Motown: The Sound of Young America: This course covers the golden age of Motown 1960-73. It will concentrate on the people who started, nurtured, and established the label as the driving force behind American popular music in that period. The course will do this through several media: lectures, photographs, recorded music, film clips, question and answer sessions, and the use of live music. The instructor will play piano, guitar and sing, and will choose appropriate examples from each genre.
Week-by-Week Course Outline and Syllabus Suggested reading and viewing for the course, suggested listening by week, and selected video “special clips” for each week which represent the best available youtube live performances, both audio and video, of selected songs.
Reading: To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown : An Autobiography by Berry Gordy, 1994 Where Did Our Love Go, by Nelson George (1986) Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power by Gerald Posner (2005) Smokey: Inside My Life by Smokey Robinson, David Ritz (1989) Nowhere to Run, The Story of Soul Music, by Gerri Hershey (1985) The Original Marvelettes: Motown's Mystery Girl Group, by Marc Taylor, The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Enduring Soul of the Temptations by Mark Ribowsky 2010 Mary Wells: The Tumultuous Life of Motown's First Superstar Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story, by Gladys Knight, 1998 Standing in the Shadows of Motown, an autobiography. The Life and Music of Legendary Bassist James Jamerson (1989) with CD, transcriptions of his bass parts
Viewing: Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, TV documentary 1983 The TAMI Show, 1964: the iconic, historic rock and roll TV special. Dreamgirls, dir. by Bill Condon, 2006 Sparkle, dir. by Sam Osteen 2012 Get Ready: Definitive Performances by The Temptations 1965-1972 (DVD) The Five Heartbeats (1991) Director: Robert Townsend The Temptations, TV mini-series, 1998—very well done. Standing in the Shadows of Motown, dir. by Paul Justman (2002)
Week 1: The Outer Visionary; Berry Gordy and the origins of Motown; labels: Anna, (1959-61, “Money”) Tamla, (1959—original label) Miracle (1961)/Gordy (1962) and Motown. Mabel John, Marv Johnson, Barrett Strong, 1st Motortown revue, purchase of Hitsville Listening: Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes 1961 Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) - The Contours 1962 Money and Other Big Hits - Barrett Strong 1962 **special video clips for week one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkd1c4T5HiE Deep Soul Up Rising Of Motown, part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnRfyVQS_iA “Documentary heaven” the Motown effect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndRfTNIr1Gc Oh Mother of Mine--From biopic
Week 2: Smokey Robinson; force of nature: The man behind the music Listening: Hi... We're The Miracles - The Miracles I'll Try Something New - The Miracles (Tamla) The Fabulous Miracles - The Miracles (Tamla) The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey - The Miracles Going to a Go-Go -The Miracles Smokey (1973) **special video clips for week two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA5509mcQd8 Shop around https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKQtWMETbfo You Really Got a Hold On me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwlGn7uORYg Mickey’s Monkey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCcNcHx2DpY My Girl (in the studio)
Week 3: The female singing groups: the Marvelettes, Supremes, Vandellas, Listening: The Marvelous Marvelettes - The Marvelettes (Tamla) 1963 Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes 1964 More Hits by The Supremes 1965 I Hear a Symphony 1966 Reflections 1968 Come and Get These Memories 1963 Heat Wave 1963 Greatest Hits 1966 **special video clips for week three: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe9NGrEJQEE Deep Soul Up Rising Of Motown, part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPZ9gyBo3Io Deep Soul Up Rising Of Motown, part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PycKSdKG_74 Come see about me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z14qfKkfUV0 My world is empty without you
Week 4: Their male counterparts: The Temptations, The Isley Brothers, The Four Tops, Junior Walker and the All Stars Listening: Greatest Hits, The Temptations 1966 The Temptations Wish It Would Rain 1968 Cloud Nine 1969 Four Tops' Greatest Hits 1967 Reach Out 1967 Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) Contours 1962 Shotgun, Junior Walker and the All Stars, 1965 This Old Heart of Mine, Isley Brothers, 1966 **special video clips for week four: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjzBbYr4Eik The way you do the things you do, with Murray the K, 1965 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK867ovW7AQ I’m Losing You Live, 1967, I Wish It Would Rain, 1968 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QKiEyHRv9c I can’t help myself https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnhI_ECOAK4 Shotgun
Week 5: The great female singers: Mary Wells, Brenda Holloway, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, Gladys Knight Listening: Two Lovers and Other Great Hits - Mary Wells 1963 Every Little Bit Hurts - Brenda Holloway 1965 Take Two - Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston 1966 United - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell 1967 Everybody Needs Love - Gladys Knight & Pips (Soul) 1967 **special video clips for week five: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BJE6hwRpOc Canadian sunset (original version) 1956 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1M5eEJeT38 My guy 1964 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hhqGTfk4hk Mary Wells and Smokey Robinson--medley of her hits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDPpRQbpMVc When I’m Gone, Brenda Holloway, 1964 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omnLs0npy6g Take me in your arms, Kim Weston 1965 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC5PL0XImjw Marvin and Tammi, Ain’t no mountain high enough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Lh4MFiw08 Neither one of us wants to say goodbye https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQHW2PQx42w Midnight train to Georgia 1973
Week 6: The Funk Brothers, the Hallowed Ground of Motown, “Hitsville” Listening: Any Motown record released, 1962-70 **special video clips for week six: Watch Standing in the Shadows of Motown again—it’s worth it…