Motown Music on American Bandstand!

[marv2]

Starting things off, The Temptations with "I Can't Get Next to You!" 1969


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY8_zZTi3-M

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1967 - Top 10 - The Happening, The Supremes!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO4LX6_p2MU

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1966 -Spotlight Dance- Don’t Mess With Bill, The Marvelettes!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGN-PG1cTIE

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1964 - Baby Don’t You Do It, Marvin Gaye!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7zNqlkGMt0

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1965 - Baby I Need Your Loving, The Four Tops!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzVt8NBoGL4

[luke]

Great stuff Marv!! I was always thought the Happening was a challenge to dance to but some of those kids got it!

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1964 - Can You Do It by the Contours!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL2h59y6dlE

[marv2]

Great stuff Marv!! I was always thought the Happening was a challenge to dance to but some of those kids got it!

Thanks Luke. These clips brings back a lot of really good memories for me. Now imagine a 4, 5 and 9 year old standing in front of the TV watching the big kids dance and trying to do the same thing! LOL! Music was very enjoyable back in the day.

[marv2]

The clips from 1964 were from when the show was still in Philadelphia.

[blackguy69]

What can I say: most of those kids couldn’t find a beat if it slapped them upside their heads lol.

[marv2]

What can I say: most of those kids couldn’t find a beat if it slapped them upside their heads lol.

Heck, most of them are in their 70s now! LOL!!!!!

[marv2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_hnTt-uQ8

[marv2]

Brenda Holloway "I'll Always Love You" - 1965!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30HmJSDvkG0

[marv2]

I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Gladys Knight & The Pips - 1967


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hxOluG_hEI

[robb_k]

14249
I'm truly glad to find that Dick Clark proclaimed that Brenda had the most fantastic singing voice that he had ever heard. That's something on the plus side for him, considering there was a lot about him that I didn't like.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

American Bandstand 1964 - Baby Don’t You Do It, Marvin Gaye!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7zNqlkGMt0

Only having discovered this song in the 90's, I tried to imagine the dance kids would have been doing to this beat and I figured it would have been the "Jerk". It looks like I guessed right. I love the beat on this tune. Tough enough to drive a truck.

[jobucats]

American Bandstand 1964 - Baby Don’t You Do It, Marvin Gaye!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7zNqlkGMt0

I had not listened to this song much back in the day, however, revisiting it this morning through this YouTube video brings up something rather interesting to this music nerd. This song uses the same instrumental phrase over and over AND it does it wonderfully. I was trying to recall other Motown songs that use the same pattern over and over, and I can't really think of any. [[The closest I came to was "Love is Like an Itching"...which we know eventually resolves itself). Immediately, as many of the Motown fans can do, I was able to discern that it was a H-D-H production.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I had not listened to this song much back in the day, however, revisiting it this morning through this YouTube video brings up something rather interesting to this music nerd. This song uses the same instrumental phrase over and over AND it does it wonderfully. I was trying to recall other Motown songs that use the same pattern over and over, and I can't really think of any. [[The closest I came to was "Love is Like an Itching"...which we know eventually resolves itself). Immediately, as many of the Motown fans can do, I was able to discern that it was a H-D-H production.

Ha, ha! I noticed the same thing about this song. It what I call a "Bulldozer Song" because it makes me think of this big, heavy bulldozer that just rolls on and on and on, mowing down everything in its tracks. I once hooked up my speakers a certain way and was able to get a fairly clean instrumental from the stereo recording and then the song gets very interesting.

There is a part before the 2nd verse [[1:08) where the music plays a bit before Marvin starts singing. The guitar chording changes just a bit before he gets to the "Girl l I tried to do my best" part. When I listened to the instrumental I had made, I found you could easily have started the 2nd verse a bar earlier and still ended up finishing the whole stanza before the "breakdown" part where it's just the drums, handclaps and bongos. This probably sounds nuts but it's just something that always has tickled me about this song and the way it's structured with its repeating non-stop pattern.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

I was trying to recall other Motown songs that use the same pattern over and over, and I can't really think of any. [[The closest I came to was "Love is Like an Itching"...which we know eventually resolves itself). Immediately, as many of the Motown fans can do, I was able to discern that it was a H-D-H production.

Stevie Wonder's "Uptight" is another Motown song that is basically one repeating riff over and over. The Supreme's "I Hear A Symphony" is another. The use of ascending key changes is what gives that song a simultaneous resolution and razor's edge of ever-increasing excitement.

[jobucats]

Stevie Wonder's "Uptight" is another Motown song that is basically one repeating riff over and over. The Supreme's "I Hear A Symphony" is another. The use of ascending key changes is what gives that song a simultaneous resolution and razor's edge of ever-increasing excitement.

Interesting about bringing up "I Hear a Symphony" with its continuous musical riff over and over. It's one of those songs where I, myself, would find it difficult to remember all of the lyrics because all of the phrases sound alike [[with the except of the key changes). The background voices constantly singing "I hear a symphony, ooo, baby, baby) wouldn't add to the cue me in as to what verse I was on. Great catch, WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Interesting about bringing up "I Hear a Symphony" with its continuous musical riff over and over. It's one of those songs where I, myself, would find it difficult to remember all of the lyrics because all of the phrases sound alike [[with the except of the key changes). The background voices constantly singing "I hear a symphony, ooo, baby, baby) wouldn't add to the cue me in as to what verse I was on. Great catch, WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance.

I know EXACTLY what you mean about getting lost on this song and I've had the same thought. If I had to sing that song, there is no real benchmark to figure out where you're supposed to be. I actually just thought of a couple other H-D-H songs where a singer could easily lose his or her place: Chris Clark's "It Must Be Love" and The Elgins' "Darling Baby." "Those are two more "Bulldozer" songs that give the singer absolutely no indication of where you're supposed to be if you happen to forget a lyric. I often wondered if Saundra Mallet found it hard to sing "Darling Baby" live. Like you said, the lyrics and phrases are all very interchangeable.

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1967 - April Fool! - Bernadette, The Four Tops


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf5UrHXqLOE

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1969 - I Was Made To Love Her, Stevie Wonder


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA-0QfqypmI

[marv2]

It Takes Two, Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston

Airdate: Feb. 11, 1967


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDDRG30xIsc

[marv2]

1969 – Spotlight Dance – Angie Girl, Stevie Wonder

Airdate: Sept. 13, 1969


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb-AoaPplVk

[BigAl]

..."I Hear a Symphony" ... difficult to remember all of the lyrics because all of the phrases sound alike.

When I saw the gals in March of '67, Diane actually lost her place in the lyrics of "I Hear A Symphony," and kept going around and around the same chorus until she eventually just threw up her arms and wailed "SYYYYYM-PHONY." Flo and Mary followed suit to finally end the song, but the band was stumped and sort of just trailed off. I suspect hardly anyone else in the audience even noticed this. It was then that I realized I wouldn't be able to sing that song through from beginning to end without having it playing at the same time. Very tough lyrics.

[Circa 1824]

Am I correct in remembering In and Out of Love being used as that year's song for the Bandstand dance contest? If so, it is surprising since In and Out of Love is not really a great dance song. One wonders if money passed under the table to the decision makers at Bandstand??

[Motown Eddie]

Seeing these clips from American Bandstand surely brought back found memories. I still remember the Saturday afternoon back in '64 when I first heard The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" on the show.

[Motown Eddie]

Stevie Wonder's "Uptight" is another Motown song that is basically one repeating riff over and over. The Supreme's "I Hear A Symphony" is another. The use of ascending key changes is what gives that song a simultaneous resolution and razor's edge of ever-increasing excitement.

And yet another song from Hitsville's Heyday that used one repeating riff is Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her". Producer Henry Cosby's recollection of the song [[from the notes off TCMS-67) is that the song was "just four bars" and "we played those four bars over & over" [[even stating that "this was the beginning of Disco").

[marv2]

And yet another song from Hitsville's Heyday that used one repeating riff is Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her". Producer Henry Cosby's recollection of the song [[from the notes off TCMS-67) is that the song was "just four bars" and "we played those four bars over & over" [[even stating that "this was the beginning of Disco").


That was bit of a stretch with Hank saying that it was the beginning of Disco. hehehehehehe!

[Motown Eddie]

That was bit of a stretch with Hank saying that it was the beginning of Disco. hehehehehehe!

A BIG stretch indeed [LOL]!

[Motown Eddie]

1969 – Spotlight Dance – Angie Girl, Stevie Wonder

Airdate: Sept. 13, 1969


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb-AoaPplVk

Very interesting that Bandstand would pick Stevie Wonder's "Angie Girl" [[the b-side of "For Once In My Life") for a spotlight dance [[it's a good call though).

[marv2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co68BgnU1uw

[marv2]

Marvin Gaye - Too Busy Thinking About My Baby 1969


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrErCGJm3yI

[marv2]

The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back - January 1970


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GifYwVOGjI

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Fun, nostalgic videos! Another "bulldozer" track from Motown was Martha Reeves & The Vandellas' "Show Me The Way". The same two chords over and over from beginning to end, yet thanks to Martha's and the girls' vocals, not one dull moment throughout!

[marv2]

Gladys Knight & the Pips -The Nitty Gritty -1969


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY4ut7xuocI

[marv2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSwZiXc6e0A

[Sharpmoves]

And the performance that went before that interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qcuRIvQnxo

[Philles/Motown Gary]

And the performance that went before that interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qcuRIvQnxo

Not sure who styled Martha's hair here, nor who selected their 'unique' gowns, but, other than that, great performance, Sharpmoves. It's the first time I've seen The Vandellas' choreography with "My Baby Loves Me". As always, it was spot on! Thanks for sharing.

[thanxal]

Not sure who styled Martha's hair here, nor who selected their 'unique' gowns, but, other than that, great performance, Sharpmoves. It's the first time I've seen The Vandellas' choreography with "My Baby Loves Me". As always, it was spot on! Thanks for sharing.
Oh come on! That's quintessential mid-60s hair! I loved it.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Oh come on! That's quintessential mid-60s hair! I loved it.

Fine, thanxal! We'll get you a wig just like it! Then you, too, can look "quintessential"!!! HaHa!

[marv2]

And the performance that went before that interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qcuRIvQnxo

Thank you Sharpmoves!

[luke]

I love the Vandellas choreography especially at the beginning ...so cool! Are there any Vandellas actually singing on the recording ? Great stuff Marv!

[marv2]

I love the Vandellas choreography especially at the beginning ...so cool! Are there any Vandellas actually singing on the recording ? Great stuff Marv!

Martha sang that song, didn't she?! Amazing how good they were.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

I love the Vandellas choreography especially at the beginning ...so cool! Are there any Vandellas actually singing on the recording ?
No, Luke, the only Vandella on that record is Martha. Back-up vocals were performed by The Andantes and the Four Tops.

[luke]

Thanks PMG. I guess I should have said other than Martha!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Thanks PMG

Welcome, Luke!

[Sharpmoves]

Cheating, I know, as this isn't from American Bandstand, but it is superb, and there definately are ONLY Vandellas in the background - it's really live! Not lip-synch. And the band is jazz....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ4MsXcAA9s

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Wow! Impressive performance, Sharpmoves! The girls' vocal delivery couldn't be better! [[I'm wondering why they were in street clothes for the Mike Douglas show. If memory serves, they were usually in gowns for their other Mike Douglas performances.)

[reese]

Wow! Impressive performance, Sharpmoves! The girls' vocal delivery couldn't be better! [[I'm wondering why they were in street clothes for the Mike Douglas show. If memory serves, they were usually in gowns for their other Mike Douglas performances.)

They were in street clothes for their SOUL APPEAL/ TAKING MY LOVE [[AND LEAVING ME) appearance as well.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Sorry, I accidently duplicated my post.

[reese]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM3pOr1eQgE

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Thanks, Reese! I love that! And Martha looked especially attractive in this performance! In her facial close-ups, I don't think I've ever seen her look prettier than she does here.

[marv2]

I very much remember this appearance as it aired right after my birthday that year:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuX00mxf8g0

[marv2]

From July 10, 1976.....The Supremes "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking"!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeDik6S53HE

[marv2]

The Miracles and "Love Machine" from 1976:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRi3R0wcSfA

[marv2]

Friendship Train, Gladys Knight & the Pips

From November 8, 1969!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnD6SzYZkho

[marv2]

Kim Weston. I don't know why the cut the song off


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XoVvtjQ6uw

[Philles/Motown Gary]

You know, Marv, in all these years [[other than the Motortown Revue Vol. 2 album in which Kim Weston introduces The Andantes live on stage with her before performing "Just Loving You"), I've never seen/heard her talk. That was a treat! Who knows why the original poster didn't include "A Thrill A Moment" in this video. I would have loved to see her perform [[lip sync) it. [[With all due respect, what was with the Elvis Presley-like sneer? Did Kim always do that)

[marv2]

You know, Marv, in all these years [[other than the Motortown Revue Vol. 2 album in which Kim Weston introduces The Andantes live on stage with her before performing "Just Loving You"), I've never seen/heard her talk. That was a treat! Who knows why the original poster didn't include "A Thrill A Moment" in this video. I would have loved to see her perform [[lip sync) it. [[With all due respect, what was with the Elvis Presley-like sneer? Did Kim always do that)

You're kidding. Kim would talk you ear off in person LOL!!! Most of the Motown women are talkers.

[marv2]

You know, Marv, in all these years [[other than the Motortown Revue Vol. 2 album in which Kim Weston introduces The Andantes live on stage with her before performing "Just Loving You"), I've never seen/heard her talk. That was a treat! Who knows why the original poster didn't include "A Thrill A Moment" in this video. I would have loved to see her perform [[lip sync) it. [[With all due respect, what was with the Elvis Presley-like sneer? Did Kim always do that)

Regarding the "sneer" that's nothing. I am sure she didn't even realize she was doing that. A very nice lady.

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1968 – Chained, Marvin GayeOctober 15, 1968


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35E707eTQyk

[Philles/Motown Gary]

American Bandstand 1968 – Chained, Marvin GayeOctober 15, 1968


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35E707eTQyk

Great one, Marv! Marvin's "Chained" and "You" are two of my favorites from his late-'70s Motown repertoire. Although the former was produced by Frank Wilson and the latter by Ivy Jo Hunter, "Chained" always sounded like a Norman Whitfield production to me, and "You" sounded like H-D-H. Either way, great stuff!

[marv2]

Great one, Marv! Marvin's "Chained" and "You" are two of my favorites from his late-'70s Motown repertoire. Although the former was produced by Frank Wilson and the latter by Ivy Jo Hunter, "Chained" always sounded like a Norman Whitfield production to me, and "You" sounded like H-D-H. Either way, great stuff!

Both were just REAL cool records. What I'd give to feel like that about music today.

[TomatoTom123]

Great one, Marv! Marvin's "Chained" and "You" are two of my favorites from his late-'70s Motown repertoire. Although the former was produced by Frank Wilson and the latter by Ivy Jo Hunter, "Chained" always sounded like a Norman Whitfield production to me, and "You" sounded like H-D-H. Either way, great stuff!

I know you mean late-'60s Gary, just thought I'd let you know :p, and I too love both songs!

[Philles/Motown Gary]

I know you mean late-'60s Gary, just thought I'd let you know :p, and I too love both songs!

You caught me again, Tom! At least, this time, it was just a typo! Ha! Mid-to-late '60s -- my favorite era for Marvin! Thanks, Buddy!

[marv2]

You caught me again, Tom! At least, this time, it was just a typo! Ha! Mid-to-late '60s -- my favorite era for Marvin! Thanks, Buddy!

Here is a thread we had exactly on that period of Marvin's career:

https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?4185-Marvin-Gaye-Too-Busy-Thinking-About-My-Baby-[[-The-Middle-Period-Marvin)&highlight=Marvin+Gaye+1966

[marv2]

December 30, 1967



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQB2ZG7BhRg

[Philles/Motown Gary]

December 30, 1967



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQB2ZG7BhRg
I love those old black&white Bandstand videos, Marv! You're probably too young to remember, but my fondest memories of watching Bandstand was in the early '60s when they were still broadcasting in Philly. I can still see Darlene Love in an early-summer '63 episode lip-syncing "[[Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry" and, in August '63, the introduction of the very first performance of The Ronettes lip-syncing "Be My Baby". Those were the days!

[marv2]

I love those old black&white Bandstand videos, Marv! You're probably too young to remember, but my fondest memories of watching Bandstand was in the early '60s when they were still broadcasting in Philly. I can still see Darlene Love in an early-summer '63 episode lip-syncing "[[Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry" and, in August '63, the introduction of the very first performance of The Ronettes lip-syncing "Be My Baby". Those were the days!

Thank you for saying that Gary, but yes I remember watching Bandstand from Philly also. It came on during the week and of course I remember watching it during the time of this last clip. We watched in black and white because we had not gotten a color TV yet. They began broadcasting in color in late 1967.

[luke]

It was in daily for awhile. Loved it!! Remember rate a record??

[marv2]

It was in daily for awhile. Loved it!! Remember rate a record??

I use to catch my train right in front of the old Bandstand studio in Philly at 69th and Market to go into CC.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

It was in daily for awhile. Loved it!! Remember rate a record??
Yeah, Luke, I loved the "Rate-A-Record" segment -- "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it!"

[marv2]

Yeah, Luke, I loved the "Rate-A-Record" segment -- "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it!"

Did they ever say anything else? LOL! Kids were still kids then.

[Philles/Motown Gary]

Did they ever say anything else? LOL! Kids were still kids then.

That was the popular answer of the day!

[marv2]

Brenda on Bandstand in 1964:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7HOLvTytyQ

[marv2]

American Bandstand August 17,1968 – Spotlight Dance - Jimmy Mack, Martha and the Vandellas:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew4SM8OodTY

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1976- Interview Johnny Bristol


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3-PYN6JktM

[marv2]

Spotlight Dance - It Takes Two, Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston. Airdate: January 7, 1967


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0kb5F1iGoQ

[Philles/Motown Gary]

American Bandstand 1976- Interview Johnny Bristol


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3-PYN6JktM

Thanks for posting that, Marv! Johhny Bristol was such a nice guy. I met him during my tour of Motown's Donovan Building back in October 1971. He was in the middle of mixing the Vocal version of Jr. Walker's "Way Back Home", and yet he took the time to talk with me. I thought that was really cool of him.

[marv2]

Thanks for posting that, Marv! Johhny Bristol was such a nice guy. I met him during my tour of Motown's Donovan Building back in October 1971. He was in the middle of mixing the Vocal version of Jr. Walker's "Way Back Home", and yet he took the time to talk with me. I thought that was really cool of him.

You're welcome Gary.

I never got the chance to meet Johnny,but he was a real stand up guy from everything I've heard.

[marv2]

American Bandstand 1967 – SPOTLIGHT DANCE – My Girl, The Temptations

Airdate: Sept. 9, 1967


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWVbGDlQyag

[marv2]

When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes, The Supremes: Airdate: January 11, 1964


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgL_zixdiQk