I became a bass freak because of James Jamerson’s bassline on The Temptations’ “My Girl.” The first time I really learned to appreciate the glory of the joy of an amazing bassline had absolutely nothing to do with hip hop, dubstep or disco. Sure, my abiding love of Ludacris as a DJ fresh out of college, by present worship of Rusko, and the fact that I listen to A Taste of Honey’s “Boogie Oogie Oogie” on a weekly basis notwithstanding, it all boils down to dropping the needle on a 45 on my grandmother’s record player, and hearing the lone bassline of The Temptations’ massive 1964 hit. I didn’t have a clue of who James Jamerson was and just how amazingly talented he was for about another ten years, but I became a pretty major fan of Motown just based off of basslines alone. That love then extended to legendary songs, singers, songwriters, arrangers and producers, but it all really started with one bassline.
The first time I heard someone really drop a bassline heavy track at U Street Music Hall, I really felt bass again, and it felt just like the first time I heard “My Girl.” Indeed, music can make you go home again. At that point, it became pretty much a life imperative that there be a Motown based Happy Hour there. Of course, this was before the night in May that we proclaimed Michael Jackson is Still Alive, so, after that we can’t forget that the King of Pop turns 52 tomorrow, but this is as much a celebration of Michael as a celebration of Motown.
In 2002, a brilliant documentary was released entitled Standing in the Shadows of Motown
. It discusses the legacy of the Funk Brothers, the Motown studio musicians we’re who played on literally every hit the label had until their LA move in 1972. That’s roughly 94 #1 singles alone. NINETY FOUR. And let’s not forget that the Funk Brothers never played on Jackson Five releases. If they had, the Jackson Five had seven #1’s at Motown, which would have taken the Funk Brothers output to over 100 hit singles. 100 hit singles over a 20 year period. That’s unbelievable, and truly shows the importance of Motown upon the fabric of society and the fabric of life itself, and ultimately the fabric of the universe. Much of what we know as modern music is intrinsically tied to Motown. Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound was cool. I can listen to Fontella Bass and Ronettes records all day and all night. Willie Mitchell’s house band at Hi Records holds a place in my heart for Al Green’s entire career. Booker T and the MGs had hits as well, and when I discovered “Green Onions” and “Hip Hug Her” they became two favorite songs of 1993, even above Wu-Tang’s “C.R.E.A.M.” and Lords of the Underground’s “Funky Child.” But nothing, and I mean NOTHING really compares to Motown.
. It discusses the legacy of the Funk Brothers, the Motown studio musicians we’re who played on literally every hit the label had until their LA move in 1972. That’s roughly 94 #1 singles alone. NINETY FOUR. And let’s not forget that the Funk Brothers never played on Jackson Five releases. If they had, the Jackson Five had seven #1’s at Motown, which would have taken the Funk Brothers output to over 100 hit singles. 100 hit singles over a 20 year period. That’s unbelievable, and truly shows the importance of Motown upon the fabric of society and the fabric of life itself, and ultimately the fabric of the universe. Much of what we know as modern music is intrinsically tied to Motown. Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound was cool. I can listen to Fontella Bass and Ronettes records all day and all night. Willie Mitchell’s house band at Hi Records holds a place in my heart for Al Green’s entire career. Booker T and the MGs had hits as well, and when I discovered “Green Onions” and “Hip Hug Her” they became two favorite songs of 1993, even above Wu-Tang’s “C.R.E.A.M.” and Lords of the Underground’s “Funky Child.” But nothing, and I mean NOTHING really compares to Motown.So, tomorrow night, let’s celebrate MJ’s birthday. Let’s also celebrate his first label, the label so deeply tied to expressing the very nature of our existence, Motown Records. Let’s celebrate ourselves, and let’s celebrate the wonder of life. Let’s celebrate love the way Stevie Wonder sang about it. Let’s celebrate beauty and joy with the Supremes, the Temptations and the Four Tops. Hell, let’s dance in the streets like Martha and the Vandellas wanted us to.And more importantly, let’s all remember, that sometimes, if it’s something as simple as Diana Ross’ coo, the shotgun blast that kicks of “Shotgun,” Marvin and Tammi telling us “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing,” the voice of David Ruffin doing pretty much anything, or, simply, just a bassline drop that can indeed bring you happiness, and also take you home again.
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