Motown Commemorates Supremes', Temptations' Golden Anniversary with Two New Releases

Motown's 50th anniversary was celebrated in style in 2009 - a year before The Second Disc even existed - with some excellent box sets and reissues. But this year marks another important set of golden anniversaries for the label: the debut of Motown's world famous groups, The Supremes and The Temptations. And no commemoration would be complete without a little bit of product to attract fans and collectors.

With that in mind, Hip-o Select announced over the weekend a pair of triple-disc sets commemorating the singles (both A- and B-sides) of each group for their 50th anniversaries. The Supremes' 50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1961-1969 focuses exclusively on the years Diana Ross led the legendary girl group. But that focus means you get the lesser-told parts of the narrative, too: the group's early flop singles leading up to that glorious run of five No. 1 singles in 1964 and 1965; a rare Phil Spector-produced radio single; the excellent foreign sides collected on Motown Around the World: The Classic Singles and more.

The same red-carpet treatment is afforded for The Temptations on their set, going through "My Girl," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "The Way You Do the Things You Do," "Psychedelic Shack" and "Just My Imagination (Running Away from Me)," in addition to the typical bonus fare - international singles, early rarities and - in a bit of overlap between The Supremes' set - all of the original A- and B-sides that brought both groups together. While the set only covers the band's first decade, thereby leaving out a major hit in "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," the song selection is a thorough overview for fans with money to spare.

Of course, collectors have one burning question about this set...and we're going to do our best to answer it after the jump.

For most collectors, having all the single sides from The Supremes and The Temptations is one thing. It's another thing to know how the songs will be presented. After all, for most fans who grew up with these songs, they were heard on mono 45s. (The Complete Motown Singles boxes, of course, included both stereo and mono mixes.) So which masters will be used?

The answer is...both. Universal's official track list indicates some songs will be in stereo and some in mono. Surely there's a method to the madness? In any case, both sets are available to order from Hip-o Select (as well as Amazon, where both sets are available immediately as MP3 sets), and you can view the track lists below.

Diana Ross & The Supremes, 50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1961-1969 (Hip-o Select/Motown B0015943-02, 2011)

Disc 1

I Want a Guy
Never Again
Buttered Popcorn (First Version)
Who's Lovin' You **
Buttered Popcorn (Second Version)
Your Heart Belongs to Me (First Version)
(He's) Seventeen *
Your Heart Belongs to Me (Second Version)
Let Me Go the Right Way *
Time Changes Things
My Heart Can't Take It No More *
You Bring Back Memories *
A Breathtaking Guy *
(The Man with the) Rock and Roll Banjo Band *
When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes *
Standing at the Crossroads of Love *
Run, Run, Run *
I'm Giving You Your Freedom *
Where Did Our Love Go *
He Means the World to Me *
Baby Love *
Ask Any Girl *
Come See About Me *
You're Gone (But Always in My Heart) *
Moonlight and Kisses *
Baby, Baby, wo ist unsere liebe *
Thank You Darling *
Jonny und Joe *

Disc 2

Stop! In the Name of Love *
I'm in Love Again *
Back in My Arms Again *
Whisper You Love Me Boy *
The Only Time I'm Happy *
Nothing But Heartaches *
He Holds His Own *
Things Are Changing
Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine
I Hear a Symphony *
Who Could Ever Doubt My Love *
Children's Christmas Song *
Twinkle Twinkle Little Me *
My World is Empty Without You *
Everything is Good About You *
Love is Like an Itching in My Heart *
He's All I Got *
You Can't Hurry Love *
Put Yourself in My Place
You Keep Me Hangin' On *
Remove This Doubt
Love is Here and Now You're Gone *
There's No Stopping Us Now
The Happening *
All I Know About You
L'amore verra *
Se Il Filo Spezzerai *
The Supremes Interview

Disc 3

Reflections *
Going Down for the Third Time *
In and Out of Love *
I Guess I'll Always Love You *
Forever Came Today *
Some Things You Never Get Used To *
You've Been So Wonderful to Me *
Love Child *
Will This Be the Day *
Love Child (Alternate) *
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (with The Temptations) *
A Place in the Sun (with The Temptations) *
I'm Livin' in Shame
I'm So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around) *
I'm Livin' in Shame (Second Version)
I'll Try Something New (with The Temptations) *
The Way You Do the Things You Do (with The Temptations)
The Composer *
The Beginning of the End *
No Matter What Sign You Are (First Version)
The Young Folks *
No Matter What Sign You Are (Second Version)
The Weight (with The Temptations)
For Better or Worse (with The Temptations)
Someday We'll Be Together *
He's My Sunny Boy *

* denotes track indicated as mono by Universal's track list. ** denotes track indicated as stereo by same track list.

Disc 1, Tracks 1-2 released as Tamla single T-50438, 1961
Disc 1, Tracks 3-4 released as Tamla single T-54045, 1961 - later repressed with Track 5 as A-side
Disc 1, Tracks 6-7 released as Motown single M-1027, 1962 - later repressed with Track 8 as A-side
Disc 1, Tracks 9-10 released as Motown single M-1034, 1962
Disc 1, Tracks 11-12 released as Motown single M-1040, 1962
Disc 1, Tracks 13-14 released as Motown single M-1044, 1963
Disc 1, Tracks 15-16 released as Motown single M-1051, 1963
Disc 1, Tracks 17-18 released as Motown single M-1054, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 19-20 released as Motown single M-1060, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 21-22 released as Motown single M-1066, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 23-24 released as Motown single M-1068, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 25-26 released as CBS single 1719 (Germany), 1965
Disc 1, Tracks 27-28 released as CBS single 1839 (Germany), 1965
Disc 2, Tracks 1-2 released as Motown single M-1074, 1965
Disc 2, Tracks 3-4 released as Motown single M-1075, 1965
Disc 2, Tracks 5 and 28 released as Motown single M-1079, 1965
Disc 2, Tracks 6-7 released as Motown single M-1080, 1965
Disc 2, Track 8 released as Equal Employment Opportunity Commission single Sl4M-3114, 1965
Disc 2, Track 9 released as American International Pictures single [cat. # undetermined], 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 10-11 released as Motown single M-1083, 1965
Disc 2, Tracks 16-17 released as Motown single M-1085, 1965
Disc 2, Tracks 14-15 released as Motown single M-1089, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 16-17 released as Motown single M-1094, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 18-19 released as Motown single M-1097, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 20-21 released as Motown single M-1101, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 22-23 released as Motown single M-1103, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 24-25 released as Motown single M-1107, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 26-27 released as Tamla Motown single TM-8004 (Italy), 1967
Disc 3, Tracks 1-2 released as Motown single M-1111, 1967
Disc 3, Tracks 3-4 released as Motown single M-1114, 1967
Disc 3, Tracks 5 released as Motown single A-side M-1122, 1968
Disc 3, Tracks 6-7 released as Motown single M-1126, 1968
Disc 3, Tracks 8-9 released as Motown single M-1135, 1968 - later repressed with Track 10 as A-side
Disc 3, Tracks 11-12 released as Motown single M-1137, 1968
Disc 3, Tracks 13-14 released as Motown single M-1139, 1969 - later repressed with Track 15 as A-side
Disc 3, Tracks 16-17 released as Motown single M-1142, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 18-19 released as Motown single M-1146, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 20-21 released as Motown single M-1148, 1969 - later repressed with Track 22 as A-side
Disc 3, Tracks 23-24 released as Motown single M-1153, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 25-26 released as Motown single M-1156, 1969

The Temptations, 50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection 1961-1971 (Hip-o Select/Motown B0015942-02, 2011)

Disc 1

Oh Mother of Mine *
Romance Without Finance *
Check Yourself *
Your Wonderful Love
(You're My) Dream Come True
Isn't She Pretty *
Mind Over Matter (I'm Gonna Make You Mine) *
I'll Love You Till I Die *
Paradise *
Slow Down Heart *
I Want a Love I Can See *
The Further You Look, The Less You See *
Farewell My Love **
May I Have This Dance
The Way You Do the Things You Do *
Just Let Me Know
I'll Be in Trouble *
The Girl's Alright with Me
Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue) *
Baby Baby I Need You *
My Girl *
(Talking 'Bout) Nobody But My Baby *
It's Growing *
What Love Has Joined Together *
Since I Lost My Baby *
You've Got to Earn It *
My Baby *
Don't Look Back *

Disc 2

Get Ready *
Fading Away *
Ain't Too Proud to Beg *
You'll Lose a Precious Love *
Beauty is Only Skin Deep *
You're Not an Ordinary Girl
(I Know) I'm Losing You *
I Couldn't Cry If I Wanted To *
All I Need *
Sorry is a Sorry Word *
You're My Everything *
I've Been Good to You
(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need *
Don't Send Me Away *
I Wish It Would Rain
I Truly, Truly Believe *
I Truly, Truly Believe (Alternate Vocal)
I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)
Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got
Please Return Your Love to Me
How Can I Forget *
Cloud Nine *
Why Did She Have to Leave Me (Why Did She Have to Go) **
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (with The Supremes) *
A Place in the Sun (with The Supremes)
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Silent Night, Holy Night

Disc 3

Runaway Child, Running Wild *
I Need Your Lovin’
I’ll Try Something New (with The Supremes) *
The Way You Do the Things You Do (with The Supremes)
Don’t Let the Joneses Get You Down *
Since I’ve Lost You
I Can’t Get Next to You *
Running Away (Ain’t Gonna Help You)
The Weight (with The Supremes)
For Better or Worse
Psychedelic Shack **
That’s the Way Love Is
Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today) *
It’s Summer
Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite the World)
Hum Along and Dance
Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) *
You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth
It's Summer
I'm the Exception to the Rule
Mein Girl *
Blue Bird *
Solamente Lei *
Sei Solo Tu *

* denotes track indicated as mono by Universal's track list. ** denotes track indicated as stereo by same track list.

Disc 1, Tracks 1-2 released as Miracle single M-5, 1961
Disc 1, Tracks 3-4 released as Miracle single M-12, 1961
Disc 1, Tracks 5-6 released as Gordy single G-7001, 1962
Disc 1, Tracks 7-8 released as Mel-O-Dy single 105, 1962
Disc 1, Tracks 9-10 released as Gordy single G-7010, 1962
Disc 1, Tracks 11-12 released as Gordy single G-7015, 1963
Disc 1, Tracks 13-14 released as Gordy single G-7020, 1963
Disc 1, Tracks 15-16 released as Gordy single G-7028, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 17-18 released as Gordy single G-7032, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 19-20 released as Gordy single G-7035, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 21-22 released as Gordy single G-7038, 1964
Disc 1, Tracks 23-24 released as Gordy single G-7040, 1965
Disc 1, Tracks 25-26 released as Gordy single G-7043, 1965
Disc 1, Tracks 27-28 released as Gordy single G-7047, 1965
Disc 2, Tracks 1-2 released as Gordy single G-7049, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 3-4 released as Gordy single G-7054, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 5-6 released as Gordy single G-7055, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 7-8 released as Gordy single G-7057, 1966
Disc 2, Tracks 9-10 released as Gordy single G-7061, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 11-12 released as Gordy single G-7063, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 13-14 released as Gordy single G-7065, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 15-16 released as Gordy single G-7068, 1967 - later repressed with Track 17 as B-side
Disc 2, Tracks 18-19 released as Gordy single G-7072, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 20-21 released as Gordy single G-7074, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 22-23 released as Gordy single G-7081, 1967
Disc 2, Tracks 24-25 released as Motown single M-1137, 1968
Disc 2, Tracks 26-27 released as Gordy single G-7082, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 1-2 released as Gordy single G-7084, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 3-4 released as Motown single M-1142, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 5-6 released as Gordy single G-7086, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 7-8 released as Gordy single G-7093, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 9-10 released as Motown single M-1153, 1969
Disc 3, Tracks 11-12 released as Gordy single G-7095, 1970
Disc 3, Tracks 13-14 released as Gordy single G-7099, 1970
Disc 3, Tracks 15-16 released as Gordy single G-7102, 1970
Disc 3, Tracks 17-18 released as Gordy single G-7105, 1971
Disc 3, Tracks 19-20 released as Gordy single G-7109, 1971
Disc 3, Tracks 21-22 released as CBS single 1840, 1965
Disc 3, Tracks 23-24 released as Tamla Motown single TM-8006 (Italy), 1967