Motown Book Review

“Afro-American Music, without Apology”:
The Motown Sound and the Politics of Black Culture

Chapter 4 in the book Dancing in the Street: Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit by Suzanne E. Smith focuses primarily on Motown’s popularity and “the question of the relationship of the negro artist and his or her art to black struggle”(Smith, 139). Langston Hughes believed that “all forms of black culture, including popular music, confronted these issues (black struggle) in some way during the civil rights years, and Motown music was no exception”(Smith, 139). Throughout the chapter, the author discusses the evolution of Motown during an extremely pivotal time in the country, and the artists associated with this genre. The introduction of
the chapter touches upon “Motown’s ability to produce a sound and an image that both glorified Negro talent and appealed to white sensibilities”(Smith,140). Motown’s popularity paralleled the dramatic shifts that were occurring within the national civil rights campaign. Although Motown produced songs primarily to entertain and sell as opposed to cause controversy, “music has a life of its own when released to the public”(Smith,140). Artists can claim their songs have a certain meaning, but when they are released the meaning is completely up to interpretation by the listener. “The tensions around what Motown’s success and sound meant to the black struggle played themselves out most immediately within Detroit’s black community”(Smith, 140). The first section of the chapter, Motown Music, Afro- American Dignity, and Brotherhood, discusses the different ways Motown promoted racial pride and African American perspectives and cultures.
The Motown Record Company received a dignity award at the First Annual Dignity Projection and Scholarship Awards Night (Smith, 141). “At the time of the Dignity Awards, Motown had several singles high on the charts including the Temptations’ “My Girl”, Martha and the Vandellas’ “Nowhere to Run”…and the pervasive presence of Motown songs on the radio affirmed one of the main goals of the Afro- American Broadcasting and Recording Company: to promote African American perspectives and culture on the radio, in recordings, and in the mass media”(Smith, 141). The Dignity Awards received strong local support, as well as strong support from the city’s political circles. Milton Henry was an outspoken attorney and activist who used the radio and media to promote the interests of Detroit’s black community. “Motown’s ability to fit the agenda of both the Dignity Awards and Brotherhood Week demonstrated how advocates across the political spectrum appropriated the company and its music as the symbols of black achievement. However, many of the businesses who were honored at the Awards night declined their invitations and awards because they were “afraid” and they “did not like Malcolm X”, who was the guest speaker (Smith, 142). Malcom X faced a lot of controversy and trouble leading up to his speech in Detroit. Before he left, his house was bombed and burned down. He was “jittery and distracted” during his speech, and apologized for his disheveled appearance (Smith, 143). Malcolm X was assassinated only a week after his appearance in
Detroit. Another extremely significant person during this time who was discussed in the chapter is Nat King Cole. Nathaniel Cole was a jazz instrumentalist and a member of the King Cole Trio, which was a singing group that attracted large audiences. His singing talents began to take precedence over his jazz career, and he began releasing major hits. Cole faced a great deal of racism despite the fact that he was a well renowned singer. Some establishments only let him perform for white audiences, he was pressured to not buy a house in a certain neighborhood, and he was beaten on stage during a performance. Despite this controversy, he continued to pursue his musical career and by the late 1950’s, he became known as the “King of Copacabana”. Although rock ’n’ roll was becoming extremely popular during his time, he was against this kind of music and didn’t understand its draw. Cole continued to hope that “his music and his celebrity might inspire racial tolerance during the time of freedom rides and sit ins, but he resisted being forced into the role of civil rights leader”(Smith, 152). Cole also made a comment that he would “assume his place on the firing line” if Negroes had to defend themselves. “This revealed that even one of America’s most beloved and non threatening black entertainers had a breaking point”(Smith, 153). “The Motown sound dominated popular music at the time of Nat King Coles death, but fans continued to fight over its meaning in the relation to the civil rights struggle”(Smith, 153). The next sections of the chapter talked about the origins and the meanings behind the Motown sound. The artists fought battles, on and off stage, to be accepted as both musicians and private citizens. “Motown sound eluded simple definitions, and at any attempts generated constant, though usually lighthearted, debate” (Smith, 155). The Motown music originated in Detroit, which led to the Motown performers receiving “early training from the unique configuration of musical resources that only an industrial city could provide”(Smith, 154). The performers honed their talents on the streets where they lived and spent all their time, which anchored their music to its urban origins (Smith, 155). This music was created in private residences as opposed to in large, fancy studious, which led to public housing contributing greatly to the development of Motown. Musicians usually hung out on street corners and at local joints. “Through music, they personalized and transformed institutional environments and produced a distinctly urban culture in the process” (Smith, 157). Schools in Detroit had a large influence on developing musicians by offering performance arts curriculums. Motown took a large amount of time and dedication, and the “creativity and determination, or “soul guts and love” that forged the Motown sound were an important source of pride in Detroit’s black community” (Smith, 162). Furthermore, “Motown sound could not avoid becoming a contested symbol of the power of black culture to either unite or divide the races. The company’s own ambition to produce music that appealed to consumers across racial, class, and generational lines complicated its symbolic powers even further” (Smith, 162). The genre was continually associated with the Negro community, causing the Motown sound to always be “brown”, despite its popularity with all races. Motown’s “Sound of Young America” was embedded in the cultural, racial, and political conditions that produced it (Smith, 165), and the music could not escape the meanings that historical circumstance pressed upon it (Smith, 164). An example of this is the assassination of Malcolm X and the song “Shotgun”(Smith, 164). Some activists saw Motown songs as a “weapon” in the increasingly violent struggle for racial equality (Smith, 171), and despite the fact that the genre controlled their marketing, it could not control the events that were happening and the many meanings that the audience attributed to the music. I thought that the most interesting part of chapter 4 is the idea that music may be relatable and pleasurable to a wide array of people, but musicians have no control over how these different people interpret the meanings behind the songs. Artists can try to portray one message, while different groups in the public see a completely different message. While a lot of Motown artists just wanted to sing and produce popular, upbeat songs that would make money, activists saw these songs as dangerous encouragements of rebellion. This was seen with the group Martha and the Vandellas and their song “Dancing in the Streets”. They said that their song was purely a party and dance song that was performed for the enjoyment of people. However, many demonstrators and activists looked at this song as a civil rights anthem and the call for riots in the cities. It is impossible to truly know a musician’s purpose behind a song unless you have the ability to read their mind. I also found it compelling how big of an impact music can have on a society. It has the power to urge people to riot, or to fight for peace. This is a power that should not be taken lightly. If a musician and their songs become associated with riots or violence, it can cause mayhem and can lead to grave danger for them. What struck me was that a lot of what has to do with a songs association to controversial issues is the time and place of its creation. If the song “Dancing in the Streets”, for example, was written during a (theoretical) time where the world was completely at peace and there was no racism, segregation, or inequality, would there be a problem with the message or lyrics? Or is the fact that there were already such issues going on when the song came out the reason that it became a “riot tune” for some people? Music, just like many forms of art, is completely up for interpretation by the listener. This can be a good thing in the sense that it provides a relatable outlet for to a wide variety of people, but it can also lead to controversial matters and trouble.