DOCSLIB.ORG

Parviz Omidvar Plays Financier to Songwriters, Doling out Loans Repaid with the Artists’ Royalties, but His Terms Leave Some Clients Singing an Unhappy Tune

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Parviz Omidvar Plays Financier to Songwriters, Doling out Loans Repaid with the Artists’ Royalties, but His Terms Leave Some Clients Singing an Unhappy Tune ENTERTAINMENT Parviz Omidvar plays financier to songwriters, doling out loans repaid with the artists’ royalties, but his terms leave some clients singing an unhappy tune BY ROBIN RESpaUT AND AtoSSA AbraHAMIAN REUTERS ILLUSTRATION SPECIAL REPORT 1 ENTERTAINMENT THE MUSIC BANKER’S BIG SCORE LOS ANGELES, DECEMBER 6, 2012 which competes Omidvar, says it charges ter rivalry with the financier who introduced 13.88 percent interest a year and requires the “Bowie Bond,” the 1997 deal in which rom an office on Sunset Boulevard, that artists fit a strict set of criteria to qual- rocker David Bowie raised $55 million by a dapper 69-year-old has emerged as ify for a loan. The Houston company has selling debt backed by his future royalties. Fa go-to guy for musicians and song- about 50 clients, each making $100,000 or Omidvar and that financier, David Pull- writers looking for quick cash. more a year in royalties. man, have filed at least 11 lawsuits and His name is Parviz Omidvar, and over Omidvar says he currently has no out- countersuits against one another involving the past two decades, he has been lending standing loans at such high interest rates a handful of songwriter clients. Omidvar to artists and securing those debts with and that these practices are not representa- says Pullman is “obsessed with destroying royalty payments his clients earn from their tive of his business. He says rates on many our business” and that before Pullman came work. Michael Jackson was a customer, as loans were later reduced retroactively once along, there were “virtually no problems with is the son of late Motown legend Marvin he determined that the clients were capable clients.” Pullman says Omidvar and his sons, Gaye. Omidvar’s website carries an old tes- of repaying him in full. Oliver and O’Neil, who have helped their timonial from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Complicating Omidvar’s business is a bit- father in his business, “blame everyone but member Bobby Womack: “Thank you so themselves for their illegal activities.” much for always being there for me.” Bobby Womack’s lawyer says the The music bankers are battling over a Today, Womack is suing Omidvar for musician (below) was misled into famously risky clientele: songwriters, of- fraud. He alleges the financier tricked him signing a deal when he was ten elderly and desperate for money. Times into selling for $40,000 full control of a roy- incapacitated have always been hard for musicians, and alty stream that annually pays many times by painkillers industry lore is studded with examples of that amount on Womack-penned hits, in- naive talents gouged by agents and record- cluding blaxploitation classic “Across 110th company operatives. Street” and “It’s All Over Now,” the first U.S. The Internet has added to the struggle No. 1 record for the Rolling Stones. Wom- as pirated downloads have eaten deep into ack’s lawyer says the 68-year-old musician sales of recorded music. Making matters was misled into signing the deal in April last worse, a long-term credit drought is year, when he was incapacitated by painkill- plaguing songwriters, musicians, ar- ers following prostate cancer surgery. rangers and producers. Omidvar calls Womack’s claim “a simple Decades ago, music publishers and case of buyer’s remorse.” Womack understood songwriter societies like ASCAP and he was selling his royalties, and his allegations BMI would advance money to artists are “a complete lie,” Omidvar says. against future earnings. By the late 1980s, they and the handful of banks in the busi- STEEP PRICE ness largely abandoned the practice as too Omidvar’s quick cash can come at risky. An artist’s royalty income can fluctu- a steep price. Reuters found scores ate greatly, depending on record sales, radio of loans with interest rates ranging airplay and licensing agreements. from 1.5 to 2.5 percent every 10 to 15 “It’s extremely difficult [for recording art- days - annualized rates potentially rang- ists] to get a conventional loan, because they ing from 43 percent to 81 percent. Many have a very unconventional working history,” loans included fees of up to 20 percent of says Bob Clarida, a copyright attorney. the principal, which could accrue interest FCZYK Omidvar fills this void. The idea is sim- at the same rate as the loan. In one lawsuit OSE ple: Advance money to artists, who sign over J brought by an Omidvar client, a California their royalty streams to his company. Omid- court found that one of the financier’s com- aron var then collects the royalties directly from panies had charged illegally high rates on record labels and music societies until the loans smaller than $5,000. debt is repaid with interest. On his website, By comparison, Artist Royalty Tracking, REUTERS/A he offers “immediate cash to music royalty SPECIAL REPORT 2 ENTERTAINMENT THE MUSIC BANKER’S BIG SCORE earners so they don’t have to wait months hospitalized for complications to receive their much-needed distributions.” from prostate surgery and placed Omidvar says he started out at an ac- on a morphine drip for two weeks, counts-receivable factoring company and fell his suit says. into the music business by chance. Clients It also says that the day after leav- say he wears formal suits and ties, setting him ing the hospital, Womack visited apart in casual Southern California. Omidvar’s office. Thinking he was “When you walk in, you feel like this guy simply borrowing money, the suit knows what he’s doing,” says Danny Pear- says, he signed away all his royalties son, a former client whose credits include for $225,000 to an Omidvar company the 1978 hit “What’s Your Sign Girl?” called Music Royalty Consulting Inc. Omidvar writes his loans as commercial After “costs and charges” were notes; interest rates on such notes, unlike deducted from the $225,000 loan those on short-term consumer loans, gen- Womack expected, the suit alleges, erally are exempt from regulatory rate lim- he received a check for $40,000 for “all its. While many of the notes carry maturi- past, present and future income” - a frac- ties of six months to a year, he says, most tion of what his royalties regularly bring are written with the expectation they will in annually, his lawyer says. Womack’s suit be paid off within weeks. “We don’t want claims he was confused because of medi- people to default in 30 days,” he says. “If we cation he was taking, and never would did that, we would be loan sharks.” have signed had he been of sound mind. Marvin Gaye III, the son and heir of the Omidvar, in an interview, says Wom- late soul singer, says that for 17 years, he ack “was in completely great shape” and has been a satisfied customer of Omidvar, understood he was selling his royalties. whom he calls “a really great guy.” “If you He notes that during the months pre- understand the contract,” he says, “there’s ceding and after the deal, Womack was no surprises.” performing in concerts, “dancing his heart out.” YouTube videos of live per- A HOST OF MALADIES formances in March and June of 2011 Bobby Womack’s family has a different show an animated and seemingly un- take. Womack started out in the 1960s as impaired Womack on stage. lead singer for doo-wop group the Valen- “Dementia and dancing are two dif- tinos. He went on to play guitar for soul ferent things,” says Jim star Sam Cooke and released hit singles like “Woman’s Gotta Have It,” “Har- ry Hippie” and “Across 110th GOLDEN OLDIES: Len Street.” Barry, Gene Page (and In the 1980s, Womack began his heirs) and Danny borrowing from Omidvar. His Pearson have all borrowed lawsuit says he took roughly 15 from Omidvar, pledging advances from Omidvar over the royalties from their past 25 years. long-ago hits. REUTERS/ By 2011, Womack was suffer- BRENDAN MCDERMID ing from prostate cancer, demen- tia, cataracts and other maladies, according to documents filed in the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court. In April that year, he was SPECIAL REPORT 3 ENTERTAINMENT THE MUSIC BANKER’S BIG SCORE Ryan, Womack’s lawyer. Ryan declined to Omidvar “told me that my dad make Womack available for an interview. told him to look after us. … The case is scheduled to go to trial in May I trusted him.” next year. California exempts most commercial Chris Page loans from usury caps. Even so, a jury in son of late musician Gene Page 2009 found that Omidvar had overcharged on loans of less than $5,000, which are sub- they misappropriated his trade secrets by ject to limits. issuing Bowie-like royalty bonds. That suit That case involved Daryl Cleveland, son was ultimately dismissed. He also filed of Motown songwriter Al Cleveland, who complaints about elderly neighbors in co-wrote Marvin Gaye’s mega-hit “What’s his New York City co-op, accusing them Going On” and Smokey Robinson’s classic of running an illegal bookbinding busi- “I Second That Emotion.” ness out of their apartment. Pullman Al Cleveland was a client of Omidvar’s. and the co-op entered litigation, and When Al died in 1996, Daryl, now 56, the board kicked Pullman out, setting kept up the borrowing, using his father’s a legal precedent allowing New York $100,000 annual royalty stream as collat- City co-ops to oust undesired residents. eral. In court documents, Cleveland said Pullman moved to Los Angeles shortly Omidvar promised that he would treat him thereafter.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Marvin Gaye As Vocal Composer 63 Andrew Flory
    Sounding Out Pop Analytical Essays in Popular Music Edited by Mark Spicer and John Covach The University of Michigan Press • Ann Arbor Copyright © by the University of Michigan 2010 All rights reserved Published in the United States of America by The University of Michigan Press Manufactured in the United States of America c Printed on acid-free paper 2013 2012 2011 2010 4321 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British Library. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sounding out pop : analytical essays in popular music / edited by Mark Spicer and John Covach. p. cm. — (Tracking pop) Includes index. ISBN 978-0-472-11505-1 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-472-03400-0 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Popular music—History and criticism. 2. Popular music— Analysis, appreciation. I. Spicer, Mark Stuart. II. Covach, John Rudolph. ML3470.S635 2010 781.64—dc22 2009050341 Contents Preface vii Acknowledgments xi 1 Leiber and Stoller, the Coasters, and the “Dramatic AABA” Form 1 john covach 2 “Only the Lonely” Roy Orbison’s Sweet West Texas Style 18 albin zak 3 Ego and Alter Ego Artistic Interaction between Bob Dylan and Roger McGuinn 42 james grier 4 Marvin Gaye as Vocal Composer 63 andrew flory 5 A Study of Maximally Smooth Voice Leading in the Mid-1970s Music of Genesis 99 kevin holm-hudson 6 “Reggatta de Blanc” Analyzing
    [Show full text]
  • A-Developing-Country
    A DEVELOPING COUNTRY A sermon by Galen Guengerich All Souls NYC Online October 4, 2020 In 2003, when Rolling Stone magazine first published its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, three of the top five albums were by the Beatles. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band held the number one spot. In the words of the magazine’s editors, “Sgt. Pepper formally ushered in an unforgettable season of hope, upheaval and achievement: the late 1960’s and, in particular, 1967’s Summer of Love.” “But no list is definitive,” the editors go on to say, “tastes change, new genres emerge, the history of music keeps being rewritten. So we decided to remake our greatest albums list from scratch. To do so, we received and tabulated Top 50 Albums lists from more than 300 artists, producers, critics, and music-industry figures.” Two weeks ago, they published the new list. The Beatles still have one album — Abbey Road — in the top five, but the album in the top spot has changed. The new number one is Marvin Gaye’s 1969 masterpiece What’s Going On. The album began as a reaction to police brutality. As Rolling Stone tells the story, the bass singer for the Four Tops, Obie Benson, watched television coverage of hundreds of club-wielding cops break up protests in the People’s Park in Berkeley. Repulsed by the violence, Benson began writing a song with Motown lyricist Al Cleveland. Together, they tried to capture the confusion and pain of the times. The result was the song “What’s Going On.” Benson tried to get the Four Tops to record the song, but the other three Tops weren’t interested.
    [Show full text]
  • The Social and Cultural Changes That Affected the Music of Motown Records from 1959-1972
    Columbus State University CSU ePress Theses and Dissertations Student Publications 2015 The Social and Cultural Changes that Affected the Music of Motown Records From 1959-1972 Lindsey Baker Follow this and additional works at: https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations Part of the Music Commons Recommended Citation Baker, Lindsey, "The Social and Cultural Changes that Affected the Music of Motown Records From 1959-1972" (2015). Theses and Dissertations. 195. https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/theses_dissertations/195 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Publications at CSU ePress. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CSU ePress. The Social and Cultural Changes that Affected the Music of Motown Records From 1959-1972 by Lindsey Baker A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements of the CSU Honors Program for Honors in the degree of Bachelor of Music in Performance Schwob School of Music Columbus State University Thesis Advisor Date Dr. Kevin Whalen Honors Committee Member ^ VM-AQ^A-- l(?Yy\JcuLuJ< Date 2,jbl\5 —x'Dr. Susan Tomkiewicz Dean of the Honors College ((3?7?fy/L-Asy/C/7^ ' Date Dr. Cindy Ticknor Motown Records produced many of the greatest musicians from the 1960s and 1970s. During this time, songs like "Dancing in the Street" and "What's Going On?" targeted social issues in America and created a voice for African-American people through their messages. Events like the Mississippi Freedom Summer and Bloody Thursday inspired the artists at Motown to create these songs. Influenced by the cultural and social circumstances of the Civil Rights Movement, the musical output of Motown Records between 1959 and 1972 evolved from a sole focus on entertainment in popular culture to a focus on motivating social change through music.
    [Show full text]
  • Marvin Gaye, “What's Going On” (1971)
    Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On” (1971) “What’s Going On” began as a conversation be- tween Renaldo Benson, a member of Motown’s Four Tops vocal group, and Al Cleveland, a staff songwrit- er for the label. While on tour in 1969 in Berkeley, CA, Benson witnessed a violent confrontation between anti-Vietnam War demonstrators and police. Trou- bled by the experience, he shared his concerns with Cleveland, who turned the vocalist’s impassioned musings into a song. After the Four Tops declined to record the tune, Benson took the composition to an- other Motown artist, chart-topper Marvin Gaye. The pairing was well-timed. By 1969, Marvin Gaye had become disillusioned with his status as a pop star. The 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles, which was the result of a decades-long strained relationship between the local African-American community and po- lice, had proved a turning point for the singer. Gaye later explained in a 1974 interview: “I remember I was listening to a tune of mine playing on the radio, when the announcer interrupted with news about the Watts riot. My stomach got real tight and my heart started beating like crazy. I wanted to throw the radio down and burn all the songs I’d been singing and get out there with the rest of the brothers. I knew they were going about it wrong, I knew they weren’t thinking, but I understood anger that builds up over years, and I felt myself ex- ploding. Why didn’t our music have anything to do with this? Wasn’t music supposed to express feelings? I wondered to myself, ‘With the world exploding around me, how am I supposed to keep singing love songs?’ Gaye vowed to stop recording and performing what he considered vapid romantic songs.
    [Show full text]
  • Brief History of Detroit's Music Scene
    Brief History of Detroit’s Music Scene I. What Started It All?!? A. Jerome Remick, bought a small struggling publishing company in 1898 and turned it into Jerome Remick & Co, a publishing house for sheet music. By 1905, Remick and his business partners found success in selling several million copies of “In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree”, “Pretty Baby” and more. George Gershwin, a composer, joined Remick in 1914 and went on to create many big hits of the 1910’s. Remick eventually sold the extremely successful company to the Warner Brothers conglomerate in 1928. Remick’s legacy helped create Detroit’s Orchestra Hall in 1919 and helped increase the DSO from 50 to 90 players. B. Convention Town - In the 1870s men began founding and joining new clubs by the thousands from all levels of society. Immigrants organized clubs, as did African-Americans. Women would not be left out either and created auxiliaries of men’s clubs or founded major new sisterhoods. From 1870 to the end of the 1920s Americans’ social life centered on these clubs. i. The great event that every loyal member eagerly prepared for was the national convention. A branch of the Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, held Detroit’s first national convention in 1870 and made a deep impression on Detroiters that the city could be promoted for this type of event. Knights and their companions arrived by several thousands. Convention’s meant a party, with music and beverage, and with that Detroit became a hotspot! Courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection II.
    [Show full text]
  • Motown Unreleased: 1969 [Various Artists]
    Carleton College Carleton Digital Commons Motown Annotated Track Lists Motown Research Commons 2019-09-24 Motown Unreleased: 1969 [Various Artists] Andrew Flory Carleton College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.carleton.edu/motown_annotated_track_lists Part of the Musicology Commons Recommended Citation Flory, Andrew. Liner notes for Motown Unreleased: 1969, Various Artists. Recorded 1966-1970. Motown Records, 2019. https://digitalcommons.carleton.edu/motown_annotated_track_lists/1, Carleton Digital Commons. This Annotated Track List is brought to you for free and open access by the Motown Research Commons at Carleton Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Motown Annotated Track Lists by an authorized administrator of Carleton Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Various Artists, Motown Unreleased: 1969 Motown/Universal Music (2019) 1. Diana Ross & the Supremes / For Once In My Life (Ronald Miller-Orlando Murden) Produced by Henry Cosby Track recorded January 21, 1969; strings recorded at Studio B January 24, 1969; horns (and probably winds) recorded at Studio B January 25, 1969; lead vocal date and location unknown 2. Stevie Wonder / Can’t Do Without Your Love* (Seajoseffer Spencer-William Weatherspoon-James Dean) Produced by William Weatherspoon and James Dean Track recorded August 14, 1968; vocals recorded at Studio B September 19, 1968 and on October 6, 1968; backing vocals recorded at Studio B September 30, 1968, and at Studio A January 20, 1969 3. Ivy Jo / It’s Love I Need (Ivy Jo Hunter-Stephen Bowden) Produced by Ivy Jo Hunter Track recorded October 8, 1968, assigned to Blinky Williams; Ivy Jo’s vocals recorded at Studio B January 22, 1969 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Marvin Gaye's What's Going on and the Civil Rights Movement: a History and Analysis
    Stephen F. Austin State University SFA ScholarWorks Electronic Theses and Dissertations 5-2019 Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and the Civil Rights Movement: A History and Analysis Jacob Barnhill Stephen F. Austin State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds Part of the Music Theory Commons Tell us how this article helped you. Repository Citation Barnhill, Jacob, "Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and the Civil Rights Movement: A History and Analysis" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 234. https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/234 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Marvin Gaye's What's Going On and the Civil Rights Movement: A History and Analysis Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This thesis is available at SFA ScholarWorks: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/234 MARVIN GAYE’S WHAT’S GOING ON AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT: A HISTORY AND ANALYSIS By JACOB CASWELL BARNHILL, Bachelor of Music Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Stephen F. Austin State University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Music STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY May, 2019 MARVIN GAYE’S WHAT’S GOING ON AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT: A HISTORY AND ANALYSIS By JACOB CASWELL BARNHILL, Bachelor of Music APPROVED: _____________________________________ Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Heart of Rock and Soul
    The Heart of Rock and Soul 1 Marvin Gaye - I heard it through the grapevine Tamla 1968, written by Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong 2 Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode Chess 1958, written by Chuck Berry 3 James Brown - Papa's got a brand new bag King 1965, written by James Brown 4 Four Tops - Reach out I'll be there Motown 1966, written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier & Eddie Holland 5 Righteous Brothers - You've lost that lovin' feelin' Philles 1964, written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weill & Phil Spector 6 Rolling Stones - I can't get no satisfaction London 1965, written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards 7 Bob Dylan - Like a rolling stone Columbia 1965, written by Bob Dylan 8 Aretha Franklin - Respect Atlantic 1967, written by Otis Redding 9 Little Richard - Tutti Frutti Specialty 1956, written by Dorothy LaBostrie, Richard Penniman & Joe Lubin 10 Martha and the Vandellas - Nowhere to run Gordy 1965, written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier & Eddie Holland 11 Kingsmen - Louie Louie Wand 1963, written by Richard Berry 12 Elvis Presley - Mystery train Sun 1955, written by Junior Parker 13 Big Joe Turner - Shake,rattle and roll Atlantic 1954, written by Charles Calhoun (= Jesse Stone) 14 Jerry Lee Lewis - Whole lotta shakin' goin' on Sun 1957, written by Dave Williams & Sunny David (= Roy Hall) 15 Otis Redding - (Sittin' on) The dock of the bay Volt 1968, written by Otis Redding & Steve Cropper 16 Sly and the family Stone - Everyday people Epic 1968, written by Sly Stone 17 Roy Orbison - Only the lonely Monument 1960, written by Roy Orbison & Joe Melson 18 Aretha Franklin - (You make me feel like) A natural woman Atlantic 1967, written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King & Jerry Wexler 19 Contours - Do you love me Gordy 1962, written by Berry Gordy jr.
    [Show full text]
  • Rock and Roll 3 03/11/2014
    Rock and Roll 3 03/11/2014 Motown:“The Sound of Young America” Motown Records-Berry Gordy in Detroit, Michigan Also formed sister label Tamla In the late 1950s, Gordy wrote the hits “Reet Petite” and “Lonely Teardrops for Jackie Wilson All subsidiary music labels are under the umbrella Motown. Hitsville USA The Funk brothers-house band at Motown Barrett Strong- a recording artist The Miracles Smokey Robinson- lead vocals, songs “Shop Around”- Motowns first million-selling hit record. The Marvelettes “Please Mr. Postman”- First #1 on the charts by a Motown recording act The Funk Brothers- the Motown house band, James Jamerson Bass player was on member, many would come and go Artist development was a major part of Motowns operationsl The acts were carefully groomed, dressed, and choreographed for live performanves o Etiquitte Instructor?? o Dance choreographer?? Martha & The Vandellas Martha Reeves- lead vocals “Dancing in the Street”- huge beat, powerful Brian Holland- Lamont Dozier- Eddie Holland-most successful writer producer talent worked with the Supremes The Supremes- Holland-dozier-holland Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard “Where Did Our Love Go”- supremes first #1 Hit- starts with just the beat then “baby baby baby”, Diana ross babyish girly voice “Baby Love” – Holland-Dozier-Holland- #1 in US and UK2 “Stop in the Name of Love”- Holland-Dozier-Holland #1 in US “You Keep me Hanging On”- Holland Dozier Holland, groups eighth #1 Single 1967, Florence Ballard is replaced by Cindy Birdsong. The group is now called Diana Ross and The Supremes. HDH fights with Verry Gordy Jr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Guardian, Week of June 15, 2020
    Wright State University CORE Scholar The Guardian Student Newspaper Student Activities 6-15-2020 The Guardian, Week of June 15, 2020 Wright State Student Body Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/guardian Part of the Mass Communication Commons Repository Citation Wright State Student Body (2020). The Guardian, Week of June 15, 2020. : Wright State University. This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Activities at CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Guardian Student Newspaper by an authorized administrator of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Music Review: “Chromatica” by Lady Gaga Maxwell Patton June 15, 2020 American singer Stefani Germanotta, known in the music world as Lady Gaga, released her sixth studio album “Chromatica” on May 15. The album is supported by two singles: “Stupid Love” and “Rain On Me,” which features Ariana Grande. Other featured artists on the record include Elton John (on “Sine from Above”) and Blackpink (on “Sour Candy”). This is a return to form for Gaga with very impressive instrumentation and a stark contrast between the positive, bubblegum pop-ish instrumentals and the album’s themes of depression, PTSD and self-worth. The dance-pop aspects of the album’s contents work really well together, and Gaga’s vocals, while often touched up with effects, sound incredibly powerful against a beautiful soundscape. Highlights 1. “Alice” “My name isn’t Alice, but I’ll keep looking, I’ll keep looking for Wonderland,” Lady Gaga sings in the opening lyrics of “Chromatica.” The pulsating beat of this song helps to establish the album’s sound after an excellent transition from “Chromatica I,” and the synth in the chorus adds a vibe reminiscent of an old arcade game.
    [Show full text]
  • The Four Seasons at Motown Part 1
    The Four Seasons at Motown—Part 1 “(Don’t you know? Ahhhhhh-hhhh-hhhh) Today that world is over. (Don’t you know? Ahhhhhh-hhhh-hhhh) You cannot live it over.(Baby, live it over) You’ve hit the bot- tom-side you nearly died. A chosen few can get to tomorrow, beg or borrow. You wrote the song, now you’ve got to sing along.” A New Beginning ( B.Crewe – B.Gaudio) opening lyric to ‘Chameleon’ album (1972) One period of the Four Seasons career that remains little known is the Mowest/Motown contract and on the 40 th anniversary of them signing, we are only just beginning to understand the story of their recordings at the label(s). Now that we have the Universal Motown Tape index we can see the work that they did (at least the info listed, although this is likely to be incomplete) and be amazed that this period generated at least 45 recordings that have not been released and in many cases not been heard since, as no research and restoration project has been launched. So what do we really know about how the Four Seasons came to sign with this Motown label?. The fact is that the group by this time (1971) had literally fallen apart with Tommy DeVito’s depar- ture at the end of their contract at Philips and Bob Gaudio’s pending retirement from touring.(His last tour of the UK would be in autumn of 1971) Signed up musicians fulfilled the group’s gigs and Joe Long stage managed the shows and to some extent the identity of the group as their MC.
    [Show full text]
  • Marvin Gaye Analysis of "What's Going
    Song Lyrics/Poetry Analysis Title “What’s Going On” Annotated Analysis (discussion starters) Writers Marvin Gaye, Al Cleveland and Renaldo Benson First, read the writers’ biography. List two details that might have influenced the writing or your understanding of the song/ poem. 1. Gaye, Cleveland, and Benson are African Americans; composers on Motown label, Benson was member of the Four Tops; Gaye had a religious and military background 2. These Motown artists became increasingly political in the late 1960s, particularly after Gaye’s brother Frankie returned from Vietnam and could not find a Job and Benson saw San Francisco police attack a group of hippies. As you read the song/poem: Underline parts that relate to historical facts, especially African American issues Circle words/phrases that stir up emotions Place a question mark next to ideas that you don’t recognize and may need to research Place [ ] around parts of the song/poem that seem musical (call and response, rhythm, refrain, repetition, etc.) After you read the song/poem, answer the following questions, quoting parts of the song/poem that led to your responses: 1. What historical background does a reader need to better understand this song/poem? ___Racial unrest of the 1960’s— “picket lines,” “too many of you dying,” “brutality” _________________ ___ peace movement vs. Vietnam War or nonviolence vs. revolution in Civil Rights — “war is not the answer” ___Gulf of Tonkin and LBJ’s decision to increase U.S. presence in Vietnam – “we don’t need to escalate” 2. How does this song/poem relate to African American issues? Refer to the historical context and text of the song/poem.
    [Show full text]