Today I'm flying to Detroit for the first time in a few years. This morning, on a sunny day in the Hollywood Hills, I started to make a little joke about dreading my trip to my tennis partners. Immediately, I felt ashamed. First, I'm actually thrilled to be going to the Motor City, where I'm interviewing one of its proudest and most interesting sons, Kid Rock. Secondly, I forever owe Detroit a huge debt of gratitude, as does anybody who's loved contemporary music this past half century. Before we bailed Detroit out, Detroit bailed us out of a lot of boredom and bad moods.
From Jackie Wilson to the White Stripes and beyond, Detroit has manufactured a lot more than cars. With all of the serious issues confronting this great yet troubled American city, they sure as hell don't need people making me wiseass jokes. They need our support. So I'm very happy to head to Motown and throw around a few dollars and be tiny part of Detroit's rising and not part of the problem. And if my Prius acts up dangerously on the way to the airport, I may buy an American car while I'm there and just drive home.
With all due respect to the Boss, here's my "Detroit Medley":
DETROIT MEDLEY - Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band
DETROIT BREAKDOWN - The J. Geils Band
DETROIT ROCK CITY - Kiss
THE MOTOR CITY IS BURNING - John Lee Hooker
PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE - The Temptations
EAST SIDE STORY - Bob Seger & The Last Heard
UPTIGHT (EVERYTHING'S ALRIGHT) - Stevie Wonder
PANIC IN DETROIT - David Bowie
WHAT'S GOING ON - Marvin Gaye
DETROIT, LIFT UP YOUR WEAR HEAD - Sufjan Stevens
IT'S A SHAME - The Spinners
THE WAY I WALK - Jack Scott
HELLO, DETROIT - Sammy Davis, Jr.
GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME - Chairmen of the Board
KICK OUT THE JAMS - MC5
LONELY TEARDROPS - Jackie Wilson
8 MILE - Eminem
DETROIT THANG- Kid Rock
ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE - Funkadelic
EVERY LITTLE BIT HURTS - Brenda Holloway
MOTOR CITY - Neil Young
NO FUN - The Stooges
SMILE - Was (Not Was) featuring the Doug Fieger
DETROIT CITY - Bobby Bare
WATCHA SEE IS WHATCHA GET - The Dramatics
(I WANNA) TESTIFY - The Parliments
WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND - Grand Funk
THE YOUNG FOLKS - Diana Ross & The Supremes
BREAKOUT - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
INTO THE GROOVE - Madonna
SHAKE ME, WAKE ME (WHEN IT'S OVER) - The Four Tops
99 AND A HALF JUST WON'T DO - Detroit Cobras
MOTOR CITY MADHOUSE - Ted Nugent
SHUTTIN' DETROIT DOWN - John Rich
DETROIT GIRLS - Starz
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKENHEARTED - Jimmy Ruffin
What songs associated with Motown -- the city and the label - moves you?