| Author |
Message |
 
Alain Nguyen (soulgems)
3-Pundit
Username: soulgems
Post Number: 48
Registered: 7-2004
Posted From: 65.166.187.218
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 12:37 pm: �� |   ��� |
Last night I listened to the "I had a dream" speeches from Martin Luther King. The recorded speeches were released by Motown.
Because of the absence of music and its political message it is not a typical Motown recording.
Not being around at the time the speeches were released makes me wonder:
How do the Martin Luther King LPs fit within the Motown catalogue?
Was that a politicaly conscious effort similar to "Clean up the Ghetto" on PIR?
Are there more examples of political messages on the Motown catalogue? |
John Lester (theboyfromxtown)
4-Laureate
Username: theboyfromxtown
Post Number: 124
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 62.49.61.57
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 12:40 pm: �� | ��� |
Anybody want to talk about some of the releases on Motown's Black Forum label.....Stokely Carmichael etc |
Gary (gary)
4-Laureate
Username: gary
Post Number: 150
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 66.73.238.5
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 12:46 pm: �� | ��� |
Alain...Berry Gordy was fairly close to MLK, so it would appear that their personal friendship may have paved the way for the "I Have A Dream" recording. Gordy can clearly be seen in photographs taken at King's funeral. He is shown walking in the front row of the funeral procession along with Harry Belafonte, (I beleive Sammy Davis, Jr.) and assorted other celebrities. |
Alain Nguyen (soulgems)
3-Pundit
Username: soulgems
Post Number: 49
Registered: 7-2004
Posted From: 65.166.187.218
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 12:55 pm: �� | ��� |
Looks like Black Forum's was created for the purpose of political activism,with releases aimed at opposing the war in Vietam and promoting afrocentric values. It's an interesting topic, I'd like to find out more about this! |
Don (don)
6-Zenith
Username: don
Post Number: 675
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 68.75.53.63
| | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 9:25 am: �� | ��� |
I have that lp I think it has a Gordy label, not sure if it has a Motown label it's been awhile, I'll have to dig for it.
Don |
Charise (mistrivia1)
6-Zenith
Username: mistrivia1
Post Number: 459
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 198.81.26.46
| | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 9:46 am: �� | ��� |
Don, it is on the Gordy label, released as Gordy 906 I just purchased that about 2 weeks ago. There was also the The Great March On Washington released in '68 on Gordy 908. |
Graham Finch (acooolcat)
5-Doyen
Username: acooolcat
Post Number: 186
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 210.200.105.229
| | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 10:18 am: �� | ��� |
Alain
You might want to read Suzanne Smith's book - Dancing In The Street (Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit). It's published by Harvard Press.
It's a while since I read it, but from memory she seemed a bit skeptical of Berry's commitment to politics.
I have on CD (via a friend) a version of Martin's speech, which I think was released on the HOB label. Eric (C Bell) might be able to explain. |
John Lester (theboyfromxtown)
4-Laureate
Username: theboyfromxtown
Post Number: 126
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 81.155.104.166
| | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 10:35 am: �� | ��� |
I found Suzanne's book a bit hard to digest and I did think it was because I missed having a "hands on" background knowledge.
..and I was also somewhat skeptical of Mr Gordy's committment to politics - at the end of the day, the man WAS a record executive! That picture that Graham is possibly referring to had him with Mrs King, and if I recall correctly, also Lena Horne and a few other entertainment figures....one thing is for sure, that picture certainly got around!
I was also skeptical when I saw Diana, Mary and Cindy of the Supremes appear publicly to endorse a presential candidate. If Mr Gordy was so strongly politically minded, I would have expected us here to have got to know about it many many years ago........ |
Raymond Ennifer (benlynx)
1-Arriviste
Username: benlynx
Post Number: 1
Registered: 8-2004
Posted From: 195.92.168.173
| | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 2:16 pm: �� | ��� |
BLACK FORUM LABEL
451 Dr Martin Luther King Why I Oppose The War in Vietnam 10.1970
452 Stokley Carmichael Free Huey 10.1970
453 Langston Hughes & Margaret Danner Writers Of The Revolution 10.1970
454 Black Fighting Men Recorded Live ln Vietnam Guess Who's Coming Home (Narrated By Wallace Terry 2.1972
455 Ossie Davis And Bill Cosby The Congressional Black Caucus 4.1972
456 Emamu Amiri Baraka, The Original Last Poets Black Spirits 4.1972
457 lmamu Amiri Baraka Its Nation Time -African Visionary Music 4.1972
458 Elaine Brown Elaine Brown 4.1973 |
Cool Ju (cool_ju)
4-Laureate
Username: cool_ju
Post Number: 83
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 205.188.116.138
| | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 7:53 pm: �� | ��� |
Didn't MLK file a lawsuit against Motown regarding the Detroit and/or Washington march recording/s, which was later squashed? |
John Barry Sheffield (jaybs)
4-Laureate
Username: jaybs
Post Number: 72
Registered: 4-2004
Posted From: 195.92.168.171
| | Posted on Sunday, August 29, 2004 - 12:34 pm: �� | ��� |
It took me ages to get a copy of the Dr Martin Luther King CD on Motown, I think the quality of recordings was far better than many others released later. Sadly Motown no longer have the licence for these recordings.
John |