Being a self-proclaimed aficionado on heavy metal I would have to respectfully disagree that Led Zeppelin are the primary innovators of heavy metal. With that being said in no way shape or form does that take away any credibility to the influence Led Zeppelin has had on the world and the accomplishments that dwarf most artists in music history Led Zeppelin to me will always have a special place and are for me one of the greatest bands of all time. The band I would personally pick when introducing the early beginnings of heavy would be Black Sabbath they to me are the innovators and have set the standard for most if not all the early and future predecessors to heavy metal and are the true pioneers of that genre. The band didn’t just sound heavy they personified the image of heavy metal all from the lifestyle to the appearance and performance down to the lyrics they were heavy metal. Ozzy Osbourne being the frontman of Black Sabbath who has almost been elected unanimously as the face of heavy metal and one of the biggest icons in music period. Not to mention the rest of the band who consisted of Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward all of whom personify the meaning of heavy metal down to its essence.
Black Sabbath “The Wizard” exemplified the early transition from blues rock showcased using the harmonica and the metamorphosis from rock to heavy metal with distorted guitar riffs and lyrics that referenced the occult something that had not been touched on in fear of ostracization from mainstream music listeners and vilification from extreme religious groups. “The Wizard” was released during their first self titled album on February 13th, 1970 this date also marked the birth of heavy metal in my opinion respectively. “Black Sabbath’s eponymous 1970 debut changed the music world forever. Universally regarded as the first genuine heavy metal album, the downtuned guitar from Tony Iommi alongside Geezer Butler’s foundation-cracking bass tone, the pointedness of Bill Ward’s drumming and the unnerving vocal charm of Ozzy Osbourne set the bar and set it high”.1 The status quo was set, and Black Sabbath did not disappoint later that same year they followed up with their album ‘Paranoid’. If ‘Black Sabbath’ didn’t provide sufficient evidence that they were the first to do ‘heavy metal’ the follow up album definitely did.
“War Pigs” was on their second album “Paranoid” which was released in the same year as “Black Sabbath”. “Paranoid” is the album in particular that has been accredited to being the pinnacle of the birth of heavy metal music. “Paranoid” arguably the heaviest album Black Sabbath ever produced went on to become their most popular album as well. “When it comes to Black Sabbath’s discography, everyone has their personal favorites. What can’t be argued is that their second album, ‘Paranoid,’ is lined start to finish with not only great Sabbath cuts, but all-time heavy metal classics. Fortifying their sound into indisputable heavy metal”1 this album alone stands out as being the cornerstone to the genre in determining what the criteria was to be ‘heavy metal’.
‘The Writ’ from a lesser known Black Sabbath album called Sabotage provided another track that was lyrical maleficent it encapsulated what heavy metal was all about musically and lyrically. The lyrics are filed with angst and contempt for those who want to change them and those who oppose their style the beginning of the song intro’s a rather unsettling sound that sounds like something you would hear during an exorcism this adds to the atmosphere of the song and the premise of the lyrics.
Black Sabbath to me needs no explanation as to why they are so influential on music and are the true innovators of heavy metal they created a new genre by manipulating what has already been done but made it all there own and created this unique sound that influenced a generation of metal heads. I think Black Sabbath were more appealing to the average person because the emotion they would provoke in their songs was relatable and the inner anarchist could unleash his inhibitions with mass acceptance around people who also appreciated the music “Sabbath never came off as golden gods in the mould of Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones. On the contrary, Osbourne, Iommi, Ward and bassist Geezer Butler were blue-collar outsiders who had more in common with their audience than with jet-set rock stars”2. Sabbath could connect with the working class because they too came from humble beginnings much like those who liked their music that’s why the emotion involved at the performances and in the lyrics are very apparent because of the relationship they have with the lyrics and how personal they are. “Black Sabbath mirrored that dead-end world in dark, ominous music that buried the flower-power era beneath mountainous guitar riffs and cinder-block drum beats. It was a new sound – heavy, bleak and scorched with horror-film lyrics”2 And this is what truly separated them from the others that may be considered the creators of heavy metal.
Bibliography
Divita, J. (2016, May 10). Black Sabbath Albums Ranked . http://loudwire.com/black-sabbath-albums-ranked/
Kot, G. (2015, November 3). The ‘Satanists’ who changed . http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20151027-the-satanists-who-changed-music
Daft Punk is an electronic music group that originated in Paris France in 1993. In 2013 Daft punk released a 24 week top 100 ranking on the Billboard hit. The song called Get Lucky was written and produced in collaboration with famous artist and record producer Pharrell Williams. The song is a catchy, yet modern disco type of beat and became very popular in young people due to common radio stations across the globe.
Reaching top 10 in over 30 countries across the world and selling over 9 million copies as well as winning two awards at the grammy’s in January of 2014. Get lucky was easily one of the groups most successful piece (Get Lucky (Daft Punk Song).
During the next few years, there were multiple covers made of the song Get Lucky. However, the cover that seems most appropriate for this blog question was that by Daughter. Later on in 2013 Daughter used their own style to put a twist on the current disco song. For those who have never heard of the group, they are an indie folk band from England. They took the funky hit song and turned it into a slower pace, sad sounding rainy day song. Genre (Soul)
Below is the slower spacey more textured version of Get Lucky
Compared to the original, the cover of the song is lyrically more profound and allows the audience to hear the words more clearly. In the Daft Punk version of the song when it says;
We’ve come too far to give up who we are
So let’s raise the bar and our cups to the stars
She’s up all night ’til the sun
I’m up all night to get some
She’s up all night for good fun
I’m up all night to get lucky
Here it is clear that its a song about partying and having a good time as well as sexual encounters “getting lucky”.
Whereas in Daughters cover of the song the meaning is slightly changed, the lead singer Elena Tonra makes the lyrics sound as if she had just been through a heartbreak or hard times and is out looking to get lucky and forget about her past. (Daughter’s Version Of ‘Get Lucky’ Might Be Better Than Daft Punk’s). I believe the audience would slightly change for the simple reason that not everyone likes to hear the normal radio hits. Anyone who enjoys listening to soul or songwriter music would enjoy this piece. Personally, the song is not better or worse in either version, both are equally good in their own ways.
Bibliography
“Get Lucky (Daft Punk Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Aug. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Lucky_(Daft_Punk_song).
“Daft Punk.” Billboard, Billboard, www.billboard.com/music/daft-punk.“Daughter’s Version Of ‘Get Lucky’ Might Be Better Than Daft Punk’s.” Music Feeds, 29 Apr. 2013, musicfeeds.com.au/news/daughters-version-of-get-lucky-might-be-better-than-daft-punks/.ly
“Daughter’s Version Of ‘Get Lucky’ Might Be Better Than Daft Punk’s.” Music Feeds, 29 Apr. 2013, musicfeeds.com.au/news/daughters-version-of-get-lucky-might-be-better-than-daft-punks/.ly
Tanya Tagaq is an Inuit throat singer and songwriter born May 5, 1975 in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Tanya also took part in painting and was an artist who reached success in her career. Her music included the mixture of rock and roll, electronic, punk styles and Inuit throat singing. Although Tanya had reached success in her musical career, her personal life in teen years was quick a struggle. Tanya had been through substance abuse, sexual assault and even attempted to take her own life at a residential school at the age of 15. This did not stop Tanya’s will to learn, although these tragic events unfolded in her life she still managed to graduate from college with a fine arts degree! She has established an impressive following through her experimental songs and has found success, which has resulted to many awards such as the Juno Awards (2015, 2017) and the Polaris Music prize (2014) to name a few [1].
Inuit throat singing is traditionally performed between two women and it is sung as a game in which an individual sets the rhythm, and the other individual has to follow. Two females work as a team to create sounds similar to those of animals or portraying lands. The women together must follow an intense and switch in tone and tempo. This gives the singers the ability to express their emotions through their tones. Tanya’s music in particular starts off slow and gradually increases in intensity as the song plays. The winner is deemed the winner if they do not laugh first because each song usually results in laughter [2].
Tanya was a political voice of first nations individuals. Tanya’s music , like inuit singing, involved two people projecting the tribulations they had went through and they relate it to their surroundings at the time. Music can bring awareness to different subjects and may use it as an instrument to political activism. Tanya addresses issues like racism and poor financial aid in order to express the adversities faced by her people. Tanya’s music relates to the Module 11 materials because it relates to the different social movements such as Black Lives Matter (BLM), and Idle No more, in which the goal of the movement “calls on all people to join in a peaceful revolution, to honour Indigenous sovereignty, and to protect the land and water” [3].
She has collaborated with the award winning indigenous hip/hop group, A Tribe Called Red who have expressed themselves as supporters of Idle No more [4].
Describing Tanya’s music may be challenging if you are not familiar with Inuit throat singing. Throat singing involved two females working as a team to create sounds. As discussed before throat singing can bring different emotions of individuals and others through the singer’s tone. Although I am not too familiar with this type of singing, if I were to describe her music using only a few words, I would personally pick experimental, bold, and vocal. Tanya’s music sounds like that of Ambient music, which gives attention to texture. With Tanya’s music there is a bigger focus on the noises rather than the beat. Artists, similar to her style of music, would be more focused on the positive movement within their culture.
She is considered Experimental to me because she pushes the boundaries of what we define as traditional music in which she uses unique sounds throughout her music. Bold because she can embrace a different way to express herself through throat singing, along with the successes that she has had with her music. Lastly, her music is very vocal almost as if it is trying to tell you a story, and in some videos, it looks as if she is mimicking an animal, which is why I think that her music is presented in very powerful way.
For this video, the cue that I recommend listening for is the tempo, or the speed of music and rate in which accented and unaccented beats follow each other. As the song goes on, listen for the layering of different music components throughout the song. The song starts of with a set tempo which gradually increases followed by different/stronger instrumentation and vocals adding to the intensity of the song. As mentioned the speed of music and rate in which beats follow each other progresses with the song.
Tanya has many achievements through her music, the most prestigious ones which include her Juno Awards and her Polaris music prize in which she had received a $30,000 prize along with the award. Along with this she also won Best Female Artist in 2005 at the Canadian Aboriginal awards. Furthermore, she also won an award for a short film she created at a festival in 2009. Here is a further list of some of her notable awards.
2014; Polaris Music Prize – Animism
2015; Aboriginal Recording of the Year – Animism
2017; Classical album of the Year – Large ensemble, Going Home Star [5]
The music that Tanya produces is important to our study of popular music because her songs are presented in a non-traditional way in which that most of her songs have interesting elements of Inuit throat singing. Since many are not familiar with her styles of singing and song writing, we are presented with an opportunity where we can attempt to deconstruct the different components in which the songs are composed. Moreover, these songs remind us that First Nation culture is still around and has some issues that need to be addressed. Tanya’s music creates awareness in the community by connecting some of the harsh realties of her previous experiences and how they impact her and others in her culture in the present.
The transmission of her songs are largely made possible through technological advances of the modern day, specifically through the general media, which is put best, taken from Unit 4: Popular song in the modern era:
“A media revolution transformed the way audiences encountered popular music: Through radio, electric recording, and film, Americans learned popular music by listening to it more than they did by reading the sheet music. Moreover, it opened the door to a host of new sounds–sounds that could be preserved on recordings or broadcast over the air, but not transmitted very faithfully via sheet music.” [6]
From what I gather from this paragraph in the textbook is that the media has made it easier to discover different types of music and that it has provided an outlet where genres such as alternative music and even Inuit throat singing can thrive. Through this, we can study different genres that we have not heard of before which was not possible without the help of media. Tanya is a prime example of a niche genre which has become popularized in society to the point where she is researched about in courses such as MUS 111.
Bibliography
[1] Stanley, Laura. 2015. “Tanya Tagaq”. The Canadian Encyclopedia. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tanya-tagaq/.
My life revolves around music. From a car ride to in the gym or even pregame routine, I turn to music. I am fan of all music but for some reason, rap is what puts me in the right state of mind. With my last blog post of Music 111, I am taking the opportunity to focus on rap and one of it’s hottest but most controversial artists. That artist is Tekashi 69, also known as 69 and 6ix9ine.
I insist you watch this video to give you a general concept about Tekashi 69.
Tekashi 69 was born Daniel Hernandez on May 8, 1996 in Brooklynn, New York [5]. His father passed away when Tekashi was 13 forcing him to find jobs to help his mother. He first began as a bus boy but as time went on he would have multiple hustles like slinging weed and opening a bodega. His love for music was inspired by heavy metal bands and RondoNumbaNine but I believe it was this life of crime and gang activity where he focus his sound [5].
Before we begin to listen and view a few of his music videos, I believe it is important for viewers to know what you are about to listen to if you have never heard of this artist. Upon listening to 6ix9ine’s music, it is clear his inspiration is gangster rap with lyrics focussing on gang like activity and sex. He favours controversial beef with other artists and is usually the instigator in most of those altercations. He has also run into repeated issues with the law and is currently dealing with criminal charges. 6ix9ine takes a full-throated and hyper-aggressive musical approach to his craft and in addition to his colorful appearance and unique themed music videos, has propelled become one of the hottest rappers in the last couple years [2].
The First Hit
6ix 9ine’s first major hit was “GUNMO”. Released on October 8, 2017 and entered the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at number 12 [5]. “GUNMO” hit gold status Jan 11, 2017 and then eventually reach platinum status March 5 [1]. Gold status means the track sold 500k units and platinum means it sold 1 million units. Another important stat to consider is that the “GUNMO” musical video currently sits over 250 million views on Youtube. However, at the time of the release, reportedly pled guilty to three felony counts of using a child in a sexual performance [2]. It is uncertain if the criminal charges had any affect on sales or the “popularity” the artist but it very impressive to reach platinum with your very first official release.
Though he has been claimed a “fake-ass blood” from a rapper named The Game, it’s clear he takes pride in being a “blood” [1]. The video displays 69 dressed in red and centered among an entourage of Blood members, displaying hand gestures that of gang relations. After watching the official “GUNMO” music video, it is obvious the focal point is gang activity.
The Latest Hit
6ix9ine released a track named “FEFE” on July 22 featuring the current Queen of Rap, Nicki Minaj. In a matter of two days, the video accumulated over 28 million views [3]. After 7 days, the video reached over 70 million views. On it’s debut, “FEFE” ranked number 2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales and was ranked number 3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. By August 6, “FEFE” turned Gold [6]. As you can see, “FEFE” was an instant hit and skyrocketed.
What makes the track unique is the timeline of the release. First off, the launch of “FEFE” occurred after 6ix9ine was released on a $150k bail for allegedly choking a teenager in a mall a few years back [4]. On the same day of the release, it was reported that 6ix9ine was kidnapped, pistol whipped and robbed. three robbers made off with over $750K in jewellery and up to $20K cash.
Conclusion
6ix9ine is one of the hottest rappers in the game today. Hs rainbow hair, hard-hitting aggressive lyrics, and criminal activity have brought a sort of publicity in which has amplified his stardom and it seems like it will continue to break records.
Bibliography
[1] 6IX9INE’S “GUMMO” GOES PLATINUM. Accessed August 9, 2018. http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2018/03/6ix9ine-gummo-platinum/.
[2] Kellman, Andy. 6ix9ine. Accessed August 9, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/6ix9ine-mn0003687460/biography.
[3] Miss2Bees. 2018. TEKASHI 6IX9INE’S ‘FEFE’ SURPASSES DRAKE’S ‘IN MY FEELINGS’ ON APPLE MUSIC CHARTS. July 26. Accessed August 9, 2018. http://thesource.com/2018/07/26/tekashi-fefe-drake/.
[4] Peters, Mitchell. 2018. 6ix9ine Drops New Song ‘FEFE’ Featuring Nicki Minaj: Listen. July 22. Accessed August 9, 2018. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8466460/tekashi-6ix9ine-drops-new-song-fefe-featuring-nicki-minaj-listen.
[5] Teka$hi69 (6ix9ine). Accessed August 9, 2018. https://everipedia.org/wiki/tekashi69-6ix9ine/.
[6] Zaynab. 2018. Tekashi 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj’s “FEFE” Single Is Certified Gold . August 6. Accessed August 9, 2018. https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/tekashi-6ix9ine-and-nicki-minajs-fefe-single-is-certified-gold-news.56725.html.
Hey everyone, for my final blog I also would like to talk about the one-and-only Taylor Swift and how her music has changed the face of popular music. I am taking a different approach, however; focusing on the impact of when she transitioned from the Country to Pop genre. Not to mention, whether it’s her headlining tour, cute cat videos, boyfriend of the week, or fan shout-outs Taylor Swift is always doing something worth looking at- and blogging about.
Swift’s career began when she was signed by Big Machine Records in 2005 after being scouted through singing at local bars [2]. She then released a self-titled album in 2006 following the epic success of her hit Tim McGraw [2]. Soon after, her career took off and she soon became what is arguably the most prominent pop phenomenon.
As stated in our textbook, Swift initially wanted to be a country artist. Her most prominent influence was country superstar Shania Twain [5]. As time went on, however, we began to hear her sound change. For me, I noticed a change in her sound between the albums Speak Now and Red. In Red, she still used traditional instruments (banjo, dobro), yet the entire album had more of a pop feel, most noticeably in her single I Knew You Were Trouble. It is still considered a country album though in iTunes and the Billboard charts.
The release of her next album, 1989, shook the world. Country fans had a hard time, but it was probably the best move she could have made for her career. This made me consider any other artists who changed genre’s mid-career. Some others include Katy Perry (Christian -> Pop), Darius Rucker (Rock -> Country), and even Lady Gaga (Broadway -> Pop) [4]. I can’t help but notice how all of these changes have been beneficial in each artist’s career. Although people like Taylor Swift and Darius Rucker already found success in their initial genre, I’m not so sure it would have been as easy for people like Katy Perry or Lady Gaga to make progress in their original genre.
Swift deserves to be in future textbooks and here’s why: she changed genres of music and still kept a substantial fan base. In fact, her fan base grew in size after making the change from country to pop in 2014. So much that her album Reputation became the only album in the last two years to sell 2 million copies in the U.S [3].
In addition to her smashing success, we cannot dismiss the raw talent that Swift has. She writes all of her songs and doesn’t care what the ‘haters’ have to say about her boy-obsessed lyrics. She also has mad piano, guitar, banjo, and ukulele skills, as demonstrated through many live performances. On a personal note, I have included my favourite performance in which she exhibits her talent playing piano. She played it at the 2014 Grammy Awards.
We also cannot forget that Swift is only 28 years old. She has already received 10 Grammy Awards [1]. Also, she has had 5 no. 1 hits on the Billboard charts [6]. This kind of success is definitely next level for a twenty-something year old.
I think we can all agree that Swift has built an empire- one that is considered a massive success, at least to me. She took a huge risk switching genres mid-career, and we have since seen how it resulted in the continued success of her career.
1. n.d. All Music. Accessed August 9, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/taylor-swift-mn0000472102/awards.
2. Campell, Micheal. 2013. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On. . Boston: Schirmer Cengage Learning.
3. Caulfield, Keith. 2018. Taylor Swift’s ‘Reputation’ Becomes Only Album Released in Last Two Years to Sell 2 Million Copies in U.S. March 21. Accessed August 9, 2018. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8257460/taylor-swift-reputation-sells-two-million.
4. Lindner, Emilee. 2014. MTV. October 10. Accessed August 9, 2018. http://www.mtv.com/news/1973413/taylor-swift-genre-country-pop/.
5. Macpherson, Alex. 2012. The Guardian. October 18. Accessed August 9, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/oct/18/taylor-swift-want-believe-pretty-lies.
6. 2018. Taylor Swift. Accessed August 9, 2018. https://www.billboard.com/music/taylor-swift.
On April 16th, 1972 in Lake Jackson Texas, the Queen of Tejano was born – although Selena Quintanilla-Perez would not be dubbed with such an iconic title for a few years yet to come. Music ran deep through Selena’s blood: her father Abraham had been a vocalist in his childhood, and he was the one who recognized her natural talent for singing when she was only six years old.[1] Shortly after Abraham realized his young daughter’s amazing voice, she began performing at her father’s Tex-Mex restaurant.[2] Abraham’s restaurant went bankrupt within a year, which led to the Quintanilla family pursuing music more seriously. At the tender age of 9, Selena joined the band “Selena y Los Dinos” as the front vocalist, touring around the South of Texas for about six years.[3]
Selena in her childhood. [source: http://umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects05/sa/page8.htm]
The Peak Years
In 1987, Selena won the Female Vocalist and Female Performer of the year at the Tejano Music Awards, which led to a major breakthrough for her career. By the late 1980s, Selena was known as the Queen of Tejano and was signed to EMI Latin Records with a 6-figure record deal. Selena’s popularity grew out of the Latin and Latin-American market – an interesting fact considering that Selena was barely able to speak in Spanish until she gained notoriety and realized that being fluent in Spanish would be beneficial to her career.[4] Some of her songs showcase Selena’s lack of Spanish-speaking skills: even after years of practice learning the language, she still struggle trilling her “r”s correctly and speaking without her Texas-twanged accent.[5] Mainstream American society began to appreciate Selena in the 90’s, which led to her receiving a Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album in 1994. Selena’s band was the first Tejano group to make Billboard’s Latin Top 200 list of all-time best-selling records, which was certainly a historic moment for the Tejano movement.
Selena at the 1994 Grammy’s.[source: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7735507/remembering-selena-20th-anniversary-movie]
Other Business Ventures
After Selena gained fame from her vocal talent, she also dabbled into television, film, advertisement, and retail. Some of her various features include the Johnny Canales Show, Don Juan DeMarco, as well as an promotional campaign with Coca-Cola.[6] She also had a clothing line, with two boutique-salons in Texas. Although she was quite wealthy from all of her commercial success, she chose to maintain quite a humble lifestyle, as she continued to live in a working-class area in Corpus Christi, Texas.[7]
Selena posing with one of her clothing stores, “Selena Etc.”. [source: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7735507/remembering-selena-20th-anniversary-movie]
Tragic Passing/Post-Humous Influence
Unfortunately, at the young age of 23 Selena was shot by Yolanda Saldivar, Selena’s fan club founder and clothing boutique manager. Although Selena’s death was a tragic loss for the Latin community and mainstream society, it did help further increase awareness about Tejano music.[8] Her bilingual album Dreaming of You was released the same year as her passing, and it ended up being the first Tejano album to reach number one in America. Selena’s success and the awareness that she has brought to Tejano music are clear signs of why she is considered such an influential Latin artist, even though she dabbled into various musical genres. In my opinion, she was one of the first popular, mainstream Latino women in music, which is hugely significant to other women of colour in music (especially those who are also Latino). By captivating the Latino market as well as the American market, Selena broke down barriers for other Latin artists who may have felt constrained regarding their listeners’ demographics: she showed that Latin music can be enjoyed by all. Because of her major influence on Tejano music and other aspiring Latin and Texas-influenced musicians, I certainly think Selena should be included in our textbook.
Selena’s legacy shines on as she continues to influence many notable musicians to this day. Jennifer Lopez, another Latin legend who actually played Selena in the biopic documentary“Selena”, said “The impact that she had on my life, on my career… It was a great thing for her to be my mentor. And it was a great thing to have her teach me so much about how to navigate this business, but also how to navigate through life.”[9] Beyoncé, my favourite musician and overall person of all time, also has cited Selena has a musical influence, as they both grew up in Texas. It seems that Selena somewhat managed to manipulate her Texan accent to her advantage throughout her music, as Beyoncé has said “Definitely growing up in Texas, I heard her on the radio. I think listening to her album — even though I didn’t know exactly what she was saying — it helped me in the studio with my pronunciation. I think she is a legend. I admire her. She was so talented.”
Some of the many mourners on the day of Selena’s funeral. [source: http://www.oncenoticias.hn/un-dia-como-hoy-que-hizo-selena-antes-de-morir/]
I Could Fall In Love
I chose this song to show because I find it so catchy and beautiful at the same time. As soon as Selena’s gorgeous voice sings the first line of the song, I feel a wave of emotions come over me. This song has a moderate tempo with a common time signature. The instrumentation really adds a lot to the song: it includes a keyboard, synthesizers, as well as flamenco guitar and a Spanish guitar to add that Latin-feel to the piece. There is also a gorgeous, wispy flute in the background that really helps accentuate feeling in the song. The lyrics are quite simple but are so vulnerable and raw – Selena’s expressive singing makes the repetitive lyrics a nonissue. I think this song would be classified as Latin pop, which Selena often dabbled into. As our textbook suggests, each Tejano song is a unique hybrid of Anglo and Hispanic influences.[10] “I Could Fall In Love” perfectly demonstrates the fluidity music: though there are not any traditional Tejano bajo sextos or accordions in Selena’s song, certain instrumentation choices still suggest a hint of Tejano.
Bibliography
[1] Hewitt, Bill. “Before Her Time”. People Magazine, 43, no. 15. April 17, 1995. Accessed August 5, 2018. https://people.com/archive/cover-story-before-her-time-vol-43-no-15/
[6] Orozco, Cynthia E. “Quintanilla Perez, Selena [Selena]”. Handbook of Texas Online. August 31, 2010. Accessed August 4th, 2018. https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fquxg
[9] Blay, Zeba. “17 Artists Inspired By The Divine Queen Selena Quintanilla”. Huffington Post. March 30, 2016. Accessed August 6th, 2018. https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/17-artists-inspired-by-the-divine-glory-of-queen-selena-quintanilla_us_56fa8945e4b014d3fe241b8c
[10] Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes on. Boston, MA: Schirmer Cengage Learning, 2013.
As time went on, music like all other things changed, adapted and evolved. One of these evolutions was called Heavy Metal. The text book uses Led Zeppelin as a way to introduce Heavy Metal and I agree with this choice. One of the reasons I agree with this is that many consider Led Zeppelin to be the “Grandfathers” of heavy metal (Led Zeppelin). Now Heavy metal its self has been influenced by blues rock, psychedelic rock, and acid rock. If one was to make a generic Heavy Metal song, they would have highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness, Which Led Zeppelin has had in their songs along with their own creative choices.
The song “Rock and Roll” which is from their album called Mothership is what I consider to have more of the typical rock elements. Starting with the introduction which starts of with drums followed by the guitar. The combination of the two make for an amped up and high energy start to the song which also sets the tone for the rest of the song. The guitar solo half way through the song is also typical for Heavy metal and along with the riffs played in this solo, it really gets you in to the song, almost to the point where you would dust off your air guitar and play along.
The song “whole Lotta love” is a bit different from the first song I have chosen as an example. One of the differences is that many people believe that this song was able to revolutionized the sound of rock vocals and the electric guitar (Marc Myers). the song starts of with a more blues like riff which plays throughout most of the song. This beginning gives us a nice look at how the blues had some influence on the band and how they took the blues sound and made it their own. The next interesting part of the song comes when the guitar fades away and were left with the drums and sound of the cymbals being played. This occurs in the middle of the song and leaves the listener feeling like they are in a distant and far off land away from earth. Coming from a moment were you felt surrounded by fun energetic sound to a sudden shift of very minimal sound, it leaves the listener wanting to hear more. To add to the eeriness, the sound of a heavily distorted guitar comes in to the mix followed by equally shocking vocals that match the distorted guitar riffs perfectly.
The last song I have chosen is called “Nobody’s Fault but Mine”. This starts off with a very heavy Distorted guitar riff. This riff sounds like it is not of this world, but that’s only the beginning of the song. Next comes the bass guitar along with the drums and boy does it ever. The entrance of these two instruments comes in with such force and gusto that it does not ask for the listeners attention but demands it. Heavy metal is usually associated with aggression or masculine power and with the way those two instruments entered, it totally fits that category (Michael Campbell). During the beginnings of heavy metal, they were also associated with rebellious actions and edgy tone (Robert Walser). It got so bad for bands who played heavy metal and their fans that they started getting blamed for crime and violence (Robert Walser). Now the lyrics them selves aren’t really that edgy but making a song about a man who lived a life that led to damnation would make it easy for the haters to attack the band and the song.
As for the text book I believe that Led Zeppelin is a good example of heavy metal to have. Sure they have songs that don’t have the stereotypical metal sound which is most likely why their is even a debate in the first place. But it is those less stereotypical metal songs that show the roots from which heavy metal and their inspiration comes from. This is why I believe Led Zeppelin should be included in the text book as an example for heavy metal. That and their amazing distortions and amped up sounds that fill you with energy.
Source
Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes on. Boston, MA: Cengage, 2019
Myers, Marc. “How One of Led Zeppelin’s Greatest Hits Was Made.” Business Insider. December 02, 2016. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/led-zeppelin-whole-lotta-love-oral-history-how-it-was-made-2016-12.
Walser, Robert. “Heavy Metal.” Encyclopædia Britannica. July 11, 2018. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.britannica.com/art/heavy-metal-music
Based on the Hungarian play Liliom by Ferenc Molnar, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel first opened on April 19, 1945. To many, the “poignant story of the faithful Julie and her brutish husband Billy is one of the most powerful books of the musical theatre . . . ,” the score to which “was considered one of [Rodgers and Hammerstein’s] best and finest works.”1 However, despite Carousel’s initial acclaim, the musical (and others from the same time period) have been recently criticized for upholding, if not reviving, sexist and outdated social mores. When it came to relationships, golden-age musicals (such as Carousel) were notoriously sexually conservative, a belief that was common in Western society at the time (the “American Dream” was the ultimate symbol of freedom and democracy and the family was at the center of it all).2 This concept is both upheld and satirized by two versions of Carousel’s “What’s the Use of Wondr’in”: the original and a more recent cover by singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer.
Before I begin, I would like to mention that the problem with analyzing songs from musicals; however, is the lack of traditional “artistic ownership,” if you will. Over the years, many different actresses have performed “What’s the Use of Wond’rin” under the supervision of many different directors. Ergo, there are many different renditions that can convey different nuances while still falling within the context of the musical. Thus, for the purpose of this post, I have decided to consider the version from 1956 film (sung by Shirley Jones).
“What’s the Use of Wondr’in” is an example of golden-age musical theatre and thus contains specific musical features. Jones’ singing is operatic and the instrumentation is melodic and unsyncopated. The lyrics (which is built off the eponymous riff) help drive the plot: during this scene, the protagonist Julie (Jones) confides in her fellow women and advises them of their mutual roles in romantic relationships. Julie, who has recently become pregnant, is concerned about her unemployed husband Billy’s increasingly distant and erratic behaviour (he had even hit her during the previous act).3 However, Julie explains that she is determined to stay with Billy in spite of everything in “What’s the Use of Wondr’in:” Julie laments that romantic relationships are oft difficult and can end in heartbreak. However, the fact that the women love their respective partners is all that matters. Whether these men “are good or bad” is irrelevant: they are products of their environment (the same environment that brought their wives to them). Therefore, due to their love (deserved or otherwise), women will ignore the “rest” and remain devoted. In the scene, Julie appears content and at peace as she comforts her tearful friend. As she faces the crowd of women, she appears to encourage a general sense of optimism. Julie seems to accept her husband’s faults. Even as she looks to the heavens near the end of the song, Jones’ performance cements the underlying message of the song: that the interactions between men and women are up to fate and the things that happen are simply the cost of love.
While Carousel was initially lauded by audiences (despite the fact that critics found the second act slow and strange), the musical has been viewed less favorably in recent years and has even earned the nickname “the wife-beater musical.”4 While other films and musicals during the mid-century did address various so-called “gender problems,” Carousel was one of the first films to acknowledge domestic violence in such a frank way. It is worth noting; moreover, the specific nuance that accompanies the term “domestic violence” (an expression coined during the 1970’s): “gender crimes” such as rape and domestic violence were thought to happen sequestered behind closed doors (for example, while everyone knows about Billy’s mistreatment of Julie, they choose to do very little about it).5 Domestic violence is also addressed in Carousel’s source material, Liliom, albeit in a more serious way. The other characters in the play, including Julie herself, openly condemn his behaviour.6 Liliom is unpleasant and deeply unsympathetic, which can explain the apparent disconnect between the way Billy is presented as a hero and how he acts like a villain.
“Liliom is a lout. He has no redeeming qualities. When he dies, you feel nothing. What humanizes Billy in the musical are the songs, ‘If I Loved You’ and ‘Soliloquy.’ They give him humanity. The bench scene . . . couldn’t come out of [Liliom] . . . When he hits Louise, I think, that’s Liliom up there, not Billy Bigelow. Liliom is hateful. He made me angry.7
Thus, while the characters of Liliom and Billy act in a similar way, Rodger and Hammerstein attempt to make Billy an antihero (rather than a villainous protagonist) by showing that he really does love Julie after all. Furthermore, Carousel attempts to portray Billy’s violence as signs of his inward devotion. During the play’s second act, the spirit of Billy slaps his teenaged daughter, Louise, after meeting her for the first time. However, Louise later remarks to her mother that the slap didn’t hurt at all:
Louise: There was a strange man here, Mother… and he hit me, hard. I heard the sound of it, Mother. But it didn’t hurt. It didn’t hurt at all. It was just as if he’d kissed my hand.
Louise: But is it possible, Mother, for someone to hit you hard like that, real loud and hard, and not hurt you at all?
Julie: It is possible, dear… for someone to hit you hard, and it not hurt at all . . . 8
To many modern audiences, this interaction is problematic, to say the least (of course, it had plenty of critics at the time. Jones herself admitted that plenty of viewers found Julie’s final phrase appalling).9 Such controversy is addressed in Amanda Palmer’s modern, feminist cover of “What’s the Use of Wondr’in.”
As a long-time fan of Amanda Palmer, I find it a little bit difficult to categorize her musical tastes into strict genres. Personally, I find her to be a little punky, a little gothy, and usually righteously angry. Her music often showcases a dark sense of humor (for example, this song never fails to cheer me up on a tough day). In her cover of “What’s the Use of Wondr’in” (2009), Palmer does not stray lyrically from the original. As a song interpreter (rather than a classically trained vocalist), Palmer’s voice is significantly rougher than Jones’ while still maintaining an idyllic sweetness. The musical accompaniment is simple and features what I believe to be a keyboard simulating a celesta. However, Palmer veers greatly from Jones’ original in the way she presents the song. While the original is presented within the context of Carousel as a whole, Palmer’s cover is presented within the context of the music video. At the beginning of the music video, shots of blissful mid-century domestication (specifically, plates of quivering, brightly-colored gelatin salads) are interspaced with gritty, dimly-lit shots of weapons and various torture devices. As the video continues, a pastel-clad Palmer and her companion (Casey Long) dance and continue to construct various gooey culinary delights. Their exact relationship is unclear (are they best friends? Sapphic lovers? Family? Regardless, they appear to be extremely close). Again, shots of post-war rapture are interspersed between the dark-side of domestic women-hood: Palmer tearfully reveals a dark bruise on her shoulder while her friend consoles her and violent man yells and attacks an unknown figure (implied to be Palmer’s character) hidden behind a wall. Palmer and her companion return as the videos focus, coiffed and dressed in cocktail dresses (perhaps they are preparing for a dinner party?) Palmer and her companion impishly smiles and faces the camera. The girls hold hands and enter the dining table. The abusive man is prostrate and naked on the table. He has an apple in his mouth and is presented as a luau pig. The women sit down and pick up their cutlery, ending the video comically with implied cannibalism. The submissive lyrics of the song and the subversive images in the video serve as a paradox. As a result, it becomes apparent that the song’s lyrics (and traditionally accepted message is meant to be understood sarcastically and the “piece” (which includes the song and the video) should be classified as satire. While it could be considered a satire of Carousel in its entirety (Palmer’s character seems to be an anti-Julie who decides to eat her husband rather than justify his behavior. However, Palmer’s cover is somewhat removed from its original context and is presented as a stand-alone piece. Thus, while previous knowledge of the source material may be enriching, it should not be necessary. Nevertheless, through costume and recognizable cultural markers (for example, aspic and marshmallow casseroles), Palmer places her version of the song within the context of an oft politically-idealized timeframe, thereby criticizing the concept of traditional womanhood that features so strongly in Carousel and adapting the song for a new generation of angry women.
Endnotes:
“Carousel,” The Guide to Musical Theatre, accessed July 9, 2018, http://guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_c/carousel.htm; Patricia Álvarez Caldas, “What’s the Use of Wondering if He’s Good or Bad?: Carousel and the Presentation of Domestic Violence in Musicals,” Investigaciones Feminastas 3 (2012): 26, doi: 10.5209/rev_INFE.2012.v3.41133.
Caldas, Patricia Álvarez. “What’s the Use of Wondering if He’s Good or Bad?: Carousel and the Presentation of Domestic Violence in Musicals.” Investigaciones Feminastas 3 (2012): 23-32. doi:10.5209/rev_INFE.2012.v3.41133.
From my own experience of listening to heavy metal, to me the genre seemed to revolve around more of a loud guitars with deep vocals. Within my research, I find out that the roots of heavy metal may have started out as something different than I expected.
Heavy metal rises from rock music and this genre uses powerful distorted sound of electric guitar, heavy drums, and heavier bass. The term ‘heavy metal’ was first used in a print in William Burroughs’ 1962 novel: The Soft Machine [1]. ‘Heavy’ was coined in the 1950s during the beatnik era to mean serious or profound, and later defined as something that was heavy, weighty or massive that played a role into band names which incorporated some sort of metal into their name like Led Zeppelin and Iron Maiden [2].
Led Zeppelin was initially called the New Yardbirds when it was formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page and the band also consisted of Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones. Jimmy was the guitarist, Robert played the bass and keyboard, John Bonham sang for the group, and John Paul Jones was the drummer [3].
Led Zeppelins success began in the late 1960’s and continued to the 1980’s before they disbanded after Bonhams accidental death. They released many albums and gave rise to their most notable song, “Stairway to Heaven”, which was featured on their fourth album called “Led Zeppelin IV”. With an estimated 200-300 million worldwide, this makes them one of the best-selling musical artists [4].
Song 1: Led Zeppelin – Nobody’s Fault But Mine (1976)
“Nobody’s Fault But Mine” is seen to be one of Led Zeppelins more heavy songs due to the fact that the record “Presence” was recorded while Robert Plant, the lead singer, was recovering from a car accident so the song had more deeper and heavier elements than their typical songs [4]. This song is “a behemoth made from bone-crunching basslines, a maniacal harmonica solo, and its memorable “call-and-response structure”. This song is portrayed as a heavy, blues-rock track that is like “an avalanche grinds down everything in its path” [5]. From the quote, the individual critiqued the song and classified it as heavy metal due to the perception and volumes the song speaks on a heavy metal basis.
Song 2: Led Zeppelin – Communication Breakdown (1969)
The main reason this song is categorized as a metal song is the opening metal riff that is identified. To really mark this down as a heavy metal son, another heavy metal band called Iron Maiden did a cover for Communication Breakdown, which is a respectable heavy band you may have heard of.
Song 3 – Led Zeppelin – Kashmir (1975)
To find a third song, I randomly searched YouTube for a song that I may have heard. I found this one that I surprisingly recognized without even knowing. What caught my attention was from 0:00-0:17 which sounded very familiar to me. When listening to this song, you can hear the guitar riffs and the electrifying drum beat mixes well with Robert Plants vocals. With the combination of all these sounds, it plays well with the heavy metal definition. Robert Plant, the lead singer even said “I wish we were remembered for Kashmir more than Stairway To Heaven” [6].
When taking into consideration everything that was discussed, it is important to take into account what heavy metal really is, and in my opinion, Led Zeppelin capturing this definition. The textbook draws readers into heavy metal by drawing interest on Led Zeppelin and how heavy metal back then is different when compared to the current generation of heavy metal. Led Zeppelin is considered the ancestor of present day heavy metal due to their heavy sounds and guitar-driven songs.
Before I chose this topic, heavy metal was not one of the genres I would listen to on a daily basis or at all for that matter. After diving deeper into the topic, I have grown a better understanding and appreciation for this genre from listening to Led Zeppelin and many other bands, while learning about the history of heavy metal.
Elvis Presley is a pop culture legend who lives on as the “King of Rock and Roll” and for good reason. He is arguably one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived. When his career took off in the 1950’s, he blended African American genres of blues, gospel and country with his natural charisma and rebel style. His music and rebel persona hit the public with waves of pandemonium and embodied rock and roll. Presley first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, the live audience became enamoured by his presence. Only a month later, he made his second appearance on the show in October, 1956 performing “Hound Dog” generating pandemonium among the live audience and viewers at home. See the video below of his live performance at the Ed Sullivan Show, noting his hip swings, on-stage charisma, style and the audience erupting.
His rise came in a post-war era of the baby-boomers and a stage of social rebellion coinciding with his persona of a musical rebel. In the 1950s, parents raised their children with a child-centered style being more indulgent and affectionate. This allowed the student to be more engaged and enamoured in music, specifically Elvis Presley’s music. All the ladies wants to date him and all the men wanted to be like him- figuratively, of course.
Today, many artists take on influences of Elvis and his music- whether directly or indirectly. The Elvisualization shows the influential music lines beginning with Elvis Presley leading its way to today’s music industry. By examining the lineage presented in the Elvisualization infographic, we will be looking at how the musical line of influence connects Maroon 5- Chart topping band of today- to the 1950’s legend, King of Rock, Elvis Presley (1).
When considering Maroon 5 and their musical influences, the lineage of influence can be linked to Elvis Presley proving his far-reaching influence in music. Maroon 5’s early albums have funk sound along with the lead singer, Adam Levine’s, voice and falsetto. These qualities within their music is comparable to the sound of the Bee Gees (2) from the disco era. In order to catch some of the similarities between these two groups, I have drawn on Maroon 5’s song “Makes Me Wonder” from their second album, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long (2007) and the Bee Gees “Night Fever” from their album, Saturday Night Fever (1977).
The Bee Gees and Maroon 5, alike, sing in falsetto which some professionals consider an act of rebellion in the music industry suggesting that falsetto means ” a false and borrowed voice” (3). During the 1970’s, similar to the Elvis Presley era, was a time of social rebellion and this style could be seen throughout various artists in the music industry. The Bee Gees were no exception and sang in falsetto which later became their signature sound. Arguably, the intention of putting singer, Barry Gibbs falsetto voice was to try diminish the myth that disco music was just a genre performed by black musicians (3). Some specialists will argue that Maroon 5 sings in falsetto to defy the suggestions that only woman performers can alter their voice reach high notes. The beauty of the falsetto is that it does not sound like any one race or gender and can be sang interchangeably (3).
Another thing to consider is both groups are considered musical chameleons meaning that the sound of their music changes throughout their sequence of album releases. In the songs presented above, they both have the electronic music vibe integrated within disco and funk genres. The upbeat dance music, falsetto harmonies and catchy tunes grab the audiences attention in similar ways laying out seamless futures of both bands.
After understanding the connection and similarities between the Bee Gees and Maroon 5, we have to consider the musical path that links Elvis Presley’s influence to the Bee Gees. Its not just their talent, charismatic performances or showmanship, both Presley and the Bee Gees dawned flashy stage outfits that enhanced their performances.
Their music appealed to all manners of audiences and even moreso, to the youth of their musical era. With the Bees Gees fashion and music style, they defined disco the way Elvis defined Rock and Roll. With both taking influence from African American music, they steamrolled the country with they’re unique sounds that challenged the status quo. It is even know that the Bee Gees went on to write songs for Elvis Presley (4). They could sing encapsulating ballads, trendy dance beats and hip-swinging songs that mesmerized the nation.
While Elvis may no longer be at the top of the charts to say, his influence on music and culture is undeniable. He holds onto a crucial title as the “King of Rock and Roll” while still influencing today’s musicians, directly and indirectly. While we explored his influence that streamlined to the popular band today, Maroon 5, you can look further into any other band using the Elvisualization graphic provided to explore the lineage of Elvis’ influence. While Maroon 5’s and the Bee Gees’ achievements speak for themselves, it is clear that it isn’t without influence from the King, himself.
Bibliography
(1) The Elvisualization. Accessed August 8, 2018. http://static.echonest.com/insights/elvis/elvisulization.html.
(2) In Defense of the sellout. Accessed August 8, 2018. http://www.dailycal.org/2017/08/31/in-defense-of-the-sellout-maroon-5/.
(3) Maroon 5’s Falsetto Singing: An Act of Cultural Defiance. Accessed August 7, 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/maroon-5s-falsetto-singing-an-act-of-cultural-defiance/262982/.
(4) Interview with the Bee Gees. Accessed August 8, 2018. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0202/02/lklw.00.html
(https://noisey.vice.com/en_ca/article/qk9a97/here-are-the-best-photos-from-this-years-juno-awards-with-very-little-reading)
