Soul train: the music, dance, and style of a generation

Introduction. Laying down the tracks Love : the 1970s. The big idea. A small start for a big idea ; Leavin' on a morning train to California ; Al Green ; The first family of soul (train) ; The ubiquitous Jacksons The acts. Stevie Wonder ; Marvin Gaye ; Rock royalty sink or swim ; Motown and Soul train ; Jazzin' up Soul train ; Appealing to a new generation ; Tribute to James Brown ; Funk fever ; The supergroup sensation ; Cash chameleons ; Disco : a brief derailing? Or a change with the times? The moves. Season 1 dancers ; The Soul train line ; Spotlight on Damita Jo ; High energy ; From street to Saturday night fever ; Stepping out of line ; Focus on fashion ; Spotlight on Jeffrey and Jody The big moments. The O'Jays ; The fifth Beatle ; The Isley Brothers ; Average White Band and the Undisputed Truth ; Trifecta ; Elton John ; David Bowie ; The end of the decade

Peace : the 1980s. The big idea. Kicking and screaming ; Tribute to Smokey Robinson ; Keep moving or die ; A new genre and a new Jackson ; From funk to pop ; Welcome back to the future : take one ; Welcome back to the future : take two ; Hip-hop as it happened The acts. The boys are back in town ; A new rubric ; Protégé power : punk funk vs purple rock ; Blue-eyed soul ; Expanding horizons The moves. Meet the cast ; Spotlight on Louie "Ski" Carr ; A hip-hop skip and a jump down the Soul train line The big moments. A salute to Rick James ; LL Cool J ; Teddy Pendergrass ; Yarbrough & Peoples ; The Pointer Sisters ; Patti LaBelle ; A salute to Jermaine Jackson ; A tribute to Marvin Gaye ; Soul train spectrum ; Herbie Hancock ; Kool & the Gang ; A salute to Diana Ross ; A note about new jack, and Don dancing ; The cult of personality ; The end of the decade

Soul : the 1990s. The big idea. Meditations on the theme ; The decade-defining sound

The acts. Back to Beastie ; Bell Biv DeVoe ; Lenny Kravitz ; Alternative Black music ; Classic collaboration

The moves. The backup moves up front ; Meet the cast

The big moments. Tribute to Quincy Jones ; Tribute to Stevie Wonder ; Tribute to Gladys Knight ; Gerald and Eddie Levert ; Move to movies ; Introducing girl power ; Vision of Mariah ; Turning the corner

The end of the road : episode 734

Afterword. Unlocking the treasure trove.