The Motown Sound

Motown came out of Detroit, "the Motor City". This was "crossover" music, black music that appealed to white audiences. It came from the tradition of spirituals, blues and jazz, but the music was more upbeat, happier, and more "pop". Many famous groups came out of Motown, including The Supremes (and Diana Ross), The Jackson 5 (and Michael and Janet Jackson), Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and Stevie Wonder. Motown was a classic sound that many people still enjoy today.

Here is Diana Ross and the Supremes singing "I Hear a Symphony". This was a live recording and Diana made a mistake at the beginning of the song.



You've given me a true love
And every day I thank you, love
For a feeling that's so new
So inviting, so exciting

Whenever you're near, I hear a symphony
A tender melody
Pulling me closer, closer to your arms
Then suddenly (I hear a symphony)
Ooh, your lips are touching mine
A feeling so divine
Till I leave the past behind

I'm lost in a world
Made for you and me

Whenever you're near, I hear a symphony
Play sweet and tenderly
Every time your lips meet mine, now, baby, baby, baby
You bring much joy within
Don't let this feeling end
Let it go on and on and on, now, baby, baby, baby
Those tears that fill my eyes
I cry not for myself
But for those who've never felt the joy we felt (baby)

Whenever you're near, I hear a symphony
Each time you speak to me
I hear a tender rhapsody of love now, baby, baby
As you stand holding me
Whispering how much you care
A thousand violins fill the air, now, baby, baby
Don't let this moment end
Keep standing close to me
Ooh, so close to me, baby, baby, baby, baby
I hear a symphony


Here is The Jackson 5 with little Michael Jackson singing the lead.



You went to school to learn girl
Things you never, never knew before
Like "I" before "E" except after "C"
And why 2 plus 2 makes 4
Now, now, now
I'm gonna teach you
Teach you, teach you
All about love girl
All about love
Sit yourself down, take a seat
All you gotta do is repeat after me

A B C
It's easy as, 1 2 3
As simple as, do re mi
A B C, 1 2 3
Baby, you and me girl
A B C
It's easy as, 1 2 3
As simple as, do re mi
A B C, 1 2 3
Baby, you and me girl

Come on and love me just a little bit
Come on and love me just a little bit
I'm gonna teach you how to sing it out
Come on, come on, come on
Let me tell you what it's all about
Reading, writing, arithmatic
Are the branches of the learning tree
But without the roots of love everyday girl
Your education ain't complete
Tea-Tea-Teacher's gonna show you
(She's gonna show you)
How to get an "A" (na-na-na-naaaaaa)
How to spell "me", "you", add the two
Listen to me, baby
That's all you got to do

Oh, A B C
It's easy as, 1 2 3
As simple as, do re mi
A B C, 1 2 3
Baby, you and me girl
A B C it's easy,
It's like counting up to 3
Sing a simple melody
That's how easy love can be
That's how easy love can be
Sing a simple melody
1 2 3 baby
You and me

Sit down girl,
I think I love ya'
No, get up girl
Show me what you can do
Shake it, shake it baby, come on now
Shake it, shake it baby, oooh, oooh
Shake it, shake it baby, yeah
1 2 3 baby, oooh oooh
A B C baby, ah, ah
Do re mi baby, wow
That's how easy love can be
A B C it's easy
It's like counting up to 3
Sing a simple melody
That's how easy love can be
I'm gonna teach you
How to sing it out
Come-a, come-a, come-a
Let me show you what's it's all about
A B C it's easy
It's like counting up to 3
Sing a simple melody
That's how easy love can be

I'm gonna teach you
How to sing it out
Sing it out, sing it out
Sing it, sing it
A B C it's easy
It's like counting up to 3
Sing a simple melody
That's how easy love can be

Here are The Temptations singing "I Wish It Would Rain" - a good song for us in California with our drought (and rain).



Sunshine, blue sky, please go away,
My girl has found another, and gone away
With her went my future, my life is filled with gloom,
So day after day, I stay locked up in my room

I know to you it might sound strange,
But I wish it would rain (oh how I wish that it would rain)
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah

Hurt so badly
I wanna go outside (such a lovely day)
Everyone knows that a man ain't supposed to cry
Listen, I got to cry, cuz crying, just,
Eaaessee the pain, oh yeah
To the world outside my tears, I refuse to explain
I just wish it would rain (oh how i wish that it would rain)
Oh let it rain, rain, rain, rain (oh how i wish that it would rain)
Ooooooh baby
Let it rain (rain, rain)
Oh yeah, let it rain

Day in day out, my tear stained face
Pressed against my window pane
My eyes search the skies, well, desperately for rain
Cause rain drops will hide my teardrops and no one will ever know
That I'm crying (crying) crying (crying)
When I go outside

To the world outside my tears I refuse to explain,
I wish it would rain (oh how I wish that it would rain)
Rain, rain, rain (oh how I wish that it would rain)
ooooh baby

Let it rain
I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes
Yeah, You know I'm a man, I ain't got no pride,
Til it rains, I'm gonna stay inside,
Let it rain, Let it rain
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Oh how I wish that it would rain...

Here is Martha and the Vandellas singing "Dancing in the Street" - when black riots started to break out in cities like Detroit, Philadelphia and San Francisco, radio stations were told they could not play this song. The government thought that the song was telling black people to go out into the streets and riot. There was no secret message intended. This song was just about dancing and having fun.



Callin' out around the world
Are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer's here and the time is right
For dancin' in the streets

They're dancin' in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
Up in New York City

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the streets

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grab a girl
Everywhere around the world

There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the street

This is an invitation across the nation
A chance for the folks to meet
There'll be laughin' and singin' and music swingin'
And dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, PA
(Philadelphia, PA)
Baltimore and DC now
(Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah, don't forget the Motor City
(Can't forget the Motor City)

All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playin'
And dancin' in the street, yeah

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear
Just as long as you are there
So come on, every guy grasp a girl
Everywhere around the world

There'll be dancin'
They're dancin' in the streets

Philadelphia, PA
(Philadelphia, PA)
Baltimore and DC now
(Baltimore and DC now)
Yeah, don't forget the Motor City
(Can't forget the Motor City)

All the way down in LA, California
Not to mention Halifax, Nova Scotia, Manchester
Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia

Read more: Martha And The Vandellas - Dancing In The Streets Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Playing for Change

Here is something uplifting for you to enjoy. Playing for Change is an organization that unites musicians around the world. They use the money they make from selling albums and concert tickets to build music schools in poor countries. This song is not in English, but I think you can still understand the power of music. You can look at their website http://www.playingforchange.org for more music.

Why I Sing the Blues

Here is blues legend BB King singing " Why I Sing the Blues" in a superstar spectacular jam session with Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Albert King, Phil Collins, Dr John, Etta James, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Paul Butterfield and Billy Ocean.



Here is a recorded version:



Everybody wants to know
Why I sing the blues
Yes, I say everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
I really have paid my dues

When I first got the blues
They brought me over on a ship
Men were standing over me
And a lot more with a whip
And everybody wanna know
Why I sing the blues
Well, I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid my dues

I've laid in a ghetto flat
Cold and numb
I heard the rats tell the bedbugs
To give the roaches some
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long time
People, I've paid my dues

I stood in line
Down at the County Hall
I heard a man say, "We're gonna build
Some new apartments for y'all"
And everybody wanna know
Yes, they wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
Yes, I've been around a long, long time
Yes, I've really, really paid my dues

Now I'm gonna play Lucille.

My kid's gonna grow up
Gonna grow up to be a fool
'Cause they ain't got no more room
No more room for him in school
And everybody wanna know
Everybody wanna know
Why I'm singing the blues
I say I've been around a long time
Yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, you know the company told me
Guess you're born to lose
Everybody around me, people
It seems like everybody got the blues
But I had 'em a long time
I've really, really paid my dues
You know I ain't ashamed of it, people
I just love to sing my blues

I walk through the cities, people
On my bare feet
I had a fill of catfish and chitterlings
Up and down Beale Street
You know I'm singing the blues
Yes, I really
I just have to sing my blues
I've been around a long time
People, I've really, really paid my dues

Now Father Time is catching up with me
Gone is my youth
I look in the mirror everyday
And let it tell me the truth
I'm singing the blues
Mm, I just have to sing the blues
I've been around a long time
Yes, yes, I've really paid some dues

Yeah, they told me everything
Would be better out in the country
Everything was fine
I caught me a bus uptown, baby
And every people, all the people
Got the same trouble as mine
I got the blues, huh huh
I say I've been around a long time
I've really paid some dues

One more time, fellows!

Blind man on the corner
Begging for a dime
The rollers come and caught him
And throw him in the jail for a crime
I got the blues
Mm, I'm singing my blues
I've been around a long time
Mm, I've really paid some dues

Can we do just one more?

Oh I thought I'd go down to the welfare
To get myself some grits and stuff
But a lady stand up and she said
"You haven't been around long enough"
That's why I got the blues
Mm, the blues
I say, I've been around a long time
I've really, really paid my dues

Fellows, tell them one more time.

Ha, ha, ha. That's all right, fellows.
Yeah!

Oh Happy Day from Sister Act 2

This is a very inspiring Gospel song that was performed in the movie, Sister Act 2. It starred Whoopie Goldberg and Lauryn Hill. Parts of this movie were filmed at Civic Center Campus! Watch the movie, you will see the outside of our building!

Follow the Drinking Gourd

This is an example of a "Negro Spiritual" that was actually a road map to freedom. The song gives clear directions to slaves who wanted to escape.

Sweet Honey in the Rock - Wade in the Water

Here is a very well known Negro Spiritual - "Wade in the Water". The message for slaves was to walk in the river so that the dogs would not be able to follow their scent if they ran away. Slave owners did not understand the secret message.

Here is another version of "Wade in the Water" with a very nice slideshow showing some illustrations of slavery. Music was something that helped people ease the pain.



At the end of the slideshow is a quote by Frederick Douglass "The thing worse than rebellion is the thing that causes rebellion". What do you think he meant?

Swing Low Sweet Chariot

This version is sung by Etta James



Chorus:
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Comin' for to carry me home;
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Comin' for to carry me home.

1.
I looked over Jordan,
And what did I see,
Comin' for to carry me home,
A band of angels comin' after me,
Comin' for to carry me home.

(Chorus)

2.
If you get there before I do,
Comin' for to carry me home,
Tell all my friends I'm a comin' too,
Comin' for to carry me home.

(Chorus)

3.
I'm on the upward heavenly way,
Comin' for to carry me home,
Since Jesus washed my sins away,
Comin' for to carry me home.

(Chorus)

Repeat

Coming for to carry me....

Here is Beyonce from the film "The Fighting Temptations" singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot



Here are the Plantation Singers, an a capella group from South Carolina.