Class Notes - Set 1 - Josh D, fill in the blanks PDF

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Josh D, fill in the blanks...

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HISTORY OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL 1948-69 Class Notes 1 Introduction ⮚ The decades: o 1920s – recovery from WW1, roaring 20s (partying) which ended with the stock market crash o 1930s – the great depression,ww2 starts and the dirty thirties o 1940s – ww2 brought employment opportunities which created prosperity ⮚ The Music ⮚ “Pop” (popular) Music o Crooners and swing bands o Upper to middle class white demographic o This demographic controlled o european flavored-tin pan alley tradition o Polished, somewhat European-flavored; o National distribution ⮚ Hillbilly Music and Race Music o Collectively referred to as minority music o Popular in the more economically poorer white demographic o More indigent musical styles –Hillbilly Music was based primarily on folk and country music from the appalachian mounts o Race Music arose from a mixture of old slave songs and more upbeat black styles (blues and ragtime) o Hillbilly music will come to be known as country and western o Race music will come to be known as rhythm and blues o black demographic- local distribution ⮚ The three forerunners of rock ‘n’ roll are as follows: o pop music o country and western o rhythm and blues

Typical Formal Types in American Popular Music Chord Progressions ⮚ The 12-bar blues o A pattern that is defined by the measure link,phrasing,lyrics and chord structure o Used to build larger forms like simple verse chorus or simple verse form o Some examples: _____________– Joe Turner – 12 bar blues in simple verse-chorus; o rocket 88 – Jackie Brenston – 12 bar blues in simple verse form; ⮚ The doo-wop progression o Pattern that first became popular with doo wop groups o Again, this is used for larger doo wop groups o Some examples: o come go with me – The Del Vikings; o earth angel – The Penguins – both are in AABA with a reprise o primary focus is on the vocals of the vocalists

Musical Forms ⮚ Simple verse-chorus form o A single pattern is used as the basis for both the verse and the chorus o can the circle be unbroken – The Carter Family ⮚ Simple verse form o Song consists of only verse-no contrasting material that would suggest a chorus o that's alright and heartbreak hotel- Elvis ⮚ Contrasting verse-chorus o Verse section is distinctly different from the chorus o rock and roll – Chuck Berry; that’ll be the day– Buddy Holly ⮚ AABA form o Consists of verses (a) and a contrasting bridge (b)- can employ a full or partial reprise o deck the halls with boughs of holly…(A)tis the season to be jolly…(A)..dawn we now our…(B) o hey good lookin– Hank Williams; blueberry hill – Fats Domino; all I have to do is dream– The Everly Brothers The Evolution of Media Radio ⮚ Radio is very regional,based on power of the transmitter ⮚ First important broadcasts were from KDKA Pittsburgh andWWJ Detroit ⮚ 1920s – more support financially to have a wider reach ⮚ Because the U.S. put a limit on the power of the transmitters, X stations were put on the border of Mexico that were huge so they could still reach the states ⮚ 1928 – the first coast to coast using AT&T, affiliates of a national broadcast ⮚ Up until the mid-40s, records were not played on the radio,considered unethical ⮚ Radio expanded into a thing called soap opera,talk radio soap opera (story based speaking) not music ⮚ present things on a national level ⮚ The concept of ⮚ This becomes the main forum for popular music Motion Pictures ⮚ The 30s and 40s were the golden age of motion pictures ⮚ Motion pictures were played across the country,music was very important to it. because of national distribution,other people would've been able to hear styles of music in the movies that they never had access to in their secluded regions Television ⮚ In the late 1940s, shift from radio to tv bc of corporate money ⮚ TV was thought to be more appealing than radio so many radio series moved to tv ⮚ As television grew, radio audiences start to diminish.r&b become more national than regional ⮚ These three entertainment concepts combined to establish a national pop culture: o radio o motion picture o television Pop Music ⮚ Directed mainly at ⮚ Aimed primarily at ⮚ Enjoyed national ⮚ Followed the white demographic

Characteristics of a Typical Pop (Tin Pan Alley) Song ⮚ Lyrics were typically non-offensive, non-controversial and most often dealt with simple emotions ⮚ white people(middle and upper class adults). ⮚ national distribution - white demographic would own and operate major music labels ⮚ Songs had a very straight, uncomplicated rhythm that emphasizes the downboat ⮚ Rhythm was kept in the background of the musical texture ⮚ Melodies were important ⮚ Tempos were moderate to slow ⮚ Written by professional songwriters;recorded by professional singers accompanied by a professional orchestra and or/chorus Song: Music, Music, Music* Artist: Teresa Brewer ⮚ Beat is definitely on the downbeat and beat 3 ⮚ Instrumental intro – piano and percussion; brass and winds enter near the end of the intro ⮚ Straight-ahead rhythm; non-offensive lyrics; melody is most important.melodic vocal style ⮚ Instrumental break is written out not improvised ⮚ instrumentation includes: Piano,percussion,brass,winds Song: Cry* Artist: Johnny Ray ⮚ Begins with harmonized backup vocals – use of falsetto ⮚ Piano, bells, guitar and drums in the background ⮚ Solo vocals enter – much more declamatory and emotional vocal style ⮚ Backup vocals and instruments sit in the back of the texture – vocals are most important ⮚ lyrics speak of heartbreak Song: Too Young* Artist: Nat King Cole ⮚ One of the first songs directed to a new and upcoming demographic – the teenager ⮚ Begins with strings followed by a piano solo; strings take the end of the intro ⮚ Crooning vocal style – they take the forefront of the musical texture ⮚ Piano and strings play fills – between vocal entrances ⮚ Instrumental break closely follows the melody line ⮚ instruments incld:piano,strings and orchestra ⮚ lyrics about a relationship Song: Blue Tango * Artist: Leroy Anderson ⮚ A hit instrumental (no vocals) and an example of the fascinations with exotic rhythms and dances ⮚ Melody goes between strings and winds; drums provide an ostinato (highly repetitive riff), setting a tango rhythm in motion ⮚ Melody is taken by strings; winds play fills; rhythm remains constant ⮚ Even here, melody is most important ⮚ instruments include:guitar strings,winds,drunks-use of riff (ostinato

Song: You Belong to Me Artist: Jo Stafford ⮚ Begins with orchestral instruments – horns, marimba, drums

⮚ Vocals are scatting – imitating the instrumental line ⮚ Once vocals begin, they become the most important thing – instrumentation falls to the background ⮚ Marimba is very evident at the beginning of each line

Song: I’m Sittin’ On Top of the World Artist: Les Paul and Mary Ford ⮚ Begins with sped-up guitar line and bass ⮚ Harmonized vocals enter – fast electric guitar licks plays fills ⮚ While focus remains on the vocals, more emphasis is placed on the instrumentation – there is an extended guitar solo, showing off the new solid body electric guitar Song: Doggie in the Window* Artist: Patti Page ⮚ Example of a “novelty song” – very cutesy; designed for laughs ⮚ Piece is in 3/4 time – like a waltz ⮚ Starts with strings and winds ⮚ Harmonized vocals enter with the chorus ⮚ Verses are sung solo; winds play fills ⮚ Vocals are clear and in the forefront; instruments are relegated to an accompanying role ⮚ lyrics are innocent and cute ⮚ instruments include:strings and winds COUNTRY AND WESTERN (C&W) ⮚ Called hillbilly music until the mid 30s ⮚ Had a relatively small companies referred to as indies ⮚ Produced largely by small companies referred to as indies ⮚ Distribution consist of producer and performer ⮚ Catered primarily to let affluent white audience- geared towards adults ⮚ Instrumentation included fiddle, banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass – NO Characteristics of a Typical C&W Song ⮚ The beat is steady ⮚ In a four-beat pattern, there is a boom chick feel-this is called a two beat bass ⮚ Harmonically, songs are simpler than pop songs ⮚ Songs were generally not written down but were passed down aurally and subjected to improvisation ⮚ Lyrics often tell a story and are intended to express emotions of some sort ⮚ Vocals have a nasal tone quality and are delivered in either a deadpan style or one with such intensity to give the impression that the singer is on the verge of tears Country Music ⮚ Found in the southeast and appalachia ⮚ Derived from folk music of the british isles

Song: Can the Circle Be Unbroken

Artist: The Carter Family • Instruments - guitar boomchick rhythm • Vocal style - nasal vocal style • Lyrics content - rooted in white gospel music • harmonized vocals in the chorus Song: The Great Speckled Bird Artist: Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseans ⮚ Begins with slide guitar soloing accompanied by acoustic guitar playing a boom-chick rhythm ⮚ Nasal vocals enter – lyrics are gospel-based ⮚ Slide guitar provides short fills between vocal entrances Western Music and Western Swing ⮚ Found in california ⮚ Connections with hollywood movies about cowboys ⮚ Western swing is big band with a cowboy twist-big band instrumentation with typical western lyrics Song: Back in the Saddle Again* Artist: Gene Autry • Instruments - fiddle, accordion ,slide guitar and mandolin • Vocal style - nasal vocals enter and slide guitar supplies fills • Lyric content - tell a story Song: New San Antonio Rose* Artist: Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys ⮚ Instruments - mariachi style trumpets-saxes,piano and fiddles,guitar and bass ⮚ Vocal style - vocal interjections-nasal solo vocals enter ⮚ Lyric content - about a woman ⮚ Boom chick feel Country & Western ⮚ In the 40’s, Nashville becomes the center for country and western business enterprises ⮚ This was due largely to the huge impact of the Grand Ole Opry show Song: Hey, Good Lookin’ Artist: Hank Williams ⮚ instruments : slide guitar over guitar and acoustic bass playing boom chick rhythm ⮚ steel guitar,violin ⮚ vocals:nasal ⮚ ABBA song from 4/4 time sig ⮚ slide guitar and fiddle are featured solo instruments Song: Hillbilly Fever* Artist: Little Jimmy Dickens ⮚ Instruments - steel guitar solo accompanied by bass fiddle and guitar ⮚ Vocal style - nasal ⮚ Lyric content - hillbilly style of music ⮚ prototype for an upcoming style called rockabilly ⮚ chorus has harmonized vocals Bluegrass

⮚ Virtuosic instrumental aspects of the music overshadow the vocals ⮚ This music was often used as theme music for TV and movies Song: Blue Moon of Kentucky* Artist: Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys ⮚ Instruments - fiddle soloing over mandolin and guitar then mandolin takes the solo ⮚ Vocal style - nasal and melodic ⮚ Lyrics content - heartbreak ⮚ songs in ¾ a country waltz Song: Foggy Mountain Breakdown Artist: Flatt and Scruggs ⮚ Instrumental piece – focus lies in the virtuosic playing ⮚ Begins with a banjo solo – classic “chase” music ⮚ Fiddle enters and solos over boom-chick rhythm of the guitar ⮚ Solos are shared by fiddle and banjo ⮚ Harmonica enters later in the piece and solos RHYTHM AND BLUES (R&B) ⮚ Rhythm and blues emerged out of the style of the blues that was played by black artists in the 30s Rural Blues Song: Crossroads* Artist: Robert Johnson ⮚ Instruments - just guitar ⮚ Vocal style - semi shouting with a driving rhythm ⮚ Lyric content - tell story ⮚ call and response occurs bw the vocals and guitar ⮚ will later influence rhythm and blues Characteristics of a Typical R&B Song ⮚ Very rhythmic, emphasizing the second and fourth beat of each four beat pattern-this is called a backbeat-drums play a larger role ⮚ Quite frequently patterned around a musical scheme called a twelve bar blues ( or some variation of the pattern) ⮚ Characterized by a very energetic stage show-vocals were shouted,forming the basis of the vocal style found in much of the fifties mainstream rock ⮚ Lyrics contained a certain amount of sexual suggestiveness ⮚ Songs were often improvised-rarely written down ⮚ Vocals and instruments were equally weighted-the instruments are more present Gospel-Based Blues ⮚ Church ⮚ Sacred song lyrics often be changed to scared secular- in and out of church ⮚ Caused controversy –because of sexual suggestiveness,blasphemies or a sell out

Ray Charles ⮚ Ray Charles Robinson was blinded by glaucoma at the age of 6 ⮚ Orphaned at 15

⮚ Dropped his last name to avoid confusion with the boxer sugar charles ⮚ Hit the charts for the first time in ive got a woman ⮚ Song combines heavy chords of church piano with r&b based on gospel song ive got a saviour Song: I’ve Got a Woman* ⮚ Instruments - drums piano sax and horns ⮚ Vocal style - semi shouting ⮚ Lyric content - speak about a woman (based in gospel) ⮚ horns play fills at the end of the vocal line ⮚ strong emphasis on backbeat ⮚ Charles based a number of his tunes on ⮚ Another example is Song: This Little Girl of Mine ⮚ Starts with a sort of call and response between sax/horns and vocals ⮚ Instrumentation: piano, drums, bass, horns and sax ⮚ Use of stop time ⮚ Harmonized backup vocals enter ⮚ Solo features piano and sax ⮚ Charles absorbed styles like a sponge: big band jazz and pop ⮚ He built up a music empire Chess Records – Chicago Blues ⮚ Founded in 1947 by white blues fans Phil and leonard chess ⮚ Specialized in solo singers backed by small electric bands ⮚ Rough-edged emotion, ⮚ Instrumental ability,showcased,adult orientated lyrics ⮚ Not meant to appeal Song: Hard Day Blues* Artist: Muddy Waters ⮚ Instruments - electric guitar,bass,piano and drums ⮚ Vocal style - semi shouting vocal style ⮚ Lyric content - losing a woman ⮚ instrumental features the piano-less pronounced backbeat and a walking bass ⮚ twelve bar blues Song: I’m a Man Artist: Bo Diddley ⮚ Instruments - guitar,harmonica,piano interject,drums,maracas ⮚ Vocal style - semi shouting - instruments have call and response ⮚ Lyric content - suggestive and egocentric ⮚ one chord -one chord boogie ⮚ bo iddley-starts with a lick(riff) that is referred to as bo diddley Song: Boom Boom Artist: Johnny Lee Hooker ⮚ This is a classic 12-bar blues ⮚ Begins with guitar – use of stop time – piano, bass, sax and drums supply fills between the entrances of

the guitar – this becomes the fill for the vocal entrances, too ⮚ Vocals enter – short phrases that are interspersed with instrumental fills ⮚ Guitar is the main soloist in the instrumental section Atlantic Records – Black Pop ⮚ Founded in 1948 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson ⮚ Songs were more polished;arrangements are structured and less emphasis on instrumental solos ⮚ Singers were more polished and had precision Song: Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean)* Artist: Ruth Brown ⮚ Instruments - sax guitar piano bass ⮚ Vocal style - semi shouting style,vocal upswing at the end of the first two lines ⮚ Lyric content - woman who is fed up with the actions of her man ⮚ Drum riff Song: Honey Love Artist: Clyde McPhatter ⮚ Begins with harmonized vocals, piano and percussion ⮚ Lead melodic vocals in front of harmonized vocals and instrumentation – piano, bass, sax, and percussion ⮚ Vocals are the most important – though there is an instrumental section featuring the sax Song: Shake, Rattle and Roll *formal analysis Artist: Joe Turner ⮚ hokum blues bc of its blatantly sexual lyrics ⮚ boogie woogie piano,acousitc bass and drums ⮚ strong backbeat;classic 12 bar blues form ⮚ sexual innuendo in lyrics and semi shouting ⮚ never hit the popcharts at all-top 5 on the r&b charts ⮚ form is simple verse chorus ⮚ 12/8 time (shuffle in 4) Doo-Wop ⮚ This was urban vocal music ⮚ Vocal style was mostly a cappella ⮚ Doo-wop refers to vocal style and the use of nonsense syllables ⮚ Greatly influenced by gospel music particularly in terms of harmonic makeup-most of the doo wop progression.compound mirror? ⮚ Characterized by a lead singer backed ⮚ Most are in an _____ form and uses what is called compound– triple division of the beat

Song: Sh-Boom* Artist: The Chords ⮚ Went to #5 on the pop charts ⮚ Begins with a cappella harmonized vocals ⮚ Drums, acoustic bass, guitar enter; strong emphasis on backbeat ⮚ Clear lead singer w/ backup harmonized vocals singing a mixture of nonsense syllables and lyrics ⮚ Bass sings the bridge ⮚ instruments incld drums guitar and bass

Song: In the Still of the Night Artist: The Five Satins ⮚ Begins with piano lead-in ⮚ Harmonized vocals enter with nonsense syllables over drums, bass and piano – triple division of beat in the piano ⮚ Lead, melodic vocals emerge over top of this opening section ⮚ The B section shows a much more active vocal background, now singing actual words (“I remember”) The Controversy of R&B ⮚ As blacks moved to more urban areas, a market for larger radio stations ⮚ Because the music was now on the air, enterprising white teens can tune and can be informed by music that was out of reach ⮚ White middle class parents dissaprove of this.racial streotypes ⮚ Lyrics were considered more suggestive and blatantly sexual ⮚ This music gained greater respectability when white covers...