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What is your favorite Motown solo album or song by Michael?

The MJJ Library

7even's HIStory Corner
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I really love the Motown solo albums, like Ben, Farewell My Summer Love, Got To Be There and I think they are extremely underrated, so I wanna know which ones y'all like, whats your favorite song from those albums, what are your opinions on others, and do you think Motown should reuse the idea that they had with Farewell My Summer Love and release a posthumous album featuring child solo songs.
 
Good choice

My favourite Motown album is, Got To Be There, Michael just sounds so pure and full of life during that record

My favourite Motown song is, I Wanna Be Where You Are, Mike was just such a fantastic vocalist even at such a uoung age. Truly unique
 
Favourite album: Music and Me ... then Got To Be There and Forever Michael. (I find Ben and Farewell somewhat weak as albums though both have some really good songs too).

Favourite song: Right now I would pick Little Christmas Tree. But it's difficult to choose.

The MJJ Library said:
do you think Motown should reuse the idea that they had with Farewell My Summer Love and release a posthumous album featuring child solo songs.
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They did not really have some "idea" with Farewell My Summer Love, as I understand it was an album that was record in 1973 but but cancel to avoid competing the success of Dancing Machine (the song I guess). They probably don't have another such "cancelled" album in the vault. I guess if they release something it maybe looks more like Looking Back To Yesterday... but they already released "I want you back: Unreleased masters" and "Come and get it: The rare pearls" ... not sure how much they have left.
 
Forever Michael hands down. My favorite song changes from day to day but no matter what, it’s always from Forever Michael.
 
The MJJ Library said:
I really love the Motown solo albums, like Ben, Farewell My Summer Love, Got To Be There and I think they are extremely underrated, so I wanna know which ones y'all like, whats your favorite song from those albums, what are your opinions on others, and do you think Motown should reuse the idea that they had with Farewell My Summer Love and release a posthumous album featuring child solo songs.
Click to expand...
Forever Michael is my favorite Motown album! One Day in Your Life is my favorite song from that one. Ain’t No Sunshine is my favorite from Got to Be There. We’ve Got a Good Thing Going from Ben. I haven’t gotten around to listening to Farewell My Summer Love.
 
I'm not particularly interested in the eras before The Jacksons but I Wanna Be Where You Are is a great song.
 
AChanceToDance said:
I'm not particularly interested in the eras before The Jacksons but I Wanna Be Where You Are is a great song.
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I suggest you listen to the Farewell My Summer Love album, it was a shelved 1974 album that got a release in 1984 with some 80s pop reworking and its really really good.
 
One of the most underappreciated songs in Michael's catalogue is, We're Almost There.
His vocals on that are spectacular, it's like a glimpse into what adult Michael is going to sound like, but still with that purity he had
 
Maxym said:
Favourite album: Music and Me ... then Got To Be There and Forever Michael. (I find Ben and Farewell somewhat weak as albums though both have some really good songs too).

Favourite song: Right now I would pick Little Christmas Tree. But it's difficult to choose.



They did not really have some "idea" with Farewell My Summer Love, as I understand it was an album that was record in 1973 but but cancel to avoid competing the success of Dancing Machine (the song I guess). They probably don't have another such "cancelled" album in the vault. I guess if they release something it maybe looks more like Looking Back To Yesterday... but they already released "I want you back: Unreleased masters" and "Come and get it: The rare pearls" ... not sure how much they have left.
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Good point
 
Good question. My fav album isn't a real album per se. If Farewell My Summer Love's songs had been released in their original non-overdubbed state, it'd have been it for me. I'm glad all its songs were finally released on 2009s Hello World. The virtually untouched original version of FMSL is the only Motown album where I don't skip any tracks.
 
Oops, got that wrong. I mean 'Music and Me' the song, not the album. I'm new to the board, I have no idea what I'm doing!

Have only recently discovered this song, haven't yet listened to the other tracks. But this song, I love it. The lyrics are really poignant and his vocal performance is just blissful.
 
michael's solo career at motown was looked at as a side project, to his main gig; the jackson 5. he was off to a great start however, with his debut 'got to be there'. as far as albums go, this is my favourite one. there are many classics such as; rockin' robin', 'i wanna be where you are', and of course the title track - which i believe is about seeing a new born baby for the first time..🧐 michael was more of a 'soul singer' during this time and his range was incredible. i've heard whitney houston, coko from swv, and beyonce cover 'i wanna be where you are', and they had to bring it down from the original key😮. 'girl don't take your love from me' hears michael sustain a single note for four whole bars😮. the material was more age appropriate than than that of the jackson 5. with the exception of 'ain't no sunshine', which he delivered enough passion and maturity to surpass the original. 'in our small way' would introduce us to the innocent optimistic worldview, that he would maintain throughout his adulthood. the collection is sweet and well rounded overall.💜

'music & me' was a wonderful and tender autobiographical song. so was 'with a child's heart'. however, my favourite song from the album is 'euphoria'. what a rush🤩 this could have been a hit. it's colourful, quirky, energetic.. once again, the writers knew who michael was. i can actually imagine him performing this on 'soul train'. the album marked a turning point where his voice began to change.

i love 'farewell my summer love', and kind of look at it as cannon. i never would have known it was recorded over ten years prior, based on the youthful vocals michael had during 'thriller'💜. sunny and sentimental, it's a timeless pop classic, and a well deserved hit in the uk. the golden girls theme song sounds quite similar to this..🧐 i actually prefer the official updated version that was released, as opposed to the original production from the seventies. 'girl you're so together' is its blissful companion. both songs were able to fit in with the current climate at the time. it makes me wonder how michael would have sounded if he really returned to motown after 'thriller'..
 
My favorite solo Motown album is Forever Michael and song we’ve got forever tied with one day in your life, music and me and maria ( you were the only one)
to make my father proud is also a big fave of mine but not on any solo album
 
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Maxym said:
It is on Farewell My Summer Love, last track. (And yeah, very good performance and best track on the album I think)
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I don't think I ever listened to that album as I thought it was a compilation album. I was not aware that it was a cancelled album but I read here that it is so in that case it counts as a studio album.
 
Dunno.

I never really cared for the Motown stuff at all when I was younger. I'm not really interested in the songs from before MJ's voice dropped, but I like "I Wanna Be Where You Are". Definitely my favorite of his songs as a boy soprano.

It's when he becomes a tenor that his songs start to get interesting, IMHO. But I barely remember any of his solo albums lol. Although it's Jackson 5, I like "Moving Violation". I think I'll listen to all of MJ's albums solo and with the Jackson 5/Jacksons to see how his voice evolved.
 
forgot to add 'cinderella stay awhile'. the only song from 'forever michael' that truly makes me happy💜. it's snappy, colourful escapism💜. full of life💜 again, the fairy tale element adds to the fantasy.
 
We’ve got forever is also a highlight for me of Forever Michael. Love the ending with the female background singers.
Overall it is a very good album.
 
forever michael and Farewell My Summer Love are many wonderful songs I have as lps
 
Both Got to Be There the song & the album is my favorite of the Motown solos by far. lil' Michael's voice just sounds so crystal clear and soulful, and I think the song really showed off his vocal range well.
 
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