Standing in the Shadows of Motown
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Actor: Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin, Bob Babbitt (II), Eddie 'Bongo' Brown, Jack Ashford, Richard 'Pistol' AllenBrand: Lions Gate
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1 EX
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 116 minutes
Published: 2003-04-01
DVD Release Date: 2003-04-22
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Reviews of Standing in the Shadows of Motown
DVD Review: The Funk Brothers were Motown! Don't give the Motown singers all the credit!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always been a fan of Motown but of the singers, now I'm starting to realize I shouldn't give the singers all the credit, it was the producers, songwriters, and musicians who made the artists become hits. We tend to overlook the people behind the scenes and give all the credit to the singers. If it wasn't for the unique, special Funk Brothers who knows if Motown would have become as successful as they did. It doesn't matter how good of a singer a singer is, if the music ain't right, the singer ain't gonna sound good. Its that something special about the Motown Sound that sparks something in our minds, hearts, and souls, the music complimented the singers excellently thanks to The Funk Brothers who made sure the music fit the artists image. They didn't play the same for everyone yet each song had their special trademark sound.
I favor James Jamerson, as mostly everyone else do, he was just a handsome, wonderful, real, interesting, talented person. Its sad he and the other Funk Brothers had to get recognition after they passed on. It seems the only way to become a legend is to die first then people appreciate you more, well the book on Jamerson's life and this documentary taught me to love and praise people while their alive...that's what keeps them going. All James and The Funk Brothers wanted in their last days was recognition and to know they did make a difference in the world of music and they wanted people to know they created the Motown Sound. This documentary taught me to appreciate the musicians, songwriters, and producers, the people behind the scenes, who made it possible for the music to become timeless, sometimes we give the singers too much credit. The singers come to the studio do they number then get fame and fortune, its the musicians, producers, and songwriters who worked in the studio for many hours perfecting everything to make the artists successful.
It was interesting for me to find out most of the Funk Brothers didn't even like Rock N Roll or Soul music and thought most of the songs at Motown wouldn't be hits, they were really jazz and blues fans and wanted to play jazz, so it shows how gifted they were to still play soul music effectively even though it wasn't their cup of tea. Another reason why Motown sound is so appealing and fresh is because the Funk Brothers laced different genres of music and tried new things creating the Motown Sound, a sound in its own class. Now I know why Berry Gordy didn't want The Funk Brothers playing for the other studios. He was afraid the Motown secret sound would get out and make other studios and artists successful. The Funk Brothers were so good they could make anyone a hit.
The Funk Brothers were an entertaining, colorful group of guys who was Motown, thanks to this documentary, we now know it wasn't just the singers, there were other talents who contributed to the greatness of Motown. I loved the re-enactments of some of the hilarious things James and the other Funk Brothers did in their lives and careers. The story that put tears in my eyes in this documentary was the reenactment of when James slipped into a theater to watch Motown 25. He should have been at Motown 25, all the Funk Brothers should have been there, if it hadn't been for the Funk Brothers, there probably wouldn't have been a Motown 25. The Funk Brothers should have been the first invited but again The Funk Brothers were overlooked by Motown itself. Also, why wasn't David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Barrett Strong, Kim Weston, The Andantes, The Marvelettes, Brenda Holloway at Motown 25, there were a lot of key figures missing from Motown 25 who contributed to the greatness of Motown as well....but that's another story. It must have killed James to sit in the theater watching Motown 25, seeing all the people he help make superstars and legends, hearing the music he helped create and play on and then the people sitting around him didn't know he help make the Motown Sound, all that that must have did him in, he died shortly after Motown 25. He must have died of a broken heart too.
Some people complain why the Motown artists weren't included in the documentary. I'm glad they weren't, it would have only overshadowed The Funk Brothers story, and they've been overshadowed enough. The purpose of having other singers sing the Motown songs was to show it was the musicians who made Motown and the documentary wanted to show that it didn't matter who was singing the songs, The Funk Brothers could have made those sound good and become hits regardless of who sings them. One of The Funk Brothers said if you took most of the Motown songs and gave them to other singers outside of Motown those songs would have been hits anyway if The Funk Brothers were playing on the songs, not to knock the Motown artists but its true, think about it. Its really the music, not the Motown singers, its something special about the Motown Sound that The Funk Brothers created that grabs you and makes you listen, they worked their magic and made the unique music classic and if you put The Funk Brothers behind any artists their gonna make that artists a hit. Most of the time I listen to Motown and just fascinated with the sound, the singers are great of course but the music just stands out to me more now.
I liked seeing Lottie The Body in this documentary, she was something else and in her late 70's she still has IT. We learn The Funk Brothers learned a lot about music playing for her, so the Funk Brothers had some great teachers and great training from interesting places that benefited Motown.
Everytime you listen to a Motown song, as much as you love the artists singing, don't forget to love The Funk Brothers playing right along singing through also through their music. It wasn't just Berry Gordy, it was the singers, producers, writers, arrangers, composers, and musicians who made Motown possible and everyone should be commended, not just some.
No one could have done it alone!
Now I hope the musicians who helped create The Philly Sound and the Chicago Sound have their story told!
Description of Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Detroit, Michigan, 1959. Berry Gordy gathers the best musicians from the city's thriving jazz and blues scene for his new record company: Motown. For the next 14 years these players are the heartbeat on "My Girl," "Baby Love," "Ooo Baby Baby," "Bernadette," "I Was Made To Love Her," "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Dancing In The Street," and every other hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, the unheralded group of musicians plays on more Number One hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles combined, making them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They call themselves the Funk Brothers. But no one knows their names...this is their story.Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a must-see film for any fan of the Supremes, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, or any other classic Motown stars. This swinging documentary celebrates the Funk Brothers--the team of studio musicians who powered dozens and dozens of hit Motown songs--by combining reminiscences, reenactments, and clips from a recent concert put on by the Funk Brothers, featuring singers like Chaka Khan, Ben Harper, and Joan Osborne on classic tunes like "What's Going On," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," and "Heatwave." This crafty gang of elderly musicians will charm your pants off with a slew of entertaining anecdotes. Though it seems that there's a lot of dirt they're declining to dish, the movie deftly outlines the history of Motown, surely the most significant music label in American history--the label that turned segregated "race music" into chart-topping success. A soulful delight. --Bret Fetzer
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