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Chapter 9: Black Pop, Reggae, and the Rise of Disco

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Introduction

BLACK POP IN THE 1970s

Sly and the Family Stones: Sly Crosses Over

♫ “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”-Black Pop

In Sly’s Wake: Ohio Players, Kool & the Gang, and Earth, Wind, and Fire

(Kool and the Gang)

(Earth, Wind, and Fire)

The Rock Connection: Tower of Power and War

  • Rock was used to unify/unite black and white, but by the 1970s, it separated races
  • Mainstream rock-by whites, for whites
  • Black pop, reggae, and disco-by blacks, for blacks
  • Sly inspires later funk and pop genres
  • Multiple pop and R & B crossover hits
  • Born in TX and raised in San Francisco
  • Strongly influenced by James Brown
  • Known for catchy vocals by Sly and his sister
  • Mixes white and black styles; dance-oriented music; optimistic lyrics; and strong rhythmic groove
  • Racially and sexually integrated group (black and white/male and female-very uncommon)
  • Epic Records tried to market them as a new type of rock act (mix of psychedelia and funk)
  • The Ohio Players-from Dayton, OH
  • Started as Robert Ward and the Untouchables—Ohio Untouchables—The Ohio Players
  • Early music flopped, but eventually had multiple R&B album hits
  • Mix funk; heavy riff-bass; sing-along refrains
  • Kool and the Gang started as the Jazziacs in New Jersey
  • Moved from jazz to a more commercial sound (pop-funk)
  • Known for funky rhythms with catchy vocal hooks
  • Obtained more success in the disco genre
  • “Ladies Night” and “Celebration”-two of their most well-known songs
  • Started in LA by drummer Maurice White (studio musician at Chess Records)
  • Multiple crossover hits
  • Known for catchy pop hooks; sophisticated horn arrangements; funk groove; fancy vocal harmonies
  • Tower of Power-fromOakland, CA
  • Promoted by Bill Graham of the Fillmore Auditorium
  • White, Latino, and black band members

(Tower of Power, continued)

(War)

Motown in the 1970s

(The Temptations)

♫ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”-

Black Pop

(The Commodores)

(More Motown)

(The Jackson 5)

Motown Matures: Stevie & Marvin

(Marvin Gaye)

  • Known for funk grooves, good horn section
  • The horn section had backed up Elton John, Rod Stewart, and the Rolling Stones
  • Had more success on the soul chart than any other
  • Eric Burdon of the Animals, discovers the Nightriders (backing up a football player) in LA
  • Adds Danisha-harmonica player, Lee Oskar and producer Jerry Goldstein
  • Burdon quits, but they go on to success
  • Blend Latin styles with R&B roots
  • Known for the song “Low Rider”
  • Lead singer, David Ruffin, quits the Temptations
  • Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong team up to give the Temptations a more aggressive, groove-oriented, and psychedelic sound
  • “I Can’t Get Next to You,” “Ball of Confusion,” and “Just My Imagination” are examples of this period
  • Lyrics become more serious addressing social issues
  • One of the most commercially successful black pop groups of the 1970s
  • Signed to Motown; opened for the Jackson 5; Lead singer was Lionel Ritchie
  • Funk roots, but known for polished vocals and horns
  • “Brickhouse” and “Three Times a Lady” are most famous songs
  • Berry Gordy moves Motown operations to LA
  • Diana Ross continues solo career and moves into film industry
  • From Gary, Indiana
  • Featured Michael’s vocals—preteen years
  • “ABC” and “I’ll Be There”—most famous songs
  • Funk-oriented dance music popular on pop and R&B charts
  • Married into the Gordy family; created music for the Originals
  • Produced one of the 1st black pop concept albums (mixing rock and black pop)
  • Wrote/performed songs about urban life, environmentalism in modern society, and questions US presence in Vietnam War
  • “Let’s Get it On” most popular song at the time

(Stevie Wonder)

♫ “Living for the City”-Black Pop

The Philadelphia Sound: Gamble & Huff

Philadelphia International

Thom Bell, The Spinners, and the Stylistics

  • At 21 years old he had complete control of his own records/music
  • AOR style albums
  • He played all the instruments on his albums
  • Known for black dance music; ballads; experimental studio technique—connection to rock
  • Also known for complex arrangements, inventive material, intense vocals, and topical lyrics
  • His music appealed to white rock fans as well as blacks
  • Produced music in a wide variety of styles
  • Music was melodically and harmonically sophisticated
  • Lyrics depict/criticize society at large
  • “Living for the City” is about a family that works and saves money to send the son to the city to make something of himself. He gets into selling drugs and going to jail instead of becoming successful.
  • Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff—independent songwriters and producers from Philly (for R&B)
  • Some of their music appeared on Atlantic Records
  • CBS decides to take a chance and sponsor Gamble & Huff. CBS gives them the money to start their own label, Philadelphia International
  • Home of the “Philadelphia sound”
  • Blended lyric vocals, driving rhythms, and elegant strings
  • Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and the O’Jays—2 most successful artists for Philadelphia International
  • “Backstabbers”—good example of Philadelphia sound
  • “Love Train”—best known Gamble & Huff song
  • Mother Father Sister Brother (MFSB)—Gamble & Huff’s house band
  • MFSB’s most popular song was the theme song for Soul Train “TSOP” (The Sound of Philadelphia)
  • Soul Train was hosted by Don Cornelius
  • Thom Bell—producer who worked for/alongside Gamble and Huff
  • Bell produces The Spinners of Detroit (originally with Motown, but moved to Atlantic)“Could It Be I’m Falling in Love”
  • Also produces the Stylistics of Philadelphia with Avco Records

“Betcha by Golly, Wow”

  • Music emphasized upbeat themes and elegant string arrangements

“Blaxploitation”: Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield

(Isaac Hayes)

(Curtis Mayfield)

JAMES BROWN, GEORGE CLINTON,AND PARLIAMENT/ FUNKADELIC: Soul Brother #1

Mothership Connections:

George Clinton and Company

  • Blaxploitation—genre of movies about African-American perspectives on urban life; remembered more for the music than the actual plot (stereotyped today as black action films)
  • Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song soundtrack was by Earth, Wind, and Fire
  • Shaft—1st popular blaxploitation movie (1971, Oscar winner)
  • Music for Shaft recorded by Isaac Hayes—formerly a producer for Sam and Dave at Stax
  • Isaac Hayes 1st big album out of 7, Hot Buttered Soul
  • Known for using wah-wah pedal, ultra-cool vocal delivery, and half-spoken/half-sung text
  • Roots in 1960s R&B
  • Started with Chicago-based group, The Impressions; famous song “People Get Ready”
  • Wrote music for blaxploitation film, Superfly
  • Known for high tenor vocals, wah-wah guitar, and elegant strings
  • Influenced by Isaac Hayes and Sly Stone
  • He was the voice for the problems of black urban life—black ambassador to the white community
  • Most funk before the 1970s was attributed to James Brown
  • After MLK Jr. assassination, James Brown became a voice for the black community (black pride)
  • “King Heroin” and “Public Enemy” were two of his anti-drug songs
  • Known for rhythmic groove, tight ensemble playing, and flamboyant live performances
  • Musician and songwriter in Detroit (originally from New Jersey)
  • Mixes James Brown and Berry Gordy’s approach to music/music business
  • Sang, wrote and produced for the Parliaments (a group similar to the Temptations)
  • Also recorded with his backup band under the name Funkadelic
  • Parliament worked with Holland-Dozier-Holland at Invictus
  • Funkadelic released on Westbound, then Warner Brothers
  • Funkadelic—experimental group with outrageous costumes and stage antics
  • Parliament was signed by Casablanca Records
  • ChocolateCity—political album about black ghettos

(George Clinton and Company

Continued)

Parliament’s

♫ “Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)”--Funk

Average White Band: The Funk

Band That Did Get Airplay on

White Rock Radio

REGGAE COMES ASHORE:

New Orleans and New York

(ska)

Bob Marley and the Wailers

♫ “Get Up, Stand Up”—Reggae

  • Mothership Connection—inspired costumes, theatrics, spaceships and his alternate personality, Dr. Funkenstein (like KISS, Alice Cooper and Genesis)
  • The Clones of Dr.Funkenstein and Funkentelechy—concept album featuring irony and humor
  • One Nation Under a Groove and Uncle Jam Wants You—Funkadelic
  • George Clinton—songwriter and businessman who was influential in black pop and funk—bands made out of various parts of his band
  • Bootsy’s Rubber Band
  • The Horny Horns
  • Brides of Dr. Funkenstein
  • Parlet
  • Average White Band—Scottish funk band—the only funk white people knew
  • White people were almost oblivious to black pop and funk
  • 1970s reggae enters U.S. and UK
  • Roots of reggae—American rock and R&B
  • Inspires later punk and rap
  • Jamaican music had been around for awhile (since the 1940s)
  • Originally, Jamaican radio was very conservative (like BBC)
  • Started listening to New Orleans based American Pop and R&B on small radios
  • “sound system man”—sound system in the bed of a pickup truck; would have competitions in the street
  • DJs talking over records with rhyme (early rap)
  • Jamaican pop music “ska” turns into “rock steady” which turns into reggae
  • “Ska”—fast American R&B featuring “skank” rhythm patterns
  • Wailers—vocal trio produced by Lee Perry and backed by The Upsetters
  • 1st album was released in 1970
  • Chris Blackwell forms Island Records in the UK—focuses on mainstream rock and reggae artists
  • Reggae more popular in UK than U.S. because of larger Jamaican population
  • British teens like it as much as native Jamaicans
  • Influences later punk and new wave genres

Bob Marley continued

THE RISE OF DISCO

I Should be Dancin’: A New Dance Craze

Return of the Producers

  • Bob Marley releases “Get Up, Stand Up”—political song
  • Built on bass and drum groove with emphasis on upbeats
  • Ska—“rude boy” music for kids
  • Reggae—for adults
  • Music remained underground until mid-1970s
  • Two things broadened reggae’s appeal:
  • Independent film, The Harder They Come about Jamaican pop singer (fictional)
  • Eric Clapton’s cover of Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff”
  • Clapton fans now looked for Marley’s music
  • Marley’s albums resurface on U.S. pop charts and he is revered as a musician, cultural hero and political/social justice fighter
  • Marley develops cancer and dies in 1981
  • Ziggy—Marley’s son continues his legacy
  • Reggae similar to black pop because it parallels the way electric blues became popular in the UK first, then crossed over to the U.S. during the British Invasion
  • New Orleans R&B did the same thing in the 1970s
  • Started as an underground movement in the early 1970s in the urban gay community—went mainstream in the mid-late 1970s
  • The music was for dancing, not just listening
  • DJs—more affordable alternative to a live band—they made special extended versions of disco songs
  • Movement was kept alive in NY night clubs: 12 West, The 10th floor, The Loft, Paradise Garage
  • Featured a dance beat with a catchy pop hook
  • “The Hustle” and “that’s the Way I Like It” good examples of disco
  • Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta made disco music acceptable to the heterosexual community/fans
  • “Stayin’ Alive” and “Night Fever”—famous disco songs by the Bee Gees
  • Rock artists such as Rod Stewart, the Rolling Stones, and KISS also recorded disco songs
  • Disco mirrored BrillBuilding and Motown models in that the producers and engineers had more control
  • Jacques Morali and Giorgio Moroder—two biggest disco producers (Pete Bellotte worked with Moroder as well)
  • Eurodisco—more rhythmically precise and not as funk-like as American disco

♫ “Bad Girls” by Donna Summer--Disco

DISCO AND THE HIPPIES:

Disco Sucks

  • Examples of disco/Eurodisco:
  • Village People—“YMCA” song about life in the gay community
  • Donna Summers—“Bad Girls”
  • Michael Jackson—“Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough”
  • Rock fans didn’t like disco because:
  • It promoted one night stands
  • It was associated with/originated in the gay community
  • There was no talent necessary—could be done by machines
  • Disco went against hippie ideas. It was for dancing and fun. It wasn’t serious, and it didn’t inspire social/political change
  • It was not about the artist; it was more about the beat.
  • Anti-disco rally turned into a riot at Whitesox game in Chicago—organized by rock DJ Steve Dahl