It's What's Happening, Baby!

Restored and shown on PBS on March 6, 2021, this is a fascinating record of the music, clothing styles, dances, personalities, and culture of 1965, the year Motown, California beach music, and the British music invasion were at the top of their game. These were some very talented people who were dedicated to making music - not just making it big in the industry. How Martha (Reeves) and the Vandellas got away with filming a video to "Nowhere To Run" in a fully operational Ford factory is amazing. And probably dangerous ! The moves of The Temptations and Little Anthony and the Imperials are incredible. The live singing voices of Dionne Warwick and The Righteous Brothers are amazing. The Ronettes, The Supremes, and Mary Wells are sweet as can be. The 60's innocence and charm of children comes through in a segment with the Four Tops. The California coast is beautiful (even in black and white). And those swinging 60's chicks really knew how to whip themselves into a frenzy. Also memorable is the fact that Supremes co-founder, Mary Wilson, looking beautiful and youthful as ever, gave her last interview for this restoration, and then died the next day. The only shocking thing : how scuffed up the Ronettes' white go-go boots were ! Even my sister had my dad buy her some white liquid shoe polish to cover up the black scuff marks and keep those boots in pristine condition !

This show was thoroughly enjoyable. The soundtrack speaks for itself, but seeing it as it went down was great. How in the world did Martha and the Vandellas get permission to film in a working Ford plant? And none of the painters were wearing masks. Can you imagine that happening today? And I wonder how far Herman Munster walked before somebody yelled "COME BACK". But truly, the golden age of music front and center. Murray The K comes off today as just a DJ character, but he had as much to do with the promoting Motown and integrating music on the airwaves as anyone at the time. Paul McCartney's first request during a live phone call with MTK after they'd arrived for the first time in February '64? Pride And Joy by Marvin Gaye. If you're of the era or if you just love the music and want to see where it came from and what it looked like then grab you're favorite libation and pull up a couch because this is one hell of a show. 11 thumbs up!

I'm so THANKFUL this was one that escaped the ignominious fate of the kinescope process, the monochrome videotape looked the part of clear video as it did back in the day. The performances were, even if (many) lip-synced, shot in the present (then, in the late spring) and were present in reality, judging by the sweat on many of the performers. A few of the tracks were even in stereo! (obviously a sweetening as part of the video restoration process). I would have loved to be in that ford factory when those girls were dancing around the place. Murray the K was a phenom, wasn't he? Who today does what he did? This video IMHO belongs in my collection and many other folks' collections who love the golden oldies and have more than a bit of a wish to relive the glory days.