Songs Flashcards
The Carter Family - “No Depression in Heaven”
(1936)
• Written by James Vaughn
- Communicates rural (Appalachia) experience of Great Depression
- Group was a major influence on bluegrass, country, rock and pop
- Guitar in forefront, Maybelle’s ‘Carter style’ thumb picking
Count Basie - “One O’Clock Jump”
- 1904-1984, New Jersey, Jazz pianist, composer, got his start in Harlem’
- ‘One O’Clock Jump’ (1937) –> Decca –> Columbia later
- Jazz standard
- Theme song of Count Basie Orchestra
- Individuals take turns improvising over song
- -> 1963 performance, Judy Garland Show
Robert Johnson - “Sweet Home Chicago”
–> Robert Johnson 1911 - 1938, Mississippi
- Short and poorly documented life
- Myth of selling soul at crossroads for success (Cross Road Blues)
- 1936/1937
Ex: of 12-bar blues
Hank Williams - Your Cheatin’ Heart
1952/1953
Alabama –> MGM records
- Member of Grand Ole Opry
- Struggles with alcoholism, health problems (Had to leave Opry)
- Died of heart failure
- “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (52/53) –> Released around his death & becomes symbolic of his status as a lonely figure
- Honky-Tonk Sound
Muddy Waters - “Hoochie Coochie Man”
1954
- written by Willie Dixon –> Chess
- Chicago Blues (classic/standard)
- Recorded with full backing band
- Use of “stop time” (call & response)
- “Father” of modern Chicago blues
- Arrived in Chicago in 1943
- Electric guitar, amplification
- Aggressive, masculine singing style
- Delta Blues > R ‘n’ R
- Big Influences on R ‘n’ R
Chuck Berry - “Maybellene”
(1955) –> Chess
- Car Songs: “It was my fascination for the roads, for driving, motoring, which prompted me to write those songs”
- An early influence on the rock’n’roll sound
- Adaptation of Bob Wills’ “Ida Red”
- Guitar, piano, bass, drums (12-bar blues)
Chubby Checker - “The Twist”
1960
- Written by Hank Ballard (1959)
- No.1 hit in 1960 and 1962
- The twist dance craze, a number of songs with the word “twist” in the title would follow (1962)
- Performance: The Dick Clark Saturday Night Show
Parkway Records
The Ronettes - “Be My Baby”
1963
- Written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector
- Use of the “Wall of Sound” technique
- Recorded in Hollywood (Gold Star Studios) – moving away from Brill Building
- Use of full orchestra
- Additional backup vocals: Sonny and Cher, Darlene Love
- Distinct drum phrase (Hal Blaine)
- Listen for texture, layers
Philles Records
Bob Dylan - “Subterranean Homesick Blues”
1965
- Threat to aesthetic and political beliefs of folk movement
- Rock ‘n’ roll beat, surreal lyrics (Beat poets)
- “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) –> Organ and electric guitar
Columbia Records
The Beach Boys - “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
- Single from Pet Sounds
- “Wall of Sound” (Phil Spector influence: use of classical music in popular music)
- Overdubbed voices (to Brian’s specification)
- The Wrecking Crew on backing instrumental track
- Vocals only (isolated - give a sense of harmonies & layers - different version)
Capitol Records
The Beatles - “A Day in the Life”
1967
- 41 piece orchestra
- Middle section, atonal crescendo
“…a suburb achievement of their brilliant and startlingly effective popular art” (Kroll)
- Distinct sections written by Lennon and McCartney
- “I’d Love you turn you on” - BBC banned the song
- Final chord: simultaneous E-major (3 pianos, harmonium)
- From Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Parlophone /Capitol
The Rolling Stones - “Street Fighting Man”
- Beggars Banquet (1968)
- The Stones begin to find their own blues-based, hard rock sound, a “return to form”
- Politics: Tariq Ali and anti war rally
- Ambiguous relation of rock and rebellion
- Willis compares to Beatles’ “Revolution”
- Label: London
Jimi Hendrix - “Voodo Child”
‘68 record, ‘70 release
- Electric Ladyland (1968), single (UK, ‘70)
- Final “Experience” album
- Improvised guitar, wah pedal intro, effects
- Psychedelic blues
- Studio jam, final take included on album
- Live performances varied in length
- Track Records
Carole King - “It’s Too Late”
1971
- Reflexive lyrics about the end of a relationship
- Feminism: the woman has left the man
- Critics emphasized the “truth” to the song as well as its ability to communicate sadness (music is in a minor key)
- Still upbeat while portraying sad feelings
- Won Grammy for record of the year (1972)
- Ode Records
Bob Marley and the Wailers - “Slave Driver”
1973
• Off Catch a Fire (1973), Island Records
• Produced by Marley and Blackwell
• Speaks out against racial, economic, political injustices
“ Everytime I hear the crack of a whip/ My blood runs cold/ I remember on the slave ship/ How they brutalized my very soul”
