hackthis_archive (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hackthis_archive) wrote2006-02-24 11:12 am
hackthis_archive) wrote2006-02-24 11:12 am
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Muse-zak! Muse-zak! Muse-zak!
Yesterday was a big day for my blood pressure. Discussions of erotica and Vanity Fair misogyny here and race relations here and here tend to leave me a bit zapped, so I thought today I would do something I enjoy. In an effort not to just stroke out, and inspired by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
violetsmiles, today's music post is all Motown all the time.
In 1959 in Detroit, Michigan a very smart man by the name of Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records. Over the next twenty-plus years, Gordy, and by extension Motown, would go on to become synonymous with quality soul and R&B singers. Names like Diana Ross and the Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye are just a few of the countless acts that passed through Hitsville USA's doors. The majority of Motown's hits were written by the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, and when people talk about the sound of Motown or refer to Detroit as Motown, this is what they're talking about.
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles 'Shop Around' – The Miracles, originally called The Matadors, were the very first group to be signed to Motown. Smokey Robinson, their lead singer would go out on to become VP of Motown and to solo fame in his own right with songs like 'Crusin' and 'Second that Emotion'. One of my favorite songs when I was growing up, 'Shop Around' was Motown's first #1 in 1960. Buy.
Barrett Strong ' Money (That's What I Want)' – I think most people know this song as a cover The Beatles used to play before they started writing their own material, but Barrett Strong sang the original, and in my estimation, although I love the Beatles, he did it better. This song was also Motown's first song to make it up the Billboard R&B charts. It landed at #2. Buy
From 1961 to 1971 Motown had 110 Top 10 hits and signed artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5, and Gladys Knight & the Pips. With so much talent to go around, even the great acts were some times ignored in favour of the more famous ones.
Martha & the Vandellas were one of Motown's great female groups. Actually, they were the second most successful female group of Motown's existence, but with the success of the Supremes they tend to be forgotten about. Famous for songs like 'Heatwave' and 'Dancing in the Street', 'Jimmy Mack' is one of my favorite songs of theirs. Buy
So, naturally you can't talk about Motown without talking about Diana Ross & The Supremes. I'm pretty sure that everything that can be said about this group has already been said. Suffice to say that it's not every day that people have the talent to match their mouths, but The Supremes deliver in spades. Originally fronted by Flo Ballard, and moderately successful, the Supremes took off when Diana Ross joined as their lead vocalist. Come See About Me is one of many many hits. And yes, Berry Gordy is Diana Ross's baby daddy, except that that baby is like in her late 30s now. Buy
Stevie Wonder 'Fingertips, Part II' – Little Stevland Morris, better known as Stevie Wonder, was blind from infancy, unlike another great blind piano player, Ray Charles. Stevie signed to Motown in 1962 at the age of eleven after being introduced to Berry Gordy by a member of The Miracles. Fingertips, Part II, his first major hit in 1963, was taken from a live Motown review. Buy
Never Can Say Goodbye was originally a big hit for The Jackson 5. I think we all know who they are, what you may not know, or perhaps learned while watching the VH1 Jackson special, is that Diana Ross is credited with "discovering" them. The veracity of that statement is a little dodgy, but I love this song a lot, and when I'm singing it in the supermarket I try to pretend that this Michael Jackson didn't grow up to be well, you know, that guy. This particular version is sung by Gloria Gaynor, who you all may know from a little song called 'I Will Survive.' Buy
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' -- The absolutely stunning Marvin Gaye signed to Motown in 1960 and was originally famous for his duets with Tammi Terrell, and later on, songs like 'Let's Get it On' and 'Sexual Healing.' What you may not know is that as a black man in the mid and late 60s, Marvin was very politically aware and wanted to write songs reflecting this. The people at Motown weren't particularly pleased with this, their songwriting was done by their teams, and Gaye had to pretty much force the label to release 'What's Going On,' which today, is hailed as one of the best records of all time. Buy
The Commodores 'Sail On' -- Before Lionel Richie was you know, "Lionel Richie, adopted father of Nicole Richie," he was a extraordinarily well-known singer in his own right. Now, I know people like to pretend that they don't groove in their seats to 'All Night Long' but we all know that's a lie. The Commodores were Lionel's first band and one of Motown's great groups in the 70s. Buy
*Also, here is a zip file I've created with most of the artists here, but with different tracks, and a few other things just because I can. And, and, all CDs can be purchased on Amazon. Duh.
violetsmiles, today's music post is all Motown all the time.  |
In 1959 in Detroit, Michigan a very smart man by the name of Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records. Over the next twenty-plus years, Gordy, and by extension Motown, would go on to become synonymous with quality soul and R&B singers. Names like Diana Ross and the Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye are just a few of the countless acts that passed through Hitsville USA's doors. The majority of Motown's hits were written by the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, and when people talk about the sound of Motown or refer to Detroit as Motown, this is what they're talking about.
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles 'Shop Around' – The Miracles, originally called The Matadors, were the very first group to be signed to Motown. Smokey Robinson, their lead singer would go out on to become VP of Motown and to solo fame in his own right with songs like 'Crusin' and 'Second that Emotion'. One of my favorite songs when I was growing up, 'Shop Around' was Motown's first #1 in 1960. Buy.
Barrett Strong ' Money (That's What I Want)' – I think most people know this song as a cover The Beatles used to play before they started writing their own material, but Barrett Strong sang the original, and in my estimation, although I love the Beatles, he did it better. This song was also Motown's first song to make it up the Billboard R&B charts. It landed at #2. Buy
From 1961 to 1971 Motown had 110 Top 10 hits and signed artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5, and Gladys Knight & the Pips. With so much talent to go around, even the great acts were some times ignored in favour of the more famous ones.
Martha & the Vandellas were one of Motown's great female groups. Actually, they were the second most successful female group of Motown's existence, but with the success of the Supremes they tend to be forgotten about. Famous for songs like 'Heatwave' and 'Dancing in the Street', 'Jimmy Mack' is one of my favorite songs of theirs. Buy
So, naturally you can't talk about Motown without talking about Diana Ross & The Supremes. I'm pretty sure that everything that can be said about this group has already been said. Suffice to say that it's not every day that people have the talent to match their mouths, but The Supremes deliver in spades. Originally fronted by Flo Ballard, and moderately successful, the Supremes took off when Diana Ross joined as their lead vocalist. Come See About Me is one of many many hits. And yes, Berry Gordy is Diana Ross's baby daddy, except that that baby is like in her late 30s now. Buy
Stevie Wonder 'Fingertips, Part II' – Little Stevland Morris, better known as Stevie Wonder, was blind from infancy, unlike another great blind piano player, Ray Charles. Stevie signed to Motown in 1962 at the age of eleven after being introduced to Berry Gordy by a member of The Miracles. Fingertips, Part II, his first major hit in 1963, was taken from a live Motown review. Buy
Never Can Say Goodbye was originally a big hit for The Jackson 5. I think we all know who they are, what you may not know, or perhaps learned while watching the VH1 Jackson special, is that Diana Ross is credited with "discovering" them. The veracity of that statement is a little dodgy, but I love this song a lot, and when I'm singing it in the supermarket I try to pretend that this Michael Jackson didn't grow up to be well, you know, that guy. This particular version is sung by Gloria Gaynor, who you all may know from a little song called 'I Will Survive.' Buy
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' -- The absolutely stunning Marvin Gaye signed to Motown in 1960 and was originally famous for his duets with Tammi Terrell, and later on, songs like 'Let's Get it On' and 'Sexual Healing.' What you may not know is that as a black man in the mid and late 60s, Marvin was very politically aware and wanted to write songs reflecting this. The people at Motown weren't particularly pleased with this, their songwriting was done by their teams, and Gaye had to pretty much force the label to release 'What's Going On,' which today, is hailed as one of the best records of all time. Buy
The Commodores 'Sail On' -- Before Lionel Richie was you know, "Lionel Richie, adopted father of Nicole Richie," he was a extraordinarily well-known singer in his own right. Now, I know people like to pretend that they don't groove in their seats to 'All Night Long' but we all know that's a lie. The Commodores were Lionel's first band and one of Motown's great groups in the 70s. Buy
*Also, here is a zip file I've created with most of the artists here, but with different tracks, and a few other things just because I can. And, and, all CDs can be purchased on Amazon. Duh.
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Thanks for this. If it makes one person who has never heard these tracks go and check out the genius of the Motown label then that is a job well done!
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You are preaching to the choir ;)
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And Lionel Richie - Dancing on the Ceiling was my fave when I was a kid. I just loved that guy!
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Now I'm going to go listen to Marvin Gaye and The Temptations.
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And because comments are always better with pictures, new candids of Jake (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Smalltimefangirl/oiwx09.jpg) and Austin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Smalltimefangirl/oiwviw.jpg) walking (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Smalltimefangirl/oiwvag.jpg) in West (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Smalltimefangirl/oiwv2d.jpg) Hollywood (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/Smalltimefangirl/oiwupf.jpg).
Congrats, I believe your crack has officially come true. I'm just waiting for the sighting in Defamer's PrivacyWatch.
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