1964
RUN RUN RUN * THE SUPREMES * MOTOWN 1054 * USA
Many of the early Tamla recordings have a unique vitality and energy not found elsewhere in the spectrum of Soul records, on reflection it is no wonder they dominated the field and went from just another small independent to a global success in no time at all. Berry Gordy Jr. was spot on when he sub-titled his company 'The Sound of Young America', as it was the young who recognized and identified with this 'sound', a new sound which contained both the voice and dynamism of young America, and then much of the Western world. Which begs the question: was Tamla Motown one of America's last great contributions to the world.
Run Run Run written and produced by Holland, Dozier and Holland, was, for me the last of these super stimulating recordings by The Supremes, by the time of their next record Where Did Our Love Go (a great record but one in a more conventional Soul style) that could have been be titled 'Where Did Our Vitality Go'. Of course the answer is the same for all the creative enterprises: Berry Gordy, Holland, Dozier and Holland, The Supremes had all gotten over that hump that steep sided bulwark that keeps them either mentally or physically in the mire, in short they had all 'made it'. The fire and the hunger in their collective bellies had gone to be replaced by something more refined, more cerebral, they had reached the uplands they were occupying a different ground. Their world had changed and along with that world they had changed too. As a consequence, and unknown to them, they had also helped to change the world for others, from that point there was no going back for anybody, even though, many years latter, Lamont Dozier was to write and sing Going Back To My Roots.
Other Supremes records:
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| Always In My Heart | When The Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes | He Means The World To Me | Come See About Me |