Significant Achievements in the Detroit Sound Pt.2



Marvin Gaye Trans-Atlantic hit

Motown Records went on to have further trans-Atlantic success with the single “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” which dominated the Billboard singles chart listings, starting on the Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles Chart at number one week-ending 14^th December 1968 (7 weeks), then on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 14^th December 1968 (7 weeks), followed by the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart week-ending 21^st December 1968 (5 weeks) and finally number one on the UK Official Pop Singles Chart week-ending 18^th February 1969 (3 weeks). The very same week-ending 14^th December 1968 that Gaye was at number one, Diana Ross & the Supremes were at number two with the single “Love Child” which was at number one previously week-ending 2^nd November 1968 (2 weeks). Also Stevie Wonder was at number three with the single “For Once in My Life.” Marvin Gaye managed to achieve further success on the UK Official Pop Singles Chart with the single “Too Busy Thinking ‘Bout My Baby” week-ending 29^th July 1969 at the number five position for one week. The single was extracted from the album entitled “M.P.G” which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Albums Chart week-ending 21^st June 1969 (2 weeks).

The Temptations and Diana Ross &
 the Supremes platinum certified single.

“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” was a joint monster hit for Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations, going all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 11^th January 1969 (2 weeks). It also peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles Chart and made it to number one on both the US “Record World” Top Singles and US Cash Box Pop Singles Chart week-ending 25^th January 1969 (1 week), dethroning “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” which held the number one position for the previous three weeks, beginning week-ending 4^th January 1969. The single was finally certified by the RIAA in the 1990s as a platinum record for selling over two million copies in America. It also did very well on the UK Official Pop Singles Chart, reaching number three week-ending 4^th February 1969 (1 week).

UK Pop number one
 album for both groups.

The parent album “Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations” did very well in America and the UK albums charts. It peaked at number one on the UK Official Pop Albums Chart week-ending 9^th February 1969 (4 weeks) and also spent one week at number two on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart week-ending 11^th January 1969. It was also at the top of the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Albums Chart week-ending 4^th January 1969 (2 weeks). During the same period Diana Ross & the Supremes with The Temptations had another big hit with a soundtrack album called “TCB Diana Ross & the Supremes with the Temptations” which climbed to the top position on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart week-ending 8^th February 1969 (1 week), with the album “Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations” at number five at same time. The “TCB” album did very well on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Albums Chart, reaching number one week-ending 18^th January 1969 (6 weeks). All these singles and albums featured the great talents of The Funk Brothers accompanied by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra string section, led by concertmaster Gordon Staples, with vocal support from The Andantes.

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