Detroit’s 100 Greatest Songs

**CassTechGrad** · November-24-20, 01:25 PM

I don’t believe much in those “the list of the greatest..” that experts put together but it is fun to see what hey picked. There are picks I disagree with but the biggest one by far is this one:
87. "Fingertips — Pt. 1&2," Stevie Wonder [[1963)

The live version that topped the charts was recorded in 1963 during a Motown Review performance in Chicago. That’s gotta be in the top 10! If you haven’t heard it in a while, go listen. High energy power, the hottest song in the summer of 1963. “what key, what key

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https://www.freep.com/story/entertai...list/84830602/

**EGrant** · November-24-20, 01:54 PM

No love for "It's So Cold in the D"?? Pretty cool list though!

**royce** · November-25-20, 05:37 AM

I just went through the entire list. Excellent article. The ranking of the songs isn't as important as the stories behind how the songs came to be. Going through the list is like taking a time machine back through your life. For those of you who were in your teens and 20s back in the 60s and early 70s, it must have been a blast to experience so much of Detroit's music at those ages. I envy you. I was born in '63 so I missed out on experiencing some of the early Motown stuff. Man, slow dancing with a girl to Smokey's "Ooo Baby, Baby" would have been so cool. Well, I was a teen who got to dance to George Clinton and the Funkadelic's "One Nation Under a Groove," so I guess I didn't miss out on everything. Again, the stories behind the songs are priceless.

**Zacha341** · November-25-20, 08:57 AM

^^^ How's about that! Not to sound all luddite and the like, but so much of this music was grand compared to what's thrown up the pop-chart these days.

**13606Cedargrove** · November-25-20, 11:48 AM

I agree, great article.

But, nothing/no one prior to 1960? Bill Haley is from Detroit and his big hits were in the 50's, but he probably did not record them here.

I am not an expert, but there must be other songs and artists because Detroit had a very active jazz scene. I believe there were about 25 - 30 jazz clubs in the city in the '50's.

After WW1 the classic "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey?" was written by a Detroiter whose name escapes me right now. "Bill Bailey" is a standard that continues to be recorded today.

**p1acebo** · November-25-20, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

No love for "It's So Cold in the D"?? Pretty cool list though!

Ha! I was looking for it! What a shame!

**Don K** · November-25-20, 10:53 PM

What about "Superstition" and "Living For the City"? Two of Stevie's greatest. So many of these songs evoke a particular time in my life. Like "My Cherie Amour" was all over the radio in the summer of 69. I was on a road trip out west with my parents, and it was like tune into a station in Kansas, Colorado, or Saskatchewan, here comes Stevie again. It turns out "School's Out" was released the year I graduated from high school. I grew up in South Jersey, and the song was the theme song for day trips to the Shore with my dope-smoking buddies.

Thing is, pretty much any of these songs brings back fond memories for this Jersey-to-Michigan transplant.

**Hermod** · November-26-20, 10:22 AM

Detroit song!

Bobby Bare "Detroit City" - YouTube

**Hermod** · November-26-20, 10:24 AM

Detroit song!

The Transplant Song - YouTube

**CassTechGrad** · November-26-20, 11:46 AM

"The "Detroit House of Correction" ,DeHoCo, was immortalized in a song by Nathaniel Mayer in 1966 called "I Want Love And Affection [[Not The House Of Correction)," released on Detroit-based Fortune Records. If I heard right, he wrote the song while he was incarcerated there." By Nailhead.

**night-timer** · November-26-20, 05:27 PM

Interesting article. I've never been part of the rap/hip hop audience, but Lose Yourself [[by Eminem) is indeed special.

Iggy Pop seems to have re-visited his Detroit/Stooges roots with his mid 80s hit, Cold Metal... that's worth a listen, as you've probably never heard it before and I suspect it was only a minor hit for him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLnL1-7lvVE

**Sehv313** · November-28-20, 01:45 PM

No "Hello Detroit" by Sammy Davis Jr.???

**401don** · November-28-20, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Sehv313

No "Hello Detroit" by Sammy Davis Jr.???

I was going to post that the songs have to be either Detroit area artists or record labels but to my surprise Hello Detroit was a Motown recording.
Gladys Knight should have been recognized for a couple of her other Motown Hits such as "If I Were Your Woman" or "Neither One of Us" rather than "Grapevine" which was a much bigger hit for Marvin Gaye.

**Sehv313** · November-29-20, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I was going to post that the songs have to be either Detroit area artists or record labels but to my surprise Hello Detroit was a Motown recording.

Yes it was! But this should be in the Best Detroit Video category;

**Sehv313** · November-29-20, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

No love for "It's So Cold in the D"?? Pretty cool list though!

That song can't hold a candle to "Rich Ken - All White Buffies", The 2008 Belle Isle Classic. A whole movie was based on this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAV4ioVtTIQ