Benny Benjamin: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2003

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/benny-benjamin/bio/

Benny Benjamin was the drummer for Motown’s Funk Brothers.

His work:

Money  by Barrett Strong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5KU34DrrPI

Uptight by Stevie Wonder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZf3Byq8oLA

Going to a Go-Go by The Miracles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWt4Hz1KGcQ

 

The Temptations: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1989

Their career in links:

Rock Hall Bio: http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-temptations/bio/

They formed in 1960 and released several singles without making much impact.

This broke them:

The Way You Do The Things You Do (1964):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDakhsaPTE0

My Girl (1965):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltRwmgYEUr8

Get Ready (1966):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV97roslmt0

Ain’t To Proud to Beg (1966):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfyFI-4ZsaE

Beauty is Only Skin Deep (1966):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PU1PEA8S6M

Cloud Nine (1968):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkBSZUzds2c

I’m Gonna Make You Love Me w/The Supremes (1968):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI844RAJo58

David Ruffin left the group in 1968. By this point, he thought he was bigger than the group and wanted to be treated like Diana Ross.

Ball of Confusion (1970):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miZWYmxr8XE

Just My Imagination (1971):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Z9-QCmZyw

Eddie Kendrick left after recording “Just My Imagination.” Paul Williams quit soon thereafter and committed suicide in 1973.

Papa Was a Rolling Stone (1972):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We4-lJe0JRY

The band began its decline and scored its last hit in 1975.

Shaky Ground (1975):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEt28c6QxTM

Rick James used The Temptations on Super Freak (1981):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYHxGBH6o4M&ob=av3e

The group continued to record with little success. However, “My Girl” experienced a resurgence because of Hall and Oates. Ruffin and Kendricks joined Hall and Oates to close out Live Aid (1985):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK14lmxpZS0

In 1990, Rod Stewart recorded with the Temptations:

The Motown Song (1990):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFyPxUnsyi0

David Ruffin passed away in 1991.

Eddie Kendricks passed away in 1992.

Otis Williams remains the only original member still with the group.

Berry Gordy: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1988

His life and career in links.

Rock Hall Bio:
http://rockhall.com/inductees/berry_gordy_jr/bio/

Motown site:
http://www.motown.com/

Berry dropped out of school to be a boxer and got drafted to fight in Korea. He worked as a janitor before Jackie Wilson recorded his “Reet Petite.”

Reet Petite by Jackie Wilson (1957):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ3-NnNx6Zs

Gordy also co-wrote “Lonely Teardrops” for Wilson and “All I Could Do Was Cry” for Etta James. He took the money from songwriting and reinvested it eventually creating Motown Records.

The First Motown Release: Bad Girl by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (1959):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca9pyyu7dpM

Shop Around by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (1960): helped put Motown on the map
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGXa3FiXKM

Please Mr. Postman by the Marvelettes (1961): Motown’s first #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dVt11UZ0uA

My Guy by Mary Wells (1964):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgwpHYzcwUA

Dancing in the Street by Martha and the Vandellas (1964):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdvITn5cAVc

My Girl by the Temptations (1965):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltRwmgYEUr8

You Can’t Hurry Love by The Supremes (1966):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyxVYl8DrKI

Uptight by Stevie Wonder (1966):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDbyOLzEyfk

Reach Out I’ll Be There (1966): Notice the change in tone from earlier Motown hitshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvoPOrBm-4w

I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye (1968):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajBdDM2qdg

ABC by the Jackson 5 (1970):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOXG8wtxx_w

The Tears of a Clown (1970):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2kxlZDOHeQ

What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye (1971):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-5c5o85SGo

In 1972, Gordy relocated Motown Records to Los Angeles.

Lady Sings the Blues:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z39AXp-uWzQ

The company continued into the eighties, but never achieved its previous success. Gordy sold the company in 1988.

In 2006, Dream Girls based its character Curtis Taylor Jr. on Gordy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owpvh1821tU

Smokey Robinson: Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1987

His life and career in links.

Rock Hall Bio:

http://rockhall.com/inductees/smokey-robinson/bio/

Official Site:

http://www.smokeyrobinson.com/

The Miracles Official Site:

http://theoriginalmiracles.net/

Smokey met Berry Gordy in 1958 and entered the music business.

Got a Job (1958):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ7GltNmDbg

Shop Around (1960): Motown’s First #1 hit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjy8HqrcYys

You Really Got A Hold of Me (1962):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdDnqSFYXFs

While with the Miracles, Smokey wrote for other artists scoring hits for Mary Wells, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and Marvin Gaye.

My Guy (Mary Wells):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDddJFzNCao

Ooh Baby Baby (1965): Written in the middle of a concert while on stage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uThnUmWRCCs

The Tracks of My Tears (1965):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coh7n6dYj5Y

Going to a Go-Go (1965):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-Tfm70dL5s

I Second That Emotion (1967):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI_0tQdEA5k

Tears of a Clown (1970):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2kxlZDOHeQ

In 1972, Smokey left the Miracles.

Sweet Harmony (1973): Dedicated to the Miracles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOuuCMXqU3w

Baby That’s Backatcha (1975):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdZcklpO2X8

Cruisin’ (1979):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlzY6cWpoMQ

Being With You (1981):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkqlUaC-wPs

Smokey battled cocaine addiction in the mid-eighties. He re-emerged in 1987.

Just To See Her (1987):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5bvjUrVObk

One Heartbeat (1987):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A39xfn3K_Ps

Everything You Touch (1990):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFdogwFOoW4

In 2009, he released Time Flies When You’re Having Fun, which he produced himself.

Tears Of A Clown (Live at Daryl’s House): 2009:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbHMK-fNlYw

Love Bath (2010):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGqAwfJenuc

Rolling Stone Magazines Top 500 Songs (#491-500)

491. I Love Rock n Roll: Joan Jett- Great riff. Classic rock song. Iconic eighties.

492. I Will Survive: Gloria Gaynor- The theme song of the Carter Years! It quickly became a woman's anthem. Since then, the gay community has adopted it.

493. Time to Pretend: MGMT- WTF??? Reminds me of bubble gum pop from the seventies. The video is an acid trip.

494. Ignition (Remix): R Kelly- Nothing special here. Heard this a million times by a million different people.

495. Brown Sugar: The Rolling Stones- After Altamont, the Stones decided to go low key. So, they wrote a song about slaves sold down in New Orleans and working the cotton fields. Of course, the object of the song is a young girl that is as sweet as brown sugar.

496. Running on Empty: Jackson Browne- Yet another undervalued song. Browne says a lot about society at the time. Although a rock song, it's a better country song than most of today's country!

497. The Rising: Bruce Springsteen- This might be the only song of last decade worthy of the list. A song of hope following 911. If you like this one, check out Lonesome Day.

498. Miss You: The Rolling Stones- I remember when this came out. It was everywhere. Bill Wyman's best work!

499. Buddy Holly: Weezer- This is now a classic with a top notch video. Again, why so low?

500. Shop Around: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles- This is the first of three Smokey songs. I am surprised it is this low especially since there are 27 songs from the aughts on the list.