Bassist Bob Babbitt - Bye Bye

Even though James Jamerson played the lion's share of bass parts for the Motown hits, Bob Babbitt has his time too. Reading his obit in Bass Player magazine tonight, I see that he appeared on more than 200 hit singles and more than 25 gold records.

Great songs, like Cool Jerk, by the Capitols. Smokey Robinson's Tears of a Clown. How about Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed Delivered? Midnight Train to Georgia by Gladys Knight? Great stuff.

Sometimes, it's these unsung but wonderful studio musicians that make life great for radio listeners like me. Bob got some notoriety when the Funk Brothers (the Motown studio musicians' unofficial name) were featured in the 2002 documentary film, Standing in the Shadows of Motown. I saw Bob all the time in ads in Bass Player, too.

Bob died on July 17th of complications of brain cancer, which he fought as long as he could. He was (only) 74.

Love Train - The O'Jays Sing of Hope

It was 1973. The long war in Viet Nam was drawing to a painful and unsuccessful close and everyone was REALLY ready for some peace. The Yom Kippur War had just concluded in Israel and it hadn't gone so well for the Israelis as it had in 1967. There was still plenty of trouble around the world, as usual.

The O'Jays sang Love Train--wishing for us to all "climb on board." Motown had discovered a new genre now. Think about Edwin Starr's "War" ("good god y'all, what is it good for? -- Absolutely NUTHIN! say it again".... Think back further to Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On." Much more than a love song or a "life's hard but we'll survive somehow" theme, this is one of hope.

We can still use this kind of song today. The Love Train hasn't pulled in the station yet, it appears.