Deep Soul The Up Rising Of Motown Part 1

[URUGUAYO11000]

QUE MUSICA POR DIOSSSS .......AGUANTE EL SOUL !!!!

[pissedoff7771]

i dont know how true it is but i heard when his son i forgot his name made the song somebodys watching me.he asked his father for help with the recording and berry said no.then micheal told him he would help him.micheal song the hooks.

[SILICONALI420001]

@pissedoff7771 actualy it was micheal and jermaine jackson that helped him.rockwell was his stage name....

[pissedoff7771]

he just put a sign on the door no more work here.these people had families and had played their hearts out for 14 years.all of those hits the funk brothers played on.how would you or anyone feel with some one doing that? never getting credit for your work.as young people we needed that history. at that time we were just learning black history.we only read about dick and jane.were taught only about white authors.most colleges did not teach black history until we demand it.

[pissedoff7771]

example say you are homeless and i meet you.i find you have no where to say.i will say hey come stay with me.so you do.i told you iam not going to charge you much rent.then after you come stay with me. i take your whole check.i only give you a little of your money back at a time.you can not say to much because you are afraid i will kick you out.to me i am helping you.at the same time i know know i am screwing you.it still happens every day.i just do not understand how he just up and moved out.

[rudielor]

@pissedoff7771 great example!

[pissedoff7771]

hey old motown fan as others have said it was not so easy to leave.even in the 1960s that still had race records.thats where blacks recorded under a major label but they used a different name for blacks so they would keep the white customers.so new black artist are going to want to work for a black company.it was like a family when starting out.yes berry a visionary but because you do something to help someone you do not take advantage of the people who you helped..exanple

[rudielor]

@pissedoff7771 You are saying everything I'm thinking. Thanks for laying it down and being so honest and forthright.

[bolder2009]

Whatever you think about Berry Gordy, he was a visionary in a time when many from his background didn't even dare to dream of what Motown would go on to accomplish. I'm not excusing the negative aspects of his business dealings with his artists. However you can't not acknowledge the doors he opened. Many of his artists would never have recieved the opportunities he gave them. Also the artist development he set up for them, with legends like Cholly Aitkins, and the finishing school.

[rudielor]

@bolder2009 Good for Berry Gordy and his great vision and making history. The start of what seem to be an opportunity to most ended in a "nightmare". Those artist wanted and needed more than a legacy, they wanted their money. On the other hand, if it weren't for the talent of these artist, Berry wouldn't be a legend or be rich. It was too much money going around for them to be broke and broken. They could do a year of episodes of "Unsung" on Motown and we would all be crying. Good job Berry!!

[bolder2009]

@rudielor Pehaps he wouldn't have been a legend, but don't forget that Berry wrote Jackie Wilson's biggest hits and most iconic songs. Berry wrote classics for other artists on the Chess lable, including Etta James. He is still making money off those classics he wrote before he started Motown, so to say he wouldn't be a legend is not necessarily true. Also Berry taught Smokey how to write songs to a professional standard. Even Marvin Gaye recognised Berry's genius despite their conflicts.

[rudielor]

@bolder2009 Agree with you there. I suppose my main point would be in agreement with pissedoff7771. I won't repeat it though. I recognize his talents also and respect everyones opinions here. But to me he looked out for few and messed over many, thats all.

[bolder2009]

@rudielor Like I said, I'm not excusing the negative aspects of some of his business practices and dealings with his creative staff and artists. Many of them deserved more than what they got. At the same time, we have to balance the negative with the fact that he was the visionary along with the support of his sister, Ester Gordy who was also a very important figure in getting Motown off the ground. Berry had the idea to replicate what Henry Ford did for the automobile industry....

[bolder2009]

@rudielor It was his daring and tenacity that drove him to take the risk of such a bold idea, and to be independant and compete against the established giants of the industry. It was also Berry Gordy who gave many of those youngster from the projects of Detroit, a chance. The were not all artists to begin with. He paid for them to be taught how to present themselves. He helped to nurture their musical development and financed it with his royalties from earlier hits.

[bolder2009]

@rudielor When the Supremes couldn't get a hit and became known as the "no hit supremes" he was paitient with them, where as another lable would have dropped them. My point is that there needs to be a balance when analysing the legacy of Berry Gordy. There were many things he got wrong, such as treatment of The Funk Brothers and Teena Marie, just to name two. BUT he also gave many of them a chance they may never have gotten to be a part of something special and timeless.

[SILICONALI420001]

@bolder2009 your right but they were special(he was sleeping with diana ross at the time

[MarcieLuvzMusic]

Berry Gordy wrote them.... Jackie Wilson Built Motown.... SO TRUE, SO TRUE!!!!

[srercrcr]

Reet Petite and To Be Loved were sizable successes before Lonely Teardrops, so Gordy had a few under his belt already...knew he had talent. Like Jackie, Marv Johnson's string of hits were written and produced by Gordy. With the great success of Come to Me and Money, Gordy kept releasing songs that didnt emulate that sound,,,why? By the time Shop Around hit big (#2 Pop, not #1)....the mold was formed and the money flowed.

Gordy was a musical genius. (A witness)

[srercrcr]

Was that Etta James saying WE DIDNT WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH MOTOWN?? False...ALL I COULD DO WAS CRY was cowritten by Gordy. Also, a number of early records recorded by Gordy were issued on Chess in Chicago.

[ketefollen1984]

@srercrcr Maybe only said for interview

[MegaMusicman09]

BRILLIANT-THANKYOU..

[pissedoff7771]

berry gordy did alot for black artist but at the same time many were beat out of their royalties and if you are going to do that to people then you really have not done anything for them at all.i was taught if you do something for some one you do not talk about what you have done.If you do you have done nothing at all.these kids were young and didnt know about business.they really needed lawyers to protect them.they only knew they wanted to sing and did.not thinking about their tomorrows.

[rudielor]

@pissedoff7771 Exactly. They deserved better. It's heartbreaking for me to read their stories. I just read the Marvelettes and it very disturbing.

[pissedoff7771]

in every business and every job you are going to have ass holes.i believe they do put a sign in the window ASS HOLES WANTED and the ass hole shows up.everyday jobs have these people.you have got them on yours ive had them on mine.in the music business that can be very rewarding and very stressful, the asshole is going to be more of an ass hole because more moneys involved.what you must do is beat the asshole at his own game but not let him know it.

[DanteDevil2727]

I just found out his son is Redfoo from LMFAO haha

[OldMotownFan]

But those artists didn't have to stay with Motown, did they? I mean they could leave after they became famous - and many did. So why all the hate toward Berry Gordy? If a better deal was to be found elsewhere, then go elsewhere.

[stage7]

@OldMotownFan NAW! It Wasn't so easy to 'leave'! MOST of the artists had alot of fighting to do to get a chance to leave! It was a hard decision because of how 'wrapped' they were into legalities concerning and 'by' Motown! They knew what they were doing! And ALOT was to be LOST by 'walking out'... esPECially after all that had been done to MAKE them stars and artists! Yeah, they left... some.... But NOT without great prices to pay for the most part! They just had to take their bids

[stage7]

@stage7 There was ALOT that went INTO it all that we don't 'know'! Artists were NOT as detatched from the 'machine' as they have become today! They were 'owned'. They literally DID sign their lives AWAY and had HARD ROWS TO HOE to get OUT of such 'selling of the souls' so to speak. Thank God that perseverance finally made its way to the forefront when it came to that, and the industry has since changed. But Little Richard, will TELL you about THAT, and Many other pioneers will TOO!

[OldMotownFan]

@stage7 I'm not disagreeing with you as much as asking for details. A contract is a contract. When it expires then you move on if you're not happy al la Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Jackson Five, The Four Tops, HDH, etc, then you leave when the terms are up. Even Diana Ross and the Temptations left and came back.

[OldMotownFan]

@stage7 I don't buy that these were unsophisticated rubes from some backwater town taken advantage of; they were hip and urban. Even if they didn't know enough to get a lawyer when they were teens, they certainly knew it when they were bug successes.

[QSPTrickz]

I Ike pie

[QSPTrickz]

Mrs. Lambert rocks!

[QSPTrickz]

This made my day. In chorus class.

[QSPTrickz]

Very meaningful.

[ManningHhh]

Wow this dude is was a dirty bastard I had no idea!!

[50srocknrollfan18]

At first, I didn't pay much attention to Gordy, but to the music

Now I know that Berry Gordy started it all, and I thank him

[mowestjohn]

Berry Gordy=GENIUS

[DatesTwinn]

To say Berry cheated them was way off, One thing artist tends to forget, everytime you go in that studio, expensive hotels, fancy limos & fancy clothing...that cost money! In order for a company to make you presentable, he spends a large amount of money before you even have a hit, if you don't make it, he loses. As Lionel Richie said, your second hit pays the bills for the first hit record. Stevie, Lionel, & Smokey, learned early....WRITE YOUR OWN SONGS, ROYALTIES PAYS THE BILLS.

[TheDizzydiana]

@DatesTwinn You might not think how you think if you knew that motown artists got about 2% in royalties.The Jackson5 left at their new label they got 20% in royalties,a big difference.They only left because Diana and Marvin were or had.Motown was fantastic the best but not fair

[artistsixteen]

Excellent video!...I attempted to do the same before i saw this video,now i will go back to the drawing board to improve on what i did,thank you for the inspiration!!!

[idis1abad]

I love this documentary. Thanks for the upload



[WHO9ER]

An example of greed and how to not treat people: Berry Gordy.. Why are all musicians dying poor? Because their money is in Berry's pants. "Standing in the shadows of motown" is a good film, but it still isn't enough for those guys

[rudielor]

Thanks for starting Motown, but thumbs down to you for throwing a LOT of them under the bus. When you read their individual stories you know they suffered while you got filty rich. The scale never balanced, only lifted for a few (Stevie, Smokie, some writers), not the singers and musicians. Berry you get 1 thumb up and 5 thumbs down. Greedy Ass. Great story with said endings.

[tinaloveseddie]

@rudielor Respected and Admired??? Hmm...I don't think so..... I agree with rudielor..Greedy Ass..Barry was actually quite insecure...because he wasn't as handsome...as the " Men of Motown...and he was "short"..he had that short man syndrome.....

[rudielor]

@tinaloveseddie LOL, true, I probably gave him too much credit. He killed the spirits of so many artists.  He hurt more than he helped. And then to strip the group show names didn't allow them to use the name to make money after Motown. Groups like the Marvelettes made up their own name but he signed it into that "greedy" contract to own it. Diana made that "little man" feel mighty big. He goes down in the HALL OF SHAME even though I enjoy the Motown music. He sucks.

[tinaloveseddie]

@rudielor I totally agree with your statement....Right on Point! Did you happen to read the book : Motown: Music, Money Sex and Power? Its a very good read...I encourage you to read this book..if you haven't done so already. =)

[mzsassy25]

@tinaloveseddie interesting! I need to get that book. Wow I wasnt of this

[tinaloveseddie]

@mzsassy25 Yes...its a great read...the author is Gerald Posner.

[mzsassy25]

@tinaloveseddie Got it...thanks so much!

[rudielor]

@tinaloveseddie Thanks I will pick that book up!

[liacashmere58]

@tinaloveseddie Berry is one of the most respected and admired men in entertainment get real. You don't have to like how he did business but he gave alot of black artist there start. Everyone from Russel Simmons, to P.Diddy, to Jay Z, to even Quincy Jones have all talked about learning how to do business from Berry and how much they respected him. Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Rick James, Teena Marie, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, and MANY others wouldn't have made it without Berry.

[liacashmere58]

@tinaloveseddie I think you should read my post again. Cause I answered your question. No one cares how you feel about him on a personal level, he IS one of the most respected men in entertainment and yes I'm sure you know him and were there at Motown in the 60's and know real facts and know what was going on behind closed doors(*eye roll). Unless you were there (I dount you were), You and I don't know anything but rumors, gossip, and myths

[tinaloveseddie]

@liacashmere58 Well....I guess you seem to be a Motown expert...saying he IS one of the most respected..Hmmm..I guess you were there right?  And yess...for your info...I know real facts...( you should really get that "eye rolling" thing fixed..seems like a personal problem to me....and no one gives a shit...about how you feel about him on a personal level...Good Luck.....with That!

[liacashmere58]

@tinaloveseddie you know facts . . . sure you do . . .

[tinaloveseddie]

@liacashmere58 You don't know shit! Myths??? LMAO!!!!

[RandyEleven]

@tinaloveseddie You feel da same Way bout Me I Bet

[bolder2009]

@rudielor You'll find that with just about every major groundbreaking success story. The most recent one? Mark Zukerberg, the founder of Facebook.

[rook1015]

@rudielor and the thing is. artists like smokey didn't care about the money. any1 who is a great artist just wants to spread their art. Who cares how much you own, you'll never use it all efficiently anyways in your lifetime.

[rudielor]

@rook1015 But in the real world also exist needs such as eating, supporting your family, raising the kids etc. Smokey cared about the money too, he was suppose to. He had a family to feed. Unless you have another career that makes money, or someone who takes care of you, it is most musical artist dream to not only become famous, but financially secure. I'd say Berry made more people famous but they deserved financial security as well and they didn't get that.

[xwsftassell]

Behold His Works.

[REDIMUSICMOVIES]

Thank you. Berry Gordy. The greatest man & the greatest story ever told