VOA慢速英语2009-THIS IS AMERICA - Motown: Celebrating 50 years o

VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Doug Johnson. American popular music changed forever fifty years ago when Berry Gordy, Junior started a record company in Detroit, Michigan.

It grew to become one of the most successful black-owned businesses in the United States. This week on our program, we explore the music of Motown.

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VOICE ONE:

That was Universal Motown artist Akon singing the title song from his latest album, "Freedom." The company is now part of the Universal Music Group with headquarters in New York City.

It observed Motown's fiftieth anniversary in January with ceremonies at the Motown Historical Museum in Detroit. The museum includes the original apartment and recording¹ studio that Berry Gordy called "Hitsville, USA."

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio is celebrating the record company's anniversary all year with a new exhibit "Motown: The Sound of Young America Turns Fifty." It is displaying instruments, clothing, programs, recordings² and other objects from Motown's many successful singers and groups.

One of these was the Miracles, led by singer Smokey Robinson. The group had Motown's first big hit in nineteen sixty, "Shop Around."

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VOICE TWO:

Berry Gordy had worked in many jobs before starting Motown Records. He had written and sold a few songs. But he wanted more control over his product. He also wanted to create what he called a hit factory, an idea he got from working for the Ford³ Motor Company.

He took other ideas from the American auto⁴ industry, too. The name "Motown," for example, is another form of Detroit's nickname, the "Motor City".

And his quality control system at Motown was like a similar system in car factories. It included weekly meetings where company officials worked together to make recording and marketing⁵ decisions.

But Motown created more than records. It also designed the artists' live performances. And it taught them how to sing, dance, walk, talk and dress.

Motown is known for its special sound that was influenced by jazz, gospel and rhythm and blues⁶. It also used different sound effects. Motown's first recording studio included an echo chamber⁷. This echo effect can be heard on the recording of this huge hit for the Supremes in nineteen sixty-four, "Where Did Our Love Go?"

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VOICE ONE:

Motown was at the height of its success in the nineteen sixties. One reason was because the company permitted people to be creative. They were not afraid to make mistakes. The songs were simple and easy to understand. They were recorded with excellent backup singers and musicians. One of the most successful Motown groups of the nineteen sixties was the Temptations. Here they sing one of their hits, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg."

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VOICE TWO:

Many of Motown's hit records were written and produced by a team of three men-- Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier⁸ and Eddie Holland. The three were known as HDH.

Holland, Dozier and Holland left Motown in nineteen sixty-eight. The three men were not satisfied with their earnings⁹. Motown took legal action, accusing them of violating songwriting agreements.

The three then accused Motown of dishonesty and violating their business relationship. This legal battle continued for years before being settled out of court. It was just one example of problems at the company.

Some artists questioned what they were being paid. For example, Gladys Knight¹⁰ and the Pips left Motown in nineteen seventy-three because they never felt completely accepted by the company. One of their big Motown hits was "I Heard It through the Grapevine."

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VOICE ONE:

Berry Gordy moved Motown headquarters to Los Angeles, California in nineteen seventy-two. The company started producing television shows and movies.
　
Jackson 5

At the same time, Motown was developing new acts. One of the most successful was the family group called the Jackson Five. Their first single record reached number one in nineteen seventy. Here it is, "I Want You Back."

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VOICE TWO:

Another extremely successful Motown singer was Marvin Gaye. He recorded and wrote music for Motown artists for twenty years. In nineteen seventy-one, his album "What's Going On?" used jazz and classical music to create songs that explored social issues. Here is Marvin Gaye singing the title song.

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Another important long-time Motown artist is Stevie Wonder. Motown signed him to his first contract at the age of twelve. One of Stevie Wonder's big hits was "Superstition¹¹."

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VOICE ONE:

In the nineteen eighties, Motown was in financial trouble. Berry Gordy finally sold the company in nineteen eighty-eight. He reportedly said at the time that Motown had lost the spirit it had during its time in Detroit. But he and others say Motown will always be remembered for its historic influence on American popular music.

("DANCING IN THE STREET" - Martha and the Vandellas)

VOICE TWO:

Our program was written by Nancy Steinbach and produced by Caty Weaver¹². I'm Doug Johnson.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

3 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

4 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

5 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

6 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

7 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

8 dozier   

adj.想睡的( dozy的比较级 )；令人困倦的；愚笨的；迟钝的

参考例句：

• Dozier has been a CBS News correspondent reporting from Iraq for the past three years. Dozier过去三年一直担任CBS驻伊拉克的特派记者。 来自互联网
• A study of the influence of environment on the crack profile was reported by Dozier. 道滋尔报导了环境对裂纹轮廓影响的研究。 来自辞典例句

9 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

10 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

11 superstition   

n.迷信，迷信行为

参考例句：

• It's a common superstition that black cats are unlucky.认为黑猫不吉祥是一种很普遍的迷信。
• Superstition results from ignorance.迷信产生于无知。

12 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。