Exam 1 Flashcards
What is The 12-bar blues
o A pattern that is defined by its measure length, phrasing, lyrics and chord structure
o Used to build larger forms like simple verse-chorus or simple verse form
o Some examples: Shake, Rattle and Roll – Joe Turner – 12 bar blues in simple verse-chorus;
Rocket 88 – Jackie Brenston – 12 bar blues in simple verse form
What is The doo-wop progression
o Pattern that first became popular with early doo-wop groups but made a huge resurgence right at the end of the fifties
o Again, this is used to create larger forms
o Some examples: Come Go With Me – The Dell Vikings; Earth Angel – The Penguins – both are
in AABA with a reprise
Simple verse-chorus form
o A single pattern is used as the basis for both the verses and the choruses
o Can the Circle be Unbroken – The Carter Family
Simple verse form
o Song consists of only verses with no contrasting material that suggests a repeating chorus sections
o That’s All Right and Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis
Contrasting verse-chorus
o Verse section is distinctly different from the chorus
o Rock and Roll Music – Chuck Berry; That’ll Be the Day – Buddy Holly
AABA form
o Consists of verses (the “As”) and a contrasting bridge (the B) – can employ a full or partial reprise
o Hey Good Lookin’ – Hank Williams; Blueberry Hill – Fats Domino; All I Have to do is Dream – The Everly Brothers
Pop music audience and aim
➢ Directed mainly at the white affluent population – white middle and upper class
➢ Aimed primarily at adults – adults comprised the majority of the professionals (musicians, singers,
songwriters) and consumers – teens would listen to and accept their parents’ music
Characteristics of a Typical Pop (Tin Pan Alley) Song
➢ Lyrics were typically non-offensive, non-controversial and most often dealt with simple emotions
➢ Songs had a very straight, uncomplicated rhythm that emphasized the downbeat
➢ Rhythm was kept in the background of the musical texture
➢ Melodies were important – usually easy to remember; simple enough to whistle
➢ Tempos were moderate to slow – faster tunes were typically bouncy and cute, often with light, humorous lyrics
➢ Written by professional songwriters; recorded by professional singers accompanied by a professional orchestra and/or chorus
falsetto
sing notes higher than their normal range
what was country and western music called until the 30’s
hillbilly music
What were the origins of country and western before they came together
“Country” music centered primarily in the
southeast and Appalachia; “Western” music was centered in the Southwest and California – they kept their distinct regional styles until Nashville was established as the central location for this music – henceforth, it was called Country & Western
what instruments are used in country and western
Instrumentation included fiddle, banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass – NO
DRUMS!
Characteristics of country and western
➢ The beat is steady – pure country is based on a crisp, exact beat
➢ In a four-beat pattern, there is a “boom-chick” feel – this is called a two-beat bass
➢ Harmonically, songs are simpler than pop songs – harmonies are usually triadic
➢ Songs were generally not written down, but were passed down aurally and subjected to improvisation;
performers wrote their own songs – played their own instruments
➢ Lyrics often tell a story and are intended to express emotions of some sort; they are meant to be heard
above the accompaniment
➢ Vocals have a nasal tone quality and are delivered in either a deadpan style or one with such intensity to
give the impression that the singer is on the verge of tears
Song: Music, Music, Music*
Artist: Teresa Brewer
➢ Beat is definitely on the downbeat and beat 3
➢ Instrumental intro – piano and percussion; brass and winds enter near the end of the intro
➢ Straight-ahead rhythm; non-offensive lyrics; melody is most important
➢ Instrumental break is written out not improvised
Song: Cry*
Artist: Johnny Ray
➢ Begins with harmonized backup vocals – use of falsetto
➢ Piano, bells, guitar and drums in the background
➢ Solo vocals enter – much more declamatory and emotional vocal style
➢ Backup vocals and instruments sit in the back of the texture – vocals are most important
➢ Lyrics speak of heartbreak
Song: Too Young*
Artist: Nat King Cole
Genera: Pop
➢ One of the first songs directed to a new and upcoming demographic – the teenager
➢ Begins with strings followed by a piano solo; strings take the end of the intro
➢ Crooning vocal style – they take the forefront of the musical texture
➢ Piano and strings play fills – between vocal entrances
➢ Instrumental break closely follows the melody line
➢ Instruments include: piano, strings, (orchestra)
➢ Lyrics about relationship
Song: Blue Tango*
Artist: Leroy Anderson
Genera: Pop
➢ A hit instrumental (no vocals) and an example of the fascinations with exotic rhythms and dances
➢ Melody goes between strings and winds; drums provide an ostinato (highly repetitive riff), setting a
tango rhythm in motion
➢ Melody is taken by strings; winds play fills; rhythm remains constant
➢ Even here, melody is most important
Song: Doggie in the Window*
Artist: Patti Page
➢ Example of a “novelty song” – very cutesy; designed for laughs ➢ Piece is in 3/4 time – like a waltz
➢ Starts with strings and winds
➢ Harmonized vocals enter with the chorus
➢ Verses are sung solo; winds play fills
➢ Vocals are clear and in the forefront; instruments are relegated to an accompanying role
➢ Lyrics are innocent and cute
➢ Instruments include: strings and Winds
Song: Can the Circle Be Unbroken*
Artist: The Carter Family
Genera: Country
➢ Begins with guitar – boom-chick rhythm
➢ Vocals enter – nasal vocal sound
➢ Harmonized vocals in the chorus
➢ Lyrics are rooted in white gospel music
Song: Back in the Saddle Again*
Artist: Gene Autry
Genera: western and western swing
➢ Begins with fiddle, accordion, slide guitar and mandolin ➢ Nasal vocals enter – slide guitar supplies fills
➢ Fiddle takes the solo over accordion and slide guitar
➢ Lyrics tell a story
Song: New San Antonio Rose*
Artist: Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys
Genera: western and western swing
➢ Begins with mariachi-style trumpets – rounded out by saxes, piano and fiddles ➢ Boom-chick feel supplied by bass and guitar
➢ Vocal interjections state the song title
➢ Extended instrumental opening
➢ Solo vocals enter
Song: Hey, Good Lookin’ (FORMAL ANALYSIS)
Artist: Hank Williams
Genera: Country and Western
Begins with slide guitar solo over guitar and acoustic bass playing a boom-chick rhythm
AABA song from – 4/4 time signature
Other instruments include fiddle and acoustic bass, steel gatar, violin
Vocals enter – nasal vocal sound
Slide guitar and fiddle are the featured solo instruments
Song: Hillbilly Fever*
Artist: Little Jimmy Dickens
Genera: country and western
➢ Prototype for an upcoming style called rockabilly
➢ Starts with steel guitar solo accompanied by bass, fiddle and guitars ➢ Solo vocals enter and take precedence over the instrumentation
➢ Steel guitar plays fill at the end of the verse
➢ Chorus features harmonized vocals
What is Bluegrass
➢ Virtuosic instrumental aspects of the music overshadow the vocals
➢ This music was often used as theme music for TV and movies
Song: Blue Moon of Kentucky*
Artist: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys
Genera: blue grass
➢ Begins with fiddle soloing over mandolin and guitar
➢ Song is in 3/4 – a country waltz
➢ Vocals are nasal – lyrics are of heartbreak
➢ Mandolin takes the solo
Song: Crossroads*
Artist: Robert Johnson
Genera: rural blues
➢ Early example of the style that will influence later rhythm & blues
➢ Based on a slightly altered 12-bar blues
➢ Consists of just guitar and vocals – yet a driving rhythm is present
➢ Technique of call and response occurs between the vocals and guitar
what what rhythms and blues referred to as before the 40’s
race music
Rhythm and blues instruments
acoustic and electric guitar, acoustic stand-up bass, drums, sax, piano, harmonica
Characteristics of a Typical R&B Song
➢ Very rhythmic, emphasizing the second and fourth beat of each four-beat pattern – this is called a backbeat – drums play a larger role
➢ Quite frequently patterned around a musical scheme called a twelve-bar blues (or some variation of the pattern)
➢ Characterized by a very energetic stage show – vocals were shouted, forming the basis of the vocal style found in much of fifties mainstream rock
➢ Lyrics contained a certain amount of sexual suggestiveness
➢ Songs were often improvised – rarely written down
➢ Vocals and instruments were equally weighted – the instruments are more present
What did Ray Charles base his music on
gospel songs
Song: I’ve Got a Woman*
Artist: Ray Charles
Genera: Gospel Influenced Blues
➢ Starts with vocals – drums, piano, sax and horns enter ➢ Horns play fills at the end of the vocal line
➢ Strong emphasis on backbeat
➢ Vocals improvise over the instrumental accompaniment
Chess Records – Chicago Blues characteristics
➢ Founded in 1947 by white blues fans Phil and Leonard Chess
➢ Specialized in solo singers backed by small electric bands
➢ Rough-edged emotion, expressive vocals, unpolished production
➢ Virtuosic instrumental ability; adult-oriented lyrics
➢ Not meant to appeal to white middle-class tastes
Song: Hard Day Blues*
Artist: Muddy Waters
Genera: Chess Records- Chicago Blues
➢ Instrumentation includes electric guitar, bass, piano and drums
➢ This is a typical twelve-bar blues
➢ Semi-shouting vocal style – lyrics are clear
➢ Instrumental features the piano – there is a pronounced backbeat and a walking bass
➢ Instruments include: guitar, bass, piano, drums
Song: I’m a Man*
Artist: Bo Diddley
Genera: Chess Records- Chicago Blues
➢ Song is based on one chord – called a one-chord boogie
➢ Starts with a lick (riff) that is referred to as a “Bo Diddley”
➢ Instrumentation starts with guitar; harmonica and piano interject; drums and maracas maintain a
constant beat
➢ Vocals enter over drums; instruments provide fills – this is a call and response
➢ Lyrics are suggestive and egocentric
Atlantic Records – Black Pop characteristics
➢ Founded in 1948 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson
➢ Songs were more polished – kept the singer out in front
➢ Singers were more polished; arrangements were more structured; less emphasis on instrumental solos
Song: Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean)*
Artist: Ruth Brown
Genera: Atlantic Record- Black pop
➢ Begins with drum riff
➢ Sax, guitar, piano and bass enter with a riff
➢ Lead vocals enter in a semi-shouting style – note the vocal upswing at the end of the first two lines
of the verse
➢ Lyrics deal with a woman who is fed up with the actions of her man
➢ Instruments include: drums, sax, guitar piano, bass
Song: Shake, Rattle and Roll FORMAL ANALYSIS (discussed in the text)
Artist: Joe Turner
➢ Also referred to as “hokum blues” because of its blatantly sexual lyrics
➢ Starts with boogie-woogie piano, acoustic bass and drums
➢ Strong backbeat; classic 12-bar blues
➢ Vocals enter – handclaps join drums on the backbeat
➢ Sexual innuendo in the lyrics
➢ Never hit the pop charts at all – Top 5 on the R&B charts
Doo-Wop (R&B) characteristics
➢ This was urban vocal music
➢ Mostly an a cappella (no instruments – strictly vocal) style
➢ Doo-wop refers to the vocal style and the use of nonsense syllables
➢ Greatly influenced by gospel music, particularly in terms of harmonic make-up – most use the “doo-
wop” progression
➢ Characterized by a lead singer backed up by vocal group accompaniment
➢ Most are in an AABA form and uses what is called compound meter – triple division of the beat
The Controversy of R&B
➢ As blacks moved to more urban areas, a market for radio stations supporting black music sprang up
➢ Because the music was now on the air, enterprising (white) teens could tune in and become familiar with
these styles of music
➢ White middle class parents disapproved of this – largely due to negative racial stereotypes
➢ Lyrics were considered suggestive, sometimes blatantly sexual and contained many double entendres
➢ This music gained greater respectability when white artists covered the tunes and cleaned up the lyrics
What was the Majors associated with and what kind of music
ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
Pop/ Tin pan alley
What are the 6 Major record companies
Decca
MGM
Columbia
RCA Victor
Mercury
Capitol
What was the Indies associated with and what music were they involved with
BMI
Country & Western and Rhythm and Blues
What are the 5 Indie companies
Atlantic
Chess
Sun records
acuff-rose
veejay
crossover
A crossover hit occurred when a song made it big in one market but then cross over to make it big in another market
Song: Sh-Boom*
Artist: The Chords
Went to #5 on the pop charts
Begins with a cappella harmonized vocals
Drums, acoustic bass, guitar enter; strong emphasis on backbeat
Clear lead singer w/ backup harmonized vocals singing a mixture of nonsense syllables and lyrics about teenage love
Bass sings the bridge
cover
cover is when one group records a song and then another group comes in and records their own version of the same song
Song: That’s All Right (1954) FORMAL ANALYSIS (Discussed in Text)
Artist: Elvis Presley
Genera: Crossovers and Covers
Starts with bass and guitar – percussive sound is the bassist hitting his instrument with his hand (boom-chick rhythm)
Semi-shouting vocals enter – guitar plays fills
Instrumental solo is tame and mostly follows the melody line
Simple verse song format
2/4 time signature
Instruments include; electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and lead vocals
Who are 3 examples of artists that Elvis did covers for
o Big Mana Thornton (hound dog)
o Lloyd Price
o Carl Perkins
What was Elvis’ nickname
Elvis the Pelvis
What records does elvis hold
Most charted albums
Most hits in top 10
Most 2-sided hit singles on 45 (the record)
Most consecutive records
Longest stay at #1 (47 weeks)
Most consecutive years on the charts (including after his death) 37 years
What is different about Pat Boone
He never wrote any of his own songs, only did covers
Differences between Elvis and Pat Boone
Elvis is a bad boy pat is the good boy next door
Elvis teen crowd pat adult crowd
Elvis lots of up and down in his voice pat very steady
Background instrument pat more swing combo (little bit of shuffle)
Pat waters down lyrics
Arrhythmic and emotional intensity of pat is watered down
Pat had more of a slower/medium speed but every once in awhile had a faster rock like speed that Elvis has
Mainstream Rock characteristics
Derived almost directly from R&B- referred to as ‘black music’
Frequently uses the 12-bar blues or some alternation of the pattern
Uses a shouting or semi-shouting vocal style
Music was rarely notated and the style relies heavily on improvisation
Instrumentation included all or some of the following: guitar (electric & acoustic); pian, base (acoustic); drums; sax; harmonica
Drummer plays a much more active role, heavily emphasizing the backbeat
Song: Ain’t That A Shame*
Artist: Fats Domino
Genera: Mainstream Rock
Starts with stop time between vocals and instruments
Sax imitates the vocal line (semi-shouting and melodic vocal style)
Laidback boogie-woogie feel; triple division of beat in the piano
Typical 12-bar blues – which is quite atypical for Domino
Sax solo with piano accompaniment – triple division of beat is quite noticeable
Instrumentation: sax, piano, drums (strong backbeat), guitar, bass
Song: Blueberry Hill FORMAL ANALYSIS (Discussed in textbook)
Artist: Fats Domino
Genera: Mainsttream Rock
Starts with piano – with technique called ‘tremolo’
Bass, guitar and drums w/ strong backbeat enter
Stop time as vocals enter
Sax plays fills – triple division of beat on hi-hat of drums
Bass and guitar are playing a riff
Sax plays vocal line through bridge
AABA song form
Instrumentation includes piano, electric guitar, acoustic bass, drums, horns
Song: I’m Walking*
Artist: Fats Domino
Genera Mainstream Rock
With Rock Around the Clock, is considered one of the first rock ‘n’ roll songs
Begins with drums and handclaps – handclaps emphasize the backbeat
Vocals, bass riff, piano and guitar enter (A section)
Features an A-A-B-A form – a move away from the verse-chorus format of earlier songs
B section features vocals, bass, drums and guitar
Sax solos over one complete cycle of the form
Instruments include guitar, drums, piano, sax, bass
Lyrics are about romance, convincing a girl to join him
What did Little Richards do while performing
Stood while playing the piano
Song: Tutti Frutti*
Artists: Little Richard
Genera: Mainstream Rock
Starts with nonsense syllables sung in a semi-shouting vocal style
Drums, sax, bass, guitar enter – piano is in the background
Use of stop time
Use of falsetto for punctuations
R&B based sax solo
Instruments include guitar, drums, piano, sax, bass
Lyrics about girls in general
Song: Long Tall Sally*
Artist: Little Richards
Genera: Mainstream Rock
Begins with stop time – shouting style of vocals punctuated by instrumental shots (lyrics speaking about girls)
Instrumentation includes drums, sax, guitar, bass and piano
Strong backbeat in the drums
Sax is the featured solo instrument
What was Little Richard’s band called
The Upsetters (first band to wear makeup and earrings)
What was Chuck Berry referred to as
father of rock guitar
Song: Maybelline*
Artist: Chuck Berry
Genera: Mainstream Rock
Starts with a guitar solo and then goes into a two-beat bass – use of maracas
Vocals enter – semi-shouting vocal style
Bass and piano play fills
Guitar is featured solo instrument
Song: School Day*
Artist: Chuck Berry
Starts with a guitar lick
Vocals enter with the melody – this is imitated by the guitar line (call and response)
Instrumentation also includes bass, drums and piano
More of a shuffle beat in the drums
Guitar and piano are the featured instruments
Lyrics speak of teenager challenges during a school day
shows how much Berry is dependent on the R&B style:
o 12 bar blues
o Stop time
o Call and response
o Targeting teens
Who pioneered rockabilly
Bill Hailey and Elvis Presley
Rockabilly characteristics
Original instrumentation included electric lead guitar; acoustic rhythm guitar; acoustic string bass then drums sax and piano were added later
Style is a mixture of C&W and R&B
Music was generally not notated –
Primarily a “white” style of music – white artists and white audience
Relied more on backup singers
What did Carl Perkins style become the cornerstone of
boogie woggie
Song: Blue Suede Shoes*
Artist: Carl Perkins
Starts with a definite stop time – first vocals and then instruments
Drums (no cymbals – just snare and hi-hat), guitar and bass
Vocal style is semi-shouting with use of stop time
Guitar solo is the epitome of the rockabilly style – this was copied by many artists
Instruments include guitar, bass, and drums
Lyrics about shoes
What were some of the categories Johnny Cash could be considered
Though considered one of the most influential in Country and could be characterized as more folk with the honest lyrics and emotions but also rebellious rock and also weariness
What did Johnny Cash do to make the ‘freight train’ rhythm
adding paper behind his strings
Song: I Walk the Line*
Artist: Johnny Cash
Genera: Rocabilly
Guitar leads in outlining the harmony – “freight train” rhythm is apparent almost immediately
Guitar falls into a two pitch pattern – Cash hums a pitch
Vocals are very melodic – lyrics are easy to understand as they are meant to tell a story
Instruments are only drums and guitar
What was Jerry Lee Lewis know for
demolishing pianos while performing cuz he was so hard on them
Song: Summertime Blues*
Artist: Eddie Cochran
Genera: Rockabilly
Begins with a riff consisting of handclaps, drums, bass and guitar – this becomes the instrumental portion of the call and response that follows
Mixture of sung and spoken vocals
Riff delineates the verses – simple verse form
Lyrics of tees, sun and fun
Song: Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On*
Artist: Jerry Lee Lewis
Genera: Rockabilly
Starts with boogie-woogie piano – again, there is no bass guitar here
Drums enter with a fairly strong backbeat
Semi-shouting vocals enter, lyrics are suggestive
Through the chorus, the drums play more of a shuffle beat
Guitar becomes more present in the second verse
Piano solo shows off Lewis’ patented gliss; guitar takes second part of solo
What was Eddie Cochran known for
very big guitar sound (power cord)
How was Buddy Holly different from other rock n roll artist
he defied rock n roll stereotypes (dresses very modest)
How long was Buddy Holly’s career
18 months
What was buddy holly’s band named
The crickets
Song: Oh Boy!*
Artist: Buddy Holly
Genera: Rockabilly
Begins with a quick call and response between instruments (lead and rhythm guitar, bass and drums) and vocals
Strong emphasis on backbeat
Harmonized backup singers continue the call and response throughout the rest of the A section
Backup singers provide constant accompaniment through the B section
A section is in a 12-bar blues; B section departs from that progression
Lyrics are love-based
1955 the year Rock n Roll began
- By 1955 R&B had a new name (rock n roll became its own name)
- By 1955 crossover hits were becoming commonplace in the music industry
- Number of Burgeoning rock n roll artists experinces their first top 10 hit in 1955
- By 1955 the song the rock around the clock appeared in the movie Blackbord Jungel
- Colonel Tom Parker takes control of Elvis’ career
The day the music died (rock n roll fell off)
The first wave of rock ‘n’ roll was almost wiped out at the end of the 50s due to a number of circumstances
* Little Richard 1958 plagued by feelings of guilt due to religious upbrining and leaves rock n roll
* Elvis complies witht the draft and is sent to Germany in 1958
* Also in 1958 Jerry Lee Lewis career experienced a severe setback due to backlash regarding his marriage to his young cousin
* Buddy Holly plan crashed in 1989
* Chuck Berry was charged with violating the Mann Act the same year
What is the Payola Scandal
Paying to advance your career
-started in tv
-DJ’s were caught
-Allan Freed (worked with Indie records) and Dick Clark (ASCAP/major labels)
4 elements of soft rock
- A clearly recognizable, charismatic lead singer
- Slow, dreamy lyrics-though this could change
- Triple division of beat
- A continuous background of instruments
Doo-Wop characteristics
Primarily, though not exclusively, performed a cappella (vocals only) or with a subdued instrumental line
Instrumentation could include any or all of the following: trumpet, sax, Hammond organ, bass, drums, piano
Much of the music was based around a recurring chordal pattern (much like the 12-bar blues) – called a ‘doo-wop progression’ it consists of I-vi-ii(IV)-V-I
Song: Why Do Fools Fall In Love*
Artist: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
Begins with the bass voice outlining the chord structure
Lead vocals enter with harmonized backup vocals, drums, bass and guitar
Through the verse, sax plays fills – harmonized backup vocals are constant in the background
Bluesy sax solo accompanied by guitar, bass and drums – unusual
Instraments include guitar, bass, drum and sax
Lyrics about love
Song: Come Go With Me*
Artist: The Dell Vikings
Bass voice leads into lead vocals singing nonsense syllables accompanied by sax, drums, bass and guitar
Lead vocals introduces melody – harmonized vocals enter the second time through
Instrumentations is relegated to the background – vocals take precedence
Instruments include guitar, bass, drums and sax
Lyrics geared towards teens
Song: The Great Pretender*
Artist: The Platters
genera: doowop
Starts with drums, sax, bass and piano playing a triple division of beat
Lead vocals enter with harmonized backup vocals
Fairly strong backbeat, though it is kept in the background
Backup vocals and sax provide fills
Lyrics dealing with loneliness and love
