No Condition Is Permanent

Pictured: The Jones Girls.

[Motown label boss Berry] Gordy was systematic about music. He had a recipe for success and was prone to repeat the same formula until the market itself moved on, but even then he had an unshakable belief that like Hollywood, Motown’s success was predicated on storytelling. He argued vociferously that all great songs should have a central narrative, and where possible, the stories should be told in the present tense as if they were happening now. Many great Motown songs adhere to the rules: “My Baby Must Be a Magician,” recorded by the Marvelettes, is a love song that conjures up love and magic; Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown” uses a circus storyline to describe the mask of love and unhappiness; and R. Dean Taylor tells the story of a home haunted by lost love in “There’s a Ghost in My House.” …he was adamant that Motown did not just make sound — it told stories. Otis Williams of the Temptations claimed that Gordy often seemed more trusting of female advice, and he had gathered from his sisters that women loved songs in which men were forced to plead for love. It might have been questionable psychology, but a remarkable number of Motown hits involve emotionally desperate men pleading, begging, and confessing.

— Stuart Cosgrove, Detroit ’67: The Year That Changed Soul

LISTEN TO EPISODE 416 OF NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT:

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 416 OF NO CONDITION IS PERMANENT BY CLICKING ON THE THREE DOTS /\

Here’s what we played in Ep. 416 of No Condition Is Permanent:

FIRST SLICE O’SCHEIßE…

The Jones Girls — “You’re Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else” — Philly Freedom: 70s Dance Floor Anthems From The City Of Brotherly Love

Ezy & Isaac — “Bawagbe” — Soul Rock

The Torquays — “Penetration” — A Date With …

Cymbals — “Visualized!” — Anthology

The Roughnecks — “You’re Driving Me Insane” — Why Don’t You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65

Edip Akbayram — “Yakar Inceden Inceden” — Love, Peace & Poetry: Turkish Psychedelic Music

The Electric Banana — “I’ll Never Be Me” — Blows Your Mind

Lambert Douglas — “Wailing Version” — Dub Explosion: 22 Roots Classics

IT’S MADISON TIME…

Jim Burgett — “Split Personality” — Go 45rpm

SECOND SLICE O’SCHEIßE…

Les Jaguars — “Guitare Jet” — Les Jaguars Vol. 2

Harmonia & Eno — “Vamos Companeros” — Tracks And Traces

3rd Generation Band — “Obiye Saa Wui” — Afro-Beat Airways: West African Shock Waves (Ghana & Togo 1972-78)

Phil Manzanera — “Frontera” — Diamond Head

Calibro 35 — “Cinque Bambole Per La Luna D’Agosto” — Ritornano quelli di… Calibro 35

The Spacemen — “Movin’ Up” — Frolic Diner Vol. 6

Linval Thompson — “Roots Man Dub” — Don’t Cut Off Your Dreadlocks

Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers — “Get Off the Phone” — L.A.M.F.: The Lost ’77 Mixes

Orchestre Tropicana d’Haiti — “Maria” — Yolande

THIRD SLICE O’SCHEIßE…

Benny Joy — “Steady With Betty” — Crash the Rockabilly Party

Ihsan Al Munzer — “Night Entertainer (Azef El Layl)” — Belly Dance Disco

Link Wray & His Ray Men — “Right Turn” — The Roots Of Psychobilly

Joseph Kabasele — “Mindule Mipanzana” — Le Grand Kallé: His Life, His Music – Joseph Kabasele And The Creation Of Modern Congolese Music

The Flying Burrito Brothers — “High Fashion Queen” — Burrito Deluxe

The Aggrovators — “Rough Voyage” — Jammies In Lion Dub Style

Larry Williams & Johnny Watson — “Too Late” — The Northern Soul Story Vol. 2: The Golden Torch

Orquesta Casino De Hugo Macedo (canta: Pochita Rivera) — “Yo No Pido Nada” — ¡Gózalo! Bugalu Tropical Vol. 4

THE FINAL SLICE O’SCHEIßE…

The Whatt Four — “You’re Wishin’ I Was Someone Else” — Lost Innocence: Garpax 1960s Punk & Psych

H.R. Jothipala — “Durakathanaya” — Sri Lanka: The Golden Era of Sinhalese And Tamil Folk-Pop Music

Earle Mankey — “Mau Mau” — Bomp 45rpm

Sam Mangwana — “Mbanda Kazaka” — Eddy’Son Présente Sam Mangwana

The Erasers — “It Was So Funny (The Song That They Sung)” — Ork Records: New York, New York

King Tubby & Yabby You — “Plague Dub” — Chant Down Babylon Kingdom: King Tubby’s At His Best

Andre Williams — “You Got It & I Want It” — Rib Tips & Pig Snoots: Rare & Unreleased Au-Go-Go Soul, 1965-1971

Golden Stars — “Angel” — Sons of Yma: A Collection of Peruvian Garage and Instrumental Bands from the ’60s!

LORD BUCKLEY’S WEEKLY BENEDICTION…

Sun City Girls — “Come Maddalena” — Funeral Mariachi

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