Taking its title from a lyric in “Dancing in the Streets,” popularized by Martha and the Vandellas, the three-disc DVD set Don’t Forget the Motorcity (it pains me to type that as one word — it’s like punching the nitpicker in me in the face) offers up a jaw-dropping, treasure chest-like collection of studio promotional videos from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. For fans of the catchy Motown sound, it’s an hours-long trip back in time.

The impetus behind this labor-of-love project was producer Ian Levine’s love of the Motown sound, from when he was about 10 years old. By the age of 14 he’d collected every British Motown release, and after a huge run of hits in the 1980s, he went to Detriot and Los Angeles, and recorded over a hundred different artists who were signed to the Motown label in the 1960s and ’70s. The result was a staggering total of over 800 songs, roughly an eighth of which appear here. Sadly, more than half these artists are no longer with us, but this priceless footage remains — much of it never before seen prior to the release of this DVD.

The artist roster is impressive, but most of all deep, eschewing a lot of the obvious hit-makers for singers like C.P. Spencer, Frank Wilson, Frances Nero, Sammy Ward, The Elgins. Big-ticket draws like The Supremes (who offer up “Crazy ‘Bout the Guy”), Mary Wells, the aforementioned Martha Reeves, and The Contours are here, but more as part of the flavoring than the main ingredient. Mary Wilson’s catchy “Oooh Child” is a definite highlight, and The Vandellas’ “Nowhere to Run” will always get me on my feet. Edwin Starr —
who probably has the most songs here, with four — contributes an exceptionally
smooth version of “Back Street,” as well “Where Is the Sound,” “I Have
Faith in You” and “Darling Darling Baby.” Frankie Gaye’s “My Brother” is an emotional cut, and I also quite enjoyed Vee McDonald’s “You’re My Loveline” and The Lovetones’ “Fire Alarm.” Overall, in aggregate, this footage captures the magic of a long-gone era — it’s music to make your feet tap, your hair tingle and your fingers snap. The high feel-good factor makes one feel like they’re driving down the Pacific Coast Highway on a warm, carefree summer’s day, with only good friends and fond memories as their companions.

Housed in a regular Amray case with a snap-hinge tray which holds two of the discs on reverse sides, the three-disc, region-free set runs a whopping 360 minutes in total, and comes with a paper insert that celebrates the artists on display. There are otherwise unfortunately no extras, which is a shame, given the doubtlessly fascinating anecdotes attached to such an undertaking by Levine. To purchase the DVD via Amazon, click here. B+ (Concert) C- (Disc)