Music Exam #2

Elvis Presley

"King of Rock and Roll" was the most widely popular musician of the early rock and roll era Hailing from Mississsippi but spending most of his life in Memphis, his style was influenced by R&B , gospel and country music Launched recording career at Sun Records in Memphis Television performances became spectacles so that his images was as important as his sound Typifies early rock and roll style Songs were simple in terms of their forms, melodies, textures Performances were carried largely by Presley's voice and charisma Didn't write songs, covered songs or recorded those written by others Managers and producers had influence on Presley;s sound and image

Crooning as a singing style.

-Nat "King" Cole brought that sound to bear on the blues -Smoothly produced blues sound with darker harmonic language (minor keys), and tone colors -Usually performed in a small ensemble- similar to electric blues- but with a decidedly less gritty presentation, instead emphasizing sophisticated -An intimate, gentle style of singing facilitated by the introduction of the microphone and modern recording techniques. Bing crosby= first

The development of soul music from R&B and the idea of the Changing Same

1966- Amiri BAraka's essay- "The Changing Same (R&B and the New Black Music)" described the process by which African American musics change in response to coopting by mainstream. The Changing Same referred the changing outward forms of black music, and the aesthetic that binds all of these musics The relationship AA church had with popular culture became more pronounced with soul music Many musicians associated with soul had their most formative musical experiences in church The sanctified experience of the church reflected in popular music, such that the music took on a performative element of preaching, and of testifying.

Outlaw and Progressive country

Both styles are largely associated with Austin, TX Emphasized honky tonk sound and image without conservatism of Hardcore country Slight difference among critics: Outlaw country emphasizes honky tonk image, Progressive country emphasizes sophistication and nuance in songwriting craft and narrative.

Business model and musical style associated with southern soul music.

Countering Motown's sound and production model, Atlantic Records used a number of southern recording studios to record soul artists. Memphis (Stax Records) and Muscle Shoals, AL (FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios) were the primary studios. Atlantic Records - Emphasized bottom-up business model. Executives based in NYC frequently sent their artists to Memphis or Muscle Shoals to record, releasing the records on the artists' terms, individual style versus Motown's powerful dictator executive style

The "Motown sound"

Created by Berry Gordy Jr Not as dense as Wall of Sound production but still thicker than other pop music of the time Created with thicker arrangement/ instrumentation instead of multi tracking Relies primarily on dance-groove from rhythm section, anchored by melodic and prominent bass lines Created by the Funk Brothers a backing band that played on nearly every Motown recording

Choo Choo Ch'Boogie- Louis jordan and his Tympany Five

Early example of transition from big band jazz to R&B as popular music Similar styles to Count Basie Boogie Woogie piano with shuffling rhythm section Smaller horn section, playing Basie-esque riggs Focus on text, as in blues Also, pay attention to the social commentary and protest of the text

Whiskey River- Willie Nelson

Example of Outlaw Country Written and performed by Willie Nelson Hard Living imagery and sentimentality of honky tonk ("I'm drowning in a whisky") "Don't let her memory torture me") Style blends R&B/ funk groove with Texas two-step, demonstrating stylistic sophistication beyond Nashville

A Change is Gonna Come- Sam Cooke

Gospel singer who transitioned to singing R&B/ Soul in the late 1950s Early pop style relies on gestures of Gospel singing to R&B/soul Also reflects velvet crooning style of Cole Songs generally reflect themes of love Inspired by the protest music of the folk revival, Cooke wrote a protest song for the Civil Rights era Greater degree of blues-style while emphasizing testifying and vernacular language Released two weeks after Cooke's death

My Girl- The Temptations

MOTOWN Backed by the Funk Brothers Performed by Temptations Vocal group featuring David Ruffin on lead vocals

Buddy Holly (1936-1959)

Singer/songwriter and guitarist from Lubbock, TX Innovator with respect to guitar style and rock and roll songwriting Style was influenced by country and R&B as Presley but developed a sound unique to rock and roll Launched his career in TX, but came to the public's attention by touring Emphasis placed on textures and timbres in ways that other musicians didn't Jangly guitars with unusual and expressive vocal timbres Textured (as opposed to bluesy) guitar solos Non-standard performance practices to draw colors out of the ensemble Used standard forms (blues and verse/chorus) but altered them in the service of his song

Rock and pop styles associated with the British Invasion.

Three Directions of the British Invasion Pop- Peter and Gordon, Dave Clark Five, Herman's Hermits, etc Rock- Rolling Stones, The Pretty Things, etc Mods- The Who, The Kinks, the Yardbirds, etc

Peggy Sue- Buddy Holly

performed on the Ed Sullivan Show

Be My Baby- The Ronettes

-The Ronnettes, led by Ronnie Spector had a hit with the song produced and written by Phil Spector - Recorded in LA in 1963 backed by the "wrecking Crew" -Wall of Sound production and sweet vocal harmonies

Changes in the American music industry after World War II

-Women as instrumentalists and vocalists became quite popular as males were drafted, more popular in film and live performance instead of recording -Baby boom, war economy, people sought stability in popular culture, radio becoming more popular -By the mid-1940s, the music industry was dominated by a hanful of large record companies (Columbia, RCa Victor, Decca, etc) -Such large companies ignored "peripheral" musics like country and R&B -As a result, during the late 1940s and early 1950s independent record companies proliferated to capitalize on these musics -R&B was recorded primarily in northern cities where AA populations grew most after the Great Migration

Three Stages of the Beatles

1) Beatlemania (1963-1965) Imitative musical style defined by live performances and concert tours Pop culture phenomenon that exceeded the popularity of Elvis 2) 1965-1967- Middle period Beatles End of live performances as touring and Beatlemania had taken a toll on the Band Individual songwriting voices emerge with greater experimentation in style John Lennon's observation that popular culture had became more prominent than religion in the lives of British and American youth rankled American conservatives, inspiring a backlash Studio band, turn away from Beatlemania sound, emphasis on production and songwriting craft, more varied instrumentation and arrangements and broader lyrical themes 3) 1968-1971- Late Beatles Using the recording studio as an instrument Individual musicians acting as a backing band for each other, essentially as a collective Beatlemania was a phenomenon that saw the Beatles style and image dominating popular culture in the UK, US, and abroad First film- A Hard Day's Night, debuted in 1964, A Marx Brothers- esque romp that lampooned the Beatles' popularity

Styles of early rock and roll, and public images of rock and roll stars (paying particular attention to Elvis Presley).

1954- Generally recognized as the start of the rock and roll era Music marketed toward a youth demographic by record companies "Teenager" as a social identity emerges with rock and roll music Music of youth, appeal is with its sense of rebellion and distinction from previous generations Songs employ a number of double entendres, with coded language sexuality Binding characteristics Uptempo and "rolling" rhythm sections Defined backbeat on the 2 and 4, often accented by the snare drum Rhythm section with singer comprises typical ensemble Piano and guitar become lead instruments Generally rely on blues influences and blues-derived form

The relationship of 1960s soul with the civil rights movement and social commentary.

A burgeoning folk protest movement in the 1950s gave resonance to the political efficacy of music Music was used in protest for civil rights, as collective singing of protest songs could give voice to things that couldn't be said.

The Folk Revival as response to popular music and rock n' roll

As the music industry became a prevalent and dominant force in American popular culture during the 1950s and 60s, a good number of fans and musicians clamored for a more "authentic musical" expression The desire for more "pure" musical sound connected with a populist sentiment stretching the history of folk music in the early twentieth century Recording folk song as a commercial enterprise begins in the late 1950s to capitalize on populism and popularity of folk song Folk music presents a counter to the manufactured images of pop stars, and is also presented as a mature and thoughtful alternative to rock and roll. The folk music revival was primarily located in urban centers among young intellectuals. Greenwich Village in NYC was a primary site of the folk music revival in the 1960s. As pop music did not initially speak to cultural currents or politics of the time, folk music acted as a voice of protest and historical record for many Americans. Looking to folk singers and songwriters to document and comment upon social ills.

Bob Dylan "going" electric and its significance for the Folk Music Revival

At the 1965 Newport Folk Festival Performing on electric guitar, and backed by a rock band, Bob Dylan "sells out" according to many fans of the folk music revival Betrays the style and sound of the folk music revival, Bob Dylan is seen as a traitor by many mans of the music Famously, at another concert just after this a fan yelled, "Judas!"at Dylan from the crowd. Dylan responded by saying, "I don't believe you. You're a liar." For Bob Dylan - "Electric" sound paid respect to influences from blues and other musics, and demonstrated his agency as an artist. For many acolytes of the folk music revival - Dylan had pushed folk music further into the commercial and popular realm of the music industry.

Chicago electric blues

City blues styles in the north turned toward a more gritty and aggressive tone Essentially combining the tough sound and hard-living imagery of country blues with the city blues ensemble Updated with electric instrumentation Often distorted to bring a sense of grit and power to the instrumental timbres

El Manisero- Don Azpiazu and his Havana Casino Orchestra

Composed by moises simons, pianist and bandleader in havana Son-pregon- an example Cuban son based on the pregon, or street vendors cry Performed by Don Azpiazu HAvana Casino Orchestra in NYC Dense textures surrounding the clave, and the harmonic vamp

Hardcore Country

Conservative impulse in country Embrace hard living image of honky tonk but not developments of counterculture Viewed country and rural sensibility as authentic as opposed to countrypolitan sound and image

Styles influences including psychedelia and aesthetics associated with countercultural styles

Counterculture as a broad term encompassed a number of late 60s phenomena that were deliberate counters to a "mainstream" American popular and political culture Hippies, Sunset Strip, Swinging London, NYC Avant Garde among other included under the heading of "Counterculture" Musics associated with counterculture, or presenting as countercultural came to define a popular culture of the late 1960s

The stylistic development of the Nashville Sound and Countrypolitan image.

Country as pop into the 1960s turned from the aggressive honky tonk style to a softer "Countrypolitan" image and sound Industry attempt to counter the image of country as a backward rural music, emphasizing a more sophisticated presentation Style featured cleaner production drawing on developments in pop music industry Largely associated with Nashville While the sound of country continued to move toward pop, text and imagery of country continued to emphasize rural and/or working-class authenticity. Increasingly, country turned toward the description of the "average person" or working-class Americans in an attempt to sound accessible for broad audiences.

Psychedelia

Exploration of alternate modes of perception (often associated with hallucinogenic drugs like LSD) Attempt to confront a "mainstream" through consideration of other perspectives in all modes of life Imagination of psychedelia is often visual Soundscape providing a sense of perspective to listening Psychedelic music often provides a sense of place for the listener, so that they can engage other sense beyond listening Renders the music as nearly synesthetic experience

Wouldn't It Be Nice- The Beach Boys

First track from Pet Sounds Lush orchestration and instrumentation, reflecting influence of Wall of Sound Form is idiosyncratic, at the service of the song Instrumentation expands beyond the standards of rock and roll band

Responses to the Nashvillve Sound

For some musicians the gloss of nashville didn't work Attempt to return to a honky tonk sensibility and sound Resulted in a variety of strains of country into the 1970s, summed up in categories such as Hardcore, Outlaw, and Progressive country.

Respect- Aretha Franklin

Formative musical experiences in Church- begins career as gospel performer Singing secular songs- records for a number of labels Autonomy for arts at Atlantic suits Franklin well- Finds success after working with the Sampers Written (and recorded) by Otis Redding in 1966 Redding's lyrics depicted a man begging his cheating wife to show him respect Franklin reinterprets the tune as a demand for respect Anthemic and resonant in Civil Rights and Women's liberation movements

The Beach Boys: The "California sound" and other stylistic developments

From 1920-1960 the population of the greater Los Angeles area increase by 6 million Such rapid growth fueled the cultural imagination of California in the US popular culture reflected this imagination Beach party-themed movies, and songs taking the themes of sun, sand and surf were prominent in late 1950s and early 60s pop culture Popular music referencing such images, and featuring clean "twangy" guitar sounds has often been referred to as the "California sound" "California Sound" band of the early 1960s comprising three brothers and two others The band was managed by the Wilsons' father, Murry, who meticulously managed the Beach Boys' stage presence and sound The band's earliest records are quintessential California sound with lush vocal harmonies. Their style would evolve through the 1960s. Became well-known for a particular vocal style Lush, doo wop-derived harmonies, with soaring falsetto melodies sung by Brian Wilson Widely imitated, as the vocal harmony became part of the California sound. Pet Sounds- reflected changing nature of media in rock, aesthetics and lyrical themes After Pet Sounds- psychologically troubled and embraced psychedelia on smiley smile- (loss of california sound)

Maybellene- Chuck Berry

Guitarist whose style was emulated by a number of early rock and roll musicians Blues-influenced, having initially recorded for Chess Records in Chicago Notice the blues forms, distorted guitar, and the coded language Uptempo and breathless presentation appealing to youth audiences in energetic performance Guitar timbres and performance practice derived from Chicago blues Verse- single chord vamp with breathless articulation Chorus- 12 bar blues with slower "hook" in melody Metaphor of a car chase as Berry's pursuit of young woman

Country style and its relationship to the high lonesome

High lonesome sound is an ineffable quality in southern musics like country Solitary male voices with distant and intense emotion

Ed Sullivan

Hosted Sunday night variety show on CBS Format was an extension of vaudeville Most popular television show of its era (1948-1971) Appearances by rock and roll musicians were noteworthy and good for ratings

Phil Spector and "Wall of Sound" production

Influential record producer Spector's wall of sound" style of production influenced pop music throughout the 1960s and beyond Many of the artists who worked with Spector (predominantly girl groups recorded songs written at the Brill Building" "Wall of Sound" Advances in recording technology allowed for separate tracking while recording Recording instruments separately, and one at a time Allowed for a larger sound that thickened textures by adding and or doubling instruments Teenage Symphonies became popular Often performed by "girl groups" vocal groups comprising 3-5 attractive young women singing in harmony

The Beatles: Career trajectory, focusing particularly on Beatlemanie

It's nearly impossible to overstate the influence of the Beatles on popular music and popular culture in the US Advanced aesthetics and composition of rock and popular music Redefined image of the pop star following the dominance of Elvis Beatlemania as pop cultural phenomenon redefines fandom Reception started the British invasion Primarily working class youth from Liverpool, the Beatles identified largely as Teddy Boys and then Rockers Elijah Wald makes the argument that rather than advancing aesthetics of rock music, the Beatles (along with Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys) rand a death knell to rock and pop style of the 50s and 60s The Beatles' advancing style infantilized rock and pop music and forced critical evaluation and stylistic understanding of rock to consider a new set of aesthetics and discourses

Nature Boy- Nat "King" Cole

Jazz Pianist who led his own trio, eventually coming to be known as a crooner Massive radio popularity in the mid-1940s, later becoming a television star as a host First African American television host Crooning style and smooth presentation emulated by many singers of the time

Jump Blues

Jump Blues- closely related to big bands, but more accessible and geared toward a more popular reception Smaller ensemble: rhythm section, vocalist, and a small horn section Driving rhythm section that would make an audience want to "jump" and dance

Early rock and roll musicians and their style

Many early rock and roll musicians had very different style and sounds Chuck Berry- Foregrounds to the electric guitar with backbeat of R&B Bill Haley- Uptempo light-textured rhythm section from country music, with blues guitars and saxophones on top Little Richard- Piano-based sound that is stylistically similar to jump blues from Louis Jordan, embodied the "attitude" of early rock and roll, rollicking and percussive piano style derived from Boogie Woogie style

Protest songs and activism of folk musicians

Many folk singers of the 1960s were more strident than Dylan, and intended folk song as a pointed critique and an object to inspire activism in the face of injustice and war. It's a bit of a misconception to think of Bob Dylan as a protest singer. The protest singers who do inspire activism tended not to garner as much commercial success, but were quite influential as populist icons and ideological leaders for the peaceful protests of the 1960s.

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Hank Williams

Most popular country musician of mid-century, and towering influence on country music since Defined Honky Tonk style (hard-living imagery with sentiment of rural simplicity) Hard living image but sentimental presentation High, lonesome sound in cracking voice From the first line "Hear the lonesome whippoorwill" Williams places the listener in a rural context, connected with nature "He sounded to blue to cry" reflects the sensitive nature of the singer "I'm so lonesome I could cry" reflects the rugged masculinity of the cowboy. Despite his lonesomeness he doesn't cry... but he could Country waltz- drawing on style from folk dances

Like A Rolling Stone- Bob Dylan

Most popular folk singer of his time In tradition of Guthrie and Seeger, though Dylan was a bit less strident, and ultimately not the class warrior imagined by the folk music revivalists. This led to tensions with those who viewed him as a "spokesman for a generation." Dylan saw himself as documenting and commenting on social ills, but not emblematic of a larger generational ethos or ideology. Through electric instrumentation with more energetic and dynamic sensibility, Dylan's style is not all that different Dense text that is the focus of the song Again, Dylan plays the role of observer but of pretentious and phony youth. We may even hear this song as Dylan criticizing the pretentiousness of folk song fans Strophic form, and ballad sensibility, but with a backbeat and instrumentation that owes influence to rock and blues music

Hippies

Most prominent group associated with countercult Attack on middle class values, emerging from the beat generation in San Francisco in the 1950s Emphasis on both radical individualism and communal living Haight Ashbury- San Francsico hippy center

Race records and hillbilly music: What are they and how were they fostered by the record industry of the early twentieth century?

Race records- records marketed specifically to black audiences between 1920 and 1940, common descriptor for African American music at the time -Eventually became "Rhythm and Blues"- an umbrella term for a number of African American pop musics and pop styles Hillbilly is a pejorative term for working class white southerners, but as with records it was meant to denote authenticity -Hillbilly music provided a link to authentic country life and place that was changing rapidly because of industrialization -Became country music

The British Invasion as a music industry response to Beatlemania.

Record companies in the US tried to capitalize on the Beatles' success in the US by signing British bands The influx of British bands on the American charts saw the elaboration and development of a number of rock styles, many of which extended from British popular culture

Purple Haze- Jimi Hendrix

Rock and blues guitarist from Seattle Began his musical career as guitarist for prominent R&B acts Associated with London scene Psychedelic blues describing the effects of an acid trip Swirling soundscape using the studio as an instrument Blues oriented guitar playing, with a solo as a centerpiece Harshly dissonant opening and blues derived riff but balanced by timbre soundscape

Early 1960s pop music and industry practices: Brill Building and Motown.

THe promotion of pop music intensified, focused on teen idol Don Kirshner and the Brill Building A similar model to Tin Pan Alley Located on 49th and Broadway in Manhattan. Office building that was home to a number of song publishing companies mid-century. Many songwriting teams were published/ managed by Don Kirshner, who became closely identified with the sound and business practices of the building

The development of big band jazz: styles and audiences.

The big band era refers to the period between the two world wars (roughly 1925-1940) in which big band jazz becomes the dominant popular music in the US Coincides with the Great Depression -Fun in a time of malaise -Aid in recovery of music industry -Bands use city as a base, and would travel

A Hard Day's Night- The Beatles

The title track of the Beatles' film demonstrates steps beyond early style Opening chord has been analyzed extensively by musicians' and musicologists Context implies a number of harmonic functions Lyrics reflect the restlessness of Beatlemania

Hound Dog- Big Mama Thorton

Written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. Big Mama Thornton's original performance demonstrates a powerful and authoritative woman Text describes a woman chastising her significant other for being unfaithful Thornton's howls and hollers extend from blues tradition

Blue Yodel No. 2- Jimmie Rodgers

Yodel is sung by a distant and lonesome voice Hard living man, tempered by emotional content Can sing what cannot be said Guitar lacks virtuosity or vocal quality of blues performers, but interacts with Rodgers' singing 12- bar blues in the verse, with a modified blues form for the "chorus" or yodeled sections