Music Exam 3
"Respect"; 1967, Aretha Franklin
*written by Otis Redding, recorded by Aretha Franklin in 1967 --orginially, a mans call for a woman to respect him *covered by Aretha Franklin: bold reversal of perspective *build up in musical intensity throughout song (leading to R-E-S-P-E-C-T section in last 30 seconds)
1. master early rock'n'roll style 2. extend that style 3. move beyond that style
3 Step process of Rockn'Roll's 2nd generation expansion:
*reaction against mainstream C. music *anti-Nashville: opposed to slick production, arrangment *influnced by early C. (Hank Williams), but also influenced by counter culture, incl. legacy of singer-song writes of the 60s like Bob Dylan *socially and politically estranged from mainstream country establishment ("out law country")
Progressive Country Music
*stylistic development over time *lyrics on California culture *paralells, rivarly w/ Beatles -development of complex studio production techniques -development of LP concept album; several songs linked artistically, not just bundled (more than one song, not just a single) -as 1960 progresses, association w/ counter culture
The Beach Boys: General Traits.....
*British band the Beatles followed the Rock'n'Roll expansions 3 step approach... *caused success on many British groups in the US from 1963 on
The British Invasion in America in the 1960s:....
*social movement w/ baby boom generation *anti-authoritarianism *concern for justice, equality: race, class, gender, sexual orientation *anti-war: Vietnam; Cold War; nuclear proliferation *lifestyle expirimentation *ties b/w COUNTER CULTURE & POPULAR CULTURE GROWTH
The Counter Culture, ca. 1964-74
*1975-80 *begins with private dance parties in NYC feauturing diverse participants, incl. many gay men *spreads to fashionable dance clubs like NYC's studio 54
The Disco Craze
*some college students acted AGAINST rock'n'roll becasue of superficiallity and commercialism *they embraced folk music, seen as opposite of rock'n'roll
Urban Folk Music and Folk Festivals, 1950's.....
*acoustic, strongly melodic, little studio production (symptom of problem, complexity) *often topical (dealing w/ current events) w/ serious lyrics *sometimes extremely political: civil rights, anti-war *centered in Greenwhich Village, NYC *paradox: by the 1960s, urban folk music became commerical
Urban Folk Music of the 1960s...
Folk REVIVAL
renewed the interests in older generations of traditional music
*early 70s: growing a consolidation of record industry--> a lot of money in very few hands *spread of new formats of recorded sound on tape: 8 track tape, then cassette tape *cyncisim about politics and society leads to nostalgia for 1950s, early rock'n'roll *fragmentation of styles in many different streams.. yet AM radio plays top hits by super star artists
the 1970s in Pop Music:
"Blues Eyes Crying in the Rain", 1975; written by Roy A-Cuff, recorded by Willie Nelson
*written by Fred Rose in 1947, recorded in 1975 by Willie Nelson *very old song written by A-Cuff Rose, earlier recorded by Hank Williams and A-Cuff *simple, straight-forward: mostly voice + acoustic guitar; no slick production *included on Nelson's concept album: The Red Headed Stranger, 1975
*R&B continues as industry category, but lots of crossover *other labels applied to A.A. music -Motown: music made on Berry Gordy's label in early and mid 1960s----mostly aimed at mainstream charts, not R&B charts -soul: describes some black music of the 1960's, second half of decade
Black Pop. Music of the 1960's
*record industry moves from NYC to LA, joining film and TV *TV and movies show Cali as a destination (Beach Boys) *Cali: symbol of idealism of 1960s *San Fran. epicenter of counterculture
California in the 1960s.....
Disco Demolition Night
Comiskey Park, Chicago, 1979
*grooves related to funk; heavy bass, rhythmic guitar *incorporates Latin-Am. percussion *very, very repetitive: meant for DANCE!; new roles for DJS *little sense of song form, most any section of song sounds familar to each other *creted by studio musicians and a producer
Disco Musical Traits:
*ties to folk scene; *reinvents himself in 1965 as he "goes ELECTRIC" *lyric=reflect dissastisfaction w/ his role *new elements of POETICISM in lyrics *viewed by some as betrayal (ex from 1965 New Port Folk Festival as someone calls him Judis"
Dylans Journey (1965-66); from Folk, to Rock
*Dylan=thoughtful, smart *launched career as folk singer-songwriter *his model was earlier folk singer Woody Guthrie *some songs were political, become pop hits *hero of folk movement in early 1960s
Dylans Journey in the EARLY 1960's; from Folk, to Rock...
*frequent "reinvention" -country rock -covers old country and blues songs -religious themes *today: uncomfortable elder stalesman *2016 nobel prize in literature which he denied
Dylans journey since the mid 1960s...
*funk emerged in the 1970s as a form of AA dance music *James Brown=funk pioneer through emphasis on rythm and groove as imp. musical elements *hamrony is less important; very few chord changes
From Soul to Funk: Black Music in the 1970s
*teens of 1950s grew up, and so did their music *by the end of the 1960s, music was viewed as a social mirror *greater technology; records became more sonically complex
Music of the 1960s:
*producers exercised much CREATIVE control (like arragners in swing era) *often coordinated the activities of songrwriters & performers *they over saw the recording process.. by shaping the instrumentaion and arrangment (usually w/o notation) *and shaping the atmosphere of the studio
Music producers in the 1960s:
*heavily influenced by the style of black gospel music and the blues *expressive, powerful vocal delivery; blues notes; call and response *has ties to the 60-70s social movements: civil rights, black pride, womens rights
Soul Music 1960s-70s:
1. Master 1950's Rock'n'Roll style -ex: "Surfin U.S.A.", 1963; a LOT like Chuck Berry 2. Develop new songs that extend that style -ex: "Fun, fun, fun", 1964; SORT of like Chuch Berry 3. Branch out completley beyond that style -ex: "Good vibrations", 1966; NOTHING like Chuch Berry
The Beach Boys Development...
*political assassinations of 1968 (MLK. Robert Kennedy) *1969 Manson Murders *deaths of leading counterculture rock musicians due to drugs and alcohol (1970-71) *violence of Altamont Free concert in 1969 contradicts peaceful image of counter culture *the 1970s: from "we" to "me"
The Death of an Era: from the 1960s to the 1970s
progressive country music
a reaction AGAINST mainstream country music of the 1960s and 70s ("the Nashville Sound")
Rock'n'Rolls 2nd generation
many musicians of the 1960s grew up with early rock'n'roll, then it expanded into new styles and new types of lyrics through a 3 step process...
Phil Spector and Berry Gordy
the two 1960s record industry masterminds:
Urban Folk
type of music that is new music in those older styles
Aretha Franklin
*"Lady Soul" *daughter of church pastor and gospel musician; began recording gospel music as a teen *after success as soul singer, returned occasionally to gospel *powerful, distinctive vocal style; talented pianist *symbol of female empowerment
punk rock
*emerged as a reaction against mainstream pop and rock of 1970s, incl. perception that it was too bland and commerical, not rebellious, or too artifical and pretentious; not raw *drew upon the values of garage band: DIY, no virtouosity necessary *often angry, rebellious, edgy
the Eagles
*extremley successful 1970s rock group (71-80) *began style of country rock, but later moved away from it *"Their Greatest Hits": best selling album of the 20th c. in US *rejected by some older listeners as too commerical and bland
"Soul Brother No. 1", James Brown
*flamboyant persona, stage present *intense vocal style, delivery w/ call and response *less emphasis on harmony and melody, more on rythm *connections to black pride movement *father of hip-hop? -music is widely borrowed by hip hop artists -vocals are sometimes not medolic (not sung)
Willie Nelson
*he spent 1960s as successful song WRITER in Nashville -difficutlies in launching singing career in Nashville; too weird *reinvention in Austin, TX (outside of C&W establishment) *became figurehead of progressive/outlaw country in 70s *lengthy career w/ music in diverse styles
Phil Spector (mastermind in 1960s)
*he started as a songwriter, then turned to producing *founded Philles records in LA *specialized in "girl groups" *complete creative control; issues in power *developed a distincitve studio sounds ("wall of sound") by using the background w/ a string orchestra
Brian Wilson
*leader of the Beach Boys *wrote or Co-wrote most of their songs *responsible for production, and concept albums "Pet Sounds" (1966) and "Smile" (planned for 1967) *he used studio muscicans (people not credited in the band) *his increasing use of LSD in 1967 led to mental breakdown *reappeared in 2000's; completed album "Smile"
"Like a Rolling Stone", 1965; Bob Dylan
*lyrics: cynical deception of a persons fall from privledged, into a real life "break" -ambigous use of poetic imagery -inventic structure of verses and use *sonic density: electric organ and piano in addition to electric guitar *unlike songs such as "good vibrations"; no special production effects *6 minutes long (uncommon and long song like this to ever become a hit)
Folk Music as a whole
*oral transmission *old songs, unknown authorship *an activity, not a product *from regular working people, usually rural
1970s sexual revolution
*outgrowth of 1960s counterculture; challenged traditional sexual values *growing acceptance of sex outside marriage and of contraception *linked to womens liberation movement and gay rights movement -stone wall riots (1969)
"You Can't Hurry Love" 1966, Supremes and Holland-Dozier-Holland
*recorded by the Supremes *written and produced by a songwriting/producing team called "Holland-Dozier-Holland" *sung by the Supremes (group of 3 girls led by Diana Ross) *UNUSUAL form: three sections (A,B,C) repeating unpredictabely -delay of gratificaiton, you cant hurry it *ABCBC[AA]B -delay of gratification that gives suspense and makes us wait for the chorus
studio 54
*sense of exclusivity (beautiful people only) *debauchery and decadance: lots of drugs and sex *centered in NYC, SF and Miami, but soon becomes a naitonal craze *first mainstream pop. music craze based in "flashy" social dancing since the swing era *popularity in 1977 movie "saturday night fever"
Berry Gordy (masterind in 1960s)
*started as a songwriter, then turned to producing *founder of Motwon records, then moved to LA -"Motown" refers to record label, musical style, etc. *financially + creativley powerful in African American organizaiton *tight creative control, issues in power
"Hotel California", 1976; Eagles
*written and recorded by Eagles, 1976 *6 minutes long, idea opened up by "Like a Rolling Stone" *influences by Spanish and Latin-Am (Jamacain) music *lyrics: metaphorical and ambigious -themes of dissillusionment, loss of innocens, death of the 1960s? *lengthy guitar solos at the end of record prevents final statment of chorus: a feeling of happy or being trapped?
"Good Times", 1979; written by Bernard Edwards and Nike Rodgers, recorded by Chic
*written by Bernard Edwards and Nike Rodgers, recorded by Chic *repetitive, catchy groove-it could go on forever *clipped, straight forward lyrics in chorus *the groove of this song was widely imitated, borrowed in later rap and pop music
"Good Vibrations" Beach Boys, 1966
*written by Brain Wilson and Mike Love *WEIRD song *"most innovative single of 1960s" -instruments; electrothermin -harmony -lyrics (atmospheric, reflective of emerging counterculture) -form (first verse chorus form, then an unexpected new section appears, than ANOTHER new section appears) -studio production
*some trends in pop music emerge as reactions against a dominant trend -ex: urban folk movement of early 60s *countermovements were esp. common during and since the 70s: -punk rock -progressive (or "outlaw") country
Counter movements in Pop. Music of the 1970s:
*a particular tumultuous decade politically and socially -continutaiton of civil rights movement -assasination of JFK, MLK -expnansio of war in Vietnam
Culture of the 1960s:
*mainstream C. music of 60s and 70s associated w/ recording studios in Nashville *southern dialect and steel guitar remain important elements *proffesional arrangment of often complex producion *politics often conservatice, at odds w/ the 60s-70s counterculture
Mainstream Country Music: the Nashville Sound