Test 1 Flashcards
Which cords are the most commonly used in rock music?
I-IV-V
12-bar blues
12 measures with 4 beats per bar
Big Joe Turner
Song?
Singing style?
“Shake, Rattle, & Roll”
known for shouting style and risqué lyrics
Who released a clean version of “Shake, Rattle, and Roll”?
Bill Haley cleaned up Big Joe Turner’s song
What were the typical instruments in early rock?
drum kit, bass, electric guitar, horns, piano
Ruth Brown
Style & Instrument?
“Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean”
style influenced by gospel music (seen in tambourine inclusion)
Media conditions leading to rock & roll emergence
TV - freed up airwaves for R&B/rock programming and TVs are more available
Radio - teens are using portable and car radios to get more music exposure
Film - teen-oriented movies are popping up
Significance of Blackboard Jungle
movie released that featured Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock
Little Richard
Song?
Image?
After?
“Tutti Frutti”
more explicit and suggestive
“The Architect” of rock and roll
flamboyant and left music a few times to preach
Chuck Berry
Song?
What was iconic about him?
“Johnny B Goode”
gifted songwriter
hugely important guitar style
had iconic guitar intros and stage moves
Alan Freed
influential radio DJ in the early 50s
nighttime spot on NYC station
caught in the payola scheme
What is payola?
Pay for Play scheme where cash/compensation was given in exchange for radio play
-Wasn’t illegal until 1960
Pat Boone
released vanilla version of “Tutti Frutti”
Ray Charles
Song
Mixed what genres?
Singing style?
“What’d I Say”
combined gospel, R&B and jazz
Call and response vocal parts
Fats Domino
“Blueberry Hill”
more fined than Little Richard or Chuck Berry
Bo Diddley
“Bo Diddley”
loose structure
Recorded for Chicago’s Chess Records
What artist often played a repetitive rhythmic motif on his guitar which was based on a Latin clave pattern?
Bo Diddley
What is rockabilly?
Rock + hillbilly
Bill Haley and The Comets
“Rock Around the Clock”
1st rock record to hit #1 on pop charts
What was the first rock and roll recording to appear in movie?
Song and movie?
Rock Around the Clock in Blackboard Jungle which incited riots in theaters
Who covered and transformed “Hound Dog”?
Elvis
Elvis Presley
Most important person in rock music history
Had unprecedented commercial success that continues decades after his death
What was the name of Sun Records’ popular group?
Million-Dollar Quartet
Who were the members of the Million-Dollar Quartet?
Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash
Who founded Sun Records?
Sam Phillips
Who was the original artist of “Hound Dog”?
Big Mama Thornton; had a raspy vocal style
Who wrote “Hound Dog” for the original artist?
Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller
What was another of Elvis’ popular songs”?
“Suspicious Minds” which was #1 hit in 1969
Elvis and Media Influences
TV - Elvis had numerous appearances and an unique dancing style
Radio - new radio formats that lead to fewer artists w/ higher numbers of spins each
Film - after Elvis’ stint in the army, his acting career began
Carl Perkins
Song?
Instrument significance?
“Blue Suede Shoes”
wrote and recorded his own music
his guitar playing influenced artists like the Beatles
Jerry Lee Lewis
Song?
Instrument?
“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”
wild performances, hugely influential piano style
Who’s nickname was “The Killer”?
Jerry Lee Lewis
Had a legendary temper
Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps
“Be-bop-a lula”
had an exaggerated echo effect
Everly Brothers
“Bye Bye Love”
Don and Phil
Country-style harmonies w/ R&B influence
Buddy Holly and the Crickets
Song, style and image?
“Peggy Sue”
trademark hiccup singing style
had a accessible regular guy image
What happened to Buddy Holly?
Died in plane crash in 1959 at 22
Roy Orbison
Song?
Importance about singing style?
“Only the Lonely”
one of rock’s greatest singers
made use of orchestra string section
innovated rock ballad
Early 60s
Changes in rock?
- wild days of rock and roll were slowing down
- direct backlash w/ banned records and DJ lawsuits
- indirect backlash w/ vanilla versions and song stealing
- parents, racists, mainstream music, gov’t all reacted against
The Penguins
“Earth Angel”
doo-wop style
clean cut boy band image
emphasis on vocals
Paul Anka
“Diana”
song about his babysitter
Teen idol but was also songwriter
Johnny Mathis
“Chances Are”
#1 in 1957
Pop crooner
Dick Clark
American Bandstand - TV music & dance program
Fueled teen idol and dance crazes
Survived the payola investigations
Chubby Checker
“The Twist”
Released 1960
Name influenced by Fats Domino
Importance of “The Twist”
Called most important record in rock & roll history by Dick Clark
b/c it got people of all ages to admit they liked rock & roll
exemplified dance crazes
The Shirelles
Song?
Image?
Social change at the time?
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”
about whether or not to have sex
exemplified “Girl Group” phenon
sweet polished image
Birth control had recently became available
Who wrote “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”?
Carole King & Gerry Goffin
The Ronettes
Song?
Lead?
Image?
“Be My Baby”
Lead singer Ronnie
Tough girl image - dark eye makeup, huge beehive, tight skirts
Who discovered The Ronettes?
Phil Spector who was a producer and married lead singer Ronnie
What is meant by “Wall of Sound”?
term used to describe Phil Spector’s studio recording technique
worked in LA w/ regular group of musicians
Where did California Surf Culture start?
started when millions migrated to Cali during Great Depression and WWII
surfing came to CA at turn of 20th century
surf music glorified southern CA lifestyle (girls, fast cars, fun, surfing)
Who was the originator of surf music?
Dick Dale
Dick Dale
Song?
Writing style?
Guitar style?
“Miserlou”
wrote mostly instrumentals
reverb on guitar, fast picking technique
Had Lebanese ancestry; tune originated in Middle East
The Beach Boys
3 brothers, cousin, and friend
Creative leader was Brian Wilson who was greatly admired by Phil Spector
What was special about “Good Vibrations”?
recording technique and instrument
By the Beach Boys
groundbreaking single that had elaborate studio work (time and expenses)
Used a theremin
multiple overdubs, tape edits
Folk Music Revival
Starting in the 1960s where young people were admiring and playing pre-rock American music
Social Change in the 1960s
Democratic administrations
Civil Rights Movement
Women’s and Gay rights
Vietnam War & draft protests
Sexual revolution
Traditional Appalachian folk music
“old-time music”
descended from British Isle song traditions
Played on strings (banjo, guitar, violin)
Who were the 2 godfathers of the folk movement?
Pete Seeger & Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
“This Land Is Your Land”
originally a protest song
fused music and political activism
Peter, Paul, & Mary
“If I Had A Hammer”
- written by Pete Seeger
focus on serious, earnest lyrics
Bob Dylan
Song and singing style
“The Times They Are A-Changin’”
political songs
strophic form
plain spoken singing style
Where did Bob Dylan begin?
as a solo folk musician in Greenwich Village, NYC (guitar & harmonica)
What happened at the Newport Folk Festival?
Year and event?
In 1965, Dylan goes Electric
made an appearance w/ an electric band (Paul Butterfield Blues Band) which horrified folkies; thought Dylan was selling out
Dylan’s influence
bridged gap b/t folk & rock music
The Band
Song and Look?
Collaborated w/?
“The Weight”
Worked w/ Dylan in Woodstock
look and sound were opposite to hippie-era culture
The Byrds
Song and who wrote it?
1st to do what?
“Mr. Tambourine Man”
Written by Bob Dylan
first group to merge folk and rock
Who is Roger McGuinn?
guitarist, singer, creative leader of The Byrds
The Mamas & Papas
“California Dreamin’”
folk rock like The Byrds but softer
Simon & Garfunkel
“Sounds of Silence”
Appeared on American Bandstand
Wrote and recorded The Graduate soundtrack which helped w/ hits
What is unusual about the way that Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” was recorded?
rock band was dubbed onto the original acoustic
Who was the founder of Motown Records?
Berry Gordy who started as songwriter and producer
Significance of Motown Records
first African American owned record label to successfully sell large numbers of black records to white America
Important impact of Motown Records
Berry Gordy hired people to help train inexperienced young artists to be polished professionals
Artists of Motown Records
Smokey Robison & the Miracles
Temptations
Supremes
Stevie Wonder
Four Tops
Marvin Gaye
Who was Motown’s biggest act?
The Supremes
- Florence Ballard
- Mary Wilson
- Diana Ross
What was the Supremes popular song?
“Where Did Our Love Go”
Who is considered the Queen of Soul?
Aretha Franklin
What was Aretha Franklin’s only number 1 hit?
“Respect” written by Otis Redding
Aretha Franklin facts
Instrument?
Family?
Career?
- gifted piano player
- Father was a pastor which is where her gospel vocal style developed
- Signed to other label but career took off when signed to Atlantic Records
Who was the “Godfather of Soul”?
James Brown
- innovator of funk music
- influential stage shows
What song for James Brown?
“I Got You (I Feel Good)”
Who had a posthumous hit that was his only #1 on pop charts?
Artist and Song
Otis Redding
- “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay”
What happened to Otis Redding?
Died in a plane crash Dec. 10, 1967
What is the name of the in house band for Motown Records?
Funk Brothers
Nickname for Motown Records
Hitsville USA
What was the name of Otis Redding’s racially integrated backup band?
Booker T and the MGs
