Boomer Anthems: What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted?

They are glad they once had it; even if it has now departed

Posted by grace at November 17, 2014 8:51 PM

Gerard, you love the ladies, as I do. That's a good thing. A beautiful blonde, however, no matter how gifted and lovely, simply can't reproduce what the original artists have wrought. Hearing Motown music from the late sixties and early seventies reminds me of how the political turbulence of that era could be tamed by the music of peace and love. Jimmy Ruffin was one of many, as was Otis Redding (Sittin' By The Dock Of The Bay), Sam and Dave (I'm A Soul Man), and The Righteous Brothers.

What an excellent American website you have, if only to let newer viewers know what America used to be about.

Now here's a blast from the past. Remember Chicago's first drummer, Danny Seraphine? To me, Chicago is the band that took over after Motown lost its appeal. And their music was as beautiful, if not moreso, than Motown's.

Seraphine and his band puts it all together in this short video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o6IrpC9dg4

Thanks for your website, Gerard.

Posted by Jersey Jehu at November 17, 2014 11:19 PM

Gerard, another excellent choice. You got good ears, boy. I'm with Jersey on this and others in the genre.
Nothing can replace the Motown Sound. Often emulated, sometimes covered but never bettered.

Motown, Phil Spector, Sun Records all on a higher plane and earned it.

Tha's a gold-plated fac' jack.

Posted by chasmatic at November 18, 2014 5:46 AM

A sad song of hope. Gives me a lump in my throat every time I hear it.

Posted by missred at November 18, 2014 7:46 AM

missred: me too. That's the difference between Soul Music and music that is merely performed by Blacks or by White folks that think they "got it".

I'd go with The Righteous Brothers and Van Morrison. Them guys have "blue-eyed soul"; probably a few more but I don't think I'd fill one hand counting 'em.

Posted by chasmatic at November 18, 2014 7:56 AM

Nicely did by all involved.
And take that Katy Perry and all your ilk. Musicianship, soul, emotion, restraint, honesty. Present and abundant in both performances, missing and extinct in the common mercantilism from current popular performers. Sad, but not unexpected because you cannot teach taste and style.
Cheers y'all.

Posted by Dan Patterson at November 18, 2014 7:56 AM

Joanne isn't a pimple on Vonda Shepard's ass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh0YBS4mQ78&list=PL9E525B4D70A3506F&index=15

Posted by Casca at November 18, 2014 11:42 AM

Casca, all respect to you, I believe Vonda's rendition lacks a certain something.
Ms Osborne serves it up in heaping helpings.

Posted by S at November 18, 2014 4:04 PM

The Osborne video features the original Motown musicians called "The Funk Brothers." This is off a wonderful documentary titled after the band. It was runner up for an Oscar but lost to the liberal fantasy docudrama Fahrenheit 911.

Posted by halfacarafe at November 18, 2014 5:27 PM

Why have I never heard of her?

Thanks, G, now I have.

Posted by R Daneel at November 18, 2014 6:08 PM

IIRC (I haven't watched it for awhile - have to put it back in rotation, as they say) is from a movie (I have the DVD) called _Standing in the Shadows of Motown_, a documentary on the backup players known as the Funk Brothers that were the instrumental (and indispensable) part of the Motown sound. At the end, under the credits, they run a list of the songs they did. It goes for minutes and you'll recognize every one of them.

Posted by bud at November 18, 2014 6:22 PM

Osborne does a lot of soul covers and, to my mind, does them better than the original. In the documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown, Osborne is sitting at a bar with one of the Funk Brothers, just scatting around and purrs the first line of "Grapevine," and you just WISH they'd let her sing lead on the whole thing.

M

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Posted by my website at November 19, 2014 7:44 PM

Gerard - Jimmy Ruffin died last night. That is one of those coincidences......

Posted by R Daneel at November 20, 2014 6:00 AM