For our
final listening journal entry, we have one song to reflect on. That is
Radiohead’s “Bodysnatchers”:
I am
familiar with some Radiohead music, but this one was new to me. I enjoy the
musical stylings of Radiohead and this song did not disappoint. I like the
distortion you hear on the guitar and how it works with the repeated bass line.
With the interesting subject matter of the song, the listener is instantly
sucked in. “The song’s lyric describes the alienation of a person incarcerated
within his own body. Like an etherized yet conscious patent, the first-person
subject of the song is confined within the limitations of his physical body,
unable to connect directly to the world around him” (Starr & Waterman,
2014, p. 558).
I really
enjoy the fact that the album that “Bodysnatchers” is recorded on was available
to fans for the amount they were willing to pay for it. This gave the fans and
listeners more of a responsibility to really think about the value of music and
the work put behind it. Though I am sure some only paid pennies, it still gave
the musicians a profit by not going through a big record label. This idea was
utilized by other artists since then, many doing Kickstarter projects. Even
comedians like Louis C.K. started doing direct to fan sales of his shows.
As a final
thought, I enjoyed the way this book summed up this song. “Although the
emotional angst of rock superstars and the melodrama of the music business may
not seem the most lofty or compelling subject matter, it can be argued that the
subtext of “Bodysnatchers”—that is, the role of free will and creativity in a
business traditionally dominated by corporate concerns—is both an essential
theme in the history of rock music and a key component of the ideology of
contemporary alternative rock” (Starr & Waterman, 2014, p. 559). This would
be a great topic of discussion within a classroom that has studied rock music
and the evolution of the music industry.
Reference:
Starr, L., Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Getting
into the music of the 80s is also getting into the time where I can start to
remember music becoming important. The new digital sound gave us genres that
continued to develop over the years to come. TV took on a new meaning with MTV
and music videos. Before there was the Internet, this is where majority of us
found new music and new artists.
“Sweet
Dreams (Are Made Of This)” by the Eurythmics gives us that opening synth sound
we come to associate with 80s pop. “With its heavy reliance on electronically
synthesized sounds, sequenced loops, and what has been described as a cool or
austere emotional tone, “Sweet Dreams” points the way toward later technology
centered music styles such as techno” (Starr & Waterman, 2014, p. 458).
Though this song is very repetitious, it has a very catchy beat and simple
melody that makes it easy to understand and sing along to. The loops mentioned
in the text are easy to identify and really support that “technology” sound.
You can hear the same synth sound in Madonna’s “Like A Virgin.” This song is a
staple when thinking of music from the 80s. Not only does this music emulate
what was popular in the 80s, but the music video became well known as well. You
can also start to hear the importance of having music with a strong and
independent woman singer. See the music video to “Like A Virgin” below:
We also
started to get more classic songs being remade. One of the most well know
released songs is “Walk This Way,” originally released by Aerosmith and
performed by Run-D.M.C. What makes this work so well is that the original
guitar licks. It is still recognizable as the Aerosmith version, but because
the verses were sung by Steven Tyler in a fast pace, converting it to a Hip-Hop
song was relatively easy. It also lead to a very creative music video to
accompany the popularity of this mix “The video version of “Walk This Way” –
the first rap video to be put into heavy rotation by MTV—gives visual substance
to the musical image of a tense conversation between the worlds of hard rock
and rap, unified by the sizzling textures of hip-hop scratching and hard rock
guitar, the contrasting but similarly aggressive vocal timbers of Run-D.M.C.
and Steven Tyler, and the over-the-top male braggadocio of the song’s text”
(Starr & Waterman, 2014, p/ 496).
“Holidays
in Cambodia” by the Dead Kennedys was not a piece I was familiar with, nor one
that I particularly liked. Though I usually like punk music, this was a little
edgier than I normally like. It seemed very rough around the edges, which seems
to be an important part of their music. This music was clearly written to be
more than just a song to play on the radio, but for it’s political importance
as well. We also get “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the most recognizable song from
the group Nirvana. The opening guitar lick is all one needs to hear in order to
know what song this is. This song also leads us into the grunge rock movement
in the early 90s. “One of the most striking aspects of “Teen Spirit” is its
combination of heavy metal instrumental textures and pop songwriting
techniques, including a number of memorable verbal and melodic hooks” (Starr
& Waterman, 2014, p. 518).
Lauryn Hill
became a well-known artist in the 90s, especially with her big hit, “Doo Wop
(That Think).” There are many musical elements found in this song. You can hear
the hip-hop elements with the rapping sections combined with the four-part
vocal harmonies. “The mixture of sweet soul singing and assertive rapping,
R&B horns and a digital groove, moral seriousness and playful humor not
only announced the arrival of a new and distinctive voice but also made the
single “Doo Wop” a unique and important contribution to the hip-hop repertoire”
(Starr & Waterman, 2014, p. 524). This, just like the Madonna song back in
the 80s, showed the independent potential of lead female artists and how they
understand culture and reality within their music.
Resource:
Starr, L., Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3. New York: Oxford University Press.
Moving
right along in our musical journey, we get into the 70s, during this week’s
readings. You really start to see music develop more with technology and how it
branches into many different genres. Though many think of Disco as the leading
form of music in the 70s, there were many other great artists who broke out
into the scene, or older artists who were still changing and developing their
sound.
Two of my
favorite piano men were featured in the beginning of Chapter 11. Stevie Wonder,
with his infectious hit “Superstition,” and Elton John with his glamorous
“Crocodile Rock.” The minute one hears the opening drum beat of “Superstition,”
that is all they need to identify this catchy song. Stevie Wonder, who was a
popular Motown artist in his teens, started to redefine what type of music his
talent was creating. With the use of his electric keyboard and the twangy
guitar, you get the laid-back groove this song is known for. The repeated riff
from the keyboard mixed with the brass hits makes this song one that is hard
not tap your foot to. This song also shows that even with repetition, an
audience can really be entertained. “As a result, in “Superstition,” Stevie
Wonder successfully fused something old and something blue with the borrowed
and the new to create an irresistible pop hit” (Starr & Waterman, 2014, p.
374). Elton John, another artist known for his rockin’ piano skills, had a very
different type of piano hit with “Crocodile Rock”. This song, almost a
throwback to the music of the 60s, plays upon the nostalgia and the sense of
loss while still keeping its playfulness. “Musically, the flavor is clearly
that of an upbeat teenage dance song, and even though there never actually was
a famous rock ‘n’ roll dance called the “crocodile,” the song may be deliberately
evoking the memory of other “animal” dances, like the monkey” (Starr &
Waterman, 2014, p. 375). I grew up listening to Elton John and his rockin’
piano numbers. He always seemed to have a sense of lightheartedness in his
music, all while still being a serious artist. I have attached one of my
favorite performances of “Crocodile Rock”:
There isn’t
a lot of country music I really enjoy, but I feel when a folk singer performs a
country song, that is the ones that I tend to enjoy more. John Denver did just
this with his hit, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.” I love the classic
instruments that he uses, with the “boom-chick” of the guitar with the edgy
sounds of the fiddle. There seems to be an element of imperfections that the
music entails. You can even hear John Denver’s voice break when singing. To me,
this makes the music more common and more relatable. “Although live albums were
commonplace by this time, live singles were still relatively uncommon; however,
the sense of immediacy and spontaneity so essential to the character and appeal
of this recording obviously results directly fro the presence of an actual,
enthusiastic concert audience” (Starr & Waterman, 2014, p. 376).
“Psycho
Killer” is a song that I actually came to like later in my musical life.
Talking Heads is not a group that I know much from, but their popular hit
“Psycho Killer” is a great representation of Punk, which became one of the new
genres to develop during this time. Punk has hardness to it. It is not meant to
be beautiful but gives a slightly daring vibe to its music. The voice of the
lead singer, David Byrne, is not one that would be compared to a virtuoso
singer, but this song would not have the same tonality without it. “Byre often
delivers his lyrics in a nervous, almost schizophrenic stream-of-consciousness
voice, like overhears fragments from a psychiatrist’s office” (Starr &
Waterman, 2014, p. 432). To me, this is what drew people to this type of music.
The madness people were experiencing in their own lives had refuge in this
music.
Hip Hop is
probably my least-liked music that is available. However, taking a step back
and looking at where this music originated from and listening to the artists
from this era makes me enjoy the elements that are prone to hip-hop. It almost
makes me wish hip-hop artists of today would go back the “old school” style. “The
Message” performed by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five has very rhythmic
word play and a catchy, laid-back groove enhanced by that synthesized sound. One
of my favorite elements is the syncopation created by the lyrics, “Don’t push
me cause I’m close to the edge/I’m tryin’ not to lose my head.” The lyrics to
this song also serve a bigger purpose than just a rhythm and rhyme scheme. “The
lyric alternates between the humorous wordplay typical of hip=hop MC
performances and various images of desperation ==threatening bill collectors, a
homeless woman “living in a bag,” violent encounters in Central Park, a young
child alienated by deteriorating public schools” (Starr & Waterman, 2014,
p. 442). This give the music a greater purpose, where I feel that hip-hop music
of today is borderline ridiculous.
Hearing
these constant changes in music within such a short time frame really shows you
the talent of musicians that are right on the edge. It is easy to forget how
far hard work and talent can take someone!
Resource:
Starr, L., Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3. New York: Oxford
University Press.
To me, the
1960s is a fantastic time for American popular music. It is full of life,
musical development, and major changes that really affected music as we know
it. We start to see how the rest of the world has been changed by the
development of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and it now became their turn to influence us with
the British Invasion. The development of Motown soon became a favorite genre
for generations to come.
On of the
first Motown pieces introduced in this chapter was “My Girl” performed by the
Temptations. This iconic opening bass line instantly grabs the listener’s
attention and give us all that immediate recognition. “From the outset, the
arrangement hooks the listener: a repeating solo bass motive establishes the
beat, over which a lead guitar enters with a memorable melodic figure” (Starr
& Waterman, 2014, p. 297). There was a romantic smoothness to the singers
of the Temptations and really gave credit to vocal talent by focusing on the
singers and not a band with players performing on specified instruments. This
also led the group to perform with simple choreography that enhanced their
concert experience. The following YouTube clip does a great job in showing all
of these features:
Much can be
said about the Beatles, so it is very hard to only dedicate a paragraph to
them. The British Invasion was such an important part of the history of Rock
‘n’ Roll, and much of that is because of the Beatles. Being a fan of a group or
artist reached levels of insanity when the Fab Four touched down in America. The
Beatles song that I am going to talk about here is “Eleanor Rigby” mainly
because it is one of my favorites. The dramatic impact of the strings really
changes the way we listen to popular music. “The bowed strings take over the
role of a strumming guitar in the “ballad” of “Eleanor Rigby,” paradoxically
giving the song a much harder edge” (Starr & Waterman, 2014, p. 310). This
song takes away the traditional rock band sound, which makes it mysterious. The
song is full of imagery and is beautifully written.
Another
great group to come from this era (have I mentioned lately how I love the 60s?)
are the Beach Boys. This group, with its fun surf pop, became a group ahead of
their time and wrote catchy tunes like “Good Vibrations”. This piece, like
“Eleanor Rigby” really changes the way we think of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “Probably the
only remotely conventional thing about the song is its lyrics, with their
admiring references to the beloved’s “colorful clothes,” hair, perfume, smile,
and eyes” (Starr & Waterman, 2014, p. 313). This piece has so many layers
and elements that it should almost sound choppy, but instead takes you on a
musical journey that can only be done with a group like the Beach Boys.
Next, there
were two songs that were used in the book to represent soul music. This seems
to be a throwback to the beginnings of American music while still having an
element of advancement. “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” really exemplifies the
type of artist James Brown was at that time. We get a typical rhythm section accompanied
by the big hits of the winds and brass. However, even with all of that, it does
not take away from the rhythmic vocals of James Brown. This music is meant to
get you up and has a very specific groove. James Brown also wrote a very
popular song performed by Aretha Franklin: “Respect”. This anthem of women’s
empowerment became as strong as it did because of the powerhouse vocals Aretha
Franklin provided. “Of course, none of Franklin’s play with the gender issues
implicit in “Respect” would have any effect if it weren’t for the overwhelming
power and assurance with which she delivers the song and makes it her own”
(Starr & Waterman, 2014, p. 337).
This is
only a sliver of the music found in this decade, and this post could be almost
twice as long. It is always important to look back on this time and see the
creativity, teamwork, and collaboration that gave us some of the most
recognizable music to date.
Resource:
Starr, L., Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3. New York: Oxford
University Press.
This
week has been the most exciting for me for we really saw the development of
Rock ‘n’ Roll. Historically speaking, this is my favorite time when reflecting
on American Popular music. Technology also provided us with better recordings,
which became more obvious during our listening.
Our
first listening piece is a Frank Sinatra song titled “Nancy (With the Laughing
Face).” This is a great example of the crooner style of voices like Frank
Sinatra. With the development of the string accompaniment, you get a real sense
of swooning. I enjoy the calm qualities of Frank Sinatra’s singing voice.
“Sinatra’s voice is relaxed and unforced, with warmth and a slight vibrato, and
his hard earned ability to sing along, uninterrupted passages allows him to
connect the phrases of the song into one smooth contour” (Starr & Waterman,
2014, p. 209). This is a very sweet song that was co-written with Jimmy Van
Heusen and Phil Silvers in honor of the birth of Sinatra’s daughter, Nancy. The
genius of this song is that the lyrics can provide the audience with a
different connection other than a child.
Next,
we move on to the development of Latin Dance music with the popular hit, “Mambo
No. 5” by Perez Prada. You can hear the obvious influence of the American big
band sound with the timely rhythm section and dominant horn section. This piece
is fun and inviting and was clearly meant to make people get up and dance. With
that being said, it still has an element of control with musical surprises that
keeps the audience entertained. I feel that the popularity of Latin Dance
music, especially among the white audience, is important to discuss and learn
about. Many times we get stuck in country and R&B in 1949, but there were
other musical genres, such as this, that were equally important.
In
1953, we get some female vocal powerhouse singers that released bluesy R&B
songs. “We have already seen several portrayals of male identity in R&B,
including Charles Browns dejected lover and Muddy Waters magically charged mojo
man. Here we want to briefly examine male-female relationships in the work of
two influential female R&B singers, Ruth Brown and Willie Mae “Big Mama”
Thornton” (Star & Waterman, 2014, p. 228). First, we were presented with
“Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” by Ruth Brown. You can hear the gospel
influence in this R&B hit, especially with the tambourine playing by the
artist herself. Then we have the hit “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton. Most
people think of Elvis Presley when they hear the song “Hound Dog,” but it is
important to note that this was not originally his song. In fact, this original
version sung by Big Mama is supposed to be sung in the female perspective.
“Although both records are intended to create a humorous effect, the defiant
attitude of “Hound Dog” makes an interesting comparison of the complaining tone
of “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean”…” (Star & Waterman, 2014, p. 229).
Rock
‘n’ Roll begins to take storm with the introduction of songs like “Maybelline”
by Chuck Berry. “It was a novel synthesis that did not sound precisely like
anything before it, and it introduced listeners to an already fully formed
style of song writing, singing, and guitar playing that would exercise a primal
influence on virtually all the rock and roll to follow” (Starr & Waterman,
2014, p. 255). The fiery tempo of this song really drives the syncopate rhythms
of the verses. You can easily understand how this piece became popular in 1955.
You can hear the 12 bar blues influence, but it has more of a Verse/Chorus
structure. Next, we get “Don’t Be Cruel,” by Elvis Presley. Elvis is one of the
most well-known artists from the rock and roll decade, thus gaining the title
of “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Elvis used his 12 bar blues and country
influences to develop his own personal style. He is also one of the original
artists to perform and record race music as a white artist. This “rockabilly”
sound is very representative of the artist that Elvis was striving to be in the
late 1950s. “Don’t Be Cruel” has a fast paced feel that still has an element of
crooning you found with artists like Frank Sinatra.
Resources:
Starr, L., Waterman, C.
(2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy
to MP3. New York: Oxford University Press.
