I just picked up his Motown sound CD #2. I really enjoy his stuff. I thought I would post some links to here samples of his music of the greats,a nd some videos as well. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Motown-Michael-McDonald/dp/B00009PJQX/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1218657212&sr=1-3"]Amazon.com: Motown: Michael McDonald: Music[/ame] [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Motown-Two-Michael-McDonald/dp/B000641D6K/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1218657212&sr=1-4"]Amazon.com: Motown Two: Michael McDonald: Music[/ame]
I was Made to Love Her-Michael McDonald and Billy Preston [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsP0f5IPIOU"]YouTube - Michael McDonald and Billy Preston - I Was Made To Love Her[/ame]
Higher and Higher [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY8RTCN_x-U&feature=related"]YouTube - Michael McDonald "Higher and Higher"[/ame]
I heard it through the Grapevine [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkHgVMR0-7s&feature=related"]YouTube - Michael McDonald - I Heard It Through The Grapevine[/ame]
Ain't no mountain high enough [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikmkG_qP9Zs&feature=related"]YouTube - Ain't No Mountain High Enough (Live) - Michael McDonald[/ame]
What's Goin' on Michael with Billy Preston [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIsLdRmstXU&feature=related"]YouTube - Michael McDonald (feat. Billy Preston) - What's Goin' On[/ame]
Stop, Look and Listen Michael and Toni Braxton [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwAPGmcj9e0&feature=related"]YouTube - Toni Braxton& Michael McDonald Stop Look and Listen[/ame]
"If I have to hear "Yamo Be There" one more time, I'm going to "Yamo" burn this place to the ground" Sorry John I couldn't resist using that quote from The 40 Year Old Virgin.
Interesting ... per Wikipedia, the song was originally titled "Yahweh Be There," but was changed because record execs feared the overt political reference would hurt sales.
I think Signed Sealed Delivered is his best Motown remake. I love te guy, but he's not for everybody. All the best Doobie Bro's songs have him on lead vocals imo...though im sure many would disagree.
As a bass player, I'm truthfully not sure whether to be happy or pissed. All those examples, except for the last one, were Jamerson lines. Classic Jamerson lines that MADE the "Motown Sound". And all of them were either butchered, pop't-up or dumbed-down(simplified). So, I'm not sure whether to be happy that MMc decided not to mess w/ genius or be PO'd that he summarily ripped out the soul from those songs- ESPECIALLY 'What's Goin' On'. I guess it's a little of both. Sorry FFiC, I usually agree w/ your musical tastes, but my soul ain't feelin' this. There is no "Motown Sound" there for me to listen to- they tore it out.
To each his own. McDonald is an acquired taste so to say, you either like him or you don't. He's a very good performer in his own right and puts on a good show for his fans. In his fans eyes he's putting on a good show. And he's paying tribute to Motown, which in itself is an honor. IMO if one of the Doobie Brothers did a tribute for me, I would be flattered.
I understand that. It's nothing w/ McD personally; in fact, I liked his work w/ the Doobs. But you can't do a tribute album to Motown and change one of, if not THE, essential element(s) that made Motown what it was and sound the way it did (the basslines). At least if you're going to do something like that, change the entire style of the songs, or don't call your album "The Motown Sound", b/c it's not. If it was called "Tribute to Motown" and the songs were more different stylistically from their predecessors, then I would have no problem and absolutely applaud the effort. IMO more people should know what great musicians they had backing up the star talent at Hitsville, not to mention the stars themselves. It may not seem like such a big deal to most of you, but to me, a fellow keeper of the bottom end, marginalizing Jamerson while keeping everything else nearly the same is musically criminal. That would be like paying tribute to Cream and leaving out Jack Bruce, or changing the bassline to 'My Generation' in the recent Who tribute. Those lines and those players are essential to the whole- there isn't one without the other. That's the way I feel about those Motown songs. They just aren't "Motown' w/out that Jamerson bassline. If he did 'Inner City Blues' and changed Bob Babbit's bassline, I would feel the same way. But now I'm rambling on something no one really cares about but me....oh well. I don't care. If I can get just one person to actually listen to the bass in some of those original songs, and they realize and appreciate the groove and what it does for the song, than I'm happy. I've done a good job and made the world a better place for bass players everywhere.
I really like the job he has done with the songs. If you are under 30 you probably haven't heard a lot of the songs. I like the band he has up there on stage. It is okay if you don't like the way they came out, to each there own. There is not too many artists that have or could pull off what he has done on the two cd's.
Count me among the ones who disagree... Michael McDonald killed the Doobie Brothers, made them go all soft and top 40... ick. By himself he's good, I like his voice... but the Doobies were and are much better without him. The only good tracks with him as a Doobie were on the Takin it to the Streets album... after that, the Doobies became Micheal Mcdonald's backup band... he's the main reason Jeff "Skunk" Baxter left the band.
Well, I am under 30... However, I grew up with and have heard just about every Motown song, as well as being able to play most of them. I am a musician and lover of music, everything from classical to RCHP and all the rest in between, so I don't think that the 'age' argument applies here. Like I said in my last post, it has nothing to do w/ McDonald personally or his band, I just don't think he did a very good job capturing the soul of Motown, especially in lower end. McDonald's talented, and has an excellent voice; but for me, he just simply missed the mark here.
What a Fool Believes is a great Doobie Brothers song with McDonald too. Long Train Running and Listen to the Music are my favorite Doobie songs overall though.
yuk...too "top 40" for a Doobies song IMO Good choices... both pre-McDonald BTW. Without You, Jesus is Just Alright, Black Water, the list goes on...
Actually... yeah, I do ride. Well.. I did anyway... had to give the bike up a couple years ago... but I'll be back in the saddle soon