These 1960s-Era Pop Hits Could Bring Moombahton Into the Mainstream

Major Lazer's "Bumaye" was an undeniable dance floor success in 2013. However, insofar as moving forward, it may be time for moombahton - arguably the

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Complex Original

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Major Lazer's "Bumaye" was an undeniable dance floor success in 2013. However, insofar as moving forward, it may be time for moombahton - arguably the cradle of creativity for the EDM scene's next top producers - to consider looking to more radio friendly material to take the genre to the next level. Yes, there are those who would be absolutely, 100% correct in saying that moombahton is far better experienced in a sweaty nightclub than in a Top 40 format. However, if one were to take a trip down memory lane to the era where Brill Building songwriters dominated the pop charts with soulful pop ballads, there are a few gems from that era that could stand the test of time and be updated into pop hits meeting the zeitgeist of 2014.

What is the Brill Building, you ask? Well, not too far from Times Square and Broadway in New York City (1619 Broardway to be exact) there is an 11-story building with an ornately decorated gold door. By 1962, within this building were not just the preeminent singers and songwriters of the era, but also publishers, printers, advance promoters for radio and studio services for the purpose of cutting tracks often written earlier that day. However, the building was not just a building, it spawned a vibe and style that influenced not just song writing in New York, but later Los Angeles, and eventually worldwide.

From Burt Bacharach and Hal David to Carole King and Gerry Goffin to Leiber and Stoller, Sonny Bono, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon, Phil Spector, and so many more, the level of talent for pop songwriting, production, marketing and development at one place at one time was incredible. Without exaggeration, the talent housed within the building in that era likely has written, produced or performed on easily 1000 top 40 songs over the past 50 years. Thus, in an era wherein EDM is looking for hit songs in order to secure the continuance of its US pop domination - and moombahton (along with other tropical and Afro/Latino-based styles including zouk bass, twerk, 3ball and more) have an incredibly quirky, ear-worming and potentially fresh pop sound, there's a wealth of material that from a songwriting and production standpoint have immense potential.

In order to lead you, the reader, down the rabbit hole of moombah-worthy classic pop, here are five legendary songs of or inspired by the "Brill Building" era of classic pop that would be ideal for remixing and likely tremendous pop potential in the current era.

Ruby and the Romantics - "Our Day Will Come"

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Year: 1963

Credits: Written and composed by Bob Hilliard and Mort Garson, produced by Allen Stanton.

Producer Allen Stanton's decision to cut a version of Bob Hilliard's composition in a bossanova style ultimately lifted the magnificent vocal performance of Ruby and the Romantics to another level. Similar to moombahton, bossanova's era as a pop craze was deemed unusual at first, but later became enormously successful as a production trope. Featuring an arguably magnificent Hammond organ solo during the bridge, there's enough in the lovelorn songwriting, the ear-worm of the organ and the booty-shake in the track's low end to give it everything necessary for a modern revival. Need further proof? Check Amy Winehouse's cover of the song. It's certainly worth a listen.

The Shangri-La's - "Remember (Walking in the Sand)"

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Year: 1964

Credits: Written and composed by Shadow Morton

Arguably the ultimate "bad girl" group of the era, the Shangri-La's were a trio (Mary Ann Ganser, Marge Ganser, and Mary Weiss) from Queens, New York. Stylized with bouffant hairdos and stiletto-heeled boots, they represented the "good girl gone bad" stereotype perpetuated to this day by performers like Rihanna. While the trio would later go on to major success with their second single "Leader of the Pack," it's "Remember's" lyrics - and especially their phrasing by the singers - that gives this song it's moombahton potential. The song's immense gravitas comes from the awkward pauses, silences and spaces, and for a style like moombahton, which is built on tracks having room to breathe and a differing-from-the-norm time signature, it works. Also, the tone of the vocal would likely make the voice into its own instrument if sampled and looped correctly. It's only two minutes and 10 seconds long, but so much happens in that 2:10 that it's a really incredible track to hear.

Barry Mann - "Who Put The Bomp?"

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Year: 1961

Credits: Written and composed by Barry Mann and Gerry Goffin

There are arguably two undeniable factors that go into the development of great pop songs: Direction and onomatopoeia. Songs that tell someone how to dance have been cool since Chubby Checker's "The Twist" - the song wherein the lyrics clearly state exactly what the dancer is doing when and why. For the most part, great pop songs don't forget that the average person is not looking for much in the way of lyrical depth and impact, and mainly want a two-to-four minute distraction from the mundane nature of their existence. Insofar as basing a song around onomatopoeia -  words that imitate natural sounds - there may be no greater song that exemplifies this notion than Barry Mann and Gerry Goffin's "anti-lyrical" masterpiece. From "bomp bah bomp bah bomp," to "rama lama ding dong," "bop shoo bop shoo bop," "dip da dip da dip" and "boogity boogity boogity shoop," the song that accurately describes the absolute nonsense that goes into the best love songs absolutely could be re-imagined into an onomatopoetic moombah-masterpiece.

The Drifters - "Save The Last Dance"

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Year: 1961

Credits: Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller

Written by polio-stricken Doc Pomus on the occasion of his marriage and watching his new Broadway dancer wife dancing with others - but "[not forgetting] who's taking her home and in who's arms [she's] gonna be" - "Save The Last Dance" is a no-brainer in the sense that very few pop songs in EDM these days actually reference the notion that, well, dance is the most operative term in the phrase "electronic dance music." Another song of the era featuring the bossa nova swing, the track is a perfect blend of subject matter and seductive sway making it ideal for retooling.

Dionne Warwick - "Don't Make Me Over"

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Year: 1962

Credits: Written and produced by Burt Bacharach and Hal David

Dionne Warwick's debut pop single in 1962 is possibly one of the top five charting songs written of the 73 top 40-charting songs Hal David and Burt Bacharach had in their legendary partnership. A song originally borne of Warwick's insistence that she be treated with decency and respect as an artist, there are tropes that can be extrapolated from the lyrics that can give the song tremendous mainstream potential. Namely, "Accept me for what I am /Accept me for the things that I do" may be the most gripping statement ever for progressive civil rights issues from gay marriage to acceptance issues across the global diaspora of marginalized people, races and cultures. Yes, it would be okay if taken as is, as in 1989, Sybil's "new jack swing"-style remix was a minor mainstream pop hit. However, between re-imagining Bacharach and David's production (again) and reinterpreting the lyrics for greater modern relevance, this song has immense global hit potential.

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