Today I want to wish Stevie Wonder a Happy 75th Birthday! He is a Michigan Hometown Hero as he was born in Saginaw, MI in 1950.
When I went to pick a Stevie Wonder song to feature today, I was overwhelmed. He had so many hits to choose from. I suppose it shouldn’t have been a surprise because he’s been making hit records since he was 13 years old. That is when his song “Fingertips Part II” went all the way to number one!
His hits include: Uptight, Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours, Superstition, Sir Duke, For Once in My Life, You Are the Sunshine of My Life, and so many more. It is no wonder that he is often referred to as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Wonder recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and also wrote and produced songs for many of his label mates and outside artists as well.
Photo Credit: Todocoleccion.net
Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday is a song that was written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells. Ron was known for writing many Motown hit’s in the 60’s and 70’s. (He also wrote another Stevie Wonder hit – For Once In My Life.) The song was originally recorded in 1966 by another Motown artist named Chris Clark. Stevie had recorded it in 1967.
At the time the song was released in 1969, Wonder was going through some vocal problems and was required to wait before recording a song. Due to this, instead of making Wonder record new ones, Motown decided to release songs that he had recorded years earlier. Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday was one of them.
The song reached #7 on the Hot 100 chart in December of 1969. It became his ninth Top Ten record.
The song fits right in with my blog, because the song itself is based in nostalgia. Happy Birthday, Stevie!!!
Charles Edwin Hatcher was born on this day in 1942. You and I know him better as Edwin Starr. He was born in Nashville, moved to Cleveland and eventually to Detroit.
In 1957, he formed the Doo Woo group, the Future Tones. Soon after, he was called to serve in the US Army. He spent most of his time in Europe. When he was discharged, he decided that he wanted his career to be in music.
He joined up with Bill Doggett’s group. Bill was known for his hit Honky Tonk Part 2. Starr’s stage name was suggested to him by Doggett’s manager, as he didn’t think Charles Hatcher would catch on.
In 1965, Edwin made his solo debut with his first single for Ric-Tic Records. The James Bond series was quite popular at the time. Starr’s first single was a play on that entitled Agent Double-O-Soul.
Songfacts says that instead of being a spy, Edwin is “a sophisticated cat that brings soul music to the masses. He doesn’t have to go undercover!” I think that is a perfect description!
When I first started in radio back in 1988, it was at an oldies station. My dad gave me a list of songs that he asked me to look for. Most of them were songs he grew up loving. Many were also big hits by local artists in Detroit. Agent Double-O-Soul was on that list.
Thanks to that list, I was introduced to songs that I was unfamiliar with. Those songs have since become some of my favorites.
When Ric-Tic Records went out of business, they sold Starr’s contract to their much larger rival, Motown. His first few singles there flopped. But in 1969 he scored with “Twenty-Five Miles” and in 1970 he had a #1 hit with”War.” He ended up leaving Motown in the mid-’70s. In 1983 he moved to the UK, where he performed until 2003, when he died of a heart attack at 61.
Welcome to my submission for A Sound Day’s monthly feature – Turntable Talk, hosted by Dave Ruch. This is the 28th installment of this feature and I’ve had the pleasure of writing since for it since the beginning. His topics each month are always something that I look forward to writing about.
This month his instructions were to “unfold the Musical Road Map! The idea is to pick a song with a specific location in its title and write about it. Pick a song you like, even if it’s not a place that is high on your list of dream destinations. It could be a city, a country , a state or province, even some magical mystical place living in the imagination.”
As I thought about this topic, plenty of songs entered my head. The challenge I seem to face every month is to try to pick something that one of the other contributors hasn’t already picked. There were many hits that jumped right out at me (Sweet Home Alabama, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Houston, etc…), so I started thinking about songs that would not be something too popular.
Arrivederci Roma and On An Evening in Roma, both by Dean Martin were the first songs to come to mind. Dean made me think of Frank Sinatra and New York, New York. Frank then got me thinking about Sammy Davis Jr. and I knew that the song I was going to write about would not only be something that the other bloggers wouldn’t pick, but a song that not many people have ever heard before.
Yesterday, the City of Detroit celebrated its 323rd birthday! Back in 1984, Detroit’s Mayor (Coleman Young) reached out to Berry Gordy Jr. of Motown Records to write an anthem for the city. Berry wrote “Hello, Detroit” with Sammy Davis Jr. in mind to record it. When he showed Sammy the song, Gordy says that he “fell in love with it and felt it reflected his feelings on Detroit.”
“Hello, Detroit” is certainly not the best song to come out of Motown, and it wasn’t as big as Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett’s love letters to their respected cities. However, you cannot help but hear the love for the city as Sammy begins to sing:
You’re a fighter, you’re a lover You’re strong and you recover From whatever gets you down
Those words certain have a lot of truth to them. The city of Detroit has really turned around over the past decade or so. Downtown is thriving. Ford Field (Lions) and Comerica Park (Tigers) are right across the street from each other, and from the street you can see that amazing Detroit skyline.
Comerica Park and Ford Field with The Downtown Detroit Skyline in the Background
There is so much more happening in the growing city, but as with any “dated” song, things change.
Hello Detroit, you’ve won my heart Your renaissance, and waterfronts Give you a flare of your own
The Renaissance Center has been a staple for years, but General Motors will move out next year and, looking to the future, CEO Mary Barra doesn’t rule out the demolition of the building. The company announced the move earlier this year — pulling out of the iconic skyline staple after 28 years in the name of downsizing.
Sammy Davis Jr. said, “My home has always been show business” and Detroit was always hospitable. He said that he had “a big history of connecting things with Detroit,” as he often played the Paradise Theater in Detroit early in his career.
Toward the end of his career, he would take the stage at another theater. Sammy was there for the rebirth of the Fox Theater, along with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minelli.
Their five-night stand, complete with a 30-piece orchestra, kicked off a new era for the Fox Theatre. This kind of brought things full circle for Sammy. The Fox originally opened in 1928, and it was the same year a 3-year-old Sammy Davis Jr. performed for the first time.
Sammy performed “Hello, Detroit” on opening night at the Grand Reopening of the Fox Theater. The concert rebroadcast may have been the most dignified three hours of content to air on Showtime in all of 1989.
I remember the first time I heard “Hello, Detroit.” It gave me chills. I wish that I could perfectly sum up in my own words what the song means to me and the many folks who call Michigan home, but every time I wrote something, I wound up deleting it. Why? Because I found something online that truly expresses it better than I ever could. This is copied from lyricslayers.com:
Sammy Davis Jr.’s song ‘Hello Detroit’ is a heartfelt tribute to the city of Detroit, capturing its spirit, resilience, and unique charm. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a city that has faced numerous challenges but continues to thrive and inspire. Davis Jr. describes Detroit as a ‘fighter’ and a ‘lover,’ emphasizing its strength and ability to recover from adversity. This portrayal resonates with the city’s history of economic struggles and its ongoing efforts to reinvent itself.
The song highlights various aspects of Detroit that make it special, from its renaissance and waterfronts to iconic locations like Belle Isle Park and Greektown. These references not only celebrate the city’s physical beauty but also its cultural and social vibrancy. The mention of Detroit’s influence on the young, encouraging them to become ‘stars and champions,’ underscores the city’s role in nurturing talent and ambition, particularly in the realms of music and sports.
Davis Jr.’s repeated affirmations of care and prayer for Detroit reflect a deep emotional connection and a sense of loyalty to the city. The song’s affectionate tone and personal touch make it more than just a tribute; it’s a love letter to a place that has profoundly impacted the artist. The references to ‘Big D,’ ‘Motor City,’ and the ‘Motown sound’ further anchor the song in Detroit’s rich musical heritage, celebrating its contributions to the world of music and its enduring legacy.
‘Hello Detroit’ is a celebration of the city’s indomitable spirit, its cultural richness, and its ability to inspire and uplift. Through his soulful performance, Sammy Davis Jr. captures the essence of Detroit, making listeners feel the same admiration and affection he holds for this remarkable city.
That sums up the song perfectly! It was used in countless promotional ads for television and radio for a few years. Some morning radio shows would play it at the beginning of their shifts every day. Sadly, it faded away and doesn’t get much play any more. That is reason enough for me to feature it here on Turntable Talk.
Hello Detroit
You’re a fighter, you’re a lover You’re strong and you recover From whatever gets you down And there’s so many, many reasons Any time, any season Is the right time to be with you
Hello, Detroit! You’ve won my heart Your renaissance and waterfronts Give you a flair of your own
Irresistible you Hug and kissable you You’re alive with so much feeling And I will always be there for you I will say a little prayer for you And I will always care for you Hello
Hello, Detroit! You’ve touched my soul Thanks for the memories I can reach so Winter, spring, summer and fall You’ve got it all Hello, hello, hello!
Hello, Detroit!
I must go through Belle Isle Park Greet town after dark You’re in still in the young of will To become stars and champions
Hello, my friend! How have you been? It’s every air It’s everywhere The magical touch of you
Irresistible you Hug and kissable you You’re alive with so much feeling And I will always be there for you I will say a little prayer for you And I will always care for you
Hello A big deep The motor city And the Motown song that’s got the whole world singing
And I will always be there for you I will always say a little prayer for you (I will say a little prayer for you) And I will always care for you Hello!
(Hello, Detroit!) (Detroit!)
(Irresistible you) (Hug and kissable you) (You’re alive with so much feeling) (And I will always be there for you) (I will say a little prayer for you) (And I will always care for you) (Hello!)
Hello, Detroit!
Thanks to Dave for allowing me to participate once again! I not only look forward to reading the other contributions, but to next month’s topic.
Today the great singer, songwriter, and producer Ronald Isley celebrates his 83rd birthday. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and like many singers, started singing in the church choir. After he appeared on a TV amateur hour show, he and his brothers decided to move to New York to continue their musical careers.
The Isley Brothers had some success recording some doo-wop songs, but in 1959 they signed with RCA records and released their smash hit “Shout!” They would eventually sign with Motown records, but always felt as though they never got the attention or promotion that other groups on the label received, so the split from Motown and returned to their own label – T-Neck Records, which they started in 1964. This allowed them a lot more control over what they recorded.
In one interview, Ronald Isley says he wrote this song while dropping his daughter off at school one day. He didn’t want to forget the lyrics so he hummed it in his head and rushed straight to his mother’s house to write it out. He sang it for his eldest brother O’Kelly, who thought it to be a hit, so they set up studio time to record it. They were right – it was a hit. It shot straight up to number 2 on the charts (prevented by The Age of Aquarius from hitting number 1).
The song’s success led to some really nasty legal battles. Berry Gordy of Motown Records filed a lawsuit claiming The Isleys were still under contract when they recorded It’s Your Thing. The court case went on for 18 years before a federal judge ruled that The Isley Brothers had recorded it after the Motown contract had lapsed. I have to wonder if Gordy pursued the lawsuit for so long because of the salt that the Isleys rubbed in his open wound. You see, in February of 1970 the Isley Brothers became the first former Motown act to win a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
To me, this song remains one of the “funkiest” songs in history! There are so many great things happening instrumentally in the song, and Ronald’s vocal is fantastic!
Happy Birthday, Mr. Isley!
It’s Your Thing
It’s your thing, do what you wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to It’s your thing, do what you wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to
If you want me to love you, maybe I will Believe me woman, it ain’t no big deal You need love now, just as bad as I do Make’s me no difference now, who you give your thing to
It’s your thing, do what you wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to It’s your thing, do what you wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to
It’s your thing, do what you wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to It’s your thing, do what you wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to
I’m not trying to run your life, I know you wanna do what’s right Give your love now, to whoever you choose How can you lose, with the stuff you use now
It’s your thing, do what you wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to It’s your thing, do what you wanna do Don’t let me tell you, who to sock it to
It’s your thing, I do what I wanna do I can’t tell you, who to sock it to
I’ve played a lot of Motown records in my radio career, and today I want to feature someone who should have been bigger than he was. The great Jimmy Ruffin was born on this day in 1936. I always felt that Jimmy was overshadowed by his younger brother, David Ruffin, who of course was the lead singer for the Temptations.
Jimmy actually sang at Motown records as a session singer in 1961. He was drafted into the army and upon his return to Motown he was offered the chance to join the Temptations to replace singer Elbridge Bryant. As luck would have it, they heard his brother Davis sing and offered him the gig instead.
Jimmy returned to his solo career and didn’t have much success. In 1966, he heard the song “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.” The song was written by William Weatherspoon, Paul Riser, and James Dean (not the actor), who were Motown writers. They had originally intended the song for The Spinners, another Motown group, but Jimmy persuaded them to let him record it instead. It would go on to become his biggest hit!
Some say that the writers wanted to create a song that expressed the pain and sorrow of losing a loved one. However, they said that they were influenced by the soul music of the time, especially by singers like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. The song also reflects the social and political turmoil of the 1960s. At the time the US was involved in the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement was facing a lot of resistance.
The song was recorded in Motown’s Studio A and Jimmy was accompanied by the instrumentation of Motown’s in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers, and the joint backing vocals of Motown session singers the Originals and the Andantes. The Originals were a quartet who backed other Motown singers like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross. The Andantes were a trio of women who often backed The Four Tops, The Supremes and the Temptations.
The song was released on June 3, 1966 as a single on the Soul label, a subsidiary of Motown. It was also included on Jimmy Ruffin’s album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten, which was released in 1967. It was a hit in both the US and the UK, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 6 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, and No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart in 1966.
Jimmy Ruffin continued to record for Motown and had several more hits, but “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” remains forever connected to him and his biggest hit. Jimmy passed away on November 17, 2014, after a long illness at the age of 78. He is remembered as one of the most soulful singers of Motown.
“What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted”
As I walk this land of broken dreams I have visions of many things But happiness is just an illusion Filled with sadness and confusion
What becomes of the broken hearted Who had love that’s now departed I know I’ve got to find Some kind of peace of mind Maybe
The roots of love grow all around But for me they come a tumblin’ down Every day heartaches grow a little stronger I can’t stand this pain much longer
I walk in shadows searching for light Cold and alone, no comfort in sight Hoping and praying for someone to care Always moving and going nowhere
What becomes of the broken hearted Who had love that’s now departed I know I’ve got to find Some kind of peace of mind Help me
I’m searching though I don’t succeed But someone look, there’s a growing need All is lost, there’s no place for beginning All that’s left is an unhappy ending
Now what becomes of the broken hearted Who had love that’s now departed I know I’ve got to find Some kind of peace of mind
I’ll be searching everywhere Just to find someone to care I’ll be looking everyday I know I’m gonna find a way Nothing’s gonna stop me now I’ll find a way somehow I’ll be searching everywhere…
Today is the 80th birthday of Diana Ross! She was born in Detroit, Michigan and naturally is one of the greatest artists to come out of our state! Fun fact: when she was born, she was named Diane, but a spelling error on the paperwork led to Diana.
As a member of the Supremes, they enjoyed amazing success and a dozen number one records, including the song I picked to feature today. What’s the connection between the Supremes the Lee Marvin/Ernest Borgnine movie The Dirty Dozen, and the hit TV series The Brady Bunch? The answer is film and television composer Frank DeVol. He was behind those theme tunes among many others, and joined Holland, Dozier and Holland as the co-writer of the Motown trio’s tenth US pop No.1, “The Happening.”
The song was written for the Anthony Quinn film of the same name. The film flopped, but the song soared to the top of the charts in just 5 weeks! They have the honor of bumping Frank Sinatra out of the top spot (His duet with Nancy, “Something Stupid”). Admittedly, the song is a bit more “peppy” and less “soulful” than many Supreme songs, but I think that’s why I like it so much.
According to Songfacts.com:
This was a milestone song for The Supremes. It was:
1) Their last hit released under the name “The Supremes.” Later in 1967, they became “Diana Ross & the Supremes.” They reverted back to “The Supremes” in 1970 when Ross left the group.
2) The last of their 10 #1 hits written by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team. They left Motown a year later in a dispute over royalties.
3) Their last hit with Florence Ballard, who was fired soon after and replaced with Cindy Birdsong.
For you music lovers who like to hear things a bit differently, I will post two versions of the song. First, from the 20th Century Masters collection:
Now listen to the 2003 remix from “The Number 1’s” collection. What I love about this remix is that the background instruments are much more clear. You hear the playful call and answer between the vocals and the background in an entirely different way. If you can, listen in headphones.
Happy 80th Birthday, Diana Ross!!!
The Happening
Hey, life, look at me I can see the reality ‘Cause when you shook me, took me out of my world I woke up Suddenly I just woke up to the happening When you find that you left the future behind ‘Cause when you got a tender love You don’t take care of Then you better beware of the happening
One day you’re up, then you turn around You find your world is tumbling down It happened to me, and it can happen to you
I was sure, I felt secure Until love took a detour Yeah, riding high on top of the world It happened, suddenly it just happened I saw my dreams fall apart When love walked away from my heart And when you lose that precious love you need To guide you Something happens inside you, the happening
Now I see life for what it is It’s not all dreams, ooh, it’s not all bliss It happened to me and it can happen to you
Once Ooh, and then it happened Ooh, and then it happened Ooh, and then it happened Ooh, and then it happened
Is it real, is it fake Is this game of life a mistake? ‘Cause when I lost the love I thought was mine For certain, suddenly I started hurting I saw the light too late When that fickle finger of fate Yeah, came and broke my pretty balloon I woke up Suddenly I just woke up to the happening
So sure, I felt secure Until love took a detour ‘Cause when you got a tender love you don’t Take care of, then you better beware of the happening
For Tune Tuesday, I thought I would celebrate the 69th birthday of Actor/Singer Bruce Willis. I don’t recall just how I stumbled upon this album, but if I had to guess, it was probably playing in my local record store and it caught my ear.
Despite the album being called the “Return” of Bruno, this is actually Bruce Willis’ debut album. It was released in 1987 on the Motown Label, and it featured some R&B, Blues, and Soul music. It also featured some powerful musical guests like The Temptations, Booker T Jones, and The Pointer Sisters!
The album was released to coincide with an HBO “mockumentary” that followed the career of Bruno Radolini (Bruce Willis). The special was nominated for a CableACE Award for writing. The album received mixed reviews.
The first single from the album was Respect Yourself. Bruce did a duet with June Pointer (and the rest of the Pointer Sisters on background vocals) and the song was a hit. The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The other singles that followed never broke the Top 40.
The song that always stuck out for me was one called Jackpot (Bruno’s Bop). It begins with Willis toying with the band and doing a little question and answer between band and harmonica. When the song finally kicks in, it just takes off running. It’s a driving jump blues tune with cool sax and harmonica interplay and a gravelling vocal by Willis. If anything, the band and Bruce are sure having fun!
Happy Birthday, Bruno … er, Bruce!
Jackpot (Bruno’s Bop)
Grampa always gave me good advice A fine lookin’ woman is like a pair of dice When she flashes her snake eyes You gotta pay the price I’m all grown up, the game is goin’ my way Grampa’s good advice still holds today Hey, when I get frisky I gotta play
Why not? I’m hot Jackpot-tonight!
When you gamble with love, you spin the wheel Cross your fingers, make your best deal What you can’t beg or borrow you gotta steal
Now a gamblin’ man’s gotta make ends meet When the odds get even, they’re tough to beat But tonight I feel it, I’m on a winning streak
It is time once again for another edition of Turntable Talk. This is a feature created by my friend Dave Ruch from the A Sound Day Blog. This is my 18th submission for this feature and it is something I look forward to writing each month.
This time around, Dave took us to the Land of Oz for inspiration. His instructions:
“Pay No Attention to That Man (Or Woman) Behind The Curtain” . Yep the famous phrase about the Wizard of Oz.
We’ve looked at a number of great artists – singers, groups, musicians – and their records. This time we’re switching it up just a little and are going to salute someone “behind the scenes” that was significant to music. All too often people do pay no attention to the people behind the curtain in music that are so important to the albums and groups we love. There are record producers, the record company bosses and talent scouts, the people on radio who used to make the hits happen, even unsung heroes like concert roadies. Pick one you feel is important and maybe a little un-noticed and tell us why!
As a former radio guy, I immediately thought I should write about a well known DJ. There are many of them who played a big part in the music industry. Dick Clark, Casey Kasem, Wolfman Jack and Alan Freed come to mind. However, I decided that I would feature a man who played on some of the biggest hits on the radio, yet until recently was relatively unknown.
40 years ago, James Jamerson passed away at the young age of 47. At the time he passed away, no one really knew who he was, despite being one of the best (if not THE best) bass player of all time! As a matter of fact, he often tops the list of Best Bass Players of all time by numerous publications. It has been said that he single-handedly revolutionized bass playing. I agree. His creative contributions to music certainly makes him a good pick for a “man behind the curtain.”
James Jamerson was born on January 29, 1936 in Charleston, SC. When his parents divorced, his mother moved to Detroit to find work. He would spend time with his aunt, grandmother and cousin. His aunt sung at church while his grandmother and cousin played piano. He spent time listening to gospel, Jazz, and blues music and that influenced his own musical abilities.
In 1954, his mother sent for him and he attended Northwestern High School. In the music room of the high school, he saw a stand up bass lying on the floor. He picked it up and began to play with it. He had “found” his instrument. He began to play at many of the Detroit area blues and jazz clubs.
He began to get noticed and he began playing for dances, weddings, frat parties, and other events. He was quite a local celebrity. It was hard to miss him driving through town with his bass sticking out the window of his car! Because he was still a minor, the good folks at the Detroit Police Dept. gave him a permit so that he could play in clubs that served alcohol. This allowed him to get more work.
Believe it or not, Wayne State University offered him a full ride music scholarship which he turned down! He was playing so often, he figured he was already in the music field, so why would he need to go to college? Instead, after he graduated high school, he joined up with Washboard Willie and the Super Suds of Rhythm (How’s that for a group name?!). It was during this time that he began to drink alcohol (which would eventually lead to his death).
In 1958, someone from the Northern Records label heard him play and asked him to sit in on the session recordings for the label. The unique way he played caught the ear of other labels. He began to work for Fortune, Tri-Phi, Anna Records, and eventually Motown.
He and the Funk Brothers (pianist Earl Van Dyke, drummer Benny Benjamin, and guitarists Robert White and Joe Messina) spent the days recording in the “Snake Pit” (the Basement of Motown Records) and playing at Jazz clubs in the evenings. Jamerson had switched from an upright bass to a brand new creation – the electric Fender Precision Bass.
The switch really made his work stand out. On some songs, he’d play the stand up bass and then double it with the electric. What made his work on the electric so awesome is that he played the electric just like he played the stand up bass – with one finger (which many folks called “the claw”).
While he is known for playing on many of the Motown songs, he also played on Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker, Whispers Getting Louder and Higher and Higher by Jackie Wilson, Agent Double-O-Soul by Edwin Starr, Cool Jerk by the Capitols, Show and Tell by Al Wilson, Boogie Fever by the Sylvers, and so many other hits! What made the Motown stuff so good was he had some free reign to be “James Jamerson.”
Musician magazine interviewed him in 1983 and he stated that the Motown songwriting and productions teams “would give me the chord sheet, but they couldn’t write for me. When they did, it didn’t sound right. When they gave me that chord sheet, I’d look at it, but then start doing what I thought would fit. I’d hear the melody line from the lyrics and build the bass line around that.”
One of the coolest examples of how he listened and did his thing was on two separate recordings of the same song. To help illustrate this, I found some isolated bass lines on YouTube that are fascinating! Jamerson played on Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through the Grapevine – a Motown classic! Check out the soulful line here:
Now check out the same song – and a funkier bass line – on the Gladys Knight Version:
I find it amazing that the same man can take the same song and make them so different.
Speaking of Marvin Gaye, the Funk Brothers shared a story about how Marvin wanted Jamerson to play on What’s Going On. James was out drinking and Marvin went out looking for him. When he found him, he brought him back to the studio. Jamerson was so drunk that he couldn’t even stand up! It was no problem for him, though, he just laid on his back on the floor and played on the track!
Trivia Bit: What’s Going On is the first track that Jamerson is credited on a recording.
It is said that James Jamerson played on almost every Motown song between 1963 and 1968. That would include over 60 songs that hit #15 or better on the charts. He also performed on 23 # 1 songs on the pop charts and 56 #1 songs on the R&B charts! Berry Gordy called him an “incredible improvisor” and said “I, like the other producers, would not do a session unless at least two of the Funk Brothers were present, namely Benny Benjamin and James Jamerson.”
Some of the other Motown songs that feature Jamerson:
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross and the Supremes
Ain’t That Peculiar – Marvin Gaye
Ain’t to Proud to Beg – The Temptations
Baby, I Need Your Loving – The Four Tops
Baby Love – The Supremes
Bernadette _ The Four Tops
Can I Get a Witness – Marvin Gaye
Dancing in the Streets – Martha and the Vandellas
Don’t Mess With Bill – The Marvelettes
Going to a Go Go – Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Home Cooking – Jr. Walker and the All Stars
It Takes Two – Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell
My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
My Girl – The Temptations
Pride and Joy – Marvin Gaye
Reach Out, I’ll Be There – The Four Tops
Shotgun – Jr. Walker and the All Stars
This Old Heart of Mine – The Isley Brothers
Two Lovers – Mary Wells
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted – Jimmy Ruffin
You can also hear him on :
The Theme from S.W.A.T. – Rhythm Heritage
The Theme from Starsky and Hutch
Just Like Romeo and Juliet – The Reflections
Rock the Boat – Hues Corporation
The list of people who were influenced by Jamerson’s playing is almost as long as the list of songs he played on! Saxophone and bass player Wilton Felder called him “The Godfather of the electric bass.”
Suzi Quatro says, “I grew up in Detroit, so I was weaned on James Jamerson and Motown music. It’s in my DNA. He is still the best and I took my style from him. It’s hard to improve on what he did, because you are talking perfection.”
Sir Paul McCartney says, “Jamerson was where I picked up a lot of my bass style. Because bass players normally have to follow: we follow chords, follow the drummer, follow the vocalist, we have a following role. Suddenly the bass had power! We could dictate the direction of the music and add excitement. James Jamerson became just my hero, really.”
James Jamerson Jr. says, “As for his sense of syncopation, that was his God-given gift. I couldn’t even explain that one. I put it like this: My dad liked to dance, so he just danced on the bass. He would occasionally polish his bass, but he’d never touch the gunk that built up on that fingerboard. he told me the ‘dirt keeps the funk’.”
Years of drinking finally caught up with Jamerson. On August 2, 1983, he died of complications from cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure and pneumonia.
He was buried in Detroit’s Woodlawn Cemetery. A few years ago, Jamerson’s cousin saw a picture of his grave site. There was no headstone, only a grass marker. Eventually, the funds were raised and a proper headstone was set in place on August 27, 2021.
In 1989, Jamerson was the subject of a book loaded with great stuff – Standing in the Shadows of Motown. I think you can still get this on Amazon. A documentary of the same name was produced in 2002
He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, and inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2007. Last month, in South Carolina, he was honored when a street was named for him.
It is a shame that it took so long for Jamerson and the Funk Brothers to get the recognition that they deserve.
As I prepared for this piece I found myself on YouTube listening to track after track of Motown stuff and listening with different ears. I focused on that bass line and really was blown away. These are songs I have heard countless times, yet focusing on that bass made them so fresh! As I said, the isolated tracks are an entirely different thing – it is so awesome to hear Jamerson “feel” and “drive” the tunes. It is no wonder that he is ranked the #1 bass player in the business by so many different sources, including Rolling Stone magazine.
Thanks again to Dave for allowing me to be a part of such a cool feature. I have already been impressed by the other blogger’s submissions. I am sure that they love taking part in this feature as much as I do.
Once again, Dave from A Sound Day has asked some of us music lovers to participate in another round of Turntable Talk. This time around was a bit of a challenge for me. Dave’s e-mail stated:
“Put your thinking caps on and go through your stacks of records (or scroll thru that I-pod) and … come up with what you think the best year for music was. A tough call of course, thankfully there have been more than a few good ones! I’m interested in what you pick and don’t worry if yours duplicates someone else’s , you still have your reasons which might be different.” He goes on to say, “I think I have a guess on a couple of years that might come up more than once, but we’ll wait and see.”
This particular blog will be one of the last ones to be featured and I do not know if my year will be or has been featured. I plan on writing this KNOWING that the year I have chosen very well may be one that comes up in another post. Before I tell you the year I picked, let me tell you that I had a very difficult time narrowing it down.
My first thought was to go with 1956/1957 because those years were always so unique. You had the birth of rock and roll mixing with pop standards. When I worked at Honey Radio, I loved doing the Top 12 at 12 show when those years popped up because there was such a big variety in what was played. You could go from Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis to Pat Boone or Nelson Riddle. When I looked at the list of songs, however, were they really the BEST? No.
The same thing can be said for some of the years in the 70’s decades. I looked through many lists and while there were many great songs, there were also a lot of really crappy songs! I just couldn’t really come up with the conviction to pick a year in that decade as the BEST.
One year kept coming up every time I started thinking about it – 1964.
I want you to know before I continue that I was dead set AGAINST 1964 when I read Dave’s e-mail. Why? Well, I felt that it would just be too Beatle heavy and loaded with British Invasion stuff. And it is. On the Top 100 Chart, The Fab Four nabbed 9 spots. 18 spots were held by other British Invasion acts. In total 27% of the Top 100 were British acts. When I really looked at the chart, the more and more I felt like this WAS the year.
1964 really was the year of the Beatles, so let’s discuss them first. They were present almost right from the start as their “Introducing The Beatles” album was released in America on January 10th of that year.
This album preceded Capitol Records “Meet the Beatles” by 10 days and there was a lawsuit surrounding that whole issue. Capitol Records won an injunction and Vee-jay Records was not allowed to put out any more Beatles recordings.
In February of 1964, the Beatles arrived in the US and appeared on Ed Sullivan’s show three times (2/9, 2/16, and 2/23). In March of 64, Billboard magazine stated that the Beatles were responsible for 60% of all single record sales! In a feat that has yet to be matched, on April 4, 1964, the Beatles held the Top 5 spots on the Billboard chart!
A week later, the boys held 14 spots on the Hot 100 Chart! That broke the previous record of 9 spots held by Elvis Presley in 1956.
In May, The Beatles Second Album was released and in July, they would release A Hard Day’s Night in theaters. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” wound up being the #1 song for the whole year of 64 (“She Loves You” was #2) To say that they played a small part in the music of 1964 would be a huge understatement.
Among the other artists that came over from “across the pond” in 64 were Manfred Mann (Do Wah Diddy Diddy), Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas (Little Children and Bad to Me), The Dave Clark Five (Glad All Over, Because, Do You Love Me), Peter and Gordon (A World Without Love), The Animals (House of the Rising Son), The Honeycombs (Have I The Right), Dusty Springfield (Wishin’ and Hopin’), Gerry & The Pacemakers (Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying and How Do You Do It), Chad and Jeremy (A Summer Song), The Kinks (You Really Got Me), and the Searchers (Don’t Throw Your Love Away and Needles and Pins). It is interesting to note that the Rolling Stones debut album was released this year, but no songs appear in the Top 100 for the year.
Once you move away from the British artists, the chart has a nice variety of pop, rock, folk, country, soul, and even a few novelty songs. I think that is what made me ultimately choose this particular year.
It was nice to look over the Top 100 and see Motown represented with some classics. The Supremes hold two of the six Motown songs (Where Did Our Love Go and Baby Love), Motown was female heavy as Mary Wells (My Guy) and Martha and the Vandellas (Dancin’ In The Street) grabbed the next two spots, and the male gender was represented by The Four Tops (Baby I Need Your Loving) and The Temptations (The Way You Do The Things You Do).
While they were not “oldies” at the time, there were some classic songs that are still in hot rotation today on the oldies stations across the country. Roy Orbison had a smash with Pretty Woman in 64, and also had a hit with It’s Over. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons grabbed three of the Top 100 with Rag Doll, Dawn and Ronnie. The Beach Boys only entry in the Top 100 was I Get Around.
1964 brought us classics like The Drifters Under The Boardwalk, Chapel of Love by the Dixie Cups, Suspicion by Terry Stafford, It Hurts to Be In Love from gene Pitney and Come A Little Bit Closer by Jay and the Americans. Johnny Rivers had a hit with Chuck Berry’s Memphis, Bobby Freeman invited us to C’mon and Swim, Detroit’s Reflections offered up Just Like Romeo and Juliet and the Shangri-Las told us the story of the Leader of the Pack.
Car songs were well represented in 64! Ronny and the Daytonas had GTO, while the Rip Chords sang Hey Little Cobra, and the Hondells had Little Honda. Jan and Dean told us the stories of The Little Old Lady from Pasadena and Dead Man’s Curve, while J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers told us the tragic story of a Last Kiss.
Soul music is represented by The Impressions (I’m So Proud and Keep on Pushing), Joe Hinton (Funny How Time Slips Away), The Tams (What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am), Jimmy Hughes (Steal Away) and Nancy Wilson (How Glad Am I). If you throw Blues into the “Soul” mix, the great Tommy Tucker song “Hi Heel Sneakers” was out in 1964.
Instrumentally, Al Hirt had a monster hit with Java, The Ventures had Walk Don’t Run 1964, The Marketts had The Outer Limits, and Robert Maxwell had the incredibly cheesy lounge version of Shangri-la. While novelty songs included Jumpin’ Gene Simmons (Haunted House), The Trashmen (Surfin’ Bird) and Roger Miller (Chug-a-Lug).
While Rock was dominant in 1964, there were still some pop (and even folk) songs that made the Top 100 – one of them, doing the “impossible.” Two of the biggest pop hits of the year couldn’t be more different from each other. The third biggest hit of the year belonged to Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong and his Dixieland hit “Hello, Dolly!” Barbra Streisand (who won Album of the year at the 1964 Grammy Awards) had the 11th biggest hit of the year with “People.”
Pop/Folk was also represented by Gale Garnett (We’ll Sing in the Sunshine), The Ray Charles Singers (Love Me With All Your Heart), Dionne Warwick (Walk On By), Al Martino (I Love You More and More Every Day), and Andy Williams (A Fool Never Learns). But the biggest surprise came from an artist who hadn’t had a top 40 record since 1958!
Dean Martin didn’t care for Rock and Roll. With the British Invasion in full swing, there was very little chance of him ever having another hit. His kids loved the new artists. His son, Dean Paul, loved the Beatles. Dean told his boy, “I’m gonna knock your pallies off the charts!” On August 15, 1964 – he did just that with a song that became his NEW theme song, “Everybody Loves Somebody.” (It replaced That’s Amore as his theme song)
The song knocked the beloved Beatles A Hard Day’s Night out of the number 1 spot! It went on to stay at #1 on the Pop Standards Singles Chart for 8 weeks. It also became the theme to his weekly television show in 1965.
I picked 1964 for a few reasons. Despite my initial worry about it being British act heavy, it was the year that introduced us to the Beatles (who changed the music scene forever!). It is also the year that one act held the top 5 spots on the charts (a record that remains in place). It is also the year that my favorite singer of all time bumped the biggest group in music out of the top spot.
It is also a year that encompasses such a vast variety of music. While there may be better songs that appeared before and after 1964, it truly represents a unique time in history. America was still recovering from the loss of a beloved president, there were still Civil Rights issues, and a war in Vietnam. The music of 1964 was a welcome escape from so many things.
Was it all good? No, and that is true of every year. However, as I look at the 100 biggest songs of the year, there are a lot of great songs that have gone on to become classics. There are so many songs that are still looked at as pivotal in the music scene. The fact that many of these songs are still getting airplay today is a statement to just how good they are.
Thanks again to Dave at a Sound Day for allowing me to be a part of this feature. I can only hope that my contribution is worthy of an invite to participate in the next round.
We have reached the final round of the 2021 Song Draft hosted by Hanspostcard. I want to thank Hans for allowing me to be a part of it, and also thank the other participants who welcomed me into the draft. I have truly enjoyed being a part of this!
Prior to the draft, I made a list of possible song choices. As the draft continued, each round I would look at my list (and at the songs picked by the others) and decide which one would be my next choice. Some of the picks were easy, while others were more difficult. A few of them were spur of the moment picks that weren’t on the original list.
As I looked at that list in preparation for my last pick, I see many artists that I’d love to have featured: Aretha Franklin, The Honeydrippers, Big Joe Turner, Bob Seger, The Go-Go’s, Bill Withers, Johnny Lang, Queen, Buster Brown, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Buddy Guy, Neil Diamond, Mel Torme’ and so many more! I stared at my list for a long time and thought about it. Since I began the draft with a Michigan artist, I should wrap up with a Michigan artist. So my final pick for the draft is – Superstition by Stevie Wonder.
Stevie was born a little over 100 miles north of Detroit in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950. He would forever be associated with Detroit and Motown records. In a 1990 Detroit appearance at Tiger Stadium, Nelson Mandella said, “It is motor town that gave the world a great singer – Steve Wonder!”
In 1963, when he was known as “Little” Stevie Wonder, he had his first #1 song with a cut called Fingertips Part 2. Personally, I could never stand that song. It was in a heavy rotation at the first radio station I worked at, and I found it annoying. It would be 10 years before he received his next #1 song – Superstition.
The song was released on his fifteenth studio album, Talking Book.
Guitarist Jeff Beck was a fan of Stevie’s music and Stevie heard about this just before recording the Talking Book sessions. Though at this point he was playing virtually all of the instruments on his songs by himself, Stevie preferred to let other guitarists play on his records, and he liked the idea of a collaboration with Beck. An agreement was quickly made for Beck to become involved in the sessions that became the Talking Book album, in return for Wonder writing him a song.
According to legend, between the album sessions, Beck came up with the opening drum beat. Stevie told Jeff to keep playing while he improvised over the top of it. He improvised most of the song, including the funky riff. They wound up creating a rough demo of the song that day.
After finishing the song, Wonder decided that he would allow Beck to record “Superstition” as part of their agreement. Originally, the plan was for Beck to release his version of the song first, with his newly formed power trio Beck, Bogert, and Appice. Their album’s release, however, was delayed.
From Songfacts.com: When Stevie turned 21, he was no longer obligated to Motown Records, and used his clout to sign a deal with the label giving him unprecedented control of his music. He got a large share of royalties and publishing rights, and Motown was not allowed to alter the albums once they were delivered. One thing Motown did control, however, were what songs they released as singles. Knowing Jeff Beck was about to record his version, Motown head Berry Gordy made sure this was the first single and released it before Beck could get his out.
This was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, which is where Jimi Hendrix recorded. The studios stayed active after Hendrix’ death, with artists like Miles Davis and Deep Purple also recording there.
At the time, Wonder would keep the studio booked so he could record when inspiration hit. Stevie’s bass player at the time, Scott Edwards, told Songfacts this was not always convenient for his band. “Because he does not have sight, he’s not controlled by daylight,” said Edwards. “So he may begin his night at midnight. Which is bad, because if they want you to come do an overdub or something, he may call you at 4 a.m. and say, ‘Come on in.'”
I always loved the funky feel of this song, and I always played it when I was DJing Halloween parties.
Aside of Jeff Beck’s version, many others have covered this song. None made much of an impact until Stevie Ray Vaughan released a live version as a single in 1986 on his album Live Alive. His version still gets radio airplay today on many Classic Rock stations.
In 1974, the song earned Stevie his first Grammy Award.
Superstition – Lyrics
Very superstitious, Writing’s on the wall, Very superstitious, Ladders bout’ to fall, Thirteen month old baby, Broke the lookin’ glass Seven years of bad luck, The good things in your past
When you believe in things That you don’t understand, Then you suffer, Superstition aint the way
Hey
Very superstitious, Wash your face and hands, Rid me of the problem, Do all that you can, Keep me in a daydream, Keep me goin’ strong, You don’t wanna save me, Sad is the soul
When you believe in things That you don’t understand, Then you suffer, Superstition ain’t the way, Yeh, yeh
Very superstitious, Nothin’ more to say, Very superstitious, The devil’s on his way, Thirteen month old baby, Broke the lookin’ glass, Seven years of bad luck, Good things in your past
When you believe in things That you don’t understand, Then you suffer, Superstition ain’t the way, No, no, no
As a bonus – here is the official video of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s cover….watch for a cool cameo at the end ….
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 