Were you ever a Motown Fan?

Yes, absolutely!

Being a musician, I am somewhat of a student of Motown music. If you are into such things, there is a fantastic documentary available on DVD called "Standing in the Shadows of Motown":

http://www.standingintheshadowsofmotown.com/

The movie tells the story of the unsung "heroes" of the music... the studio musicians who actually created the sound behind these great artists. The studio band was informally dubbed "The Funk Brothers", and never really got credit for their contributions to the music.

Each musician is notable, but I'd like to make special note of James Jamerson who passed away in 1983. James was the bass player on so many Motown recordings, and singlehandedly defined modern bass playing. Once you get his sound into your head, you will recognize it and realize the importance that it had to the Motown sound, and how it influenced music to come.

I love all the Motown artists, but Marvin Gaye is probably my favorite. The duets he did with Tammi Terrell are legendary... "You're All I Need (To Get By)", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing"... I'm in heaven just thinking about them.

Buy or rent the DVD if you can. It's a touching story.

P.S. [to Eagle Woman] It might seem like a technicality, but Aretha Franklin was not a Motown artist. She was definitely the Queen of Soul, but she recorded for Atlantic. Neither James Brown nor Jerry Butler were ever with Motown either. Come to think of it, "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge was Atlantic's first gold record. He was not a Motown artist either. Gladys Knight was with Motown before signing with Buddah in 1973. Gladys' version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" actually preceded Marvin Gaye's. It's all great music though.

peace

.

Big Motown fan. That was the best music anyway, so how could I not be a fan.

I seem to find I am much better at the topic of music than any other. I was always terrible at algebra, so I switched to geometry which was way worse.

No trick, your interests are musically motivated. That is a good thing in my opinion. I believe as I have previously stated, music is a universal language. They should think about teaching in a musical form. LOL.

I loved this question and am loving some of the answers so far. (This is an edit)

Motown artists were my favorites ever since I was an 8 year old kid in Cleveland, Ohio. It irks me that I can't recall Bible verses or specific data which I need for my job, and yet, I can recite verbatim the lyrics to every single song by the Supremes, Four Tops, Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas and so many others. Not only subliminal and soothing sexy rhythm, but very powerful, unforgettable music, too.

I think music has a way of imprinting on our brains with out us really doing any consciously. For example have you ever heard a song, or jingle and couldn't get it out of your head??

NOW MOTOWN is my kind of music!! I remember all the words and still can do some of the moves to the dances back then! My daughter is getting married Sat. and there will be plenty of

Motown. I wish there was a club where you could go and just hear this kind of music and dance or just watch!

I still own so much of the old Motown tunes. The Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey and the Miracles, Supremes, (Before it was just Ross,) James Brown, Jerry Butler, Percy Sledge, Martha and the Vandellas and we can't forget the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. They all have my R.E.S.P.E.C.T.! Oh how I love them! We would have been rocket scientists if they would have set the lessons to the Motown Sound!

I loved Motown and still do..I have those songs on records, reel to reel, eight track, cassettes and now Cd's... When I was younger I did not like math much.But I used music to teach my children the multiplication tables. The mutiplication rock... Both subliminal and the sexy rhythm!

I love the old motown stuff,cklw came in clear even though I was at the other end of lake erie.

Every song they had out was incredible and danceable.

I heard Boyz 2 Men have a new cd out doing the major motown hits , will have to look for that one as I do enjoy boyz 2 men's harmonies.

Was I ever a Motown Fan???

WOW MAMA, I played every

song any of them ever recorded and did it daily.

I still listen to The Oldies FM105. They play a lot of Motown. They also play the

Beatles, which I think were

over-rated. Don't shout me

down now!

No, it was the Motown Sound.

That was some of the best

musicians and singers in the

world and they knew their

rhythm. I can't stand todays

music, drums are too heavy

and all the girl singers sound

like 12 yrs. old.

P.S. You can hear THE OLDIES FM 105 online.

there's also a great Hawaiian

online FM105 station.

Motown, where is that? If I've ever been there I sang every song on the radio along the way. Its almost like a OCD, I have to sing every word to every song. I'm the annoying person that you don't want to be trapped in the car with for too long. :)

I think it's a sign of the times we grew up in...there WERE no other songs even worth listening to at that time, unless you liked Elvis. The rest of the "Wonder Bread" songs were pure schmaltz and awful.

I too, have those motown songs playing in my head while I swing these (admittedly wider) hips to the beat.