Atlantic/Stax: Soulsville, U. S. A.. Southern Soul Heavily influenced by blues and gospelHeavily influenced by blues and gospel Retains elements of.

Atlantic/Stax:Atlantic/Stax:

Soulsville, U. S. A.Soulsville, U. S. A.

Southern SoulSouthern Soul

• Heavily influenced by blues and gospelHeavily influenced by blues and gospel

• Retains elements of R&BRetains elements of R&B– Horn sectionHorn section– Tendency toward shuffle rhythmsTendency toward shuffle rhythms– Emotional, “attitude” songsEmotional, “attitude” songs

• Rougher, blues/gospel singing style of most Rougher, blues/gospel singing style of most performersperformers

Stax RecordsStax Records

• Studio at center of soul - Stax Records in Studio at center of soul - Stax Records in MemphisMemphis

• Named for founders Jim Named for founders Jim STSTewart and ewart and Estelle Estelle AXAXton ton

• Recorded for Atlantic Records from 1960Recorded for Atlantic Records from 1960– MemphisMemphis– Muscle Shoals, AlabamaMuscle Shoals, Alabama

Booker T. and the MGsBooker T. and the MGs• Integrated bandIntegrated band

– Booker T. Jones (piano), Al Jackson (drums) Booker T. Jones (piano), Al Jackson (drums) African-AmericanAfrican-American

– Donald “Duck” Dunn (bass), Steve Cropper Donald “Duck” Dunn (bass), Steve Cropper (guitar) white(guitar) white

– Memphis Horns - all whiteMemphis Horns - all white

• Stressed electric guitar, active bass lines, horn Stressed electric guitar, active bass lines, horn lineslines

• Often worked out arrangements on spot, Often worked out arrangements on spot, based on based on head arrangements head arrangements or or lead sheetslead sheets

• Essential part of Stax soundEssential part of Stax sound

Comparison Between Motown Comparison Between Motown and Staxand Stax

MOTOWNMOTOWN• ““Hitsville”Hitsville”• Black ownedBlack owned• All black performersAll black performers• Aimed at white Aimed at white

audienceaudience• Top-down decisionsTop-down decisions• Songs by professional Songs by professional

songwriterssongwriters

STAXSTAX• ““Soulsville”Soulsville”• White owned (at first)White owned (at first)• IntegratedIntegrated• Aimed at R&B Aimed at R&B

audienceaudience• CollaborativeCollaborative• Songs by performers, Songs by performers,

arranged in sessionsarranged in sessions

Motown and StaxMotown and StaxMOTOWNMOTOWN

• Producer/composer Producer/composer most importantmost important

• Smooth, refined pop Smooth, refined pop soundsound

• Complex texturesComplex textures• Wall of SoundWall of Sound• 8 beat style beat, 8 beat style beat,

moving to 16-beatmoving to 16-beat• Clean, crisp rhythmsClean, crisp rhythms

STAXSTAX• Performer most Performer most

importantimportant• Rawer, blues-gospel Rawer, blues-gospel

soundsound• Simpler texturesSimpler textures• Horn/rhythm sectionsHorn/rhythm sections• 8 beat style beat, 8 beat style beat,

moving to 16-beatmoving to 16-beat• Pulsating “funky” Pulsating “funky”

rhythmsrhythms

Aretha Franklin (1942- )Aretha Franklin (1942- )• Began as gospel singerBegan as gospel singer

• Signed by Columbia in 1960 to be black pop Signed by Columbia in 1960 to be black pop singer - failssinger - fails

• Jerry Wexler at Atlantic records buys Jerry Wexler at Atlantic records buys contract in 1966contract in 1966– Sends to Stax studio at Muscle Shoals, AL to Sends to Stax studio at Muscle Shoals, AL to

record own materialrecord own material

RespectRespect

• Cover version of Otis Redding hitCover version of Otis Redding hit• Minimal instrumental accompanimentMinimal instrumental accompaniment

– Focus on lead, backing vocalsFocus on lead, backing vocals

• 4 bar intro: bass (beat), horns (harmonic 4 bar intro: bass (beat), horns (harmonic rhythms), guitar riff (style beat)rhythms), guitar riff (style beat)

RespectRespect

• Form: A A A sax solo A B (R-E-S-P-E-C-Form: A A A sax solo A B (R-E-S-P-E-C-T), T), vampvamp on A section as outro on A section as outro– Improvised elaboration of previously heard Improvised elaboration of previously heard

materialmaterial

• Backing vocals play active roleBacking vocals play active role– Call and response, style beatCall and response, style beat

• Many details worked out in session Many details worked out in session

4 bar intro Electric piano (organ sound) and active bass line

Snare accents third beatVerse a You’re a no good heartbreaker

You’re a liar and a cheatAnd I don’t know whyI let you do these things to me. Change in harmony (V)

a My friends keep tellin’ me Return to tonicThat you ain’t no goodOoh, but they don’t knowThat I’d leave you if I could Change in harmony

Piano triplets lead into….Bridge I guess I’m uptight Horns enter - sustained notes

I’m stuck like glue

Chorus: ‘Cuz I ain’t never Horn riffs,I ain’t neverLoved a man the way, the way that I love you +backing vocals

New horn riff leads back to….

Verse Some time ago I thought More active keyboard line based onThat you would run out of fools on triplets, sounds more likeBut I was so wrong, a pianoYou got one that you’ll never lose.

The way you treat me is a shameHow could you hurt me so badBaby you knowI’m the best thing that you ever had

Bridge Kiss me one more time Piano onlyDon’t you ever say that we’re through

Chorus ‘Cuz I ain’t never No hornsI ain’t neverLoved a man the way, the way that I love you

Horns returnContrastingSection [C] I can’t sleep at night Exposed guitar line

And I can’t eat a bitI guess I’ll never be freeSince you got your hooks in me Hard triplets drum shots lead to

Tag I’ve never loved a man -- Vocal vamps over horn riff, bass line, guitar until fade out

Otis Redding (1941-1967)Otis Redding (1941-1967)• Started career as backup singer for Little Started career as backup singer for Little

RichardRichard• Commanded wide variety of stylesCommanded wide variety of styles

– Soulful ballads like Percy SledgeSoulful ballads like Percy Sledge– Blues/gospel fusionBlues/gospel fusion

• Gritty toneGritty tone• Impassioned styleImpassioned style

• Breakout performance at Monterey PopBreakout performance at Monterey Pop• Killed in plane crash later that yearKilled in plane crash later that year

I Can’t Turn You LooseI Can’t Turn You Loose

• Opens with memorable, syncopated riffOpens with memorable, syncopated riff

• Another riff layered on top Another riff layered on top

• Vocals also based on riffVocals also based on riff

• Strong beat AND strong backbeatStrong beat AND strong backbeat

• Gospel influence evidentGospel influence evident

Other Major Stax ArtistsOther Major Stax Artists• Isaac Hayes Isaac Hayes

– Songwriter/producer for StaxSongwriter/producer for Stax– Theme from Shaft won Grammy, Oscar for best Theme from Shaft won Grammy, Oscar for best

songsong

• Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight HourWilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour• Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves a WomanPercy Sledge - When A Man Loves a Woman• Sam and Dave (Sam Moore and Dave Prater)Sam and Dave (Sam Moore and Dave Prater)

Sam and Dave - Soul ManSam and Dave - Soul Man

Certain similarities to Motown soundCertain similarities to Motown sound– Riff-based, verse and refrain, end-weightedRiff-based, verse and refrain, end-weighted

• DifferencesDifferences– More gospel-influenced vocalMore gospel-influenced vocal– Not a “story song” - about attitudeNot a “story song” - about attitude– GrooveGroove

• eight beat rock rhythm in bass lineeight beat rock rhythm in bass line• back beat in tambourine (refrain) or drums (verse)back beat in tambourine (refrain) or drums (verse)• horn riffshorn riffs• double time guitar riffdouble time guitar riff

James BrownJames Brown

Neither Motown nor Stax: Neither Motown nor Stax: Just SoulJust Soul

James Brown (1933- )James Brown (1933- )• Age 5: starts dancing on streets for tipsAge 5: starts dancing on streets for tips

• Age 20: Joins gospel quartetAge 20: Joins gospel quartet– Brown emerges as leaderBrown emerges as leader– Change name to the Famous FlamesChange name to the Famous Flames

• First hit First hit Please, please, pleasePlease, please, please (1956) (1956) gospel-inspired doo-wopgospel-inspired doo-wop

• Style changes in mid 1960sStyle changes in mid 1960s

James Brown StyleJames Brown Style

• Fuses tight, riff-based jump blues and R&B Fuses tight, riff-based jump blues and R&B horn sectionshorn sections

• Fervid, gospel performing styleFervid, gospel performing style

• Up-tempo dance numbersUp-tempo dance numbers

• Emphasize rhythm over melodyEmphasize rhythm over melody– PolyrhythmicPolyrhythmic– Each part maintains own repetitive patternEach part maintains own repetitive pattern

I Got YouI Got You• Harsh, declamatory vocals and falsetto Harsh, declamatory vocals and falsetto

shrieksshrieks

• Solid rock beat in drumsSolid rock beat in drums

• Well-defined sections, set off by tone colors Well-defined sections, set off by tone colors and vocalsand vocals– Arrangement of these blocks of sound gives Arrangement of these blocks of sound gives

form to songform to song

a Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, nowa I feel good, I knew that I would, nowb So good, so good, I got you

a Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spicea I feel nice, like sugar and spiceb So nice, so nice, I got you

sax solo

When I hold you in my armsI know that I can't do no wrongand when I hold you in my armsMy love won't do you no harm

Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spiceI feel nice, like sugar and spiceSo nice, so nice, I got you

sax solo

When I hold you in my armsI know that I can't do no wrongand when I hold you in my armsMy love won't do you no harm

Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spiceI feel nice, like sugar and spiceSo nice, so nice, I got you

Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, nowI feel good, I knew that I would, nowSo good, so good, I got you

Papa’s Got A Brand New BagPapa’s Got A Brand New Bag

• Same organizing principle as I Got YouSame organizing principle as I Got You

• Riff-based horn partsRiff-based horn parts

• Double-timeDouble-time guitar riff at end of chorus: guitar riff at end of chorus: sixteen-beat style beat for one measuresixteen-beat style beat for one measure

• ChokedChoked rhythm rhythm guitarguitar