Marvin Gaye

The second sample. Click here for the first sample.

To call Marvin Gaye Motown’s greatest singer is to sell him short. He was one of the three best singers of the rock era (along with Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin) and among the greatest singers of popular music of all time.

The son of a store-front preacher, Gaye grew up in a strict household with constant friction with his father. His solace came from the gospel singers in church and street corner doo-wop. Combine the two and you get a pretty good idea of what his earliest singles “Stubborn Kind Of Fellow” and “Hitchhike” sounded like.

He got his start in 1957 as a member of a doo-wop group called the Marquees, whose first record was produced by Bo Diddley. After that record flopped, he hooked up with doo-wop pioneer Harvey Fuqua, who scored hits with the Moonglows with “Sincerely” and “Ten Commandments Of Love.” Impressed with Marvin and the Marquees, Fuqua sacked the rest of his own group and hired Marvin’s group and dubbed them Moonglows.

When the Moonglows petered out, Fuqua, who had become a surrogate father to Gaye, took his protégé to Detroit, where he was going to work for Anna Records, a label started by Gwen Gordy, who would eventually marry Fuqua, and Anna Gordy, who would eventually marry Gaye.

The Gordy sisters had a brother named Berry, who had written several of Jackie Wilson’s early hits such as the Top 10 hit “Lonely Teardrops” and was starting a label of his own called Tamla, although most people are familiar with the sister label, Motown. By mixing the silk of Sam Cooke and the grit of Ray Charles, Gaye would give Motown 17 Top 10 hits, including chart toppers “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “Let’s Get It On” and “Got To Give It Up.”

Gaye had more depth than any Motown artists not named Stevie Wonder. He wanted the opportunity to croon Nat King Cole-like ballads. “Once Upon A Time,” a duet with Mary Wells, proves he would have been quite successful had he pursued that style further. But Gordy had a good formula and was famous for sticking with it. Given his track record, few could blame him.

His duets with Tammi Terrell were a high watermark for soul duets, in particular “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You.” Terrell would collapse in Gaye’s arms during a show in 1967. After being diagnosed with brain cancer, she died three years later at age 24.

Gaye's piece de resistance, What's Going On, was an album-long suite about the lives of young black people in politically charged times. The album would represent a turning point both for Gaye, Motown and rhythm & blues overall.

Against Gordy's wishes, Gaye shed the character of the handsome leading man and became part preacher and part activist. While not every song has aged gracefully ("Save The Children" is particularly corny), What's Going On was one of the most ambitious rhythm & blues albums ever made, and yielded three Top Ten hits: the title track, "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)."

It was one of the first rhythm & blues albums conceived as an album rather than a series of singles and assorted filler. It also centered on Gaye's new persona and his lyrics, rather than pop hits. This album, along with Wonder's forthcoming albums, would change the balance of power within Motown from the production and songwriting teams to the artist.

Finally, by incorporating more layered instrumentations, including strings, percussion and more funk rhythms as well as more overt political themes, What's Going On would pave the way for the sound of the label Philadelphia International, which included such hitmakers as The O'Jays and Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes.

After What's Going On, Gaye would evolve into a sultry love man with gospel inflections, with the blockbuster Let's Get It On and I Want You. Along with Al Green, would inhabit the compelling and contradictory world of God and sex.

As part of a painful divorce negotiation, he agreed to pay Anna Gordy the royalties from a forthcoming album. He originally planned to issue an album of subpar material to spite her. But he then reconsidered and released Here, My Dear, a double album of ruminations about his relationship and alimony. The result was alternately passionate, embarrassing and bizarre. The level of honesty and confession on the album made Joni Mitchell sound like The Chiffons. But it didn't make the album an easy listen.

Despite his commercial success, over the last few years of his life, Gaye was a man tortured by drugs, two crumbling marriages, writer's block and financial problems.

He would have one more Top 10 hit with "Sexual Healing" in 1982. But a day before his 45th birthday, he was shot to death by his father during an argument.

Chicago

Here is the first of two samples I submitted for the prospective Pop Legends book. I've been given no guidance what kind of voice the publisher wants - whether I'm allowed to infuse the copy with my own opinion or snarkiness. So I've done one snarky and one straight. Left to my own devices, I would probably approach the profiles somwhere along the continuum between this and the following example.

Thanks to Deb, David and BobbyMac for theie edits and encouragement.

In the late 1960s, sometimes it seemed like it wasn’t enough to be a rock n roll band. Progressive rock purveyors like The Nice and Yes were mixing classical music concepts into rock. Elsewhere, Al Kooper decided that rock needed a big band jazz element. So he concocted Blood Sweat And Tears.

It was in all these categories that Chicago Transit Authority (later just Chicago after Chicago’s public transportation system threatened to sue) plied their wares. Their debut album featured oblique jazz-rock hippie-babble hits like the Latin-tinged “Beginnings,” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is.”

The follow-up, Chicago II, featured “25 or 6 to 4,” which demonstrated not only a slick horn section but the prowess of guitarist Terry Kath. But it also struck paydirt with “Color My World,” the first of a string of pop ballads that stuck in your head like a steel trap clamps down on a rodent, forcing it to chew off its own limbs.

While critics pooh-poohed the band’s jazz-rock pretences, they ultimately became one of the best selling acts of all time by abandoning its experimentation and focusing on the bland but effective tenor of bassist Peter Cetera. Behind him, the band ratcheted no fewer than 13 Top 10 hits between 1970 and 1977 including “If You Leave Me Now” and “Saturday in the Park.”

The first chapter of their career came to an abrupt end in 1978 in one of the more gruesome deaths in pop history. In a drunken state, Kath, 31, was cleaning a pistol that he believed to be unloaded. When a friend warned him to be careful, he put the pistol to his head and pulled the trigger to prove the gun had no bullets. He was wrong.

After Kath’s death, the band wouldn’t have another Top 10 hit until 1982. But with Cetera as the focal point, the band would have a resurgence with three Top 10 prom themes, “Hard To Say I’m Sorry,” followed by “Hard Habit To Break,” and “You’re The Inspiration” in 1984.

Cetera went solo in 1985 and had a pair of chart-topping hits the following year: “Glory of Love (Theme From Karate Kid II)” and “The Next Time I Fall,” a duet with Amy Grant.

Without Cetera, Chicago would score five more Top 10 hits between 1986 and 1989: “Will You Still Love Me,” “I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love,” “Look Away,” “What Kind Of Man Would I Be,” and “You’re Not Alone.”

The band continued to record throughout the 1990s and 2000’s, prompting the question if a band continues to release albums and no one is there to hear them, does it still make a sound? Nevertheless you can still find them summer after summer playing amphitheatres with four original members to nothing less than adoring fans. Can you dig it? Yes I can.

More good suggestions

Apologies for less than prompt posting. I've been working on a couple of sample profiles. I plan to submit them tomorrow. I'll post them to the site shortly thereafter.

In the meantime, (Rev) Jeb Magruder writes in:

I would have to argue in favor of the Carpenters. They were not only absolutely huge for quite a few years, they have hip cred which I don't understand any more than I understand the enduring popularity of Abba. And for that matter, are David Cassidy or the Osmonds popular enough to warrant inclusion? I didn't think so....

My wife also suggested the Partridge Family and the Osmonds. They wouldn't qualify on the basis of chart positions. But the former deputy director of the Committee to Re-elect the President notes:

With the Osmonds as well as Cassidy/Partridge Family, I would say that the magnitude of their success (teen mags, TV appearances, hysteria on the part of teenage girls) outweighs their chart impact. But that's my inner 12-year-old girl talking.

Well played, Mr. Magruder, but with only 100 artists to play with, I don't think they make the cut.

I would also include the Monkees and Herb Alpert, both of whom were the most popular recording artists in the world for a spell in the '60s, and whose popularity has endured, in fits and starts to this very day.

Haldeman also suggested the Monkees. Both are definitely on the upper B-list and will go on if any artists are poached by the rock book. Magruder notes that Alpert outsold the Beatles in 1966 and the Monkees outsold the Beatles in 1967.

If you're going to include Phil Spector, will you not also include Burt Bacharach?

Another excellent point. I will try. I'm also thinking of deep-sixing the girl groups in favor of a chapter on The Brill Building writers.

Snoop Dogg but no Dr. Dre?

Dre should replace Snoop, who would need at least a paragraph in such a chapter.

And finally, did my buddies Duran Duran have enough hits back in the day to warrant inclusion?

Yes they did. That was an oversight on my part.

Carpenters

If the Carpenters do get in the book, I'll get to use the line: "They did to 'Please Mr. Postman" and 'Ticket To Ride' what the Allied forces did to Dresden in 1945."

Feel free to submit more tasteful metaphors.

And check out Shonen Knife's cover of "Top Of The World," which could well redeem Richard and Karen's career.

Another thoughtful reply

John Ehrlichman replies:

Additions I might make:

Boyz II Men (unless they're in with BoyBands)
Enrico Caruso
George Clinton
The Doors
Ella Fitzgerald (at least as much as Tony Bennett)
Joan Jett (or more rock?)
Al Jolson
Led Zep (if Aerosmith belongs, why not them?)
J.C. Mellencamp (see Jett)
Bonnie Raitt (at this point, I think she's as big a name as Linda Ronstadt)
Otis Redding (over Pickett, definitely)
Lionel Richie -- definitely
Kenny Rogers
Paul Simon - definitely
Rolling Stones (see Led Zep)
Steve Winwood (if anywhere here rather than rock, please)


Deletions I might make:

Pat Boone
P. Diddy -- better known as a producer, which admittedly would negate my Clinton add
Kelly Clarkson (wait a few years and see)
Green Day (more rock)
The Impressions (too obscure)
Alicia Keys (see Clarkson)
Ozzy (a rock legend, a TV legend, but pop?)
Patti Page (I'd include Rosemary Clooney first)
Wilson Pickett (breaks my heart, but if you include him, I think you need Sam & Dave, too)

Are Boyz II Men a BoyBand? If not, they must go in. I don't undertstand how Chuck Berry and Eminem are more "pop" than Led Zep. Surely the Stones are pop enough.

The early scuttlebutt is that Aerosmith will probably get hi jacked for the rock book. As for why Aerosmith is more pop than rock? Seven Top 10 hits. How many hits did Zeppelin have? One (and that's one more than I thought they had before I looked it up).

I couldn't really rationalize having George Clinton, since I don't think most people could name a single pop hit he had, despite whatever influence he had on hip-hop etc.

The Doors is an excellent suggestion, but I assumed that would go in the rock book.

You're dead right on Ella. No excuse for missing that.

Al Jolson: Agreed if you expand the definition to before 1955. And once you do, does Rudy Vallee, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Mel Torme, Bobby Short, Big Joe Williams count? I'm not sure.

Good point on Bonnie Raitt. Although I grouped her in with the classic rock lot who didn't really conceive of having hits, whereas Linda Ronstadt was most definitely a hitmaker in the 70s and the 80s. For the record, I'm not making a value judgment here. I'd much rather write nice things about Bonnie Raitt than Linda Ronstandt. But in terms of sales, Linda is probably a bigger artist.

I can't imagine a "rock" book without the Stones. If the publisher will allow them in both books, there's no doubt they belong. But that's not my call. I'm trying to work within the confines I've been given, odd though they may be.

I think if you only have 100 to choose from, it's hard to rationalize Mellencamp, although he definitely moved units, but I think I'd rather have Tom Petty and both are better fits in the rock book. Joanie's probably too marginal for either one, although I like her.

Good points on Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie (has anyone seen them in the same place at the same time? Oh, right, the "We Are The World" session. Conspiracy debunked!) But there the challenge is finding 300 nice words to say about them. I'll have to think about it.

Otis Redding had one major pop hit and it was posthumous. Pickett had two Top 10 hits and many more minor hits than Redding. But I admit, my perception as I was compiling the list last night was that Pickett sold many more records. I'm not sure that's the case upon further review.

I hate Pat Boone. But only Elvis Presley sold more records in the 50s.

P. Diddy: an excellent point. But I think in terms of defining the sound of hip hop in the 90s, I think only Dre was more influential. Although LL Cool J could make a better choice than Diddy. I may want both in.

But your producer point brings up a better point. How could I have compiled a list without including Phil Spector? Bad writer. No biscuit.

Clarkson/Keys: A pop legends book has to take a few risks in calling who the stars of tomorrow will be. These choices may look silly 10 years from now. I'll admit that. (But sillier than Norah Jones? I think not). But I'm willing to take my chances on Keys. As for Clarkson, a pop legends book without acknowledging the role of "American Idol" in contemporary music would be an oversight, in my opinion. And actually, Clarkson isn't that bad.

Green Day: You may be right. But American Idiot was a huge seller as was Dookie. In all, five Top 10 singles across 10 years. Sounds like a pop band to me.

Clooney had 7 pop hits in the rock era. Patti Page had 42, including four Top 10 hits.

Ozzy's a stretch. Can you think of any metal folks who would fit here and not in the rock book? Poison? Motley Crue? Ratt? All of them seem too marginal.

The Impressions: Fuck you. They're pop.

I think one key difference between the way the former assistant to the president for domestic affairs and I are approaching it is that Ehrlichman is weighting more heavily for what we'll call "scope of influence," which is absolutely valid. I'm possibly overweighting "units moved," although I'm trying to weigh influence as well (Thus the exclusion of The Carpenters, who certainly sold well enough to be considered pop legends.)

Next up: James Brown, rock or pop?

One thoughtful reply

I don't know what's going to be more fun: writing the book or the debates that ensue with my friends.

Here are two of the more thoughtful responses. They chose to e-mail them to me, rather than publish them, so I'll give them aliases derived from the Nixon administration to protect their anonymity.

HR Haldeman wrote:

Aerosmith, Chuck Berry, Creedence, Ozzy, Elvis, Queen, and Bruce all get lost to the rock book, if I had to guess. Cash is lost to the country book, as are Loretta and Dolly, and maybe Shania and Wynonna. In what book is Dylan?

To my mind the five biggest stretches here are: TLC, Run-DMC, Al Green, Dixie Chicks, Bon Jovi. Gimme instead Boy George, Christina Aguilera, "disco," the Carpenters, and NWA.

I'll concede the points on the overlaps, and I imagine The Beatles, Beach Boys are probably not safe either. I'll have to fight for those, which I'm prepared to do.

I thought Johnny Cash was a bigger crossover artist. But upon further review, he was a pretty marginal pop artist. In fact, his only top 10 pop hit was "Boy Named Sue" in 1969. So he'll likely be gone, as will Wynnona, Dolly and Loretta. Even though it's hard to think of a more "popular" country stars. In fact, over the last 15 years or so, I'd venture to say that country artists sell better than rock, which will make some deliniation even harder.

Dylan is almost certainly rock. I can't think of a universe in which he's pop.

I'll stand by the Dixie Chicks, since you don't sell those kinds of numbers without being "pop." I would also argue that their music has more in common with the Eagles, Bonnie Raitt and Fleetwood Mac than Hank Williams of Ernest Tubb.

Al Green is a no-brainer at five top 10 singles in a row, and a key bridge between soul music of the 60s and disco. (I flirted with including the Spinners, but ultimately dropped them).

TLC is an easy keeper with ten top 10 hits and six #1 hits on the pop charts. Plus being black they certainly won't make it into either of the other books.

I'm pretty sure disco gets covered by "The Sound Of Philadelphia," "Bee Gees" and "Donna Summer." I'm open to other disco suggestions. But I want to avoid novelty acts (Village People) and would prefer people with some assemblence of resonance.

I think you need Run DMC, because a pop book is deficient at best and racist at worst if you exclude hip hop. And Run DMC were the first in hip hop to really break through to the pop charts. I respect the cultural resonance of NWA and Public Enemy, but I don't see them as pop stars. Influential, yes. But I'll mull that some more.

And yes, I realize that I'm entering an ugly place here by defining pop music as things that white people need to like to qualify. I will continue to wrestle with that. Nevertheless, NWA put out one album that was considered a landmark. Just like I wouldn't expect the band Love to make it into the rock book, similarly NWA wouldn't make the cut. (The highest inroad NWA made in dance or rap charts was #45).

I will consider lumping in Dre with Snoop Doggy Dogg. Since no one defined the sound of hip hop in the 90s like Dre. Now if you were to say LL Cool J, you would be making a strong argument. In fact, I may drop some of the country folks for LL.

I loathe Bon Jovi. But the numbers don't lie: nine Top 10 hit, five #1 hits. The shithead even had a #1 country hit two years ago. And the fucker is still around! He won't go away! He stays in the book.

I thought about Culture Club. My starting point was Joel Whitburn's books. One lists the top artists by decade and a bunch of other lists. When Culture Club failed to place highly. I dropped them. But I may reconsider. The Cars were another one that didn't make the cut, in that vein.

I don't think I could find 300 nice words to say about the Carpenters. But looking at the numbers, you're absolutely right. They had quite a run. Nice pick. They lose points for lack of longevity and being very much "of their era." There's nothing timeless about their music. They don't do anything to change the vocabulary of pop music. They only had hits. Maybe that's enough to win a spot in the book. I'll have to think on that.

I can't tell the difference between Aguilara and Spears. If a publisher makes me write about her, I will.

To which Haldeman replied:

The book isn't fully written yet on the white teen queens of the late 90s. But right now, only X-Tina is taken seriously as a recording artist, if Rolling Stone is to be believed. Britney is all about the crotch shots, Avril Lavigne doesn't sell any more, and Mandy Moore has fully crossed over to acting. If I had to guess which of these will be the no-brainer for the 2017 edition of this book, it would be X-Tina, and as such I think she ought to be in the 2007 edition

A fair point.


Several people mentioned Simon & Garfunkel/Paul Simon. I originally thought the rock book would claim them, for reasons that are no longer clear. They definitely belong.

Pop Legends

There's a possibility I'll be working on a book that compiles profiles of 100 "pop legends." To prepare, I'm trying to cobble together a list of 100 pop stars. I've received little if any guidance so far on what they're looking for. So I'm going to try to define the parameters, arbitrary though they may be, the best I can.

Here's what we know: The book will be 160 pages, 45,000 words. 70 artists will get 1 page, 23 artists will get 2 pages, and 5 artists will get 4 pages. So I'm working under the assumption of 300 words/ 600 words/1000 words. Very very tight stuff.

There will also be companion books on rock and country to be written by others. While they acknowledge there will be some overlap, they want to minimize duplicating artists.

I'm working under the assumption that they're defining pop from the beginning of the rock era (1955 or so). I'd like to cut as wide a swath as I can. So my list includes rock, soul, R&B, hip hop, country, and vocal (for lack of a better term). I'm not sure there's any theme that unites this group other than that they sold a lot of records. They are listed below alphabetically.

There's about 4 entries that are more theme based (The Sound Of Philadephia, Motown, Girl Groups and Boy Bands) since individual artists probably don't warrant a story on their own, but taken collectively, they are an important part of popular music.

There's no way a list like this can make everyone happy. But before you castigate me for skipping The Who, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin and people like that, remember they will probably be in the rock book, which I have nothing to do with.

So I would love your input. What am I missing? What can go?

And if the book falls through? Well, it's still a fun exercise.

Abba

Aerosmith

Beach Boys

Beastie Boys

Beatles

Bee Gees

Tony Bennett

Chuck Berry

Beyonce

Mary J Blige

Bon Jovi

Pat Boone

David Bowie

Boy Bands

British Invasion

Garth Brooks

James Brown

Mariah Carey

Johnny Cash

Ray Charles

Chicago

Kelly Clarkson

Nat King Cole

Phil Collins

Perry Como

Sam Cooke

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Bing Crosby

Bobby Darin

Neil Diamond

Dion

Celine Dion

Dixie Chicks

Fats Domino

The Drifters

Eagles

Earth Wind & Fire

Eminem

Everly Brothers

Fleetwood Mac

Aretha Franklin

Marvin Gaye

Girl Groups

Green Day

Al Green

Hall & Oates

Faith Hill

Buddy Holly

Whitney Houston

The Impressions

Janet Jackson

Michael Jackson

Jay Z

Billy Joel

Elton John

Alicia Keys

Brenda Lee

Little Richard

Loretta Lynn

Madonna

Barry Manilow

Paul McCartney

George Michael

Missy Elliott

Motown

Notorious BIG

Roy Orbison

Ozzy Osborne

Patti Page

Dolly Parton

P Diddy

Wilson Pickett

The Platters

The Police

Elvis Presley

Prince

Queen

Linda Ronstadt

Diana Ross

Run DMC

Tupac Shakur

Frank Sinatra

Sly & The Family Stone

Snoop Doggy Dogg

The Sound Of Philadelphia

Rod Stewart

Britney Spears

Bruce Springsteen

Gwen Stefani

Barbara Streisand

Donna Summer

James Taylor

TLC

Tina Turner

Shania Twain

Dionne Warwick

Kanye West

Jackie Wilson

Stevie Wonder

Wynonna

Welcome to my life

With a doff of my chapeau to Soo Doh Nim...

I'm feeling better...

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (AVERYFAMOUS News Service) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has updated an earlier recall of C.R. Bard Inc. surgical patches because of the potential for serious health risks, including death, according to an agency notice posted on Thursday.

Can't get much more serious than death, can you?

Actually, there is earnings season...

Killing is their business...and business is good...

"I was particularly pleased to see that our civil ammunition business grew by 25 percent in the quarter."
--Dan Murphy, CEO of Alliant Tech, one of the nation's largest maker of bullets.

Because when the economy is good, everybody wins...sort of...

Indie-Rock Anonymous-A Testimonial by Derek C.

In the basement of a church on the Upper East Side, the chairs are arranged in a semi circle, four rows deep around a podium. The room filled with people aged 35 to 50, all casually dressed. Some are at ease with themselves, chatting quietly. Others look visibly nervous. Most have iPods and some are comparing their models with one another. A couple even have expensive phones. An aging balding man taks his place at the podium.

"Hello," he stutters, while clearing his throat. "My name is Derek."

"Hello, Derek," the crowd replies in unison with varying degrees of bordom, disinterest and aloofness.

The balding man struggles to find the words. He finds it hard to breathe even. Beads of sweat form on his brow. And after a minute or so he blurts, "My name is Derek and -- I don't like Sleater-Kinney!"

The crowd responds with polite but enthusiastic applause. A couple of younger people are staring in wonder.

"I've been trying to like them for 10 years now. More even. Ever since Robert Christgau gave Call The Doctor and 'A.'"

"You don't like Call The Doctor," asks one of the attendees, incredulously.

A tall woman with flaxen hair rises and admonishes him. "Remember, we do not judge in these rooms. We do not yuck someone else's yum, however, um, unorthodox that opinion may be."

"I tried, I really tried," Derek said with desperation rising in his voice. "I have every one of their albums because everyone said they're supposed to be great. The interlocking guitars. The impassioned caterwauling. The scathing indictments of white male heterosexual oppression. But ... but..."

"Yes, yes, go ahead. Don't be afraid."

"They can't sing! They have no gift for melody. Everything they sing sounds like a political treatise! It feels like humorless agitprop. I don't want to be screamed at all the time. Really, I like the Clash. I like Husker Du. I like Black Flag. Well, actually, I don't like Black Flag, but I just say I do. But I just don't like Sleater-Kinney. Is that so wrong?!!"

There is dead silence in the room. And suddenly the tall woman rises and applauds. Then several others rise and do the same. Before long, the entire room rises in support of the balding man, who smiles sheepishly, feeling confident for the first time in what seems like years.

"I think we've all learned something here today," the woman says. "It's ok to not like what critics unanimously like."

Another round of applause breaks out. "Yeah, I don't like Sufjan Stevens," cries a voice from the back of the room.

"Yeah, and Radiohead sucks." More applause.

"Right, and who the fuck are the Mekons anyway?"

"All of Randy Newman's songs sound the same."

The tall woman raises one hand and says, "You see, Derek? That's why there's 32 flavors."

Derek smiles and says to the crowd, "Thank you. For the first time, I truly feel at home."

The room fills with warm applause.

"And you know what? I heard Styx's 'Too Much Time On My Hands' in the Burger King the other day, and I liked it!"

The tall woman frowns. "All right. Stop talking now, Derek."