Chapter 9- Soul and MotownSoul Music- It’s Definition and History

“’Soul’ in music is like love: You know when it is there, and you know when it is not. But soul, as a musical genre, defies accurate definition.” –p. 195

Soul has something to do with free expression of feelings

There is a relationship between soul and black church music

Therefore, it’s a combination of R&B, gospel, and performers’ freedom to express innermost feelings

The DriftersIn 1953, Clyde McPhatter left a gospel group

called The Dominoes for a recording contract with Atlantic Records

His group called The Drifters made the R&B charts with “Money Honey”

In 1959, they had a #2 hit- “There Goes My Baby”

In 1960- “This Magic Moment” and “Save the Last Dance for Me” (their only #1 hit)

In 1961- “Stand By Me” (#4)

Other church groupsThe Soul Stirrers

A traveling quartet formed in the 1930s in TexasSam Cooke crossed the group from the black market to

the white pop market with “You Send Me” in 1957

Ray Charles “I Got A Woman” (1954) combined the heavy chords of

a church piano, a strong R&B-oriented band, and vocalsThis combination of R&B and gospel contributed to soul

music

By the 1960s, the southern-rooted suffering and pain of the blues had joined with the joyful and unrestrained celebration of gospel.

Atlantic and StaxAtlantic Records was dedicated to black, R&B music,

created by Herb Abramson in 1947McPhatter, Charles and others increased Atlantic

Records’ impact on the R&B marketThanks to the soul movement, Atlantic Records

would become a major label by the 1960s

Stax Records- “Soulsville, USA” in Memphis

Atlantic and Stax joined forces in 1961 “Soul Man”- Sam Moore and Dave Prater (1967) “Theme from Shaft”- Isaac Hayes (1971)

Aretha Franklin (aka Lady Soul)Born in 1942 in Memphis

Was singing in church by the age of 8 and recorded demos by age 17

John Hammond (who thought she should be a blues singer) was able to get her a deal at Columbia Records (mainly pop)

In 1967, Jerry Wexler sign Aretha to Atlantic Records when her Columbia Records deal expiredThe first album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love

You, was #2 on the charts It included “Respect” by Otis Redding- her first and only

#1 hit

Aretha Franklin (cont)By the end of 1968, she had 7 out of 8 singles in

Top 10

She won Grammy awards for best R&B performance by a female artist eight years in a row

Other popular covers she performed:Spanish Harlem- Jerry Leiber & Phil SpectorEleanor Rigby- BeatlesBridge Over Troubled Water- Paul SimonChain of Fools- Don CovayA Natural Woman- Carole King & Gerry Goffin

1972- Aretha returns to her gospel roots in the Amazing Grace album

James Brown AKA Godfather of Soul, Soul Brother #1, Mr.

Dynamite, etc

His voice was raspy and strong, typically shouting raw and basic vocal lines

His songs are among the most simplest and basic in popular music

His style is called southern soul

Born on May 3, 1933 in Georgia

His group, The Famous Flames, recorded Please, Please, Please, resulting in a contract with Federal Records in 1956 (became #6 on the R&B charts)

James Brown (cont) Early 1960s- Brown developed his stage act

His dancing became a model for Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson

Became known as the Hardest-Working Man in Show Business

Mid-1960s- a change in style took place where his voice became rawer and raspy Choppy feeling to the following 12-bar blues that use only

3 chords: 1965- Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag 1965- I Got You (I Feel Good) 1971- Make It Funky

1967-1972- 30 songs were in the Top 40 and most were #1 hits on the R&B charts

James Brown (cont) 1977-1985- no top 40 hits and albums did not do

well due to the popular disco style

His The Blues Brothers movie appearance sparked some interest in the younger generation

Summary of SoulSoul music combined secular and sacred black

music

James Brown and Aretha Franklin dominated the soul genre

Other artists: Jackie Wilson

To Be Loved and Lonely Teardrops

The Impressions For Your Precious Love, It’s All Right, Amen

Ike Turner (and his girlfriend Tina Turner) A Fool in Love and Proud Mary

MotownBerry Gordy, Jr. opened Tamla Records in 1960in

Detroit by borrowing $700, releasing records already released by other companies

Late 1960- they released the Miracles’ “Shop Around,” led by Smokey RobinsonBecame #2 on the pop charts

Within 7 years, Gordy’s Motown Records, Tamla, Gordy, and Soul sold more singles than any other company

Motown (cont)Motown began in a house in Detroit where the

recording studio was about the size of a living room Detroit was primarily a black population where

talented singers had to go to Chicago, Philadelphia or New York to record

Therefore, Gordy was able to find talent for his own company

Gordy’s goal was to bring a style of black music to both the black and white marketsMusic styles in the early 1960s were segregating

(folk, surfers, teen idols, British were all white; the soul trend was primarily in the black market)

Smokey Robinson In NY, Smokey and the Miracles recorded “Got a Job”

in 1958 which became #1 on the R&B charts

In 1961, Gordy signed the Miracles and recorded “Shop Around” which made the top 5

As their lead singer, Smokey helped the Miracles create 24, top 40 hitsTheir last top hit was “Love Machine (Part 1)” in

1975/76 Disco-flavored without Robinson (he left in 1971)

Robinson had a smooth, falsetto voice

He wrote three top 10 songs for Mary Wells and other major hits for the Temptations and Marvin Gaye

Female GroupsMarvelettes“Please Mr. Postman” was Tamla’s first #1 song

Was later recorded by the Beatles and the Carpenters

They had 9 other Top 10 hits by 1968

Martha and the VandellasMartha was originally hired as the secretary at

Motown1962- Gordy signed this trio1963- “Come and Get These Memories” was

released (barely made top 30)“Heat Wave” became #41964- “Dancing in the Street” was their biggest hitThe group disbanded in 1971

Marvin GayeHe was from Washington, D.C.

Was signed as a session drummer for the Miracles before releasing his own music

Had 17 solos and 12 duets in the Top 40

His biggest solo hit: “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968)

What’s Going On album discussed ecology, nuclear war and inner-city poverty

1983- “Sexual Healing” reached top 5 after troubled times

H-D-HEddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Brian Holland (all

songwriters) were added to Motown’s staff Wrote hits for Martha and the Vandellas, the Miracles,

Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, and the Supremes They wrote 30 Top 20 hits

H-D-H stopped writing for Motown in 1968

1972- court cases settled the lawsuits regarding royalties

After H-D-H left, Gordy took control: all groups had similar choreography, same backup band, vocal coach, etiquette, etc.

In the 1960s, Motown lyrics avoided controversy and heaviness beyond boy-girl romance

Male GroupsThe Four TopsThey began as a backup group1964- “Baby I Need Your Loving”1965- “I Can’t Help Myself” was #1 (their third release)Placed 17 hits in the Top 40

The Temptations2 lead singers: Eddie Kendricks and David RuffinFirst hit: “The Way You Do the Things You Do”1965- “My Girl” was #11968- David Ruffin left the group1970- Paul Williams left the group 1971- Eddie Kendricks left the group

Their Motown style changed from “psychedelic soul” to disco.

Gladys Knight and the PipsGladys Knight born in Atlanta in 1944

1965- signed with Motown Records

1967- “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (cover) became #2 hit

1973- switched to Buddah Records because they felt they were not being treated as a priority act

Stevie WonderSteveland Morris impressed Berry Gordy Jr. who gave

him the professional name, “Stevie Wonder.”

1963- His 4th release, “Fingertips-Part 2,” became #1

1970 - Signed, Sealed and Delivered album was released

1972- Talking Book album was released, became #3 album and contained two #1 hits: “Superstition”- psychedelic soul “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”- jazz-rock fusion

1973- Innversions album released Contained “Higher Ground” and “Living in the City”

1984- “I Just Called to Say I Love You” was a #1 hit

Motown StyleShared roots with soul music (gospel and R&B) but is

not the same as soul music There was no freedom in Motown

Little or no improvisation vocally or instrumentally

No rough edges; very slick and polished. The sound was popular with blacks and whites

Motown Records moved to Los Angeles in 1971 Jackson Five Commodores Stevie Wonder Diana Ross

Motown Records was purchased by MCA Records Inc. in 1988

Diana Ross & The Supremes1964-1969- had twelve #1 hits and 11 Top 40 hits

The only American group to have 5 consecutive #1 singles

Diana Ross joined the “Primettes” vocal group which later became known as the Supremes. The group signed with Motown in 1962 They toured with Dick Clark Cavalcade of Stars By the end of 1965 they had six #1 songs:

Where Did Our Love Go Baby Love Come See About Me Stop! In the Name of Love Back in My Arms Again I Hear a Symphony

Diana Ross & The Supremes (cont)Diana became the “act” with two backup singers

1967-Florence became “ill” and either left the group or was expelled; eventually died in 1976

1969- Diana left the group for a solo act Mary was the only constant member of the Supremes Diana left Motown in 1981 and became a successful TV

star

“Motown sound” Lead singer with backup vocals Strong professional orchestration (strings, brass, sax,

keyboards, percussion) Strong best with heavy backbeat and clapping Predictable modulation about 2/3 or 3/4 into song No improvisation or deviation from predetermined

arrangement

Melody and the Soul SingerSoul singing description: freedom, feelings and emotion

Derived from gospel-singing tradition of the southern black church

Elements of Music:Form- 16 measures in 4 equal phrases (such as AABA)

Turns theses 16 measures into 64 through repetition (freedom)

Melody and rhythm- each phrase is modified slightly, adding notes or rhythm is altered (freedom) Short phrases such as “oh-oh” and “oh yes we do” are added

(freedom and emotion) Melismas are frequent- one syllable extended over more than

one pitch

Vocal timbre- ranges from shouting to breathy tone to raspiness, etc

Chapter 9 ReviewYou should be able to:Define soul musicDescribe the history of soul musicName major artists of soul music and explain their

contributions to soul musicDescribe the creation of MotownName major Motown artists and explain their

contributions to Motown musicDescribe the importance of H-D-H to Motown

RecordsDescribe the style of Motown music