I'm a Soul Man

This is about that time.

Motown comes back through my speakers right around now and I'm always reminded about my obsession because of Christmas music.

Why?

Because you're ignorant of the early 1960s African-American music scene, I will tell you this: the greatest music was all written, composed, produced, and performed by one individual and one band: Phil Spector and The Funk Brothers. No, that's not one entity, but rather quite separate. Spector created the teen love song and essentially defined what pop music was and is today. This was all predominately the white community. While he worked with black artists like Same Cooke, Spector's main arena was the white teen community. What no one knew then was that his songs are now accepted and loved by anyone and everyone. Black or white, rich or poor, old or young.

The Funk Brothers were Motown. They stood in the shadows of every Motown hit and are present on more number one hits than the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, and Elvis...combined. You need to know about them because they crafted that Motown sound. If you appreciate music, watch their documentary. I can't be sure right now, but I'm pretty sure it changed my life. There was a reason their studio was nicknamed, "The Hit Factory." (No not the club in New York...posers).

I can't tell you while I like Motown. Some of the early guys talk about the signature beat. But there's such a deep soul found in that era of music. It's in drums and bass and guitar and most definitely in the keys. It's like gospel music. Because of what was happening in America during that time and where technology was, this era will stand as simply the greatest era of American music.

But I have to get back on track. It's connection to Christmas music. When I say "Christmas Music," I'm not talking about Jingle Bells or those old hymns like "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." I'm talking about American pop Christmas Music. Like "What Christmas Means to Me" and "All I Want for Christmas is You." These songs were mostly written by the Funk Brothers and performed by artists they backed. The sound is that Mowtown sound because it's written, composed, produced, and played by those guitarists and bassits and drummers.

I suck at explaining these things. I just know that when "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" comes on I don't think about anything but the music coming out of the speakers. Do you think we'll ever get anything like that ever again?

I don't know if I want anything else.

Do you have music like that? I mean, we've all got the stuff that makes us think and feel. But what about that music that doesn't recall many thoughts or emotions but just makes you enjoy the music for what it is? When I hear Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, or the Temptations, I just think, "this is exactly what music should sound like."

In no way do I think or wish everyone to think this about Motown. But I hope you have that music that does that to you.