since July 7, 2004.Obviously, when one thinks of musical firsts, a lot of different things come to mind. The realm of music is so vast that one could start at one end and likely never reach the other in one lifetime. So, for now, it’s all about rock-n-roll (and Motown) musical firsts, still a broad area to cover, so here’s just a few things to get you started:
Rock music made its film debut in 1955, when it co-starred alongside Sidney Poitier, Glenn Ford and Vic Morrow in "Blackboard Jungle," a tale about the horrors of (then) modern youth. Featuring such early rock staples as The Comets’ "Rock Around the Clock," the film influenced future films starring rock-n-roll and a bunch of other people.
In the late 1950s, The Miracles – more commonly known as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – helped kick start Motown Records, under the tutelage of songwriter Berry Gordy. They became a model for self-contained acts, forgoing the middleman and doing it themselves. With the help of Robinson’s songwriting and 'sky-high tenor,' the group quickly evolved from doo-wop to pop-soul, producing a string of memorable hits. Robinson eventually went solo, and the group continued on, with a couple of hits in the mid-1970s, including "Love Machine."
Early 1959, rock was dealt its most devastating blow to date, when the American Pie crashed, killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. Later immortalized in Don McLean’s opus "American Pie," it was the day rock-n-roll lost its innocence as well as three innovators who were ahead of their time and died in their prime.
The Marvellettes’ "Please Mr. Postman" – which has since been covered by The Beatles, The Carpenters, and Paul Shaffer on "Late Show with David Letterman" – was the group’s first single and hit, as well as Motown’s first pop hit. The song also featured future superstar Marvin Gaye on drums.
Mary Wells’ "You Beat Me to the Punch" was the first Motown record to be nominated for a Grammy. At the time, songstress Wells was also Motown’s most consistent hitmaker, with three Top 10 hits in 1962-63.
The 1963 hit "Locking Up My Heart" – made famous by The Marvellettes – was the first time the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland (comprised of Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland) was credited. The songwriters, responsible for hundreds of hits, now have their own record label, HDH Records.
When Bob Dylan toured England in 1965, filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker and his crew tagged along, capturing on of the most influential rockumentaries of all time. Prior to this time, most documentaries were smoothly edited, sometimes staged and usually had a voice-over track. This film, which centered around Dylan and his tour, showed all the blemishes of the singer/songwriter and the technical difficulties that accompanied him, his crew and the film crew. The film helped redefine the documentary genre and introduced it to another aspect: the road movie.
At the 1970s came to a close, The Commodores’ "Three Times a Lady" was the first Motown single to pull the Billboard hat trick and simultaneously achieve the No. 1 spot on the pop, R&B and adult contemporary charts. The song would go on to become Motown’s best-selling single ever, at that point.
The Buggles’ "Video Killed the Radio Star" is the first video played when MTV debuts in 1981. Though the network and videos have drastically evolved over the past 20 years, the underlying point is still music. (I think...)
In 1987, the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. Franklin’s career – at the time – spanned 20 years, with hits such as Otis Redding’s "Respect," Carole King’s "A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel)," "Think," and "Chain of Fools." Franklin rewrote the rules of soul and made its crossover into the mainstream successful.
In 1964, The Beatles landed in the U.S., creating the largest teen craze to date. Their Ed Sullivan broadcast was viewed by millions of household across the country. Obviously, the hoards of teenage girls knew what they were screaming about. The Beatles went on to be one of the most influential and highest-selling bands of all time. (And they definitely redefined hair styles.)
So, whether it’s a small or major achievement, musical firsts go on to become memorable events that have lasting fixtures in music history. Or, on the other hand, they’re good to know when testing your musical trivia.
(Special thanks to Chelsea Baker for inspiring this article.)
Copyright © 2004, Talia M. Wilson
published in Cooper Point Journal, May 6, 2004
since July 7, 2004.