Unit 12 Flashcards
Motown
The dominant black pop of the 1960s. It continued the tradition of black vocal groups of singing pop music in a distinctive way, but updated every aspect. It was a distinct break from 1950s doo wop
Motown features (4)
- A strong backbeat anchoring a variety of rhythmic templates
- A bass dominant rhythm section
- Vocal groups and solo singers with gospel tinged voices
- Rich support from horns and strings
Social change in the 1960s
A large and vocal segment of young people rejected the values of “the establishment”. They saw the establishment as excessively conservative, bigoted, materialistic, resistant to social change, obsessed with communism and locked into a potentially deadly arms race, and clueless about sexuality. They incited the most far-reaching social revolution since the twenties.
What were the 4 dominant issues for college age youth in the mid 1960s?
- Minority rights
- Sexual freedom
- Drug use
- War
The civil rights movement
The generation that had grown up listening to rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and jazz found it hard to comprehend the widespread discrimination against black people. College aged people marched, staged sit ins, and got involved with voter registration in the south. This movement also promoted momentum for other civil rights movements, like for women and gay people
Sexual freedom
Commercial production of birth control pills began in the 1960s. This allowed women to be as sexually active as males with a much lower chance of pregnancy. It precipitated the most consequential change in sexual relations in the history of western culture and a new wave of feminism
Drugs
During this same period, the recreational use of mind-altering drugs spread to large segments of the middle class. Marijuana became the most popular drug of the 1960s among young people. LSD also became popular- it was banned in 1967, but underground use continued
Vietnam War
In 1954, Vietnam was divided into 2 regions. The north received support from the USSR and communist China, while the southern region received the support of western nations, especially the United States. A succession of American presidents saw a military presence in South Vietnam as a necessary buffer against communist aggression. As a result, U.S. military involvement gradually escalated over the next decade. Finally, in 1965 the government began sending regular troops to Vietnam to augment the special forces already there.
Why did many people oppose the Vietnam War?
People didn’t want to be drafted or to fight in a war that seemed pointless. The US government claimed that the war was winnable, but news of horrific events (the My Lai massacre) eroded support for the war even further. Massive antiwar demonstrations became as much a part of the news during the late sixties as the civil rights demonstrations were in the first part of the decade.
Why did many people oppose the Vietnam War?
People didn’t want to be drafted or to fight in a war that seemed pointless. The US government claimed that the war was winnable, but news of horrific events (the My Lai massacre) eroded support for the war even further. Massive antiwar demonstrations became as much a part of the news during the late sixties as the civil rights demonstrations were in the first part of the decade.
What was the result of the social revolution of the 1960s?
Civil rights legislation passed, the role of women in society underwent a liberating transformation, recreational drug use became more common and socially acceptable in certain circles (although it was still illegal), and the war eventually ended in failure. As a result of this revolution, ideas and practices that seemed radical at mid-century—such as multiculturalism and equal opportunity in the workplace—are accepted norms in contemporary society, in theory if not always in practice.
The counterculture
Some young people rejected society entirely. They dressed, acted, and thought differently, and some lived in communes. They were known as hippies. Many gravitated toward the San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area
In the 1960s, the Bay Area was a center for radical thought and action. The free speech movement began at Berkeley in 1964, and the Black Panthers were formed in Oakland in 1966
Why did the new music of the 1960s connect so powerfully with this generation? (3)
- The novelty of the music
- The power of the words
- The messages embodied in the music
Why was the music of the rock revolution novel?
The innovations were comprehensive. Every aspect of the music—its influences, creative process, authorship, sound, musical message, and end product—evidences the impact of new ideas and resources. The music took advantage of brand new and still evolving technology in both performance and production.
How is rock an integrated music?
The music of the sixties was more influenced by black music than any other style, but also the influence went both ways. We hear black influences in music by white bands and white influences in music by black performers. And these influences are assimilated into a new sound.
How did rock change the relationship between composer and performer?
Most of the early rock stars performed original material. Their music existed as it was recorded- it may not even have been written down. With rock, a song was now the total sound as presented on record (guitar, bass, backup vocals, etc), not just a harmony.
How did multitrack recording influence rock?
Multitrack recording made it possible to record a project in stages instead of all at once. One component of the song could be recorded and then kept or discarded. This resulted in a change in the creative process. Artists could experiment at any stage, and one person or group could typically stay in creative control of the project the whole time
What strengthened the bond between act and audience in rock?
The composers were usually among the performers on the recording and they maintained creative control throughout the process. Therefore, the artistic vision of the music reached the audience more directly
What instruments are the core of the rock band?
Electric guitar, electric bass, and drums
How did the sound of rock change in the 1960s?
- There were new ways of playing instruments
2. There were huge boosts in amplification- groups could easily play for much larger crowds
How did amplification and new instrumental techniques change the instrumentation of popular music?
The core instruments of rock bands had been in the background in pop music- due to increased amplification, they were now the center of attention. This shift also flipped the balance between horns and rhythm instruments. Horns were no longer featured in the limelight or an integral part of the band
Rock beat
Eight evenly spaced sounds per measure (or two per beat) over a strong backbeat. The defining characteristic of a rock beat is the layer that moves twice as fast as the beat. This rhythm is faster, more insistent, and assertive.
In rock, which instruments were responsible for producing a beat?
All instruments were responsible for producing a beat, in contrast to prior music, where it was the responsibility of the bass. No one instrument was locked into a specific role. One characteristic of rock was the end product of the interaction of all the rhythm instruments
How did melody change in rock songs?
Previously, the melody would be considered the vocal line and the lead instrumental line. In rock, melodic interest was spread out to other instruments. Many songs opened with a riff (melodic hook) that identified the song before the vocals even began. This resulted in a greater variety of texture in the music.
How did 60s rock groups project a collective identity?
Bands took group names (The Beatles, etc.) rather than a name that designated one person as a leader (Buddy Holly and the Crickets). Also, the interplay between voices and instruments meant that no one person was consistently in the spotlight
What approach did rock musicians take to musical borrowing?
Musicians took what they needed from other music and transformed it into something new. Borrowed sounds could come from anywhere. This was in contrast from prior music, where cover musicians made no effort to understand the genre of music they were borrowing from.
How was rock more “real” than other types of music?
Rock formed more of a bond with the audience. Prior pop songs had offered an escape from reality, but rock songs intensified the reality of life in the present. Songs weren’t written for something, but to say something.
What was the hierarchy of importance in rock?
Making an artistic statement was considered important. These artistic statements were made out of ordinary materials
What happened to music in the late 1960s?
Rock swept away the modern era pop that had dominated the music industry. By 1970, rock music was the new mainstream and represented a family of styles. Any music that was not rock or rock influenced was out of fashion. The range of styles was very broad, however, reflecting the openness of rock musicians and their audience to different sounds
Who were the poster boys of the rock revolution?
The Beatles. Their invasion of America sparked the rock revolution, and their commercial and musical impact was crucial to rock’s ascendancy
How did the Beatles influence music? (6)
- They established rock as a new popular music
- Made rock an international music language
- Created a new kind of popular song
- Proposed rock as art
- Confirmed the recording as the primary musical document
- Expanded the range of musical influences and sounds
How long did the folk revival last?
1958-1965
Revived folk music
Revived folk music was an urban music. The second revival made the separation between country roots and contemporary urban performance even wider.
Bob Dylan
White musician that began as a folk singer in the early 1960s (imitated Woody Guthrie’s “talking blues” style). He then performed as a rock artist and later a country artist, but was known for mixing elements of every genre into his own unique sound. He also tended to ignore the conventions of pop music- songs would be much longer than normal, songs in an album would have nothing to do with each other, etc.
“Subterranean Homesick Blues” 1965
Performed by Bob Dylan. It was a rock/country/blues/rap synthesis. The density and speed of the lyrics made listeners become engaged. It had a honky tonk feel but was a free for all for the guitarists. The lyrics were much more complex than anything that had been done before, contradicting pop musicians’ practice of emulating classical models. The song simultaneously brings popular music to a higher level and wipes away any pretentiousness.
How was “Like a Rolling Stone” unique for a rock song?
Within each section, verse and refrain alternate, as they do in many rock songs. However, Dylan puts his own spin on this rock convention. Each section has two verses and two hooks. The song also included a memorable organ riff
What was one of Bob Dylan’s major contributions to rock in the 1960s?
He played the key role in bringing both folk and country into rock.
What was the importance of Bob Dylan to music? (5)
- His music opened up new possibilities for the integration of words and music
- His lyrics were so provocative that he used musical settings to evoke mood
- Dylan made his music completely his own rather than by emulating an established style
- He gave rock credibility
- He strongly influenced The Beatles music
