Influences

Some of the discussion questions and assignments in this course ask you to describe the influences on an artist or group. When we talk about ‘influences’ in this context, what do we mean?

Influences can refer to the big picture. For example, technological influences are one of the main impetuses for moving popular music forward. The development of recording and radios made music affordable, convenient, and available in the home; amplification (in the form of amplifiers and electric guitars) helped shape the sound of rock music; the ability to download music, beginning in the 1990s, made it possible for people to own entire catalogues of music in a small amount of space, but also changed the way music is marketed and how (or if) artists are paid for their work. Most of the time it is not useful to bring in topics this broad when discussing the specific influences of a specific artist or band unless the artist’s relation to the large influence is somehow different from other people in a similar situation. Saying The Beatles were influenced by technology because they used electric guitars may be true, but it is not interesting – you can say that about literally everyone who uses electric guitars. But saying Radiohead’s release of “In Rainbows” was influenced by the technology available at the time is relevant, because their decision to initially release it as a pay-what-you-want digital download was cutting edge – both technologically and economically – at the time.

There are also personal influences, such as relationships with family or romantic partners. The opposite of the broad, big picture influences above, these refer to the minutiae of the lives of the artists, and in most cases are not particularly relevant to an analysis of the music, although they may fill in information as it relates to lyrics. In other words, just about everyone sings songs about love, so doing so does not set an artist apart, and is therefore not particularly useful in an analysis.

Although these details may be interesting from a gossip perspective, this is not usually what we are looking for in a university-level course. When we analyse Shakespeare’s sonnets, we are not asking “who was he writing about?;” we are looking at the beauty and technique of his writing and language and the deeper messages imparted within. Similarly, albeit on a much more simplistic level, an analysis of “Tangled Up in Blue” by Bob Dylan is less about who than about how. Again, though, this is a “most of the time” scenario – the rocky relationship between rappers Drake and Meek Mill is the main impetus behind many of their lyrics on diss tracks going back and forth between the two, so in that case, discussing the spat would be relevant.

When a music journalist, for example someone from Rolling Stone, asks an artist who their influences are, they are referring more directly to musicians or writers (or sometimes other kinds of artists) who have influenced the sound and the lyrics of the artists being interviewed. This is what we are looking for when we ask you about “influences”.

So, how do you determine which musical influences are present in a given piece of popular music?

1. Listen Critically

As you become familiar with the sounds of the history of popular music, you will begin to hear how newer music draws on older music to create fresh sounds.

You may hear a direct cover of an artist, either faithful (in the same style) or somehow altered by the cover artist. Perhaps you know the original, or wonder where the song came from because it does not sound exactly like the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Compare Lead Belly’s performance of “Where did you sleep last night” with the cover by Nirvana, and his performance of “Gallows Pole” with the more famous cover by Led Zeppelin.

Leadbelly: Where did you sleep last night:

Nirvana: Where did you sleep last night:

Leadbelly: Gallows Pole:

Led Zeppelin: Gallows Pole:

You may hear the influences even if the song is not a cover. Perhaps a song is noticeably in 12 bar blues form, or you hear scratch guitar playing a la Maybelle Carter. Maybe the singer’s voice reminds you of of Janis Joplin, who in turn may remind you of Bessie Smith. Perhaps the lyrics remind you of a book you have read by a well-known author; someone familiar with the Bible may notice the biblical references in Vampire Weekend’s “Ya Hey”, for example. These types of clues can help you begin to do research on the subject. Who knows? You may be the person who reveals the link between Taylor Swift and The Sex Pistols. Don’t rule it out! Keep an open, informed, mind.

2. Do Your Research

Almost every band or artist of note has done an interview. If the group is not well known, you may find clues on their website or, if you are seeing them live, you may be able to talk to them. Find out which artists they mention as influences, figure out who those influences are, and see if you can hear those influences in their sound.

The music featured in this module is some of the most enduring and influential music we will come across in the course, particularly Robert Johnson, The Carter Family, Lead Belly, and Hank Williams Sr. Take note of these artist’s stylistic innovations and try to hear what makes their music different. As you move through the modules, see if you can pick out their influence on artists that followed them.

Challenge Questions

If you have chosen to blog for your assignments, you may choose ONE of the following blog questions to blog on this week, for a total of 10% of your overall assignment grade. Note that there are blogging questions available for each module, and you need to complete up to two for the first deadline and up to two for the second deadline. Please see the Assignment Details and Blogging assignment pages for more information.

1. Robert Johnson: The music of Robert Johnson is curious to modern ears; there are many elements missing that we are used to hearing, and there are also elements present that we do not hear in the popular music of today. What are these elements, missing and present, that make Robert Johnson’s music unique?

Choose one song of his that isn’t in your course materials. Embed a video of the song. Then:

• Describe the song’s unique musical qualities (using the textbook section on Country Blues/Robert Johnson as your guide).
• Determine whether all of the interesting aspects of the chosen song (musical elements) can be captured using these textbook terms, or whether there are qualities left un-described. If so, do your best to capture these qualities using specific, descriptive language.
• Briefly describe the content of the lyrics. Given that Johnson’s recordings are about 80 years old now, how do they hold up? Consider vocabulary, themes, ideas, and/or metaphors if they are present. Research any meanings that you have difficulty understanding. What aspects of the lyrics still resonate? Does anything seem extremely out of place today?
• Finally, briefly provide your personal response to the music. Did digging deeper and learning more about the piece affect your response at all?
• **Be sure to cite your sources as per the blogging assignment.**

#M4Q1

2. Synthesis and Gospel: The history of popular music is filled with examples of synthesis – the combination of multiple styles, genres, and cultural traditions into a new form of music. Gospel is just one example of this. Drawing from multiple sources (including your textbook), use the lens of “synthesis” to examine gospel’s role in the evolution of popular music. Find one example of synthesis between styles or traditions, either

2. before the creation of “gospel songs” by Thomas A. Dorsey (hint: look in the previous chapter of your textbook) or,
3. after the creation of gospel, where gospel is not the end result, but rather one of the styles synthesized with other styles in order to create a new style. You may look ahead in the textbook for this option, but be sure to choose a song that is not associated with a Listening Cue.

• Use properly-cited research to prove your point.
• Use technical terminology and historical context to explain how gospel (1) or the new style (2) came to be.
• Provide embedded videos to show source material where possible (1), or the track that you have chosen as an example (2).
• Point out specific musical elements that are drawn from earlier styles to create the new style.
• Briefly introduce any artists or groups who participated in this process.
• Gospel is a great example of how religious and secular styles synthesize to create new styles, but this has sometimes been seen as controversial. Briefly explain how the public initially received the style you have chosen – was it embraced whole-heartedly, or did it cause controversy?

#M4Q2

 

3. Country Music Dichotomies: The history of country music can be viewed in terms of dichotomies – tradition vs. innovation, or “authenticity” vs. well-marketed machine, “white” styles vs. “black” styles, traditional gender roles vs. feminism. Focussing only on the era covered in this module’s readings on country music, explain how one of these dichotomies came to be.

• Using your textbook and external research, explain the background of the dichotomy, and the main artists or groups involved.
• Provide at least one musical example for each side of the dichotomy, embedding videos where possible.
• What musical elements exemplify each side of the dichotomy? What social and cultural elements contribute to each? Why are these sides seemingly at odds, and what happens when they are combined?
• In your opinion, does this dichotomy still exist today? Provide examples to prove your point.
• **Be sure to cite your sources as per the blogging assignment.**

#M4Q3

 

4. Live Concert Review:

Attend a live concert and write a review detailing your experience. You may only complete one concert review for the whole course. If there are multiple groups on the bill, choose only one. The concert must take place during the course and reflect the knowledge you’ve gained from the course materials. It should be the same length as your other blog posts but must describe the following features:

1. Performer: biographies, band history, current place in popular music. Assume the reader is unfamiliar with the group.
2. Sound: specifics of the music – harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, lyrics (if applicable) etc. Focus on one or more songs and construct a thorough description.
3. Venue and Audience: describe not only the practical details of the environment, but how the music might inform us of the social realities of the audience and vice versa.
4. Reflection: how meaningful was this concert to you? Was it meaningful to a broader group of people? What contributed to this feeling, or what was lacking? Use your knowledge of the history of popular music to support these feelings.
5. Organization, Spelling, References: cite what research you use, utilizing a recognized citation method (Chicago is preferred).
6. Proof of Attendance: take pictures of the event for your blog post and/or a selfie.

#M4Q4

Continue to Module 4: Music