Motown唱片成立50週年(1959~2009)
【發跡】
Motown(摩城)發跡於底特律西格蘭特街2648號，一棟不起眼白色的平房。創立老闆Berry Gordy(貝里·戈迪)曾是一位拳擊手，憑藉著好鬥的性格、精明的判斷以及良好的品味，一手締造出了世界上最強大的黑人音樂帝國。
在1950年代早期，Berry Gordy還是一名在底特律當拳擊手的小夥子，他酷愛音樂，能寫會唱。為了賺錢開一家小唱片 店，他拚命幹活。拳擊是一個很殘酷的職業，在從業過程中，Berry Gordy養成了爭強好勝而又精明果斷的個性。可是，由於缺乏經驗，他的小唱片店不久就關門了。聰明的Berry Gordy決定重新定位他的音樂上的投資，把目標轉移到新興的節奏與藍調(R&B)領域。白天他辛苦工作，晚上為當地的節奏與藍調演唱組寫歌。很快他就在音樂圈內小有名氣，大家都知道他既會創作，又能製作，而且精力充沛。有時Berry Gordy會把自己的作品錄成樣帶拿到大唱片公司賣掉，賺取5％的版權費。但大唱片公司沒把他放在眼裡，也不願幫他的作品作宣傳。所以Berry Gordy最初的作品賣得不好，版權費也少得可憐。
皇天不負苦心人。1957年，Berry Gordy為Brunswick唱片公司的歌手Jackie Wilson(傑基威爾遜)創作的歌曲《ReetPetite
》成了熱門作品，雖然他只拿到1000美元報酬，但名氣卻響了起來。之後他又為Jackie Wilson寫了幾首熱銷作品，一夜之間成了底特律最著名的詞曲創作人。有了資金以後，Berry Gordy決定成立自己的唱片公司。
1959年，Berry Gordy的唱片公司正式成立。 1960年，Berry Gordy為唱片公司起名Tammie，不久改為Tamla。Tamla第一首熱門歌曲是The Miracles演唱的《Way Over There》，共賣掉6萬張，第一次奪得全國冠軍的熱門單曲。Berry Gordy發現The Miracles所有熱門歌曲均出自Smokey Robinson (史墨基羅賓遜)之手，於是又同Smokey Robinson攜手創作。Berry Gordy的眼光確實不錯:幾個月後，他就發現6萬張只是個小數目。
1961年Marvelettes(驚豔合唱團)的Please Mr. Postman〈請等一等！郵差先生〉再次拿下排行榜冠軍，從此這座西格蘭特街的小平房裡充滿了人氣，有影響力的歌手和詞曲作者擠滿了錄音棚。這批藝人形成了一個龐大家族，不久，這個家族就收購了 Soul、V.I.P.、
RareEarth三家小唱片公司，並正式改名為Motown(摩城)唱片公司。Motown(摩城)這個詞是從底特律的別稱「汽車城」(MotorTown)而來。
1960年代，Motown簽下Mary Wells(瑪麗威爾斯)、Marvin Gaye(馬文蓋伊)、Diana Ross(戴安娜羅絲)等後來成為巨星的歌手，推出大量具影響力的唱片，僅1962年一年就有10首歌打進公告牌排行榜的前10名。不過，這些作品在風格上並不十分統一。Mary Wells喜歡輕柔情歌，Marvin Gaye擅長演繹帶鄉村藍調和福音音樂風格的節奏性比較強的歌曲。為了統一風 格，高迪促成了「H－D－H」詞曲創作小組的誕生。
【將黑人音樂帶進白人世界】
Motown在藝術上的成功，很大程度上歸功於「H－D－H」詞曲創作小組。D是指拉蒙特多澤(Lamont Dozier)，是高迪傾心培養 的創作製作音樂全才。1963年，多澤與另兩位創作天才——霍蘭德兄弟結成創作團隊，也就是「H－D－H」小組。之後的幾年，三人創作了幾百首佳作。
「H－D－H」的成功有兩方面原因。首先是創新曲式，他們很少採用格式化的複雜曲式，喜歡用簡單的曲式，使聽者很容易為其中一兩句好聽曲調所打動。另外，他們擅長用樂器語言使歌曲的結構跳動起來。他們運用鐃鈸、貝司和鈴鼓，將舊式黑人音樂的沉悶一掃而空。這種創作理念突出表現在 Martha and the Vandellas的《Heat Wave》、Four Tops的《Reach Out，I'll BeThere》及 The Supremes的《You Can't Hurry Love》中。
60年代末，Motown成為全美最大的黑人唱片公司。人們做夢也想不到，一個由生活在底層的黑人經營的唱片公司，竟能同時在藝術
和商業兩方面取得卓越的成績。
Berry Gordy本人十分冷靜，沒有為突如其來的成功沖昏頭腦。他對藝人要求很嚴格，鼓勵員工同時學習創作和製作，以免使音樂陷入乏味的固定模式中。為了打 開市場，他還要求藝人學習社會禮儀，包括吃、喝、坐、站、走、談等多項內容，甚至連吸菸的姿勢都經過培訓。鑑於黑人音樂長期因「形象欠佳」不登大雅之堂， Berry Gordy的做法可算明智之舉。
Motown對音樂的最大貢獻在於將黑人音樂帶入白人市場，也為白人加盟布魯斯和爵士領域奠定了基礎。Elvis「貓王」的走紅一定程度上是借 Motown的東風，如果沒有Motown對黑人音樂的改編，當時的美國是不會接受白人唱黑人歌曲、跳黑人舞蹈的。Motown藝人大多能唱會跳，歌詞積 極健康、朝氣蓬勃，內容多是愛情歌曲，也有反對種族歧視和反戰的思考型歌曲，很有價值。
1966年，Motown出品的專輯幾乎佔據了排行榜的四分之三。1983年，Motown成為由黑人創立的最賺錢的美國公司，年銷售額達 1.04億美元。1990年代，公司推出了BoyzII Men等著名組合後。由於網路的興起，Berry Gordy認為唱片銷售業已近黃昏，於是在1998年將Motown賣給了MCA公司，後來併入環球音樂集團，Motown原址已成為摩城博物館。
Motown 50 Brand(連結) Motown Artists(知名歌手)
為了紀念這富有意義的50週年，
Universalmotown公司陸續
出版了幾套紀念CD發行。
| Disc: 1 |
|---|
| 1. Shop Around -- The Miracles (featuring Bill "Smokey" Robinson) |
| 2. Please Mr. Postman -- The Marvelettes |
| 3. Do You Love Me -- The Contours |
| 4. Two Lovers -- Mary Wells |
| 5. You've Really Got A Hold On Me -- The Miracles |
| 6. Fingertips-Part 2 -- Little Stevie Wonder |
| 7. Heat Wave -- Martha & the Vandellas |
| 8. The Way You Do The Things You Do -- The Temptations |
| 9. My Guy -- Mary Wells |
| 10. Where Did Our Love Go -- The Supremes |
| 11. Baby Love -- The Supremes |
| 12. Come See About Me -- The Supremes |
| 13. My Girl -- The Temptations |
| 14. Shotgun -- Jr. Walker & the All-Stars |
| 15. Stop! In The Name of Love -- The Supremes |
| 16. I'll Be Doggone -- Marvin Gaye |
| 17. Back In My Arms Again -- The Supremes |
| 18. I Can't Help Myself -- Four Tops |
| 19. I Hear A Symphony -- The Supremes |
| 20. Ain't That Peculiar -- Marvin Gaye |
| 21. Uptight (Everything's Alright) -- Stevie Wonder |
| 22. Get Ready -- The Temptations |
| 23. Dancing In The Street -- Martha & the Vandellas |
| 24. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) -- Marvin Gaye |
| 25. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) -- The Isley Brothers |
| 26. Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home) -- Marvin Gaye |
| Disc: 2 |
| 1. Ain't Too Proud To Beg -- The Temptations |
| 2. Blowin' In The Wind -- Stevie Wonder |
| 3. You Can't Hurry Love -- The Supremes |
| 4. Beauty Is Only Skin Deep -- The Temptations |
| 5. Reach Out, I'll Be There -- Four Tops |
| 6. You Keep Me Hangin' On -- The Supremes |
| 7. (I Know) I'm Losing You -- The Temptations |
| 8. The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game -- The Marvelettes |
| 9. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone -- The Supremes |
| 10. Jimmy Mack -- Martha & the Vandellas |
| 11. The Happening -- The Supremes |
| 12. I Was Made To Love Her -- Stevie Wonder |
| 13. I Heard It Through The Grapevine -- Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| 14. I Second That Emotion -- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles |
| 15. I Wish It Would Rain -- The Temptations |
| 16. Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day -- Stevie Wonder |
| 17. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing -- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell |
| 18. I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) -- The Temptations |
| 19. You're All I Need To Get By -- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell |
| 20. Love Child -- Diana Ross & The Supremes |
| 21. For Once In My Life -- Stevie Wonder |
| 22. I Heard It Through The Grapevine -- Marvin Gaye |
| 23. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me -- Diana Ross & the Supremes & the Temptations |
| 24. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted -- Jimmy Ruffin |
| 25. You've Made Me So Very Happy -- Brenda Holloway |
| Disc: 3 |
| 1. Runaway Child, Running Wild -- The Temptations |
| 2. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby -- Marvin Gaye |
| 3. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) -- Jr. Walker & The All-Stars |
| 4. I Can't Get Next To You -- The Temptations |
| 5. Baby I'm For Real -- The Originals |
| 6. Someday We'll Be Together -- Diana Ross & the Supremes |
| 7. I Want You Back -- The Jackson 5 |
| 8. Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday - Stevie Wonder |
| 9. ABC -- The Jackson 5 |
| 10. Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand) -- Diana Ross |
| 11. It's All In The Game -- Four Tops |
| 12. The Love You Save -- The Jackson 5 |
| 13. Get Ready - Rare Earth |
| 14. Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) -- The Temptations |
| 15. Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) -- Stevie Wonder |
| 16. War -- Edwin Starr |
| 17. The Tears of A Clown -- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles [U.K. version] |
| 18. Ain't No Mountain High Enough -- Diana Ross |
| 19. I'll Be There -- The Jackson 5 |
| 20. Heaven Help Us All -- Stevie Wonder |
| 21. The Tears of A Clown -- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles [U.S. version] |
| 22. Stoned Love -- The Supremes |
| 23. If I Were Your Woman -- Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| Disc: 4 |
| 1. Mama's Pearl -- The Jackson 5 |
| 2. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) -- The Temptations |
| 3. What's Going On -- Marvin Gaye |
| 4. Never Can Say Goodbye -- The Jackson 5 |
| 5. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) -- Marvin Gaye |
| 6. I'm Still Waiting -- Diana Ross |
| 7. Smiling Faces Sometimes -- The Undisputed Truth |
| 8. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) -- Marvin Gaye |
| 9. Got To Be There -- Michael Jackson |
| 10. Rockin' Robin -- Michael Jackson |
| 11. I Wanna Be Where You Are -- Michael Jackson |
| 12. Ben -- Michael Jackson |
| 13. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone -- The Temptations |
| 14. Superstition -- Stevie Wonder |
| 15. Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye) -- Gladys Knight & the Pips |
| 16. Masterpiece -- The Temptations |
| 17. You Are The Sunshine of My Life -- Stevie Wonder |
| 18. Touch Me In The Morning -- Diana Ross |
| 19. Let's Get It On -- Marvin Gaye |
| Disc: 5 |
| 1. Higher Ground -- Stevie Wonder |
| 2. Keep On Truckin' (Part 1) -- Eddie Kendricks |
| 3. Living For The City -- Stevie Wonder |
| 4. Let Your Hair Down - Temptations |
| 5. Boogie Down -- Eddie Kendricks |
| 6. Last Time I Saw Him -- Diana Ross |
| 7. Dancing Machine -- The Jackson 5 |
| 8. Do It Baby -- The Miracles |
| 9. You Haven't Done Nothin' -- Stevie Wonder |
| 10. Boogie On Reggae Woman -- Stevie Wonder |
| 11. Happy People -- The Temptations |
| 12. Shoeshine Boy -- Eddie Kendricks |
| 13. Shakey Ground -- The Temptations |
| 14. Baby That's Backatcha -- Smokey Robinson |
| 15. Slippery When Wet -- The Commodores |
| 16. Forever Came Today -- The Jackson 5 |
| 17. Walk Away From Love -- David Ruffin |
| 18. Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) -- Diana Ross |
| 19. Devil In The Bottle -- T.G. Sheppard |
| 20. Tryin' To Beat The Morning Home -- T.G. Sheppard |
| Disc: 6 |
| 1. Love Machine (Part 1) -- The Miracles |
| 2. Love Hangover -- Diana Ross |
| 3. I Want You -- Marvin Gaye |
| 4. Just To Be Close To You -- The Commodores |
| 5. Down To Love Town -- The Originals |
| 6. Don't Leave Me This Way -- Thelma Houston |
| 7. I Wish -- Stevie Wonder |
| 8. Got To Give It Up -- Marvin Gaye |
| 9. Sir Duke -- Stevie Wonder |
| 10. Easy -- The Commodores |
| 11. You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On) -- High Inergy |
| 12. Too Hot Ta Trot -- The Commodores |
| 13. You And I -- Rick James |
| 14. Three Times A Lady -- The Commodores |
| 15. The Boss -- Diana Ross |
| 16. Sail On -- The Commodores |
| 17. Still -- The Commodores |
| 18. Send One Your Love -- Stevie Wonder |
| 19. Pastime Paradise - Stevie Wonder |
| Disc: 7 |
| 1. Cruisin' -- Smokey Robinson |
| 2. Let's Get Serious -- Jermaine Jackson |
| 3. I'm Coming Out -- Diana Ross |
| 4. Upside Down -- Diana Ross |
| 5. Master Blaster (Jammin') -- Stevie Wonder |
| 6. Being With You -- Smokey Robinson |
| 7. Give It To Me Baby -- Rick James |
| 8. Super Freak -- Rick James |
| 9. One Day In Your Life -- Michael Jackson |
| 10. Endless Love -- Diana Ross and Lionel Richie |
| 11. Lady (You Bring Me Up) -- The Commodores |
| 12. That Girl -- Stevie Wonder |
| 13. Let It Whip -- Dazz Band |
| 14. I've Never Been To Me -- Charlene |
| 15. Do I Do -- Stevie Wonder |
| 16. Lately -- Stevie Wonder |
| Disc: 8 |
| 1. Truly -- Lionel Richie |
| 2. You Are -- Lionel Richie |
| 3. My Love -- Lionel Richie |
| 4. All This Love -- DeBarge |
| 5. Cold Blooded -- Rick James |
| 6. All Night Long (All Night) -- Lionel Richie |
| 7. Time Will Reveal -- DeBarge |
| 8. Somebody's Watching Me -- Rockwell |
| 9. Hello -- Lionel Richie |
| 10. Stuck On You -- Lionel Richie |
| 11. I Just Called To Say I Love You -- Stevie Wonder |
| 12. Penny Lover -- Lionel Richie |
| 13. Nightshift -- The Commodores |
| 14. In My House - Mary Jane Girls |
| 15. Rhythm of The Night -- DeBarge |
| 16. Glow -- Rick James |
| 17. You Wear It Well -- El DeBarge with DeBarge |
| 18. Don't Look Any Further - Dennis Edwards featuring Siedah Garrett |
| Disc: 9 |
| 1. Part-Time Lover -- Stevie Wonder |
| 2. Say You, Say Me -- Lionel Richie |
| 3. Go Home -- Stevie Wonder |
| 4. If You Should Ever Be Lonely -- Val Young |
| 5. Overjoyed -- Stevie Wonder |
| 6. Who's Johnny -- El DeBarge |
| 7. Dancing On The Ceiling -- Lionel Richie |
| 8. Love Will Conquer All -- Lionel Richie |
| 9. Ballerina Girl -- Lionel Richie |
| 10. Just To See Her -- Smokey Robinson |
| 11. Tina Cherry -- Georgio |
| 12. Skeletons -- Stevie Wonder |
| 13. You Will Know -- Stevie Wonder |
| 14. Dial My Heart -- The Boys |
| 15. Lucky Charm -- The Boys |
| 16. Girl I Got My Eyes On You -- Today |
| 17. Where Do We Go From Here -- Stacey Lattisaw with special guest Johnny Gill |
| 18. Dreamin' -- The Guinn Family |
| Disc: 10 |
| 1. Rub You The Right Way -- Johnny Gill |
| 2. My My My -- Johnny Gill |
| 3. Crazy -- The Boys |
| 4. Wrap My Body Tight -- Johnny Gill |
| 5. It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday -- Boyz II Men |
| 6. I Love Your Smile -- Shanice |
| 7. Uhh Ahh -- Boyz II Men |
| 8. Do It To Me -- Lionel Richie |
| 9. End of The Road -- Boyz II Men |
| 10. I'll Make Love To You -- Boyz II Men |
| 11. On Bended Knee -- Boyz II Men |
| 12. Take Me Higher -- Diana Ross |
| 13. 4 Seasons Of Loneliness -- Boyz II Men |
| 14. A Song For Mama -- Boyz II Men |
| 15. Stay -- The Temptations |
| 16. Liar -- Profyle |
| 17. Bag Lady -- Erykah Badu |
