BOOTH ANNOUNCER:
Shady Train...
the hippest trip in America!
60 nonstop minutes across the
tracks of your mind into the
exciting world of Soul!
And now, here's your host...
Don Cornelius!
Hey there and welcome aboard. You're right on time
for another mind blowing journey on the big train.
On today's special edition entitled Old Gold we're
for another mind blowing journey on the big train.
On today's special edition entitled Old Gold we're
flashing back to the early days of Shady Train and
even farther back to the years before our program
went on the air. You will see and hear classic per-
formances by some of the greatest names in the
music business. So if the sight and sound of
vintage soul is your pleasure and what you
treasure, you bet your bottom we got 'em.
music business. So if the sight and sound of
vintage soul is your pleasure and what you
treasure, you bet your bottom we got 'em.
As the big train leaves the station on a ride to the past, let's begin
with Motown's top girl group, a trio that also went into the history
books as America's most successful vocal group. The year was 1964
and these three extraordinary canaries were on a roll. As they join us
courtesy of our friends at Top Of The Pops in London to do one of
their dozen chart topping hits entitled "Baby Love," ladies and
gentlemen, please welcome the fabulous-- Supremes!
with Motown's top girl group, a trio that also went into the history
books as America's most successful vocal group. The year was 1964
and these three extraordinary canaries were on a roll. As they join us
courtesy of our friends at Top Of The Pops in London to do one of
their dozen chart topping hits entitled "Baby Love," ladies and
gentlemen, please welcome the fabulous-- Supremes!
"Baby Love" - The Supremes
(Oct./Nov. 1964, highest chart pos. #1,
perf. on Oct. 15 1964 ep. of Top Of The Pops)
Our next special guest is certainly one of the most
charismatic black performers of the 20th century.
As he joins us courtesy of our good friends at
Hollywood a Go Go to do his latest single on
the Tamla label entitled "Can I Get A Witness,"
hands together gang, for-- Marvin Gaye!
"Can I Get A Witness" - Marvin Gaye
(Dec. 1963, highest chart pos. #22 Hot 100/#15 R&B,
perf. on Nov. 27, 1965 ep. of Hollywood a Go Go)
Earlier in the show you met The Supremes.
Now meet three more groovy young ladies
from the Motor City, another great group
recording for Motown. As they join us to do
their latest single on the Gordy label, a world-
wide smash entitled "Dancing In The Street,"
let's make some big noise, gang, for--
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas!
"Dancing In The Street" - Martha And The Vandellas
(Sept./Oct. 1964, highest chart pos. #2)
START PLAYNG VIDEO
AT 18 SEC. MARK!
In 1963 this young man burst on the scene with his chart-
topping harmonica hit "Fingertips - Part 1." In the years
since he has become one of leading singers, songwriters,
musicians and record producers in the world. As he joins
us to do his latest hit single on the Tamla label entitled
"My Cherie Amour," please give a great Shady Train
welcome to the 8th Wonder of the World--
mister Stevie Wonder!
"My Cherie Amour" - Stevie Wonder
(July 1969, highest chart pos. #4 Hot 100/#3 Cash Box)
Fueled by the ace songwriting and producing team
of Holland–Dozier–Holland, our next group helped
define the Motown Sound of the 60s that caught fire
all over the world. It was no surprise in the summer
of 1965 when their latest single jumped off the record
store shelves. As they join us courtesy of our friends
at The Lloyd Thaxton Show to do that hit entitled
"It's The Same Old Song," a thundering ovation
please, gang, for the mighty-- Four Tops!
"It's The Same Old Song" - Four Tops
(Aug./Sept. 1965, highest chart pos. #5 Hot 100/#2 R&B,
perf. on Apr. 1, 1966 ep. of The Lloyd Thaxton Show)
perf. on Apr. 1, 1966 ep. of The Lloyd Thaxton Show)
And we are honored to have aboard the big train the
most exciting and influential performer in the business
today, a man who is truly a legend in his own time.
Since the start of his career in the 50s he has been
on an incredible run of hits with no errors. As he
joins us to do his latest single on the King label
entitled "Soul Power" backed by his new band
The J.B.s and the talented vocalist Bobby Byrd,
a rousing welcome, gang, for the Godfather
of Funk, the one and only-- James Brown!
"Soul Power Pt. 1" - James Brown
(Mar./Apr. 1971, highest chart pos. #29 Hot 100/#3 R&B)
And we now flash back to the day we welcomed aboard
the train a young band of brothers from Gary, Indiana.
The Jackson 5, as they called themselves, were fast
becoming the hottest act on Motown's talent roster.
They appeared on our stage to do a song that soared
to #1 on the pop chart, spent 4 weeks atop the R&B
chart, made Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest
Songs of All Time, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's
500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, and was
inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Let's return now to that exciting day in our studio with-- The Jackson 5!
"I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5
(Jan. 1970, highest cht. pos. #1 Hot 100, /#1 R&B,
from Dec. 1969 album Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5)
from Dec. 1969 album Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5)
START PLAYING VIDEO
AT 37 SEC. MARK!
That does it for this special Old Gold flashback
edition of Shady Train. We hope you'll be back
to jam with us again next week when we open
another six pack and throw in an extra cool
one for good measure, and you can bet
your last money... it's all gonna be a
stone gas, honey. I'm Don Cornelius,
and as always in parting, we wish
you love... peace... and soul!
Thanx for another great show, friend Shady … I'm listening to
ReplyDeleteSunny 94 - LacombeOnline.com … smiles … Love, cat.
Hi, cat!
DeleteThanks for being the early bird this time around, dear friend!
I'm glad you enjoyed the lineup of Motown artists doing some of their solid gold hits, plus a dash of James Brown, Bobby Byrd and the J.B.s. with "Soul Power."
While listening to Sunny 94 remember to keep your other ear tuned to SPMM Radio here at Shady's Place.
Thanks again for your visit and comment, dear friend cat, and enjoy the rest of your week!
It's still odd that Dancing in the Street was later redone by Van Halen. Now that's quite the music genre shift!
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteYou narrowly missed being the early bird this week, but I am nevertheless happy to see you, good buddy. Thanks for coming!
"It starts with a great song," I always say, and "Dancing In The Street" is a great song, one of the Motown record company's signature songs, and a song that invites cover versions. Here is a rare instance in which the original by the black artist charted higher than subsequent versions recorded by white acts in the U.S. and UK including the cover by Van Halen that you mentioned and another 80s cover - a duet by David Bowie & Mick Jagger.
Thanks again for joining me today, good buddy Alex!
Yes sir!! I can always count on the Shady Train to bring us some great music! I enjoyed this installment. :D
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteThank you for popping in, dear friend!
I was hoping I could reel you in with these old school soul songs in this special edition of Shady Train. (No Peaches & Herb this time, but maybe someday. :) Fortunately more and more of these nicely restored vintage performance clips have been showing up on YouTube in recent years, making posts like this one possible. The downside is that YouTubers keep having their accounts suspended for one reason or another, and vids like these tend to disappear soon after they are uploaded. I am keeping my fingers crossed that these seven remain in place at least five more days while this post is running.
I am always happy to entertain you, dear friend Kelly. Thanks again for stopping by!
Old Gold Soul Power is right, Shady! It's a commodity that keeps on giving and rocking!
ReplyDeleteMotown will live forever in my lifetime. I loved the Supremes video "Baby Love". My sister and I were always in awe of the cool hairstyles Diana Ross and the other girl groups would come up with. I have to tell you, I totally love Martha and The Vandellas-especially "Dancing in The Streets". This girl group possesses a lot more "umpf" and "power" than The Supremes did. They weren't afraid to 'shake it up'! And, I have also heard the covers by Van Halen and David and Mick. I like watching the video that David and Mick did of the song. But as you say, Martha and The Vandellas rule that song.
Oh, James Brown, "The King of Soul"! Ain't it the truth! What a cool video of him and Bobby Byrd "Soul Power". It looks like James remained a little tamed during this number, but he commanded the stage and audience. James' stage presence was his own...he made his own moves, and captivated us with his snappy voice and dancing! James really felt his lyrics, and we believed him! He is truly missed.
"The Same Old Song" did rank way up there, didn't it! It was played a lot on the radio. The Four Tops were underrated, although I realize the competition was so stiff during those times.
Everything you presented today, Don, and "Shady Train Conductor" is above board, and top notch. You can't beat Little Stevie Wonder-what a class act! He is so talented, and has succeeded in this industry since he was a child! I salute Stevie and his accomplishments!
As tragic as the story goes, Michael Jackson, and his brothers, The Jackson 5, were superb entertainers, who gave it their best! This is a great video of the brothers performing "I Want You Back".
No...I didn't leave out Marvin Gaye! Saved the best for last! How did you guys know I would come to life with this number! "Can I Get A Witness"...OMG! What a song back in the day! This is one of those songs, where the dance floor crowds up, and the guys are singing along as they dance. I loved singing along with Marvin, and today-I didn't miss a beat! This was the best!
Good job, Don and Shady! Very well presented, and enjoyed! Hope you're having a cool week. We're hanging on in the mid 40s today, with not much sun. But, the air is fresh and feels good. Take care, dear friend, Shady, see you next time!♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thank you very much for coming by for another ride on the Shady Train!
I thought you might get a lot of enjoyment out of this song set. Motown girl groups went to finishing school and it showed in their lavish gowns, perfect hairdos and makeup, and the way they carried themselves. Everything was just so.
That Martha And The Vandellas video is a wonderful find because it syncs their singing of "Dancing in The Street" to multiple TV performances of the hit, giving us a look at the various costumes they wore and the different venues, TV shows and audiences. It's an exciting song that is made even more so by the archive film and tape footage and the imaginative editing. I agree that The Vandellas packed more of a punch than The Supremes, but that was by design. The Supremes were intended to please middle class white audiences and Berry Gordy didn't want them to perform in a way that might intimidate or put-off that large segment of the record buying public. The strategy must have worked, because The Supremes topped all the other girl groups. The Marvelettes and The Velvelettes are two other fine Motown girl groups who were left "standing in the shadows" of diva Diana Ross and The Supremes.
The clip of James Brown's performance is another creative piece that uses special effects but allows us to see enough closeups of James and Bobby to follow the song. James Brown's recordings were great, but they were made even greater thanks to "hype man" Bobby Byrd whose call and response exchanges with Brown elevated their R&B/funk recordings to world class status. With a voice and style like his, Bobby could have been a solo star in his own right.
I was also very happy to find that beautiful color clip of the Four Tops performing on The Lloyd Thaxton Show. As I was telling Kelly (above) vids like these did not exist on YouTube until a couple of years ago, and they are of such high quality that they make posts like this one possible.
The Marvin Gaye performance of "Witness" on Hollywood A Go-Go is a joy to behold, isn't it? Look over Marvin's shoulder and "witness" the expression of sheer glee on the face of that Gazzarri girl (the go-go dancer), which I believe in this case is Mimi Machu. Her excitement and joy are genuine, and it brings back the mood and attitude of that time period so well. It's hard to explain what we had to someone who was "born too late," but it was very special.
Your Texas temp is in the mid 40s? You're experiencing a tropical heat wave compared to much of the country! :)
Thank you again for your kind visit and your usual excellent comments, dear friend Suzanne. You know how much I appreciate them. Take care, give Scootie a hug, and enjoy the rest of your week!
I know and like every single song on this post!!!! In college I was a waitress and I also became a manager for the same restaurant chain. We had jukeboxes at each location and it was filled with all Motown and older songs. No current songs were added during that time. Can I get a witness was one of those songs that stick out every time I hear it and takes me back to the restaurant days! That song and No sugar tonight ( Guess Who) and I heard it through the grapevine was played over and over.
ReplyDeleteHi, Holli-berry!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks a lot for stopping in to ride the big train on its 11th hip trip back through soul music history.
I love those retro style eateries that have nostalgic decorations and play old gold favorites on the jukebox. Over here we have (or had) one such restaurant called Chevy's. Instead of dining around regular tables, customers sat on bench seats in the front ends of Chevy automobiles. It was fun to go there. As I recall, the Hooters franchise also plays oldies on a jukebox, or at least they did years ago when I went there. In fact, it surprises me how many places still play 60s oldies for diners or shoppers, including the supermarket and the farmers market I go to along with the local Goodwill store. I'm delighted that this post triggered memories of your years working for a restaurant chain with oldies on the jukebox, and that Marvin Gaye's song "Can I Get A Witness" jumped out at you. It surprises me that "Can I Get A Witness" didn't perform better on the charts. When "Witness" was released, Marvin was putting together a sting of hit singles that included "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow," Hitch Hike" and his biggest hit to date, "Pride And Joy" which went top 10 on the pop chart and top 3 on the R&B side. "Can I Get A Witness," with The Supremes on backing vocals, began its chart ascent October 19, 1963. the record only reached #22 on the pop chart and #15 on the R&B chart, and I think I know why. It was just starting to build momentum when JFK was assassinated, a traumatic event that disrupted music radio shows, distracted American record buyers and derailed many great singles that were riding the chart at the time.
Thank you again for coming over and sharing your memories with us, dear friend Holli. Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
Great show this week! I'm a fan of all of the artists, though I confess I may be hearing the Marvin Gaye and James Brown songs for the very first time (I have either a Best of or Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits CD at home. I'm going to have to check to see if that song's on it.) On the Jackson 5 video, I'm curious as to why it says Jermaine in big letters. Was there a fear (one that soon became fully realized) that Michael might become the main attraction?
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for joining the party, good buddy! I'm delighted to know you enjoyed riding the Shady Train all the way back to the 60s and experiencing live (lip sync) performances by these legends of soul and R&B.
If you have Marvin's Greatest Hits it should include "Witness." If not, it is probably for the reason I discussed with Holli (above). That single under-performed, missing the top 20 on the pop chart and falling short of the top 10 on the R&B survey. Regarded today as a Marvin Gaye classic, the song didn't become the hit it deserved to be possibly because of the Kennedy assassination.
I found an answer for you as to why Jermaine's name is visible in giant letters behind the Jacksons as they performed on Soul Train. The clip is from a 1972 Soul Train episode. Jermaine was set to become the first of the brothers to launch a solo career. His eponymous solo album Jermaine was being released around that time and Soul Train was helping him promote it. Nobody knew that Michael was poised to become the huge breakout star of the family act eclipsing Jermaine's accomplishments.
Thank you again for coming by and for your excellent comment, good buddy Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
All of my favourites in one place! You had me jamming, which is keeping me warm in this frigid weather. Thanks for the wonderful show this week and keeping us readers who live in the frigid temps warm.
ReplyDeleteHave a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks for swinging by to ride the big train!
This post is indeed chock full of soul classics. I was fortunate to find clean HQ audio and clear video of these vintage performances of the 60s. I hope they keep you boogieing (and producing body heat) for the next five days or until your bitter cold snap finally breaks up there. I am thinking about you guys!
Thanks again for your visit and comment, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady!
DeleteThe weather is supposed to break on Monday, right as I'm going ice skating. Can't do it this weekend as I am dogsitting tonight and for part of tomorrow. I don't want to be anywhere out and about tomorrow with the Super Bowl.
I sure wish they could play Soul Train as we skate... that would be the best. Maybe for Summerfest with rollerskating I could tweet a suggestion. Whenever I think of the 70s, I think of roller disco. :) Would be awesome to resurrect it!
Have a great weekend, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI'm with you, dear friend. I don't want to be out and about on Super Bowl Sunday. It's risky business. I hope your dogsitting is going well and that you hit the rink Monday and have fun. If they take requests you should suggest some of the tunes you hear at Shady's Place. :) I remember the era of roller disco but never went to one of those venues because my ankles are too weak to skate.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI went food shopping at 8:30 AM and it was nice - no one was in the store. As dad said as he was dropping me back off at my aunt's, "yeah, everyone is either asleep or at a religious service. If you would have went later, it would have been a madhouse." Sandy and I are enjoying the warmth of the house, and enjoying the snow from the distance! She can't wait until my aunt and uncle come home, though.
I'm thinking of calling out from work tomorrow. I'm already taking a half day, but my manager wants to have a department meeting about the future of our department. I'm really debating it; I have to leave at 11 AM tomorrow, it was pre-approved, but sometimes I get anxious about my manager holding me back. I paid for the luncheon and I don't think she would, but I am very anxious about this meeting.
Unfortunately, the River Rink or Rothman Rink doesn't take requests, BUT if I go back to the indoor ice skating rink in the near future, on Fridays they do take requests. I think I might. :) I'm not sure when I'll be going back - taking Lyft back and forth to Oaks is expensive, but I do plan on it in the spring.
Enjoy your Sunday. I hope you enjoy the Super Bowl, dear friend. ;)
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI always go to the local supermarket between 7 and 8 am when there are hardly any shoppers in the place. It is such a pleasure to zip right through the checkout without waiting in long lines.
During my years in television I never liked department meetings. There were a million other places I'd rather be and a million other things I'd rather be doing. I urge you to show up regardless and remind your manager that you need to leave at the predetermined time because you have other appointments.
Isn't there public transit you could take to get close to that indoor rink?
Happy Super Sunday to you, dear friend JM!
These songs are so amazing! Thank you again for sharing these tunes, Shady. Always a pleasure to stop by your blog to see what's going on.
ReplyDeletewww.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com
Hi, Gina!
DeleteIt's great to see you again, my friend. Thanks for stopping by!
I'm glad you enjoyed this lineup of soul/R&B legends and their classic songs of the 60s and early 70s, records that rode the charts many years before you were born.
Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend Gina, and have a wonderful weekend!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteI loved all of those old Soul Train hits. My favorite song was, “I want you back”! That hit was the first 45 record I ever bought! I listen to it over and over when I was 9! ( I really thought I was going to marry Michael!)
I also loved watching Soul Train throughout my teen years. I tried to emulate the dancers,” try” is the key word!
Thanks for bringing these Motown hits back to jog our memories!
Hi, Toni!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks for riding the Shady Train and savoring the sounds of Motown yesteryear plus the sweaty southern R&B funk of JB and the J.B.'s.
How about that old clip of the Jackson 5 on Soul Train before Michael became a superstar?
You wrote:
<< I really thought I was going to marry Michael! >>
Me too! :) Negatory, I was hung up on Shelley Fabares.
The Soul Train gang were the slickest dancers on television. I didn't even try to perform those def moves.
I'm delighted that you enjoyed flashing back to your childhood when these classic soul and R&B songs were popular. Thanks again for coming, dear friend Toni. Keep warm and have a super Super Bowl weekend!
Such great flashback fun! I remember them all and Dancing in the Street reminds me of a Summer where the school in our neighborhood did have Summer night dancing and it was outdoors. So I guess that did mean Chicago was dancing in the streets! Seeing the Jacksons so young and just singing their hearts out. It makes me sad to know what happened to Michael and that family over the years. Fame isn't for the weak. So now I have to remark on the hair, clothes, and dancing...ha! All were BIG! Did I ever mention that Jack had a fro that was 44in. around? All 6'4 with BIG hair, bellbottoms, and a white guy to boot! Hit of Bowling Green University I bet...I didn't know him then. (Although you get a bit of it if you've seen my blog posts with our wedding pic in it in the past!) It's finally warmer up here and I might even say sort of Spring like with temps in the 40's and possibly 50's in the next week. Hope you're having a great weekend down south. Thanks for sending some sunshine up here and making me smile and sing along with this post!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThank you very much for coming to the soul party, dear friend! Can you believe that this is already the 11th ride of the Shady Train?
I knew you'd relate to the Motown classics in this post, the music, the dancing and the clothing and hair styles. It must have felt great to actually dance in the streets of Chi-town at night when you were in school. I remember doing that once when they held an outdoor "jammy" on the college campus. Yessum, it is sad to remember what happened to Michael Jackson. It is also sad to recall the difficult final years of Soul Train host Don Cornelius who committed suicide in 2012. Wiki explains: << An autopsy found that Cornelius had been suffering from seizures during the last 15 years of his life, a complication of a 21-hour brain operation he underwent in 1982 to correct a congenital deformity in his cerebral arteries. He admitted that he was never quite the same after that surgery, and it was a factor in his decision to retire from hosting Soul Train in 1993. >>
Yessum, I remember you posting that picture of Jack and his large afro. Seeing is believing. :) I think you should encourage him to grow it back in 2019! :)
I'm glad the Groundhog predicted an early spring and appears to be spot on with his forecast. You're going to have a lot of melting snow and puddles to deal with in the days ahead so be careful up there. We finally switched from heating back to air conditioning last evening - a sign of early spring in Florida. :)
Thank you again for your kind visit and for sharing memories with us, dear friend YaYa. Enjoy your Sunday and the week ahead!
Hi Shady!
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific line-up of chart-topping tunes! Nearly all were on the lips and detectable in the quiet hum of just about everyone I knew at the time. I was actually somewhat shocked to realize that even adults enjoyed “My Cherie Amor” and for the longest time, I was convinced the Supremes had invented the angelic sound of a Sunday choir. “I Hear a Symphony” only furthered that belief.
It was delightful to watch the Jacksons, along with the boy (MJ) who would be (the second) King ;-) Funny, I don’t remember much about the first one, other than a few movies.
And who could resist “Dancing in the Streets”? I always thought the idea itself was one everybody should engage in.
“Same Old Song” has always been a favorite. It reminds me of letters from home during my first out-of-town adventure. Having never seen the Four Tops’ video before, I was surprised at the contrast in styles compared to others of the era.
Another all-around great show, dear Shady! Sorry I’m so late; January is such a ‘taxing’ month ;-)
Hi, diedre!
DeleteThank you very much for swinging over to ride the big train back to the 60s and early 70s, dear friend. I am very happy to see you!
I'm delighted to know these old soul songs resonate with you. As you might have noticed in my caption, Stevie's "My Cherie Amour" peaked in the summer of 1969. In my case the song brings back a specific memory of painting a barn. I was working for a construction contractor during summer break from college. When I wasn't busy digging ditches or steam cleaning heavy equipment like graders and backhoes, the boss had me doing odd jobs for him which included mowing his lawn and painting his barn. I took my transistor radio to work with me, attached it to the tall ladder and listened to the top 40 tunes as I painted. "My Cherie Amour" played often during the weeks I spent on that task.
I was thrilled to discover that brilliantly restored clip of the Four Tops performing on The Lloyd Thaxton Show. The Tops were prolific and terrific.
Once again I thank you for your cheery visit and wonderful comments, dear friend diedre. I hope you had a great weekend and I wish you more of the same in the coming week!
Oh man, this was fabulous! I actually started reading and listening to your post several days ago and thought I'd be able to do the whole thing before the dogs arose. I was all the way through Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" when they woke up. I'm sure they were digging the Golden Soul sounds they were hearing in their sleep & wanted to get up and groove too. Anyway, just now getting back to it today. Now that I've finished it, I wish it were longer! I started from the top and was thrilled to once again be treated to The Supremes' "Baby Love", Martha & the Vandellas "Dancing in the Street" and one of my very favorite Motown artists, Marvin Gaye.
ReplyDelete[Side note: not sure if I shared this with you before but back when I was doing my jewelry shows, there was always that time in the mornings during setup, that long and grueling process, when it was kind of quiet while all the vendors were concentrating on getting their tables set up. I'd be stressing as the clock kept ticking while I still faced a massive amount of jewelry and displays to put out. What made it go better and what calmed my stress was grabbing my phone and start playing Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits from my playlist. Suddenly the mood would shift in the room, creating a groove that made everyone start smiling, singing and dancing around their tables. :) He had quite an effect on folks. Oh how I Love me some Marvin!]
Your choice of music videos is always fabulous and these were awesome. I loved seeing the Four Tops before they all started wearing their matching costumes. Seeing the young James Brown perform: Now that was cool! And I always marvel at watching Michael Jackson in his youth, the little brother performing front and center of his big brothers. He always had that showmanship gift, from the very beginning. It's so cool to watch.
Thanks for bringing these uber-cool "Old Gold Soul Power" gems to us Tom. This is probably my favorite of all the series you do here at Shady's Place.
PS: I thought of you the other day and wanted to drop what I was doing and run to email you to see if you have heard of the new series about to start on BET, "American Soul". It's the story of Don Cornelius and Soul Train! It starts this Tuesday I believe. It will be on BET and BET-Her. Set your DVR!
All the best,
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, Michele!
DeleteIt's wonderful to see you, dear friend! Thanks for riding the Shady Train on its 11th hip trip through soul music history.
It's exciting to think that your hounds might dig classic Motown and southern fried R&B as much as we do. You told a great story about Marvin Gaye's greatest hits putting you and the other jewelry show vendors in a great mood as you set up your displays. That's the power of good music. It changes moods and attitudes, brings people together and gets them on the same groove line.
I will always remember the day Marvin Gaye was murdered. It was April 1, 1984, April Fools' Day. One week earlier I had moved from Pennsylvania to Florida and started a new job at the second television station. April 1 was a Sunday afternoon. I working at the station producing the 6 pm newscast. Suddenly the bells tolled. Five dings came from the AP and UPI wire service machines in the newsroom. I raced over to them and read the news flash in horror. Marvin was shot to death by his own father. I was hoping it was an April Fools' prank but it was true. Marvin's life was cut short one day before his 45th birthday.
I was lucky to find seven vintage soul song performances with high quality synced sound and video quality ranging from acceptably clear to excellent. I am thrilled to learn that Shady Train is perhaps your favorite regular feature here at Shady's Place. That's good to know because there are at least 39 more volumes (train rides) remaining. Please stay tuned.
Yessum, I just learned about American Soul on BET. Our mutual friend Cathy at CAAC recently emailed me and told me about the 10-part series. I watched the trailer. The actor who plays Don Cornelius doesn't remind me very much of the real Don, but I am interested to learn the back story of how Don fought for Soul Train and the toll it took on his relationships. The music and costumes alone will make the series worth watching, I believe.
Thank you again for coming by and for your usual fantastic comments, dear friend Michele. I hope things are trending better on your side of the screen and that you will take care of yourself, your mother and your hounds. I hope to see you again soon. Have a splendid week!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous funky Motown party you got going on here with some excellent classics from the 60s & early 70s. In this line up, there were only two unfamiliar tunes in the bunch by Marvin Gaye and James Brown. The Jackson 5 bring back some fond memories from a simpler time. Oh how young MJ looked and sounded in 1970. He was a huge entertainment magnet throughout his career. It's such ashame that he died when he did. I enjoyed the mewsic of yesterday hosted by Don Cornelius. I think it's really interesting that I sent you that article on him over the weekend. I hadn no clue you did another 'Soul Train' installment. :) Have a boogietastic week, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks so much for dropping in, dear friend. I am excited to see you!
Given how young you are, I am pleased that you remember five of these seven songs of the 60s and early 70s. Other readers have mentioned not being familiar with this particular Marvin Gaye song. Regarded today as one of Marvin's finest recordings, "Witness" slipped through the cracks at the time of its release and under-performed on the chart, probably because the country was plunged into despair by the assassination of John F. Kennedy a few weeks after Marvin's single hit the street.
Yessum, it is a terrible shame that Michael Jackson died young, and equally tragic that Don Cornelius took his own life. Thanks for telling me about the new BET series that takes us behind the scenes to learn how Don developed Soul Train into the black version of American Bandstand and his personal and professional struggles along the way. As you might have noticed, our friend Michele (above) is also eager to watch the new show.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Cathy. I wish you boogietastic week as well! :)
Although I'm late to the Shady party, I have some thoughts about this post that I'd like to share. I could comment about all of these songs and artists, because in spite of my background, I not only recognized them. I, like other readers, enjoyed the flashback to the time they were recorded and where I was at the time. Even I could keep the infectious beat and sing along to the addictive melodies!
ReplyDeleteMy main thoughts however, are centered on history and art, and a larger picture that encompasses our own time. To me, current themes that grew out of the time that produced this great music need to be revisited in a positive context.
There's a lot of talk and disagreement lately about cultural appropriation. When I watched the kids of all colors dancing so exuberantly in these videos (and imagined Dell rats doing the same...), I thought it amazing and not a little ironic. During the height of the contentious civil rights movement in the United States, neither white NOR black teens, individual artists and their music producers had problems relating to, embracing, and sharing of black "soul", which was by definition a celebration of Afro American culture. By recognizing its value and making it mainstream, its influence spread far beyond its origins to around the world, and was picked up and built upon by other musicians, giving rise to scores of new musical genres.
Don't you think there's a magnificent lesson here about how all art and music can neutralize hate? Soul music was birthed in classic gospel and blues, often an outpouring of the anguish of generations of poverty and disenfranchisement, and the determination to persevere against huge odds to rise above it all. How wonderful that it blended seamlessly in a climate of such widespread hostility! I smile when I realize that soul music became popular with descendants of the very culture that enabled it, at the same time when such vitriol and hatred flared in so many quarters!
This is Black History Month, and your collection of music videos bring real joy to me this morning, Tom. While enjoying watching and listening to each song so much, I kept thinking of something Martin Luther King Jr. said: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Wouldn't it be absolutely transformative and miraculous if people were "dancing in the streets around the world" because of the love for this music and its ability to touch ALL our SOULs, transcending all barriers?!
Hi, Kathleen!
DeleteI am pleasantly surprised to see you, dear friend. Thank you very much for coming over to ride the Shady (Soul) Train with me and with your neighbors across the country and around the world. The Shady Train is a Friendship Train, a Love Train. No matter where you are, it is coming to your town!
First of all, I am delighted to learn that you like and remember these classic soul and R&B songs even though your focus was on classical music when they were on the chart.
"Good music knows no race. Good music knows no color," says Jerry Blavat, The Geator with the Heater, and generations of Dell rats "second that emotion." Motown in particular worked hard to win over white Americans with music made by its roster of black singers, songwriters, musicians and producers, but just look at the phenomenal popularity of James Brown whose music was totally different from that of The Motown Sound. Millions of white radio listeners and record buyers embraced Brown's style of gritty, sweaty R&B funk. Dell rats dug the slick, polished, sophisticated, lushly orchestrated soul sounds coming out of Detroit, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia, but they also craved the "blacker" sounds coming from southern R&B meccas like Memphis, Muscle Shoals and New Orleans. In addition, the Rodentia Intelligentsia supported white "blue-eyed soul" acts that drew inspiration from black artists and, in a respectful and authentic manner, covered their songs and recorded original material that was true to the genre. These artists include The Magnificent Men, The Righteous Brothers, The Walker Brothers, Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels, The Young Rascals, The Soul Survivors, Vanilla Fudge and The Box Tops.
Gospel songs, with a few words changed and set to a dance beat, crossed over to secular and became popular soul songs. Traditional urban and rural blues songs given a modern arrangement became R&B hits and British blues rock standards recorded by bands like The Rolling Stones, The Animals and Led Zeppelin.
"I'd like to teach the world to sing (and dance) in perfect harmony." I believe, as do you, that we can all come together through music and art. I am convinced that the main thing that keeps people apart with an imaginary wedge driven between them, is the impression by people in both camps that they are not invited to the other guy's party and would not be welcome. When you feel excluded, not invited, and believe you are not welcome, you resent the other guy and those associated with him, the ones that are invited. We can overcome this. We can flip the script if we all go out of our way to invite people to our party. Seek out and identify people with whom you have the least in common, not the most in common. Invite them into your life. Get to know them. Learn about their lives and what has shaped them. Take a genuine interest in that which interests them. Make them feel at home and show them a good time. Many of us are doing this through blogging. I operate from the assumption that everyone I meet is a friend. It takes a lot for them to prove otherwise. In this new normal of hypersensitivity and zero tolerance we must become a little more tolerant again or we will never heal. A little effort can go a long way, and if more and more of us adopt this philosophy of inviting everyone, all kinds of people, to our party, we can turn things around here in America and around the world. There is no "us and them." There is only us.
"Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." - John F. Kennedy
Thank you again for visiting and for sharing your thoughts so eloquently as you always do, dear friend Kathleen. I appreciate you setting aside time to do it. Have a wonderful week!
Sorry for not visiting earlier but I had some difficulties the last 2 weeks, well, 3 actually. I love all these songs and know them well. Eternally youthful and before scandal and other issues hit many of these artists. It's so nice to see Michael Jackson as a young kid before he became a pedifile (Yes, I believe he was one but I also believe he was childlike and needed help) and screwed up his face. Ahh, let's just enjoy the great music
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteThank you for coming to ride the train, dear friend! I'm glad you enjoyed the songs and vintage performances of these soul and R&B titans.
Have a great weekend, dear friend BB!