Monthly Archives: July 2018

M5Q4

Posted on by

Background

I went to the Saskatchewan Roughrider game on June 30th.  At this game, they commemorated all the victims of the Humboldt bus crash.  To commemorate this event, the Roughrider Saskatchewan and grew up in this province.

 

The Hunter Brothers are made up of five brothers; Luke, J.J., Ty, Brock, and Dusty.  They were born in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan.  The Hunter Brothers grew up on a farm and loved music.  In their early years in between seeding and harvest on the farm, they mainly performed in U.S. and Canada performing gospel music (Hunter Brothers).  During the winter, they loved to play hockey, which again is why they were the performing group at the Roughrider game.  Four of the five brothers played junior hockey, and one of the brothers (J.J.) even played for the Edmonton Oiler farm team (Hunter Brothers).  It is evident that their love for hockey runs deep.

 

The band primarily performed gospel music until they released their first original song in 2016 called “El Dorado”.  Later, in March of 2017, they had their debut album “Getaway” where five of their songs were in Canada’s top 40 radio hits (Billboard).  Their hit songs were; El Dorado, Getaway, Long way to Love You, Those Were the Nights, and Born and Raised which even made it to the top 10.  Today, they continue to create music and perform them across Canada at various festivals and special events.

 

Sound

The Hunter Brothers’ sound was very good.  One of their best songs is “Born and Raised” which they performed at the venue.  From personal experience, some groups who perform live, sound nothing like their recordings, however the Hunter Brothers sounded very similar to their recordings, which is very important to many fans.  Another aspect of the Hunter Brother’s is that they are actually brothers, and brothers can normally harmonize so well together.  They grew up singing together and their harmony was very impressive, not only in this one song, but throughout the concert.

 

The instruments in the band vary from song to song.  The group mainly plays with one lead guitarist and another guitar to place the harmony (chords).  Another brother plays bass guitar, and the other plays the drums.  The last brother is the main vocalist, but all the brothers do sing along to the songs and harmonize.  In some songs, depending on what they play, one of the guitarists will switch and play the mandolin as well.  For the most part, their songs all have a faster rhythm, and with a faster rhythm, means more upbeat and happier music.  Their music is very uplifting and fun to dance along to.

 

Venue and Reflection

As briefly mentioned above, the venue was at the Roughrider stadium in Regina. Looking across the stadium, many people were nodding their head or tapping the foot to the beat of the music, while the die hard country fans were singing along to every word (me).  Saskatchewan is made up of a diverse group of people and while not everyone at the venue was there for the concert, people in Saskatchewan generally can appreciate the odd country tune here and there. However, this was not just a concert just because, it was a concert to commemorate the Humboldt bus crash victims.  Keeping in mind that it was a football game, they tried to keep things very upbeat and positive, but the crash victims were in minds of many throughout the game.  The Hunter Brothers’ love and appreciation if hockey and their involvement with junior hockey themselves growing up, it hit home for many people.

 

The concert was very well performed, but the one comment I would say negatively towards the group was that while the music was good, watching them was a little boring.  I am not sure that it was due to the small stage or the fact that they are still a little inexperienced, but the group does not really move around much on stage.  While that is not a requirement and they do not have to go crazy, it is rather dry and mundane to watch.  I remember watching Alan Jackson at concert many years ago, while he is one of country music’s icons and his music is arguably some of country’s best, he sat on a stool in the middle of the stage and stayed there for the entire concert.  This made for a very boring concert as there was no entertainment that came along with the music.

 

Overall, I felt the concert was very good, even though it was fairly brief.  The band sounded very similar to their recordings, which to me is very important as I appreciate music without it being auto-tuned.  The brothers can all harmonize very well with each other that it is enviable by many.  This Saskatchewan group’s future looks very bright.

 

 

 

Austin, P. L. (2017, September 29). LifeHacker. Retrieved July 4, 2018, from How The Negro Traveler’s Green Book Helped Black People Get Around in the 1950s: https://lifehacker.com/how-the-negro-traveler-s-green-book-helped-black-people-1818994434

Billboard. (n.d.). Billboard Biz. Retrieved July 7, 2018, from https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3AHunter%20Brothers&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A-&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=Hunter%20Brothers

English Club. (n.d.). English Club. Retrieved July 3, 2018, from History of Country Music: https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/music-country.htm

Ganzel, B. (2007). Wessels. Retrieved July 4, 2018, from Farming in the 1950’s & 60’s (Music): https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/life_19.html

Hunter Brothers. (n.d.). Hunter Brothers Those Were The Nights. Retrieved July 7, 2018, from Biography: http://www.hunterbrothers.com/

Ivey, W. (1976). Record Anthology of American Music. Retrieved July 5, 2018, from Country Music in the Modern Era: 1940s-1970s : http://www.newworldrecords.org/liner_notes/80207.pdf

Kakutani, M. (2013, August 27). New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2018, from The Lasting Power of Dr. King’s Dream Speech: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/us/the-lasting-power-of-dr-kings-dream-speech.html

Kendi, I. X. (2017, Feb 22). New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2018, from A History of Race and Racism in America, in 24 Chapters: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/books/review/a-history-of-race-and-racism-in-america-in-24-chapters.html

Martinez, D. (2012, November). Music During the Great Depression. Retrieved July 5, 2018, from Country Music During the Great Depression: http://musicduringthegreatdepression.blogspot.com/p/country-music-during-great-depression.html

I did not get the greatest pictures, so here is one of the screen.

M4Q3

Posted on by

Country music, like others have experienced many different kinds of dichotomy over the years.   One of the most common form of dichotomy in country music history was the difference between white country music, and black (African American) country style of music.  While they both are respectably unique in their own way, they also share some similarities as well.  The separation between these two groups was a result of the racism in the United States in the early years of country up until the mid 1960’s.

 

The origins of country music can be traced in the United States all the way back to the 1920’s where it originated from folk music after World War 1 (English Club).  Throughout the decades it gained popularity across the country.  During this time, racism was still very much alive in the United States against the African American population (Kendi, 2017).  As a result, the African American people were often not welcome to “white” clubs (Austin, 2017).  The two races were at odd’s and often could not come together as equals.  Thus the African Americans had to have their own locations in which they can get together and enjoy their own country music (Austin, 2017).  It was not until the mid 1960’s after Martin Luther King made his famous speech that African Americans started gaining more rights and were able to come together with white people and enjoy country music together (Kakutani, 2013).

 

Before the two groups of people came together, white and black country sounded very different.  White country was typically more enthusiastic and upbeat, whereas black country followed more of the blues style where it was more mellow and filled with pain and sorrow (Ganzel, 2007).  A good example of this would be Leroy Van Dyke’s famous song “Auctioneer” (See link below) which was a very popular song in 1956.  The song was an upbeat and enthusiastic piece and arguably his greatest song ever.  The song features various different types of guitars as well as drums to keep the music upbeat.  The social and cultural element of this song was that United States along with many other countries recently became victorious in World War 2 which gave a very positive feel to the country as they were thriving economically (Ivey, 1976).

 

In contrast, “Sweet Home Chicago” by Robert Johnson (See link below) written in 1937 has a much more blues feel.  It only features a single guitar with a classic blues beat, with a slight country twist.  While these two songs are 19 years apart, they are still a very good example of the contrast between white and black country music throughout the decades.  This song was released in the 1930’s which was also considered the “dirty thirties”.  This was prior to the break out of World War 2, and the United States was in horrible financial state with many people jobless and out of money (Martinez, 2012).  This made for a very gloomy or blues feel socially, which is reflected in the beat of the song.  Also, black country often had a blues feel because they were discriminated against, and the singers would express this through song.  While the two different kinds of country had their differences, there were still some similarities between them.

 

While the two groups (white and black) were often at odds, their music sometimes reflected similar traits.  These similarities can range from tempo, instruments, and even similar lyrics/stories.  However, these similarities only became more and more evident after the 1960’s when racism was coming to an end and the two groups of people were able to set aside their difference and come together.

 

As racism diminished over time, country music no longer had the dichotomy of black and white country, as it was no longer segregated by the race of the artist.  As both sides came together, it created the large category of country music.  Country music has a large range of diversity.  This means it can range from a fast tempo enthusiastic feel, to sad and sorrow.  Country music has not forgotten its grass roots originating from both sides as it still embraces the blues from the “black” country, as well as the more upbeat folk polka style of the “white” country.

 

In my opinion, this dichotomy no longer exists.  With racism being a thing of the past (mostly), the newer African American country artist’s music sound very similar to the white country music.  Black country music used to be mostly about oppression, but now African Americans have just as much opportunity as the next race.  As a result, their music has become less gloomy.  This does not mean that they cannot have blues style music, it is however much less common to see.  From the white county music perspective, it continues to be the upbeat country style that they were, but have been able to embrace the black country style and have numerous ballads as well.  Overall, country music has not lost its grass roots as both sides continue to be embraced by country artists.  What has changed is that race no longer dictates or limits the style of music one sings.

 

 

 

 

Leroy Van Dyke “Auctioneer”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaVTxiPBJgM

 

Robert Johnson “Sweet Home Chicago”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8hqGu-leFc

 

 

 

Works Cited

Austin, P. L. (2017, September 29). LifeHacker. Retrieved July 4, 2018, from How The Negro Traveler’s Green Book Helped Black People Get Around in the 1950s: https://lifehacker.com/how-the-negro-traveler-s-green-book-helped-black-people-1818994434

English Club. (n.d.). English Club. Retrieved July 3, 2018, from History of Country Music: https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/music-country.htm

Ganzel, B. (2007). Wessels. Retrieved July 4, 2018, from Farming in the 1950’s & 60’s (Music): https://livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/life_19.html

Ivey, W. (1976). Record Anthology of American Music. Retrieved July 5, 2018, from Country Music in the Modern Era: 1940s-1970s : http://www.newworldrecords.org/liner_notes/80207.pdf

Kakutani, M. (2013, August 27). New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2018, from The Lasting Power of Dr. King’s Dream Speech: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/us/the-lasting-power-of-dr-kings-dream-speech.html

Kendi, I. X. (2017, Feb 22). New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2018, from A History of Race and Racism in America, in 24 Chapters: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/books/review/a-history-of-race-and-racism-in-america-in-24-chapters.html

Martinez, D. (2012, November). Music During the Great Depression. Retrieved July 5, 2018, from Country Music During the Great Depression: http://musicduringthegreatdepression.blogspot.com/p/country-music-during-great-depression.html

 

Would the real Ma Rainey please stand up?

Posted on by

I wanted to ease into blogging by picking an easy topic that I could get my feet wet as they say. I chose to do a biography on Ma Rainey who is often called “The Mother of Blues”[i]. I thought, I am a mother and maybe we have somethings in common that I could blog about and win lots of creative points. Well, I hate to disappoint but I did not come up with many comparisons between our lives! I will include a few points where our lives differ for your reading enjoyment.

 

Ma Rainey was not her real name, her birth name was Gertrude Pridgett and she was born in 1886 in Columbus, Georgia. Gertrude started working at the ripe old age of 14 participating in a show called The Bunch of Blackberries at the Springer Opera House[ii]. She met a man and married him a few years later in 1904. The man that she married was William “Pa” Rainey and this is how she came to be known as Ma Rainey. She was only 18 year old when she started performing as the Ma to his Pa. Ma and Pa toured together for years while performing blues, country style.

*My name is Jennifer and I have always been known as Jennifer or a derivative of that name. I was married at 23 and Ma was married at 20. I also work with my husband in the same building similar to how she toured with her husband. Ma started working at the age of 14 and I started working at 15 years old. Unlike her job as a performer, my first job was at McDonalds.

Although Ma was very young when her career started, she soon came to be thought of as an authentic blues singer. She seemed to be able to portray true feeling and perhaps empathy to the situations and everyday issues that black people faced at that time and still face today. Her delivery of song lyrics with serious subject matter (incarceration, adultery, abuse etc.) was delivered with humor at times which is a style that was often employed in the slave era[iii]. This would have made her a very entertaining performer that would draw crowds as they could understand her lyrics as their own stories.

Ma Rainey was the first black woman to be recorded while singing the blues and she had a lot of challenges to overcome in her career. She was a black woman running her own career in the first two decades of the twentieth century and this was before women had the right to vote! Sources say that Ma was a true professional in how she ran her travelling troupe which was rare of a blues singer at the time. While photos of Ma Rainey are flattering, she is NOT reported to be a great beauty but she captured her audience with her performance and personal style[iv]. I am sure the spectacle to seeing Ma perform while being swathed in flashy fabrics, iced in diamonds and flashing gold when she smiled didn’t hurt her stage cred either!

*The most expensive piece of jewellery that I own is my engagement ring that cost my husband $900 in 2003! My family and I were once hired to be in a photoshoot for Co-Op Agro but it was because we were a regular family and could represent their customers well.

I would say that Ma Rainey was important to blues history for:

1) Her extensive touring and almost 100 recordings helped to distribute blues around the country[v]

2) For not being afraid to sing about taboo subjects at that time. Subjects like lesbianism, spousal abuse, incarceration, and blatant sexuality; all of which would have been frowned upon by the general public (aka. the majority of the White population). She essentially loaned her voice to be a voice for her people.

One of the unique tidbits that I discovered was that Ma Rainey could draw both black and white a customers to her shows. At times, the white crowd would fill up the allocated seating but sat in the seating reserved for the black customers so that they could take in the show[vi]. This peaceful integration was a testimony of her gift for singing the country blues and her remarkable showmanship. No one could stay away!

*I cannot sing and I do not have the kind of stage presence that Ma had. Well, that’s not entirely true. I have been known to draw the eye of fellow commuters as I belt out a song in my car 😉

Ma Rainey has many recorded songs to choose from (92 to be exact[vii]) but I only choose three songs for your listening pleasure and to showcase her vocal talents.

“See See Rider”

This song by Ma Rainey has a typical blues feel as she sings it. Her vocals start off high and ends low. It was actually her first recorded song from 1925. My favorite thing about this song is the opening line that Ma Rainey sings “I’m so happy…” but her voice is so low that it does not sound happy at all!

“Trust No Man”

I appreciate how this song has a conversational deliverance. It feels like I am in the room watching Ma Rainey sing it to me, eye to eye. I can see how her audience enjoyed her performance.

“Black Eyed Blues”

This song has a typical county blues feel. The banjo (or electric guitar played to sound like a banjo) leads the song and this lends itself to a true country blues feel.

I hope that you enjoyed learning about the Ma Rainey as much as I did. As I said in my intro I thought that Ma and I might have a few things in common but it turns out that our lives are wildly different (go figure!) Are you and Ma Rainey more alike than her and I? I would love to read your comments below!

___

Endnotes

[i] (“Ma Rainey”, Biography.com 2017)

[ii] (Jones 1974), page 28.

[iii] (Davis 1998), page 105.

[iv] (Jones 1974), page 25.

[v] (“Ma Rainey”, Brittanica.com 2018)

[vi] (“Ma Rainey: The Life and Music of “The Mother of the Blues”, jasobrecht.com 2010)

[vii] (“Ma Rainey”, Brittanica.com 2018)

___

Bibliography

  1. “Ma Rainey”, Biography.com. April 27. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413.
  2. “Ma Rainey”, Brittanica.com. April 19. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ma-Rainey.

2010. “Ma Rainey: The Life and Music of “The Mother of the Blues”, jasobrecht.com. August 7. Accessed July 18, 2018. http://jasobrecht.com/ma-rainey-the-mother-of-the-blues/.

Davis, Angela, Y. 1998. Blues legacies and Black feminism. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.

Jones, Hettie. 1974. Big star fallin’ mama: five women in Black music. New York, NY: The MacMillan Company of Canada Limited.

 

Latin Music USA – Bridges

Posted on by

Hello! My name is Jennifer Rysavy and I would like to welcome you to my blog for Music 111. I enjoy the rhythm and energy of Latin music so I decided that watching a documentary and reporting on it would be an enjoyable blog post for myself to write and for you to read!

The text book required for Music 111 is Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On and it covers Latin music in America in middle of the twentieth century. However, it does so briefly with coverage over a page and a half of the text. This was a vibrant time in American history where Latin music was a gem in the crown of New York so it should be remembered by more than a few paragraphs.

[i]

In the documentary “Latin Music USA”, 1940’s Latin music is discussed in the episode entitled Bridges. The episode is called Bridges because the type of music discussed was essentially two musical worlds (jazz and Afro Cuban rhythms) being bridged together.

Mario Bauza (interviewed in the documentary) and his brother in law Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo (aka Machito) are cited as the creators of fusing Cuban rhythms and big band music in the 1940s.[ii] This style of music is called Latin Jazz or Afro Cuban jazz.[iii] This fusion was achieved with the help of their band, Machito and his Afro Cubans. The documentary states that even the name of the band was ground breaking just like their sound. It was ground breaking because no one was referring to Africa with this musical revolution. I found this interesting that Mario Bauzo and Machito were so forward in their culture that they shook up the scene with their direct band name that unashamedly causes a listener to identify their heritage.

While Mario Bauzo and Machito were creating new rhythm fusions, Dizzy Gillespie was falling in love with their sound. By all reports, Dizzy was an amazing jazz trumpeter that also was a leader in the Be Bop style. With his interest in the Afro Cuban rhythms, he became a champion for the sound. He brought along composer and percussionist Chano Pozo for the ride.[iv] They produced the song “Manteca” that showcases the fusion between Afro Cuban rhythms and jazz. I like the blaring horn riffs, the energetic rhythms and the conga drums that can be heard. It is a toe-tapping and exhilarating piece of music that makes me want to shimmy onto the dance floor.

Dizzy Gillespie & Chano Pozo – Manteca

In the mid-twentieth century, the new Latin Cuban rhythms could be found in New York, East Harlem. This was an area of New York that was often called “Spanish Harlem” as many of the Puerto Rican immigrants made this their home base. If Spanish Harlem was the where the Latin-Cuban rhythms could be heard, the Palladium Ballroom was where those rhythms could be showcased.

The Palladium Ballroom was a dance studio where the only rule to enter was that you had to be able to dance. There was a special group of people that you would encounter at the Palladium, the mambonicks. A mambonick is a person who likes to dance, especially the mambo. The Palladium did not differentiate by race or social class, just by dance ability. This was truly unique because it was a time in history where racial integration was frowned upon (to put it lightly). If you were at the Palladium, you would have undoubtedly seen every race and culture showcasing unique dance steps.

Over time as Latin music became more popular it was mainstreamed for the masses. This happened through:

  • The television show “I Love Lucy”. This was a new ground breaking tv show that featured a white woman and a Cuban man living in matrimonial harmony.[v]
  • The Cha-Cha-Cha dance was created and popularized Latin jazz music instead of the mambo because it was easier to dance. The documentary recorded people saying that this dance was the “idiots dance” because it was so easy to learn, thus the mass appeal.

The popularity of Afro Cuban music was short lived. The growing boom of Latin music was stopped in it tracks due to a major political reason and one unstoppable musical reason. The political reason that Latin music’s popularity was halted was that Cuba was taken over by Fidel Castro. The source of the music was no longer allowed entry into America. The unstoppable musical reason for the reduction in the boom of Latin music was because a band seemed to take over the whole world, The Beatles. When The Beatles took the stage, no artist or band could compete. The Beatles were drawing huge numbers at all of their performances and their massive appeal drew the mainstream ears to their songs and away from other types of music.

The impact of this musical style can be found in many popular songs throughout the decades. A Latin influence can often be heard in the Cha-Cha-Cha rhythm, conga drums (or conga drum style) and the fact that some of these songs are actually covers of Latin music songs.

Some songs that you may have heard and may not have realised had a Latin influence are:

  • “Day Tripper” – The Beatles
  • “Save the Last Dance for Me” – The Drifters
  • “Good Lovin’” – The Rascals
  • “Louie, Louie”- The Kingsmen

I would recommend this documentary to anyone wanting more information on the rise of Latin jazz in the 1940s. It was entertaining to watch and gave me a greater appreciation for the creators of this movement. Leave a comment after you watch the documentary because I would love to read your thoughts!

___

[i] “Latin Music USA”, PBS.org. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://bento.cdn.pbs.org/hostedbento-prod/filer_public/latinmusicusa/lmusa_logo.png

[ii] “Latin Music USA”, directed by Daniel McCabe (2009; WGBH Educational Foundation and BBC), DVD.

[iii] “Latin Jazz,” Brittanica.com, accessed July17, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/art/Latin-jazz#ref1088975

[iv] Ibid.

[v] “Why Lucille Ball Was More Revolutionary Than You Think,” Huffingtonpost.ca. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/lucille-ball-revolutionary_n_7138476

___

Bibliography

Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On. 4th ed. Boston: Schrimer/Cengage Learning, 2013.

“Latin Jazz.” Brittanica.com Accessed July17, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/art/Latin-jazz#ref1088975

Latin Music USA, “Bridges,” directed by Daniel McCabe. 2009; WGBH Educational Foundation and BBC, DVD.

“Why Lucille Ball Was More Revolutionary Than You Think”. Huffingtonpost.ca December 6, 2017. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/lucille-ball-revolutionary_n_7138476

Robert Johnson: A Pioneering Bluesman

Posted on by

 

As I researched Robert Johnson I quickly realized just how significant his contribution has been, and still is, to the history of popular music. His music has had tremendous influence on nearly all of the rock and blues music that came after him, evidenced by a never-ending amount of tributes to many of his songs by later artists.

Johnson has even been claimed “the most esteemed of the early Delta Bluesmen.” -Campbell 

Johnson’s “deep blues” [1] sound is simple yet highly unique; his signature shuffle rhythm is one of the primary characteristics that drew me into his music and reminded me of much of the modern blues that I enjoy today. The “country blues” that came out of the South lacks the instrumentation that we hear and see in modern blues music, and nearly all popular music. Nonetheless, Johnson’s masterful guitar playing often sounded like there were two guitarists playing [2], which allowed for a more rounded sound than other solo guitarists.

Some History

Robert Johnson was born May 8th, 1911 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi; sadly, he passed away at the young age of 27, on August 16th, 1938 [3]. His death is suspected to be cause by a “deliberate poisoning” [3] via strychnine; rumour has it the poisoning culprit was the “jealous husband” [1] of a woman who was friendly with Johnson.

Robert Johnson’s life is still a large mystery to this day, but by far one of the most common stories heard about him was the supposed selling of his soul to the devil, in exchange for the mastery of the guitar. This exchange was said to have occurred at the crossroads of Highways 49 and 61 in Mississippi [3], a site that was made famous in Cream’s hit song “Crossroads” , along with the movie of the same name. According to Joel Rose this is simply another myth that requires dispelling [4]. In his NPR article, Rose outlines Johnson’s early life on a plantation in the Mississippi Delta. Johnson was said to have enjoyed music more than farming life, however, and ended up focusing on guitar playing instead. Locals criticized his “lousy guitar playing” [4], leading him to take off to Arkansas. This is the point in the story where the myth emerges; years later Johnson is said to have come back to Mississippi and rumour had it he sold his soul to the devil for his newly developed guitar talent. According to Rose though, Johnson claimed at some point to have practiced with a ‘human’. Nonetheless, the story has inspired generations of music and art, instilling the dark and eerie haze over the blues legacy we have come to know and love.

Johnson’s 29 songs were recorded in 1936 and 1937 in Texas [3], but at this point the country blues had “peaked in commercial style” [1]; Johnson’s recordings did not meet their influential fate until the folk revival in the 1960’s [1,3].

“I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”

The song I chose to highlight is “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom.” The primary reason I have chosen this song is because it immediately reminded me of the modern blues and rock music that I enjoy so much. This song features many qualities that continue through time in the blues tradition, and it features them well.

“”I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”, as both a phrase and a song, has been a blues staple for 75 years” -Marshall

First, Johnson is known for his distinctive turnarounds that he plays throughout many of his songs. The intro in this song begins similarly to some of Johnson’s other songs like “Sweet Home Chicago” and “Kind Hearted Woman”. Second, the signature shuffle rhythm is evident all throughout this song; I was unfamiliar with the term “shuffle rhythm” prior to studying it for this section of the blues, and now realize that it is probably the rhythmic feature I am most familiar with—I immediately identify a song as “blues” or “blues-inspired” when I hear this rhythm. The last big feature of this song that caught my attention was Johnson’s repeated guitar licks/fast picking style. This might actually be the feature that really drew me to this song as I did not hear it in some of his previous songs, like “Hellbound On My Tail.” This feature of the song was what really got me feeling a strong connection to Johnson because of it’s similarity to some of my other favourite musicians, like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix. You can hear the sound pattern that I am referring to a lot in Stevie Ray Vaughn’s solo in “Pride and Joy” between 1:40 and 2:20. Another musical feature that I will mention is the standard high to low melody that we hear in blues lyrics, with a flatter melody towards the ending phrases; typically the 3rd and 4th lines are flatter.

Go ahead and give it a listen! Feel free to comment on other things that you hear in the song that I did not discuss.

Elmore James

The second reason I chose this song is because of the way it has been taken up and expanded throughout time. Multiple artists and bands have made the song their own; its evolution is truly fascinating. The newer versions are always unique to the particular artist/band and time of expression, while they also endeavour to maintain the song’s original integrity in tribute to the legend himself. The next version I have chosen to highlight is that by Elmore James from 1951.

The first two things I notice about this version is how it has been adapted to the electric guitar and how there is more instrumentation than Johnson’s basic solo version. Indeed, in his article “A Brief History of “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom“, Marshall identifies two of the most notable differences in this version is the addition of the harmonica and slide guitar [2].

Elmore James is truly the responsible party regarding the songs major uptake in the popular music scene:

James’ version “grew to take a life of it’s own. His hard driving slide guitar work would lay the foundation for a great many songs and covers after it” -Marshall

ZZ Top

Lastly, I chose ZZ Top’s electrified version of the song. I say “electrified” lightly, because technically the song was already “electrified” by Elmore James. However, you cannot miss the fact that ZZ Top’s approach to the song is even grittier than that of James. It was difficult to decide which of the more recent versions I should include; the song has been performed by many others, including some of my other faves like the original Fleetwood Mac and The Rolling Stones.

ZZ Top’s version definitely has an intoxicating energy to it. The breaks and solos in ZZ Top’s version are more characteristic of modern day blues and guitar playing, while Johnson’s original really takes you back to the authentic blues feeling and has a nostalgic quality about it. I think depending on your mood and purpose for listening to the music, any of the three versions could fulfill a deep need for the blues.

Lyrical Identity

If you have not figured it out by now, Johnson’s notable song essentially describes the trials and tribulations of romantic tension. Analysis of the lyrics will be described below.

The song begins with the now famous metaphor:

I’m goin’ get up in the mornin’

I believe I’ll dust my broom [2]

According to Marshall, the “dust my broom” metaphor has received some debate, but the consensus seems to indicate the action “to leave and not come back” [2]. The verse ends with a reference to a “girlfriend” who’s been “lovin'” another black man, potentially signifying some type of infidelity. The song continues with Johnson saying that he’s going to “write a letter; telephone every town I know” [2]. The verse ends with lyrics indicating that Johnson knows where to find “her”… but we don’t yet know for sure which “her” he is referring to.

The third verse points further to some sort of infidelity:

I don’t want no woman; wants every downtown man she meets

She’s a no good dooney; they shouldn’t allow her on the street [2]

Well, it’s no surprise that this verse indicates some hostility towards the woman who I am assuming was sleeping around with the “black man”. While I was unable to find a definitive definition of the word “dooney”, I’m sure we all have a pretty good idea of what it could mean.

The fourth verse confirms what we thought all along with the “dust my broom” metaphor and the infidelity when Johnson says:

I believe, I believe I’ll go back home

You can mistreat me here babe, but you can’t when I’m back home [2]

The final verse refers to a woman named “China”; she’s a “good girl over there”. Ultimately, it sounds as though Johnson is singing about going back home to find the loyal woman he is in love with. With his geographical references in the final two lines, Johnson seems to imply that he’s willing to go anywhere to find her, whether that be in the Philippines or Ethiopia, but this ending specifically could be open for interpretation.

There is no doubt that the overall theme of these lyrics is still relevant today; much of today’s popular music makes reference to the struggles of love and relationships. The “good girl” metaphor is one that I would say is still common today, but without the resources I found regarding the “dust my broom” metaphor, I may not have made that interpretation quite as quickly. Furthermore, Johnson’s lyrics about the “no good woman” are rather raw and some may even find them offensive; however, I would argue that lyrics today continue to evoke similar symbolism, perhaps in a less explicit way.

Robert Johnson: A Pioneering Bluesman

After researching Robert Johnson I have gained an entirely new appreciation for the blues. I am now in a better position to understand the common conception of rock and other music having directly evolved from the early bluesmen, like Johnson. I look forward to exploring the blues even more and listening for some of the qualities that I hear in Johnson’s songs.

 

 

 

References:

  1. Campbell, Michael. Popular Music In America: The Beat Goes On. Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2012.
  2. Marshall, Matt. “A Brief History of “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”.” American Blues Scene, November 29, 2011. https://www.americanbluesscene.com/a-brief-history-of-i-believe-ill-dust-my-broom/
  3. “Robert Johnson”. Biography. https://www.biography.com/people/robert-johnson-9356324
  4. Rose, Joel. “Robert Johnson At 100, Still Dispelling Myths.” NPR Music, May 6, 2011. https://www.npr.org/2011/05/07/136063911/robert-johnson-at-100-still-dispelling-myths
  5. Digiacomo, Frank. “Searching for Robert Johnson.” Vanity Fair, October 8, 2008. https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2008/11/johnson20081

 

 

The Payola Scandal

Posted on by

“Payola” is a term used to describe the transfer of money as bribery for a product or service to be seen as more in demand or popular. In the 1950’s, payola primarily referred to bribery used within the commercial radio industry. In the USA, it is legal for label companies to pay to have their music played more often on a commercial radio channel, however, it must be explicitly stated to viewers beforehand. In contrast, the practice of payola does not involve disclosing this information to viewers, which is why it was considered fraud.

In the 1950’s, the number of disc jockeys was increasing drastically. Due to the newly competitive nature of the field, DJs began accepting payment in secret and the rise of payola began.

In November of 1959, the government intervened after media companies began pointing fingers. After beginning the investigation, 335 DJs admitted to accepting money from record labels to play their music on air. Alan Freed and Dick Clarke, two very influential DJs at the time, however, both denied ever accepting bribery.

Due to Freed’s rough exterior and abrasive personality, he was easily singled out by the government. His close relationships with black musicians made it hard to believe that he did not have any sort of inside deals with them, and he was later charged with criminal bribery on 26 different counts.

Clark, on the other hand, was clean cut and was described as reserved and very polite. After the trials had ended, he admitted to cutting connections with any individuals or companies that could be incriminating and managed to escape the trial without any charges against him.

In 1960, after the government trials, changes were made to the Federal Communications Act, stating that it must be disclosed to viewers if a broadcast was sponsored. This is the same law that remains in America today. Current day payola has become more sophisticated and is now referred to as “corporate sponsorship”. This involves the partnership between large corporations (such as Pepsi and Dr. Pepper) and music labels to sponsor artists and promote their work.

Payola – both new and old – affects the music we are exposed to by only playing music by artists that can either afford to pay under the table, or are able to attain sponsorships from large companies. Because of this, payola is definitely a negative influence in the world of music. New artists may be unable to become successful due to the inability to pay for views or they may fail to attract corporations for sponsorships. This causes the radio to become homogeneous, which is unappealing to viewers. Additionally, payola hurts both radio stations and artists that refuse to partake in bribery.

 

Source list:

Hutchinson, Lydia. “Alan Freed and the Radio Payola Scandal.” Performing Songwriter. August 20, 2015. Accessed July 17, 2018. http://performingsongwriter.com/alan-freed-payola-scandal/.

Owsinski, Bobby. “Artist Sponsorship is Today’s Payola.” Music 3.0. January 19, 2017. Accessed July 17, 2018. http://music3point0.com/2017/01/19/artist-sponsorship-todays-payola/

McDonald, Heather. “Payola: Influencing the Charts.” The Balance Careers. June 3, 2018. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/payola-influencing-the-charts-2460759

The Household word in 1959

Posted on by

Hi, my name is Bailey. I was born and raised in the small town of Churchbridge, Saskatchewan. I am going into my second year of my Animal Bioscience degree which is my undergrad degree for veterinary medicine. Today I am going to be blogging about the household word in 1959.

What is Payola?

“Payola is when someone bribes a disc jockey to secure more airplay for their record”. (Campbell 2013 ) The more exposure you got the more likely your record would become a popular song. Labels noticed that disc jockeys can influence sales, the record labels took advantage. By bribing the disc jockeys, they got more airtime in return, which is known as payola. There were a couple keywords that hid payola from the public eye like “listening fees” or “evaluating the commercial possibilities”. (Neira 2004)

The Scandal and Investigation

Payola scandal began in 1958, when a federal investigation showed that a popular game shows “twenty-One” revealed to be fixed. (Hutchinson 2015) That federal investigation led to a similar investigation in the music industry. (Neira 2004) Before payola intensifies, there was a flat rate of $50 to spin their disc per week per record. (Hutchinson 2015) As time went on, the more professional disc jockeys took advantage of this and charged more to spin the record more often than other records. In 1960, the National Association of Broadcaster proposed that payola was going on under the table. (Neira 2004) Disc jockeys were using this to gain personal worth for playing certain recording more than others. If the disc jockeys got involved with payola they would get a $500 fine and a year in prison. (Neira 2004) A threat of losing their licenses, some disc jockey’s who might bring risk were let go for precaution measures. (Hutchinson 2015) The investigation came to conclusion for arresting eight-disc jockeys which included Alan Freed and Dick Clark. (Neira 2004) In 1959, Alan refused to sign an affidavit and turned down all accusation of him accepting any payola but he did except gifts for helping someone. (Neira 2004) Alan Freed was charged with 26 counts of payola but was let off with a fine. (Neira 2004) Another disc jockey was Dick Clark, he denies all involvement in the 1959 and 1960 payola scandal. Later, “Clark

testifies that the only reason he… [got] involved with those businesses were for the tax advantages”. (Neira 2004) Dick did not just get away with a fine like Alan did, he got arrested for his involvement in the scandal. (Hutchinson 2015)

Is there Payola in today’s music Industry?

There hasn’t been a payola scandal in the past few years. The most recent payola to hit the news, was in 2005 when Sony BMG Entertainment was caught. Under a one-year investigation, for “making payoff in return for airtime.” Sony BMG Entertainment was fined $10 million for giving cash or expensive gifts in return for airtime. “The $10 million will be distributed to non-profit groups supporting music education and appreciation programs in the state”. (Arts 2005)

Does payola affect the music we are exposed to?

In the music industry today, payola is still illegal but still causing problems in the industry. When payola is incorporated into the music industry, it is then the records’ labels job to decide who is going to rise and who is going to fall. (McDonald 2018) If payola is happening in today’s society, we are only listening to labels who can afford payola. Unfortunately, the record labels that can not afford to do payola with their artist would not get airtime to show that they deserve to be popular too. Even though we do not hear of payola in today’s society, but it doesn’t mean it is not happening.

My personal thoughts on Payola

In my own opinion, payola is a bad thing. With payola, there are no pros to it, just a lot of cons. The biggest one, in my opinion, is that the rich keep getting richer. To me, the ones who are popular should be the ones who worked for it and not the ones whose label can afford to pay for the artist to be at the top. If the labels kept engaging in payola, the music industry will cost more because the label companies will have to budget for the bribe money they are giving to radio stations to play their rising artist songs. Another con will be that the day of an album release if there are two record labels both having an album release on the same. Say record label “A” has a bigger budget for payola compared to record label “B”. Which album is going to have a better chance at becoming the album of the year or have more songs on the top 40’s list? If you guessed record label “A”, then you are right. The reason behind it is because recording label “A” is able to pay for payola which their artists’ new album will become more of a priority to have airtime which gives them more of opportunity to become number one.

In the past decade, we have not heard of any recording labels getting fined or under investigation for payola. I have not found any research that explores that payola is happening in the past decade, but we can not conclude that it is happening. I do not believe in payola because the popular or top artist should work for that spot and not the ones who just used the money to get there. So, it makes you wonder if the top artist today would be where they are if payola did not exist.

Works Cited

Arts, CBC. 2005. Sony to pay $10M in payola scandal . CBC.

Hutchinson, Lydia. 2015. Alan Freed and The Radio Payola Scandal. Perfroming SongWriter.

McDonald, Heather. 2018. Payola: Influencing the Charts. The Balance Careers

Neira, Bob. 2004. Payola Scandal Rocks’ 50s Radio. Modesto Radio Museum .

 

Big and Rich Concert Review Craven

Posted on by

Big and Rich is a Country music band consisting of two artists Big Kenny, and John Rich. John Rich was apart of a band called Lonestar, and Big kenny was pursuing a solo music career until the duo teamed up to create a new sound. In a time where this type of music had not been made before they combined rock with country to crate a new sound that caught on quick. The instrumentation is loud with a country tone in their voices. The groups crazy energetic flow instantly caught on with fans and kept many singles from their albums in 2004 to now on country musics top charts. The first album released was in 2004 which included their biggest hit on the album “Save a horse(Ride a cowboy).”Big and Rich are a large name in country music who produce music that is a music of the “Rock and Roll” era as well as the “folk country” era. The duo have most recently released a new album called “California” in 2017 but are more known for the classic hits like “Comin to your city.” Big and Rich have always stuck with the sound that they began with, which is why fans can know what to expect when going to a concert. A party-like atmosphere with meaningful lyrics and some classics.

Big and Rich created their own sound when they broke into the music scene. They combine a rock and roll atmosphere with country lyrics that people can relate to. Their music can get the party started as well as keep listeners engaged in the music and relating to the words.

The music they play combines many instruments including fiddles, drums, bass, and guitars, both electric and acoustic. The wide variety of all instruments ensures that they can create many different moods and sounds by mixing diffrent instruments.  Songs like “Save a horse(Ride a Cowboy)” have a rock feel with a country like lyric integration. The song “Coming to your city” is upbeat and has a rhythm that can keep you singing along but has creative lyrics that are relatable for different cities around the world. A big example of the type of music that Big and Rich is known for is the song “California” which is meant to be a slower song but has the type of lyrics and instrumental that can have listeners singing along but in an upbeat mood! In the song you can hear the artists signing emotional lyrics but the guitars in the background keep the feel loud and somewhat rock style.

I think that Big and Rich coming to Craven was a great idea because of the music that they play. I know the style is the reason I like them and I think many others enjoy them for this reason too. They can keep an audience singing along the entire night which is exactly what they did at the show. The audience was loud and attentive the entire night which is tough to do with such a large crowd and especially at an outdoor concert. The stage included many large speakers and lot of lights which was great because it was dark when the band came out.  Big and Rich did however lose the crowd a little bit when they brought out Cowboy Troy.  He is a country rap artist who has a different style of music. The reason Big and Rich tour with him and include him in their shows is because he has a unique style of country signing which essentially, is what made Big and Rich famous.  It was not what the fans were expecting and luckily it didn’t last too long before they got back to the classic Big and Rich sound.  The show included a lot of country music hits with most Saskatchewan country music fans were looking forward to and grew up listening to.

This band specifically was the one i was looking forward to the most at country thunder. I have always been a Big and Rich fan from the time i was young in the car listening to it for the first time on the radio. Like i said before I grew up to this music because it was always around. Over the years i have come to relate to the music more and more as a kid from a small town who can relate to most country music.  Big and Rich created a feeling at this concert that they care about the audience and who is in it.  You can tell in the songs they sing that they have seen what they talk about and have lived what they tell stories about.  This is what makes a concert good to me and i think a lot of other people. When the band or artist really connects to the fans that is what makes a concert meaningful. The concert was a upbeat show with slow songs that took the time to connect with the audience and have them cheering along for the fast songs.

Works Cited:

Craig Shelburne (May 16, 2005) Getting to know Cowboy Troy. Retrieved from http://www.cmt.com/news/1502421/getting-to-know-cowboy-troy/

Stephen Thomas Erlewine(n.d)Artist Biography. Retrieved from https://www.allmusic.com/artist/big-rich-mn0000762821/biography

The Payola Scandal

Posted on by

The Payola scandal was described as a “Cancer” by Billboard and “a blur of booze, broads, and bribes” by DJ Joe Finan. The essence of the scandal was that labels and distributors were paying for their music to get played on stations across America. And for most of the fifties, this was the normal procedure for all disk jockeys. However, that all came to an end due to a scandal that was in no way connected to the music industry at all.

Charles Van Doren was a contestant on the game show “Twenty-One” when an accusation of fraud towards the show came into the light. He was a prominent celebrity at the time having just been named the host of “The Tonight Show”. His prominence was an ultimate factor in the congresses decision to investigate the rigging of game shows. They would go on to find that multiple shows were using the same kind of techniques and were all charged with fraud. This would cause quite the stir with the Congress who would then turn their sights to a sound that was changing the course of history. Rock and Roll.

Above we can see Alan Freed, the man who coined the term Rock and Roll, as he enters the Congress to speak before the investigative committee. With the Gameshow scandal fresh in their minds, Congress decided to look into the reports of payments being the deciding factor for play-time on many US stations. These reports stated only what was near common knowledge for anyone involved in the industry. Nearly all major Disk Jockeys were taking payments as it was only illegal in two states, New York and Pennsylvania. Yet since most were cash deals, they were never reported and made the takers guilty of fraud. So why did Alan Freed become the face of it all?

He was a D.J. in Cleveland that created the first rock concert, the Moondog Coronation Ball, which in Rock and Roll fashion crashed a stadium with a 10,000 person capacity with 20,000 people. He made waves by playing what was defined as “Black-music” on TV and Radio. He was the face of the new wave of Rock and Roll and was an easy target as the head of the Payola scandal. After hearing the testimonies of over 200 DJ’s and finding hundreds of thousands that had been paid, they dropped most of the charges. Except for those on Alan Freed.

Freed was still being charged with 26 counts of commercial bribery when his station, WABC, let him go. He had lost all his radio and television deals and was reduced to nothing when the District Attorney decided that their point had been proven and that the problem of Payola had been ended. This left Alan Freed out of all the progression to come with Rock and Roll and would be the last major thing in his life before his death 5 years later. Other than ruining the reputation of one of the builders of Rock, the investigation lead to the creation of new federal laws that banned any type of payola unless the broadcaster openly admitted to being paid. A small result for the lengths that were taken by the committee.

Yet did these investigations really eliminate the process of Payola and properly address the problems it created?

The answer is not really. The laws put into place did block the direct way of paying the DJ’s however left many loopholes that companies would take advantage of. For example, ” some employees attempted to cover up the transactions as paperwork for fictitious contest winners” meaning they were paying out DJ’s saying they won contests that were never actually created. Yet can we be surprised? The entire industry is like every other business in that money is the prime driving factor and in order to make the most money, people need to be listening to your songs the most. So when you evaluate the Sony case shown above, you should think about the risk vs. reward of what they did. They likely increased record sales by having DJ’s overplay their songs which creates millions of dollars for them. Yet they were only fined 10 million dollars which to a company as large as Sony, is mere pennies in their bank. The risk vs. reward would say to take the risk.

However, from my other perspective, that of being a music lover I see the negatives immediately. The fact that artists coming from labels who do not have the financials or do not have the greed will be less exposed to the general public. This prevents their music/art from being properly presented based on their talent. Ultimately, the grassroots musician would face major restrictions in the way their music was broadcasted until radio was no longer the main communicator. At least that’s what everyone hoped as the digital market opened up and music could be found on many platforms other than radio. Yet, the framework of Payola did not disappear.

Anyone familiar with Spotify will recognize this as the home page for the over 70 million paid subscribers. Yet, the page that is supposed to be a reflection of each individual’s musical tastes and favourites was instead transformed into this upon the release of drakes new album. So the question remains, has payola really been addressed or has it just been transformed?

Sources

Weinraub, Bernard. “The Man Who Knew It Wasn’t Only Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The New York Times. October 14, 1999. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/14/arts/the-man-who-knew-it-wasn-t-only-rock-n-roll.html.

“The Payola Scandal Heats up.” History.com. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-payola-scandal-heats-up.

Vineyard, Jennifer. “Sony BMG Apologizes For Payola Involving J. Lo, Avril, Good Charlotte, Others.” MTV News. July 25, 2005. Accessed July 18, 2018. http://www.mtv.com/news/1506321/sony-bmg-apologizes-for-payola-involving-j-lo-avril-good-charlotte-others/.

Mar, Alex. “Sony Ponies Up for Payola.” Rolling Stone. June 25, 2018. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sony-ponies-up-for-payola-94599/.

Shah, Saqib. “Spotify Offers Refunds to Angry Customers after Annoying Drake Music Promo.” The Sun. July 04, 2018. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/6693597/spotify-refund-drake-music-ad/.

“Spotify Users – Subscribers in 2018.” Statista. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.statista.com/statistics/244995/number-of-paying-spotify-subscribers/.

“Alan Freed – Radio Aircheck – WJW Cleveland 1954.” YouTube. April 20, 2011. Accessed July 18, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

“Alan Freed, Dick Clark and the Radio Payola Scandal.” Performing Songwriter Ent., LLC. August 24, 2015. Accessed July 18, 2018. http://performingsongwriter.com/alan-freed-payola-scandal/.GqKRYJS60Rc.

 

 

 

 

Cole Porter & His Epic Influence: #M5Q2

Posted on by

For my second blog, I chose to write about The Great American Songbook and an artist by the name of Cole Porter.

Contrary to its title, The Great American Songbook isn’t actually a book. Rather, it’s a collection of several hundred songs that are focused on the work of popular composers whose careers flourished in the early-mid 20th century [5]. In other terms, the American Songbook Society also states that the songs are from the Tin Pan Alley era, through to the expansion of Broadway and Hollywood musicals [1].

Researching the Great American songbook relates to the information presented in module five for a couple of reasons. One, we are introduced to a variety of artists that are a part of the songbook. For example, Cole Porter (1891-1964) immersed himself in the music scene initially as a fan of Cugat Porter, a Latin musician [2]. It is said that “Porter was the most open to the sound of Latin music, or at least the commercial Latin music that Cugat played” [2]. They later formed an orchestra together and produced many hits which were played on Broadway.

I became interested in Cole Porter’s career because he composed a unique style of style of music which caught my ear. I enjoyed listening to the orchestra and beguine rhythm, which has bass beats on 1, 3, and 4 [2]. I never had to listen to Broadway music until taking this course, and it was tough for me to keep an open mind. However, like Porter, I did my best to keep an open mind just like he did when the Latin music genre first emerged in America [2].

When listening to his music, namely his biggest hit song Begin the Beguine, I paid close attention to his lyrics. Written in 1938, our text indicates that, “What is noteworthy about most of Porter’s Latin songs is that the lyrics have nothing to do with Latin culture. . . he simply liked the feel of the rhythm” [2]. Even though this song, in particular, went on to be on Broadway, I still find the statement true. His music, which showcased a new rhythm known as “rhumba” or beguine, increased his popularity immensely throughout the 1930-40’s. He never did sing his first hit though. Instead, it was introduced in the Broadway Musical Jubilee in 1935, performed by Penelope Martin-Smith [4].

I’m with you once more under the stars,

And down by the shore an orchestra’s playing

And even the palms seem to be swaying

When they begin the beguine.

 

It can be said that Porter ‘meets the criteria’ of the Great American Songbook because of two things: the epic success of his music and the era it was produced it in. As a result, it is evident that Porter truly belongs in the Great American Songbook. Even Frank Sinatra covered his biggest hit song, and he too is included in the book of popular artists [3].

The two versions of the song are similar and different. Both artists have different styles, but I found Smith’s to be a bit more, um, peaceful. More of a lullaby, actually. On the other hand, Sinatra’s was far more interesting. It has more dynamics with the orchestra and his voice has a story-telling ability that was not present in the Broadway version. In addition, every variation of the song was quite popular in its time. I personally enjoyed Sinatra’s version more, however.

Finally, I do not see a continued relevance for this style of music. The only thing I could semi-relate this to an audition I watched in American Idol in the spring. One contestant auditioned with a Frank Sinatra song. That’s it that’s all. Then again, I am not continually looking for popularity in Latin/Broadway music either. Perhaps some people still listen to music from the 1930-40’s but I personally do not.

  1. n.d. Accessed July 17, 2018. http://greatamericansongbook.org/.
  2. Campell, Micheal. 2013. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On. Boston: Schirmer Cengage Learning.
  3. Erlewine, Thomas. n.d. rank Sinatra The Great American Songbook [Columbia]. Accessed July 17, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-great-american-songbook-columbia-mw0000347075.
  4. Rice, Jo. 1982. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits.
  5. Yagoda, Ben. 2015. Have We Turned the Last Page in America’s Songbook? June 11. Accessed July 16, 2018. http://time.com/3916642/america-songwriting-history/.