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of course, i didn't know that when i saw the tape in middle school.
but just to give context, in the 80's, acts like smokey and the temps still had cuts
getting radio play.
not necessarily smashes, but relevant enough.
so here you have legends from motown...
legends that unintentionally became the first black people
that white ppl thought were cool...
all reunited to recap the history of motown.
the opening choreography includes nods to swing dancing and jazz,
elements of the black music tradition that were part of a contiuum that motown fullfilled.
one of the highlights was marvin gaye giving a quick black history lesson...
about the music of black folks lives, and eventually became the music
of yesterday, today, and forever.
the jackson 5-- the first family of the post civil rights movement (c) quest--
reunited for the first time ever.
then mike stops the show and is corronated as king,
getting a standing ovation from the greats that came before him.
looking back at the special now is sad because just about everybody is fucking dead.
it makes the finale where ppl stand on stage singing "someday, we'll be together" all the more bittersweet.
and although nobody on stage knew it, not even michael,
while that special was being recorded, the seeds were being planted for a
new movement in black music-- hip hop-- a movement that
would change black music forever.
motown 25 was it.
the legends are dead now, and even though and i am an atheist,
i like to believe they are all together in rock and roll heaven somewhere.
that music impacted me in ways i can never repay.
i am only 31, but i bassicaly grew up on motown.
their music is worthy of the title of the specual--
yesterday, today, and forever.
>http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Site-News-Motown25/20186
>
>http://themichaeljacksonarchives.tumblr.com/
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