Week 1 Notes (Filled In) PDF

HISTORY OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL 1948-69 My Notes – Class 1 Introduction ➢ The decades: o 1920s – recovery from World War I – partying and craziness – the Roaring Twenties – all comes to an end in October of 1929 when the stock market crashes o 1930s – The Depression – strikes all walks of life – the Dirty...

HISTORY OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL 1948-69 My Notes – Class 1 Introduction ➢ The decades: o 1920s – recovery from World War I – partying and craziness – the Roaring Twenties – all comes to an end in October of 1929 when the stock market crashes o 1930s – The Depression – strikes all walks of life – the Dirty Thirties – the beginning of World War II eased the country out of the Depression o 1940s – turbulent decade that saw perhaps the bloodiest war in history – however, war means money, employment opportunities became more available and the nation moved from a depressed economy towards one of affluence that would peak in the 1950s ➢ The Music ➢ “Pop” (popular) Music o Crooners and swing bands o Upper to middle class white demographic o This demographic controlled most of the major recording companies and held stock in a majority of the larger radio stations o Polished, somewhat European-flavored; Tin Pan Alley tradition o National distribution ➢ Hillbilly Music and Race Music o Collectively referred to as Minority Music o Popular in the more economically depressed regions of the country o More indigent musical styles –Hillbilly Music was based primarily on the folk and country music from the Appalachian Mountains; Race Music arose from a mixture of old slave songs with a more upbeat “black” style (blues and ragtime) o Hillbilly music will come to be known as country and western (C&W) o Race music will come to be known as rhythm and blues (R&B) o Regional distribution ➢ The three forerunners of rock ‘n’ roll are as follows: o Pop Music o Country and Western (C&W) o Rhythm and Blues (R&B) Typical Formal Types in American Popular Music Chordal Progressions ➢ The 12-bar blues o A pattern that is defined by its measure length, phrasing, lyrics and chord structure o Used to build larger forms like simple verse-chorus or simple verse form o Some examples: Shake, Rattle and Roll – Joe Turner – 12 bar blues in simple verse-chorus; Rocket 88 – Jackie Brenston – 12 bar blues in simple verse form; ➢ The doo-wop progression o Pattern that first became popular with early doo-wop groups but made a huge resurgence right at the end of the fifties o Again, this is used to create larger forms o Some examples: Come Go With Me – The Dell Vikings; Earth Angel – The Penguins – both are in AABA with a reprise Musical Forms ➢ Simple verse-chorus form o A single pattern is used as the basis for both the verses and the choruses o Can the Circle be Unbroken – The Carter Family ➢ Simple verse form o Song consists of only verses with no contrasting material that suggests a repeating chorus sections o That’s All Right and Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis ➢ Contrasting verse-chorus o Verse section is distinctly different from the chorus o Rock and Roll Music – Chuck Berry; That’ll Be the Day – Buddy Holly ➢ AABA form o Consists of verses (the “As”) and a contrasting bridge (the B) – can employ a full or partial reprise 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 regional in its early days – only broadcasts to a small area of the country ➢ First important broadcasts were from KDKA (Pittsburgh) and WWJ (Detroit) – radio develops from a medium intended only for military and maritime communications to become a way to disseminate news and live music ➢ 1920s – high powered “superstations” and federally licensed frequencies became more prevalent ➢ Because the U.S. put a limit on the power of the transmitters, many radio stations were set up across the border in Mexico – these were called “X” stations ➢ 1928 – the first “Coast-to-Coast” network is set up by NBC using AT&T phone lines to connect local and regional stations – these participating stations were called affiliates ➢ Up until the mid-40s, records were not played on radio – this was considered unethical – in its early days, radio was all about live performance in real time ➢ This was a very positive environment for musicians and their union worked to keep records off the air ➢ Radio expanded to include radio plays and “soap operas” ➢ The concept of national network defined a national popular culture – music was important to radio and national exposure almost always secured instant success ➢ This becomes the main forum for the distribution of “popular” music Motion Pictures ➢ The 30s and 40s were a golden age for motion pictures ➢ Motion pictures were played across the country – music was a very important part of the movie industry ➢ Because of the national distribution, many people became familiar with music that they may not have had the opportunity to hear because of their geographic location Television ➢ In the late 1940s, corporate money and interest shifted from radio to TV ➢ NBC, created by David Sarnoff, was a key player here ➢ TV was thought to be more appealing than radio – many of the long-running radio series moved over to TV ➢ As television grew, radio audiences diminished – this is why C&W and R&B became more national – in a ploy to survive, radio stations started focusing on regional styles ➢ These three entertainment concepts combined to establish a national pop culture: o Radio o Motion Pictures o Television Pop Music ➢ Directed mainly at the white affluent population – white middle and upper class ➢ Aimed primarily at adults – adults comprised the majority of the professionals (musicians, singers, songwriters) and consumers – teens would listen to and accept their parents’ music ➢ Enjoyed national distribution due to the fact that this demographic also owned and operated the Major Labels and held stock in the larger radio stations ➢ Followed the Tin Pan Alley tradition in terms of song-writing style Characteristics of a Typical Pop (Tin Pan Alley) Song ➢ Lyrics were typically non-offensive, non-controversial and most often dealt with simple emotions ➢ Songs had a very straight, uncomplicated rhythm that emphasized the downbeat ➢ Rhythm was kept in the background of the musical texture ➢ Melodies were important – usually easy to remember; simple enough to whistle ➢ Tempos were moderate to slow – faster tunes were typically bouncy and cute, often with light, humorous lyrics ➢ 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 ➢ Instrumental break is written out not improvised 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 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 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 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 Stopping Point for Class 1 Material My Notes - Class 2 (90 min. classes) COUNTRY AND WESTERN (C&W) ➢ Called hillbilly music until the mid-30s ➢ Had a relatively small and regionally well-defined audience – “Country” music centered primarily in the southeast and Appalachia; “Western” music was centered in the Southwest and California – they kept their distinct regional styles until Nashville was established as the central location for this music – henceforth, it was called Country & Western ➢ Produced largely by small companies referred to as Indies (independent of the Major labels) ➢ Distribution often consisted of the performer or producer driving around to radio stations with a box of records ➢ Catered primarily to the less affluent white adult population – since the money generally belonged to the adults, that was the targeted demographic ➢ Instrumentation included fiddle, banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass – NO DRUMS! Characteristics of a Typical C&W Song ➢ The beat is steady – pure country is based on a crisp, exact beat ➢ 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 – harmonies are usually triadic ➢ Songs were generally not written down, but were passed down aurally and subjected to improvisation; performers wrote their own songs – played their own instruments ➢ Lyrics often tell a story and are intended to express emotions of some sort; they are meant to be heard above the accompaniment ➢ 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 Remind the class that from this point on, they are required to write down the material for each song. The first class period was given… Song: Can the Circle Be Unbroken* Artist: The Carter Family ➢ Begins with guitar – boom-chick rhythm ➢ Vocals enter – nasal vocal sound ➢ Harmonized vocals in the chorus ➢ Lyrics are rooted in white gospel music 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 and the southwest ➢ 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 ➢ Begins with fiddle, accordion, slide guitar and mandolin ➢ Nasal vocals enter – slide guitar supplies fills ➢ Fiddle takes the solo over accordion and slide guitar ➢ Lyrics tell a story Song: New San Antonio Rose* Artist: Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys ➢ Begins with mariachi-style trumpets – rounded out by saxes, piano and fiddles ➢ Boom-chick feel supplied by bass and guitar ➢ Vocal interjections state the song title ➢ Extended instrumental opening ➢ Solo vocals enter Country & Western ➢ In the 40’s, Nashville becomes the center for country & western business enterprises ➢ This was due largely to the huge impact of the Grand Ole Opry show Song: Hey, Good Lookin’ (FORMAL ANALYSIS) Artist: Hank Williams ➢ Begins with slide guitar solo over guitar and acoustic bass playing a boom-chick rhythm ➢ Other instruments include fiddle and acoustic bass ➢ Vocals enter – nasal vocal sound ➢ Slide guitar and fiddle are the featured solo instruments Song: Hillbilly Fever* Artist: Little Jimmy Dickens ➢ Prototype for an upcoming style called rockabilly ➢ Starts with steel guitar solo accompanied by bass, fiddle and guitars ➢ Solo vocals enter and take precedence over the instrumentation ➢ Steel guitar plays fill at the end of the verse ➢ Chorus features 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 ➢ Begins with fiddle soloing over mandolin and guitar ➢ Song is in 3/4 – a country waltz ➢ Vocals are nasal – lyrics are of heartbreak ➢ Mandolin takes the solo 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 style of blues that was being played by black artists in the 1930s Rural Blues Song: Crossroads* Artist: Robert Johnson ➢ Early example of the style that will influence later rhythm & blues ➢ Based on a slightly altered 12-bar blues ➢ Consists of just guitar and vocals – yet a driving rhythm is present ➢ Technique of call and response occurs between the vocals and guitar ➢ R&B was called race music until the end of the 40s ➢ Originated in the African American ghettoes of large cities ➢ Market was targeted towards an African American audience – performers and consumers alike were almost exclusively black and poor ➢ Targeted the adult population as that’s where the money was ➢ The market was served almost exclusively by Indies ➢ Small, well-defined audience that developed mainly in the South, but migrated as the black population spread north and west ➢ Instrumentation included acoustic and electric guitar, acoustic stand-up bass, drums, sax, piano, harmonica 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 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 was a large part of life for southern blacks ➢ Sacred song lyrics were changed to secular ➢ Caused controversy – was blasphemous and/or a “sell-out” as the performer wasn’t writing the music, just changing the lyrics Ray Charles ➢ Ray Charles Robinson was blinded by glaucoma at the age of 6 – music gave him a world where sight was not essential ➢ Orphaned at 15; survived by playing piano in clubs and bars ➢ Dropped his last name to avoid confusion with boxer “Sugar” Ray Robinson ➢ Hit the charts for the first time in 1954 with the tune I’ve Got a Woman ➢ Song combines heavy chords of church piano with a strong R&B oriented band ➢ Based on Alex Branford’s gospel song I’ve Got a Savior Song: I’ve Got a Woman* ➢ Starts with vocals – drums, piano, sax and horns enter ➢ Horns play fills at the end of the vocal line ➢ Strong emphasis on backbeat ➢ Vocals improvise over the instrumental accompaniment ➢ Charles based a number of his tunes on gospel songs. ➢ Another example is This Little Girl of Mine, derived from the hymn This Little Light of Mine 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, country and pop were all added to his musical arsenal ➢ He built up a musical empire that kept him in the public eye for decades up until his untimely death, at the age of 73, in June 2004 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, expressive vocals, unpolished production ➢ Virtuosic instrumental ability; adult-oriented lyrics ➢ Not meant to appeal to white middle-class tastes Song: Hard Day Blues* Artist: Muddy Waters ➢ Instrumentation includes electric guitar, bass, piano and drums ➢ This is a typical twelve-bar blues ➢ Semi-shouting vocal style – lyrics are clear ➢ Instrumental features the piano – there is a pronounced backbeat and a walking bass Song: I’m a Man* Artist: Bo Diddley ➢ Song is based on one chord – called a one-chord boogie ➢ Starts with a lick (riff) that is referred to as a “Bo Diddley” ➢ Instrumentation starts with guitar; harmonica and piano interject; drums and maracas maintain a constant beat ➢ Vocals enter over drums; instruments provide fills – this is a call and response 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 the fills between 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 – kept the singer out in front ➢ Singers were more polished; arrangements were more structured; less emphasis on instrumental solos Song: Mama (He Treats Your Daughter Mean)* Artist: Ruth Brown ➢ Begins with drum riff ➢ Sax, guitar, piano and bass enter with a riff ➢ Lead vocals enter in a semi-shouting style – note the vocal upswing at the end of the first two lines of the verse ➢ Lyrics deal with a woman who is fed up with the actions of her man 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 a instrumental section featuring the sax Song: Shake, Rattle and Roll FORMAL ANALYSIS (discussed in the text) Artist: Joe Turner ➢ Also referred to as “hokum blues” because of its blatantly sexual lyrics ➢ Starts with boogie-woogie piano, acoustic bass and drums ➢ Strong backbeat; classic 12-bar blues ➢ Vocals enter – handclaps join drums on the backbeat ➢ Sexual innuendo in the lyrics ➢ Never hit the pop charts at all – Top 5 on the R&B charts Doo-Wop ➢ This was urban vocal music ➢ Mostly an a cappella (no instruments – strictly vocal) style ➢ Doo-wop refers to the vocal style and the use of nonsense syllables ➢ Greatly influenced by gospel music, particularly in terms of harmonic make-up – most use the “doowop” progression ➢ Characterized by a lead singer backed up by vocal group accompaniment ➢ Most are in an AABA form and uses what is called compound meter – 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 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 Black Americans moved to more urban areas, a market for radio stations supporting black music sprang up ➢ Because the music was now on the air, enterprising (white) teens could tune in and become familiar with these styles of music ➢ White middle class parents disapproved of this – largely due to negative racial stereotypes ➢ Lyrics were considered suggestive, sometimes blatantly sexual and contained many double entendres ➢ This music gained greater respectability when white artists covered the tunes and cleaned up the lyrics