The History of Rock 'n' Roll (TV Mini Series) Plugging In (1995) User Reviews

Episode 4: The Sounds of Soul

[ebiros2 · 7/10 · 22 October 2005]

While the Beatles was innovating rock music, black artists were making their own headway in the pop music scene.

Second wave of black artists were starting to dominate the scene. Most notable being Ray Charles, Aritha Franklin, the Supremes, and James Brown.

Formulation of Motown as a record label, and other musicians such as the Temptations, and Jackie Wilson innovating the traditional blues and gospel music, black music found its own footing in rock culture.

This episode is about development of black R&B music making its way into mainstream rock n roll music.

'Soul Music' At Its Peak

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6 March 2009]

There were some very nice tributes in this episode, such as the ones for Hall Of Fame singers James Brown, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. "James Brown was the funkiest man in the United States," laughed Teddy Prendergast. "He was an original."

As for comments, I thought Smokey Robinson and Quincy Jones had some of the best and unbiased points and I enjoyed hearing Gladys Knight and Luther Vandross reminisce; In this episode, we get definitions of "soul music" and plenty of examples of it. We learn the history of it, mainly from gospel and blues roots, and we get a good picture of it from Detroit to Philadelphia or Memphis to wherever it blossomed (which was pretty much everywhere, including Europe.)

The second half of this episode concentrated on Motown, the sound out of Detroit. The big hangout was a place called, "Hitsville, USA," a studio where many of the singers hung out and recorded. It was begun by Berry Gordon.

We see The Four Tops perform "I Can't Help Myself;" along with The Miracles (with Smokey Robinson) doing "Ooh Baby Baby;" The Supremes' "Come See About Me;" The Temptations, "My Girl;" Marvin Gaye, "Ain't That Peculiar;" a tiny and young Michael Jackson leading the Jackson Five in "I Want You Back;" In the first half hour we see/hear goodies such as Arthur Conley's "Sweet Soul Music;" Ray Charles' "Georgia;" James Brown dancing and singing "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag;" Sam Cooke's famous ballad, "You Send Me;" Jackie Wilson "Baby Work Out;" Ray Charles "What'd I Say;" Wilson Pickett "In the Midnight Hour;" Aretha Franklin, "Dr. Feelgood;" Gladys Knight and the Pips, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine."

Quite a lineup, eh?

I'm tellin' ya: I may be biased but I think the best and most memorable "rock 'n roll" was made in the '50s and '60s and early '70s. This episode is another demonstration of why I say that: they just don't sing songs like this today.

interesting foray into R&B

[postmanwhoalwaysringstwice · 10/10 · 16 April 2007]

The ten episode series of documentaries, "The History of Rock & Roll" continues with a foray into the world of R&B and Soul with the fourth episode "The Sounds of Soul". There are certain purists that won't consider this particular episode relatable to the rock music form, however given prior episodes' discussion of the roots of rock music as well as significant black performers such as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino the similarities should be recognizable. Here the discussion is on artists such as James Brown (the godfather of Soul) and the motor city sound of the Motown artists, as well as the other R&B movements simultaneously occurring in Philadelphia, Memphis, and other major cities. The discussion of the independent nature of many of the record labels, who worked tirelessly to get this music out to listeners, is quite fascinating. The historical significance of this music to the civil right's movement makes this one an especially interesting and important installment in the series.

"Bob Dylan, I think, influenced everything that came after him..." - Tom Petty

[classicsoncall · 10/10 · 21 September 2017]

As I stated in my review of Episode #4 of this series, there seems to be a disconnect in this episode's placement in the lineup for 'The History of Rock 'n' Roll' series as I write this. I see other reviewers commenting on 'The Sounds of Soul' chapter, even though the title of this one is 'Plugging In'. I've submitted a correction to the IMDb staff, so we'll see how that works out. In the meantime, I'll offer my comments on 'Plugging In'.

A good alternative title for this chapter might have been taken directly from a Bob Dylan title - 'The Times They Are a' Changing'. The emphasis on Dylan takes up the early part of the episode, who on camera takes his inspiration from Muddy Waters and Woody Guthrie. It was a time in the early Sixties when folks like Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Richie Havens were playing coffeehouses in New York City's Greenwich Village, creating social awareness with their music and writing their own stuff, some of it often politically oriented. Female singers like Judy Collins, Joan Baez and Suzanne Vega were also part of this movement.

However the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 turned things upside down for Dylan's following when he stunned the crowd with an electric presentation. Dylan's friend and roommate Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) describes how Dylan was heavily booed, the crowd feeling angry and betrayed by his turn. These were fans who hated rock 'n' roll and felt that Dylan's acceptance of a more powerful sound was a cave in to commercialism.

Some performers didn't feel the same way. Iggy Pop for one, felt that Bob Dylan upped the ante on everything by going electric. Acts who followed Dylan's lead included The Mamas and The Papas, The Byrds, and The Beach Boys. When Dylan eventually went to England and met John Lennon, he inadvertently challenged The Beatles' songwriting by telling Lennon that he wasn't producing anything meaningful. The result was that they both wound up influencing each other's music for the better.

Brian Eno makes the case for Jimi Hendrix as the first proper electronic composer because of his originality and boldness. Pete Townsend of The Who comments on how intimidated he and Eric Clapton were when they first heard him perform in a small London club. Hendrix didn't get any traction in America until he returned from England and appeared for the first time at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, the first real venue for him and Otis Redding. Monterey was the premier event that finally legitimized Rock 'n' Roll to an international audience.

While I was fully expecting Hendrix's version of 'Wild Thing' to be the focal point of his performance at Monterey, the episode threw a curve and showed him playing 'Like a Rollin' Stone' instead. That was probably the better selection as it turns out, as it nicely complements the way the episode opened with Bob Dylan, who wrote the song. It was a cool way for the show to go full circle on the theme of 'Plugging In', since the song as performed by Jimi Hendrix is truly one of a kind.