Barrett Strong / The Contours - Money (That's What I Want) / Do You Love Me

Year Released: 1959 / 1962
Genre: R&B / Soul / Early Motown

Description:

This pairing of two foundational Motown hits unites Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)” with The Contours’ “Do You Love Me.”

“Money (That’s What I Want)” (1959) — co-written by Berry Gordy — became one of Motown’s first major successes and was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest on “Can I Kick It?” (1990). Its driving piano riff and raw groove also inspired countless covers, including versions by The Flying Lizards, The Beatles, and John Lennon.

“Do You Love Me” (1962), written by Gordy for The Contours, exploded as a dance craze anthem and found new life in 1987 through the film Dirty Dancing, which reintroduced it to global audiences. Its exuberant rhythm and call-and-response structure made it an enduring influence on both soul revivalists and hip-hop’s early dance-party aesthetic.