Wednesday January 26, 2022 “My Girl” The Temptations (James Jamerson)
James Jamerson is another 2000 Inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but you might not know him.
If you were to ask a real music fan to name great rock bass players you would likely get Paul McCartney, Sting, Geddy Lee and then it would trail off. If you were to pose the same question to bass players asking them to name the great rock bass players the immediate reply would likely be James Jamerson and then silence.
Jamerson is the legendary bass player who was a member of the Motown house band known as the Funk Brothers and if you haven’t watched the movie Standing in the Shadows of Motown please do…there will be a test. It is amazing and depressing at the same time seeing the story of these club experienced jazz musicians who contributed so much to the Motown sound but remained unknown, uncredited and underpaid.
A prime example of this oversight is the writing credits for today’s “My Girl” which go to Smokey Robinson and Ronald White however the signature introduction and most memorable part of the song belongs, uncredited, to James Jamerson who provides the bass line that establishes “My Girl” and carries us through this iconic number one, multi-million selling song.
Jamerson was in such demand that recording sessions would frequently be delayed around his availability which was caused by his significant outside session work as often as his difficulties with alcoholism.
There’s a story that Marvin Gaye delayed the recording of “What’s Going On” to allow for members of the Funk Brothers to scour Jamerson’s favorite watering holes to find him. When they found him and brought him back he was so intoxicated that he couldn’t stand up but he played his part flawlessly, while lying on the floor.
Stay safe and well…and open your appreciation and enjoyment of songs like “My Girl” for all the musicians that make them work.