1. Atlantic and the Rise of Soul Music
MUHL 3310
History of Rock and Roll

2. Summary to this point: From “R&B” to “Rock and Roll” 1950s
Mid 50s: “R&B” still being used as a “catchall” term for black popular music (other than jazz)
R&B still encompasses many styles: ballads, jump blues, early rock and roll
Still difficult for black artists to maintain the commercial success of their white counterparts
“Doo-wop” groups have been the most successful at garnering the “crossover” audience

3. Atlantic Records
The most successful independent R&B and soul music label of the 1950s, their success continued through subsequent decades
Founded in 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson
After Abramson’s departure, Jerry Wexler became Atlantic’s A&R person (“artist and repertoire”)
Atlantic was known for its positive treatment of its artists, regardless of race
Among Atlantic’s earliest artists were singers Ruth Brown and Big Joe Turner

4. Atlantic’s songwriting team: Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller
Both born in 1933, and began writing songs together as teenagers
Wrote a long list of hits: Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, and many of the hits by the Coasters and the Drifters
considered amongst the most important songwriters in the R&B idiom (though interestingly enough, they were both white)
Also worked as independent producers

5. The Coasters One of Atlantic’s most popular groups in the 1950s
Recorded many of Lieber and Stoller’s songs
Up-tempo, humorous songs
Hits: “Yakety-yak,” “Charlie Brown,” “Poison Ivy”
Recordings featured
saxophonist King Curtis,
(sax style nicknamed
“Yakety-sax”)

6. The Coasters: Yakety Yak
Released in 1958 on Atlantic Records
Notice the narrative nature of the lyrics
What makes this song unique?
Vocal style(s)?
Instrumentation?
Strong dance feel?
Sax solo?

7. The Coasters: Charlie Brown
Released in 1959
A good example of The Coasters’ comic style
What does this have in common with “Yakety Yak”?
Sax?
Vocal style?
Subject matter?

8. The Coasters: Poison Ivy
Released in 1959
This one is not as innocent as the previous two – how?
What else distinguishes this song from other Coasters’ tunes?
Production?
Vocal style?
Instrumentation?

9. The Drifters
Another very popular 1950s Atlantic group. [NOTE: this is NOT the same personnel as the original Drifters with singer Clyde McPhatter!]
Characterized by smooth, highly-produced sound sometimes called “Uptown R&B”
Lead singer Ben E. King
Drifters had 16 Top 40 hits between 1959 and 1964, including “There Goes my Baby,” “This Magic Moment,” “Stand By Me,” Up on the Roof,” “Under the Boardwalk”

10. The Drifters: There Goes My Baby
Released in 1959 on Atlantic Records
This song was The Drifters’ first hit & was written by their singer, Ben E. King.
This style became known as “Uptown R&B”
What stands out about this song?
A Brazilian rhythm
Smooth, heavily produced sound

11. The Drifters: This Magic Moment
Released in 1960
Written by Doc Pomus & Mort Schuman, not Lieber & Stoller.
How is this different from “There Goes My Baby”?
Orchestration?
Production?
Vocal style?

12. Ben E. King: Stand By Me Released in 1961 on Atlantic Records
King left the Drifters to pursue a solo career, this was his big hit
What elements remain the same from his days with the Drifters?
Production techniques?
Orchestration?
Strong songwriting?

13. The Drifters: Up on the Roof
Released in 1962
The Drifters replaced King with Rudy Lewis
Written by Gerry Goffin & Carole King, this song was their first hit with a new singer
Goffin & King were among the most successful songwriters of the 1960’s

14. The Drifters: Under the Boardwalk
Released in 1964
This was the Drifters’ last hit
Written & produced by Bert Burns, not Lieber & Stoller or Goffin & King.
The lead singer on this song was former member Johnny Moore (Rudy Lewis had died the morning of this recording session!)

15. “Soul” Music The ingredients that soul has in common with R&B: Rhythms
The “main ingredient” that sets soul apart from the rest of R&B is the strength and predominance of the gospel music influence, particularly in the following areas:
Vocal style – taken directly from gospel
Intensity of expression
“Community”
The ingredients that soul has in common with R&B:
Rhythms
Arrangement style
Subject matter

16. Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was one of the first to shift to a new, southern gospel-style R&B which was starting to be referred to as “soul music.”

17. Ray Charles ( )
Pianist and singer, considered by many to be one of the greatest and most influential singers in the history of popular music
Intensely emotional, individual vocal style
Pure “gospel” vocal style
Huge “crossover” audience
Signed with Atlantic in 1952 (later left Atlantic for ABC)

18. Characteristics of Ray Charles’ Style
Elements of gospel vocal style:
“call and response” with band
expressive vocal “sounds”
Also borrowed heavily from gospel tunes – even re-writing the lyrics of gospel songs
Elements of R&B instrumentation and arranging :
stop-time chorus
“jump blues” style
Instrumentation: strong piano, sax solos, bass

19. Ray Charles: I’ve Got a Woman
Released in 1954 on Atlantic Records
Listen for the strong Gospel, Blues, & Jazz influences in his songs.
Charles’ music displays many of the defining elements of rock:
Expressive, intense vocal style
Virtuosic playing style
Rooted in R&B, Blues, Country, & Gospel

20. Ray Charles: What’d I Say
Released in 1959 on Atlantic Records
Based on the Gospel song “My Jesus Is All The World To Me”
Very controversial because of the way Charles mixed the expressive (suggestive) vocalizations & the strong gospel traditions
Listen for: stop-time chorus, call & response, jump blues feel, ‘rock’ organ sound.

21. Ray Charles: Georgia On My Mind
Released in 1960 on ABC Records
Charles became a big crossover artists with white audiences, particularly older audiences.
Charles’ move to ABC began a change in the types of songs he was releasing:
More ballads, still with the gospel sound
More ‘Country’-type songs

22. Sam Cooke
considered one of the greatest singers and songwriters in the history of soul music
Began his career singing in gospel groups, including the famous Soul Stirrers
Huge fan following in the gospel music world – known as the “sexiest man in gospel music”
Recorded for major label (RCA)
Also extremely successful in Europe
Good businessman, also had a publishing company and record label
Also became active in civil rights movement (“A Change is Gonna Come”)
Died tragically: shot to death in a Los Angeles hotel after a dispute over a robbery

23. Characteristics of Sam Cooke’s style
a very sweet, smooth tone
beautiful effortless “phrasing”
very melodic style of songwriting
use of vocal “Melismas”

24. Sam Cooke: You Send Me Released in 1957 on Keen Records
This song went to #1 on the Pop & R&B charts in ’57
Cooke, like Charles, stirred controversy among gospel fans for the same reasons.
What makes this song stand out?
Expressive vocal sound?
Production?

25. Sam Cooke: Wonderful World
Released in 1960
Cooke wrote many of his own songs & was a good businessman who created his own company to produce other young artists.
In 1960, Cooke separated from Keen Records & Bumps Blackwell over money matters.

26. Sam Cooke: Chain Gang Released in 1960 on RCA Records
Listen for the following elements:
Strings
Sweet, smooth vocal tone
The ‘sad’ undertone to the smooth style
His expressiveness when holding one syllable over many notes (called a “melisma”)
His trademark “Whoa ooooooh” vocalization

27. Sam Cooke: Bring It On Home To Me (feat. Lou Rawls)
Released in 1962
Listen for the Ray Charles influence:
“Country Soul” sound
Instrumentation: piano, strings, sax, etc…
Call & Response between Cooke & Rawls
No solo, no separate ‘B’ section
Is this like a Gospel song?

28. Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come
Released in 1964
Cooke was very involved in the Civil Rights Movement
This was Cooke’s last hit, released a month after his death
Listen for the orchestration.
This has been described as a “gospel song for the cause of civil rights.”

29. Jackie Wilson ( )
Known for powerful vocal range and high-energy, acrobatic stage show
Also started out as a gospel singer
His big break came when he replaced Clyde McPhatter in the Dominoes
Hits include “Reet Petite,” “Lonely Teardrops,” “Higher and Higher”

30. Jackie Wilson: Reet Petite
Released in 1957 on Brunswick Records
This was Wilson’s first solo effort
Written by Barry Gordy Jr, the founder of Motown Records (a few years later)
Listen for:
Wilson’s vocal expressiveness & intensity
The goofy, pop nature of this song

31. Jackie Wilson: Lonely Teardrops
Released in 1958
Also written by Barry Gordy Jr
Wilson’s biggest 1950’s hit
Listen for:
The mix of ballad-style subject matter & uptempo dance rhythms
Wilson’s use of the falsetto vocal range

32. Jackie Wilson: Higher and Higher
Released in 1967
In the mid 1960’s, Wilson began working with a new producer, Carl Davis, who completely changed his sound
Listen for:
The strong ‘groove’ of this song – all instruments played by Motown session musicians

33. James Brown ( )
One of the most influential soul artists, whose style also strongly influenced the development of “funk”
Known for polished, dynamic, virtuosic stage shows – the James Brown Revue involved over 40 singers, dancers and players
Outspoken supporter for the civil rights movement and “Black Pride” in the 1960s – he used to say “Don’t terrorize, organize” and “don’t burn, learn!”
“The Godfather of Soul”
“Soul Brother Number 1"
“The Hardest Working Man in Show Business”
“Mr Sex Machine”

34. Characteristics of James Brown’s musical style
raspy, powerful voice
a contrast between tight, sophisticated band arrangements, and a very free, improvisatory, “raw” emotional vocal style
Emphasis on rhythm, and a strong rhythmic “groove” – the prototype of the “funk” style
A virtuosic band playing with great musical precision – Brown famously used to “fine” band members for musical mistakes
Slick, choreographed stage shows

35. James Brown: Please, Please, Please
Released in 1956 on Federal Records
Brown was a multi-instrumentalist, he played keyboard, drums, & bass as a child – how is this apparent in his music?
Listen for:
Trademark raspy vocals
Tight, sophisticated band arrangements
Free, improvisatory, ‘raw’ emotional vocals

36. James Brown: Try Me Released in 1958 on Federal
Federal Records was a subsidiary label of King Records, which itself was an INDIE label!
How does this song differ from the previous example?
Instrumentation?
Dance feel?

37. James Brown: Think Released in 1960 Listen for
the slightly different feel on this song – is it more R&B or Rock ‘n’ Roll?
What instruments stand out?
Is this a dance song?

38. James Brown: Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud
Released in 1969
Brown used to urge his fans to take a positive, non-violent approach to civil rights
Brown & P-Funk are among the most-often-sampled material on hip-hop records
Listen for:
The move toward what would become “Funk”

39. Coming attractions….
This class has focused on “pioneers” in the world of Soul Music, who began their rise to fame in the 1950s
In the 1960s, concurrent with the British Invasion bands and the psychedelic styles that followed, there was a huge flowering of soul music that came out of the studios of Motown and Stax-Volt, with artists like Aretha Franklin, and we will be covering that in a future class.