THE CHART TOPPING HITS OF SOUL HEARD DECADE BY DECADE IN FOUR NEW
SOUL Number 1’s COLLECTIONS COVERING THE
‘60S, ‘70S, ‘80S AND ‘90S PLUS JAMES BROWN NUMBER 1’S
Soul is at the heart of hip-hop, providing the inspiration for today’s chart-topping hip-hop tracks. Now four new compilations present the best of soul--a total of 67 recordings, every track a #1 (nearly all on the R&B chart)--from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. Each of the Hip-O/UMe Soul Number 1’s albums in the new UMe Number 1’s series is set for release April 3, 2007 and packaged in a ground-breaking environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable.
In the ‘60s, soul was cool. ’60s Soul Number 1’s brings together the late-night vibe of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” the sophistication of Ramsey Lewis’ “The ‘In’ Crowd,” the group vocals of The Dells’ “Stay In My Corner,” the Chicago cool of Jerry “The Iceman” Butler (“Only The Strong Survive”) and Curtis Mayfield (with The Impressions’ “We’re A Winner”). 60s Soul Number 1’s also includes Sam & Dave’s genre-defining “Soul Man,” James Brown’s “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag - Pt. 1” and Motown smashes “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” (Four Tops), “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (The Supremes), “I Can’t Get Next To You” (The Temptations) and “Shotgun” (Jr. Walker & The All Stars). Other tracks are Little Milton’s “We’re Gonna Make It,” Hugh Masekela’s “Grazing In The Grass,” Johnnie Taylor’s “Who’s Making Love,” The Originals’ “Baby, I’m For Real,” Fontella Bass’ “Rescue Me” and Joe Hinton’s take on the Willie Nelson-penned “Funny (How Time Slips Away).”
In the ‘70s, sexy cool became sexy hot. ’70s Soul Number 1’s ranges from the Godfather of Soul’s “Make It Funky” and Ohio Players’ “Fire” to George Clinton and Parliament’s “Flash Light” and Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing.” Scorching the charts were Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1),” Rick James’ “You And I,” Kool & The Gang’s “Hollywood Swinging,” William Bell’s “Tryin’ To Love Two,” the Pointer Sisters’ “How Long (Betcha’ Got A Chick On The Side)” and the Commodores’ “Three Times A Lady.” Other #1s are “Dancing Machine” (Jackson 5), “Float On” (The Floaters), “Love Hangover” (Diana Ross), “Reunited” (Peaches & Herb), “Strawberry Letter 23” (The Brothers Johnson), “Theme Song From Which Way Is Up” (Stargard), “(Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again” (L.T.D.) and “Walk Away From Love” (David Ruffin).
In the ‘80s, soul took on the sound of the future. ’80s Soul Number 1’s includes the slow-dancin’ “Special Lady” (Ray, Goodman & Brown), “All Night Long (All Night)” (Lionel Richie), “The Rain” (Oran “Juice” Jones), “Save Your Love (For #1)” (René & Angela), and the uptempo “She Works Hard For The Money” (Donna Summer), “Let It Whip” (Dazz Band), “My Prerogative” (Bobby Brown), “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” (Jennifer Holliday) and Dance #1 “New Attitude” (Patti LaBelle). Heard too are Cameo’s “She’s Strange,” Yarbrough & Peoples’ “Don’t Stop The Music,” Smokey Robinson’s “Being With You,” Ready For The World’s “Love You Down,” Pebbles’ “Girlfriend,” New Edition’s “Can You Stand The Rain” and Jody Watley’s “Looking For A New Love.”
In the ‘90s, soul, R&B and hip-hop came together. ’90s Soul Number 1’s mixes Boyz II Men (“I’ll Make Love To You”), New Edition (“Hit Me Off”) and Vanessa Williams (“Save The Best For Last”) with BLACKstreet (featuring Dr. Dre on “No Diggity”), Dru Hill (“Never Make A Promise”) and Bobby Brown (“Humpin’ Around”). Richie (“Do It To Me”) and Quincy Jones (and El DeBarge, James Ingram, Al B. Sure! and Barry White on “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)”) are at home next to Brian McKnight (“Anytime”), Jodeci (“Stay”), Shanice (“I Love Your Smile”), Montell Jordan (“This Is How We Do It”), Pebbles (“Giving You The Benefit”), Soul For Real (“Candy Rain”), Aaron Hall (“Don’t Be Afraid”) and Tony! Toni! Toné! (“It Never Rains (In Southern California)”).
With James Brown - Number 1’s (available March 27), the Godfather of Soul rolls out hit after hit such as “Get On The Good Foot, Pt. 1,” “Say It Loud (I’m Black And I’m Proud),” “Hot Pants, Pt. 1,” “I Got The Feelin’,” “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag (Pt. 1),” “Get Up I feel Like Being A Sex Machine,” “Try Me” and “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” With tracks like “Hot Pants, Pt. 1,” “The Payback, Pt. 1,” “Cold Sweat (Part 1) and “Super Bad, Pts. 1&2, “ James Brown proves there is only room for Number 1’s.
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YOU WON’T LOSE THAT LOVIN’ FEELING WITH NEW COMPILATIONS PACKED WITH UNFORGETTABLE Pop Number 1’s FROM THE ‘60S, ‘70S AND ‘80S
PLUS LOVE SONGS NUMBER 1’S
Great pop songs are ones you not only remember forever but remind you of the feelings you had when they shot up the charts. On three decade by decade--the ‘60s through the ‘80s--Hip-O/UMe Pop Number 1’s albums in the new and ongoing UMe Number 1’s series, those #1 songs and the feelings they recall are back. Love Songs Number 1’s, also released April 3, 2007, brings together the ultimate love songs that topped the charts. All titles will be released in a ground-breaking environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable.
The pop music of the Sixties was unmistakably cheery and so is ’60s Pop Number 1’s. One cannot imagine happier songs than “My Boyfriend’s Back” (The Angels), “Happy Together” (The Turtles), “Windy” (The Association), “The Loco-motion” (Little Eva) or “Lightnin’ Strikes” (Lou Christie). Even Barry McGuire’s “Eve Of Destruction,” Zager & Evans’ “In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus),” The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” The Mamas And The Papas’ “Monday, Monday,” Gary Lewis and the Playboys’ “This Diamond Ring” and Lesley Gore’s “It’s My Party” have a bounce to them.
From the anthems “Wild Thing” (The Troggs), “The Letter” (The Box Tops) and “Leader Of The Pack” (The Shangri-Las), and the flower power of “Incense And Peppermints” (Strawberry Alarm Clock), “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)” (John Fred & His Playboy Band), “Green Tambourine” (The Lemon Pipers) and “Crimson & Clover” (Tommy James & The Shondells) to Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders’ “Game Of Love” and Len Barry’s “1-2-3,” ’60s Pop Number 1’s is a lovefest.
’70s Pop Number 1’s is not so innocent, not with Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls,” Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ “Tears Of A Clown” and Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Other than The Captain & Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together,” Peaches & Herb’s “Reunited,” Diana Ross’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and Barry White’s “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe,” love was hard to hold, e.g., “Just My Imagination (Running Away From Me)” (The Temptations), “I Want You Back” (Jackson 5), “Baby Come Back” (Player), “Maggie May” (Rod Stewart) and “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” (Rupert Holmes). Also heard are “Bennie & The Jets” (Elton John), “Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves” (Cher), “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” (Bachman-Turner Overdrive), “Will It Go Round In Circles” (Billy Preston), “Still” (Commodores) and “Dancing Queen” from ABBA, a Swedish group that revived the innocent pop of the ‘60s.
The songs on ’80s Pop Number 1’s are funkier, rockier and were often tied to visuals. “Endless Love” (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie), “Up Where We Belong” (Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes), “Maniac” (Michael Sembello) and “Miami Vice Theme” (Jan Hammer) were all hooked to movies or TV. Videos boosted “Come On Eileen” (Dexys Midnight Runners), “Addicted To Love” (Robert Palmer) and “I Think We’re Alone Now” (Tiffany). On the funk tip were “Funkytown” (Lipps, Inc.), “Celebration” (Kool & The Gang), “Upside Down” (Diana Ross), “All Night Long (All Night)” (Lionel Richie) and “Oh Sheila” (Ready For The World). More pop/rock are “Do That To Me One More Time” (The Captain & Tennille), “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Tears For Fears), “On My Own” (Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald), “Higher Love” (Steve Winwood), “You Keep Me Hanging On” (Kim Wilde) and “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” (Belinda Carlisle).
Romance fills the air with the sounds of Love Songs Number 1’s: “Save The Best For Last” (Vanessa Williams),” “Let’s Get It On” (Marvin Gaye), “Reunited” (Peaches& Herb) and “Baby Come Back” (Player). All reached #1 Pop, from “Truly” (Lionel Richie), “I’ll Make Love To You” (Boyz II Men), “If I Can’t Have You” (Yvonne Elliman), “(You’re My) Soul & Inspiration” (The Righteous Brothers), “Love Will Keep Us Together” and “Do That To Me One More Time” (Captain & Tennille), “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” (Belinda Carlisle), “Endless Love” (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie) and “Three Times A Lady” (Commodores) to the soft rockers “More Than Words” (Extreme), “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love And Affection” (Nelson) and “Can’t Help Falling In Love” (UB40).
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MOTOWN’S CHART-TOPPING HITS ON Motown Number 1’s and
Motown Number 1’s: Vol. 2, and Number 1’s Collections From DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations
Motown has been home to some of the greatest artists in history and many of the most popular songs ever recorded. Now the best of the best has been collected on four Motown/UMe albums in the new and ongoing Number 1’s series from UMe, each released April 3, 2007 in a ground-breaking, environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable.
Motown Number 1’s Vol. 2 follows its 2004 best-selling Motown Number 1’s. Together they offer 47 No. 1 hits, songs that topped the Pop, R&B, Dance/Disco and/or Adult Contemporary industry charts. The sequel opens with the label’s first R&B #1: “Shop Around” from The Miracles. The Supremes are also here with the most selections: “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Someday We’ll Be Together.” The Sixties are also represented by “Do You Love Me” from The Contours, “I Second That Emotion” from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, “You’re All I Need To Get By” from Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” from Jr. Walker & The All Stars and “I Can’t Get Next To You” from the Temptations.
The Temptations are heard in the Seventies with “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me).” The Jackson 5 chime in with “ABC” and “I’ll Be There”; former Temptation Eddie Kendricks with “Keep On Truckin’ (Pt. 1)”; Stevie Wonder with “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”; Gladys Knight & The Pips with “If I Were Your Woman” and Gaye with “Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1),” which zoomed to No. 1 on three major charts – Pop, R&B and Dance. Supremes diva Diana Ross hit No. 1 in the Eighties with “Upside Down.” Other No. 1’s from that decade are Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long (All Night),” Rick James’ “Give It To Me Baby,” the Dazz Band’s “Let It Whip” and the Commodores’ “Nightshift.” The most recent track is 1994’s “On Bended Knee,” from Boyz II Men.
The original Motown Number 1’s, now reissued in the new eco-pak, kicks off with Motown’s debut Pop #1: Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes. The Sixties also yield “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave” (Martha & The Vandellas), “My Guy” (Mary Wells) and “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” (The Temptations). The Supremes contribute “Where Did Our Love Go” and “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” while the Four Tops’ No. 1’s include “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and “Reach Out, I’ll Be There.” The decade also adds “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (Wonder), “I Want You Back” (Jackson 5), “Shotgun” (Jr. Walker & The All Stars) and Marvin’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and, with Tammi, “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.”
From the Seventies are Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and “Let’s Get It On”; “The Tears Of A Clown” (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles), “Love Machine (Part 1)” (The Miracles); “War” (Edwin Starr), “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (Thelma Houston), also No. 1 across three charts; and “Three Times A Lady” (Commodores). The lone Eighties selection is the Richie-Ross duet “Endless Love,” No. 1 for more than two months. From the Nineties is “I’ll Make Love To You” (Boyz II Men) and from 2003 is Michael McDonald’s rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
For Marvin Gaye – Number 1’s, highlights include “Let’s Get It On,” “What’s Going On,” “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing,” “You’re All I Need To Get By,” “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1).” Also included are Marvin’s huge comeback hit, “Sexual Healing,” plus more of his Sixties No. 1’s, “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” “Ain’t That Peculiar” and “I’ll Be Doggone.” From the Seventies, his other No. 1’s are “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler),” “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” and “I Want You.” There’s more too: as bonus tracks, the collection includes his smash No. 2 hits, from the solo singles, “Pride And Joy” and “That’s The Way Love Is,” to his duets with Tammi Terrell, “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You” and “Your Precious Love.”
The Temptations – Number 1’s features an astonishing 20 No. 1 hits, encompassing more 30 years of hits from the group. “My Girl” is here of course, plus from the Sixties the smash hits “I Can’t Get Next To You,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” “Get Ready,” “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep,” “(I Know) I’m Losing You,” “You’re My Everything,” “I Wish It Would Rain,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” (with Diana Ross & The Supremes), “I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)” and “Run Away Child, Running Wild.”
From the Seventies are “Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today),” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” “Masterpiece,” “Let Your Hair Down,” “Happy People” (missing from previous Tempts collections) and “Shakey Ground.” The collection concludes with “Stay,” the group’s 1998 return to the top of the charts.
Additionally, UMe is re-releasing in the eco-pak the successful Diana Ross & The Supremes – Number 1’s collection, first released in 2003: 23 era-defining tracks, 15 from the Motown group, from “Where Did Our Love Go” through “Stoned Love” (with Jean Terrell replacing Ms. Ross); plus eight more from Ms. Ross solo, from “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” through Endless Love” with Lionel Richie. Included is a bonus track, the Almighty Mix of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.”
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NEW NUMBER 1’S ALBUM SERIES PACKED WITH CHART-TOPPING HITS IN DANCE, COUNTRY, JAZZ AND FROM SOUNDTRACKS
Four new albums in the new and ongoing UMe Number 1’s album series bring together chart-toppers in the dance, country and jazz genres as well as from movie and television soundtracks. Dance Number 1’s, Country Number 1’s and Soundtrack Smashes, all on Hip-O/UMe, and Jazz Number 1’s on Verve/UMe, will be released April 3, 2007 in a ground-breaking environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable.
Dance Number 1’s spans the dance floor from 1974 to 1991 with 15 #1 hits, including a quartet of disco era crossover blockbusters: Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” and Lipps, Inc.’s “Funkytown,” both #1 Pop and Dance/Disco, as well as Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way” and Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” both #1 Pop, R&B and Dance/Disco. Scoring #1 R&B and Dance/Disco were “Stomp!” from The Brothers Johnson, “Looking For A New Love” from Jody Watley and “Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent” from Gwen Guthrie. Other dance #1’s are Gloria Gaynor’s “Never Can Say Goodbye,” Irene Cara’s “Fame,” Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out,” ABC’s “The Look Of Love,” Ce Ce Peniston’s “Finally,” Rick James’ “Super Freak,” Ollie & Jerry’s “Breakin’…There’s No Stopping Us” and Cathy Dennis’ “Touch Me (All Night Long).”
Soundtrack Smashes ranges even wider with its 16 #1’s, from 1971’s “Shaft” by Isaac Hayes to 1997’s “A Song For Mama” by Boyz II Men from Soul Food. The Pop #1’s are “Up Where We Belong” from An Officer And A Gentleman by Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes, “9 To 5” from Dolly Parton, “Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” from Christopher Cross, Diana Ross’ “Theme From ‘Mahogany’ (Do You Know Where You’re Going To),” Rose Royce’s “Car Wash,” The Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” from Cocktail, Jan Hammer’s “Miami Vice Theme,” Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me” from The Breakfast Club, Lionel Richie and Diana Ross with “Endless Love,” Michael Sembello’s “Maniac” from Flashdance and Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” featuring L.V. from Dangerous Minds.
The R&B #1’s are Jennifer Holiday’s “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the Dreamgirls Original Cast Recording and Aaron Hall’s “Don’t Be Afraid” from Juice. Harold Faltermeyer’s instrumental “Axel F” from Beverly Hills Cop was #1 Adult Contemporary.
Country Number 1’s provides a condensed history of country music with 20 #1’s from 1951 to 1989. From the ‘50s are Hank Williams’ “Hey, Good Lookin’,” Johnny Cash’s “I Walk The Line,” Marty Robbins’ “El Paso” and George Jones’ “White Lightning.” Representing the ‘60s are Patsy Cline with “I Fall To Pieces” and Roger Miller with “King Of The Road.” The ‘70s are heard with Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Conway Twitty’s “Hello Darlin’,” Tom T. Hall’s “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died,” Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” The Statler Brothers’ “Do You Know You Are My Sunshine” and Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler.” The ‘80s contribute Don Williams’ “I Believe In You,” Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Elvira,” Willie Nelson’s “Always On My Mind,” Randy Travis’ “Forever And Ever, Amen,” Kathy Mattea’s “Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses” and Patty Loveless’ “Timber, I’m Falling In Love.”
Jazz Number 1’s collects 17 recordings that were the best selling jazz discs of their time, from Billie Holiday’s “Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)” in 1944 to John Handy’s “Hard Work” in 1976. Also from the ‘40s is the Dinah Washington gem “Baby Get Lost” and from the ‘50s are “My Foolish Heart” from Gene Ammons and “Mr. Paganini (You’ll Have To Swing It)” from Ella Fitzgerald. Other than The Crusaders’ “Put It Where You Want It” from 1972, the remaining tracks hail from the ‘60s: Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World,” Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd’s “Desafinado,” Nina Simone’s “I Put A Spell On You,” the Oscar Peterson Trio’s “Happy-Go-Lucky Local a/k/a Night Train,” Jimmy Smith’s “Walk On The Wild Side,” the Ramsey Lewis Trio’s “The ‘In’ Crowd,” Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz’s “The Girl From Ipanema,” Quincy Jones’ “Killer Joe,” Ramsey Lewis’ “Wade In The Water,” Richard “Groove” Holmes’ “Misty” and, finally, Etta James’ “At Last.”
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Available Titles:
James Brown - Number 1’s
Marvin Gaye - Number 1’s
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Number 1’s
Temptations - Number 1’s
Motown Number 1’s
Motown Number 1’s Volume 2
Love Songs Number 1’s
Jazz Number 1’s
Country Number 1’s
Dance Number 1’s
Soundtrack Smashes Number 1’s
60s Pop Number 1’s
70s Pop Number 1’s
80s Pop Number 1’s
60s Soul Number 1’s
70’s Soul Number 1’s
80’s Soul Number 1’s
90s Soul Number 1’s
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For further information, contact:
Sujata Murthy, UME 310-865-7812 sujata.murthy@umusic.com
Todd Nakamine, UMe 310-865-7797 todd.nakamine@umusic.com