Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. The Miracles SHOP AROUND (hit version stereo mix)*
2. The Marvelettes- PLEASE MR. POSTMAN (extended stereo mix)*
3. The Contours- DO YOU LOVE ME (hit version stereo mix)*
4. Mary Wells- TWO LOVERS
5. The Miracles- YOU’VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME (extended stereo mix)
6. Marvin Gaye- HITCH HIKE
7. Stevie Wonder- FINGERTIPS PT. 2
8. Martha & The Vandellas- (LOVE IS LIKE A) HEAT WAVE (single version, extended stereo mix)*
9. Martha & The Vandellas- QUICKSAND (extended stereo mix)*
10. The Miracles- MICKEY’S MONKEY (extended stereo mix)
11. Marvin Gaye- CAN I GET A WITNESS
12. The Marvelettes- TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA
13. Four Tops- BABY I NEED YOUR LOVING (extended stereo mix)
14. The Temptations- THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO
15. The Supremes- WHEN THE LOVELIGHT STARTS SHINING THROUGH HIS EYES
16. The Supremes- WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO (extended stereo mix)
17. The Temptations- DON’T LOOK BACK
18. The Elgins- HEAVEN MUST HAVE SENT YOU
19. Marvin Gaye- YOU’RE A WONDERFUL ONE
20. The Supremes- COME SEE ABOUT ME (extended stereo mix)

Disc 2:

1. Martha & The Vandellas- DANCING IN THE STREET
2. The Temptations- GET READY
3. Kim Weston- TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS (ROCK ME A LITTLE WHILE)
4. The Supremes- BACK IN MY ARMS AGAIN (extended stereo mix)*
5. The Miracles- GOING TO A GO-GO (extended stereo mix)*
6. The Miracles- THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS (extended stereo mix)*
7. Jr. Walker & The All Stars- SHOTGUN (extended stereo mix)*
8. Four Tops- IT’S THE SAME OLD SONG (alternate stereo mix)
9. The Isley Brothers- THIS OLD HEART OF MINE (IS WEAK FOR YOU) (alternate stereo mix)
10. Jimmy Ruffin- WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKENHEARTED (alternate spokenword beginning, extended stereo mix)*
11. The Spinners- I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
12. Marvin Gaye- I’LL BE DOGGONE
13. Stevie Wonder- UPTIGHT (EVERYTHING’S ALRIGHT)*
14. The Temptations- AIN’T TOO PROUD TO BEG (extended stereo strings mix)*
15. Four Tops- I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) (extended alternate background vocals stereo mix)
16. Four Tops- SOMETHING ABOUT YOU
17. The Supremes- STOP! IN THE NAME OF LOVE (extended stereo mix)*
18. Mary Wells- MY GUY
19. The Temptations- MY GIRL (extended stereo mix)*
20. The Miracles- MY GIRL HAS GONE (extended stereo mix)*

Disc 3:

1. Martha & The Vandellas- NOWHERE TO RUN
2. The Temptations- SINCE I LOST MY BABY (first-time stereo mix)*
3. The Temptations- YOU’RE MY EVERYTHING
4. The Miracles- (COME ’ROUND HERE) I’M THE ONE YOU NEED
5. The Supremes- MY WORLD IS EMPTY WITHOUT YOU (extended stereo mix)
6. The Supremes- I HEAR A SYMPHONY (alternate stereo mix)
7. Four Tops- REACH OUT, I’LL BE THERE (extended stereo mix)*
8. Four Tops- STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF LOVE
9. Stevie Wonder- A PLACE IN THE SUN
10. Four Tops- SHAKE ME, WAKE ME (WHEN IT’S OVER)
11. The Supremes- LOVE IS LIKE AN ITCHING IN MY HEART (extended stereo mix)
12. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell- IF I COULD BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU
13. Martha & The Vandellas- JIMMY MACK (single version, extended stereo mix)*
14. Four Tops- BERNADETTE
15. Stevie Wonder- I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER
16. The Marvelettes- DON’T MESS WITH BILL
17. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell- AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH (extended stereo mix)*
18. Gladys Knight & The Pips- I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
19. Marvin Gaye- I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE (extended soundtrack version)
20. Diana Ross & The Supremes- REFLECTIONS (extended stereo mix)

Disc 4:

1. The Miracles- I’VE BEEN GOOD TO YOU (extended stereo mix)*
2. Stevie Wonder- PURPLE RAINDROPS (first-time stereo mix)*
3. Marvin Gaye- PRETTY LITTLE BABY (first-time stereo mix)*
4. The Supremes- LET ME GO THE RIGHT WAY
5. The Temptations- YOU’LL LOSE A PRECIOUS LOVE (extended stereo mix)*
6. Chris Clark- LOVE’S GONE BAD LOVE (extended stereo mix)*
7. Martha & The Vandellas- THIRD FINGER, LEFT HAND (first-time stereo mix)*
8. Gladys Knight & The Pips- STEPPIN’ CLOSER TO YOUR HEART (first-time stereo mix)*
9. Four Tops- SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE
10. The Andantes- (LIKE A) NIGHTMARE (first-time stereo mix)*
11. Brenda Holloway- JUST LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE (extended stereo mix)*
12. The Marvelettes- FOREVER (first-time stereo mix)*

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89797 in Music
• Released on: 2005-08-02
• Number of discs: 4
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered

Customer Reviews

Purple Raindrops
The purchase of "The Motown Box", was for one purpose; Purple Raindrops, by Stevie Wonder. This song, one of the ole time favorites, without a doubt has been one of the hardest songs to find. Thanks to everyone in finding, and dubbing this song. Also, the entire collection of oldies, as always, takes you down memory lane. Thanks again, CWhite -- Atlanta

For fans wanting the original mono, there are other options
As others have stated, these are not the original mono single mixes. Those are available in a different box set. This collection features stereo versions (many newly mixed expressly for this set) of many familiar (maybe overly familiar) classics. Yes, some of them can be jarring, because we're so accustomed to hearing them in that flat, "AM radio" kind of sound. Keeping in mind that those final mono mixdowns were the reason for the creation of the multitracks used to also create these stereo versions, it should be easy to appreciate that there were a lot of limitations in creating great-sounding stereo from them. But Tom Moulton did it. Are these meant to replace the original singles? No. Are these great on their own merits? Yes. I have both. I play both. I'm glad that both exist. The packaging on this is also really good. It would have gotten five stars except for the skimpy content on disc four.

Mono is the place to start (and maybe stop)
This box makes great listening on its own, but if you directly compare it to the Hitsville USA box of mono masters, the differences are quite dramatic. The stereo sound is softer, smoother and more colorful, but the mono tracks have a punch and intensity that the stereo tracks only occasionally match. I don't think anything has been botched here- the stereo mixes (where unaltered) are very similar to my LP box of stereo Motown hits- it's simply the best their equipment could do back then. Some of the remixes appear to have been done with a genuine effort to match the organic power of the mono tracks, and the results are fascinating. But I'd say the Hitsville USA has it where it matters- it swings harder, is more authentic, and costs less. Get over mono-phobia- Hitsville USA is the mandatory purchase.