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Class Notes – 10 Chapter 6 – Motown Pop and Southern Soul  Historians agree that the British Invasion obviously had a huge impact on black pop in America- this because: o British musicians played music inspired or derived from black music styles o White groups and artists covered a great number of black pop songs  For that reason, the British Invasion is often compared to 1950s rock, when cover artist would actually be the one that overshadows the black artist itself  However, between 1964 and 1970, a great deal of artist arose from other parts of the country  Detroit, Michigan was the proud home of Motown Records  Memphis, Tennessee was the home of “Southern Soul” Berry Gordy Jr. and Motown  1960 – Berry Gordy Jr. borrows $700 from his family and opens up a new recording company called Tamla Motown  Company is renamed Motown to reflect Detroit’s nickname of Motor town  His first big hit record came in early 1960 when he re releases a Barret Strong called Money that’s what I want. Song: Money (That’s What I Want) * Artist: Barrett Strong  Instruments – piano, tambourine, baritone sax, brass, drums, bass guitar  Vocal style - shouting vocal style accompanied only by drums and instrumental shots; harmonized backup vocals enter at the title lyrics  Lyric content – speak of material needs  From its early days, Motown hits were geared towards crossing over; huge potential of extra earnings. Geared toward RnB and Pop. He realized if you stay in the RnB area you’d fairly well, but you would still not huge area compared to POP  Thus, Motown records were made with the ideal of white teenagers, accommodating this demographic made for early crossover success.  Eventually, Gordy set his sights on the white middle class demographic, in attempt to garner upscale audience.  To that end, Gordy took the Brill Building concept of producer-driven music a step further, controlling not only the recordings, but also the appearance and behavior of his groups, it’s going to be a one man show  Specialized production teams like Leiber and Stoller were employed by Gordy at Motown including: o Smokey Robinson and Mickey Stevenson o Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Edward Holland o Norman Whitfield  The music itself was recorded in place called Hitsville USA, 2 adjoining Detroit houses, specific look and sound does not feel like a recording studio.  Like Phil Spector, Motown producers relied on whole bunch of talented studio artist  Artists had to be able to improvise on spot, wouldn’t have a scored part, didn’t have detailed instructions  By mid-decade, the “Motown Sound” was captured by a group called Funk Brothers, many different groups that would come out of here that were the backers of the sound.  All potential releases would go through quality control  Gordy insisted on a quality control meeting, did it have the potential of having a big hit? 1

 He sent his performers to his own finishing school, international management, adopt a sense of grace and style, this was a rigorous DE Africanization.  Here they were taught to drop their way of  The groups were coached by Charily Atkins choreographer  Names were chosen to produce a sparkling image of groups  During a period of racial unrest, Motown artists sang of love and other concerns that anyone could embrace, going after the crossover success  This willingness to appease white audiences was seen by some as “selling out” must been seen as a pivotal point of black pop music The Temptations  With fine-tuned choreography and harmonies  They were formed when two local vocal groups, The Primes and The Distants, merged and later take on the name The Temptations  The group was fairly unsuccessful in their early attempts, this changed when Al Brian left the group and David joined  This line-up entered the studio with Smokey Robinson, and produced the hit The Way You do the Things You Do  This became the first in a series of 37 career top 10 hits Song: The Way You Do The Things You Do  Starts with a two-chord vamp featuring electric guitar  Bass, drums, piano and handclaps emphasizing the backbeat enter  Alternates between harmonized and solo vocals in a call and response  Horns enter into the texture, playing fills between vocal entrances  Incorporates a swing beat  Sax is the featured solo instrument Song: My Girl  Instruments – starts with a bass riff – guitar riff enters over this – finger snaps emphasize backbeat, drums, trumpets, strings  Vocal style – drums come in with solo vocals – soft backup vocals  Lyric content – love based about a girl    

Eventually, the group chose to go for the more soul based style With the love ballad You’re My Everything, Whitfield created the perfect crowd pleaser Kendrick took lead vocals in this tune and would pick a woman in the audience and sing it to her The song reached the top 10 on RnB and pop charts

Song: You’re My Everything  Begins with electric guitar and orchestral bells  Drums, strings and horns enter  Backup vocals enter with ooohs  Tenor vocals enter – smooth, melodic vocal style  Strings provide a countermelody to the vocal line The Supremes  The Supremes have been touted as the most successful black groups of the 60s. 5 #1 hit singles in a row  They were not overnight sensations, beginning life as The Primettes, a cortette.  They debuted for Motown in 1961, then renamed The Supremes, then Barbara Martin would leave the group 2

 Their early hits were much more girl group, Diana then took over the vocals  In 1964, the group was paired with Holland-Dozier-Holland  Their first H-D-H hit was the song Where Did Our Love Go, and would become the first in the sting of 5 #1 hits  Baby Love was a clever remake of the previous song and became only one of three American records to top charts in the UK  Both tunes employed Ross’ Cooning lead vocals, Ballard and Wilson’s “ baby” backup, and the Funk Brothers’ instrumental track Song: Baby Love (Formal Analysis)  Instrumentation includes vibes, drums and piano  Stomping boards emphasize each beat though there is a fairly strong backbeat  Clear lead vocals with light harmonizing backup vocals enter  Guitar is added in the 2nd verse; backup vocals add call and response  In the 3rd verse, sax enter and take a solo—adds variety to this simple verse form  12/8 Song: Stop! In the Name of Love*  Instruments – Hammond organ, bari sax, drums, trumpets, bass, vibes – stomping boards  Vocal style – mixture of harmonized and solo vocals sings this  melodic vocals sings over the instrumentation – backup vocals interject  Lyric content - love based  Most H-D-H compositions exhibited many of the same characteristics o No heavy back beat, constant steady pulse, the bass tambourine, hand claps or stomping o Baritone sax o Lead vocals would improvise rhythmic and melodically, was flexible o Chorus material was the introduction and then return at the completeness  H-D-H would write all of the Supremes songs until 1967, when they leave Motown  Diana Ross eventually began dating Barry Gordy, this would cause problems in the group, Diana would get more attention, rename Diana Ross and The Supreme  As Diana got more attention, the group  Florence Ballard left the group to be replaced Cindy Bird  Their last hit was called Someday We’ll Be Together  The “stomping boards” are noticeably absent in this song Song: Someday We’ll Be Together  Starts with strings playing an introductory riff  Bass, piano, drums and guitar enter  Bass falls into a riff  Backup vocals entered followed by Diana’s lead vocals  Guitar riff plays fills  Tambourine steady on all four beats  It soon became clear that Ross was being groomed for a solo career  By 1972, the group was rarely making the charts anymore and then disbanded The Four Tops  The Four Tops teamed up in high school and spent over 4 decades without a personal change 3

 Where many male R&B vocal groups spotlighted a tenor-range lead, The Four Tops featured baritone Levi Stubbs (along with Duke Fakir, Obie Benson and Lawrence Payton)  Their vocal style was a mixture of gritty soul and smooth harmony  After failing to score many hits throughout their career they would join the Motown label in 1963  Their jazz-based album was totally taken apart by Gordy, after this they followed up with RnB crossover hits  They scored their I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) Song: I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) *  Instruments – piano riff, bass, drums, tambouring emphasizes backbeat, sax, and strings enter briefly  Vocal style – harmonized backup vocals enter intermittently to emphasize soloist’s lyrics  Lyric content – love base  In the fall of 1966, they scored their second #1 hit with Reach Out, I’ll be there, is a soul symphony  The song melded dramatic pauses, intense orchestrations, and Levi Stubbs heated shouting to a potent single Song: Reach Out, I’ll Be There  Begins with flutes, guitar and bass guitar  A galloping rhythm pounded out on a wooden board enters  Drums enter with semi-shouting lead vocals  Smooth backup vocals provide fills in a call and response manner  A one measure instrumental break prominently featuring tambourine delineates the verse from the chorus  Lead vocals are noticeably smoother in the chorus  The group parted ways with Motown when company decides to move its base from Detroit to LA on 1972 would rejoin in 19 for their 25th anniversary  They toured until 1997 when  They were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 Martha and the Vandellas  This vocal group was led by Martha Reeves – she, along with Annette Beard, Gloria Williams and Rosalind Ashford, founded the Del-Phis in 1960  Martha landed a secretarial position in Motown records, and then backup Marvin Gaye, and then the group would be name  The group eventually came to the attention of H-D-H, who crafter their top 5 song heat wave  This song perfected the mix of call and response vocals, pulsing rhythms and horns Song: Heat Wave*  Instruments – piano, organ, drums, sax, bari sax, tambourine  Vocal style – semi- shouting, emotive lead vocals – backup vocals provide a call and response  Backup vocals join lead on the title lyrics  Lyric content  In 1964, Mickey Stevenson take over production duties  Their most successful hit Dancing in the Streets came out later that year was covered by many different styles Song: Dancing in the Streets  Starts with drums, bass, trumpet and saxophone 4

 Semi-shouting solo vocals enter; tambourine emphasizes backbeat  Brass and sax play fills  Harmonized backup vocals enter (mixture of words and nonsense syllables)  Martha and the Vandella’s style saw a much more apparent connection to gospel and rhythms and blues  Martha Reeves vocal style was full throated and soulful setting the stage for Althea Franklin  Like many other artists, Martha began questions Gordy authoritarian control, the disruption of money and falls out of favor with their power  She eventually left Motown and finally succeeded in suing Motown Records for back royalties, in 1989 when she eventually wins the case Marvin Gaye  Marvin Gaye was one of the most gifted and in visionary talents to come out of Motown  He blazed the trail for the continued evolution of popular black music, moving from lean, powerful R&B to stylish soul and finishing up with an intensely political and personal form, redefined soul, expanded impact as an agent for social change  Marvin Gay was born into a conservative  After singing in various doo-wop groups, Gaye caught the attention of Barry Gordy in 1961  He also met and married Barry Gordy’s sister in the same year  While Gaye worked with Motown’s producing teams, he frequently writes his own songs, and then the production team would put their stamp of sound on it Song: Pride and Joy  Begins with handclaps and piano  Horns and drums enter with shots  Piano, horns, drums, bass and guitar accompany smooth, melodic vocals  Vocals are gospel-influenced  Harmonized backup female vocals enter in a call and response with the lead vocals Song: How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You  Begins with drums – tambourine, lead vocals and backup vocals enter with title lyrics  Piano becomes quite prominent – handclaps emphasize the backbeat  Vibes and sax enter the instrumental mix  Lead vocals are smooth and melodic    

Gaye often found his role as hit maker was stifling, went opposite to Motown He fought an ongoing battle between his artistic ambition and the labels demands Gaye also established himself as one of the era’s dominant duet singers, team up with different people He scored a series of hits with Terrell, culminating with the classic male female duet

Song: Ain’t Nothing But the Real Thing Baby  Starts with drums, horn shots  Bass guitar and vocals enter  Strings, flutes and piano enter  Chorus is presented in harmony between the vocalists  Short instrumental break featuring piano delineates the chorus and verse  Verses are split between the solo female and male vocalist – both exhibit a gospel-based, semishouting vocal style  Tambourine enters the instrumental mix 5

 The team’s success was tragically cut short in 1968 when collapse on stage because of a brain tumor that would kill her  Gaye’s style eventually moved towards a more relevant style, social relevance Stevie Wonder  Steveland Morrison was a child prodigy whose command of music and musical instruments is all the more amazing since without site  The family moved to Detroit when Stevie was 4 y.o and soon begins to sing in a church choir  He learned piano, drums and harmonica all before 9 yrs old.  He was 11 when Ronnie White of the help arrange an audition with Gordy  Gordy signed him and teamed him with producer/songwriter Clarence Paul under the new name Little Stevie Wonder  His 1962 album The Twelve Year Old Genius became Motown’s first chart topping LP, features harmonica  Edited for release as a single, Fingertips – Part II topped both pop and RnB charts  This is a live album  The song is exuberant and spontaneous, with Wonder’s youthful vocals intersperses with harmonica solos Song: Fingertips – Part II Artist: Little Stevie Wonder  Piece actually starts in the bridge with handclaps emphasizing the backbeat  Wonder’s soprano vocals engage in a call and response with the audience  Wonder solos on harmonica accompanied by bass, drums, sax, brass and piano  Stop time when vocals enter  Semi-shouting, exuberant vocal style – boy soprano – his voice hasn’t changed yet  Use of musical “quotes” – playing part of a different piece within another piece    

By 1965, it seemed like Stevie Wonder was a child star on the way down, voice was starting to change He put his career on hold and study classical piano He emerged with a typical Motown sound with song Uptight (Everything’s Alright) He co-wrote the song and became more mature vocalist

Song: Uptight (Everything’s Alright) * Artist: Stevie Wonder  Instruments – funky bass riff and drums emphasizing every beat, guitar, brass and sax  Vocal style – Wonder’s vocal enters – guitar emphasizes the backbeat with chords  harmonized backup vocals intermittently enter  Lyric content  Although Wonder had a string of hits through the 60s, it wasn’t until 70s that he hits his true potential  At 21, he demanded an accounting of his royalties, didn’t want to bow down to Barry Gordy  Fearing the loss of another young star, Gordy agreed to split royalties and gives him more artistic flare on his music Atlantic, Stax and Southern Soul  Along with Motown, New York-based Atlantic records also put out a # of RnB hits  The relaxed sweet soul style was the most obvious of their styles, but a new brand of harder edge black pop, going to be called Southern Soul  While sweet soul was somewhat elegant and restrained, southern soul had more gospel feel, openly enthusiastic, emotion and expression 6

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Vocals ranged from bobbing, crying while singing to full out shouting. Emotion based Music characterized by heavy back beat, energetic horn lines Emotional appeal related directly to the heart of what was going on the civil rights movement As it was primarily a black style, it served as a vehicle to promote black pride and respect, through nonviolent measure. Addressing the problem unified  Its pronounced gospel influence made this style seem as RnB heritage than the soft black pop in Motown  Jerry Wexler, an important producer for Atlantic, became instrumental in developing southern soul throughout the decade, signing artists and listening their recordings from smaller labels a putting them out with Atlantic records Soulsville, USA – the Memphis Connection  Often, larger labels would license recording from smaller record companies  This was a mutually beneficial arrangement o Smaller companies relieved from the financial commitment of pressing large amount of LP’s o Larger companies would share the profits at a regional level  Wexler’s connections in Memphis lead to a distribution of Atlantic and Stax Records  The company was founded by the brother-sister team of Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton  While Stax was a much smaller operation than Motown in its early years, it was similar in that, like Motown, Stax employed a studio band called the booker T and the MG’s to provide backup  Unlike Motown, production duties and credits were Isaac Hayes and David Porter  Songwriters David Porter and Isaac Hayes were the closest Stax had to  Rather than being so rigidly structured (as much of Motown’s hits were),  Southern soul became associated with what was called “the Stax Sound”. The style that can be described by the following: o Extensive use of horns o Varied emotional vocal style o Delayed back beat o Many times, no back up vocal were used at all, one main lead singer o Vocals were often improvised and spontaneous Otis Redding  Together, Atlantic and Stax enjoyed moderate success bringing soul sound bringing to the fore front of American listeners  Stax also had a company called Volt Records  Otis Redding was a promising young star whose career was cut short due to tragedy  Strong gospel background father was a minister  His sound exemplified the power of Southern soul, which meant a horse gritty style of vocals  He began his career in the early 60s as a Little Richard-styled r’n’r shouter  He did fairly well on the charts, but didn’t take off until 1965  In 1965, his song Respect hit high on the R&B charts and crossover to top 40 on the pop charts Song: Respect  Starts with emphasis on every beat – maracas, bass and guitar  Brass and sax solo over top of this with a riff  Drums enter – this riff delineates the sections within the piece  Semi-shouting vocals enter – accompanied by walking bass, piano, maracas and drums – brass drops out to return at the chorus  Harmonized backup vocals briefly enter at chorus, but focus remains primarily on the lead singer 7

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Redding wrote much of his own material, helped by Booker T and Steev Cropper In 1967, Redding had a very successful performance at monetary pop festival His unique style and blend of styles, guarantee crossover success Early 1968 – posthumous release (after his death) becomes hit only pop chart topper This wistful song represented a significant leap into personal emotions Released after he passed away, died in a plane cash in 1967

Song: (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay *  Instruments – guitar, surf noise, vocals, drums, piano, electric guitar, sax, brass  Vocal style – melodic vocal style but still very emotive  Lyric content – contemplative about a relationship Wilson Pickett  Of the major 60s soul stars, Wilson Pickett was one of the roughest and sweatiest, working up some of the decades hottest dance floor songs, groove and style  His soul had a rawer vocal feel and he did a great deal to establish early sound  He came to the attention of Jerry Wexler at Atlantic in 1964, Stax records  His first hit with Stax was In the Midnight Hour, which employs a delayed backbeat Song: In the Midnight Hour *  Instruments – piano, horns, bass, e. guitar, sax, rhythm guitar, snare drum  Vocal sty...