Motown and Stax Records: Daily Songs

I had probably started thinking about focusing on Motown for the daily songs before I went to the Oregon Historical Society; that started after reading Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip Through the Motown Sound by Andrea Davis Pinkney.

It was at the exhibit that I started thinking about including Stax Records.

https://sporktogo.blogspot.com/2023/01/pdx-motown-sound-of-young-america-at.html

As I started looking at their respective hits, it seemed like it would be possible to go year by year with a hit from each, at least through the 60s. Stax went bankrupt in 1974. Obviously Motown lasted longer.

Looking at their hits, there are some very iconic, important songs in music history coming from both companies. 

Reading a little bit more about the production of "Green Onions", there was some reference to that being more of a "Stax" sound. It might be fair to say that Stax was a bit funkier. Maybe Motown was more focused on gaining the crossover audience. (Is that why Petey Greene hated Berry Gordy so much?)

I still can't deny the positive impact. 

After a few years you start seeing hits that could have easily been produced by Motown coming from Atlantic and other labels; would they have signed those artists without the success of Motown and Stax?

It is fairly well known that MTV was not playing Black artists until they wanted Michael Jackson, and CBS made that access contingent upon giving access to other artists. Would CBS have been in that position without Motown?

If Motown stayed strong longer than Stax, you see a real slowing down in the 80s, with a bit of a resurgence in the 90s that owes a lot to Michael Bivins.

If Motown had given us nothing but Stevie Wonder, and Stax had given us nothing by "Green Onions", I would still call it good artistically. (Realistically, financially that would probably not have been enough.)

As it is, they gave us much more. A sampling of songs to back that up follows.

First, on a personal note, this was also an important list for me as I realized I had no way to post the daily songs while I was on vacation. I didn't want to give up any songs, and I couldn't let it go into February because I had big February plans.

So, there is a big gap, then the list resumed in March. I decided to add more songs, bringing the total to 40. Changes in the original sequence are noted, as are the year of the hit and the label.

Daily Songs

1/1 “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes (1961 Motown)
1/2“Last Night” by The Mar-Keys (1961 Stax)
1/3 “Do You Love Me” by The Contours (1962 Motown)
1/4 “Green Onions” by Booker T. & the M.G.'s (1962 Stax)
1/5 “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas (1963 Motown)
1/6 “Walking the Dog” by Rufus Thomas (1963 Stax)
1/7 “My Guy” by Mary Wells (1964 Motown)
1/8 “I've Got No Time To Lose” by Carla Thomas (1964 Stax)
1/9 “I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” by Four Tops (1965 Motown)
1/10 “In the Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett (1965 Stax)
1/11 “You Can't Hurry Love” by the Supremes (1966 Motown)
1/12 “Hold On! I'm Comin'” by Sam & Dave (1966 Stax)
1/13 “Knock On Wood” by Eddie Floyd (1966 Stax)
1/14 “I Was Made To Love Her” by Stevie Wonder (1967 Motown)
1/15 “Born Under A Bad Sign” by Albert King (1967 Stax)
1/16 “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye (1968 Motown)
1/17 “(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding (1968 Stax)
1/18 “What a Man” by Linda Lyndell (1968 Stax)
1/19 “Private Number” by Judy Clay and William Bell (1968 Stax)
1/20 “I Can't Get Next To You” by The Temptations (1969 Motown)
~ vacation ~
1/28 “The Sweeter He Is” by The Soul Children (1969 Stax)
1/29 “War” by Edwin Starr (1970 Motown)
1/30 “I Just Want to Celebrate” by Rare Earth (1971 Motown)
1/31 “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight (1971 Stax)
~ February, Black History Month ~
3/6 “Theme from Shaft” by Isaac Hayes (1971 Stax)
3/7 “Papa Was a Rollin' Stone” by The Temptations (1972 Motown)
3/8 “I'll Take You There” by the Staple Singers (1972 Stax)
3/9 “Touch Me in the Morning” by Diana Ross (1973 Motown)
3/10 “Help Yourself” by The Undisputed Truth (1974 Motown)
3/11 “Old Fashioned Love” by The Commodores (1975 Motown)
3/12 “Don't Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston (1976 Motown)
~ added ~
3/13 “Down To Love Town” by The Originals (1977 Motown)
3/14 “It's My Turn” by Diana Ross (1980 Motown)
3/15 “Let It Whip” by Dazz Band (1982 Motown)
3/16 “You Are” by Lionel Richie (1983 Motown)
3/17 “Go Home” by Stevie Wonder (1985 Motown)
3/18 “Rub You the Right Way” by Johnny Gill (1990 Motown)
3/19 “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men (1991 Motown)
3/20 “Iesha” by Another Bad Creation (1991 Motown)
3/21 “Back At One” by Brian McKnight (1999 Motown)