Various Artists
Power To The Motown People
Civil Rights Anthems and Political Soul 1968-1975
Universal Motown 2 CD
Catalogue # 980 090-1
UK Release date 2nd April 2007

Smokey Robinson during an interview on his latest DVD claims that Berry Gordy never intended that Motown would be a black music label, but would be a label to encompass all musical genres and appeal to everyone not just black Americans - how wrong that statement turned out to be. Whilst the early days of Motown concentrated on post rock and roll and pure pop music aimed at making a name for Gordy's empire. The history of Motown during those glory years of the 1960's is well documented and there's no denying that the labels best output originated from this era. During the heady days of the mid sixties the war in Vietnam was raging before concluding in the early seventies. Consuming many lives during its reign there won't be many families in the US today whose lives were not affected directly, or indirectly by this hideous war. 1967 also witnessed the race riots in Detroit and Watts turning the USA into a totally divided country.

Musically, towards the end of the sixties Motown started to change course. Gone was the often heard frantic four on four backbeat that the label was so famous for, being replaced by songs of social conscience and whilst the likes of Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone had already followed suit it was the songwriting and production talents of Motown's Norman Whitfield that changed the face of Motown at the turn of the decade. Having already worked on hits by the Temptation's earlier in the decade, he was to return them to the top of the charts in 1969 with a string of psychedelic inspired hits such as 'Cloud Nine' Ball Of Confusion' 'I Can't Get Next To You' the likes of which were quickly picked up by black movie producers years later to provide soundtracks of a blaxploitation nature. Not only did the songs give the Temptations hits they also launched the career of fellow label mates the Undisputed Truth who by 1971 had already recorded a number of Temptation's songs under the guidance of Mr. Whitfield. The Undisputed Truth struggled to achieve the same chart status as the Temptations but there's no denying their music is simply fantastic. This CD features their version of 'Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World) and 'Ball Of Confusion' (both released as singles by the Temps) but nevertheless great versions - wah wah's galore!

1971 was a very important year musically for Motown. It was the year that Marvin Gaye's classic LP 'What's Going On' was released and touched a nation's conscience. Here we have the Detroit mixes of 'What's Going On' 'What's Happening Brother' and also includes the fabulous 'Inner City Blues' (also recorded by Grover Washington). I've always warmed to Bobby Taylor's 1968 waxing of 'Does Your Mamma Know About Me' and this fabulous track gets a worthy inclusion on disc one. Fast forward to disc two and it gets even better. Do you remember that classic LP from 1974 from the late Willie Hutch entitled 'The Mack' well there's a couple of gems here including the full LP version of 'Brothers Gonna Work It Out' complete with spoken intro, and his powerful message in 'Life's No Fun Living In The Ghetto' proving beyond doubt that the world lost a real gem of an artist when he died.

Junior Walker & the All-Stars may not be an artist you would necessary associate with Civil Right's music but his 1971 'Right On Brothers & Sisters' is as powerful a message to the brotherhood as you could wish for whilst retaining that famous Jr. Walker sound from the previous decade - what a shame that in the UK this song was relegated to the flip side of a three track maxi single. Were back with the Undisputed Truth on disc two and their most famous recording of them all the passionate 'Smiling Faces Sometimes'  is as good as it gets  - and most important of all if you care to listen to the lyrics - every word is true!

The Temptations in 1973 released their famous 'Masterpiece' LP (complete with embossed sleeve) and even got a 45 release on the title track which made some indent on the US Billboard chart at the time even though nearly one side of the LP was taken up with the title track. Note on this cut you'll hear Damon Harris, Dennis Edwards, and even Otis Williams perform vocal duties. A truly fabulous piece of instrumentation too. I'm pleased at the inclusion of 'Friendship Train' by the legendary Motown diva Gladys Knight & the Pips who put fun and dance into this powerful message in 1971.

The funny thing about listening to these tracks all these years on is that their lyrical content was so true at the time and can be applied to society in 2007 in many aspects. In this day and age with so much computer generated music in the charts its hard to get the message across in the same way as these artists did so back then.

As the O'Jay's said there's a Message In Our Music'

Rating 9/10.