Josephine Baker, also known as Freda Josephine McDonald, was born on June 3, 1906 in St Louis, Missouri. [1] Freda switched her name to Josephine Baker when she got married at the age of 15. She took her husband’s last name and used her middle name as her first name. Her bravery as a military agent and her ability to perform has inspired many worldwide.

During the early years of Josephine’s life, her family struggled with poverty. Josephine often had to find odd jobs to help support herself. As she got older she started to perform on the streets, showcasing her natural talent. She would later find her success on Broadway, which led her to France in the 1920s. This new found success brought her stardom, making her one of the most in demand performers of her time. [2] Her style and routine were known for their uniqueness, separating her from the rest of the performers. [4]

The Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance was one of the most influential movements in African American history. It was a movement that celebrated the lives of black people and the art. Josephine moved to New York at the age of 15, to join the other performers participating in the movement.  She performed in Chocolate Dandies as a line dancer in the chorus. Her exotic performances in the Harlem Renaissance launched her career, which would then lead her to Paris, France. [2] 

The Charleston

The Charleston was known for its ragtime jazz.  Josephine Baker brought the Charleston dance to life, adding her own moves to add flare. During her time being a part of La Revue Negre, she brought fame and popularity to the dance in Europe and even the States. [3]

Josephine’s most known and popular performance was when she danced in a  skirt made of bananas. The audience loved the performance so much that Josephine became the highest-paid performer in Europe. After this point she became known as the “Black Venus” and “black Pearl”. [2]

Film Career

Josephine success carried over to the film industry. She landed singing roles films such as Zou-Zou and Princess Tam-Tam. [2] These roles were huge, Josephine became the first black women to star in a motion picture. Though these films had popularity in Europe, Josephine was a role model for many black women around the world.

WWII

As world war II had started Josephine helped in many ways. She worked for the Red cross as well as performing for the troops. [2] Josephine used her fame and popularity against the enemy by performing for them and getting information on what they were planning. She would then relay the message back to the French Resistance through sheet music.  To keep the messages hidden it was said she had used invisible ink. [1] In some cases she had to pin information to her underwear to get it the Resistance. Due to her bravery and all the intel she provided, Josephine was awarded with Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour with the rosette of the Resistance. [2]

On April 12, 1975, sadly Josephine died in her sleep. She was mourned worldwide and buried with military honors. This made her the first American women to get such honors [2]

Josephine was a hero and role model for many. She was an extraordinary woman who strove to succeed in anything she did. She fought hard for what she believed in and never let anyone stop her from succeeding. Though much of her success was in Europe, people worldwide still know her name and what she has done. This makes her a very important historical figure.

Sources:

[1] Josephine Baker. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/josephine-baker

[2] Josephine Baker. (2018, January 19). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/josephine-baker-9195959

[3] Rosenberg, J. (n.d.). The Steps and Story of the 1920s Dance Craze, the Charleston. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/the-charleston-dance-1779257

[4] Lewis, J. J. (n.d.). Josephine Baker: She Took Her Act to Europe to Gain Success. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/josephine-baker-biography-3528473

Labrinth is what many may consider a “triple threat,” there honestly isn’t much he cannot do. His variety in music ranges anywhere from alternative, pop, and R&B which is what makes his music so unique. Timothy Mckenzie (Labrinth) is from London and has been making his mark in the music industry as a writer, producer, singer and rapper all in one. Although many may not have heard of him or know his music, he is incredibly talented and can do almost anything he sets his mind to. One of the first recognizable songs I heard by Labrinth was in 2010 and called  “Let the Sunshine” which he produced, wrote and sang all on his own out of his small home studio in his bedroom. Labrinth says the song was inspired by the first rays of sun that peak into your room in the morning to welcome you into the day.

The sole fact that Labrinth is talented enough to write, produce and sing his own songs is the reason I think he should be included in future texts. Today many artists voices are tuned by other people to sing songs also written by other people. Making music for the sole purpose of making money seems to be the goal of many artists and singing what they think will make money rather than what moves them. This is something that makes him stand out and what makes his music so unique and valuable. His song, “jealous” from 2014 is a completely different sound than “Let The Sunshine” which only displays a taste of his abilities to produce all varieties of music.

So, how come I’ve never heard of him?

Labrinth seems to be behind the scenes in the music world and possibly underestimated but it seems he is only working his way up and if you have not heard of him I feel you will very soon. It seems only recently Labrinth has made his claim to fame “When Nicki Minaj released Queen on Friday, the album included a predictable cast of A-list guest vocalists — acts like Future, the Weeknd, Ariana Grande and Lil Wayne. But one singer on Queen is less well-known to American listeners: Labrinth, who co-wrote, co-produced and sang on “Majesty,” a schizophrenic, hard-hitting record with an astoundingly fast verse from Eminem.” Here Labrinth is emphasized for his ability to write, produce and sing his own songs but is only now being recognized because be collaborated with two of hip-hops most famous rappers. In the extremely famous  Rolling Stones, Labrinth talks about how he is inspired by every genre of music and takes inspiration from all around him to produce unique tracks.

“I know, it’s like, who’s this Labrinth guy? A lot of the music industry knows about me. It’s just taking time for the world to get to know what I do.” (Labrinth, 2018)

Not long ago in 2017, Labrinth dropped a hit that I personally fell in love with and listen to a lot. It is one of those songs that gets attention when I play it. People immediately like it and always ask who sings it or what the song is and I am happy to share because he has so much raw talent to offer.

Labrinth is different because every song he creates has a different and unique feel. Instead of creating the same music over and over, he is inspired and passionately creates what feels right to him and lets his emotions or what inspired him to shine through his music. Since he writes, produces and sings he is able to really insert his raw emotions into songs in every aspect and it is for that reason I think more should know of him and learn from him in the music industry. Not only is he multi-talented but it is obvious music is who he is and what he lives for when he is interviewed about the song “Majesty” and says,” I play piano and four instruments. I wanted it to feel like a Beatles record or a classic late Sixties-, early Seventies-style record. But then I wanted to switch from that into a crazy hip-hop drop. I missed classic hip-hop. I wanted to make an upgrade of that energy.” He has dedicated his life to learning all aspects of the music industry along with how to express himself and it seems that is a talent that may be overlooked.

Will we hear more of him?

Labrinth is currently working with two extremely famous artists, Sia and Diplo on an album of their own called LSD. He’s producing his own record and, besides names like those he has already started to climb. Like famous pop singer Sia, Labrinth has a unique feel and is extremely creative which can only indicate his future album will be one for the books.

“When we got the chance to do LSD, we jumped at it, and it’s one of the most creative projects I’ve been involved in.”(Labrinth,2018)

Personally, I think Sia is an extremely talented woman who will also be in future textbooks for both her raw talent and her ability to stand out in the music industry which can be hard to do especially in the pop scene. Often many pop, alternative or hip-hop artists music sounds similar but both Sia and Labrinth are able to create their own feel that separates their music from others.

Sources cited:

Rolling Stone (2018). LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP. RollingStone.com

According to our learning materials, heavy metal is a hard rock style developed in the early 1970s. It differentiates itself as its own subsect of music with six factors:

-Ear-splitting volume,

-heavy use of distortion,

-simplified chord progressions/melodies,

-lyrics that reflect (male) adolescent preoccupations, and

-elaborate stage shows.

Campbell’s textbook uses Led Zeppelin as an icon of heavy metal to introduce the genre. While some of their songs don’t meet all 6 heavy metal “requirements,” their biggest hits hit the nail on the head. Their general style and intention is a great depiction of what heavy metal is and where it comes from, figuratively.

Take this live performance of “In the Evening”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSEClIembvU

The song begins with a string of heavily distorted echoes; although not from a guitar, the heavy metal sound is brought in right away. No matter what volume you are listening to this song with, you can feel the loudness in the wail of the guitar, the boom-snap of the drumset, the rugged passion of Robert Plant’s vocals. It isn’t a complicated song, but each member takes the basic chord progression, melody, or whichever part they contribute to, and inject their own virtuosity into it to zap it to life. Plenty of male teens, I’m sure, can relate to the very first verse:

In the evening
When the day is done
I’m looking for a woman
But the girl don’t come
So don’t let her
Play you for a fool
She don’t show no pity, baby
She don’t make no rules

Ah, the teenage years, the height of hormones and ripening of romance. The desire for love, or really lust (cough… sex) is so strong among teens that it is a huge cause for frustration and indirectly, acting out. Guys (girls too, but in this context we’ll just say guys) at that age often have no desire for relationships or ooey-gooey love — just a bang buddy to get their release. These lyrics perfectly express that sentiment, whether it’s politically correct or not. And, of course, we have the harsh dark/light, cool/warm contrast onstage to create the chiaroscuro chaotic visuals to match the sound.

Next on the list, we have “Achilles’ Last Stand” from 1979: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWOuzYvksRw

Of course, the volume depends on the level of which you have it set on whatever device you’re using to listen to it, but you can hear in the way his voice “scrapes” the air, especially how he seems to be losing it towards the end, and in the crackles of the electric guitar’s solo, also due to the heavy distortion, which checks the second box. The chord progression isn’t particularly complex or difficult — basic enough that the guitarist has free roam to spiff it up with freestyled riffs and bits as the song progresses, also allowing him to intensify or ‘soften’ (by heavy metal’s standards) sections as necessary. They hold their presence on the stage throughout the entire performance, and while it isn’t elaborate in that they are doing complex choreography or the like, the stage is lit with a range of colours and their setup is laid out in an appealing and easily viewable way for the audience; every aspect is deliberate and well-thought-out. The lyrics, of course, often reference Achilles from Greek myth, but hold deeper meaning than just the retelling of an old story. It deals with thoughts that perplex people of all ages, but particularly find their apex in the teen years: existentialism, potential, desire, frustration. This fragment gives a sense of all those feelings:

To seek the man whose pointing hand
The giant step unfolds
With guidance from the curving path
That churns up into stone

But really what this song is talking about is not about Achilles at all — it is in fact about Robert Plant, lead singer of Led Zeppelin. In 1975, Plant had travelled to Greece with his family where he was left in a wheelchair after a car accident, with a broken ankle (Achilles’ heel, anyone?) and elbow. He feared he would never walk again, and spent two years recovering. (1) This injury was crippling not only to him, but to Led Zeppelin as a band, and they had to cancel their tour and postpone the release of their album Presence until the next year. (2) However, due to the song being inspired by a real-life experience (and a traumatizing one at that), it has an emotional depth to it that teens in particular heavily relate to, as those are the years we tend to first discover those emotions and begin exploring them in an attempt to understand ourselves and the world around us. This, in itself, is the very core of heavy metal’s ambition.

Unfortunately, this incident was not the end of Robert Plant’s woes. Two years after the car crash, his 5-year-old son passed away from an infection. Plant took time off from Led Zeppelin to mourn the loss with his family and even considered ending their career there. Thankfully, he did not, as with the release of the album In Through the Out Door came “All of My Love,” dedicated to his deceased son. (1) Watch them perform it live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksrOZwK_K-I

Again, the band has covered creating a beautiful stage show with bright, vibrant lights and dramatic atmosphere. The chord progressions are especially simple in this song to leave listeners to focus on the lyrics, particularly the chorus, which is filled with emotional unrestraint as the words “all of my love” ring out. The distortion to the guitar’s sound isn’t quite as heavy as we would normally hear in their songs, but it’s definitely there, and in its subtlety can be found its intensity which fits well with the feeling of the song. The volume itself is also more pulled back than a regular Zeppelin hit; it’s not the usual in-your-face loud, but more of an emotional pain type of loud. They’re not screaming at you — a misconception of what heavy metal is — they are shouting with all those who suffer, and unlike many metal songs, it brings its message to everyone (which includes the typical male teen audience) without limitation. They proclaim their message loudly enough to be heard, and then some, within a respectful range, across the globe.

Robert Plant and son, Karac before his death.

Sources Cited:

1. UltClassicRock. “Pink Floyd Debuts, Robert Plant Injured in Crash – August 4 in Rock History.” YouTube, YouTube, 4 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIFgOksLGt4.
2. Anon, (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.quora.com/Whats-the-meaning-behind-Achilles-Last-Stand-by-Led-Zeppelin [Accessed 13 Aug. 2018].

#M8Q2

Hey everyone!

It’s hard to believe that the class is nearing its end! Where did the summer go?! Anyway, it’s time for the final blog!

Since I have a deep love for heavy metal, I have decided to make my last blog about which band started the heavy metal genre. According to our textbook, Led Zeppelin is considered to be the band that defined the heavy metal genre (1).

In my opinion, Led Zeppelin did not start the heavy metal genre. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Led Zeppelin’s music. However, like most of the other early 60s and 70s rock bands, the blues influence is much more distinct than any other style, especially in their early years. Our textbook states that they are often regarded as a “seminal heavy metal band”, but essentially, they elude categorization (1). In other words, their music has some heavy metal elements, but they are neither the main elements, nor the only elements. Additionally, Campbell notes that “their center is clearly the blues; their version of heavy metal evolved from it” (1). To me, this means that they eventually evolved into a band that might fit in to the heavy metal genre, not that they were one from the beginning or that they started the genre. If you take a listen to their first album, Led Zeppelin (1969), I think most of you will agree that it is very much influenced by blues. The song “You Shook Me” off of their first album definitely has more of a blues vibe than a heavy metal one. Both Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were huge blues fans, and it is extremely evident in their first album (2).

With that said, their music did get heavier. “Whole Lotta Love”, a track off of their second album, Led Zeppelin II (1969), is much closer to heavy metal than any track off of their first album.

I believe that Led Zeppelin, among a few other pre-heavy metal bands from the 60s and 70s, helped lay the foundation for what would eventually become the heavy metal genre we know and love today. However, Led Zeppelin is not the band that should hold the title of having created the genre.

In my opinion, the band that should introduce metal in our course because they are the band that made heavy metal what it is today is….

Black Sabbath!!

Unlike Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath was heavy metal from the beginning. Take a listen to their first song, “Black Sabbath” off of their first album, Black Sabbath (1970). (You can imagine how much thought and effort went into naming the first album and first track haha).

This song incorporates all things heavy metal. According to our text, there are a few things that create the significant difference between heavy metal and other standard forms of popular music. There is heavy distortion (1). The electric guitar in this song sounds much more “gritty” and “growly” than it would in a standard rock song. There are more instrumental sections in comparison to vocal sections (1). The song itself is 9 minutes and 36 seconds long. It starts with a collage of sounds; heavy rain, thunder, church bells (If you’re a metal head, you know these are all obvious signs of a heavy metal song; if you’re not, now you know haha) and then the guitar and drums make their entrance. The vocals aren’t introduced into the song until 1 minute and 24 seconds in. There is a guitar solo, followed by another collage of sounds at around 5 minutes and 26 seconds, lasting for nearly a minute. Furthermore, the vocals end at 8 minutes and 30 seconds, leaving over a minute for one last instrumental section. The vocal lines are definitely more of an incantation than a melody (1). If you compare Ozzy’s vocals to Robert Plant’s (lead vocalist from Led Zeppelin), the difference is undeniable. Ozzy’s voice sounds much more like an enchantment or magical spell than Plant’s, whose voice sounds a lot less sinister. All of these things play into Black Sabbath being more heavy metal than Led Zeppelin.

Following their first album Black Sabbath (1970), Black Sabbath released their second album, Paranoid (1970), in the same year. While their first album laid the foundation, their second album finished paving the way for heavy metal. The Paranoid (1970) album included songs like;

Which happened to be one of my favorite songs growing up. It also included another well-known song:

All 3 of these Black Sabbath songs incorporate all things metal. If you don’t like them, I probably don’t like you haha! They all have heavy distortion. They are all over 5 minutes long because they include more instrumental sections than vocal lines. The vocal lines in all 3 songs sound more sinister than melodic. In contrast, Led Zeppelin has some distortion, but not to the same extreme as Black Sabbath. Most of Led Zeppelin’s songs range from 2 minutes and 30 seconds to 8 minutes and 30 seconds. While some of their songs are long, nearly all of Black Sabbaths are longer. Led Zeppelin’s vocals are also a lot more melodic in comparison to Black Sabbath’s.

Even Black Sabbath’s image screams heavy metal while Led Zeppelin’s image..well, that’s another story…

Take a look at the band members of Black Sabbath:

Now take a look at Led Zeppelin…

Black Sabbath look like the evil little Satan worshipers that the Baby Boomers likely associated heavy metal with and Led Zeppelin look like some stoned hippies about to go frolic in a field of daises haha.

An article published on Ultimate Classic Rock states that Black Sabbath did create heavy metal, though not by themselves. The article mentions Led Zeppelin, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, and others as having contributed to the heavy metal genre, but Black Sabbath was the band that “crystallized” it (3). I agree with this 100%. I’m not saying that Led Zeppelin didn’t contribute to heavy metal; I just don’t think they should be the band to introduce it in our text, and I don’t think they should hold the title as having made the genre what it is. Led Zeppelin is a great band, but they are not a representation of heavy metal. Black Sabbath was, and always will be, an iconic representation of heavy metal both visually and musically.

Here’s one more Black Sabbath song (added as a hyperlink in case you don’t feel like listening to it), another one of my favourites that makes me want to..dance nicely, fully clothed haha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx6IwshTL6M

Enjoy the rest of your summer everyone!

References

1) Campbell, Michael. Popular Music in America: the Beat Goes On. 4th ed., Cengage, 2013.
2) Biography of Led Zeppelin Bio, History, Career, Evolution, Music, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, ledzeppelinweb.yaia.com/biography.html.
3) Rivadavia, Eduardo. “1970: The Year Heavy Metal Was Born.” Ultimate Classic Rock, 29 Sept. 2015, ultimateclassicrock.com/heavy-metal-born-1970/.

#M10Q1

Hi everyone,

For my 3^rd and final blog post, I’d like to talk about Adele. I strongly feel that she will be included in the future editions of our great textbook. There are various reasons for that which I will happily discuss.

The last time that happened was in 2000, when ’N Sync’s blockbuster No Strings Attached sold 2.42 million copies—albeit long before streaming services obviated the need to buy albums. But by the first week’s end, Adele had sold 3.38 million copies of 25, making it the biggest sales week in history. Then sales passed another million the following week. Then another. (Lansky)

The numbers presented to us by one of the sources of my choice speak for themselves. This is a big record breaker. pop’s oldest soul with songs that are intimate and simple. (Lansky) This holds absolute validity and can be easily justified by one of my favourite songs by this greatest artist. Please watch the Youtube video:

Adele’s dismissal of this is a big part of why she reminds people of the way music used to sound—she writes it the way music used to be written, decades ago, before that teen-pop boom of the late ’90s (Lansky)

That’s a part which inspires me the most. Most current pop artists release tons of albums nonstop with a lot of them sounding familiar to existing or future songs to be produced. This exact thing separates Adele from the most. One; however, can not ignore her beautiful, powerful and sometimes manly voice, which is the main tool in delivering the emotional prism to music listeners.

Adele’s music resides in a musical sweet spot that appeals to a widely diverse cross-section of music fans, from young popsters who tend to gravitate to the more hyper R&B-flavored electronic pop that saturates the top 40, to older fans who appreciate Adele’s extraordinary voice, her elegant class as a performer, and her mature approach to pop songcraft. (Gerard)

The facts which are presented above are pretty much the main factors I’ve decided to write about Adele. Below are the other 2 songs I would love you to listen to.

And of course the greatest:

Works Cited

Gerard, Chris. Adele:25. 19 11 2015. 14 08 2018. <https://www.popmatters.com/adele-25-2495467704.html>.

Lansky, Sam. Entertainment: Adele Is Music’s Past, Present and Future. 21 12 2015. 14 08 2018. <http://time.com/4155801/adele-story/>.

In May of 1967,  the music world would be changed forever with the release of The Beatles’ album,  Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was an extremely innovative and unconventional album the likes of which had never been heard before. It was not only influenced by a wide variety of musical genres,  classical, rock and roll, psychedelia and Indian music, it used experimental production techniques and had avant-garde graphic designs on the cover. (1)

The 1960’s and 70’s were the time when baby boomers were coming into their twenties which was perfect timing for a daring, creative album to be produced.(2) The used of mind altering drugs was common and the summer of 1967 was known as the ‘Summer of Love’. This cultural revolution provided the perfect setting for a psychedelic influenced album to be released. The Beatles had spent the three years leading up to the release of this album touring and performing in front of screaming crowds. Feeling like they had lost sense of who they were, The Beatles decided to pack it in and return to the studio where they could focus on producing music they wanted to make, songs not influenced by corporate greed or fan pressure.(2) Five months without releasing any new music had Beatles fans on edge but when Sgt. Pepper was finally released, it took the music world by storm. (2)

The album was not specifically produced to be a crowd pleaser because it was  offbeat, quirky and extremely novel, filled with music that was unusual yet filled with creative genius.(4) Using a wide variety of influences, like classical Indian in ‘Within You Without you” or a circus themed orchestral piece in “Mr. Kite”, the production and song choice allowed all to enjoy it and appreciate what they were hearing.(2) The willingness to experiment with new sound effects, overdubbing and layering was refreshing. The odd sounds, bizarre lyrics and unexpected ideas never heard before forced a change in music. No longer was an artist or group forced to commit to one sound instead they were allowed to experiment and branch out and be whoever they wanted to be. The Beatles alter-ego, Sargent Pepper’s Band, allowed them to create songs and music from a new perspective not confined by the previous sound of The Beatles. It set a precedent for music which allowed artists to try new things, successfully or not.

Some argue this album was not a counter revolution against rock and roll nor was it the most important album ever released, although Rolling Stones Magazine listed it as one of the most influential albums of all time. (2) Instead it lies somewhere between the two. It provided an escape from problems of the day, such as racial tensions and the Vietnam War with songs that were unusual, creative and innovative.(4) Most critics would agree that the final song on the album, A Day in the Life, is the masterpiece of the album and I wouldn’t argue with that. It embodies the Beatles at the peak of their creativity which lead to the breaking of musical boundaries while encapsulating different generations of listeners with their evolving style The Beatles.(3)

Interestingly, A Day in the Life was actually a combination of two separate songs, one by Paul McCartney and one by John Lennon. (3)The song begins with a verse about a car accident where Tara Browne crashed his Lotus Elan. Browne, a good friend of McCartney and Lennon was the heir to the Guinness fortune. The details of the accident in the lyrics are fictional. Lennon admitted he did not copy the accident in the lyrics but Tara was the influence of this verse.(3) Paul envisioned the car accident in another way. Instead, he envisioned a politician on drugs sitting at a traffic light and who didn’t notice the light change because he was so high.(3) The next verse is about a movie that was a flop but was interesting to Lennon because he had read the book before watching the movie. The final verse is about the fortune the English Government spent counting pot holes in the road instead of fixing them.(3) He thought it was ridiculous to spend money in this way instead of fixing the issue. This unique blending of ideas and thoughts, contributions of bits and pieces from each artist to create a song that sounds seamless and unified, gives us a glimpse into the daily lives and the intimate thoughts of Lennon and McCartney who after all were regular people.

After researching this album, listening to it  and learning more about The Beatles, I can see why this album is often considered one of the pivotal moments in their career. They did what we would all like to do, pretend we are someone else and say and do whatever we want. Whether or not this was a drug fueled, mystical adventure or a purposeful shift away from the ‘boys’ they wanted to leave behind, it was a masterful production of not only technical creativity but unique songwriting and graphic art characteristic of the changing times.

Biography:

1. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles | User Reviews.” AllMusic. Accessed August 13, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/album/sgt-peppers-lonely-hearts-club-band-mw0000649874/user-reviews.
2. Gilmore, Mikal. “Inside the Making of the Beatles’ ‘Sgt. Pepper’.” Rolling Stone. June 25, 2018. Accessed August 13, 2018. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/inside-the-making-of-sgt-pepper-125417/.
3. “Beatles – A Day In The Life Lyrics Meaning.” Lyric Interpretations. Accessed August 13, 2018. https://www.lyricinterpretations.com/beatles/a-day-in-the-life.
4. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles | User Reviews.” AllMusic. Accessed August 13, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/album/sgt-peppers-lonely-hearts-club-band-mw0000649874/user-reviews.

Pictures:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sgt+pepper%27s+lonely+hearts+club+band&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA803CA803&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3sZeIqencAhVCJDQIHfF2Ax8Q_AUICigB&biw=1368&bih=807#imgrc=ME7mU2L7oDMV1M:

https://www.google.com/search?q=beatles+recording&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA803CA803&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjg7-ewqencAhVrFzQIHc80CO8Q_AUICigB&biw=1368&bih=758#imgrc=b1jqAKyOH-k3PM:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA803CA803&biw=1368&bih=758&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=vBpxW9XsMJL19APyza6wDg&q=the+bearles+sgt+peppers&oq=the+bearles+sgt+peppers&gs_l=img.3…95847.100788.0.100875.25.23.1.0.0.0.182.1862.17j5.22.0….0…1c.1.64.img..2.11.975…0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i10k1j0i10i24k1.0.L8kqYqgpkiU#imgrc=lKHJJZnK9YkwxM:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA803CA803&biw=1368&bih=758&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=vBpxW9XsMJL19APyza6wDg&q=the+bearles+sgt+peppers&oq=the+bearles+sgt+peppers&gs_l=img.3…95847.100788.0.100875.25.23.1.0.0.0.182.1862.17j5.22.0….0…1c.1.64.img..2.11.975…0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i10k1j0i10i24k1.0.L8kqYqgpkiU#imgrc=cDmV6UCg9_lTiM:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA803CA803&biw=1368&bih=758&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=vBpxW9XsMJL19APyza6wDg&q=the+bearles+sgt+peppers&oq=the+bearles+sgt+peppers&gs_l=img.3…95847.100788.0.100875.25.23.1.0.0.0.182.1862.17j5.22.0….0…1c.1.64.img..2.11.975…0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i10k1j0i10i24k1.0.L8kqYqgpkiU#imgrc=_M5ZC0-AnsV1gM:

The textbook, “Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On”, introduces Led Zeppelin as originators of the heavy metal genre. While some arguments could be made to support this, there is another band also mentioned in the textbook that should take more of the spotlight for trailblazing the genre of heavy metal. The band Black Sabbath contributed more to the creation of heavy metal than Led Zeppelin in rhythm styles, song content, and band culture.

Black Sabbath came onto the music scene around the same time as Led Zeppelin, originating from England as well. The members were Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler and were responsible for vocals, guitar, drums, and bass respectively.

The rhythm sections of the two bands employ very different strategies. This is evident when you compare songs that were released within a short time of each other, “War Pigs” and “Good Times Bad Times”.

Let’s examine the drumming first. Bill Ward of Black Sabbath was a revolutionary drummer of the heavy metal genre. Listening to the live performance of “War Pigs” one can see that he plays with extreme speed and strength, hitting much harder than most drummers of the day. John Bonham of Led Zeppelin was a heavy hitter and massively influencial in his own right; however, his beats were always more about the groove rather than making the song sound as heavy as possible. The complex triplets on the kick-drum in “Good Times Bad Times” is a good example of that.

Black Sabbath’s guitar parts also moved their sound closer to heavy metal than Led Zeppelin. You could say most of their riffs are more simplified than much of Zeppelin’s catalog, but the heavy fuzzy tone and driving riffs from Tony Iommi’s guitar form the heavy base of the band. The intro to “Fairies Wear Boots” brings the heavy drums and guitar together in the signature Black Sabbath sound.

In a 2012 interview with David Letterman, the remaining members of Led Zeppelin joked about their songs being about sex, vikings, and vikings having sex; the same could not be said about Black Sabbath. Sabbath’s lyrics were much darker than Zeppelin’s and usually featured some commentary about the state of the world and society at the time. The song “N.I.B.” contains lyrics darker than almost all of the Led Zeppelin’s songs:

Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you will see who I am
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
Oh yeah!

The genre of heavy metal is defined by much more than the sound of the music. Sometimes the nature of a band’s sound can bleed into their actions, leading to stereotypical actions of their respective genre. At their height, Led Zeppelin was one of the biggest rock bands of all time; and they partied like they were. Notorious for trashing hotels and flying around the world in their own airplane dubbed the Starship. These rock and roll antics do not bring the elements of heavy metal to life the way that Black Sabbath did. Frontman Ozzy Osbourne is known for biting the head off of a bat that a fan threw on the stage; this is far more “metal” than anything Robert Plant would complete in his career. Other aspects lead Black Sabbath to the heavier vibe of the band. For example, guitar player Tony Iommi had the tips of his left middle and ring finger severed in an accident that left him with fake tips on those fingers. Just these stories alone add to the folklore that support Black Sabbath as a true heavy metal band.

Led Zeppelin truly was a generational band that influenced many genres and to say they did not have an effect on heavy metal would be an unfair resolution; however, Black Sabbath directly contributed more to lead the genre of heavy metal towards how it is known today. Music is ever-evolving and takes inspiration from countless areas of people’s lives and experiences; Black Sabbath has contributed a great deal to that evolution.

About Beyoncé

Beyoncé Knowles is undoubtedly one of the most influential and powerful singers of the twenty-first century [1]. Beyoncé is originally from Texas. Ever since she was a young girl she has a knack for singing. She began singing professionally in 1997 with Destiny’s Child. However, the group did not last too long. In 2003 she released her first solo album, Dangerously in Love. Ever since this, she has been a fast-rising R&B star. Beyoncé has won countless awards, including several Grammys. Beyoncé is a very successful woman, “According to Forbes, Beyoncé snagged $105 million in pretax income June 2016 through June 2017.” [2] She is an entrepreneur by singing, acting, founding her own recording company, running a clothing line and charitable foundation. In addition to her business success, Beyoncé has formed a family. She is married to Jay-Z and together they have three children, two of which are twins [3].

http://www.vulture.com/2018/04/coachella-2018-beyonce-everything-that-happened.html

I have chosen Beyoncé as an artist I feel will be included in future textbooks because of her major influence on young generations. She is bold in everything she does, whether it is her mixture of genres in music, her powerful and meaningful lyrics, or her avocation for feminism and other important issues in today’s society.

Pretty Hurts

This song is a great example of Beyoncé tackling an important issue in today’s society, which is the pressure that girls experience to look a certain way. Magazines, music, and television create a body image that girls are constantly pressured to look like, in order to be considered pretty. The song “Pretty Hurts” highlights the increasing pressure that not only pageant girls are put through, but all girls in today’s society [4]. In the song, Beyoncé says, “We shine the light on whatever’s worst/Perfection is a disease of a nation” [5].

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In an interview the director of the music video states “‘The concept of the video is really a behind the scenes look into society’s take on beauty and how it doesn’t bring you happiness and it doesn’t move you forward in life,’ says Melina.” [6]. By Beyoncé performing songs with this type of a positive message so is standing up for important feminist issues and supporting women.

Formation

In the song “Formation” Beyoncé covers important issues prevalent in black communities that are often overlooked by the rest of the world, such as the deathly impact Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans and police violence towards African American people.  This song “Musically, was the culmination of a decades-long process of honing her own message of empowerment, hooked around a killer Mike Will Made It synthy hook and absolving the pain of millions with the simple words ‘I slay.’” [7]. This song and music video display Beyoncé’s strong stance against the police shooting of innocent African American people, particularly when the video shows the “‘Stop shooting us’” written on the wall, and the sections of her laying on a sinking Police car. She also proves she is proud of her heritage background. This encourages others to do the same and stick together [8].

Flawless

This song brought the word flawless back into use by many. It helped to unite people in the importance of viewing themselves as flawless [9]. Her song states “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller/ We say to girls: “You can have ambition, but not too much/You should aim to be successful, but not too successful/Otherwise, you will threaten the man.” [10]. Lyrics like show Beyoncé’s feminism stance.

What Beyoncé’s Done Differently

Beyoncé has done many things different that make her music stick out from other artists. Firstly, she pulls strong lyrics from her songs and turns them into “catch phrases” that help remind people of the overall messages of her songs [11]. Secondly, she surprised the world by releasing an album in the middle of the night with no warnings or promotion. Each song had a music video that went along with it because it was a “visual album.” Thirdly, Beyoncé puts on eccentric and vibrant performances that capture her audience. She creates a flashy and surprising stage that you cannot look away from. Finally, she is daring and fearless when it comes to singing songs that she believes in with messages that she resonates with [12].

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/11/beyonce-jay-z-blue-ivy-halloween-neil-patrick-harris

Endnotes

[1] Henry Knight, “Why Beyoncé Speaks for a Generation,” BBC News, April 15, 2015, accessed August 10, 2018, http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150415-beyonc-voice-of-a-generation.

[2] Biography.com Editors, “Beyoncé Knowles,” The Biography.com Website, August 07, 2018, accessed August 11, 2018, https://www.biography.com/people/beyonce-knowles-39230.

[3] Biography.com Editors, “Beyoncé Knowles,” The Biography.com Website, August 07, 2018, accessed August 11, 2018, https://www.biography.com/people/beyonce-knowles-39230.

[4] Jon Blistein, “Beyonce Shows How ‘Pretty Hurts’ in New Video,” Rolling Stone, April 24, 2014, accessed August 11, 2018, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/beyonce-shows-how-pretty-hurts-in-new-video-100715/.

[5] “Beyoncé – Pretty Hurts,” Genius, accessed August 10, 2018, https://genius.com/Beyonce-pretty-hurts-lyrics.

[6] Rebecca Davison, “Beyonce Says There’s Too Much Pressure on Women to Be Beautiful in Pretty Hurts,” Daily Mail Online, April 28, 2014, accessed August 11, 2018, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2614920/Beyonce-says-theres-pressure-women-beautiful-Pretty-Hurts.html.

[7] Christopher Weingarten et al., “The 100 Greatest Songs of the Century – So Far,” Rolling Stone, June 14, 2018, accessed August 11, 2018, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-100-greatest-songs-of-the-century-so-far-666874/formation-beyonce-667076/.

[8] India Hill, “7 Reasons Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ Music Video Is a Powerful Statement During Black History Month,” Teen Vogue, accessed August 11, 2018, https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/beyonce-formation-music-video.

[9] Parul Sehgal, “How ‘Flawless’ Became a Feminist Declaration,” The New York Times, March 24, 2015, Accessed August 11, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/magazine/how-flawless-became-a-feminist-declaration.html.

[10] “Beyoncé – ***Flawless,” Genius, accessed August 11, 2018, https://genius.com/Beyonce-flawless-lyrics.

[11] Candace McDuffie, “5 Ways Beyoncé Has Changed the Music Industry,” Teen Vogue, September 04, 2016, accessed August 10, 2018, https://www.teenvogue.com/story/beyonce-birthday.

[12] Candace McDuffie, “5 Ways Beyoncé Has Changed the Music Industry,” Teen Vogue, September 04, 2016, accessed August 10, 2018, https://www.teenvogue.com/story/beyonce-birthday.

Bibliography

“Beyoncé – ***Flawless.” Genius. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://genius.com/Beyonce-flawless-lyrics.

“Beyoncé – Pretty Hurts.” Genius. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://genius.com/Beyonce-pretty-hurts-lyrics.

Biography.com Editors. “Beyoncé Knowles.” The Biography.com Website. August 07, 2018. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/beyonce-knowles-39230.

Blistein, Jon. “Beyonce Shows How ‘Pretty Hurts’ in New Video.” Rolling Stone. April 24, 2014. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/beyonce-shows-how-pretty-hurts-in-new-video-100715/.

Davison, Rebecca. “Beyonce Says There’s Too Much Pressure on Women to Be Beautiful in Pretty Hurts.” Daily Mail Online. April 28, 2014. Accessed August 11, 2018. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2614920/Beyonce-says-theres-pressure-women-beautiful-Pretty-Hurts.html.

Hill, India. “7 Reasons Beyoncé’s “Formation” Music Video Is a Powerful Statement During Black History Month.” Teen Vogue. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/beyonce-formation-music-video.

Knight, Henry. “Why Beyoncé Speaks for a Generation.” BBC News. April 15, 2015. Accessed August 10, 2018. http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150415-beyonc-voice-of-a-generation.

McDuffie, Candace. “5 Ways Beyoncé Has Changed the Music Industry.” Teen Vogue. September 04, 2016. Accessed August 10, 2018. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/beyonce-birthday.

Sehgal, Parul. “How ‘Flawless’ Became a Feminist Declaration.” The New York Times. March 24, 2015. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/magazine/how-flawless-became-a-feminist-declaration.html.

Weingarten, Christopher, Jon Dolan, Elias Leight, Brittany Spanos, Suzy Exposito, Kory Grow, Sarah Grant et al. “The 100 Greatest Songs of the Century – So Far.” Rolling Stone. June 14, 2018. Accessed August 11, 2018. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-100-greatest-songs-of-the-century-so-far-666874/formation-beyonce-667076/.

In module 9 of the class we had a look into the new developments of country music. We heard from Country artists that changed the way we listen to country artists such as Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, Alabama, and Dolly Parton. These artists influenced the way that we listened to Country music. It pulled it us out of the rural country and into a more urban country era. This included the artist Taylor Swift. Now, I am a country fan. I love the long ballads like Blake Shelton’s “Who are You when I’m not Looking” and Jason Aldean’s “You make it Easy” to the fast-paced pop country like Brad Paisley’s “Online” and Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl Shake It for Me”. I could listen to it all day, and when I saw Taylor Swift as the last artist in the Country section of the textbook I was so disappointed. I understand that Taylor Swift has made an impact on country music and brought a pop aspect into the chords and rhythms of country music, but I feel there are many artists who have shifted to the same pop like aspects but still stayed country. I know Taylor Swift was a country artist before her new albums, but her song “You Belong with Me” is not a country song to me. She had many great ones such as “Our Song” that I think has a stronger impact of showing how she brought pop into country. It showcases still synthesizer as an instrument and the quick punk rock beat. We also see the similarity in it being music for teens in that is about love. With all of this we still here the country in her song, the twang in her voice and the story is more relatable to living in the country. I think that the chapter needed a song more like “Our Song” to show the direction that country music is going.

So, in saying all of this and showing you the song I believe the chapter should have ended with it still leaves me with who would I think should be put into the textbook. As probably noted I am going to stay in the realm of country music and would have to pick an artist whom I believe has also added in popular music aspects to his music but has also kept it country and would pick Luke Bryan.

Image Retrieved from: http://www.tykellyandchuck.com/2018/02/05/luke-bryan-freaks-out-after-shooting-a-deer/

Luke Bryan wanted to move to Nashville from a young age but never had the chance to do it due to a car accident that claimed the life of his brother in 1995. He decided he had to stay home with the family and enrolled in college instead. But in 2007 he still had a dream to pursue and his father convinced him he had to go. Bryan moved to Nashville and began writing and recording music. His first song to hit the Billboard Hot Country would be “All my Friends Say” in that same year (Thefamouspeople). He has since had 6 albums that have been released all of which have had songs that have hit the Billboard Hot Country list. Bryan had great success on his 5^th album ‘Kill the Lights’ which “debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as well as Top Country Albums, where it ranked at No. 1 for eight weeks. It is his fourth album to sell more than 1 million copies” (EBSCO, Para.50). Luke Bryan is currently on the Billboard Greatest of All time Country Artists at number 49 (Billboard). Among many artists who have all shaped country music to what it is today, Bryan has been an influence to the music industry. He is what country music is a leader in where country music will go.

In Luke Bryan’s album “Crash My Party” he once again had great success where the album “notched a whopping five No. 1 singles of Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart” (Biography, Para.7). Two of his number one singles from this album show the diversity of Bryan as a singer. I would like to talk a little about both. “Drink a Beer” was a song that has been rumored to be written about all the tragedy that has happened throughout Luke Bryan’s life. He lost a sister, then a brother and then a brother-in-law. The song is real, it is life through the lenses of someone who is hurting and you can feel it in his music. He gives us the country feel with the twang in his voice and the instrumentation through the beginning of the song. There are the classic country instruments such as acoustic guitar, the electric guitar and the fiddle. Instead of a heavy drum set, Bryan pulls from Reggae music using a bongo drum and tambourine as his percussion instruments. Bryan’s song has a larger harmony than that of the typical three chord country music. But he brings it all back to the country style with his verse/chorus with a bridge delivery.

On the same album we get another no.1 hit but with a completely different feel. “Play it Again” takes us back into a love story about a boy trying to impress a girl by learning her favorite song and playing it on his guitar. It goes to country music when he throws in metaphors for being in a country like “talking over the speakers in the back of that truck” and “we were sitting out under the stars”. These phrases give us (or at least I think they do) of sitting out in the middle of nowhere in a pick-up truck listening to country. His voice once again adds a twang that makes the song feel country. We also do hear the country instruments such as electric guitar, drums and banjo. But he adds the synthesizers to this song showing progression to a more country pop. Bryan also carries his words over the melody throughout the course of the song. The electric guitar also gives us more of a rock feel then it does a country feel. It carries an upbeat rock rhythm over the country beat of the song. It also carries syncopations throughout the song which the use of is growing in country music.

I think Luke Bryan is an example of what Country is now, but he is also in his own way progressing Country music and should be a candidate for being put in an updated version of the textbook. He is taking country to new heist consistently having tracks that are hitting the Billboards. I suggest that Michael Campbell will have to look into him.

Extra: I thought it was also noteworthy that Luke Bryan is currently on the Billboard Hot Country list this week. He is at number 10 with “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset”. Hope you enjoy.

Works Cited:

Billboard. 2018. Billboard Hot Country. Retrieved from: https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs

Billboard. 2018. Billboard Greatest of All Time Country Artists. Retrieved from: https://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-country-artists

Biography. 2018. Luke Bryan Biography. Retrieved from: https://www.biography.com/people/luke-bryan

EBSOhost. 2016. The Masters of Music Row. Retrieved from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.cyber.usask.ca/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=d0a4ca46-1a27-4b5c-9dc6-2d7d52eea2fc%40sessionmgr4006&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=117133842&db=a9h

EBSCOhost. 2014. Cross Country. Retrieved from: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.cyber.usask.ca/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=46acd8ba-f661-4562-ada3-b3065d687922%40sessionmgr4007&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=97721669&db=a9h

Thefamouspeople. Luke Bryan Biography. Retrieved from: https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/luke-bryan-14631.php

Image Retrieved from: http://www.tykellyandchuck.com/2018/02/05/luke-bryan-freaks-out-after-shooting-a-deer/

Youtube

Luke Bryan (2013, December 16). Luke Bryan – Drink a Beer. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM5aW83L_DE

Luke Bryan (2014, April 4) Luke Bryan – Play it Again. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALV-QtDFpSw

Luke Bryan (2018, July 25) Luke Bryan – Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c08Oz8AovU

Taylor Swift (2009, July 16) Taylor Swift – Our Song. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb2stN7kH28