The 1960s

            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.