Footwear: Just Walk In My Shoes

Gladys Knight and the Pips: Just Walk In My Shoes

[purchase]

One of the best Motown soul singles ever recorded, period.

Though the song is pretty straightforward, lyrically speaking, Gladys Knight's young powerhouse vocals bring an incredible sense of empowerment to a message of outrageous post-breakup pain. The quick, almost gospel a capella "break" from the company assembled gets us from verse to chorus so effectively, it gives me goosebumps both times we hear it.

Imagine what this must have sounded like, back when the Motown sound was new. Almost makes me wish I had a real time machine, rather than just the record of it.