My Guy – Mary Wells

Every Single Motown 'A-Side': British-Influenced

Episode 17

Episode date - September 26, 2008

How Music Changed
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Our 17th installment covering ‘Every Single Motown ‘A’ Side” is fascinating because of its reactionary characteristics more than its influential characteristics.

For years, Motown had been influencing some of England’s best bands while completely avoiding the European charts. In 1964, both aspects of this scenario changed. For starters, it was the English bands that started to influence Motown – via the “British Invasion” – and second, Motown finally made inroads and found their songs charting in ‘Jolly Old England” – albeit years and/or months after The Beatle and the Rolling Stones already trapped into Motown’s hit list for their own material.

Here, then, is Motown’s reaction to 1964’s British Invasion:

Can You Do It – The Contours

Set Me Free – Lee Alan

Give Me a Kiss – The Hornets

My Lady Bug Stay Away from That Beatle – R. Dean Taylor

Like a Nightmare – The Andantes

Midnight Johnny – Liz Lands

My Guy – Mary Wells

In My Lonely Room – Martha & the Vandellas

Devil With the Blue Dress – Shorty Long

Every Little Bit Hurts – Brenda Holloway

Bringin’ In the Gold – Howard Crockett

Satisfied Mind – Bruce Channel

Channel 137 - Every Single Motown 'A-Side'