Introduction:
The history of popular music is often framed by dramatic shifts in sound and persona. Few groups exemplify such a calculated, yet undeniably effective, transition better than The Osmonds. Emerging from the television variety show landscape with a pristine, barbershop-quartet-meets-pop sensibility, the brothers from Utah were, by the dawn of the 1970s, poised for a transformation that would cement their place in the annals of chart history. Their third album, simply titled Osmonds (1970), marked this pivot, spearheaded by the breakout success of the R&B-infused hit, “One Bad Apple.” Buried within the grooves of this pivotal record, however, is a track that speaks volumes about the group’s aspirations and the musical climate of the era: The Osmonds – Motown Special.
This particular composition, often presented as a medley or a tribute in live performances, is a fascinating and complex piece of cultural commentary and performance art. It is less a conventional ‘song’ and more a deliberate declaration of respect—and perhaps a challenge—to the titans of Detroit soul. The very inclusion of a track named Motown Special on an album that launched them into the highest echelon of American pop stardom is telling. It acknowledges the undeniable supremacy of Motown Records, whose artists—from The Jackson 5, The Supremes, to The Temptations—defined the sound of the previous decade and provided the very blueprint for the sophisticated, vocal-harmony-driven R&B pop that The Osmonds were now embracing.
Recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama, under the guidance of producer Rick Hall, the Osmonds album sought to inject a genuine soul and rhythm and blues feel into the group’s clean-cut image. The Muscle Shoals location itself, a nexus for Southern soul and R&B, lent an immediate, earthy authenticity that transcended the often-maligned “bubblegum” tag. The Osmonds – Motown Special is the sonic proof of this pilgrimage. While early critics occasionally dismissed the track as merely a facsimile—one AllMusic review famously critiquing it as “among the least soulful excursions you could imagine”—such a view perhaps overlooks its function. It was not intended to be Motown, but rather to honor it and showcase The Osmonds’ remarkable vocal dexterity and interpretive range.
In its recorded form, the Motown Special is a vibrant, condensed history lesson. It weaves together threads of composition from the very architects of the Motown sound, incorporating works by legendary figures like Holland–Dozier–Holland, Kenneth Gamble, and Norman Whitfield. This act of musical quotation is not simple mimicry; it’s a strategic move that places the young Osmond brothers directly into conversation with a powerful musical legacy. It allowed them to demonstrate that their harmonies, honed over years as a professional performing unit, could navigate the complex arrangements and emotional depth inherent in the R&B vernacular. The track served as a bridge, reassuring older listeners of the group’s musical seriousness while appealing to a younger audience captivated by the infectious, danceable rhythms of soul-influenced pop.
Furthermore, the prominence of this Motown Special in their early 1970s live shows speaks to its essential role in their stage act. On albums like The Osmonds Live (1972), the track is expanded into a medley of iconic Motown hits, underscoring the spectacle and comprehensive talent the brothers brought to the arena stage. In an age of high-concept rock albums, The Osmonds maintained a connection to the variety show tradition, where dazzling, genre-spanning musicality was the expectation. The Motown Special was their showcase for that virtuosity—a high-energy fusion where their disciplined vocal blend met the dynamic urgency of soul music. It remains a fascinating artifact, a high-fidelity snapshot of a family group proving their professional mettle by respectfully engaging with the very genre that had redefined American popular music. This song, therefore, is not a detour, but a foundational stone in the architecture of The Osmonds‘ multi-faceted career.