MUAR 392 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Bummed, Where Did Our Love Go, Judy Collins
27 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
May$9th,$2018$
$
A$LITTLE$SOUL$&$MOTOWN$+$
THE$URBAN$FOLK$REVIVAL$AND$FOLK$ROCK$
$
•" Understand$the$context$for$the$founding$of$Motown$and$the$aims$/$philosophy$of$its$
founder$Berry$Gordy$
•" Recognize$the$musical$features$of$Motown$$
•" Understand$the$origins$of$the$urban$folk$revival$in$the$1930s,$and$be$able$to$situate$it$
in$its$political$context$
•" Hear$the$musical$features$of$the$urban$folk$revival$and$tie$it$to$significant$artists$
•" Understand$how$Bob$Dylan’s$Newport$Festival$performance$in$1965$helped$create$the$
new$genre$of$folk$rock$
•" Understand$the$debates$surrounding$Dylan’s$choice$to$“go$electric”$at$Newport$
•" Engage$in$issues$surrounding$authenticity$(via$Keightley’s$model)$using$Bob$Dylan$as$
an$example$
$
Continued$from$last$class:$
A$NEW$NAME$FOR$R&B?$
$
In$the$context$of$the$Civil$Right$movement,$the$term$“!"#$”$began$to$appear.$It$describes$a$
feeling.$To$be$a$“race”$man$=$to$be$working$for$social$change.$Same$for$soul.$
$
•" “Soul”$emerging$as$a$term$applied$to$music$
•" Deep‐rooted$word$in$African$American$vernacular$similar$to$“blues”$and$“funk”$
•" %&$'('"#!)*+,)-"$'.'/*$)/"++".*.'"+!)
•" 01".'"+*$$or$'+.&$$&/.#*$$&+&2(3$
•" An$ineffable$essence$
•" Signifier$of$452'/*+)41&2'/*+$identity$
•" Signifier$of$African$American$community$
–" “Grace$under$pressure”$
–" “Soul$sister”$/$“Soul$Man”$
–" “Soul$food”$
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SOUL$MUSIC$(?)$
$
In$the$vocal$style$of$Charles$for$instance,$vocal$techniques$as$melisma,$interest$in$timbers$etc.$
We$get$/"1-"#+,)1&.&2)(interest$in$triplets).$$
$
•" A$term$for$gospel‐inspired$music$applied$to$a$particular$!#6(&+2&)"5)789:!)%;<))
•" Early$soul$continues$in$the$vein$of$1950s$R&B,$gospel$blues$
•" Brackett:$$
–" 1&$'!1*!$
–" 6&+.)+".&!)
–" wide$range$of$.'162&!$
–" .2'-$&.)!#6,'='!'"+!$on$piano$or$guitar,$$
–" included$“!&21"+!,”$not$necessarily$on$religious$topics$(love)$$
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
$
>?@ABC)D?EF0GG)
$
$
•" “Pickett$was$a$pistol.$I$called$him$Black$Panther$even$before$the$phrase$was$political.$
He$had$matinee‐idol$$""H!,$flaming$&3&!,$lustrous$ebony$!H'+,$a$sleek$muscular$."2!".$
His$ temperament$ was$ fire,$ his$ flash‐and‐fury$ singing$ style$ a$ study$ in$ controlled$
aggression,$his$blood‐curdling$scream$always$musical,$always$in$tune.”$(PRS$170‐171)$
The$quote$was$written$by$a$white$collaborator$of$Pickett.$$
$
$
“In$the$Midnight$Hour”$(1966):$early$track$of$“soul”.$
‐"The$quote$describes$his$body:$5&.'!I'J&!$his$body.$Essentializing.$
‐"The$ narrative$ about$ the$ creation$ of$ the$ Midnight$ Hour:$ Memphis$ to$ get$ the$ right$
feeling,$get$this$very$soulful$record$of$Pickett.$
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MOTOWN$RECORDS$
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Important$studio,$producing$the$music.$Some$used$the$term$to$describe$a$genre:$rock$‘n’$roll$
genre$of$AA.$But$it$was$a$-$*/&.$
$
To$meet$the$demand,$he$decided$to$go$into$business.$He$got$the$idea$to$get$the$whole$idea$of$
having$everything$included$in$a$small$place,$derived$from$K"2,:$a$song$is$manufactured,$by$
different$persons$at$different$part,$even$if$we$do$not$see$every$person$at$the$end.$
$
<&223)L"2,3$bought$different$apartments$(residential)$to$make$a$studio.$$
$
•" Mo(tor)$Town=$Detroit$
•" Founded$by$Berry$Gordy$in$1959$$
–" K'2!.$"M+&,$2&/"2,$!."2&$focusing$on$N*JJ$$
–" Got$ the$ idea$ for$ how$ to$ run$ the$ label$ based$ on$ working$ in$ Lincoln‐Mercury$
factory$
–" Satisfying$demand$for$blues$records$
•" First$notable$black‐owned$label$
•" Handled$all$musical$elements:$
–" Songwriting$and$production$team$Holland‐Dozier‐Holland$
–" House$band:$The$Funk$Brothers$
–" Marketing$and$Distribution$
–" Artists$and$Repertoire$
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THE$MOTOWN$SOUND$
$
‐"His$artists$took$editing$lessons$etc.$He$set$a$high$part$for$his$artists$–$to$help$*--&*$).")
MI'.&) *#,'&+/&!.$ He$ presented$ a$ black$ version$ of$ the$ time,$ to$ $'1'.$ some$ of$ the$
markets$ that$ are$ associated$ with$ a$ -"$'.'/*$) 1",&) "5) 6$*/H) !'+('+(.$ Here,$ it$ is$ very$
-"$'!I&,,$ produced.$ Very$ -2&,'/.*6$&$chords.$ Over$ the$ years,$ they$ did$ do$ groovier$
music.$
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find more resources at oneclass.com
$
•" Carefully$/2*5.&,$style$and$music$
–" Aimed$specifically$at$reaching$a$white$market$
–" Diction,$ grooming,$ and$ etiquette$ lessons$ for$ singers:$ part$ of$ what$ made$ it$
popular$with$white$audiences$
•" Common$=&2!&O/I"2#!)5"21)
•" “Endless”$repetition$of$I""H$
•" L"!-&$‐like$vocals,$but$not$too$melismatic$
•" Elaborate$production:$strings,$horns,$tambourine$
–" but$/$&*+$.&P.#2&!$and$timbres,$not$like$the$Wall$of$Sound$
•" “The$ Motown$ sound,$ while$ frequently$ stereotyped$ as$ being$ only$ ‘sweet’$ and$ ‘pop’$
actually$ranged$from$the$pop$stylings$of$the$Supremes$…$to$the$downright$funkiness$of$
Junior$Walker$and$the$All$Stars.”$(PRS$173‐174)$
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MOTOWN$RECORDS$
$
•" From$1961‐1971,$110$top$10$hits!$
•" Notable$artists$include:$
–" QR'*+*)%"!!)*+,S)GI&)A#-2&1&!)
"$“Where$Did$Our$Love$Go?”$(1964)$very$hooky,$catchy$melodies$
–" Smokey$Robinson$and$the$Miracles$
–" Stevie$Wonder$
–" Marvin$Gaye$
–" Martha$and$the$Vandellas$
–" GI&)G&1-.*.'"+!)
"“Ain’t$Too$Proud$to$Beg”$(1966):$very$groovy.$$
$
For$a$very$1&$",'/)6*!!O$'+&$=$signature$of$the$bassist$of$Motown$Records$(T*1&!)T*1&2!"+)$$
$
The$Jackson$5,$“I$Want$You$Back”$(1966)$
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“Greatest$entertainer$in$the$world”$(for$Gordy)$
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Very$polished$performance$(+$spontaneity)$that$Gordy$was$looking$for$–$choreography.$
‐"Class$and$response$as$in$the$Temptations$and$Girls$Groups$
‐"Motown$records$become$a$site$for$sweet$soul$after$
‐"This$video$has$one$foot$in$the$60s$and$one$in$the$70s$
‐"Bass$line$
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Today’s$lecture:$$
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THE$PARADOX$OF$“URBAN$FOLK”$
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Folk:$generations$from$generations$orally$≠$urban:$consuming$mass‐media.$$
$
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Document Summary
The urban folk revival and folk rock: understand the context for the founding of motown and the aims / philosophy of its founder berry gordy, recognize the musical features of motown, understand the origins of the urban folk revival in the 1930s, and be able to situate it in its political context, hear the musical features of the urban folk revival and tie it to significant artists, understand how bob dylan"s newport festival performance in 1965 helped create the new genre of folk rock, understand the debates surrounding dylan"s choice to go electric at newport, engage in issues surrounding authenticity (via keightley"s model) using bob dylan as an example. Soul emerging as a term applied to music: deep rooted word in african american vernacular similar to blues and funk , religious and political connotations, emotional or intellectual energy, an ineffable essence, signifier of african american identity, signifier of african american community.
