Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with motown

How sweet it is...

gnutron — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:10:34 -0800

Are there any contemporary musicians reviving the doo-wop / late 50s / early 60s soul sound? I love soul music. I am well aware of the ongoing soul revival. Sharon Jones, the Daptones, Amy Winehouse, Bettye LaVette, Darondo, etc.

All these artists seem to replicating the late 60s/early 70s soul sound. Not what I'm looking for here.

Are there any artists the reviving late 50s/early 60s sounds? I am thinking early Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Four Tops, Temptations, Delfonics etc. Vocal harmonies, orchestral arrangments or instrumentation, songs about love & relationships. I guess I prefer male vocalists but I'm interested in anything applicable.

Seeking new R&B with an old Motown feel

Foam Pants — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:13:10 -0800

I need some new music that will fit well with Motown and Stax old R&B & soul. I have a radio show that features old soul music and old R&B. There is also is some funk and jazzy stuff with a smattering of blues and reggae. But really, the backbone of the show is a cross between Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding.

I am seeking music from new artists that will fit in this show. I know my old stuff really well but I am completely disconnected from what is coming out today. I am looking for current music that captures a Motown sound or the super funky Stax sound.

An obvious choice is Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album. I find that Ronson produced music has that flair to it so I have played a bit of Santogold and such on my show. I have also played some music that he used to mix into his stuff. I really liked a remix of Dee Edward's "Why Can't There be Love" by Pilooski so well done remixes are welcome. I also liked Band of Bees. Any other suggestions?

the most detroity thing to do in detroit

dahliachewswell — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:31:12 -0800

What is your favorite thing to do in Detroit (the Detroit-iest thing you can think of!)? I'm going to be in Ann Arbor for a wedding with an excursion to the Motown Museum. I'll be limited on time in Detroit proper, but I was just wondering if there is any other fantastic thing I just HAVE to see while I'm there? I know Detroit is an insiders town, so spill the beans! I will not have a car of my own, but will be with others who have cars.

desired possible characteristics (does not have to fit all criteria):
unique/hole-in-the-wall
greasy eatery
related to motown
artsy
interesting churches
where someone famous lived or ate or something
good beer
near the motown museum

if you like, i would also be pleased to hear your more general suggestions for ann arbor, as i'll have more time to explore there, following the above criteria or just any old thing.

Identify this concert/track for me!

Artw — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:30:03 -0800

On BBC Radio 6 a few days ago, probably sometime late at night or early in the morning in British time (I was listening in the afternoon in the US) they were playing a concert recording of an artist who’s volcal style resembled a less coherent Amy Winehouse. One of the songs used part of tchaichovskys Romeo and Juliet for a hook, and it was all mostly soul/R&B type music. Any ideas what it was?

Ba di duhm dum, da di da da

tmcw — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:45:18 -0800

So I've become pretty obsessed with 'I Want You Back' - the Jackson 5 song. How do I play and write that kind of music? I know that the 5 were essentially a combination of Motown and bubblegum pop, and that 'I Want You Back' and some of their other hits were written by The Corporation. I'm there interested in the music theory / general idea / themes of motown and anything related. Especially the guitar work in the aforementioned song - how that is formed and composed, generally?

Thanks!

Another name-that-song/artist question.

thirteenkiller — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:58:28 -0800

Okay, I heard this song once on the radio. It was kinda motowny and real catchy, with your fairly standard "I own that female" theme. The band was (iirc) five brothers from Cambodia or some other SE Asian country. I remember finding them in some Wikipedia list of one-hit wonders from the 60s or 70s. I seem to recall their name had something to do with New York, maybe Brooklyn something, or something. Anyone know what I'm talking about here? Please help. :(

Recommendations for great dance music.

deafmute — Tue, 09 May 2006 19:55:20 -0800

My friends and I are throwing a large, time-travel themed dance party. I need recommendations for funk, soul, and R&B to play during the 50s, 60s, and 70s, as I'm deeply asea in this area. The basic concept is that we play 1-2 songs a year from 1955 to the present in an attempt to keep people DANCING. the 80s, 90s, and aughts are well covered, but 1955 to 1980 needs to be padded out well, and NOT with cute novelty songs.

I need some recommendations, mainly for great, upbeat, dancy soul, funk, motown, and R&B songs, but really for anything else that would keep people moving.

So far we're talking about Rock Around the Clock, ABC, Dance to the Music, Shake Senora, Give Up the Funk, Apache, and other various and sundry songs. We would love some more.

Ba-duh-ba-duh-duh, ba-da-ba, ba-duh-ba-duh-duh, ba-da-ba...

chrominance — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 23:03:05 -0800

Name that song! Half-remembered music sample and... As mentioned earlier in the Song Tapper thread on the blue, I'm looking for a very elusive song. Details: it sounds like Motown/60s to me, but I can't find it on any of the Motown collections I've listened to via Amazon. Big, bright song with a loud trumpet/brass sound to it, with a main female vocalist and a backing group of singers.

This is the melody I remember from the chorus (53kb MP3). That part's actually played by the mass of trumpets, not a piano. You may have to transpose to a different key in your head; I think I've heard it in two different keys myself.

Solve this and you will have solved a mystery that has lasted for many years.

Good Motown anthology?

languagehat — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 15:02:20 -0800

My sister-in-law loves Motown and my wife and I would like to get her an anthology of the big hits, hopefully not more than three disks (because we can't spend big bucks this Xmas). Motown reissues being a notoriously tricky subject, can anybody recommend one with good sound and good value?

Motown Cover

billsaysthis — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 21:03:14 -0800

Other than a fairly obscure Midwestern rockabilly band found via freedb, is anyone aware of a rock and roll band recording a cover of the great Motown tune What Becomes of the Brokenhearted? After watching the terrific Standing in the Shadows of Motown I am craving to hear this done with some blistering guitar. Help me?