Outline 10: Motown and Soul
I. Black music in the 60s
A. After first crossover artists like Little Richard and Chuck Berry, and successful girl
groups of the Brill Building team, black music follows number of different paths
B. Many artists continue to pursue this doo-wop influenced pop-rock style
C. Others maintain closer affiliation to R&B
1. After R&B charts discontinued in 1963 (later resurrected to mean pretty much
same thing), R&B doesn't mean much as a stylistic label
2. Most black music of the period comes to be called soul
a. Continues process of presenting black music to white America
b. But in less compromising way
3. What is soul?
a. general umbrella term for number of different musical styles
b. involves deep emotional engagement with material
5. Black music evolves, grows, in several different directions, to some degree
regional, and depending on influence of producers (see Soul to Funk
chart)
a. R&B + pop = Motown
b. Gospel + R&B + pop = Atlantic/Stax
i. R&B, with new, exuberant attitude looks ahead to funk
ii. IMHO, very different sound from Motown
c. R&B+ jump blues+ gospel = Chicago, Philadelphia sounds
II. Motown
A. The Motown label
1. Started by Berry Gordy
a. Owned jazz records store
b. Also wrote songs, managed several acts
c. Finally starts own record company in 1959, along with Smokey
Robinson and several others
i. Motown, or "Hitsville U.S.A."
ii. And for most of the 60s it was
2. Aim of label to produce black music that would be accessible to mainstream
record buying public
3. Very hands on producer, manager
a. All decisions from top down
b. Producers have ultimate authority over recording sessions
i. Some important Motown producers (besides Gordy)
aa. Smokey Robinson, of the Miracles
bb. Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland
-HDH production team
-Wrote, produced 28 hits for label, string of 17 with
Supremes
ii. Producers frequently also songwriters
4. Also controls image and behavior of acts
a. Establishes International Talent Management in 1964
i. Finishing school to turn out fashionable, well-groomed, elegant
stars
ii. Good representatives of African American community
b. Choreographer Cholly Atkins provides acts with choreography,
performing instructions
B. The Motown “process”
1. Songs written by professional songwriters (often also producers)
2. Song recorded by several Motown artists, with different arrangements and
producers
a. Backing provided by house band, the Funk Brothers
i. Key component of the “Motown sound”
ii. Local jazz, R&B musicians
iii. Includes James Jamerson, widely regarded as finest bass player
in rock history
iv. Recommended documentary: Standing in the Shadows of
Motown
a. Orchestral resources arranged as needed
3. Gordy chooses most commercially viable version
4. Approves final mix
5. Arranges for local and national distribution
C. The Motown Sound
1. Characteristics
a. Smooth, refined, well-produced
b. Complex, "wall of sound" textures
c. Discreet time keeping
i. 8 beat rock style beat
ii. Backbeat
iii. Usually other rhythmic layers
d. verse/chorus form
e. End-weighed
f. Frequent and early appearance of hook
i. Often the title phrase
ii. Gordy wanted to hear hook “in the first groove” of the record
g. Simple, appealing, non-challenging lyrics that tell a story
h. Melodically driven
2. Ex. The Temptations, My Girl
a. Introduction establishes rhythmic foundation
i. Opens with 2 bars of bass riff
aa. Begins on pickup (“and” of four)
bb. First strong accent on downbeat
cc. Immediately establishes eight beat rock rhythm
ii. Guitar riff, claps added
aa. Riff reinforces rock style beat
1 +
2 + 3 + 4 +
x
x x x x x
bb. Snaps on backbeat
iii. Two bars later, snare enters with fill
b. Vocals enter on pickup
i. Puts first stressed syllable (SUN-shine) on downbeat
ii. Lightly syncopated, especially at end of each line
c. Snare, rim shot, and rhythm guitar reinforce backbeat
d. Verse/chorus form
i. Chorus includes transition (“I guess you’d say….”)
ii. Which leads to title phrase = hook
iii. Fastest harmonic motion of piece is in transition
e. End weighted
i. Texture becomes thicker as song progresses
ii. More sweetening instruments added to each verse
iii. Standard instruments, backing vocals become more active
iv. Key change in final verse
aa. Melody begins on higher pitch
bb. Creates sense of climax
f. Melodic saturation
i. Sweetening instruments have fragments of melody
ii. Interlude by horns and strings
2. Marvin Gaye
a. First hired as drummer, then singer and arranger
b. Biggest hit I Heard It Through the Grapevine
i. What sounds like Motown?
aa. Production
bb. Riff-based
cc. Opening riff as hook
dd. Latin influence - congas
ii. What doesn't?
aa. Marvin Gaye's voice - very gospel influenced
bb. Harsher sound than most Motown
cc. In general, closer to R&B than pop
dd. Not really end-weighted
ee. Lyrics
c. Compare to Gladys Knight version
D. Important Motown artists (besides Marvin Gaye)
1. Smokey Robinson (vice-president of Motown) and the Miracles (You Really
Got a Hold On Me; Baby, Baby)
2. The Temptations (The Way You Do The Things You Do, Ain’t Too Proud To
Beg)
3. The Supremes (Where Did Our Love Go; Baby Love; Stop, In The Name of
Love)
4. The Four Tops (I Can’t Help Myself)
5. Martha and the Vandellas (Heat Wave; Dancin’ in the Streets)
6. Jackson Five
E. Not all artists fit into the Motown mold
1. Some, like Gaye, convince Gordy to let them make own artistic choices
a. Stevie Wonder
b. James Brown (Will get back to)
2. Others just don't work out as Motown artists
a. Depart for other record companies
b. Significant portion of these end up affiliated with Atlantic and Stax,
pioneers of the soul sound
II. Southern Soul
A. Southern take on black music
B. Very different than Motown
1. Much more heavily influenced by the blues and gospel
2. Retained many of the elements of R&B
a. Horn sections
b. Tend toward shuffle rhythms
c. Emotional, "attitude" songs
d. Rougher, blues/gospel singing style of most performers
C. Much has to do with studio at center of Soul - Stax Records in Memphis
1. Named for founders - Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton (founded 1958)
2. Recorded for Atlantic from 1960-1968, in Memphis and in Muscle Shoals, AL
3. House band: Booker T. and the MGs
a. Integrated: Booker T. Jones (keyboard) and Al Jackson (drums) black,
Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass) and Steve Cropper (guitar) white
i. Cropper also producer, songwriter for Stax
ii. Latter two now members of Blues Brothers Band
b. Memphis Horns, their horn section - all white
c. Because all southern, arguably familiar with wider range of musical
influences (at least, Jerry Wexler thought so)
d. Stressed electric guitar, active bass lines, big, fat horn lines
e. Often worked out arrangements on the spot, based on melody and
chord changes provided by the artist or songwriter - head
arrangement or lead sheet
f. More essential part of sound than the house band at Motown, the Funk
BrothersStewart.
4. Far more collaborative environment
D. Aretha Franklin (1942- )
1. Began singing in father’s church when small
a. Influenced by Clara Ward Singers –
i. Pentacostal tradition
ii. Get VERY happy
b. As well as more traditional gospel artists like Mahalia Jackson
2. Signed by Columbia 1960
a. Tried to turn her into black pop singer like Diana Ross
b. Complete disaster
3. Jerry Wexler at Atlantic buys contract in 1966, sends her to Stax studio at
Muscle Shoals to record
a. Producers there put her at piano to accompany herself
b. Record own material
c. Result – "I’ve Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You" and "Respect"
4. Ex. I've Never Loved a Man..."
a. Essentially, gospel with secular lyrics
b. Melismatic yet speech-like vocal style
c. Electric piano, evoking Hammond organ of gospel sound
d. Relatively minimal horn accompaniment by Booker T. and
MG’s
i. Enters on bridge to chorus
ii. Riff accompaniment to chorus
4. Ex. Respect
a. Written by Otis Redding, who recorded first
b. Form: Intro AAA B A C Outro
i. Last two lines of each A section function as chorus
ii. B section = tenor sax solo
aa. Melodically unrelated to rest of song
bb. No bridge in Otis Redding version, so no chord changes
cc. Jerry Wexler has Booker T. and MGs play changes to
song recorded by Sam and Dave the previous day
dd. King Curtis bases solo on Franklin’s vocal style, rather
than melody of the song
b. 4 bar intro: guitar riff, bass, horns
c. Relatively minimal accompaniment under most of verse
i. Bass, piano, tambourine, snare
ii. Punctuation by backing vocals
d. Backing vocals play active role, mostly in chorus and C section
i. Call and response
ii. Beat subdivisions
iii. 8 beat style beat
iv. 16 beat style beat (sock it to me, sock it to me etc.)
e. Many of the song’s most definitive moments worked out in session
i. chanted quasi-refrain of “Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-Re-spect”
ii. the stop time passage in which Aretha spells out the title
iii. chanted, double-time “sock-it-to-me” litany
iv. suggested by Aretha’s background singer (and sister) Carolyn
f. Conversational vocals, in gospel style.
F. Otis Redding (1941-1967)
1. Started as backup singer for Little Richard
2. Wide variety of styles
a. Could sing soulful ballads like Percy Sledge
b. But strength was blues/gospel fusion
i. Very gritty tone
ii. Impassioned style
c. When added Booker T. and MGs, Memphis horns, can hear that this is
R&B at the next level
3. Ex. I Can't Turn You Loose
a. Memorable (and oft quoted) opening, syncopated riff
b. Then another riff layered over top
c. Strong beat AND strong backbeat
d. Gospel influence evident
e. Vocal riff-based as well
4. Breakout performance at Monterey Pop festival
5. Killed in plane crash later that year, with most of group the Bar-Kays
(Soulfinger)
6. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay released posthumously – goes to #1 on pop and
R&B charts (re-instituted by then)
G. Other Major Stax artists
1. Percy Sledge
a. Specialized in soul ballads
i. Slow tempos
ii. Romantic lyrics
iii. Melody and vocal performance of primary importance
b. Ex. “When a Man Loves a Woman”
i. Impassioned soul style
aa. Full emotional engagement with material
bb. Smooth, gospel influenced delivery
ii. Minimal accompaniment
aa. Walking bass
bb. Triplets
cc. Sustained chords on Farfisa organ
iii. But nonetheless end-weighted
aa. Small touches of tone color added throughout
bb. Horns enter in final chorus
2. Isaac Hayes
i. Chef!
ii. Songwriter/producer
iii. Also significant Stax artist
a. Hot Buttered Soul defines soul sound of early 1970s
b. “Theme from Shaft” a #1 hit, wins Grammy and Academy
Award for best original song
3. Wilson Pickett (In The Midnight Hour)
4. Sam and Dave (Sam Moore and Dave Prater) - Soul Man
a. Written by Isaac Hayes
b. Similarities to Motown sound
i. Riff-based
ii. Verse and refrain, End-weighted
c. Differences
i. Vocal far more gospel influenced
ii. Not a "story song"
iii. Groove
--Eight beat in bass line
--back beat in tambourine (refrain) or drums (verse)
--Horn riffs
--Double time guitar riff
--Propels forward
III. Other Regional Soul
A. Philadelphia
1. Dance-focused local music scene, influenced by American Bandstand
2. Smaller, independent labels responded
3. Production team of Kenny Gamble-Leon Huff founds Philidelphia International
Records (PIR) in 1971
4. Distinctive sound
a. Highly produced, but added elements central part of texture
b. Emphatic time keeping
c. Vocals that are mix of gospel and pop
B. Chicago
1. Distictive style emerges in late 1950s
2. Smoother and more restrained sound than even most Motown
3. Retains connection to doo-wop far longer
4. Most important group - Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions
IV. Sui generis: James Brown (1933-2005) - the Godfather of Soul
A. From time was 5, dancing for tips on streetcorners
B. Also sang at Agustua Baptist Chuch in Augusta, GA
C. Age 20 joins gospel group, the Swanees
1. Brown shortly emerges as lead singer
2. Swanees change name to the Famous Flames
D. First hit Please, Please, Please (1956)
1. Gospel inspired doo-wop in on model of The Penguins, The Flamingos
2. Several other recordings in that style
E. Changes with 1964 recording Out Of Sight
F. Same characteristics in 1965 “I Got You”
1. Fuses tight, riff-based jump blues/R&B horn section
2. Fervid gospel performing style
3. Up tempo dance numbers
4. Emphasized rhythm over melody
a. Polyrhythmic -- multiple parts with own rhythmic profile
b. Each part – bass, guitar, horns, vocals – maintains own repetitive
pattern
5. Harsh, declamatory vocals and falsetto shrieks
6. Choked rhythm guitar
7. Solid rock beat in drums
8. Form irregular
a. "Verse"
b. "Refrain"
c. Double-time sax solo
d. Number of blocks of tone colors and vocals
i. Arrangement of these creates form of the song
ii. Can be very simple, or very complex
F. Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag (see listening guide)
1. Harsh, declamatory vocals and falsetto shrieks
2. Two sections
a. A: 12-bar blues
b. B: blues vamp over single chord
c. Note: When B section returns, it is to the music of the A section!
3. Riff-based horn parts
4. Double-time guitar riff at end of chorus: sixteen-beat style beat for one
measure
5. Choked rhythm guitar
a. Guitarist wraps hand around neck, deadening vibration of strings
b. Makes guitar a percussion instrument: more rhythm than pitch
c. Often combined with wa-wa pedal
G. Performing style crucial part of appeal