The Marvelettes

THE MARVELETTES
 
 
The Marvelettes  were an American all-girl group who achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s.  They were the first major successful act of Motown Records after the Miracles and its first significantly successful girl group after the release of the 1961 number-one single, “Please Mr. Postman”, one of the first number-one singles recorded by an all-female vocal group and the first by a Motown recording act.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

A torrent of girl groups followed, among them Martha and the Vandellasthe Supremes, the Marvelettesthe Shirellesthe Ronettes, and the Orlons.  Bette Midler’s revival of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” in 1973 reminded rock audiences of the Andrews Sisters, who had had the original hit with “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” during World War II.  More recently, the Spice GirlsTLC and Destiny’s Child (whence came Beyoncé) continued the tradition. 

 

(October 2013)

 

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Among Smokey Robinsons own hit songs that were also his compositions (at least as a co-writer, and usually also as the song’s producer) are classics like “Shop Around” – Motown’s first million-selling hit record – plus “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”, “I Second That Emotion”, “Ooo Baby Baby”, “Going to a Go-Go”, “The Tracks of My Tears”, and “Tears of a Clown”.  Smokey Robinson also wrote or co-wrote (as outlined in Wikipedia) “Two Lovers”, “The One Who Really Loves You”, “You Beat Me to the Punch”, and “My Guy” for Mary Wells; “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, “My Girl”, “Since I Lost My Baby”, and “Get Ready” for the Temptations; “When I’m Gone” and “Operator” for Brenda Holloway; “Don’t Mess With Bill”, “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game”, and “My Baby Must Be a Magician” for the Marvelettes; and “I’ll Be Doggone” and “Ain’t That Peculiar” for Marvin Gaye 

 

(April 2015/1)

 
Last edited: March 22, 2021