The 12 Motown Songs Berry Gordy Almost Killed—Now They're Timeless Classics

Berry Gordy rejected "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" three times before it became Motown's best-selling single ever. This is the real story behind the twelve Motown songs that changed the world — and what it cost the people who made them. A fire hydrant on a hot Detroit afternoon became a civil rights anthem nobody meant to write. A bassist warming up before a session played the four most recognizable notes in pop music — and never got his name on the record. A group begged their own label not to release the song that would define them forever. Twelve songs. Twelve stories Motown never put in the liner notes. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Cold Open 0:30 #12 "Please Mr. Postman" – The Marvelettes 2:25 #11 "My Guy" – Mary Wells 4:15 #10 "Dancing in the Street" – Martha and the Vandellas 6:10 #9 "Neither One of Us" – Gladys Knight & the Pips 7:55 #8 "War" – Edwin Starr 9:45 #7 "You Can't Hurry Love" – The Supremes 11:30 The Halfway Truth 11:50 #6 "Reach Out I'll Be There" – Four Tops 13:35 #5 "I Want You Back" – The Jackson 5 15:30 #4 "The Tears of a Clown" – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 17:20 #3 "My Girl" – The Temptations 19:10 #2 "Superstition" – Stevie Wonder 21:00 #1 "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" – Marvin Gaye 23:00 Outro Which one surprised you the most? Tell us in the comments — and subscribe for more hidden music history. We're just getting started. Featuring the true stories behind Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Jackson 5, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, and Edwin Starr. R&B Revealed — Uncovering the Voices Behind the Legends. The music never lies. Even when the industry does. #Motown #MarvinGaye #MotownHistory #RnBHistory #MusicDocumentary