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Say
It Loud!:
A Celebration Of Black Music In America
Lessons for High School Music and Social Studies Classes
Episode 2: Pursuing The Dream
Lesson 3of 5
Early Motown-The 1960s Part 1
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Objectives
• Students will identify general business terms such as entrepreneur,
corporation, marketing, demographic, promotion, distribution etc.
• Students will identify many careers within the music industry
such as producer, A&R representative, recording studio engineer,
etc.
• Students will connect achievements of noted artists with their
roles in the music industry
• Students will identify many Black music industry leaders and
their contributions
National Standards for Music Education
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Materials
• VHS VCR player
• Television
• CD player
• Paper and pencil
• Access to the Detroit Historical Museum's Motor City Curriculum
found at www.detroithistorical.org/html/learning/motorcity
• Videotape of Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America,
Episode 2: Pursuing The Dream
• Recordings of early Berry Gordy songs such as, "To Be Loved,"
"That's Why" and "Lonely Teardrops" rec. by Jackie
Wilson
• Recordings of early hits such as:
"Please Mr. Postman" rec. by The Marvelettes (1961)
"Shop Around" rec. by The Miracles (1961)
"Stubborn Kind of Fellow" rec. by Marvin Gaye (1962)
"Fingertips, Part 2", rec. by Stevie Wonder (1963)
"Come and Get These Memories" rec. by Martha and the Vandellas
(1963)
"You've Really Got A Hold On Me" rec. by The Miracles (1963)
"Micky's Monkey" rec. by The Miracles (1963)
"Pride and Joy" rec. by Marvin Gaye (1963)
"Heat Wave" rec. by Martha and the Vandellas (1963)
"Quicksand" rec. by Martha and the Vandellas (1963)
"Baby I Need Your Loving" rec. by the Four Tops (1964)
"Where Did Our Love Go?" "Baby Love," "Come
See About Me," "Stop! In the Name of Love," Back In
My Arms Again," rec. by The Supremes (1964)
"My Guy" rec. by Mary Wells (1964)
"My Girl" rec. by The Temptations (1965)
"I Hear A Symphony," rec. by The Supremes (1965)
"I Can't Help Myself, " rec. by The Four Tops (1965)
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine," rec. by Gladys Knight
and the Pips (1967)
"You Can't Hurry Love," "You Keep Me Hanging On,"
rec. by The Supremes
Procedures
1. Play a selection of early Berry Gordy songs (see Materials list for
examples) as students enter the classroom and get settled. Tell students
that they are listening to an example of music that originated in Detroit
and was written by Berry Gordy. You may refer to the following information:
• Berry Gordy was born in Detroit on November 29, 1929 and wrote
hit songs, "To Be Loved," "That's Why," and "Lonely
Teardrops" for Jackie Wilson when he was in his 20s.
• Berry Gordy, founder of Motown wrote many of his early songs
while working on a Ford auto assembly line.
2. Write the word "Motown" on the chalkboard. Ask students
to explain the relationship between the word "Motown" and
the city of Detroit. (Refer to the Detroit Historical Museum's Motor
City Curriculum, Lesson Plan 1: The Impact of the Automobile for possible
responses).
3. Write some of the following names on the board: Smokey Robinson,
The Miracles, The Primettes (the original name of The Supremes), The
Supremes, Diana Ross, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, Nick
and the Jaguars (the first white group to record for Motown), Holland-Dozier-Holland
(a songwriting team), Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, The Four
Tops, Rare Earth, The Temptations, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Jackson
5, Michael Jackson, The Commodores, Lionel Ritchie. Ask students which
names they recognize.
4. Play an excerpt focusing on “Motown” from the program
Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America, Episode 2: Pursuing
The Dream and/or Episode 5: Express Yourself
5. Write the word "dream" on the chalkboard. Ask students
to define the word. Explain that Motown began as a very small company.
You may refer to the following information:
• Berry Gordy produced his first song in 1957 when he was 28
years old
• Gordy started his first record label, Tamla, with an $800 loan
in 1959
• Many artists, such as The Miracles, The Supremes (originally
The Primettes), and The Marvelettes were "discovered" in
talent shows while they were in high school
6. Play excerpts from "Fingertips, Part 2" by Stevie Wonder.
Explain that this recording was Stevie Wonder’s first hit and was
one of Gordy’s first Motown hits. Include the following information
about earlier successes:
• Gordy's first record to reach the #1 on the pop charts was
"Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes (1961)
• That same year "Shop Around" by The Miracles reached
the #2 position on the pop charts; this was the first Tamla record
to sell 1 million copies
• The success of Motown was solidified with "Baby I Need
Your Loving" by the Four Tops in 1964
7. Discuss and demonstrate distinctive musical elements of the early
"Motown
Sound." The song, “Fingertips” by Stevie Wonder, was
recorded live and was completely improvisational. Discuss the definition
of improvisation. Explain that anything that is spontaneous reflects
improvisational skill. Use verbal conversations as an example (telephone
conversations). Include other elements as call & response, backbeat,
shuffle feel, and close vocal harmony. Mention the role of the tambourine
in the music and the close relationship of the "Motown Sound"
with gospel roots.
For detailed information about the “Motown Sound” and specific
musical examples please see:
Edwards, David and Callahan, Mike. The Motown Story, http://ww.bsnpubs.com/gordystory.html.
This lesson was developed by Dee Spencer,
professor of music at San Francisco State University and Willie Hill,
president-elect of MENC: The National Association for Music Education
and director of the University Fine Arts Center at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
in collaboration with
and
MENC: The National Association for Music Education
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