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Ready for a Brand New Beat: How "Dancing in the Street" Became the Anthem for a Changing America
Ready for a Brand New Beat: How "Dancing in the Street" Became the Anthem for a Changing America
Ready for a Brand New Beat: How "Dancing in the Street" Became the Anthem for a Changing America
Audiobook8 hours

Ready for a Brand New Beat: How "Dancing in the Street" Became the Anthem for a Changing America

Written by Mark Kurlansky

Narrated by Stephen Hoye

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

Can a song change a nation? In 1964, Marvin Gaye, record producer William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Motown songwriter Ivy Jo Hunter wrote "Dancing in the Street." The song was recorded at Motown's Hitsville USA Studio by Martha and the Vandellas, with lead singer Martha Reeves arranging her own vocals. Released on July 31, the song was supposed to be an upbeat dance recording-a precursor to disco, and a song about the joyousness of dance. But events overtook it, and the song became one of the icons of American pop culture.

The Beatles had landed in the U.S. in early 1964. By the summer, the sixties were in full swing. The summer of 1964 was the Mississippi Freedom Summer, the Berkeley Free Speech Movement, the beginning of the Vietnam War, the passage of the Civil Rights Act, and the lead-up to a dramatic election. As the country grew more radicalized in those few months, "Dancing in the Street" gained currency as an activist anthem. The song took on new meanings, multiple meanings, for many different groups that were all changing as the country changed.

Told by the writer who is legendary for finding the big story in unlikely places, Ready for a Brand New Beat chronicles that extraordinary summer of 1964 and showcases the momentous role that a simple song about dancing played in history.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 11, 2013
ISBN9781452683294
Ready for a Brand New Beat: How "Dancing in the Street" Became the Anthem for a Changing America
Author

Mark Kurlansky

Mark Kurlansky is the New York Times bestselling author of Milk!, Havana, Paper, The Big Oyster, 1968, Salt, The Basque History of the World, Cod, and Salmon, among other titles. He has received the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Bon Appétit's Food Writer of the Year Award, the James Beard Award, and the Glenfiddich Award. He lives in New York City. www.markkurlansky.com

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Reviews for Ready for a Brand New Beat

Rating: 3.6 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    An entertaining history of Motown combined with a simplified history of the civil rights era of the 50s and 60s. When Kurlansky focused on Berry Gordy and Motown, the book was absorbing; when he tried to work in the political and cultural movements of the era, the book became tendentious. The 3 stars are for the Gordy segments.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    For those who are unfamiliar with the importance of the March on Washington 50 years ago, Mark Kurlansky's recent book makes for a good introduction to the civil rights movement and understanding why hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in an effort to end segregation.In 1963, America was "a-changin" and Kurlansky condenses the political and social attitudes of the era to the sound of Martha and the Vandellas', "Dancing in the Street."He champions the song as an anthem about integration while filling out the rest of his book by documenting black music culture and its influence on Rock 'n' Roll. He also discusses Motown Records' impact on breaking down racial barriers, but sadly, there are only brief snippets of Martha Reeves' own story, as well as other soulful singers who were part of the Motown Sound.With well-informed speculation, Kurlansky tries to unmask the political interpretations which may or may not be the song's original intent. He then wedges the track between the nonviolent civil rights movement and the more aggressive Black Power ideology, arguing its importance as an integral part of the social freedoms gained during the 1960s.Yes, Kurlansky's thesis might have read better as a short magazine article, but that doesn't matter. The premise is still a good call out to the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech." Once again, the time is right to invite everybody across the nation to recognize that change is possible when locked hand in hand with fellow believers.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This book discusses the influence of music, especially Motown and particularly the song of the title upon the civil rights movement of the 1960's. A lot of the history and facts presented are interesting and especially fun if you lived during that era. Unfortunately, the writing is not up to par: many sentences are not well constructed, grammatical errors abound and the structure is often clumsy and disjointed. As I received this as a pre-pub edition, I am hoping that an editor still has a shot at it. It could be condensed into a great magazine article that would be especially timely with the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom being celebrated this year.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Mark Kurlansky's book, Ready For A Brand New Beat, was an interesting monologue on how music impacted a generation. Beginning with a brief outline of rock and roll's infancy in the 1950s, Kurlansky's focus is on Motown's ability to provide a bridge - whether directly or indirectly - constructed out of music, for a nation divided by color. Who's to say if the song, Dancing In The Street, performed by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, had political undertones? No one can answer that except the songwriters: Mickey Stevenson, Ivy Jo hunter, and Marvin Gaye, but there's no denying that that the song was adopted and used to advantage by the civil rights movement during the 1960s, a period of crisis in U.S. history. If you're interested in a highly readable overview of this era, then I suggest you put Kurlansky's new book on your reading list.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read this book as an early reviewer and I'm not so sure what to expect in a pre publication versionso I will get that bit out of the way. There were typos and it seemed to need a bit of editing to get the author's thoughts strung together.Its a good history of early rock and folk and the birth of Motown. It ties in nicely to the civil rights movement and the brave actions taken by early civil rights leaders. I just didn't think it was strung together well. It read more like a text book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    How do you write an entire book about one short pop song? Filler. Lots and lots of filler. This is not entirely a bad thing, but readers should go into this book prepared to wander, stroll and wade around all things 1960s. Kurlansky has previously written about other strangely singular topics (salt and fish), but they have the advantage of a long, long interaction with humankind, so finding interesting information to share with the reader doesn't seem like such a stretch as it does finding relevant facts and thoughts about a fifty-year-old song. As a long article, Ready for a Brand New Beat would get high marks, as a book, it feels forced. It's still a worthy read, but don't feel too bad about skimming and skipping a bit.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The 60s was a pivotal point in American history. And an argument can be made that any one of the years within that time period might best represent that transition. 1964 works as well (maybe better) than any. The Vietnam War was starting, the Civil Rights Act was passed, and there was an election campaign that was even more divisive than the ones we have just experienced. In this book, Mark Kurlansky builds on the proposition that, not only was the year a game changer, but the song "Dancing in the Street" was part of the motivation for that change.I would say the author is stretching things just a bit. That it was a song that represented that change, yes. That it was an actual catalyst for change, not so much. Some of the conclusions Kurlansky makes seemed strained, and he appears to fall into the classic trap of picking and choosing the references that support the point he is trying to make. (Let me quickly add, it only appears that way. I have not done the exhaustive research he has, and it may only be my cynical nature that causes me to make that assumption.)However, all that being said, this book is an excellent slice of our American history. 1964 was a pivotal time. And Kurlansky does an excellent job of explaining why. This includes a fascinating insight into the start of Motown, and the role of the various participants. As a musician, this aspect attracted me the most. But that is not to say that his discussions of politics, civil rights, and Vietnam were not also engaging.In writing this, I may have implied serious issues with this book, or I may have made it sound dry and scholarly. My issues are minor quibbles. And the writing is anything but dry. Kurlansky tells a great story while explaining, as well as anyone can, what it was like to be in that time period. The old saying is "Buy the premise; buy the bit." I may not buy the premise. But I definitely "buy" the book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was pleasantly surprised by the ambition of this book. Instead of focusing on a single song, it situates the hit single in its cultural and political context, recognizes the many interpretations of the song within that context, and gives a valuable history lesson about Motown, Detroit, and the civil rights movement. Kurlansky doesn't really get to the song until fairly late in the book--at one point I wondered why the book was touted as being about the importance of the song--but once he gets there the reader understands the point of the historical details that precede it. This isn't a book for a scholar of popular music or civil rights, but if you're looking for an introduction to the events of the summer of 1964, this is a good one.Thanks to Library Thing's ER giveaway for this copy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Don't be fooled by the title. This work is much bigger than the humble beginnings and subsequent impact of just one song. Retracing the musical roots of rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll Kurlansky tackles the history of these musical genres (and the musicians who played them) and leaves no stone unturned. The best part of this book was the unveiling of the profound impact technology had on music. As technology continues to change the course of marketing music, buying music, and listening to music it is worth remembering that this trend started a long time ago.There is one prediction I can make about this book. Whether Kurlansky intends for this to happen is another matter, but I bet people will be reaching for their old Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley albums after reading Ready for a Brand New Beat.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It's rare that you find an entire book written about one song, but Mark Kurlansky's thesis is that "Dancing In the Street," recorded by Martha and the Vandellas, is no ordinary song. What was originally intended to be a party song and Mntown hit became an anthem for black power during the turbulent 60s--so much so that it was believed, although never proven, that some radio DJs were told not to play it. Kurlansky supports his thesis; what he doesn't do is show why it's worthy of an entire book. I think it would have made a fine New York Times magazine or New Yorker article, but the book is padded with facts about rock and roll and Motown that most people who would be inclined to read it already know. And while Kurlansky clearly is passionate about his subject--and this great song--his writing is often clunky and cliched.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A detailed study of the creation, rise, and phenomenal durability of one of the most popular party songs/battle cries of modern time. Much like his wonderful work on salt, I really enjoyed the depth of research Mr Kurlansky accessibly presents on a "simple" subject most of are exposed to often, but think little about. I was oh so close to assigning a 5-star rating, but the author quietly slipped into some mercifully brief sessions of well-concealed-but-not-quite-invisible "PC White Guilt" that rang a subtle sour note on the historical objectivity scale for me. If you're a sociology/cultural studies/US history/music appreciation professor, you'll teach your students a lot and still earn some shiny apples by adding this to your class reading list, but I'd recommend it to just about anyone. Even the most die-hard Motown fans are sure to find a few surprises in here.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It’s interesting to me that a couple of the last books I’ve reviewed for LibraryThing Early Reviewers have been books on music, of a sort. A couple of months ago, it was DINNER WITH LENNY, the intelligent and compelling interview recorded by Jonathan Cott of the “last long interview” with Leonard Bernstein. This time, it’s READY FOR A BRAND NEW BEAT: How “Dancing in the Street” became the anthem for a changing America, by Mark Kurlansky. In both books, I have been impressed by the authors’ vibrant vocabulary of music. Mark Kurlansky gives us not only the history and development of a song, but also the full-bodied examination of one of the most convulsive periods of social and political adjustment known in the United States. Somehow, he is able to do this through smooth and seamless movement between the birth and evolution of “Dancing in the Streets” and that of the Civil Rights Movement. Having been a young girl through some of the most violent times described in the book and having been deeply attracted to and influenced by the music coming out of that period, including Motown, I was enriched and educated by Kurlansky’s work. In the 1950’s, it was through music that the marginalized African American culture began to call the shots, unseating white culture as the defining one for the country. Just because every effort was made to disguise that fact and prevent it from happening didn’t change reality. Kurlansky gives specific examples of how it all happened.READY FOR A BRAND NEW BEAT holds many surprises, especially for one so nominally educated in this recent period of our history. As Kurlansky says, history is not how things happened, it’s how they are perceived as having happened. Or something like that; I am not able to quote directly since this is the uncorrected proof of the book. In any case, who knew that the first Freedom Ride wasn’t the one taken by Rosa Parks in 1955, but the one taken by one Bayard Rustin, an African American Quaker, in 1942? According to Kurlansky, Bayard was rejected as a galvanizing emblem for the movement because he was homosexual. One passage I will dare to quote from the book, “In the study of history, beginnings and endings are usually artificial,…” So true.Stereotypes are unseated throughout. For example, rock and roll “rioting” is clarified beautifully, completely reconfiguring my personal assumptions and miseducation about it. And this isn’t just because I came along at a time when my white culture was defensively struggling to adjust to the monumental changes that were happening. Stereotypes about the rock and roll era continue to abound in our current media. It is a stage of our growth as a nation that deserves to be revisited, as it serves as a reminder of our particular reality in the U.S., and the historical wounds from which we still suffer.“Dancing in the Streets” was first recorded in Berry Gordy’s little studio on the Eastside in Detroit in July of 1964. That Martha Reeves happened to be hanging around that day and was pulled in from the hallway to sing it is just one of the serendipitous elements that went into the making if “Dancing in the Streets”. She liked doing things right the first time and was a little miffed that a mistake was made, it hadn’t gotten recorded and had to be redone. The slight edge to her second take was vital to the magnetic quality of the recording and certainly had some role to play in the relentless rise to popularity of the song and its remarkable staying power.Mark Kurlansky follows the song from this humble beginning, through its rise on the charts, its becoming the song that inspired demonstrations from coast to coast, the many covers done of it through the decades and its extraordinary endurance. It wouldn’t surprise me if the book excites a revisit to those decades that revolutionized this country and the Motown originals that carried them. For certain, I am going to dig out all the Motown albums I own, dust them off and play them again. I pity those who don’t have access to those original analog versions. Although I encourage you to get whatever version of “Dancing in the Streets” you can lay your hands on, if it’s digital you’ll literally be missing something. Read this book!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The central premise of Mark Kurlansky's READY FOR A BRAND NEW BEAT is, to begin with, a pretty thin one: How a single Motown record, "Dancing in the Street," became a major unifying factor in the civil rights movement of the sixties. And how the Motown sound in general served to soften the gradual move toward integration by providing a music that appealed to youth of all colors.While the book is constructed in a fairly coherent and consistent fashion to support these things, I'm not sure it's all that convincing. And I was - and still am - a huge fan of those peak Motown years. I have vivid memories of dancing in the dark smoke-filled "pit" of a GI dive in Germany in 1965 to the captivating sounds of the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Baby Love," as well as the Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself" - a tune I will always associate with learning to do the "mashed potatoes," under the careful tutelage of my Philly friend and roommate, LeRoy Thomas. Yeah, Motown was just becoming huge on the jukeboxes around the world. I heard their tunes in Kassel, Copenhagen and Hamburg that year, all nearly as popular as the Beatles and other Brit bands that were dominating the music charts world wide. But this book? Well, it's just a bit too much like a history book - which it IS, I realize. It is filled with facts, stories and minor anecdotes about the origins of Motown and how "Dancing in the Street" was written and recorded. And that part I rather enjoyed. It was all the background information about R&B, "race music" and rock and roll's early days that became rather a chore to plow through, because it's all been written before - and I've read a lot of those books already. And then the sections about the the freedom marches, the "burn, baby, burn" inner city riots of the sixties - what started them, how they escalated and played out. Again, it's all been done before. Attaching the Motown element and one particular song to all these events is, as I said, a rather thin thread upon which to weave a whole 'nother book. There are a few interesting facts here I'd not heard before, although a bit off the author's central subject, such as, didja know that Desi Arnaz's trademark song, "Babalu," was African in origin, an homage to "a Yoruba religious spirit from Nigeria?" On the other hand, if you'd read anything at all about Motown records or its founder, Berry Gordy, Jr., then you already knew about all his women and the many children he fathered and also how "the musicians were not paid well and many ended their lives in poverty." He also controlled how they dressed, moved, and behaved. In fact those matching glittery and pastel costumes and careful robotic choreography often reminded me of what Lawrence Welk was doing with his band members and singers around the same time. Creepy and unlikely comparison, I know, but still ... Yeah, all this stuff is interesting, but it's not new.And how "Dancing.." became "the sound track of the Civil Rights era" as no less than President Obama has called it, is a question that remains open to interpretation. After all, Martha Reeves herself has always insisted that "'It is a party song' .. She was horrified that she would be associated 'with people rioting and burning.'" I do get it, however, that song lyrics can take on new lives and mean different things to different people, which is what this whole book is about, I suppose. But the later chapter about the dozens of other artists and groups who have covered "Dancing..." seemed forced and largely irrelevant. Who, after all, would remember or care that Brenda Lee, Neal Diamond, the Everly Brothers and Michael Bolton - just to name a few - all recorded the song. I'm pretty sure that any real music fan associates the song solely with its original artists, Martha and the Vandellas.But how I ramble on. Like Kurlansky's book did, actually. It's not really a bad book, but it became, finally, something of a slog, just a bit too tedious and scholarly for my taste. Kurlansky had an interesting idea, one that might have worked well as a magazine piece, say. But a whole book? Nope. Maybe he was hoping to capitalize on the 50th anniversary of the song coming up next year. But whatever his reasons, he was reaching. There's simply not enough NEW information here to justify yet another book about Motown or the civil unrest of the sixties.