I have a lot of respect for the old Motown sound and what they did. I have never been a fan of the music itself.
As an adult, I have gone back and listened to a lot more of it, and 1) it's a lot deeper than I thought it was and 2) I like it a lot more than I used to.
Take today's artists. This is a group that has had a LOT of hits, and been around since 1960, and are STILL AROUND, nearly 65 years later. The group is older than I am, by a LOT. This classic song, released in 1970 and written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, was a very big hit, reaching #3 on the US pop charts and hitting similar heights in the UK.
But listen to the lyrics. It's not some lighthearted song. It's about racism and war and politics. It is very much a protest song - anti-war AND anti-racism. And it's powerful.
Yes, there have been deaths, and there have been lineup changes. In fact, Otis Willians is the only surviving original member.
But still, they tour.
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