Lecture 14 - Barry Gordy and the Temptations on 2-24-10.docx

Lecture 14 ? Barry Gordy & Motown History of Rock 2/24/2010 From the beginning, Barry Gordy knew what he was doing to make money Motown was the first successful black record company making hits At the peak, 75% of what they put out placed on the charts! Amazing for this to happen The finishing school ? Maxine Powell ? ?the charm school? ? taught people how to walk, talk, and behave Some singers may have grown up poor without proper refinements So they could play at white clubs with white audiences The choreographers who professionally taught them how to dance They hired professional songwriters Holland, Dozier, and Holland (HDH) ? lots of top hits in a 3 year period ? VERY SUCCESSFUL!!! The competition was within Motown Barry Gordy encouraged this competition Don?t write songs that expressed yourself, write songs that are hits The Funk Brothers Group of musicians who were professioinal R&B musicians They could play the music first try and were the backdrop for most of the singers Received no credit ?standing in the shadows of Motown? The sound that Barry Gordy was after ? a ?very formulaic sound? He borrowed the concept of lead singer with several backup singers He deemphasized the gritty sax and bluesy guitar and placed emphasis on keyboard, horn He kept the backbeat ? actually made it HUGE! Made people feel the music with their body They sang about love, NOT SEX Stayed with the safe topics Martha and the vandellas ? ?heat wave? and ?quicksand? If his writers didn?t create a hit, he gave the chance to someone else He was kind of an overbearing person ?My Girl? ? first #1 hit by the Temptation in 1963 David Ruffin ? his ego got way too big ? wanted the name changed to David Ruffin and the Temptations ? he was pushed out of the band at this point This ego was increased because of cocaine Ultimately he dies of drug related causes