Lecture 10: The Rock n Roll Era Flashcards
what is rock n roll
- new genre in 1950s, crossed pop, R+B, and country charts
- brought segregated audience together
- marketing term targeted towards baby boomers
when did rock n roll emerge
- mid 1950s - peripheral styles gravitate to the centre
- end of ww2 brings financial prosperity to young people. baby boomers were born in the 1930s, so there was less of them by the time they were teenagers. They had jobs, and parents had more money so they don’t need to contribute to househols
- conservatism reigns - return to normal after the war
alan freed
- promoting African-American rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll.
-disc jockey
who did rock n roll belong to in the 50s
- teenagers. used it as a form of rebellion
- songs were written to accompany them through all parts of their life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgdufzXvjqw&ab_channel=33Evenstar
song name? by who? importance?
- rock around the clock
- by billy haley and his comets
- they were swing group, but could tell where the market was going
- this song was not a hit until it was featured in a move
the cover version
- appropriation
- exploited social inequality, borrowing for profit, borrowing feels like stealing
- white musicians covering black artists songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIo7d-EcPKw&ab_channel=The78Prof
song name? artist? importance?
-1949
- a little bird told me
- paula watson (black)
- covered by evelyn knight (white) (1949) and it was much more popular
- supreme sues decca for stealing the song, decca wins the lawsuit bc song says a different arrangement isnt copyrighting. this opened the floodgates for more covers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wTQsAgktg&ab_channel=Steve
song name? artist? importance?
- shake rattle and roll(1954)
- by big joe turner (black)
- covered by bill haley(1955) and his comets (decca), changed the lyrics to remove sexual imagery to appeal to conservative white audiences
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBgQezOF8kY&ab_channel=BearWalken
song name? artist? importance?
- Sh-boom(1954)
- by the chords (black)
- covered by the crew cuts(1954) and became one of the biggest songs of the year. there was less swing, less innovation, it was slowed down
early rock n roll - the R&B side
- chuck berry
- little richard
- fats domino
chuck berry
- lyricist, vocal stylist, electric guitarist
- most influential artist
- developed his brand of R&B for mass market
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMkIK0qZnjw&ab_channel=ChuckBerry-Topic
artist? song name? importance
- maybellene by chuck berry
- fast tempo
- loud volume
- form is tied to blues (AAB)
- unsyncopated baseline tied to country
- lyrics: lovers quarrel disguised as a car chase, class distinction with the type of cars
- musical interest through monotony (no chord changes or melodic interest) - delayed gratification
little richard
- carefully crafted, sexually ambiguous image
- reckless perfomrance style
- set apart from other artists, paved the way for david bowie, elton john, lady gaga
- went against social norms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F13JNjpNW6c&ab_channel=Darwinner
- tutti frutti by little richard
- overt homosexual themes, too audacious for audiences
- verse are almost 12-bar blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E68N5E1d0_M&ab_channel=LittleRichard-Topic
- long tall sally by little richard
- 12 bar blues transformed into blues and chorus
- explicit lyrics of an unfaithful husband
