Post by timmy84 on May 4, 2006 21:50:28 GMT -5
LINK: detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060412/ENT04/604120411/1036/ENT04
From: April 12, 2006
Library of Congress preserves Motown recordings
Martha and Vandellas' 'Dancing' and Stevie Wonder's 'Key of Life' admitted to registry
Alison Bethel/Detroit News Washington Bureau Chief
The voices of two of Detroit's greatest artists were placed in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress on Tuesday among 50 sound recordings selected for preservation because of their cultural, historical or esthetic significance.
"Dancing in the Street" performed by Martha and the Vandellas and "Songs in the Key of Life" by Stevie Wonder were placed in the registry, which serves as a high-profile segment of the Library's comprehensive effort to preserve a century's worth of important sound artifacts.
Martha Reeves, lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas and now a member of the Detroit City Council, was excited about the honor.
"It's preserved for history, and I am so thrilled to be here", said Reeves, who attended a ceremony at the Library of Congress. "Never in my 44 years of singing it did I think it would see it and be here recieving the honor for the Vandellas and the song's writers, Marvin Gaye and William (Mickey) Stevenson."
Reeves was 21 when she recorded the song for the Motown label. During the recording session, she recalled thinking back to every carnival, parade or festival she could remember.
"Dancing in the Street" was a No. 2 hit for the group in 1964. The song has been remade numerous times, but none of them have risen so far on the sales charts.
In 1967, it was remade by the Mamas and the Papas and by Van Halen in 1982. In 1985, Mick Jagger and David Bowie remade the song, it rose to No. 7 on the charts.
"Marvin Gaye sang it first in a kind of romantic way", said Reeves. "And he said, 'Try that song on, Martha'. It is one of the best songs because it gets everyone up in their seats. When you hear the music come on you want to get up and dance. A lot of people do know the song because it's been copied so much. It's a well-known song, and I am very well known because of it."
Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" was two years in the making and was released in October 1976 on the Motown label. It was produced, arranged, written and composed by Wonder. It was No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard charts for 14 weeks and No. 2 in the United Kingdom for almost a year.
The ambitious album was produced during Wonder's "classic" period, during which time he produced four other albums. "Songs in the Key of Life" won a Grammy award in 1976 for best male pop vocal and for album of the year. Wonder was also named producer of the year at the awards show.
Wonder, a native of Saginaw, was not available for comment Tuesday.
The Library of Congress established the National Recording Registry as a result of the 2000 National Recording Registry as a result of the 2000 National Recording Preservation Act. The reason for the registry was two-fold, according to Eugene DeAnna, head of the Recorded Sound Section at the Library of Congress: To preserve the most significant recordings and to bring to the forefront the need to preserve the country's sound recording legacy before it deteriorates. The recordings are endangered because the formats they were recorded on degrade over time and the obsolence of the techology used to play them back", said DeAnna. "If we are able to reformat these historic recordings to digital, we need to also have these playback technologies intact into the future to do that."
Also on Tuesday, the Library of Congress announced the acquisition of 31 rare, mint-condition test pressings from blues artist Robert Johnson along with an undiscovered jam session featuring jazz artist Lester Young.
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Ok, "Dancing in the Street" has not only just been in the national history books as one of the greatest songs ever recorded but now it's preserved for 42 more years (I think the 44 years thing is a typo, lol, but anyway) and "Songs in the Key of Life" was justly included too. Both Martha & Stevie rule Supreme (pun intended).
As for "Dancing", the world will be ready for the beat (brand new or old) as long as Mama Earth is BREATHING!
Thanks again, Martha Rose Reeves.
From: April 12, 2006
Library of Congress preserves Motown recordings
Martha and Vandellas' 'Dancing' and Stevie Wonder's 'Key of Life' admitted to registry
Alison Bethel/Detroit News Washington Bureau Chief
The voices of two of Detroit's greatest artists were placed in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress on Tuesday among 50 sound recordings selected for preservation because of their cultural, historical or esthetic significance.
"Dancing in the Street" performed by Martha and the Vandellas and "Songs in the Key of Life" by Stevie Wonder were placed in the registry, which serves as a high-profile segment of the Library's comprehensive effort to preserve a century's worth of important sound artifacts.
Martha Reeves, lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas and now a member of the Detroit City Council, was excited about the honor.
"It's preserved for history, and I am so thrilled to be here", said Reeves, who attended a ceremony at the Library of Congress. "Never in my 44 years of singing it did I think it would see it and be here recieving the honor for the Vandellas and the song's writers, Marvin Gaye and William (Mickey) Stevenson."
Reeves was 21 when she recorded the song for the Motown label. During the recording session, she recalled thinking back to every carnival, parade or festival she could remember.
"Dancing in the Street" was a No. 2 hit for the group in 1964. The song has been remade numerous times, but none of them have risen so far on the sales charts.
In 1967, it was remade by the Mamas and the Papas and by Van Halen in 1982. In 1985, Mick Jagger and David Bowie remade the song, it rose to No. 7 on the charts.
"Marvin Gaye sang it first in a kind of romantic way", said Reeves. "And he said, 'Try that song on, Martha'. It is one of the best songs because it gets everyone up in their seats. When you hear the music come on you want to get up and dance. A lot of people do know the song because it's been copied so much. It's a well-known song, and I am very well known because of it."
Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the Key of Life" was two years in the making and was released in October 1976 on the Motown label. It was produced, arranged, written and composed by Wonder. It was No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard charts for 14 weeks and No. 2 in the United Kingdom for almost a year.
The ambitious album was produced during Wonder's "classic" period, during which time he produced four other albums. "Songs in the Key of Life" won a Grammy award in 1976 for best male pop vocal and for album of the year. Wonder was also named producer of the year at the awards show.
Wonder, a native of Saginaw, was not available for comment Tuesday.
The Library of Congress established the National Recording Registry as a result of the 2000 National Recording Registry as a result of the 2000 National Recording Preservation Act. The reason for the registry was two-fold, according to Eugene DeAnna, head of the Recorded Sound Section at the Library of Congress: To preserve the most significant recordings and to bring to the forefront the need to preserve the country's sound recording legacy before it deteriorates. The recordings are endangered because the formats they were recorded on degrade over time and the obsolence of the techology used to play them back", said DeAnna. "If we are able to reformat these historic recordings to digital, we need to also have these playback technologies intact into the future to do that."
Also on Tuesday, the Library of Congress announced the acquisition of 31 rare, mint-condition test pressings from blues artist Robert Johnson along with an undiscovered jam session featuring jazz artist Lester Young.
----
Ok, "Dancing in the Street" has not only just been in the national history books as one of the greatest songs ever recorded but now it's preserved for 42 more years (I think the 44 years thing is a typo, lol, but anyway) and "Songs in the Key of Life" was justly included too. Both Martha & Stevie rule Supreme (pun intended).
As for "Dancing", the world will be ready for the beat (brand new or old) as long as Mama Earth is BREATHING!
Thanks again, Martha Rose Reeves.
They had preserved the What's Going On album not too long ago. I was happy to see that. 
Maybe "Grapevine" will be preserved one day. 
lol