Chapter 11 Music

Leiber and Stroller

"we don't write songs, we write records" were first to make the music producer important - a song was not just a melody which singers could perform "their way", but the entire sound world captured on disc. They crafted the entire song, lyrics music instrumentation. They produced songs for everyone big in the late 50s (Elvis, Coasters, Drifters) elevated record production to an art, meticulously making sure the recording was perfect. Among their first hits was "Hound Dog".

Richie Valens

A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens' recording career lasted only eight months. During this time, however, he scored several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which was originally a Mexican folk song that Valens transformed with a rock rhythm and beat that became a hit in 1958,[1][2] making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement.

Rockabilly

According to Carl Perkins, "a country take on R&B, performed mainly by white Southerners, that combined elements of country music with R&R", most popular in mid 50s in Memphis. put some speed into some slow blues licks. Bill Haleys "Rock around the Clock" - first big hit associated with R&R

Rock and Roll

After WWII, people had more money to spend, this trickled down to teenagers who started to be appealed by rebellious themes - Rock and Roll epitomized this sediment. Was born out of R&B, and started becoming a distinct genre around 1955. "All of it - the music, the lyrics, the look - horrified teens' parents; that was part of the appeal."

Bo Diddley

He was nicknamed The Originator, because of his key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll, and influenced a host of artists, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, the Beatles,the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, the Who, Jimi Hendrix and Parliament-Funkadelic.

Sun Records (Sam Phillips)

Sam Phillips recording studio in Memphis, home of rockabilly, he was a pioneer in early R&R, looked for white men with the negro feel (Elvis was perfect), did many white covers of black music. Little commercial success but huge musical influence for later bands, combined R&B with Latin rhythms and instruments, provided the R&R beat(most important contribution) that would be widely used.

Elvis Presley

White man with the Negro feel" "king of rock and roll" "R&R's lightning rod" grittier rockabilly. early career covered a lot of songs recording at Sun Records - brighter tempo, incorporated all musical genres while still sounding like himself. Projected the rebellious R&R attitude that teens loved, was hated by those who hated R&R but never toned it down and thus set the style of R&R as distinct from other genres. His peak was in the late 50s before he joined army in 1958, He dominated the pop charts as the only significant R&R act by far. While he did summarize many musical genres into rock and defined the look and attitude of rock, he didn't write any of his songs and didn't use the rock beat like the rest of the early R&R bands. Fast tempo with a modified two beat rhythm, soulful singing and unique sound, modified version of blues progression

Paul Anka

a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor. Anka became famous in the late 1950s, '60s, and '70s . He wrote such well-known music as the theme for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and one of Tom Jones's biggest hits, "She's a Lady", as well as the English lyrics for Frank Sinatra's signature song, "My Way."

Bill Haley

a country western singer who incorporated blues into his songs and wrote and played songs with teen appeal, "Rock around the Clock" - first big hit associated with R&R, top of the charts, was a new type of sound a happier blues infused country song, more closer to rockabilly than to later R&R. Light hearted lyrics and music, quintessential sound of rockabilly.

Alan Freed

an American disc jockey. He became internationally known for promoting the mix of blues, country and rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll.

Sh' Boom

an early doo-wop song. It was written by James Keyes, Claude Feaster, Carl Feaster, Floyd F. McRae, and James Edwards, members of the R&B vocal group The Chords and published in 1954. It was a U.S. top ten hit that year for both The Chords (who first recorded the song) and The Crew-Cuts.

Producer

an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording (i.e. "production") of an artist's music. A producer has many roles that may include, but are not limited to, gathering ideas for the project, selecting songs and/or musicians, coaching the artist and musicians in the studio, controlling the recording sessions, and supervising the entire process through mixing and mastering. Producers also often take on a wider entrepreneurial role, with responsibility for the budget, schedules, and negotiations.

Teen Pop Idols

celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or musicians but some sports figures also have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors. The idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. Many teen idols are targeted for adults for nostalgia purposes.

Coasters

doo wop" group from the west coast, worked with L&S and became famous with them producing their songs, black sound, themes were universal so teens of all races related to their songs, sound was slick but not sweet - darkly humorous and not sentimental. "Young Blood" wry tone of lyrics, distinctive shuffle rhythm, showcased all their voices, producer's impact. -By early 1960s, R&R matures through their music, audience, use of electric bass and liberation of bass line, and collective conception of the Rock Rhythm.

Shirelles

female quartet, first successful girl group. They appealed to teens and crossed racial lines, "Will You love me Tomorrow" vulnerable lyrics, dressed up classily, simple rock rhythm, teen themed song, black vocal style, poplike strings. The different components of their songs send different messages, part of their appeal.

Surf Rock

first of post 1959 rock styles to add significantly to rock's sound world, and introduced array of new guitar sounds, created the idea of regional rock.

Little Richard

invented the clear locked in rock rhythm (a steady rhythm moving twice as fast as the beat with a strong backbeat perfectly in sync with the rest of the band) Known for crazy performances, was responsible for the new beat of R&R on a piano. "Tutti Frutti"

Jerry Lee Lewis

is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The Killer'. famous single "great balls of fire"

Chuck Berry

is ultimate architect of R&R, more than anyone else in the 50s he crafted the style that would soon lead to R&R, appealed to the emerging teen spirit, his songs were the most frequently covered by early 60s rock bands. He took R&B up tempos, heavy backbeat, blues-based verse/chorus form and created an essential new genre. First to overdub, the man. Many many hits. He perfected the rock beat on guitar. "Johnny B. Goode" "Maybelline" Leonard chess was producer for Berry's hits. "Architect of RR"

The Day Music Died

lyric from "American Pie" by Don Mclean. Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP "the Big Bopper" Richardson die in a plane crash on Feb. 3, 1959. Was one of series of events (Elvis being drafted into the army, Little Richard became a preacher, Chuck Berry arrested, Jerry Lee Lewis marries 13 year old cousin without divorcing wife, payola scandal - DJs took bribes to play certain songs, licensing rights became an issue) that led to belief that R&R was done as a fad by the early 60s.

Buddy Holly

most creative mind in R&R's second generation, he loved early R&R and his band, the Crickets started making innovative R&R. No steady rhythm, lyrics spoke of the underdog a lot - "R&R's first everyman" While not dance music like the other R&R songs, his music would profoundly influence 60s rock. First hit was "That'll Be the Day". "Not Fade Away" teen lyrics with feeling, beyond dance music, rapid evolution of R&R. Norman Petty producer for Holly.

Beach Boys

most important and innovative of surf bands, early stuff took from Chuck Berry, glorified surfer lifestyle. "I get around" instrumentation was unique, performance style(high lead singing in a harmony) their music, while sounding all "fun in the sun" was highly sophisticated and produced.

Girl groups

new genre of Rock, "written and performed by women, lyrics were from women's perspective on the fragility of love" this emergence of women's influence over the music reflects the maturing and changing of racial, gender, and social attitudes of the 1960s.

Chiffons

one of the top girl groups of the early 1960s. With their trademark tight harmonies, high-stepping confidence and the hit machine of Goffin and King writing songs such as "One Fine Day," the Chiffons made music that helped define the girl group sound of the era.

Lesley Gore

was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. At the age of 16, in 1963, she recorded the pop hit "It's My Party", and followed it up with other hits including "Judy's Turn to Cry", "You Don't Own Me", and "California Nights".

Dark Ages

when many crucial rock and roll performers either died or left the scene and rock and roll died.