Motown's Top 10 Achievers – in Britain

RULING THE ROOST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC

“Great Britain has a deep place in my heart,” said Berry Gordy, 11 years ago, “because ‘Baby Love’ went to Number One [there] and it was our opening to the world. From there on, it went not only in Europe, but also Australia, New Zealand, Japan. It was, like, incredible.”

      Indeed. And the Brits’ love of Motown’s music and stars lasted long after “Baby Love” achieved that milestone in 1964. The company went on to accumulate a total of 112 Top 10 hits in the United Kingdom between the summer of ’64, when Mary Wells’ “My Guy” was its first, and the summer of ’88, when Gordy sold his record business.

Mary Wells, Motown’s first U.K. Top 10 hitmaker

      This is impressive when set alongside Motown’s achievements in America on the Billboard Hot 100: a total of 179 Top 10 titles from 1961-88, as outlined here in July. Of course, Hitsville U.S.A. had begun accumulating those hits at home earlier than in Britain, with the Miracles’ “Shop Around” being its first. (Its last was Smokey Robinson’s “One Heartbeat” in 1987.) In the U.K., “My Guy” (as noted) was the first, while a reissue/remix of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” was its last, in 1988.

      Moreover, “I Want You Back” was one of three singles which repeated the Top 10 triumph when re-released in Britain. The others? Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (in 1969 and 1986) and Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” (1966, 1974).

      Ruffin is also notable for being one of two Motown acts with more U.K. Top 10 hits (five) than at home (one). Little wonder that he crossed the Atlantic to live in Britain for years. The other act given such chart favour was Michael Jackson, with six successful Motown solo sides in Britain, compared to three in his motherland.

      In both nations, it was Stevie Wonder who acquired the most Top 10 titles overall (26 in the U.S., 16 in the U.K.) during this period, followed by the Supremes (20, 13). Then come the variations: the Temptations took 15 at home, but only four in Britain. Diana Ross tallied eight at home, but ramped that up to a dozen in Blighty.

      By decade, the number of Motown’s U.K. Top 10 hits divides into 28 (1960s), 54 (1970s) and 30 (1980s).

      On the downside, seven singles missed the Top 10 in Britain by just one slot: “I Guess I’ll Always Love You” (the Isley Brothers), “Do What You Gotta Do” (the Four Tops), “I Don’t Blame You At All” (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles), “River Deep, Mountain High” (the Supremes and the Four Tops), “Help Me Make It Through The Night” (Gladys Knight & the Pips), “Superstition” (Stevie Wonder) – really? – and “Forget Me Not” (Martha Reeves & the Vandellas.

Another point is whether to include Marv Johnson’s “You Got What It Takes,” which reached No. 7 in March 1960, as reader John Lester notes in comments below. It was originally released in the U.S. on United Artists (and licensed in the U.K. to Decca’s London-American label) after Berry Gordy signed the singer to UA, but it was, to all intents and purposes, a Motown recording.

      America has long been the largest recorded-music market in the world, so sales volume means more revenue there than in Britain. And Motown’s count of Number One hits at home outweighs the U.K. total, too. Fifty-three of Motown’s 179 U.S. Top 10 hits went all the way to the summit, compared to 11 among the 112 U.K. Top 10 titles.

In the United Kingdom, Stevie Wonder rules

      Still, there were two singles issued first in Britain which reached Number One: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ “The Tears Of A Clown” (in September 1970) and Diana Ross’ “I’m Still Waiting” (August 1971). American record buyers followed suit with “Clown,” and it climbed to the Hot 100 peak in December ’70. But “I’m Still Waiting” didn’t impress them as much: the American 45 could climb no higher than No. 63 in November ’71.

      Other U.K. hits which were either not released as U.S. singles, or which significantly out-charted their American equivalents, include a pair by Stevie Wonder (“He’s Misstra Know-It-All,” “Happy Birthday”) and others by the Isley Brothers (“Behind A Painted Smile”), the Four Tops (“Simple Game”), Marvin Gaye (“Abraham, Martin And John”), Michael Jackson (“One Day In Your Life”), R. Dean Taylor (“There’s A Ghost In My House”), Yvonne Fair (“It Should Have Been Me”), Gary Byrd & the GB Experience (“The Crown”) and the Four Seasons (“The Night”).

      And so to the count. Each Top 10 title is listed below with its peak position, and in the case of chart-toppers, the number of weeks at Number One (in parentheses). Also shown is the year in which each record achieved its peak. Three titles show up twice because they are duets (Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations, Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie) but are only counted once for the purpose of this overall tally. Most of the singles shown here were issued in the U.K. on the Tamla Motown label; (R) denotes a reissue.

      In conclusion…

      “When people ask me who were our greatest fans,” Berry Gordy told me in 2013, “I say our greatest fans are probably all over the world, but the ones that meant the most to us were in the U.K., because they never forget anything. Once you’re a star there, you’re a star forever.”

STEVIE WONDER (16)

#5 “I Was Made To Love Her” 1967

#3 “For Once In My Life” 1968

#4 “My Cherie Amour” 1969

#2 “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday” 1969

#6 “Never Had A Dream Come True” 1970

#7 “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” 1973

#10 “He’s Misstra Know-It-All” 1974

#5 “I Wish” 1977

#2 “Sir Duke” 1977

#2 “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” 1980

#10 “I Ain’t Gonna Stand For It” 1981

#3 “Lately” 1981

#2 “Happy Birthday” 1981

#10 “Do I Do” 1982

#1 (6) “I Just Called To Say I Love You” 1984

#3 “Part-Time Lover” 1985

THE SUPREMES (13)

*Diana Ross & the Supremes **& the Temptations

#3 “Where Did Our Love Go” 1964

#1 (2) “Baby Love” 1964

#7 “Stop! In The Name Of Love” 1965

#3 “You Can’t Hurry Love” 1966

#8 “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” 1966

#6 “The Happening” 1967

#5 “Reflections” 1967*

#3 “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” 1969**

#6 “Up The Ladder To The Roof” 1970

#3 “Stoned Love” 1971

#5 “Nathan Jones” 1971

#9 “Floy Joy” 1972

#10 “Automatically Sunshine” 1972

DIANA ROSS (12)

*& Marvin Gaye **& Lionel Richie

#6 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” 1970

#7 “Remember Me” 1971

#1 (4) “I’m Still Waiting” 1971

#10 “Surrender” 1971

#9 “Touch Me In The Morning” 1973

#9 “All Of My Life” 1974

#5 “You Are Everything” 1974*

#5 “Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” 1976

#10 “Love Hangover” 1976

#2 “Upside Down” 1980

#5 “My Old Piano” 1980

#7 “Endless Love” 1981**

THE FOUR TOPS (9)

#1 (3) “Reach Out I’ll Be There” 1966

#6 “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” 1967

#8 “Bernadette” 1967

#3 “Walk Away Renee” 1968

#7 “If I Were A Carpenter” 1968

#10 “I Can’t Help Myself” 1970 (R)

#5 “It’s All In The Game” 1970

#10 “Still Water (Love)” 1970

#3 “Simple Game” 1971

MARVIN GAYE (7)

*& Tammi Terrell **& Diana Ross

#1 (3) “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” 1969

#5 “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” 1969

#9 “The Onion Song” 1969*

#9 “Abraham, Martin And John” 1970

#5 “You Are Everything” 1974**

#7 “Got To Give It Up” 1977

#8 “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” 1986 (R)

THE JACKSON 5 (7)

#2 “I Want You Back” 1970

#8 “ABC” 1970

#7 “The Love You Save” 1970

#4 “I’ll Be There” 1970

#9 “Lookin’ Through The Windows” 1972

#9 “Doctor My Eyes” 1973

#8 “I Want You Back ’88” 1988 (R)

MICHAEL JACKSON (6)

#5 “Got To Be There” 1972

#3 “Rockin’ Robin” 1972

#8 “Ain’t No Sunshine” 1972

#7 “Ben” 1972

#1 (2) “One Day In Your Life” 1981 (R)

#7 “Farewell My Summer Love” 1984

LIONEL RICHIE (6)

*& Diana Ross

#7 “Endless Love” 1981*

#6 “Truly” 1982

#2 “All Night Long (All Night)” 1983

#9 “Running With The Night” 1983

#1 (6) “Hello” 1984

#8 “Say You, Say Me” 1985

JIMMY RUFFIN (5)

#8 “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” 1966

#8 “Farewell Is A Lonely Sound” 1970

#7 “I’ll Say Forever My Love” 1970 (R)

#6 “It’s Wonderful (To Be Loved By You)” 1970

#4 “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” 1974 (R)

THE COMMODORES (5)

#9 “Easy” 1977

#1 (5) “Three Times A Lady” 1978

#8 “Sail On” 1979

#4 “Still” 1979

#3 “Nightshift” 1985

THE TEMPTATIONS (4)

*& Diana Ross & the Supremes

#3 “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” 1969*

#10 “Get Ready” 1969 (R)

#7 “Ball Of Confusion” 1970

#8 “Just My Imagination” 1971

THE MIRACLES (3)

*Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

#9 “The Tracks Of My Tears” 1969* (R)

#1 (1) “The Tears Of A Clown” 1970*

#3 “Love Machine (Part 1)” 1976

THE ISLEY BROTHERS (2)

#3 “This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)” 1968

#6 “Behind A Painted Smile” 1969

R. DEAN TAYLOR (2)

#2 “Indiana Wants Me” 1971

#3 “There’s A Ghost In My House” 1974

BRUCE WILLIS (2)

#7 “Respect Yourself” 1987

#2 “Under The Boardwalk” 1987

SMOKEY ROBINSON (1)

#1 (2) “Being With You” 1981

CHARLENE (1)

#1 (1) “I’ve Never Been To Me” 1982

BILLY PRESTON & SYREETA (1)

#2 “With You I’m Born Again” 1980

EDWIN STARR (1)

#3 “War” 1970

THE ELGINS (1)

#3 “Heaven Must Have Sent You” 1971 (R)

MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS (1)

#4 “Dancing In The Street” 1969 (R)

DeBARGE (1)

#4 “Rhythm Of The Night” 1985

MARY WELLS (1)

#5 “My Guy” 1964

YVONNE FAIR (1)

#5 “It Should Have Been Me” 1976

TEENA MARIE (1)

#6 “Behind The Groove” 1980

GARY BYRD & THE GB EXPERIENCE (1)

#6 “The Crown” 1983

ROCKWELL (1)

#6 “Somebody’s Watching Me” 1984

FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS (1)

#7 “The Night” 1975 (R)

JERMAINE JACKSON (1)

#8 “Let’s Get Serious” 1980

MARV JOHNSON (1)

#10 “I’ll Pick A Rose For My Rose” 1969

DAVID RUFFIN (1)

#10 “Walk Away From Love” 1976

Source notes: the data for this analysis comes mostly from two points of the compass, namely, the Official U.K. Charts Co. website, and Terry Wilson’s 2009 book, Tamla Motown: The Stories Behind the U.K. Singles. Much more such information can be found in both.