Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

This song has a curious story, or rather faith. Originally recorded and mastered between April 1967 and January 1968 for February release for The Supremes (that were by then already Diana Ross solo project as the other girls were nowhere near the studios) as they didn't have anything ele to release as the songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland, responsable for all their hits until then were ready to leave Motown and were arguing (and not writing songs) with Gordy. It was a "flop": only #28, their worst since their pre-hits  Run, run, run in 1963. Forever came indeed that day, as soon HDH would also leave Motown, be sued by them and sue them back..... When The Supremes (without Diana, of course) went down The Jackson 5 replaced them as Motown's #1 group. But by 1975 they were already moving on to better contracts and bigger money and curiously released this very song with similar result: #60 and their worst chart placing ever and soon after Michael would go solo...

 "Ooh, that's why I'm easy I'm easy like sunday morning..." Everyone knows that iconic  song line..... Commodores made themselves known when touring with The Jackson 5 after having signed to Motown in 1972 and started scoring major hits in the mid 1970's after being formed in 1968 from a reunion of two school bands, The Mystics and The Jays from Tuskegee University (then Institute). Lionel Ritchie penned Easy became a #4 hit in 1977, the first one of many real classic soft Ritchie ballads.    Faith No More covered the song in 1993 and took it to #1 in Australia, #2 in Norway and #3 in UK, among others. 

The Queen of Motown, freshy gone solo Diana Ross had a tv-show where she presented the Jackson brothers from Indiana. They became the first group ever to have four #1s in a row with their first four singles. Those were even followed by two #2s, this Never can say goodbye being the 2nd one and their sixth single, released in 1971. The song was originally ment for The Supremes though....Michael was 12 at the time. The song however is maybe better known as two cover versions. Gloria Gaynor has her firsr real hit with this in 1974, four years before I will survive . Her version peaked at #9 and was the first ever #1 in Billboards new Dance chart. The Communards released this in 1987 and peaked at #4 in UK (and being a huge hit all over Europe) and #51 in US.  Countless other versions has been released, even from Motown acts. 

Smokey Robinson was one of the most important Motown songwriters and producers and his career continues even today. In 1962 he scored with his The Miracles and self penned song a #8 US hit, that has become a real movie favorite, it has been on a dozen movie soundtracks!  The song has been covered dozens of times by various singers: The Beatles , The Supremes , The Temptations , The Zombies , The Jackson 5, Mickey Gilley , Mike and the Mechanics, Cyndi Lauper, Phil Collins and even Smokey himself in Sesame Street

The signature song of the legendary Four Tops, witten by equally legendary songwriting team Holland-Dozie-Holland and played by The Funk Brothers. It went to #1 in October 1966 in the USA being their second #1 there, and also hit #1 in the UK, becoming Motown's second one there following The Supremes' Baby love.  Four Tops recorded for Motown from 1964 to 1973, and returned back hom in the 1980's and 1990's releases. They are still around..... The song has been covered by Gloria Gaynor , Human Nature , Michael Bolton , Boyzone , Alessandra Amoroso , Diana Ross , The Jackson 5,   Irene Cara , and recently by 5 After Midnight in their amazing Motown medley, Just to name a few :-)