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... In my search I came across only two books on the subject of Stax records (both written by Rob Bowman), while I was able to find countless books about Motown. The lack of books about Stax actually reinforces one of my points that I am going to discuss in this essay.
If someone were to ask me what soul music is I would have a very difficult time coming up with one specific definition. Soul music encompasses a number of ideas. Soul music can be anything from the delta blues that were popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s or it could also be the sweet rhythm and blues music that was popular from the 1960’s to the 1970’s. I suppose it would all depend on what decade you grew up in as to which kind of music you would categorize as soul music. ... Even though they both had success during these years, they produced two different kinds of “soul music”.
In my opinion, Motown had a sound that could be considered a white person’s interpretation of what soul music should sound like; while Stax had a sound that most would and did immediately identify as true soul music. ...
“In the early to mid- 1960’s black popular music was dominated by two new and contrasting styles. One emanated from Detroit and was marketed nearly exclusively by Berry Gordy Jr., and his conglomerate of labels headed up by Motown. ... ” (Bowman) The “Motown Sound”- a combination of gospel, pop, rhythm & blues, jazz, doo-wop and country that was created and performed by black artists- captivated the country. Merging gospel-infused vocals with pop music enlivened by raucous horns and percussion, the vibrant sound crackled with energy. Motown records began in 1959 with an $800 loan and a dream. ...
“In direct contrast were the predominant sounds of southern soul music, initially stemming from Memphis and Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and later also coming from Criteria Studios in Miami and the Malaco studio in Jackson, Mississippi. Singers from these areas, and singers who came down from the North to record in these areas, recorded a heavily gospel-influenced, often blues-based music put together via head arrangements. ... Instead as with much black gospel music, interest was achieved by gradually building up tension within a strophic form, often culminating with an extended call & response section which eventually faded out.” (Bowman)
The African-American artists who recorded for Motown became pop stars who were worshipped and swooned over by both black and white fans. The Motown Sound became known as “the Sound of Young America.” Gordy had many artists that did extremely well on his Motown label, some of which included Diana Ross, Mary Wells, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson. ... Berry Gordy had a strategy, a theory, of how to run a record company, and he imposed this on as talented a group of singers, musicians, producers and writers as has ever worked together in popular music. ... Using the mass production technique he had observed during his long, dull days at the Lincoln-Mercury plant, Gordy organized Motown so that it ran like an efficient factory. ... ” (Brown) Motown artists spent their time at dance school and charm school. ...
In an analysis of a Motown song there are many characteristics that make it stand out from other songs of that time. ... From the beginning we get a feeling of triumph.
Approximate Word count = 2882
Approximate Pages = 11.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
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