Midterm 2 Flashcards
Rock N Roll (Genre)
- Coined by Alan Freed (shorthand for R&B records)
- Catered to young people as a result of their purchasing power following WW2 (aimed at youth of ALL races)
- Songs written to reflect their lives (ie. Rock Around the Clock) - Became an identifying/rebellion-esch genre for teens
Conservatism reigns after war
The Cover Version
Exploits social inequality, whereby a white artist covers an African American song for means of profit
“A Little Bird Told Me” (Evelyn Knight)
Cover of Paula Watson’s version → ended up being a straight copy
- Knight version peaked on charts!
- Supreme (Watson) sues Decca (Knight) → Decca wins
“Shake Rattle, and Roll” (Comets)
Cover of Big Joe Turner’s version → arrangement modified
- Comets reached higher on Pop, but not R&B chart
- Comets remove sexual imagery to appeal to conservative white audience
“Sh-Boom” (Crew Cuts)
Cover of Chords version
- Crew Cuts’ version peaked on charts!
- Crew Cuts tame down aggression and swing → infuse more scat singing
Rock N Roll → R&B Camp
Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino
Chuck Berry
Singer/Songwriter/Guitar → Appealed to mass market with Blues-Country fusion
Maybellene (Chuck Berry)
Unprecedented achievement (loud, fast)
- Blues → AAB form
- Country → unsyncopated bassline
- Theme = lover’s quarrel as car chase
- Builds suspense = monotone verse, energetic chorus
Little Richard
Famous for On-Stage Performance (stand at piano, yell)
- Sexually ambiguous image = provides interest!
Tutti Frutti (Little Richard)
Written by Richard when he felt misunderstood during recording session
- Overtly homosexual themes → had to be sanitized
Long Tall Sally (Little Richard)
12 Bar Blues converted to verse/chorus
- Verse (4 bars) → Chorus (8 bars) = ABB
- Theme = unfaithful husband!
Fats Domino
R&B artist who reimagined traditional TPA standards in boogie woogie, jump blues styles
- 2nd highest selling Rock N Roll artist to Elvis!
Blueberry Hill (Fats Domino)
Originally a TPA standard (AABA) by Glenn Miller Band
- Fat’s arraignment more aggressive (more full-bodied singing, less crooning)
Rock N Roll → Country Camp (Rockabilly)
Elvis Presley
Mystery Train (Elvis Presley)
R&B cover (original by Herman Parker)
Original = instrumental sounds like train
- Girl taken by train → no triumph over adversity
- Reflective of Black experience
Cover = ONLY drums sounds like train
- Country band (elec guitar, acous guitar, bass drums), hillbilly accent, blue notes
- Girl taken by train → yet girl comes back (white privilege)
Don’t Be Cruel (Elvis Presley)
Characteristic of Elvis genre-fusion
- AA (verse) + B (chorus)
Hound Dog (Elvis Presley)
Cover of Big Mama Thornton
- Elvis version more toothless, cleaned up (made more ‘palatable’)
Political & Economic Context of 60s
Society in turmoil over Vietnam war, civil rights movement, assassinations of JFK and Martin Luther King Jr.
Music Industry Developments in 60s
Music an outlet away from the turmoil
1. Free form dance crazes
2. Baby Boomers take over industry
3. Beach Boys = new possibilities!
The Twist (Chubby Checker)
- As first recorded by Hank Ballard (B-side)
Appeared on the popular show American Bandstand and credited for introducing a wide audience to Rock N Roll/dance music
- Forerunner for Discotheques (free form dance clubs)
Phil Spector
Unprecedented Innovative Producer (songwriter, arranger, instrumentalist, engineer…)
- Founder of Phillies Records (fewer releases than other labels, but each a hit!)
- Frequent shopper at Brill Building (TPA of Rock N Roll)
The Spector Sound/Teenage Symphonies
Characterized by “wall of sound” = dense texture from many instruments
- Achieved by doubling instruments for louder effect → ‘hit’ effect
- Vocal still remain at forefront
Be My Baby (Ronettes)
- Phil Spector
Quintessential Teenage Symphony
- String section, lots of percussion, castanet intro
Uptown (Crystals)
= Phil Spector
Quintessential Teenage Symphony with exotic influence (Latin America)
- Flamenco guitar, castanets
- Theme = class inequalities
—–Downtown → injustices felt by coloured man
——Uptown (with Girlfriend) → feels like King
Berry Gordy (pre. Spector)
Innovative Producer based in Detroit (later moved to LA)
1. Making African American music (blues + gospel based) for white audience
2. Ensure all creative/financial endeavors of company under his control
Motown
Detroit = Motor Town = Motown
The Gordy Strategy
- Complete image management (dress, conduct, etc)
- Create a lush sound infused with groove/dance beat (Gordy’s own ‘Wall Sound’)
My Girl (Temptations)
Motown production by Berry Gordy
- Symphony builds (passion!)
- Bass and guitar establish groove
You Can’t Hurry Love (Supremes)
Motown production by Berry Gordy
- Song form reflects lyrics
The Beach Boys
—Headed by Brian Wilson (‘Spector’-like figure)
Most celebrated American rock band in history (and best selling band of 60s)
- Formula for success:
1. Mastery/Imitation
2. Emulation
3. Experimentation
***Wilson inspired by California/Laurel Canyon era
Surfin’ USA (The Beach Boys)
‘Imitation’ in formula
- Steal? Of Chuck Berry ‘Sweet Little 16’
- Similar theme: rock has pervaded the country and everyone is obsessed!
Fun, Fun, Fun (The Beach Boys)
‘Emulation’ in formula
- Chuck Berry influence throughout
- Opening guitar lick borrowed from Johnny B. Goode
I Get Around (The Beach Boys)
‘Experimentation’ in formula
- Asymmetrical phrasing and chord progression
I Want To Hold Your Hand (The Beatles)
First #1 hit in America
Reasons for Beatles Success in America
- Prevailing national mood drawn to exoticism (Beatles not from home, where the turmoil is!)
- America becoming a receptive hub for world music (Capitol Records campaign)
- British bands flooding in
Beach Boys Success Formula Applied to The Beatles
Imitation: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly
Emulation: Please Please Me Album
Experimentation: Eleanor Rigby
Please Please Me (The Beatles)
Emulation = AABA form
Personal Touch = word play, harmonies
A Hard Day’s Night (The Beatles)
Emulation = AABA form, 12 bar blues nested
Personal Touch = harmonies, opening chord (tonic and dominant), coda (breaks apart opening chord)
Yesterday (The Beatles)
Emulation = AABA
Innovation = removes traditional rock instruments, acoustic dynamic (solo vocal, strings)
Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)
Innovation = strings are rhythm section, violin opposing cello, unconventional harmonies, theme is spiritual take on loneliness
The Beach Boys Response to The Beatles
Pet Sounds (Album)
- Rocks first ‘concept album’ (journey of youthful optimism → emotional delusion)
- Boundary pushing in all aspects
Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys)
***Released AFTER Pet Sounds as single
One of the most innovative singles of the 60s
- A ‘pocket symphony’
- Like Yesterday (the Beatles), goes beyond traditional rock instruments, vocal timbres (organ, cello, flute, Theremin)
The Nashville Sound (Countrypolitan)
Revamp of country music by youth in order to ‘keep up’ with Rock N Roll
- Sophisticated vocals (less accent/twang)
- Strings (rich sounding)
- Crooning backup singers (smooth)
I’m Sorry (Brenda Lee) → string intro!
Quintessential Nashville Sound
- All elements (sophisticated vocals, strings, and crooning!)
I Fall to Pieces (Patsy Kline)
Quintessential Nashville Sound
- Sophisticated vocals
- New instrumentation (steel guitar, ‘swing’ drums!!!!)
Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley)
Quintessential Nashville Sound
- Crooning
- New instrumentation (steel guitar, harmonica)
NOTE: Elvis’ voice still classic country!
Ray Charles
Synthesized Soul from Gospel and Blues (Country and R&B)
Soul
Characterized by blues (bent) notes, call and response, emotionalism, molisma (many notes over one syllable)
What’d I Say (Ray Charles)
Example of Soul
- 12 bar blues turned into emotional frenzy
Georgia On My Mind (Ray Charles)
TPA standard reimagined as soul!
- Appeared on widely popular album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music”
James Brown
Famous for live performances of heightened emotion, the secular ‘transfixed priest’
- Timbre & Rhythm over harmonies
Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag (James Brown)
James Brown ‘signature style’ (12 bar blues + dance rock)
Riff
- Stop-time technique (builds tension)
**Lionels Vinyl’s Playlist
Say It Loud - I’m Black and I’m Proud (James Brown)
Solidified Brown’s spokesman status for the black community following assination of MLK
- Rhythmic triumph (no chord changes)
- Precursor for rap (rhythmic speech)
Aretha Franklin
Famous for sociopolitical statements made in her music during height of civil rights movement and beginning of feminism
- Columbia → Atlantic (hits!)
Aretha’s Style
Contrasts the gentile ‘motown’ female
- Focus on gospel (father was a pastor), female empowerment
R.E.S.P.E.C.T (Aretha Franklin)
Originally written and performed by Ottis Redding, Aretha shifts power dynamic from male → female
- Gospel influence: call & response, passionate vocal
Urban Folk
Grew out of baby boomers in industry who were politically and socially conscious
- Despised Rock!
Bob Dylan
Pioneer of urban folk (highly influential)
- Poetry (real and evocative)
- Performance style (unpolished, simple)
Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan)
Length of 6:30
- The Byrds ‘electric’ cover with length of 2:30 → was a hit!
Like a Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan)
Marked Dylan’s ‘crossover’ to rock (knew he had to do this to reach a larger audience); showed baby boomers rock COULD be for adults!
- Went electric at Newport (booed off stage)
Details on Like a Rolling Stone
Song Length Restrictions
- 6 mins = longest 45rpm ever
New timbre
- Organ + Piano
Unique asymmetrical form
- Long strophes, variable chorus
Theme
- Realness, women falling from privilege to desperation
