Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
Al Green - I'm Still In Love With You
Sly & The Family Stone - Fresh
Graham Central Station - Release Yourself
Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul
D'Angelo - Brown Sugar
George Benson - Breezin'

Just wondering if anybody out there knows what I'm talking about.

Ottis Redding
Rufus Thomas
Booker T & MG's
Aretha Franklin
Solomon Burke
Mable John
Johnnie Taylor
The Bar-Kays
Eddie Floyd
Johnny Daye
Sam & Dave
The Astors
Judy Clay
C.L. Blast
The Charmels
Ray Charles
The Mad Lads
Sir Mack Rice
Albert King
Ruby Johnson
Oscar Mack
William Bel
Spooner Oldham
Etta James
Dan Penn
Wilson Pickett

One word is mssing here;

MOTOWN

Slave2daGroove said:

Yes, Motown's exclusion from my list was deliberate. In my mind (a rather simple one, perhaps), Motown is in a class by itself. At the end of the day, it is probably my favorite music, as a collection. To me, however, it is not Soul.

It has been said that Motown was consciously produced, in part, to crossover to a white audience, particularly in the early years. As you likely know, Gordy required artists to take etiquette lessons, finishing school, choreography, the whole nine yards. Motown was polished and clean. It had to be in order to overcome the racial climate of the day. As I see it, Soul was more concerned with appealing to its black audience and if it crossed over, great. Motown does not exhibit the gospel and country influences to the same degree as the music that I consider pure Soul. It does not have the same sound to me. Soul is not as bubble gum sounding as Motown in my ears (at least early Motown, say '59-'67). Soul has a raw sound, in comparison. Then again, Soul doesn't have James Jamerson.

Of course, if pressed, I would agree that Motown is soul music, but to me it has always been somehow different.

Im sorry..but if Untitled by D'Angleo isnt on ure list

soul hasnt reached the soul yet..


cause that shit is some soul...

Just my but with "Stax" as your your name I guess will agree to disagree.

Typical commercial hits.

I should change my screen name to "The Underdog" because I usually rate for the underrated or misconceived pieces of work.

okaypimpn said:

interesting, b/c I always choose the underdog...

mochalox said:

That's why you and I see eye to eye, mocha!

Slave2daGroove said:

Yes, Motown's exclusion from my list was deliberate. In my mind (a rather simple one, perhaps), Motown is in a class by itself. At the end of the day, it is probably my favorite music, as a collection. To me, however, it is not Soul.

It has been said that Motown was consciously produced, in part, to crossover to a white audience, particularly in the early years. As you likely know, Gordy required artists to take etiquette lessons, finishing school, choreography, the whole nine yards. Motown was polished and clean. It had to be in order to overcome the racial climate of the day. As I see it, Soul was more concerned with appealing to its black audience and if it crossed over, great. Motown does not exhibit the gospel and country influences to the same degree as the music that I consider pure Soul. It does not have the same sound to me. Soul is not as bubble gum sounding as Motown in my ears (at least early Motown, say '59-'67). Soul has a raw sound, in comparison. Then again, Soul doesn't have James Jamerson.

Of course, if pressed, I would agree that Motown is soul music, but to me it has always been somehow different.

Some people may not know where you're coming from with that post, but I understand you. I've had this discussion with people for years about the harder edged, Southern Soul (Stax, Stax/Volt/Atlantic - (at least until the disco era came about). Motown's whole approach to Soul music was different than what was already going on, and some of the music was more orchestrated.

They didn't start to develop that harder edge until the late '60s Temptations when they started to tackle social issues with producer Norman Whitfield (and their sound even included psychedelic textures), and later on when Gordy granted both Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye creative control, something that wasn't the norm at Motown. Still, there was/is a more gritty, gutbucket quality of music of other Soul. People like Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, The Staple Singers, James Brown, etc. came from a more bluesy, down-home, approach.

Songs like "Doctor Feel Good" and "I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You" were in stark contrast to more mannered material like "You Can't Hurry Love" and "I Hear a Symphony." This is not to discredit what Motown was doing at that time, it's just very different. Gordy's company opened the doors for a whole new world. I like both, but for reasons as different as the music.[/b]

Have yal listened to Tower of Power? I luv them!