History of Rock Midterm

MoTown/Soul

Goal of Mo-Town was to create unity and Dance. Every track had to pass a quality check and it needed to sound good in cars. Clear, Pure Voices. Soul - It was less produced, wanted to get it one shot. Less Wall of Sound. Soul had roots in religion and many

Soul

Looser style of signing, mostly call+response, extra signing that is not part of the melody. A lot of energy and vocal timbre.

"Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)"

Roy Orbison 4/4 time, with some 2/4 measures Interesting structure derived from AABA form

"All I Have To Do Is Dream"

The Everly Brothers 4/4 time, with a slightly latin feel AABA form with a partial reprise (AABABA)

Glissando

sliding of multiple keys, especially in the piano with Jerry Lee Lewis and the sitar with George in the beatles

"Josie"

(Difficult Song), by Steely Dan From: Compound AABA Form - the A section has a verse and a response, that A is followed by another A, then a bridge instrumental. Music timbre has a "funky" guitar

Woody Guthrie

1930s from Oklahoma and was a part of the depression and dustbowl. Had a simple texture to his songs, with one melody. Strophic Form (MANY DYLAN songs are like this). Was an inspiration to Bob Dylan.

Measure

A group of beats within a song. Typically grouped in 4 Beats.

ASCAP vs BMI

ASCAP - Got royalties to artists for sheet music. Many Tin Pan Alley artists and Hollwood artists + huge Pop Stars were here BMI - rights of recording artists especially the Indies and Rock and Roll.

Bringing it All Back Home

Album produced by Dylan that was half using electric instruments. Had his first #1 song (Subterranean Homesick Blues). Many songs were based on acoustic-material. But then when he played this album at Newport Folk Festival in 1965 people were pissed. He changed the game from the 1950s oooh baby, to serious and contemplative lyrics.

Leadbelly

Another Folk Artist who joined up with Woody. They went for a feel of signing off the back porch and making it up as they go.

Chuck Berry

Another early crossover artist, "Maybellene" was #1 on the R&B charts and got to #5 on the pop Many audience members had assumed from his records that he was white Eventually charged with transporting a minor over state lines for immoral purposes. Famous for Guitar Solos. Most

Rolling Stones

Anti Beatles. Their goal started out as a revival of the American blues tradition (chicago electric). They adopted a bad boy style and appealed to youth. They only use the 12-bar blues form in covers, not originals. Their originals seem to be influenced by Chuck Berry and Mo-Town. MOST SONGS have a contrasting verse-chorus form.

"The Word"

Beatles. Religious undertones. John Lennon = John the Baptist. 12 Bar Blues form with word/free on beat 1. Simple melody, to just give us the word. Emphasis on word/free/me. Verse/Chorus form with different vocals in each Chorus (unheard of!)

Animals

British Blues based band that focused on leaving the "mersey beat" style of music. their lead singer Eric Burdon had a large variation in pitch and a huskier voice. They sung about blue-collar struggles and economics.

"That'll be the Day"

Buddy Holly and The Crickets 12/8 time Form: Contrasting Verse-Chorus , there is clear differences between the music of the chorus and verses. Drumming is clearly different, simple snare and maybe high-hat to keep beat during verse, but with stronger timbre during the chorus. Vocal chorus is softer in verse 1 and 2

"Oh Boy"

Buddy Holly and the Crickets Form: AABA with a 12-bar blues verse and 8-bar bridge

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band

Came out of the the goal to create an album about their experiences in Liverpool. They changed it to be the fictional band. It was the first cited case of a concept album, although debated. There is a performance within a performance. Full spectrum of music and similar pitch in 1st and 12th songs.

12-Bar Blues

Can be divided into three 4-Bar phrases. The lyrics to the first phrase are often repeated in the second phrase, new lyrics in the 3rd. Often can include the Doo-Wap progression. Strongly associated with 1950s RnB and Rock.

"Johnny B. Goode"

Chuck Berry 4/4 time, with a tendency to blend in a shuffle Form: Simple verse-chorus Call and Response of the Guitar+Singers

Chords

Combination of notes played together (I Chord is a C chord).

Barry Gordy

Controller of Mo-Town. He was the boss. Goal was to create a refined Detroit from the hoodlums. He tried to imitate Phil Spector. He brought in a choreographer and etitique person.

Wall of Sound

Developed by Phil Spector its goal was to overwhelm the listener. It called for two of every instrument. It was used in most of Spector's Girl Groups. In "Be My Baby", backbeat held by clapping, with tambourines, Full orchestra coming at you.

Echo

Differs from Reverb. This is an effect that is found mostly in Rock (not in songs that are trying to sound as natural as possible), it can make voices richer and mask imperfections in tone.

Phil Spector

During the Rise of the Producers, he was a major figure. Goal was to create little symphonies. He is best known for creating a "Wall of Sound". He tried to pack every 1/8th note with sound. He worked with many Girl Groups including the Ronettes. He later benefited from the Beatles and eventually "Let it be"

Compound AABA Form

Each section of the AABA form is made up of a smaller Verse-Chorus section. This is best scene in "Josie" by Steely Dan.

"That's All Right (Mama)"

Elvis Presley 2/4 time, employing a country two-step feel with alternating bass notes Form: simple verse, with measures added and subtracted throughout

"HeartBreak Hotel"

Elvis, Produced by Steve Sholes. Simple Verse Form. 4 Verses, IV, then Verse 5. All have 8mm, but the time is 12/8. Can hear the echo in voice, especially on the words lonely (he descends in pitch, almost like rubato).

"Blueberry Hill"

Fats Domino 12/8 time, with an easy, loping New Orleans feel Form: AABABA form (only the bridge and last verse repeated) Each measure contains four beats, with each beat divided into three parts (compound)

Folk Music

Focus on lyrics. Many songs were loose on form and generally follow a simple form style. Almost like poems. Made by the "Folk". The common man.

Joan Baez

Folk Singer, who was known for her vibrato. She sung for labor unions and had a pure, vocal form. She later switched to Folk-Rock and covered Dylan.

Joni Mitchell

Folk singer who was a big part of the Folk Revival in the 1960s. She started to experiment with jazz and used well known musicians to help here. She does not overdo lyrics like Joan Baez. More like Dylan.

Country 1930s

Folk traditions of the Appalachian area. Down home style, with much white gospel influence. First genre to use the Hawaiian slide guitar. The Carter Family with "Can the Circle be Unbroken" is a good example.

Andrew Oldham

He became the producer of the Rolling Stones. He was a main force in shaping the style and image of the stones. He wanted them to have a brash and bad boy style that differed from the Beatles.

Full Partial/Response

In an AABA Type, the AABA can be repeated in full ("Great Balls of Fire") or it can be a repeated in parts AABA AB.

Doo-Wop Progression

I - vi - IV - V. It is the first verse of "Sh-Boom", by the Chords. Common in the 50s, w/ vocal focus

Chicago Electric Blues

In 1950s musical style. It drew on many aspects of jazz+blues. slide guitar+harmonica and vocal delivery by Muddy Waters and Little Walter. True Blues oriented bands and they were a focal point for British Artists.

Allop

Introduction with not be, seem experimental. From Beatles Indian trip.

Reverb

It is an effect that results from an engineer artificially creating an ambience. The engineer could tweak the "dry" recording to create a small/large or unnatural space. Spaces you hear are not often the spaces in which the artists recorded.

"Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds"

Its in a Verse/Refrain/Chorus set up, with ABCABCABC. However, there are timing changes throughout the song. The end of the Verse has extreme distortions and malismas as we slip into the dream/drug state. Meter changes when you get into the Chorus, Back to a 4/4 (Like you are back from the trip).

"Great Balls of Fire

Jerry Lee Lewis, AABA form w/ full reprise. No introduction and no lead-out. Subdivision of the piano's playing adds to the eagerness of signer. Falseotto in the lyrics (Goodness gracious great balls of fire) Stop Time Singing (band drops out when he changes chords). He starts signing on off beats to create syncopation.

Dick Dale

King of the Surf Guitar. He came right out of the Surf Culture. He did a lot of double picking in his guitar and was known for his reverb. The sound he created was like a wave crashing on the sand (especially when he slid down the guitar scale). Lebanese music.

"I'm sitting on top of the world"

Les Paul and Mary Ford AABA form with full reprisal, 2/4 and 4/4 (the speed changes are noticeable and put emphasis)

"Tutti Frutti"

Little Richard 4/4 time Form: Simple verse-chorus, beginning with chorus

"Rip it Up"

Little Richard Form: Compound AABA form, where 2 line lyrics are matched with a refrain. Ensemble drops away during his lyrics. Chorus has a huge entrance. It seems that there is Verse-Chorus x3, IV, Verse-Chorus x2 - Like an AABA, but slightly different. Verses have much more falsetto on words like "out" - huge tension going into chorus.

"Lucille"

Little Richard, 1957 Form: AABA, with Partial Refrain (After IV there is a short B section then AA) Major Falsettos create tension, especially with Piano subdividing the beat (like jerry lee lewis)

Falsetto

Male singer using his highest vocal pitch. This is common in the Beach Boys.

Singer/Songwriter Movement

Mid 70s there was a focus on the singer/songwriter, just like there was on the producer side in the 1950s with Spector and Wilson.

AABA Form

Most common formal patterns in Tin Pan Alley Songs. 32-Bar scheme where A(8mm) A(8mm) B(8mm) A(8mm). There are many songs that have this form.

Little Richard

Most flamboyant performer in the early years of rock Remarkable contrast to Fats Domino Often covered by white artists due to his sexually suggestive lyrics Abruptly quit music to become a minister

Melisma

Multiple Pitches sung within a syllable

Grand ole Opry

Nashville became the center for C+W music and the Opry was the most highly regarded radio show for country music. Hank Williams came on here and gained popularity. Radio shows were the big way for artists to get attention.

Why Folk Music Revival

Need for Political Movements. The teenage audience of the Rock+Roll era had grown up and they needed something else to listen to. Wanted something more "real" than mainstream music. Biggest Group was Peter, Paul and Mary

"Good Vibrations"

No Intro, No Backbeat, No Chord Progressions Shock in texture when the melody changes. Verse-Chorus Format, but the music leads you on a trip after the second section. Many new instruments. It was the most experimental the Beach Boys ever got and the highpoint of Wilson's career.

Fats Domino

Notable for being one of the first early rockers to enjoy consistent crossover success Had R&B hits then crossed over to the pop charts beginning in 1955 Projected a warm, friendly image that was unlikely to trigger the kind of racial anxiety in white listeners that other black artists might

Syncopation

Occurs when a rhythmic pattern that typically occurs on strong beats or strong parts of the beat occurs instead on weak beats or weak parts of the beat. Key = Think of "Some WHERE over the Rainbow". Where is stressed in the sheet music.

Frank Sinatra

One of the first artists to break out into a solo career. Was a Pop artist in the 1940s. Had a bad boy style and was attractive to help his image.

Payola Investigations

Payola - the practice of paying disc jockeys to play records on the radio - came under investigation by a congressional committee in 1959 Focused on those in the rock and R&B industries who they portrayed as dishonest Eventually many disc jockeys were fired and radio station formats were changed Especially Allen Freed Old Guard trying to win back market share.

Brian Wilson

Producer/Singer who tried to mirror Phil Spector's Wall of Sound (He changed the texture of songs to create tension). He composed many of the Beach Boys songs. He then went on to demand that he produce the songs as well and he became as demanding of a producer as Spector. ALSO, he experimented with technology and used many weird instruments (Good Vibrations)

Brill Building Music

Refers to the 'Brill Building' in midtown Manhattan where a stable of songwriters would produce new songs continually. Was big in the Tin Pan Alley Stuff

"Sh-Boom"

RnB song by the Chords. 4/4 with Simple Verse form w/ interludes after verses. Strong Saxophone. Nonsense singing is common. It is a key example of the Doo-Wop. Bouncy RnB song. Vocals add to the melody, since the music in verses is relative simple (just keeps the beat).

Bridge

Section in a song that provides contrast to other sections. Never focal points of songs, but work as transitions.

"Wouldn't it Be Nice"

Serious Word Painting - there is a fairy tale texture to the beginning of the song, then the drums come in and wake him up to reality. The pitch increases to show the yearning of being together. then falls when he realizes its impossible.

Vibrato

Shaking Voice, the vowels of certain words can be emphasized by uses vibrato to create fluctuations in pitch.

Riff

Short, but distinctive, part of the melody that is often a repeated pattern. Think of the guitar riff at the beginning of "I Can't Get No Satisfaction".

Common Formal Types

Simple Verse (same music/no chorus), Simple Verse-Chorus (same music), Contrasting Verse-Chorus (verse and chorus have different music), AABA (verse/chorus have different music with full or partial response).

"Norwegian Wood"

Sitar used for the first time. No backbeat, only guitar in the intro + sitar. ABAA(Inst)BA form. No idea what to call that.

Buddy Holly

Started as a Rockabilly artist who was by Decca, but was fired. He then started the Crickets and changed his tune to more Pop by the end of Career. Died in a plane crash.

Sun Records

Started by Sam Phillips. He was the first person to pick up Elvis. First Big song was "Thats' All right Mama". Then Elvis was sold to RCA. This forced Sun to focus on the Rockabilly sound. They got Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. Later had Jerry Lee Lewis

White Album

Statement of all encompassing styles. If all of pop music history disappeared this album would be enough to restore it. The goal was to create randomness. Tried to create shock+disconnect. Is it parody or homage? Revolution 9 is absolutely absurb.

"Satisfaction" Cant get no

Stones. Form: Contrasting Verse-Chorus, Chorus is quieter than the verses, which is strange. Most famous riff.

Bar

The same definition as a measure. It is another way to group the beats in a song.

Timbre

The tone of the instrument that is created by the frequency of the sound waves. It is impossible to completely describe the timbre of a instrument, but can try with adjectives (Horn=Bright).

Meter

The way of organizing rhythm and beats in a song. It can be either simple (each beat in two parts one &, 2 &) or compound (each beat in three parts one & uh, two & uh). Then, each beats can be grouped into either a duple (

"Love you too"

There is a huge allop in the beginning of the song. Clearly taking from their Indian Drug trip. Hypnotic Lyrics that are a result of the trip. Increase in Tempo at the end of the song to nothing? ababa?ba

Beach Boys

They were influenced by many previous artists. The guitar of Chuck Berry (he actually sued them). Vocals draw from doo-wop and girl clubs. They have varying texture in their must - sometimes mono-polyphonic. Surfer music about girls, cars and surfing. Very white-suburban fun.

Leiber and Stoller

They were the first of the serious producers. They trained Phil Spector. Roots in RnB and had man hits. Wrote songs for Elvis. Started the Coasters "Down in Mexico". They also started to blend musical styles and created "Sweet Soul" where RnB mixed with orchestra.

"Within you Without you

Vocal Bending of the lryics that mirrors the sitar. creates a druggy/psychedelic feeling. Lauging at the end of the song.

Bob Dylan

Wanted to be a folk singer. Took a lot from Joan Baez. Many of his songs are in ballad form. Strophic form is common. Songs are about their lyrics. He changed his style from the traditional acoustic form of Folk to a more Electric Blues style in 1965 w/ "Bringing it all Back Home". People hated it. He also covered a lot of his own songs, changing their tone and meaning multiple times.

Tin Pan Alley

Was both a way of distributing music, as well as a genre itself. The music was distributed was by the sheet music, not by a specific artist rendition. Much of the songs were a 32-Bar Pop song, AABA pattern.

George Martin

Was on the big producers for the Beatles and was often considered the 5th Beatle. He had a major influence on Strawberry Fields. Master of Technology (He did a lot of mixing).

Alan Freed

Was the major disc jockey (DJ) in the 1950s. Started to play RnB in 1951 and is considered to be the most influential DJ of all time. Brought RnB to white audiences and had a show called Rock and Roll Party. RUINED as a result of Payola scandal

Crossover

When a song hits multiple charts. Elvis Hit all three major ones. Pop. RnB. C+W.

Stop Time Singing

When the music drops away from the vocalist to place emphasis on his voice. creates a certain syncopation.

Jerry Wexler

Worked with Atlantic/Staxx records. The opposite to Barry Gordy. He wanted no structure to his recording sessions. Wanted everyone to have their own style. He would only take the first take and allowed them to improvise.

Rocket 88

Written by Jackie Brenston. Produced by Sam Phillips. Form: Simple Verse Time: 4/4 Instrumental Verse, Verse 1, IV, Verse 2 (8mm), IV x3, Verse 3, IV

"Hey Good Looking"

by Hank Williams AABA form with 3 reprisals. No drums, so the steel guitar has to hold the beat, not much room for experimentation. Clearly C+W with limited pitch change, even on "Hey good looking".

"I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man"

by Muddy Waters, Form: Simple Verse in a 16 bar pattern Stop-Time Singing in the first 8 measures of Verse 1, emphasizes the lyrics.

"Can The Circle Be Unbroken"

by the Carter Family in Form: Simple Verse Chorus with a 2/4 time each verse has 16mm except for the 2nd IV, which has 8. Acoustic guitar and in a country monotone voice, similar to a Johnny cash.