A Cellarful of Motown! is a series of compilation albums of Motown rarities, containing versions of known songs by alternative artists, as well as demos of songs that were not released at the time, but had been shelved for various reasons.
Compiled by Paul Nixon the series ran for 4 volumes before being cancelled by Universal Records. Some of them had failed to pass the selections by Motown executives, in other cases Motown's owner Berry Gordy had his personal reasons to withhold releases. Four examples out of many:
The series was revived for a fifth volume in September 2020, released by Universal subsidiary label Caroline Records.
A Cellarful of Motown! Volume 1 Released July 30, 2002 (2002-07-30 ) [ 1] Recorded July 2, 1962 (1962-07-02 ) – December 1, 1969 (1969-12-01 ) [ 2] Genre Soul , funk Label Motown
A Cellarful of Motown! Volume 1 (2002)
Volume 2 (2005)
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [ 2]
Source: Classic Motown, Allmusic[ 1] [ 2]
A Cellarful of Motown! Volume 2 Released July 4, 2005 (2005-07-04 ) [ 3] Recorded September 10, 1964 (1964-09-10 ) – January 23, 1970 (1970-01-23 ) [ 4] Genre Soul , funk Label Motown
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [ 4]
Source: Discogs, Allmusic[ 3] [ 4]
Title Performing Artist(s) 1. "All Day All Night" Earl Van Dyke 2:32 2. "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While) " Eddie Holland 2:46 3. "Everyday I'll Love You More Than Yesterday" Gladys Knight & the Pips 2:24 4. "Everytime I See You, I Go Wild!" J. J. Barnes 2:58 5. "My Two Arms – You = Tears" The Elgins 2:30 6. "Keep Stepping (Never Look Back)" Caroline Crawford 2:24 7. "Take My Hand" The Dalton Boys 2:50 8. "Boy from Crosstown" (Alternative mix) The Marvelettes 2:44 9. "I Can't Get Along Without You" The Monitors 2:42 10. "I Gave Up Quality for Quantity" Stevie Wonder 2:51 11. "Start With Joy in the Morning" Martha and the Vandellas 3:10 12. "What Am I Gonna Do Without You" The Detroit Spinners 2:33 13. "After the Rain" Kim Weston 2:11 14. "Let's Talk It Over" Marv Johnson 2:22 15. "Choo Choo Train" Little Lisa 2:20 16. "I've Got to Get Away" Tommy Good 2:41 17. "Show Girl" The Vows 3:10 18. "In the Dark" The Creations 2:33 19. "Love, Trouble, Heartache and Misery" Hattie Littles 2:31 20. "Positively Absolutely Right" The Temptations 2:00 21. "Woman Just Won't Do Right" Shorty Long 3:20 22. "Sound Clip" Various 3:59
Title Performing Artist(s) 1. "Honey Bee (Keep Stinging Me)" (Out on the Floor mix) Diana Ross and the Supremes 2:30 2. "Everybody Needs Somebody (I Need You)" J. J. Barnes 2:39 3. "Hoping the Pause Is Helping the Cause" Smokey Robinson & the Miracles 3:10 4. "Baby Baby I'm in Love Again" Debbie Dean 2:28 5. "I Can't Go on Sharing Your Love" The Isley Brothers 3:08 6. "Breakaway" The Lewis Sisters 2:31 7. "It's a Lonely World Without Your Love" Four Tops 2:46 8. "Midnight Johnny" Connie Haines 2:58 9. "Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy" The Contours 2:30 10. "Sweet Lovin'" Chris Clark 2:51 11. "My Springtime" Terry Johnson 2:31 12. "Lone, Lonely Town" Martha and the Vandellas 2:50 13. "Nothing in This World Like My Baby" The Originals 2:53 14. "Words" The Monitors 2:42 15. "You've Got to Pay the Price" The Supremes 3:27 16. "Where Is the Love" Rita Wright 2:54 17. "Rescue Me " Blinky 2:40 18. "Those DJ Shows" Patrice Holloway 2:33 19. "My Heart" Tammi Terrell 2:56 20. "I Hope You Have Better Luck Than I Did" The Marvelettes 2:51 21. "Crying Game" Brenda Holloway 2:16 22. "Sound Clip" Various 3:28
Source: Discogs, Allmusic[ 5] [ 6]
Title Performing Artist(s) 1. "You're Walking Out with My Heart" Brenda Holloway 2:59 2. "This Love Will Never Die" The Miracles 2:19 3. "Get Ready " San Remo Golden Strings 2:48 4. "Love Is Good" The Marvelettes 2:44 5. "Jealousy Is Creeping Up on Me" The Contours 2:46 6. "Easier Said Than Done" Dennis Edwards 2:55 7. "At the Go Go" Stevie Wonder 3:33 8. "Memories of Her Love Keep Haunting Me" The Spinners 2:30 9. "I'm in Love Again" Shorty Long 2:21 10. "I Can't Let Him Go" Yvonne Fair 2:52 11. "Come On and See Me" Chris Clark 2:40 12. "Never Give You Up" Blinky & Edwin Starr 3:02 13. "Just Too Much to Hope For" The Monitors 2:39 14. "(Loving You) Is Hurting Me" The Fantastic Four 3:33 15. "SOS Girl in Distress" Marv Johnson 3:13 16. "Thief of Love" Oma Page 2:03 17. "Too Young, Too Long" Caroline Crawford 2:39 18. "You Stay on My Mind" Clarence Paul 2:24 19. "Come Back My Love" The Temptations 2:49 20. "A Chance with You" Marvin Gaye 2:17 21. "Watch Your Step" Mike Varo 3:21 22. "The Boy from Crosstown" The Marvelettes 3:02
Title Performing Artist(s) 1. "We'll Keep On Rolling" Brenda Holloway 2:19 2. "I Can't Help Loving You Baby" The Contours 2:46 3. "I'm Here Now That You Need Me" J. J. Barnes 2:45 4. "Judge's Daughter" The Originals 2:33 5. "Something About You " Debbie Dean 2:45 6. "Soldier of Love" Four Tops 3:30 7. "I'm Gonna Get You" Gladys Knight & the Pips 2:08 8. "Don't Stop Loving Me" Ivy Jo Hunter 2:48 9. "Sweet Sweet Love" The Lollipops 2:49 10. "I'm Doing the Best I Can" Junior Walker & the All Stars 2:56 11. "Cindy" Bobby Taylor 3:55 12. "Little Girls Grow Up" The Marvelettes 2:43 13. "Too Late I Learned" The Spinners 2:37 14. "Beware of a Stranger" Rita Wright 2:40 15. "You Took Me This Far (Take Me All the Way)" Edwin Starr 2:47 16. "Can I Get a Witness" Blinky 2:13 17. "(There's Always Room For) Love in a Movie" Bob Kayli 3:05 18. "Farewell Is a Lonely Sound" Paul Peterson 2:42 19. "You've Made Me So Very Happy " Little Miss Soul 3:06 20. "Honey Hut" Shorty Long 2:57 21. "Honey Boy" Little Lisa 2:43 22. "This Is Goodbye" The Headliners 2:38 23. "Going to a Go-Go " Brenda Holloway and The Supremes 2:52
A Cellarful of Motown! Volume 4 Released September 7, 2010 (2010-09-07 ) [ 7] Recorded February 24, 1971 (1971-02-24 ) – September 21, 1971 (1971-09-21 ) [ 8] Genre Soul , funk Label Motown
Volume 3 (2007)
A Cellarful of Motown! Volume 4 (2010)
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic [ 8]
Source: Soulsource, Allmusic[ 8] [ 9]
Title Performing Artist(s) 1. "Kidnapped" The Blackberries 2:46 2. "Keep on Tryin' ('Til You Find Love)" The Fantastic Four 3:17 3. "Your Kiss Kiss" Marvin Gaye, Oma Heard 2:24 4. "My Baby Moves Me" Brenda Holloway 2:33 5. "Cool Cool Baby" Junior Walker & the All Stars 3:01 6. "The Girl I've Chosen to Be My Bride" Joe Stubbs 2:55 7. "You Didn't Show Girl" The Temptations 2:53 8. "My Baby Changes Like the Weather" The Vows 2:40 9. "Doctor of Love" The Monitors 2:57 10. "All I Need Is a Chance" Robert Dobyne 2:18 11. "The Day You Take One (You Have to Take the Other)" Gladys Knight & the Pips 2:41 12. "Ain't Gonna Tell You" Frank Wilson 2:08 13. "Dancing U.S.A." The Contours 2:25 14. "That's the Way I See Him" The Marvelettes 2:44 15. "Have a Little Patience (And Wait)" Mary Wells 2:47 16. "Three Time Loser" Marvin Gaye 2:39 17. "Lead Me and Guide Me" Holland-Dozier 2:35 18. "It's Company Time" The Versatones 2:58 19. "Twin Brother" Eddie Holland 2:51 20. "Think of the Times" Caroline Crawford 2:35 21. "You're What's Happening Baby" Four Tops 3:11 22. "I'll Turn to Stone" Dennis Edwards 2:24 23. "I Need You More Now Than Ever" Paul Williams 3:40 24. "Daddy, Cool" Oma Heard 2:49 25. "The Real You" Barbara McNair 3:06
Title Performing Artist(s) 1. "Miss Lonely Heart" Martha and the Vandellas 2:26 2. "The House That Jack Built" J. J. Barnes 2:36 3. "The Philly Dog" Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers 3:02 4. "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You) " The Utopians 3:08 5. "Only a Lonely Man Would Know" Ivy Jo Hunter 3:00 6. "It's Gonna Be Always" Blinky 2:59 7. "Somebody's Waiting for Me" The Contours 2:51 8. "A Bird in the Hand (Is Worth Two in the Bush)" Gladys Knight & The Pips 3:04 9. "Don't Let Me Be Lonely" Tammi Terrell 3:01 10. "Why Don't You Come Home" Stevie Wonder 2:56 11. "You Can Do It" The Miracles 2:31 12. "You Gave Me Love to Live For" Debbie Dean 2:27 13. "Head over Heels in Love with You Baby" The Spinners 2:31 14. "I'd Cry" Chuck Jackson 2:57 15. "In the Summer" The Lollipops 3:14 16. "Just Let Me Thank You for Loving Me" The Originals 3:23 17. "I Feel Like I'm Falling in Love Again" Dennis Edwards 2:58 18. "Sock It Too 'Um" Junior Walker & the All Stars 2:56 19. "Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy" The Fantastic Four 2:34 20. "Born to Be Bad" Edwin Starr 3:10 21. "She's All I Need (In This World)" Marv Johnson 3:00 22. "Mobile Lil the Dancing Witch" Shorty Long 2:33 23. "Hey Girl, Come on Do the Pearl" The Agents 2:56 24. "In the Cool of the Night" David Ruffin 3:03 25. "Little Miss Loser" Brenda Holloway 2:29