The Very Best of The Contours
One of the most amusing aspects of the mega-success ofMotown's often smooth mid- to late-'60s "sound of young America" is that some of the company's earlier scores came courtesy of the Contours, whose best records practically redefined the word "raucous." Modeled loosely on the R&B; comedies of theCoasters, songs such as "Do You Love Me," "First I Look at the Purse," and "You Get Ugly" limned the common experience of the (sometimes slightly unsavory) man on the street. Finally, check out Billy Gordon's throat-shredding performances on the likes of "Purse" and "Pa, I Need a Car" for a possible influence onChris Rockin his most belligerent moments.--Rickey Wright