonight I’m Gonna Love You All Over’ –

their next hit, making 43,

and ‘Back To School Again’ –

their last hit of 82, proved to be.

 

In 88, on Motown, ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’

was back in the charts at No. 11.

‘Indestructible’ with Smokey Robinson came next,

and ‘Loco In Acapulco’  hit No. 7.

 

In 89, Indestructible, featuring Smokey Robinson,

at No.30, re-appeared in the charts,

being the last UK hit for  The Four Tops –

A Motown Group, forever in our hearts.

 

 

R I P

Levi Stubbs   2008

Renaldo Benson   2005

Lawrence Payton   1997

 

 

 

 

April 8, 2018

 

Forget the April showers –

Spring has arrived with a flourish,

so dance yourself dizzy,

to this fab hour of music to cherish.

 

Enjoy

Tony’s Time Machine

on Tuesday, 10th April 2018

at Noon

 

This week Tony will be

featuring music from

The Four Tops and The Temptations,

along with other great Artists & guests.

 

Tony will also be reading the Poem –

For The Love Of Albums – Part 1

written by

Harriet Blackbury

 

April 5, 2018

 

 

From his ‘Freewheelin’ Album of 63

and ‘The Times they are a-changing’ of 64,

From those early days to the present time,

Bob Dylan couldn’t have been loved more.

 

From his double Album – Blonde on Blonde,

which arrived back in 66,

to ‘Shadows in the night’  in 2015,

Bob Dylan still gives fans their fix.

 

‘The man who sold the world’ came in 70,

followed in 71 by ‘Hunky Dory’,

and by now, every devotee of David Bowie,

loved each album that told a new story.

 

In 65, ‘Help’ and ‘Rubber Soul’

were the 5th and 6th Albums  The Beatles released,

and in 69, their top selling ‘Abbey Road ‘LP

showed fans loyalty hadn’t decreased.

 

‘Exodus’ by Bob Marley and The Wailers,

in 77,  had us spellbound,

proving,  this Jamaican singer/songwriter

was  king of the reggae sound.

 

Coming through the airways of 73,

was a sound one couldn’t avoid.

Their latest offering of excellence was –

‘The Dark Side of The Moon’ by Pink Floyd.

 

A moving Album in 68,

always stood out from the rest.

‘Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison’

found this singer/songwriter at his best.

 

In 68, a certain Motown Album –

was winning all our hearts.

‘The Four Tops Greatest Hits’,

 reaching No.1 in the British Charts.

 

‘The Temptations Greatest Hits’ Album

contained ‘Get Ready’ and ‘My Girl’.

These two groups at the top of their game

had audiences in a whirl.

 

A teenage life lived through Albums,

helped with the insanity of youth.

Our bedrooms a refuge from a restricted hell,

in a search to find our own personal truth.

 

And our need to find escapism

from the life we had lead to date,

through Albums, we found a reason to live,

and a new image were able to create.

 

by Harriet Blackbury