Mickeymac Member Username: Mickeymac
Post Number: 24 Registered: 08-2008
| Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 12:13 pm: | |
Norman Whitfield, the man behind many of Motown’s biggest hits, has died in the United States after a long bout with diabetes. Whitfield began writing for Motown when he was 19 years old. Some of the classic songs he wrote for Motown artists, we covered by some of the biggest acts in the world. The Beatles’ covered ‘Money (That’s What I Want), The Stones did a version of his ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’, Creedence Clearwater Revival did a cover of his ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’. Between 1966 and 1974, Whitfield produced nearly every song by The Temptations. He died on September 16. Highlights of the hits of Norman Whitfield are: 1963: "Pride & Joy" - Marvin Gaye 1964: "Too Many Fish in the Sea" - The Marvelettes 1964: "Needle in a Haystack" - The Velvelettes 1964: "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" - The Velvelettes 1964: "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" - The Temptations 1966: "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" - The Temptations 1966: "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" - The Temptations 1966: "(I Know) I'm Losing You" - The Temptations 1967: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - Gladys Knight & the Pips, also recorded by Marvin Gaye and Creedence Clearwater Revival 1967: "You're My Everything" - The Temptations 1967: "I Wish It Would Rain" - The Temptations 1968: "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) - The Temptations 1968: "The End Of Our Road" - Gladys Knight & The Pips 1968: "Cloud Nine" - The Temptations 1969: "Friendship Train" - Gladys Knight & the Pips 1969: "Runaway Child, Running Wild" - The Temptations 1969: "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" - Marvin Gaye 1969: "I Can't Get Next to You" - The Temptations 1969: "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down" - The Temptations 1970: "You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You)" - Gladys Knight & The Pips, also recorded by The Temptations 1970: "Psychedelic Shack" - The Temptations 1970: "Hum Along and Dance" - The Temptations (later covered by Rare Earth and The Jackson 5) 1970: "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" - The Temptations 1970: "War" - Edwin Starr 1971: "Smiling Faces Sometimes" - The Undisputed Truth, originally recorded by The Temptations 1971: "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" - The Temptations 1972: "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations 1973: "Masterpiece" - The Temptations 1973: "Let Your Hair Down" - The Temptations 1976: "Car Wash" - Rose Royce 1976: "I'm Going Down" - Rose Royce 1976: "I Wanna Get Next to You" - Rose Royce 1977: "Ooh Boy" - Rose Royce 1977: "Wishing on a Star" - Rose Royce 1978: "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" - Rose Royce |
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie
Post Number: 1466 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 - 12:19 pm: | |
Truly a legend. He's perhaps one of those people that many fans of Motown music have never heard, but just as important as the stars in getting that music out. |
Mallory Member Username: Mallory
Post Number: 294 Registered: 05-2006
| Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 8:47 am: | |
In my opinion, second to Berry Gordy, Norman Whitfield is probably Motown's biggest "name." There's much to be said about the artists, but look at the list of HUGE songs that Norman wrote and/or produced. A huge loss in the history of music. |
Mallory Member Username: Mallory
Post Number: 295 Registered: 05-2006
| Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 8:50 am: | |
BTW MickeyMac, Whitfield did not write "Money." It was written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford. |
Elimarr Member Username: Elimarr
Post Number: 79 Registered: 09-2007
| Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 2:45 pm: | |
"Money" (first hit on the Motown label) was SUNG by Barrett Strong, who later became Whitfield's song writing partner on many of those hits on the list above. Anyway, Whitfield/Strong are in the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, and should make it into the R&R HOF soon...Gamble/Huff just got inducted this year. R.I.P. Norman Whitfield -- thanks for the "Motown Sound!" |
Kenp Member Username: Kenp
Post Number: 1174 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 4:22 pm: | |
Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong, what a great team. Its a sad lose |
Mickeymac Member Username: Mickeymac
Post Number: 26 Registered: 08-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 18, 2008 - 6:28 pm: | |
BTW MickeyMac, Whitfield did not write "Money." It was written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford Yeah I know I copied that from somewhere. |
Jimb Member Username: Jimb
Post Number: 7 Registered: 09-2008
| Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 11:02 am: | |
RE: 'In my opinion, second to Berry Gordy, Norman Whitfield is probably Motown's biggest "name." ' Holland-Dozier-Holland might have something to say about that. But he had one incredibly impressive list of songs. Songwriters/producers don't get enough credit in my opinion. As great as some of those Motown groups were, where were they without the writers/producers? |
Elimarr Member Username: Elimarr
Post Number: 84 Registered: 09-2007
| Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 1:49 pm: | |
You have a point, Jimb. The Motown sound was the product of several great songwriters/teams. Holland-Dozier-Holland penned all those Supremes sing-songy hits (but they made up for it with some great Four Tops classics.) Not bashing the Supremes songs...but my preference was for The Temps & The Tops! I think I had every one of those Temptations hits (from the so-called "psychedelic" years) on a 45 rpm record, so I have to put Whitfield/Strong at the top of my own personal pantheon of Motown writers (and they get extra credit for E. Starr's audio kick in the crotch, "War.") To keep it real, and round out the great writers of Motown, I have to mention Smokey Robinson in with this illustrious group. He wrote that slew of hits for his own band, and then a trillion others did cover versions. I credit mainly these three writers/teams for giving us the Motown Sound. |
Johnnie_sue_bridges Member Username: Johnnie_sue_bridges
Post Number: 8 Registered: 08-2007
| Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 2:20 pm: | |
God's blessings of peace to Norman Whitfield’s family. A true genius of his time—and even still today, I hear the young folks picking up on Norman's sweet sounds, and capturing them in their new stuff. I love it when the kids pick up on our music and carry it on. Here is a link to an article in regard to Norman with the Detroit Free Press. Some of our Motowners comments were mentioned and I appreciated that. I get a bit unnervered when our Detroit legends are overlooked. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=2008809180433 |
Jimb Member Username: Jimb
Post Number: 8 Registered: 09-2008
| Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 3:47 pm: | |
Elimarr, good point about Smokey - can't leave him out. His list of hit songs may be just as long or longer than Whitfield, HDH. He gave the Temps their first #1 in My Girl. If I'm not mistaken, Whitfield also wrote Can't Get Net To You, which isn't on the above list. Not positive about that. Helluva versatile writer, though. |
Vantanna Member Username: Vantanna
Post Number: 20 Registered: 08-2007
| Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 6:01 pm: | |
Oh Wow. R.I.P to one of the greatest. |
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen
Post Number: 3048 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 8:00 pm: | |
Check out the postings on the Soulful Detroit side...as Norman Whitfield is remembered by Motown friends and Motown music fans. Norman Whitfield passes http://faac.us/adf/messages/2/ 179640.html?1221950635 Norman Whitfield remembered by Funk Brother Jack Ashford http://faac.us/adf/messages/2/ 179831.html?1221954076 Sad News: Norman Whitfield http://faac.us/adf/messages/2/ 179732.html?1221950391 |
Dianeinaustin Member Username: Dianeinaustin
Post Number: 115 Registered: 02-2008
| Posted on Saturday, September 27, 2008 - 2:28 pm: | |
On October 1st Excavation Nation will be playing a Tribute show to Norman Whitfield. http://www.excavationnation.co m/ They have podcasts available, I am listening to the show on Jerry Wexler, next I am going to listen to the Rare Aretha podcast. I just found this program so I need to see what else they offer. (on KOOP radio here in ATX.) Anyway, good music online. |