Exam 3 Flashcards
This first wave of the British Invasion seemed to be organized by 2 categories
-pop based sounds like beatles ->softer more fine style bringing towards jazz rock and art rock
-blue based like rolling stones -> harder raw oriented bands (rolling stones and Zombies) goes into san francisco groups, punk rock, hard rock and heavy metal
Song: Ferry Cross the Mersey*
Artist: Gerry and the Pacemakers
Genera: British rock (beatle like)
Ø Begins with a drum ostinato (riff) that continues through the intro and into the verse
Ø Strings, guitar and bass enter, creating the accompaniment over which Gerry sings – very melodic vocals
Ø At the chorus (“Ferry cross the Mersey”), the drums fall into a more regular rock ‘n’ roll beat – strings become more active
Ø Second verse – strings and flute play fills
Ø lyrics speak of liverpool nostalgia
Song: I’m Henry the VIII, I Am*
Artist: Herman’s Hermits
Genera: British Rock
Ø Starts with a strong rock ‘n’ roll beat
Ø Guitar comes in with a little lick and then falls into a riff – bass enters
Ø Lead vocals enter – sporadic shouting backup vocals
Ø Very repetitive – simple verse form
Lyrics are silly- marrying only men named Henry
Song: Bus Stop*
Artist: The Hollies
Genera: British Rock (beatle like)
Ø Starts with lead guitar soloing over a very repetitive bass line
Ø Drums signal the entrance of the vocals and rhythm guitar
Ø Vocal harmonization that the band is known for enters on the third line of the verse
Ø The bridge really shows off this band’s superb vocal harmonization – backbeat is more emphasized here
Ø Lyrics speak of meeting future partner at a bus stop
Song: Downtown*
Artist: Petula Clark
Genera: British Rock (soft rock)
Ø Starts with piano solo
Ø Solo vocals enter with light drums/percussion
Ø Melodic lead vocals- Backup vocals enter on the title lyrics
Ø The last part of the verse is characterized by a much denser texture including strings, backup vocals, horns, and much more active drums (bossa nova rhythm)
Ø Second verse includes guitar, strings, piano, bass and percussion for accompaniment
Ø Lyrics deal with loneliness (and traveling downtown)
Song: You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me*
Artist: Dusty Springfield
Genera: British Rock (soft rock)
Ø Starts with a brass fanfare
Ø Harmonized backup vocals, drums, strings and percussion enter
Ø Stop time as lead vocals enter
Ø Melodic lead vocals are accompanied by strings, piano (triple division of beat), bass and drums
Ø At the chorus, triple division moves to drums; harmonized backup vocals and brass enter
Ø Lyrics dealing with relationship turmoil
Song: Paint it Black*
Artist: Rolling Stones
Genera: Blues based British Bands
Album: Aftermath 1966
Ø Starts with electric guitar outlining the melody
Ø Drums shots – drums accent every beat
Ø Sitar, guiro and bass enter – to begin with, the sitar mirrors the vocal line
Ø Vocals go from melodic to semi-shouting
Ø Lyrics are ominous and depressing
Song: She’s Not There*
Artist: The Zombies
Genera: Blues based British bands
Ø Starts with bass, piano, guitar and drums
Ø Drums have a distinct drums beat through the opening verse – not a real strong backbeat; characterized by a little hi-hat flourish at the end
Ø Solo vocals start over this accompaniment – harmonized vocals enter
Ø Song goes from minor to major as it goes into the chorus
Ø Drums have more of a rock ‘n’ roll beat – harmonized vocals become more present
Ø Bass lick leads back into the introductory material
Ø Lyrics about heartbreak (loss of relationship)
Song: Do Wah Diddy Diddy*
Artist: Manfred Mann
Genera blues based British bands
Ø Starts with instrumental intro – organ/electric piano, drums, guitar, bass and maracas
Ø Drums lightly emphasizes backbeat; maracas play on all beats
Ø Stop time when the lead vocals enter
Ø Call and response between backup vocals and lead vocals
Ø Chorus is a cappella with the exception of drums
Ø Organ/electric piano is featured through the bridge
Ø Lyrics are innocent; love driven
Song: For Your Love*
Artist: The Yardbirds
Genera: blues based british bands
Album: For your Love 1965
Ø This piece is in ternary form – Intro – A – B – A
Ø Starts with harpsichord and bowed bass (both played by studio musicians)
Ø Bongos and anvil enter next
Ø Drums come in with backup vocals – they repeat the title while the lead singer sings the verse
Ø Cascading vocal effect at the chorus
Ø Change in drums signals the beginning of the middle section – a much more rock ‘n’ roll sounding section with a walking bass and more active drums and cymbals
Ø Lyrics about professing love to another
Song: You Really Got Me * (FORMAL ANALYSIS)
Artist: The Kinks
Genera: British rock (outside the beatles and rolling stones)
Ø Starts with a very distinct, savage, fuzz-toned two-chord guitar riff
Ø Drums and tambourine enter; bass guitar mirrors the guitar riff
Ø Semi-shouting vocals enter followed by harmonized vocals
Ø Short drum solo leads to the second verse
Ø Piano enters in the second verse
Ø (Featured solo instrument – guitar; this is a riff-driven solo – based over the opening guitar riff)
Ø Lyrics are about being overwhelmed with feelings for another
The Rise of the Beatles and the Reaction of Corporate America
Ø The success of the Beatles transformed music in two significant ways:
o A lot more focus was placed on British musicians and songwriters
o The Beatles’ success in America opened the door for a flood of British bands
Ø All this leads to loss of control and, perhaps more concerning, loss of capital gain in the area of album sales
Ø There was clear incentive to win back this loss in record sales
Ø However, at the same time, American musicians were inspired by the British invasion and moved towards more artist-driven independence
Song: Subterranean Homesick Blues*
Artist: Bob Dylan
Genera: Folk Rock
Ø Starts with first acoustic and then electric guitar
Ø Drums and bass enter
Ø Vocals enter – more of a speaking style
Ø Backbeat emphasized by tambourine
Ø Harmonica enters sporadically, playing fills
Ø Lyrics are of a social and political nature
Song: Positively 4th Street Blues (FORMAL ANALYSIS)
Artist: Bob Dylan
Genera: Folk Rock
Ø Begins with a Hammond organ riff accompanied by electric guitar, bass, piano, finger cymbals and drums
Ø Drums and finger cymbals emphasize the backbeat
Ø Lyrics blast the folk scene who had turned against him – set in 13 verses of equal length – this is not like Dylan
Ø form is simple verse with 4/4 time signature
Song: Mr. Tambourine Man*
Artist: The Byrds
Genera: Folk Rock
Ø Starts with twelve-string electric guitar – plays a riff that returns throughout the piece
Ø Bass and tambourine enter – tambourine emphasizes backbeat
Ø Drums enter and then harmonized vocals through the chorus
Ø Solo vocals through the verse
Ø Lyrics are very poetic and descriptive – a story-like song
Song: Scarborough Fair/Canticle*
Artist: Simon and Garfunkel
Genera: Folk Rock
Ø Begins with acoustic guitar
Ø Melodic vocals enter – first unison, but quickly break into harmony
Ø Orchestral bells enter at the end of the vocal lines
Ø Second verse – mandolin enters – texture becomes more dense
Ø Backup vocals (Simon and Garfunkel overdubbed) enter to produce a polyphonic texture
Ø lyrics are poetic- story-like
*two sets of lyrics happening at the same time
Song: Monday, Monday*
Artists: The Mamas and the Papas
Genera: Folk Rock
Ø Starts with a cappella harmonized vocals
Ø Drums, keyboards, guitar and bass enter
Ø Clear lead vocals enter with instrumentation – backup vocals harmonize with nonsense words
Ø At the second verse, the backup vocals join the lead on the verse lyrics
Ø (Good example of call and response with their harmonized style)
Ø Lyrics are relationship based
Song: Creeque Alley*
Artists: The Mamas and the Papas
Genera: Folk Rock
Ø Begins with acoustic 12-string guitar
Ø Vocals enter – vocals switch between harmonized, unison and solo
Ø Lyrics tell the story of the band
Ø Tambourine and light drums enters
Ø Harmonica eventually enters to accompany the vocals with the 12-string guitar
Ø Instrumental solo – flute accompanied by piano and 12-string guitar
Song: California Girls (FORMAL ANALYSIS)
Artist: The Beach Boys
Genera American Pop- West coast
Ø Begins with an introduction that employs a layered texture
Ø Begins with harp and 12-string guitar; bass and cymbals add in; horns enter last
Ø This is followed by a “Happy Trails” bass line over which the lead vocals enter
Ø Melodic lead vocals enter over drums, organ, bass, and guitar
Ø Harmonized vocals enter at the chorus – lead vocals sing in falsetto
Ø Drums switch over to a more orchestral style pattern; texture becomes more dense, including horns and glockenspiel
Ø Use of call and response in the chorus
Ø form in contrasting verse-chorus with 12/8 time signature
Song: I Got You Babe*
Artist: Sonny and Cher
Genera: American Pop- west coast
Ø The song is in 3/4 meter – starts with light drums, electric guitar and tambourine emphasizing every beat
Ø Drums pick up preceding the vocal entrance – Cher first and then Sonny
Ø Use of glockenspiel – orchestral bells (high tinkly sound that follows the melody at the end of the phrases)
Ø Chorus begins with unison vocals, but goes to harmonized; oboe (a double reed instrument) plays the fills
Ølyrics are a hippie anthem to eternal love
Song: This Diamond Ring*
Artist: Gary Lewis and the Playboys
Genera: American Pop- west coast
Ø Begins with cordovox (an electric accordion), rhythm guitar and bell tree
Ø Melodic lead vocals enter with drums, guitar and tympani (pitched drums)
Ø Harmonized vocals enter on the title lyrics and continues through the chorus
Ø Lyrics of heartbreak and rejection
Ø Brief instrumental solo features the cordovox and guitar
Song: Summer in the City*
Artist: The lovin’ Spoonful
Genera: American Pop East Coast
Ø Begins with autoharp, guitar and drums
Ø Filtered vocals enter – more of a semi-shouting vocal style – piano and tambourine enter; drums fall into a backbeat-based style
Ø Harmonized vocals enter at the end of the verse and going into the chorus
Ø At the chorus, tambourine emphasizes the backbeat
Ø The instrumental bridge features series of car horns and finishes with a jackhammer – this is supposed imitated the sounds of summer in the city
Ø lyrics describe summer life in the city
Song: Hang On Sloopy*
Artist: The McCoys
Genera: American Pop East Coast
Ø Begins with a drum riff outlined on the tom-tom
Ø Hi-hat, bass drum and snare (emphasizing the backbeat) enter with guitar and bass – they introduce the riff and chord progression that will pervade the rest of the song
Ø Harmonized vocals enter with the chorus – saxes provide the fills between vocal entrances
Ø Solo semi-shouting vocals enter for the verses – harmonized backup vocals join the saxes for the fills
Ø Lyrics about a girl
Characteristics from “Beatles-Type” Bands
-In the city of Liverpool, former skiffle groups follow the beatles footsteps
-These were known as merseybeat bands
-This sound was characterized by rockabilly, mainstream and english folk
British Rock Bands (Beatle like bands)
-The Searchers
-Gerry and the Pacemakers
-Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas
-Herman’s Hermits
-Freddie and The Dreamers
-The Hollies
-Petula Clark
-Peter and Gordon
-Dusty Springfield
Blues-based bands (rolling stones like bands)
-The zombies
-The moody Blues
-Manfred mann
-The yardbirds
-the Animals
-Georgie Fam and the Blue Flames
-The spencer Davis Group
What two British groups that fall outside of the ‘beatle like’ and rolling stones like’ bands
The Kinks and The Who
What group was famous for starting the trend of smashing guitars and instruments
The Who
The success of the Beatles transformed music in two significant ways:
o A lot more focus was placed on British musicians and songwriters
o The Beatles’ success in America opened the door for a flood of British bands
What artist/band was the first group to be hired to do the soundtrack for a movie that wasn’t specifically about a band
Simon and Garfunkel
-happened in the 60’s
American pop west coast bands
-The beach boys
-Sonny and Cher
-Gary Lewis and the Playboys
American pop east coast bands
-The Lovin’ Spoonful
-The Young Rascals
-The McCoys
Why was the Pet Sounds album (Beach boys) important to rock
-theme album (growing up)
-change from california sound
-success in Britain (flipped around version of the Beatles)
-not biggest success, but important
-starts the ‘theme album’ craze
The Top 40 format can broken down to a set of common characteristics (5 points)
o host of the show is a disk jockey (DJ)
o dj would develop a personality
o dj would play records as well and news and ads but mostly music
o songs would still come from a prescribed list
o list often would be based on weekly billboard chart
Garage Bands
Ø The success of the Beatles led to a number of amateur bands that couldn’t match their technical skills (didn’t have the same money)
Ø Because they often practiced in garage or basement this is where the name came from
Ø They generally used relatively cheaper instruments
Ø Most of these bands were on hit wonders
Ø However, those who improved lost some of the enduring qualities people loved them for
Ø Many of the groups in the early era of garage bands were the early part of the punk movement
Song: Louie, Louie*
Artist: The Kingsmen
Genera: Garage bands
Ø Begins with an electric guitar riff that pervades the song
Ø Drums and bass join the riff – handclaps emphasize the backbeat
Ø Lead vocals enter with the chorus – semi-shouting vocal style
Ø During the verse, the drums fall into a very basic r’n’r beat
Ø lyrics from a calypso tune- undecipherable
Song: I Think We’re Alone Now*
Artist: Tommy James and the Shondells
Genera: garage bands
Ø Begins with bass guitar outlining the harmony
Ø Drums, guitar, tambourine accompany the entrance of lead vocals – a mix of melodic and semi-shouting vocals
Ø Guitar plays shots at the end of each vocal line
Ø Harmonized backup vocals enter sporadically at the end of the verse and through the chorus
Ø Chorus is accompanied by the opening bass riff and organ glisses
Ø Lyrics are about teenage love
Song: Li’l Red Riding Hood*
Artist: Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
Genera: Garage bands
Ø Begins with vocal howling and then spoken vocals over a simple guitar accompaniment
Ø Solo vocals (a mixture of melodic, semi-shouting and spoken vocals) sing the verse over tambourine (emphasizing the backbeat), bass and lead guitar
Ø Rhythm guitar comes in with chordal shots on the backbeat
Ø Harmonized vocals enter at the bridge – drums and keyboards enter at this point as well
Ø Texture remains full through the next verse
Ø Lyrics are based on fairy tail with sexual innuendos added
Song: Just Like Me*
Artist: Paul Revere and the Raiders
Genera: Tv rock
Ø Begins with a vox organ, drums, bass and guitar
Ø Bluesy vocals enter over a riff presented by the organ and bass
Ø Backup vocals enter half way through the verse
Ø The vocals move to semi-shouting; handclaps enter to emphasize the last beat in each measure
Ø Lengthy guitar solo over the opening riff
Ø Lyrics about a relationship
Song: Last Train to Clarksville (FORMAL ANALYSIS)
Artist: The Monkees
Genera: TV Rock
Ø Begins with electric guitar riff accompanied by bass and tambourine
Ø Lead vocals enter with drums – two-step feel in the drums
Ø Harmonized vocals enter at the end of the first verse – they proceed to imitate the sound of train whistles with their harmony
Ø First interlude features nonsense syllables over guitar chords, bass and tambourine
Ø Verse is modified simple verse and 2/4 time signature
Song: I’m a Believer*
Artist: The Monkees
Genera: TV Rock
Ø Begins with organ – electric guitar plays a short lick
Ø Melodic vocals enter accompanied by guitar, bass, tambourine, cymbals, light drums and handclaps
Ø Harmonized vocals enter at the end of the verse
Ø Organ returns for the chorus; harmonized vocals become more active
Ø Vocal cascade – each voice brings in a different pitch to form a chord
Ø Bass guitar is the featured instrument
Ø Lyrics are love based; falling in love
