4/23/2019 – Final Project: How Music Communicates Political Frustrations

Regardless of your personal views, music has been used as political commentary for decades. In my final blog post, I will showcase two examples of songs with deeper political meanings and analyze some elements of music within them.

First up is Jack Johnson’s My Mind is For Sale! This is one of my personal favorites from his newest album. It is consistent with the gentle nature of his typical work. However, this piece has an incredibly deep message that is surprising to hear from Johnson.

My Mind is For Sale was released on July 14, 2017 in the USA (wikipedia.com).

Lyrics

“I don’t care for your paranoid
“Us against them” walls
I don’t care for your careless
“Me first, gimme gimme” appetite at all”

Jack Johnson wrote these lyrics to communicate his frustrations with the current administration. He refers to “the wall,” which was a prevalent and controversial issue throughout the Trump Campaign. These lyrics are repeated throughout the song and serve as the chorus. From Johnson’s perspective, the Trump Administration is careless, paranoid, and greedy. 

In 2017, Rolling Stones published an article that stated: “’My Mind is For Sale’ is packed with sharp lyrics skewering President Trump, but Johnson delivers his barbs with a gentle and dexterous touch over an effervescent instrumental groove” (Blistein, 2017).

Meter

After listening to this piece several times, I was able to determine that this song’s meter is in four. I thought it was particularly interesting because the pace of this song is mellow and relaxing. Throughout this course we have seen a variety of different types of music (pop, classical, etc.) that fall into meter of four. I thought this relatively ‘slow’ song was a unique addition to our classes’ collection.

Dynamics

Jack Johnson’s pieces are typically mellow, wholesome, and simple. This song is a perfect example of another relatively ‘soft’ and gentle composition from Jack Johnson. Despite the deep political message, this song’s soft nature is relaxing and calming.

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The second piece I decided to analyze was Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. This song was recorded and released in 1939 (wikipedia.com). Billie Holiday’s voice is raspy, soulful, and communicates a message filled with deep sorrow. It is an incredibly moving song.

Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday

Lyrics

“Southern trees bear strange fruit,

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,

Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.”

This song was written in response to the lynching that was taking place in the United States in the 1930s. Although the majority of lynching occurred during the late 1800s, black people were still being targeted when this song was released. The lyrics are harrowing and convey a horrifying political message (wikipedia.com).

Meter

I had a difficult time determining what the meter of this composition is. After checking the sheet music, I was able to confirm that the meter was in four. The piece is even slower than the Jack Johnson piece that I analyzed. This again proved to me that songs of all tempos can have a meter in four.

Dynamics

I would categorize this composition as soft. This version is simply Billie Holiday singing accompanied by a gentle piano. The lyrics and message are bold, loud, and disturbing, but the piece overall is relatively soft.

Work Cited

“All the Light Above It Too.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Dec. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Light_Above_It_Too.

Blistein, Jon, and Jon Blistein. “Jack Johnson Breaks Walls in Sly Anti-Trump ‘My Mind Is for Sale’ Video.” Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, http://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jack-johnson-breaks-walls-in-sly-anti-trump-my-mind-is-for-sale-video-201376/.

“Strange Fruit.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruit.

4/14/2019 – Continued Explorations

For the continued explorations assignment, I decided to complete another ‘Take a Musical Trip’ blog post. For round two, I will be analyzing two pieces of music from Egypt. Both of the pieces I will be analyzing are by Ahmed Adaweyah. He is known for popularizing Shaabi style music. Shaabi music was born in the poorest districts of Cario and quickly gained traction in the Middle East (traditionalarabicmusic.com).

Taataah by Ahmed Adaweyah. This piece was composed by Hassan Abo Etman and released in 1994 (spotify.com)

Taataah is my favorite of the two songs I selected. There is an incredibly array of instruments coming together in a unique way. I have had very little prior exposure to Egyptian music and I thought this piece was representative of an authentic Egyptian song.

Teggy by Ahmed Adaweyah. This piece was composed by Hassan Abou El Seoud and released in 1980 (spotify.com).

I thought this piece was an interesting one to analyze. It is busy, irregular, and very long. I enjoyed listening to it because I could pick out the chorus, which surprised me!

Musical Elements Analysis

Beat

During my last Musical Trip blog post, I analyzed music from Nepal. I notice that in both Nepalese and Egyptian music it is difficult for me to identify the beat. My ear is most definitely used to more traditional Western music styles. In both Teegy and Taataah, the beat seems to change several times throughout the song. The irregularity of the songs makes the listening experience incredibly unique and is not something you typically experience when listening to Western music.

Dynamics

Taataah seemed to have a much softer sound than Teegy. I felt that Adaweyah’s voice was the main focus in Taataah, where in Teegy the instruments were the main focus. In addition, the composition in Teegy was much more ornate and lively. I thought this lead to Teegy being on the loud side of the spectrum and Taataah being more on the quiet/softer side.

Work Cited

“Music of Egypt.” Egyptian Music, http://www.traditionalarabicmusic.com/music_of_egypt.html.

“زحمه.” Spotify, 1 Jan. 1980, open.spotify.com/album/57ufRngDYryV07UJnTxPpR.

4/3/2019 – Music and the Fictive Dream

Introduction & History

For the Music and the Fictive Dream blog post, I chose to analyze Zero to Hero from one of my favorite Disney films, Hercules. Hercules is a classic Disney film that follows the rise of a hero and is loosely based off of Greek Mythology. This film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, and released on June 27th, 1997 in the United States (wikipedia.com). There are several songs in the film that help guide the audience through the film. However, I think that Zero to Hero is typically the song that comes to mind when Hercules is brought up. Zero to Hero was composed by Alan Menken, the lyrics were written by David Zipple, and the performers were Lillias White, LaChanze, Roz Ryan, Cheryl Freeman, and Vaneese Thomas (disney.fandom.com).

Zero to Hero as seen in Hercules, 1997.

Background & Aesthetic Reaction

Through my research, I discovered that the directors spent a great deal of time on this particular number. It is, after-all, the pinnacle moment of the film when Hercules realizes his own strength and abilities. Ron Clements and John Musker had women perform a choreographed dance in toga-type dresses so that they had a clear picture of what the ideal animation would look like. Musker and Clements wanted this number to emulate what MTV offered in the 90’s. Musker said this about their source of inspiration: “When we were trying to visualize this I was on a plane, and I was listening to the track and I was watching an NBA highlight reel and hearing the song in my headset and thought, ‘oh we should really do a video where we intercut the great sports exploits of Hercules intercut with a dance number” (Romano, 2016).

I thought that they were able to achieve a modern, high-energy, motivating performance. I can definitely see the inspiration drawn from sports reels, but with a fun twist! I love how quick the cuts are and the incorporation of the Greek themes.

Social Commentary

One of the underlying themes of this film is to not let others define you. Hercules was up against some harsh critics and tough bullies. However, he knew that he was destined to be something greater. This song really helps to paint this picture of self empowerment and the power of determination. Before this portion of the movie, Hercules was really struggling to prove himself. However, he stuck it out and was able to overcome the doubt surrounding him. This song serves as his point of celebration for becoming what he knew he was capable of. Such a powerful message!

Musical Element – Dynamics

This is a loud song. Both the vocals and instruments bring an incredible amount of energy to the table. This creates an uplifting, confidence boosting, and cheerful number. The loudness of this song lends itself perfectly to the storyline. As this song is playing, Hercules is defeating monsters and gaining skills as a gladiator. It is the perfect song for this part of the movie.

Musical Element – Lyrics

For this particular number, the lyrics are center stage. I think my favorite part about this song is the “zero to hero” line. The audience can easily catch on and sing along, even if this is their first time hearing it. The witty and bright lyrics bring Hercules’ story to life.

“Bless my soul
Herc was on a roll
Person of the week in evry Greek opinion poll
What a pro
Herc could stop a show”

It is obviously empowering and shows the audience that you can start from anywhere!

Work Cited

“Hercules (1997 Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules_(1997_film).

Romano, Nick. “Watch: ‘Hercules’ Side-By-Side Video Shows Never-Before-Seen Making of ‘Zero to Hero.’” Collider, 27 June 2016, collider.com/disney-hercules-zero-to-hero-video/.

“Zero to Hero.” Disney Wiki, disney.fandom.com/wiki/Zero_to_Hero.

3/24/2019 – Role of the Performer

For the Role of the Performer assignment, I chose to analyze Cher. Cher is an incredibly talented performer and has showcased her wide variety of skills throughout her five decade long career. Although Cher is primarily known for her musical endeavors, her acting, comedy, authorship, modeling, and various businesses have made her an international sensation. Most would categorize her music as pop, with some rock and disco undertones. Her long and dynamic career earned her the title of “The Goddess of Pop” (imdb.com). Although Cher’s reputation can speak for itself, she is also well known for her musical collaborations with former husband, Sonny Bono. Together, they released several chart topping songs and hosted the wildly popular The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour television show in the 70’s (wikipedia.org).

For my analysis, I have included two different clips of Cher performing in concert. I hope that her powerful presence leaves a positive impression on you, as it has for me.

Cher performing Dové L’Amore on the “Do You Believe?” tour, which ran from June 1999 to March 2000 and included 121 shows. Dové L’Amore was written by Mark Taylor and Paul Barry and released in 1999 (wikipedia.org).

I chose to include this clip because I think it showcases how devoted Cher’s fans are. She has the ability to command the complete attention of thousands of people in a room. It also highlights how elaborate her costumes and choreography are. I absolutely love this song and think her performance is incredibly powerful.

Tempo

This song has a strong latin influence and a relatively fast tempo. It is certainly upbeat and easy to dance to. A faster tempo is a common theme with most of Cher’s hit songs. She can keep the audience entertained and moving all night long!

Dynamics

This song in particular has a very interesting and variable dynamic. Overall, I would consider this to be a ‘loud’ song. However, when Cher is not singing and the guitar is taking over, the song becomes much softer. Personally, I think this adds depth to the song as a whole.

Cher preforming Believe in Sydney, Australia on March 4th, 2018. Believe was written by Brain Higgins and Stuart McLennen and released in 1998 (wikipedia.org).

Although this video is not the best quality, I chose to include it for several reasons. First, this is one of my personal favorite Cher songs. It speaks to finding happiness independent from love. I also included this because I find it so impressive that she can still put on such a strong show at her age. She is 71 years old in this clip! I hope to have half that amount of energy and radiance at that age. Incredibly inspiring!

Range

Cher is an incredibly talented vocalist. She has shown that she can sing anything from folk to hip-hop. However, she is definitely not known for her range. Believe, in particular, has a very small vocal range and does not require her to ‘stretch’ or ‘strain’ her voice.

Meter

This song has a very strong ‘pop-y’ feel to it. It is relatively common for pop songs to have a meter in four. Believe is a perfect example of a meter in four. This dancy song is perfect for a lively performance!

Work Cited

“Believe (Cher Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Believe_(Cher_song).Brumburgh, Gary.

“Cher.” IMDb, IMDb.com, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000333/bio#spouse.

“Cher.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cher.

“Dov’è L’amore.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Jan. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dov’è_l’amore.

3/4/2019 – A Musical Trip

For the musical trip assignment, I chose to analyze music from Nepal. I have had very little exposure to music from this region of the world. Thankfully, in November of 2011, Alejandro Sanchez-Samper released an album called Nepali Ho (amazon.com). This album contains a balanced mix of modern and contemporary music from Nepal. I have included two songs from the album, each with a slightly different flavor.

Song of the Mountain by Mukti. Country of origin: Nepal. Composition date: unknown.

This song is an example of traditional Nepali music. It features the chaturangui, a Hindustani slide guitar; the bansuri, a bamboo flute; and tabla (worldmusiccentral.org, 2012). I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this piece. It exposed me to several new instruments and arrangements.

Thais for Tangos by Ur Jazz. Country of origin: Nepal. Composition date: unknown.

This is an example of a contemporary piece from Nepal. It is a lively blend of jazz and traditional Nepali instruments. I thought this song was a great example of how traditional sounds can shine in a more modern track. Jazz is one of my favorite genres and I’m definitely going to be looking into more pieces from Ur Jazz.

Elements Analysis

Beat

When listening to these pieces, I had a hard time identifying the pulse of the music. The music seems to wander, shift, and change more than traditional Western music. There were times during each of the songs where the beat would speed up and then slow back down again. I find the music to be incredibly complex, challenging and dynamic. Personally, the unpredictability makes the listening experience more exciting.

Dynamics

In simple terms, dynamics examines how loud or soft a piece is. In Song of the Mountain, I felt that all instruments were playing at an equivalent volume. In Western music, I don’t see this pattern very often. Usually, one or two instruments are played more loudly to create more texture in the track. However, I really enjoyed how all the instruments seemed equal in this composition. Overall, it made the song appear louder and busier to my ear. I was more familiar with the dynamics in Thais for Tangos. Certain instruments were presented louder than others. Overall, I think this song would also be considered loud.

Work Cited

“Nepali Ho by Various Artists on Amazon Music.” Amazon, Amazon,. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064ZCGQQ?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0064ZCGQQ&linkCode=xm2&tag=musidelmund-20.

Romero, Angel. “World Music Central.org.” World Music Centralorg, Aug. 2012, worldmusiccentral.org/2012/08/30/nepali-ho-contemporary-and-traditional-music-of-nepal/.

2/27/2019 – Innovations & Evolutions #1

For the innovations and evolutions assignment, I have decided to discuss how sound quality has changed over time. More specifically, I will be using vinyl records as my “Point A” and CDs as my “Point B.”

The debate regarding if and how sound quality changes when listening to a vinyl record compared to a CD is as old as the CD itself. Most people have their own personal opinion on what they prefer. Regardless, I think it is important to understand what is different about the two mediums and how that might affect sound quality. Any noise recorded on a vinyl record is considered an analog recording. This simply means that a vinyl record contains an exact copy of a sound’s original waveform. A CD, on the other hand, is a digital recording. A digital recording is only able to replicate a sound’s original waveform to a certain degree of accuracy because it is taking snapshots of the original sound (electronics.howstuffworks.com, 2000). So, certain elements of a sound can potentially be lost or distorted in a digital recording.

I have included two recordings of Louis Armstrong’s Le Vie En Rose – one version on vinyl and one on CD. This beautiful song was recorded on June 26th, 1950 in New York City (dippermouth.blogspot.com, 2010). Hope you enjoy!

Vinyl version. Skip to 0:30 for the music to start.

Digital version.

It should be noted that because you aren’t actually listening to the vinyl version in person, it is also a digital recording. However, I think you can hear the difference in the two videos.

Analysis of Musical Elements

Timbre

The musical element that is most related to vinyl vs. CD is timbre. Timbre is essentially describing the quality of sound or tone color. Personally, I think that the timbre of a song is higher when recorded on vinyl. The idea that portions of a sound might get lost or estimated to fit the digital recording is unfortunate. I would like the opportunity to experience a song in its purest and most original form.

Dynamics

Another musical element that is related to sound quality, in this example, is dynamics. It is relatively subtle but I noticed that Louis Armstrong’s voice was slightly more muffled on the vinyl recording. On the digital recording, his voice was much louder and more prominent. Personally, I love Armstrong’s voice and you can hear him very clearly on the digital version. The editing tools available to recording artists in the digital recording age are amazing. In post-processing, you can turn up the vocals or highlight the trumpet to affect the dynamics of a song. In this case, I think the digital recording was able to showcase the warmth and strength of Armstrong’s vocals.

Work Cited

Contributors, HowStuffWorks.com. “Is the Sound on Vinyl Records Better than on CDs or DVDs?” HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 11 Oct. 2000, electronics.howstuffworks.com/is-the-sound-on-vinyl-records-better-than-on-cds-or-dvds.htm.

Riccardi, Ricky. “The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.” The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, 26 June 2010, dippermouth.blogspot.com/2010/06/50-years-of-la-vie-en-rose.html.

2/17/2019 – Musical Analysis #2

I chose to analyze the Spongebob Squarepants theme song for my second musical analysis. This classic number was composed by  Mark Harrison and Blaise Smith.  Stephen Hillenburg, the series’ creator, and Derek Drymon, the creative director, wrote the lyrics (wikipedia.com).

Lyrics

Are you ready, kids?
I said, are you ready?

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Spongebob Squarepants
Absorbent and yellow and porous is he
Spongebob Squarepants

If nautical nonsense be something you wish
Spongebob Squarepants
Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish
Spongebob Squarepants (Repeat x 5)

Spongebob SquarePants is an iconic children’s television series that first aired in 1999 (wikipedia.com). The theme song appears at the beginning of each episode and is recognized around the world. The lyrics of this theme song do a great job setting the stage for the audience. The lyrics were inspired by a classic sea shanty called “Blow the Man Down” (genius.com). It introduces the main character and highlights some of his best traits (absorbent, yellow, and porous). In addition, the song describes the nature of the characters. I always thought the line, “If nautical nonsense be something you wish” provided a nice summary of the shenanigans that were about to take place in any given episode.

This song is something that I, and I’m sure many of you, are able to recite from memory. It brings up fond memories from my childhood and I still look forward to watching reruns from time to time.

Beat

This song provides a great example of a beat with inconsistencies. The first 10 seconds of the song, “Painty the Pirate” is performing a call and response. There are no instruments playing, only words. Once the instruments start playing, the beat is consistent. However, in the last repeat of the lyric “Spongebob Squarepants,” the beat is stretched out. I think this irregularity in the beat adds to the overall charm of the song. It emphasizes the importance of the main character and signals to the audience that the song is coming to a close.

Tempo

This theme song is very cheery and has a lively tempo. I think it perfectly matches the pace of the show and amps up the audience for the upcoming episode. In addition, I think that the relatively fast tempo fits well with the length of the song. For my personal taste, the tempo would be overwhelmingly fast if the song was any longer.

Meter

After listening closely, it was clear to me that the meter for this song is in 4. However, just to confirm, I did reference the sheet music online (virtualsheetmusic.com). I struggled with the concept of meter but, exercises like these analyses are improving my ability.

Dynamics

The Spongebob Squarepants theme song is an example of a song that I would categorize as being dynamically loud. The vocals seem to be overshadowing the instruments throughout the entire song. Despite this, if you listen to the instruments ‘underneath’ the vocals I would still consider them to be loud. At the end of the song, Spongebob famously plays his nose as if it were a flute. This is the only part of the song where the instruments are taking center stage. I think that the concluding flute sequence is the most iconic part of the song. It wraps up the piece nicely and is very recognizable.

Work Cited

Harrison, Mark. “Harrison – SpongeBob SquarePants Theme Song Sheet Music for Piano Solo (Big Note Book).” Virtual Sheet Music, 26 Nov. 2015, http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/score/HL-7130.html.

“SpongeBob SquarePants.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpongeBob_SquarePants.

“SpongeBob SquarePants – SpongeBob SquarePants Theme Song.” Genius, Genius Media Group Inc., 15 Nov. 2005, genius.com/Spongebob-squarepants-spongebob-squarepants-theme-song-lyrics.

2/6/2019 – Musical Analysis #1

I chose to analyze ‘Surfer Girl’ by The Beach Boys. This song was recorded and released in 1963 (wikipedia.com).

One of my favorite songs by The Beach Boys

Lyrics

Little surfer little one
Made my heart come all undone

Do you love me, do you surfer girl
Surfer girl my little surfer girl

I have watched you on the shore
Standing by the ocean’s roar

Do you love me do you surfer girl
Surfer girl surfer girl

We could ride the surf together
While our love would grow
In my Woody I would take you everywhere I go
So I say from me to you
I will make your dreams come true

Do you love me do you surfer girl
Surfer girl my little surfer girl

Well
Girl surfer girl my little surfer girl
Well
Girl surfer girl my little surfer girl
Well
Girl surfer girl my little surfer girl

“Surfer Girl” was Brain Wilson’s, lead vocalist of The Beach Boys, first composition. He described the origins of this song: “… I’d never written a song in my life. I was nineteen years old. And I put myself to the test in my car one day. I was actually driving to a hot dog stand, and I actually created a melody in my head without being able to hear it on a piano. I sang it to myself; I didn’t even sing it out loud in the car. When I got home that day, I finished the song, wrote the bridge, put the harmonies together and called it ‘Surfer Girl.’” (genius.com). The song follows a relatively simple structure but still manages to convey a very sweet story. This song and The Beach Boys, in general, remind me of the time I spent in California as a child.

Tempo

Throughout the entirety of the song, the tempo remains constant and relatively slow. Personally, I enjoy music with this tempo. It is easy to sway back-and-forth to and is not overwhelmingly fast. For this song, in particular, the constant and predictable tempo allowed for the message of the lyrics to be the centerpiece.

Meter

Since the tempo on this song is so slow, it was actually a bit of a challenge for me to determine the meter. I ended up having to look at the sheet music to confirm that the meter is in 4 (musicnotes.com). After referencing the sheet music, I found it easier to follow the flow of the music.

Sources

Surfer Girl (song). (2018, December 29). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfer_Girl_(song)

The Beach Boys – Surfer Girl. (1963, July 23). Retrieved February 6, 2019, from https://genius.com/The-beach-boys-surfer-girl-lyrics

Wilson, & Brian. (n.d.). The Beach Boys “Surfer Girl” Sheet Music in F Major (transposable) – Download & Print. Retrieved February 6, 2019, from https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0079365&cmpid=pad_roigoogleshopping&gclid=CjwKCAiAqOriBRAfEiwAEb9oXeEs-RlRdGacc1Zi3QoL24-hZjjd8MwY1pAanGMUhXHapET_MxuoGRoCX4kQAvD_BwE

1/30/2019

Greetings! My name is Gwendolyn. I was born & raised in Girdwood, a small ski-resort town located 35 miles south of Anchorage. I am currently a senior in the Natural Resource Management program at UAF.  I am passionate about Alaskan issues related to climate change and plan on pursuing a career in research in the Circumpolar North.

During the summer of 2018, I was fortunate enough to spend some time at Toolik Field Station. This is a photo of the wood-fired sauna that looks over Toolik Lake.

Since a very young age, I have always had an incredible relationship with music. My parents constantly had music playing in the house and would take me and my siblings to live concerts as often as possible. Around second-grade, I started taking piano lessons and continued on until I was sixteen. There were several years throughout that time-frame that were incredibly frustrating. Playing piano felt more like a chore than a hobby. Despite this, my family encouraged me to play. Looking back, I am incredibly grateful that I continued to play for all of those years. It has given me a deeper appreciation for music overall.

Now, I mostly just listen to music. I pay for Spotify Premium (the student deal is $5/month!!) and it has changed my life. I also try to attend as many live shows in Fairbanks as my schedule allows. My taste in music is very eclectic and I’m always open to exploring new artists. Below, I included a song that represents one of the genres I’ve been listening to lately. I can’t wait to check out what music you all have shared with the group!

‘Till next time!

Lately, I have been listening to a lot of instrumental music. I am able to read, work, and think clearly, without any lyrics distracting me.

Explorations in Music – Spring 2019