"Every Little Bit Hurts" by Brenda Holloway (1964)
This ranks for me as one of the top ten, maybe top five, greatest songs in the Motown catalogue. It's got a great gospel pulse, bluesy piano, and a scorching pained vocal from the sadly under-appreciated Ms. Holloway. She's a textbook case in considering how arbitrary fame is. She sings better than Diana Ross, she looks better than Diana Ross, and yet-- Well, as far as I know Brenda Holloway didn't date Berry Gordy, so maybe that's the kicker.
In any case, seek this song out if you don't know it. Seek it out too if you're only familiar with Alicia Keys's recent live version. The Keys version is hot but--to quote another Motown classic--"Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby."
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