Showing posts with label supremes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label supremes. Show all posts

January 12, 2009

Motown at 50: An American Musical Institution

Today, 50 years ago, one of the greatest musical labels ever was born. In so many ways, Motown has no peer. It's story is fascinating, and it is ongoing. And the tale continues far beyond the race and heritage perspective. The legends endure, and the artists and musicians associated with it have a right to be justifiably proud of their acheivements.

 Instead of rehashing the story, go here to the source: Motown's official site. As for this blog, I'll let the numbers prove my point.

The Supremes: Twelve Number One Songs
Classics Hits include You Can't Hurry Love; Someday We'll Be Together; Where Did Our Love Go; Stop! In the Name of Love
Diana Ross: Six Number One Songs
Classic Hits include Ain't No Mountain High Enough; Love Hangover; Theme from "Mahogany"
Odds and Ends: "The Bodyguard" movie was originally planned for Diana Ross and Ryan O'Neil.

The Temptations: Four Number One Songs
Classic Hits include My Girl; Just My Imagination; Papa Was a Rolling Stone; The Way You Do the Things You Do
Odds and Ends: The classic Frank Sinatra hit "Night and Day" is one of the Temptations best love songs. Much better than the original.

Stevie Wonder: Nine Number One Hits
Classic Hits include Superstition; Sir Duke;You are the Sunshine of My Life; I Wish; My Cherie Amour; Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Odds and Ends: Prime album cuts- "Knocks Me Off My Feet". Best remake of his song: Peter Frampton, covering "Signed Sealed Delivered"

The Miracles (and Smokey Robinson): Two Number One Hits
Classic Hits include Shop Around; Tracks of My Tears; I Second That Emotion; Tears of a Clown; Ooo Baby Baby
Odds and Ends: Best Overlooked album- "Smoke Signals"; prolific songwriter

 Four Tops: Two Number One Hits
Classic Hits include I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch);Bernadette; Reach Out (I'll BeThere); It's the Same Old Song; Standing in the Shadows of Love

 Gladys Knight and the Pips: One Number One Hit
Classic Hits include Neither One of Us; I Heard It Through the Grapevine; If I Were Your Woman; If Loving You is Wrong

 Commodores: Two Number One Hits
Classic Hits include Brick House; Three Times a Lady; Still

 Lionel Ritchie: Five Number One Hits
Classic Hits include Truly; All Night Long; Hello

 Jackson5: Four Number One Hits
Classic Hits include Never Can Say Goodbye; I'll Be There; ABC; I Want You Back
Marvin Gaye: Three Number One Hits
Classic Hits include I Heard It Through the Grapevine; Let's Get It On; How Sweet It Is to be Loved By You; What's Going On; Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

Various Artists and Songs You Know By Heart: Mary Wells (My Guy); Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (Dancing in the Streets, Jimmy Mack, Heatwave); Rare Earth (I Just Want to Celebrate); Contours (Do You Love Me?); Marvelettes (Please Mr. Postman, Beechwood 4-5789); Boyz II Men (The End of the Road); Rick James (Superfreak), Edwin Starr (War); Jimmy Ruffin (What Becomes of the Broken Hearted); etc. etc. etc.

 Thank you, Berry Gordy, for creating an American institution! Case closed.
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May 23, 2008

Carpenters: First Offering, Along for the Ride

I've been thinking lately it would be fun to take a fresh look at the musical output of the Carpenters disc by disc. Because the music of Karen and Richard has been woven into so much of my younger life, I will simultaneously share some personal stories as I go. The reminiscing has been pretty fun, sometimes not, and has even resulted in new insights. Here's hoping you enjoy what is ahead as I review each album.

 Early fall of 1970 was the turning point. Living in Southern California, close to the beach and to Disneyland. Still two of my favorite places. Music was always on somewhere, as my parents were teenagers themselves when I was born- and they loved rock and roll. Growing up on rock, pop, and Motown, (which became my favorite after spending summers with my aunts who loved the Supremes and the Temptations), did not prepare me for what was about to happen.

There I was, just sitting on the bus waiting to take off, and this voice came out of the radio, catching my ear and grabbing my heart. It was very soulful in a whole new way than I was used to recognizing. Suddenly, that was all I could hear. What was that song, but more importantly, who was that singing?

As I quickly discovered, the answers were "We've Only Just Begun" and Karen Carpenter of the Carpenters. Fortunately, I lived three blocks from the local record shop, so off I went. The album was mine- and it stayed on my turntable week after week. Months later, while browsing patiently through the store bins, I discovered an earlier recording and heard a whole new Karen and Richard. Surprisingly different.
New and improved cover.

It has often been said this was the record Richard had to make. After more than thirty years of hearing it, I am not sure why. Clearly a product of the times and definitely not a bad record, Ticket to Ride, however, does not draw me in or capture my attention. Nor does it compare favorably to anything that came afterwards. Maybe it is the inherent contradictions that create a sense of lacking. Raw yet polished, contemporary yet old fashioned, biting yet sentimental. The change in title and in cover art, due to the success of the single Close to You, plays with these differences. Offering is fully 60s in presentation, while Ticket feels fresh.

As far as the songs themselves, it is a mixed bag. Covering the Beatles is always risky, but Richard's slow burn arrangement of Ticket to Ride passes the test because of the dramatic new arrangement and a female lead singer. Karen and Richard's love for choral music finds an expression in the songs Invocation and Benediction, providing a touch of class, but some would say stuffiness, to the album. Their jazz combo roots come to light with All I Can Do. Bookending this album and including styles of music began a trend that would continue in later albums and in various ways.

Sailing on the Tide

As songwriters, the original Carpenter/Bettis tunes represent some of the best and worst of their catalogue: All of My Life, in particular, and Someday give the listener a taste of what Karen and Richard (and John) can do, while Eve is forgettable, stung with unfortunate lyrics and an arrangement that seems to drag.
The final result is a product that embraces the contradiction: the album is extremely ambitious but fairly ordinary.


Photo outtakes from the original sessions.

As time passed, bit by bit, I unknowingly became quite a collector of Carpenters' music, newspaper articles, and photographs. Two important items have eluded my collection: the original Offering album, and the holy grail of Carpenters fans, the Karen Carpenter Magic Lamp single. Maybe one day, I'll find them- at a price I can afford.

 As you can see, Ticket wasn't a record I loved, and even now, I seldom play it. But that was ok. My initiation was the Close to You album, and that would be the standard I measured their other albums against. Karen and Richard were young, growing artists, and the best was yet to come. I couldn't wait.
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2021 Note: This is part of a continuing series of posts on the albums of Karen and Richard Carpenter. There are also numerous stand alone posts highlights different aspects of their career, recordings, and life. 

Below is the list of my initial reviews and then my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews a decade later. 

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This is part of a continuing series on the albums of Karen and Richard Carpenter. There are so many stand alone posts highlighting different aspects of their career, recordings, rare photographs, and life that I've lost count. 

Below is the list of my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews and then my initial ones a decade earlier. Each have different photos and clippings.

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