I already mentioned that Berry Gordy, Jr., founded Motown Record Company in 1959, after discovering that writing hit songs will not guarantee making a living in music. So Motown was born, in a nod to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan, known as the Motor City for the auto industry that was at the core of the area. Gordy was making music with a strong stable of writers and talent, with the Motown label, as well as the other companies under the umbrella, like the Tamla label.
So I happened across a list of the top-selling Motown hits, and I decided to feature the songs released from 1959 to 1975, a period I consider the 'classic' years of the record company. The list is from Billboard magazine, and is an amazing collection of talent. The #5 song on the list was written by The Corporation, made up of Berry Gordy, Jr., Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell and Deke Richards. It was also the second single for a young family group, as well as their second #1 song. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Randy and Michael were first discovered by Gladys Knight, who recommended Gordy sign them, but Gordy was hesitant to sign young boys. Later, when Gordy saw a videotape of the boys performing, he decided to sign them, and it wasn't long before he was grooming the Jackson 5 to be the next big thing from Motown. The second single from the family act is the #5 best-selling single for Motown, "ABC", as it was debuted on 'American Bandstand' in 1970.
In the #4 position, we have the last entry from the ladies many consider the most successful 'girl group' of all time. In 1968, Diana Ross & the Supremes had a huge hit with "Love Child". But it wasn't the Supremes everyone knew. While it was still Diana Ross and Mary Wilson, in 1967 Florence Ballard was let go, and Cindy Birdsong was brought on. (Many see this rift as the core for the Broadway musical 'Dreamgirls') by Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1968. But right after the change, the sales fell off. So Gordy got together with the team called The Clan; R. Dean Taylor, Frank Wilson, Pam Sawyer, Deke Richards, and Henry Cosby. Out of this came "Love Child, which spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968.
It is hard for me to imagine a song that is more sultry, and more suggestive than the #3 entry on the list. In a song written by performer Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend, "Let's Get It On" went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, and #1 on the Billboard Soul chart for an amazing 8 weeks. Marvin certainly put the finishing touches on his reputation for being a sexual icon with the 1973 song released on the Tamla label.
For the #2 song on the list, we will have to return to the boys from Gary, Indiana. The Jackson 5 were already on a roll, having the first three singles top the Pop charts. But with "I'll Be There", they changed things up by offering a beautiful ballad instead of the frothy bubblegum Pop they had previously offered. The song, written by Berry Gordy, Bob West, Willie Hutch, and Hal Davis, went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for five weeks. This made the Jackson 5 the first group of African American males to have four consecutive #1 Pop hits. The lead vocals were shared by Michael and his brother Jermaine.
And finally, after a long wait, we find out what was the best-selling song of the Motown classic years. It only seems right we return to one of the great talents already on the list. In his second appearance on the list, and his second in the top 3, we have Marvin Gaye and the amazing "I Heard It Through The Grapevine". The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966 for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, but was rejected by Berry Gordy, Jr., who thought it wasn't strong enough. Whitfield and Strong worked on it more, and had Gaye record it in 1967, only to have Gordy once again veto the release. With a few more touches, it was recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, and went to #2 on the Billboard Pop chart. So Whitfield returned to the studio with Marvin, and produced the song that became the biggest selling single for Motown Record Company between 1959 and 1975. This was released the year following Gladys' version, and was on top of the charts for seven straight weeks, from December 1968 to January 1969. This is Marvin Gaye singing his best-selling hit on the Tamla label, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine".
So there you have it, folks. Hope you enjoyed visiting all these great songs!
What do Haley Reinhart, Casey James, Danny Gokey, Syesha Mercado, Melinda Doolittle, Elliott Yamin, Vonzell Solomon, Jasmine Trias, Kimberly Locke, and Nikki McKibbin all have in common? They all left American Idol just shy of the goal, making it to the final night of competition, and getting the chance to be the person called the American Idol. At some point in their respective years, most were considered frontrunners, and a couple were thought to have a chance to bring the title home. Some were seen as underdogs, but yet stayed in to fight with their talent, wanting to win. This season, who will want it more, and put down the performance that assures them a spot in the final? Guess we will have to watch and see.
The American Idol Top 3; Clockwise: Madcon; Mariah Carey; Bob Seger; Mary J. Blige; Matchbox 20; John Lennon; Etta James; Aerosmith; and the Jackson 5.
On Top 3 night at American Idol, the formula has stayed somewhat consistent over the years. The contestants get to choose a song themselves, the judges pick one for them, and the record executive, these days Jimmy Iovine, picks a song for each contestant. One was never sure how this would play out, for there were song choices by judges and executives that were at best confusing, and at worse seemed like sabotage. What will it be tonight? Can Randy, Jennifer, and Steven be trusted to choose the song that will work best for each singer? After weeks of complaining about song choices, can Jimmy I put his money where his mouth is? Will each contestant pick a new song, or will they just rerun a favorite they've already offered? After all the introductions, it is time to find out. We are reminded the remaining three went on trips to their hometowns, but no time to dawdle, for Randy, Jennifer and Steven are finding their way to the desk, and Crusty finds the spotlight..."This is American Idol." We are reminded the final performance show will be next Tuesday, and the results on Wednesday night, but first, we must find out who will be competing. After the first break, Joshua will be the first to take the stage. Randy was there to chose for the preacher's son, and had him sing "I'd Rather Go Blind," with music by Ellington Jordan, who gave it to Etta James when she visited Jordan in prison. She later wrote the lyrics, but gave credit to Billy Foster for tax purposes - wink wink. This is better than many of his performances for me, with a nice dramatic arc to the song. But the use of the old-fashioned microphone and the 44-year-old song just emphasized the anachronism that is Joshua. Will he be able to sing something more current? I don't know. Not surprising, the judges loved him, and gave him a standing ovation. They thought he sings this style so well. After Jennifer and Steven tell him he is wonderful, Randy mentions his hope that Joshua can bring his old-school stylings to modern R&B, which he feels is ailing. Ah, he is the savior for R&B. Stand back, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys, Randy is sending Joshua to save the day! Soon Jennifer is telling us that she thought of the perfect choice for Jessica, who will sing "My All," written by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff, performed by Mariah.
This is a lovely performance, but not much more for me. It is an odd song choice for a 16-year-old girl, and showed the amazing breath control of Carey, which Jessica wished she had about three quarters through. She gave it a lovely, sweet and ethereal treatment to a song that is about very real emotions. Randy starts it off by telling us that was the best a Mariah Carey song has ever been sung on television. Jennifer panicked when she heard Jessica struggle a bit, just realizing the song was hard - think you might have figured that out before assigning it to the 16-year-old? And Steven, well, he predicts Jessica will win. Wow. Speaking of Steven, he tells us he wants to hear Phillip sing the melody of a song again, so he picked "Beggin'" originally a hit in 1967 for The Four Seasons, featuring Frankie Valli. But Steven mentioned the cover by Madcon.
Pretty much right away, Phillip blows off the melody Steven wanted him to sing, and puts the song through the P2 processor. The song becomes a growl and a grind, with little to do with the original, like much of what he has delivered this season. The man with the gray on gray t-shirt and shirt blew them off completely, and the judges loved him for it. The audience loved him, too. When asked by Crusty who took the first round, Randy thought Joshua a hair ahead, while Jennifer thought it was Phillip, but Steven loved melody-challenged P2, but thought Jessica has the voice of an angel. To mark the beginning of the next round, we get some footage of Joshua returning home to Louisiana. People want to hug him, get his autograph, and have him kiss their babies. It is funny, for he seems to have a tough time processing the attention. But he still goes to church in a stretch limo.... But it is time for the contestant's choice, and he sings "Imagine," written and performed by John Lennon.
Well, this was interesting for me. There were some nice parts to the rendition, showing a sweet spot in his voice. There were a couple of times when he just exploded on the song, making for awkward transitions, a few "wet" catches in his voice. Of course, the judges loved it, with Steven suggested it was brought by a touch of God, and Jennifer thought it almost preaching. Randy thought it was very special. After a break, we visit Chula Vista, California, the home of Jessica. Her journey begins with a helicopter, and landing in the stadium she auditioned for the show. Soon she is on the radio, and there is a a huge crowd cheering for her. But she heads home, to see the family, and is quickly surrounded by fans at the local high school, and to the cheering members of the US Navy. Back on the stage, she is about to sing "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing," written by Diane Warren and performed by Aerosmith.
This must be odd, with Steven Tyler as a judge. It is interesting, for it certainly isn't as muscular as the Aerosmith version, but it does have touching moments. She is greeted by a standing ovation from Steven, and he tells her he loved it. Jennifer also loved it, and thought the final note was heavenly. Randy loved it too, and I am shocked we have yet to be put though any random verbal hand grenades. After we suffer through yet another Steven Tyler Burger King commercial, we visit Leesburg, Georgia, home of Phillip and the pawn shop he worked in. First thing I noticed is that Phillip is wearing a muted brown shirt, not gray! He seems surprisingly cool with the attention of the masses, and is seen wearing a purple t-shirt, and then a blue one. There is a beautiful moment with his Dad, and security pushing girls away... Back on the stage, we find out he will be singing "Disease," written by Rob Thomas and Mick Jagger (of Rolling Stones fame), and performed by Matchbox 20.
This is a nice acoustic arrangement, but even the laid-back version is swallowing his vocals. It totally lacked the sexy charge of the original. For the record, he once again muddles the distinctive melody of the original song, putting it through that processor that is P2. I thought this ended up being a bit on the anemic side, just a pale performance. Jennifer thought it was was okay, and Steven agreed with her. To make a totally strange moment, Randy agreed, although making a production of it. Well, with that over with, it is time for the picks made by Jimmy Iovine, the man in charge of Interscope Records, the home of the Idol winner. For the final performance by Joshua tonight, he picked "No More Drama," using samples from a soap opera theme song, and performed by Mary J Blige.
While I am not minding the opening of the song, the sudden and constant bouncing is distracting. Soon, he is peeling off the jacket, and tossing it aside. Not long after, I lost the song in the performance, a problem I have repeatedly had with Joshua. Mary J sang a song about the distractions of detours of life, and Joshua took it to the same place he goes with every song. I didn't feel the build, it seemed to be a leap over the moon from a stand still. Of course, the judges loved it, and thought it was going to church, laying it all out there. You know, the same thing they say every week. Jimmy I gives a thumbs up, and we can move forward again. Back in Chula Vista, we see Jessica get a text message, and find out Jimmy I picked "I'll Be There," was written by Motown's Berry Gordy, Bob West, Willie Hutch, and Hal Davis, and performed by the Jackson 5.
Jimmy thinks this can help her relate to the cougars in the audience, and still keep a youthful feel. I think this could be the best choice of the night, and Jimmy I should be commended. Jessica does a great job with it, and it was fantastic to not feel uncomfortable about her youth. She sounded beautiful, showing her beautiful tone. Steven loved it, as did Jennifer. However, Randy thought it was just okay, and would rather she took on the Mariah version, rather than one more true to Jessica. I have to wonder if Randy has any daughters... For the final song of the evening, Jimmy I selects "We've Got Tonight," written and performed by Bob Seger. This should be a good choice for Phillip, as it doesn't have a huge range, and allows for a lot of character in the voice. Jimmy I also hopes that Phillip will stick to the melody of the song, something he is hesitant to do. Well, what do you know, he is keeping with the original melody, and with just he and the piano, it is lovely. Soon he is joined by the orchestra, and it starts to spin wheels for me. The reedy and paper-thin quality of his voice is evident, and I was saddened. However, at the end of the song, he is greeted by at standing ovation by the judges, and all the stupid sayings that he has tortured us with for years. Jennifer let her hormones show, and Steven cursed as he said it didn't matter if the notes were hit or not, he sang the melody. Off key. Oh well. During the recap, I am reminded that this show has been about the boys in the last few years, so I suspect it will be Phillip and Joshua in the finals, no matter what the performances were tonight, for Jessica is missing the vital equipment. Even the judges seem to cheer off-key performances over the in-tune ones. As I had feared, the judges should not be trusted to pick songs ever again. I think Jimmy was good with 2 out of 3, better than the 0 for 3 of the judges. Tune in Thursday night at 8PM to your local Fox station for the results, or check back in to this blog to see who will be singing in the finals next week.
Clockwise: the Jackson 5; Redbone; Barbra Streisand; Terry Jacks; Love Unlimited Orchestra.
When I think back to 1974, I have to admit, it is a time that is a bit of a blur for me. As everyone I knew were coming into their own, and really discovering themselves. I spent much of my teenage years running away from myself, trying to ignore what I was feeling, and what I was thinking. I turned 14 that year, and while I tried to convince myself and others that I was feeling nothing, no sexual urges or waves of attraction, we all know that was not true. But it was 1974, and there were few positive images of gay people around, and certainly none in Smyrna, Delaware. So I remained "in hiding" and surrounded myself with music. One of the things I dealt with all this was my going to things like dances at the local VFW with a group of friends. And that year, we certainly couldn't escape the wonderful sound of The Jackson 5, who had the #5 song of 1974 with Dancing Machine. The song was just about the ultimate dance song, and had great vocals by Michael and Jermaine.
The #4 song had the most interesting back story, for it was written by Lolly Vasquez, a member of the band Redbone. He was Native American, as were the other members of the band. To the best of my thinking, they were the first Native American rock band to be successful. And they most certainly were, as Come and Get Your Love was the fourth-ranked song on the Billboard charts for the year.
Love Unlimited Orchestra had an interesting story of their own. It was a 40 piece orchestra brought together to back up the R&B vocals of a trio of women, and the bandleader/frontman, Barry White. He was also responsible for writing much of the music they performed. And in 1974, the song they were playing was the #3 song of the year, Love's Theme. It was off the Rhapsody In White album, and was playing non-stop on the radio.
In what seemed to be a year rife with songs with interesting stories behind them, the next might just take the cake. This song was an adaptation of the song Le Moribond by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel, some consider the greatest troubadour of the twentieth century. With new lyrics written in English by American singer-poet Rod McKuen, it became a huge hit for Canadian Terry Jacks. Here he is performing the #2 song of 1974, Seasons In The Sun.
As one could only expect, I was, and continue to be, a huge fan of Barbra Streisand. I had fallen for her voice years before after listening to her albums with my sister Kathy. By this time, I had loved the albums Barbra Joan Streisand, Stoney End, What About Today?, and had begun collecting her early recordings as well. I also remember listen to the Live Concert At The Forum, and the thrill of hearing the live audience respond. So it was no surprise that I was all over the #1 song on the Billboard charts for 1974. The Way We Were was not only a great song, but it was the theme for a great movie, which had the iconic pairing of Barbra with the astoundingly handsome Robert Redford. The song was written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch. It won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Song for the year. Here is Barbra singing The Way We Were.
You can find all these songs on iTunes and Amazon. And they are all well-worth the price to enrich your collection.
Rachel stops by the school to pick up her homework, and runs into Quinn, who tells Rachel she plans to get MS. Corcoran fired, and announces when she tells everyone about it, she will get Beth back. Rachel argues with her, and asks her to think more about her daughter, and less about herself. Rachel meets up with Finn, who decides they need to get Sam back if they are to have a chance at Sectionals. Kurt is having a time as he thinks he and Rachel are both doomed to be baristas for life, not able to get into NYADA. Soon Warbler Sebastian comes up to flirt with Blaine, and to irk Kurt. He announces to Kurt he plans on stealing his man. Rachel and Fin find Sam dancing in a strip club as White Chocolate, as apparently all the seniors at Ohio and Kentucky are 18 at the beginning of the year. Rachel goes up to Sam, tips him a buck, and makes an appointment to talk after the show. Finn and Rachel ask him about coming back, but he needs to talk to his parents. They, of course, allow him to do it, despite the fact they will miss him greatly. Back in the chorus room, the kids are getting together. They fear they will not get the chance to perform, even though the competition is at McKinley High. Then Sam comes in, and is greeted by Santana with a list of barbs. They hug, and Sam sings his first song of the season. He brings a bit of country when he sings Toby Keith's Red Solo Cup.
The boys of New Directions are dancing, struggling to figure out what they will do. Quinn talks to Sam about resuming their relationship, but Sam wants nothing to do with it. Sam wants to add some sexy moves, from his time as White Chocolate. Tina and Mike have a fight when he asks about him applying to dance schools. He has already applied to Stanford, to the pre-med program. They fight. Sam finds Mercedes, and talks to her. Yes, he heard about her boyfriend, by he wants her back! Finn follows Blaine to the gym, and apologizes to him, saying his jealousy made him not treat him right. But he wants to win, and without Rachel around, Blaine is the most talented member. He hopes they can all work together. Tina goes to talk to Mr. Chang, and bring him a tape of Mike dancing in West Side Story. Of course, Mr. Chang wants nothing to do with any of it. As the New Directions get ready for competition, The Troubletones stop by and offer to work together once they win the competition. The New Directions are insulted, and Quinn smacks back at Ms. Corcoran,hinting she knows about her relationship with Puck. The first act of sectionals goes on. The Unitards are up, and they sing Buenos Aires from Evita, starring Patti LuPone.
They are good, and everyone is frightened. Rachel follows Quinn in the hallway. She tells Quinn to beware of telling about Ms. Corcoran, and doing something she might regret. Rachel knows what that is like. Quinn goes to Ms. Corcoran, and spills about her the plan to tell Principle Figgins about her relationship with Puck. Shelby tells her to enjoy her youth while The Troubletones are up next, and Santana and Mercedes sing a mash-up of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive.
and Destiny's Child's Survivor...
It is not surprising that the girls kill it on stage. It is time for the New Directions to take to the stage and Tina leads with The Jackson 5's ABC.
At the beginning of the song, Mr. Chang comes to see the performance. Mike sees him in the audience, and is overjoyed. The song ends, and the kids perform Janet Jackson's Control. It starts with Quinn talking about talking control of her life, directed at Ms. Corcoran.
And Finn follows that up taking the lead along side Blaine, Sam, Artie and Puck. They sing Michael Jackson's Man In The Mirror.
Of course, they get a standing ovation at the end of the performance, including from Mr. Chang. He actually smiled! Mike seems so proud. Puck gives Quinn a big hug, and Finn and Blaine fist-bump. Everyone is excited back in the chorus room. Mr. Chang tells Mike he must follow his dreams, and and he will support his son. Mike is so happy, but has missed the deadlines to apply to dance schools. But Tina already applied for him. Then it is time to find out the results. Third place goes to the Unitards. Second goes to the Troubletones, meaning the New Directions win!
Quinn sees Rachel in the Principal's office, and thanks her for stopping Quinn from making a big mistake. Quinn knows she doesn't want to grow up quite yet, and might want to apply to Yale Drama School. Rachel offers to help with the application. They are kinds friends, after all. Maybe she could help her with a few other things. Quinn goes to see Brittany, Santana, and Mercedes, to see if they will rejoin the New Directions. Mercedes isn't good with that idea, not ready to take a back seat again. But Quinn negotiates a deal, and soon the girls are singing with the kids in the chorus room. They join together on a joyous version of We are Young, originally performed by Fun featuring Janelle Monae.
Next week, Christmas will come early for the kids!
One of the things I love about writing this blog, and in my life in general, is when I happen across an artist who is new to me, and just wanna smack myself for not finding their music earlier. Such was the case with Nhojj, the talented and soulful singer/songwriter takes the vibe of great soul and R&B music, and places his own personal twist on it to set it apart. The out performer might bring in reggae and tribal beats to color the music, but it is his sweet and honest voice that makes the music soar. Of course, his stunning good looks and disarming smile don't hurt, either.
But I first came across Nhojj when I saw a release for his song The Gay Warrior Song, and found it intriguing and special. It drove me to iTunes, where I downloaded the song, followed shortly by his album, Love Songs. But first, here is my initial contact with the man's music, videoed at Indianapolis Gay Pride.
The album was sleek, sexy and strong, and made me want to curl up on my sofa with someone special. For the moment, however, a nice warm cup of tea will have to do. I can't tell you how happy I was that Nhojj agreed to be a part of the holiday series! And in case I didn't already think the man was charming and sweet, he opened up his end of the interview with "Thank you so much for all the love and support - you are the best!" This kinda sealed the deal for me... But, back to the burning questions of the season, like what is the holiday music Nhojj likes to listen to? "I love Someday at Christmas by Jackson 5," was his answer, and I found that brought a warmth to my heart, too.
So I had to ask if he had a favorite holiday song to perform? "This Christmas by Donny Hathaway," came back with no hesitation. Not that I can blame him, cause it is a great song by a remarkable artist.
With 2011 just over a week away, what are his hopes for the New Year? "To get more in touch with my creative, spiritual self," he answered. Well, I certainly don't know Nhojj well enough to disagree, but it seems to me that after listening to his music, the man is fairly centered and seems remarkably in touch his his self.
Time for the iPod question, one of my favorites. Exactly what is Nhojj's favorite song/music from 2010? "Whip my Hair by Willow Smith..." he said, laughing. "I loved that it was fun and affirming."
Musically speaking, what is he looking forward to in 2011? "Becoming a better guitarist," he answered, much to my surprise. After all, this is not a newcomer, by any means. Nhojj is already and award-winning artist, picking up Best R&B Song at the OutMusic Awards for 2009 for the remarkable Love. The music video for Love was also nominated for Video of the Year in 2010 by OutMusic, a true tribute to the man's talent. Check out the video.
For more about Nhojj, stop by his official website here. You can also check out his music on iTunes, including the album Love Songs, by clicking here.
