Popular Music Notes

8/3/2019 Popular Music Notes

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R & B Vocal Groups in the 1950s

R & B Vocal Groups in the 1950s

I Gospel-Influenced Vocal Groups (Sacred & Secular)

A. Black Vocal Groups Combine elements of Gospel, Jazz and Barbershop harmonystyles from the early 1920s

Example: Monarch Jazz Quartet: What is the Matter Now? (1929)

vocal group imitation of jazz groups

o looks ahead to "Do-wop" in differentiation of voices

o despite cheerful tone, actually a lament

B. Gospel groups such as the Soul Stirrers, Pilgrim Travelers, and the DixieHummingbirds were popular from the 1930s through the 1950s, along with commercial

R&B vocal groups, the sweet-voiced "Inkspots" and their imitators

C. Some early attempts to "secularize" the intensity of the fervent gospel style (in thecontext of a vocal group) were extremely secular, sometimes sexually explicit, as in Hank

Ballard's "Work with Me Annie," and the Dominoes "Sixty Minute Man" (1951)

D. The most important early group to secularize the group gospel style was Billy Ward &

the Dominos (with Clyde McPhatter as lead singer)

1952 "Have Mercy Baby"o gospel-like call and response vocal exchange,

o short, varied over-lapping melismatic phrases

o sax solo with vocal interjections

o atypical of the gospel style in its use of a blues progression

o (Lead singer McPhatter goes on to record with the Drifters until 1954;

replaced by Jackie Wilson)

E. A few other groups continued in the gospel-infl. style, e.g., the Clovers and the Five

Royales

II Groups Specializing in Smooth Ballad Style

A. Fame of the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots spawned a host of imitators

Early example: The Five Breezes: "My Buddy Blues" (1940) ("off to enlist"

blues)

o rougher and more blues-like than the Mills Bros. or Inkspots (sidemen are

really blues specialists, like guitarist Willie Dixon)


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o Still, effort to be "smooth" and use of sustained chords underneath lead

vocalist and final "wordless do-op" section clearly indebted to Mills Bros.

and Inkspots

B. Ravens and the Orioles continue this smooth ballad style into the late 1940s and 1950s

C. In the 1950s, groups like the Platters, Moonglows and the Flamingos have success in

the pop charts with this style

Platters' "Only You" (1955)

o Throbbing piano triplets become standard

o emotive, mannered vocal against sustained chords typical, with B.V.

voices actively "filling in" at ends of phrases

o some harmonies borrowed from TPA ballad tradition (e.g., major 7th

chords)

Platters' "The Great Pretender"

o theme derived from TPA traditiono language more "adult," almost "literary e.g., "I'm Wearing My Heart Like

a Crown"

o stylistically similar to above, but more active B.V.

o Later success with "Twilight Time," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,"

"Harbour Lights," "To Each His Own," "I'll Never Smile Again" etc.;

some success into late 1960s Moonglows' "Most of All"

o similar format: emotional soloist over smooth, sustained B.V.

o Moonglow's also influenced by the more rhythmically active do-wop,

evident in the bridge

Flamingos (1959): "I Only Have Eyes for You" Smooth treatment of a TPA pop

ballad

D. Black Vocal groups may have as much sociological significance as musical

significance

first representatives of black musical culture to appear on TV and to be played byDJ's on major radio stations

Showed that R&B based style could be socially acceptable and successful if the

lyrics and performer's image were sufficient innocent


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III Do-Wop

A. More rhythmically active vocal group style with clear differentiation between roles of

voices (based on imitation of instruments): melody in high tenor with falsettocountermelody and fill, middle voices fill in chords with repeated rhythmic figures, bass

moves independently etc.

B. Examples

1. The Chords: "Sh-Boom" (1954)

2. The Crew-Cuts: (Cover) "Sh-Boom" (1955)3. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers: "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" (#6, 1956)

4. The Diamonds: "Little Darling" (#2, 1957)

5. The Silhouettes: "Get a Job" (#1, 1957)6. The Coasters: "Yakety-Yak" (Leiber-Stoller)

7. The Coasters: "Charlie Brown" (Leiber-Stoller; sax solo by King Curtis)

8. The Coasters: "What About Us?" (Leiber-Stoller)


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New Developments in the Late 1950s and Early1960s

I New Emphasis on Ballads

A. "Teenage" version of romantic ballads begin to increase in popularity

B. Examples:

Gloria Mann: "Teenage Prayer" (# 19, 1957)

o "Warm" sentiments reinforced by "celestial" French Horn

o Typical TPA form: A (verse 1) - A (verse 2) - B (bridge) - A (verse 3)

2. Ponitails: "Born Too Late" (37, 1958)

3. Teddy Bears: "To Know Him Is to Love Him" (#1, 1958)o Trio including Phil Spector

First famous example of producer Spector's "Wall of Sound,"created by multiple overdubs magnified by liberal reverberation Song also features a very unusual "chromatic" chord progression in

the bridge section

Spector later focuses on producing The Crystals, The Ronettes,The Righteous Brothers ("You've Lost That Loving Feeling") etc.

4. Ritchie Valens (1941-1959): "Donna" (#2, 1959) (w/ "La Bamba")

o mournful song of lost love

o "confessional" bridge is emotional peak

5. The Fleetwoods: "Mr. Blue" (# 1, 1959)

o Unusually mellow style that (surprisingly) also does well on the R&B

chartso Also hit with "Come Softly to Me"

6. Kathy Young & the Innocents: "A Thousand Stars" (# 3, 1960; cover of recording

by the Revileers)

II Girl Groups in the Early 1960s (Shirelles, Shangri-Las, Crystals, Ronettes etc.)

A. Emerge in the late 1950s, gaining mass popularity in the early 1960s

B. Most songs are narratives with a clear moral drawn

C. Examples:

1. Shirelles: "Met Him on a Sunday" (# 49, 1958)

o Shirelles begin singing together at a New Jersey High School

o One of few girl groups to write many of their own songs

o


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2. Shirelles: "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" (Goffin-King) (# 1, 1960)

o elements of do-wop in vocal arrangement

3. Shirelles: "Dedicated to the One I Love" (1959, # 3 1961)4. Shirelles: "Baby It's You" (# 8, 1962)

5. Shirelles: "Soldier Boy" (#1, 1962)

6. Shangri-Las: "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" (# 5, 1964)7. Shangri-Las: "Leader of the Pack" (#1, 1964)

III Teen Idols

A. The creation of "Teen Idols" to appeal to a specific market (mostly early adolescent

girls) begins in the mid-1950s with Pat Boone

Boone's "gentlemanly" manner and wholesome good looks are often contrasted

with Presley's surly good looks and exhibitionist tendencies

B. Teen Idols usually seen as "boy or girl next door" type

Unlike the potentially sexually threatening Elvis (pre-1960) , or R&B singers such

as Little Richard, Teen Idols sing innocently lilting songs of teenager romance

Innocence and respectability emphasized by Dick Clark (on his "American

Bandstand" TV show) as alternative to the more threatening R&R performers

C. Examples:

1. Pat Boone: "Love Letters in the Sand" (#1, 1957)o Some of his early hits (1955-56) were covers of R&B songs ("Long Tall

Sally," "Ain't That a Shame" [#1, 1955] but he increasingly turns to softer,

more romantic ballads

o string of 38 Top Forty hits through 1962

o also stars in 15 films (April Love etc.)

2. Connie Francis: "Who's Sorry Now" (#2, 1958)

o Remake of 1923 hit

o 35 top forty hits between 1958-64

o More hits than any other female vocalist except Aretha Franklin

o Continued popularity in Europe (records in several languages)

3. Connie Francis "Where the Boys Are" (#4, 1961)o Theme from film

o also appears in 3 other films: Follow the Boys, Looking for Love, When

the Boys Meet the Girls

o Series of personal problems (e.g. faulty operation which makes singing

difficult) and tragedies (1974 assault) prevent her from performing until

the early 1980s

4. Frankie Avalon: "Venus" (#1, 1959)


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o Six top ten hits between 1958-60

o Regular on Dick Clark's Bandstand

o Several Beach Party films with Annette Funicello (and other minor roles)

o By the 1970s, plays the nightclub circuit

o 1976 disco remake of "Venus" (# 46)

o Continues to tour as soloist and with "Boys of Bandstand" tour (incl.Bobby Rydell and Fabian)

5. Fabian (Fabiano Forte): "Tiger" (#3, 1959)

o Fabian "discovered" sitting on his stoop in Philadelphia

o "created" with the help of singing lessons, poise coach etc.

o Image a little "tougher" than the generally sugar-coated Frankie Avalon,

Bobby Rydell, Paul Anka etc.

o Musical style closer to Elvis' early style

6. Shelley Fabares: "Johnny Angel" (#1, 1962)

o Teenager on popular "Donna Reed Show" (Cf. Ricky Nelson)

7. Dion: "Runaround Sue" (#1, 1961)

o with the Del Satins (uncredited); earlier with the Belmonts (earlier hitssuch as "A Teenager in Love" and "Where of When") but split because of

artistic differences

o Image a little tougher, more "street savey"

8. Dion: "The Wanderer" (#2, 1962)

o after hots fade in late 1963, goes into seclusion to try to kick heroin habit

o Rejoins with the Belmonts in 1965 with modest success

o 1968: records #4 single "Abraham, Martin & John" to great acclaim for its

poignance (but follows with a dismal cover of Hendrix' "Purple Haze")

o Sings solo with acoustical guitar on coffeehouse circuit, records acoustic

album Sit Down Old Friend with some critical acclaim but not much

commercial successo 1972: A second reunion with the Belmonts results in the Reunion LP

o Records several albums of Christian music

o 1988 autobiography "The Wanderer"

o 1989: records Yo Frankie which includes a guest appearance by Lou Reed

who Dion influenced

IV Dance Crazes in the Early 1960s

A. Spawned by industry's desire to guarantee a market for new product by making

yestersay's hits obsolete

B. Examples:

1. Danny and the Juniors: "At the Hop" (#1, 1958)o some elements of do-wop combined with a "listing" of latest dances

2. Hank Ballard and the Midnighters: "The Twist" (#28, 1960)

o B-side of R&B hit "teardrops on My Letter"


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o Covered by Chubby Checker, song goes to #1 (1960). Checker's version

re-enters the charts in 1961 and goes to #1 again

Checker also records "Let's Twist Again," "Slow Twistin'" andseveral other dance-craze records (e.g., "The Hucklebuck," "Pony

Time", "Dance the Mess Around", "The Fly", "Limbo Rock" etc.)

Checker fades by 1965 but has some modest mid-1970s successwith disco records and in 1988 hits the top 40 for the first time in

25 years with a rap version of "The Twist" featuring the Fat Boys

3. Joey Dee and the Starlighters: "Peppermint Twist" (# 1, 1961)

o inspired by NY Peppermint Lounge

o Later success with "Hey, Let's Twist" and "Shout, Part I"

4. Little Eva: "The Loco-Motion" (#1, 1962)

o call & response of girl groups

o repetitive chord progression

5. Chris Montez: "Let's Dance" (#4, 1962)

o Another "catalogue" song

o like many dance-craze songs, captures some of the hard-driving R&Bintensity of mid-1950s

o Montez continues to have success with laid-back rock versions of old

standards such as "The More I See You," "There Will Never Be Another

You," and "Time After Time."6. The Contours: "Do You Love Me?" (#3, 1962)

7. Isley Brothers: "Twist and Shout" (#17, 1962)

o "Twist" recorded earlier by the Topnotes

o Occasional hits into 1980s, e.g., "It's Your Thing" (#2, 1969)

8. Sam Cooke: "Twisting the Night Away" (#9, 1962)

V California and the Surfing Sound

A. "Surfing Sound" First Established with West Coast Success of Dick Dale and the

Deltones (Surfer's Choice)

B. Early sound characterized by strong, throbbing bass guitar which suggested pounding

of waves

Defined also by instrumental hits such as the Surfari's "Wipe Out"

Trend reinforced by a series of "Beach Party" and "Gidget" films (beginning in1959) in which surfing and the California beach life is glorified

C. Jan & Dean's lighter, more tuneful style hits first in 1959 with ("Baby Talk" #10),

moving to Surfing/Cars as a subject matter in 1963 with "Surf City" (composed by Jan

Berry and Brian Wilson)

Example: "Surf City" (31, 1963) from Take Linda Surfin

Jan (Berry) & Dean (Torrence) continue as hits makers through 1966 (with no

significant change in style): "Honolulu Lulu," "Drag City," "Dead Man's Curve"


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(Prophetic), "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena," "Ride the Wild Surf,"

"Sidewalk Surfin'," "Popsicle" (13 top 30 singles from 1959-1966)

Jan Berry's near-fatal car crash in 1966 causes permanent brain damage

Dean records a solo album and does graphic art for a number of albums

Unsuccessful comeback in 1973, but performing again in public occas. by 1977

1978 film "Dead Man's Curve" renews interest and in 1982 the two releasemoderately successful One Summer Night--Live

D. The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine)

1. . Selling over 65 million records, the Beach Boys defined the California style

while developing significantly from 1962 to 1967

2. Combined vocal versatility, smooth harmonies over an energetic Chuck Berry-derived rhythmic foundation

3. Three of first four singles are surf-oriented in 1962 and early 1963: "Surfin'

Safari" (#14, 1962), "Surfin' U.S.A." (#3, 1963), "Surfer Girl" (#7, 1963) and first

album contained other surfing songs (e.g., "Catch a Wave")o Ex. Surfin' Safari

o Ex. Surfin' U.S.A. (from Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen")

o Ex. Catch a Wave

o Ex. Surfer Girl (First to show B. Wilson's knack for sophisticated vocal

harmonies and unusual chords)4. Other themes emerge in a series of best-selling singles form 1962-64

o most composed (or co-authored) and produced by Brian Wilson

o Examples of car songs & "crusing" in general

"Little Deuce Coup" (#15, 1963)

"409"

"Fun Fun Fun" (#5, 1964) "I Get Around", ( #1, 1964)

5. Vocal style sometimes borrows from do-wop, e.g., a cover of "Why Do Fools Fall

in Love?" and later "Barbara Ann" (with Jan Berry on vocals)6. Ballads often show sophisticated harmony, drawing on (and surpassing) the

smooth commercial style of vocal groups such as the Four Lads & Four Freshmen

o Examples:

o "In My Room: ("Romantic" or "dream-like" harp intro.; celebrates a

teenagers' need for solitude; block chords in a striking progression)

o "Warmth of the Sun" (use of unusual chromatic chords))

7. Popularity continues through the mid-1960s with songs such as "Dance, Dance,

Dance" (#8, 1964), "Help Me Rhonda" (#1, 1965), "California Girls" (#3, 1965),"Wouldn't It Be Nice" (#8, 1966)

8. Brian Wilson, working frequently with Van Dyke Parks, becomes morepreoccupied with experimentation

o 1966 album Pet Sounds had a couple of successful singles but sold

disappointinglyo But experimental "Good Vibrations" (#1, 1966) was a huge commercial

and critical success


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Multi-sectional with unusual instruments (Jew's harp, Theremin

etc.), a variety of "Choral" effects and styles juxtaposed

6 months to complete9. In late 1966, Brian Wilson begins collaboration with Van Dyke Parks on Smile

(original tapes destroyed)

o

some songs survive in other versions, e.g., "Heroes and Villains" (#12,1967) released on Smiley Smile (1967)

o . With Brian Wilson increasingly less stable and no longer touring,

leadership passes to the other band members, assisted by Bruce Johnston

o . Later singles and albums Wild Honey, Sunflower, and Holland do less

well, although repackaged greatest hits continue to sell very well

o Brian is "rehabilitated" and rejoins in 1976 for the album 15 Big Ones

which featured a remake of Berry's "Rock and Roll Music" (#5) and B.

Wilson song "It's O.K." (#29)

o 1982: Remake of Del-Vikings "Come and Go with Me" reaches #18

o Several members attempt solo albums and Carl Wilson quits briefly in

1981, weary of their nostalgia focus, but successful new songs were rare,"Kokomo" (#1, 1988) from the film "Cocktail" being an exception

o Brian's 1988 solo album (Brian Wilson) received critical acclaim but poor

sales

o Brian returns to the group in 1993, but dissension worsens (Love sues

Brian for defamation in his autobiography and for royalty payments)

10. Wilson solo albums:

I Just Wasn't Made for these Times (1994)

Orange Crate Art (with Van Dyke Parks) (1995)

Imagination (1998)

Live at the Roxy Theatre (2000)

Brian Wilson Presents Pet Sounds Live (2002)

Getting Over My Head (2004) (with Carl Wilson; also Elton John, Eric

Clapton and Paul McCartney)

Smile (2004)


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Popular and Protest Folk Music

I 1940s Folk Revival

A. New popularity for folk artists such as Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Josh White, Big

Bill Broonzy etc.

1. Woody Guthrie (1912-67)

o born in Oklahoma, moves to California in the Depression

o Makes a living singing in saloons, occas. country music radio programs,

union meetings, political rallies (assoc. with leftist causes)

o some non-lucrative recordings (for Library of Congress, Folkways)

o Songs: "This Land Is Your Land," "Pastures of Plenty," "So Long, It's

Been Good to Know Ya"o Albums: Bound for Glory, Chain Gang Songs, Cowboy Songs, Ballads of

Sacco & Vanzetti (1960), Woody Guthrie Sings with Leadbelly (1962),

Dust Bowl Ballads (1964)

o Known as spokesperson for the working man, the downtrodden, oppressed

etc.

B. Guthrie and Pete Seeger form the Almanac Singers

1. Pete Seeger

o active in the folk song movement (owns publishing company "People's

Songs")o Helps to reorganize Newport Folk Festival

o Gets blacklisted after held in contempt by House Committee on Un-

American Activities

o Associated with leftist causes, antiwar, civil rights movement; later

campaigns against industrial pollution

o Songs: "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "If I Had a Hammer."

"Waist Deep in the Big Muddy"

C. Seeger forms the Weavers, a mostly apolitical folk group that is the first of its type to

reach high into the pop charts with songs like "Good night Irene" (1950) and "On Top of

Old Smoky" (1951); but success is short-lived

II Folk Music Re-enters the Pop Scene in 1957-58

A. Harry Belafonte


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1. Out of work black actor is inspired by a Leadbelly concert to try folk-singing

2. Directed toward the West Indian (esp. Jamaican) repertoire by a composer friend,

Belafonte popularizes the "Calypso" sound3. Recording of "Day-O" is first big hit; spawns imitators such as the Tarrier's

"Banana Boat Song"

4. Belafonte is the first artist to be a top selling album artist without notable successin selling singles

5. Trade papers announce: "Rock & Roll is dead--Calypso takes over"

B. Other "folk artists" achieve great popularity after Belafonte

1. The Kingston Trio (Bob Shane, Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds; named after a

Belafonte hit) sing together in college with modest successo Manager institutes a more "disciplined" sound and the trio finds success

with traditional folk song "Tom Dooley" (#1, 1958) and additional hits

with "MTA," "All My Trials," and Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers

Gone?"o Five out of first six albums reach #1; each of the first 17 LPs make the top

twentyo Image was that of "Clean-cut college kids" with matching button-down

striped shirts

act featured carefully rehearsed "hip" and irreverent dialogue, butgenerally "safe" in their politics

o Popularity fades by 1966-1967 and personnel changes

C. Folk music in the late 1950s and early 1960s a "more mature" alternative to R&R for

college students

1. Appealing to students who considered themselves more "informed" and socially

conscious

2. Also popular for its "do-it-yourself" qualities; spawns a generation of guitarplayers

3. Folk music as a "search for roots"; young people returning to the stability and

simplicity of folk values

4. Also allowed college students to differentiate themselves in their musical tastesfrom high school students and younger teens while still embracing a musical style

distinctive to their generation

5. Host of imitators compete for popularity at the height of the folk craze: Chad

Mitchell Trio The Limelighters, The New Lost City Ramblers, the New ChristyMinstels, Serendipity Singers, Peter, Paul & Mary

III Peter, Paul & Mary (Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, Mary Travers)

A. Appeared first at the Bitter End, N.Y.; managed by Albert Grossman


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B. First album reaches #6 (1962); other albums and some singles sell well: "If I Had a

Hammer" (#10, 1962), "Puff the Magic Dragon," (#2, 1963), "Blowin' in the Wind," (#2,

1963), "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," (#9, 1963), "I Dig

C. More political and social commentary than many folk groups: repertoire includes not

only Dylan songs but civil rights and antiwar songs

turn toward pop in late 1960s to some extent, but remain politically active

D. Group disbands in 1971, each member attempts solo career; reunited in 1978

IV Joan Baez (b. 1941)

A. Emerging in 1959 Newport Folk Festival, adopts an austere "purist" image in contrastto more "popular" folk groups

B. Starts singing in coffee houses in Cambridge, Boston & New York with a very"traditional" repertoire

C. Few singles attempted, but albums sell well (3 on the album charts by Nov., 1962)

D. By 1963-64, traditional folksongs are mixed with Dylan songs and civil rights songs(e.g., "We Shall Overcome") and protest songs, e.g., "What Have They Done to the

Rain?"

E. Greatest commercial success in 1971 with a #3 single of the Band's "The Night They

Drove Old Dixie Down" and in 1975 with the autobiographical Diamonds and Rust, her

first gold album (with title song rising to #35)


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Bob DylanI Born 1941, Duluth; Raised in Hibbing (Bob Zimmerman)

1. Models himself after Woody Guthrie

o pilgrimage to his hospital bed in 1960

2. Discovered in N.Y. by manager Albert Grossman, signed by Columbia Recordsproducer John Hammond

II Early Albums

1. Bob Dylan, 1961 (released 1962)

o Two originals: "Song to Woody," "Talking New York" ("talking blues"

derived from Guthrie)

o "Traditional" songs: "House of the Rising Sun," "Baby Let Me Follow

You Down," "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" etc.

2. Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (mid-1963)

o Some of his best known and important songs

o Vocal style very "personal": detractors refer to it as "affectedly crude;"

admirers praise it for "honesty," "sincerity" and "passion"

o most songs are politically or socially oriented

Examples:

"Blowin' in the Wind"

("I still say that some of the biggest criminals are those that

turn their heads when they see wrong and know it;s wrong.I'm only 21 years old and I know that there's been too many

wars...You people over 21 should know better.")

"Masters of War" "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall"

Written during the Cuban Missle crisis, Oct. 1962

more subtle, poetic use of language "Oxford Town"

(James Meredith enrolling at Mississippi State in Oxford,

MISS) "Talking WW II Blues"

(cf. Guthrie's "talking blues"; more tongue-in-cheek)

Also most personal song: "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright"

o With this album, Dylan emerges as the consumate protest folksinger, a

spokeperson for his generation on matters ranging from civil rights to

nuclear disarmament.o "A mixture of authority and nonconformity was perhaps the most timely

of his attributes. That, and his almost uncanny way of understanding what

his audiences wanted to hear and of saying it better than anyone else knew

how."

o But lyrics often vague, suggestive (poetic?) rather than concrete to some

critics, the pile-up of imagery that characterized his lyrics showed..."lack

of discipline, inability to distinguish between the essential and the


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(in 3 years, Dylan writes 237 songs)

3. The Times They Are A-Changin' (early 1964)

o

More protest music and original ballads:o "Times They Are A-Changin'"

One of first to articulate the emerging generation gap

criticism and tendency towards self-righteousness irritatesauthority figures

o Also: "With God On Our Side," "Only a Pawn in their Game," "Lonesome

Death of Hattie Carroll," "Ballad of Hollis Brown"o Increasing media attention wins him a guest appearance on the Ed

Sullivan Show but his choice of "Talking John Birch Society Blues" is

banned so Dylan refused to perform

o Meets Joan Baez at the Monterey Folk Festival; she & Dylan are the stars

of the 1963 Newport Folk Festivalo But hostility to the protest music trend mounts, even within the music

industry

o Variety says of Dylan: "The future held nothing but complaints against

warmongers, Nazis, poverty, injustice, blacklisting, prize fighting, atomicfallout, hard-hearted sweethearts, Fabian and selling and buying of soap."

4. Another Side of Bob Dylan (Aug., 1964)

o Turn away from politics (as suggested in "My Back Pages") not greeted

happily by some former enthusiastso New emphasis in personal and love relations, generally characterized by a

cynical "you-can't-fire-me-I-quit" attitude (further development of the

theme found in "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right")o often "affecting generosity while hinting that the woman he was losing

didn't meet his high standards anymore

o Songs: "It Ain't Me Babe," "All I Really Want to Do," "I Don't Believe

You" etc.

III Major Change Occurs in 1964: Dylan turns Electric and Launches Folk-Rock

1. In May, 1964, Dylan toured England, meeting and expressing admiration for theBeatles, Rolling Stones and Animals

2. Dylan convinced that R&R was no longer "commercialized pap" but now a new

transformation of the old R&B roots

o esp. impressed with Animals' version of "House of the Rising Sun"

3. Dylan convinced that for what he wanted to do, he needed to have a band--not just

be a solo act with acoustical guitar and harmonica


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o Dylan had already begun to turn away form overt protest music in the

Another Side of Bob Dylan album, but the transformation is now

complete4. Bringing It All Back Home album of March 1965 uses electric instruments, bass

and drums on several songs

o

"Subterranean Homesick Blues" lyrics still have obvious political overtones, but no longer with a

specific moral or lesson

stylistically a folk-blues with open guitar acoustical strummingbeneath electric guitar interjections

o "Maggie's Farm"

diatribe against capitalism? despite abundance of clever phrases and slogans, no clear meaning

is evident

o "Mr. Tambourine Man"

a drug song, or Dylan's strategy for life?

predominantly acoustical accompaniment 4. "She Belongs to Me" subtle accompaniment (although electric insts/ & drums are used)

sensitive (if somewhat cyncial) portrait of a love affair5. Dylan appears at July, 1965 Newport Folk Festival in "New Persona"

o The "New" Dylan appears in "Mod" fashion with a solid body electric

guitar, backed by the Paul Butterfield Blues Bando black leather jacket, black slacks, dress shirt, pointed black boots with

Chelsea heels

o Versions of "Maggie's Farm" and "Like A Rolling Stone" (from Aug.

1965 Highway 61 Revisited album) draw boos and heckling from the

"purist" folk audience (despite the fact that the Bringing album and the

"Like a Rolling Stone" single are both doing well on the pop charts)o Example: "Like A Rolling Stone" (#2)

Dylan's most "commercial" sound to that point, esp. in dominance

of hammond organ sound (Al Kooper, with Mike Bloomfield onguitar)

Resistance from the audience (yells of "go back to the Ed Sullivan

show") force him to stalk off the stage and return with his folkguitar to do "It's All Over Now. Baby Blue" and, by request,

"Tambourine Man."

o Audience eventually warms up to the new image

Next public appearance in rock regalia draws a mixed but more

enthusiastic reponse For the following concert at Carnegie Hall, the reception is

enthusiastic (with his original "folk" audience no longer inattendance?)

o But many of this original supports feel betrayed

The folk journal "Sing Out" editorializes against Dylan (whom ithad earlier supported with great enthusiasm)


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6. Highway 61 Revisited (Aug., 1965)

o . "Personal" rock sound continues with increasingly bitter and cynical

songs ("vengeance" songs) like "Rolling Stone," "Ballad of a Thin man,"

"Positively 4th Street" (#7 as a single), "Queen Jane Approximately"

7. Blonde on Blonde (5/66)

Long. "visionary" songs, often loosely structured more than ever, a "stream of consciousness" flow

* increasingly taken seriously (by some) as "poetry" (analyzed in

English classes etc.)o More "commercial-sounding" Top Forty hits also included

o Examples:

"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (#2) loose dixieland sound, combined with march-like bass and

drums

contrived" informality "I Want You" (#20)

repetitiveness unusual for Dylan song

last top 20 single for 3 years "Just Like a Woman"

not release as single, but receives substantial FM airplay

sensitive psychological portrait of his wife Sarah

IV Serious Motorcycle accident near Woodstock, NY in July, 1966, sidetracks hiscareer and sends Dylan into seclusion

A. Breaks vertebrate in his neck and serious concussion

B. No new album for 18 months

C. Some critics later contend that none of his work after this point has the power

or freshness of his recordings up to 1966

V John Wesley Harding (Jan. 1968)

A. Marked by "rustic calm and simplicity"

o Shows Dylan in a subdued, "glad to be alive" mood

B. No attempt to respond to the daring innovations of 1967-68 by the Beatles and

others


17/22

o many critics questioned whether Dylan was still "irrelevant" to the new

"psychedelic" generation

C. Stylistically, characterized by a simple instrumental sound: subtle combinationof acoustical and electric guitars, some steel guitar and drums; understated vocals

D. Lyrics still "poetic," although perhaps less "stream of consciousness" than

previously

o songs often appear to be parables, some (e.g., "I Dreamed I Saw St.

Augustine" and "All Along the Watchtower"with explicit (if ambiguous)religious significance

Example: "All Along the Watchtower"

move away from more aggressive folk-rock style in favorof a quieter, more "purist" approach?

lyrics quote from the OT Book of Isaiah, suggesting

Dylan's turn to religion?

E. Dylan appears in a Jan. 1968 Woody Guthrie Memorial Concert backed by"The Band" in his more raucous "Rock & Roller Persona"

VI Nashville Skyline (early 1969)

A. Continues trend established of the Harding songs toward a warm, casual

contemporary C&W sound

B. Uses experienced Nashville sidemen, and duet with Johnny Cash on "Girl

From the North Country"

C. Songs celebrate love and love's disappointments but without his previous

cynicism and bitterness

D. But "apple-pie wholesomeness is seen as a sell-out and/or merely acommercial gimmick to reach a larger audience

E. Some long-time fans angered angered by political implications of turning to the

music of the "biggoted south" and the appearance of Johnny Cash

o

Seen as a "rightwing" gestureo Examples:

"Lay Lady Lay" (#7, 1969)

new, "warm" vocal sound and modern C&W sound "Peggy Day"

based on cliched progression of I - vi - ii - V

a cheerful affirmation of life and love that was seen by

some as "mindlessly cheerful"


18/22

VII Self-Portrait (June, 1970)

A. Mostly low-key versions of other's songs: "Blue Moon," "Let It Be Me,"

Simon's "The Boxer" etc.

B. Massive condemnation by liberal critics: Dylan a "capitalist pig," ripping offthe youth culture (second wave of reviews is more positive)

VIII New Morning (Oct., 1970)

A. Vestiges of C&W style remain, but stylistically wide-ranging: from sensitive

love songs to religious/celebrative songs, folk waltzes, and a parody on "Beatnik"poetry from the 1950s ("If Dogs Run Free")

B. "Redeems" him with some critics

o

Example: 'If Not For You" (Dylan-G. Harrison) song to his wife; still optimistic

aspects of C&W style but use of organ differentiates it hints at earlier folk-rock style but more subtle

IX Series of Albums and Singles in the 1970s Have Mixed Commercial and

Critical Success

A. 1971 singles "Watching the river Flow" and "George Jackson" (#33) dopoorly, although the latter is the first social comentary for some time

B. Guests on Bangladesh album with George Harrison, Ravi Shankar etc.

C. Provides songs for and appears in Sam Peckinpah's film "Pat Garrett & Billy

the Kid"

o Single: Reggae-influenced "Knocking On Heaven's Door" provides a rare

top 20 single

D. Planet Waves (#1, 1974) considered lackluster by critics despite commercial

success

E. Before the Flood (1975) Live Album with The Band (from 1974 tour)

F. Blood on the Tracks (1975) & Desire (#1, 1975) heralded as recapturing theold intensity

o Desire uses Scarlet Rivera on fiddle and Emmylou Harris and Ronee

Blackely on B.V.


19/22

o "Hurricane" (#33) (from Desire) a political song in support of accused

middleweight boxer Ruben Carter

o "Mozambique" (from Desire) reaches only #54

G. Dylan's Film "Renaldo and Clara" (1978) starring Dylan and Baez and using

footage from the Rolling Thunder Tour does poorly at the box office

H. Hard Rain (1979) comes out of "Rolling Thunder Tour" which features guests

such as Roger McGuinn, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Arlo Guthrie, and AllenGinsberg

I. Dylan announces in 1979 that he is a "Born-again" Christian, which is a theme

forSlow Train Coming (#3, 1979) which contains single "Gotta Serve

Somebody" (#24) and nets Dylan his first Grammy for best male rock vocalperformance

o Example: "When You Gonna Wake Up?" Typical "accusatory" posture; seems distinguished more by anger

and resentment than Christian charity

Instrumentally, a sophisticated adaptation of late-1970s black

music (new sound for Dylan)

J. Next albums, Saved and Shot of Love, continue Christian theme, but withsome surprising additions, e.g., a salute to comedian Lenny Bruce.

K. Infidels (#20, 1983) suggested to some that Dylan had repudiated Christianity,

but some of the songs tend to point obvious moral judgments nevertheless

o Band includes Mick Taylor (former Rolling Stone) and some reggae

musicians

L. Biograph (#33, 1985) was a 5-disc retrospective

M. Empire Burlesque (#33, 1985) was unusually eclectic: synthesized dance

music with "soul choruses" side by side with simple acoustical performances

recalling early Dylan

o Examples:

"Tight Connection to My Heart" (Mannered vocal style from earlyperiod incongruous with "soul chorus")

"Dark Eyes" (simple vocal, guitar and harmonica)

N. Tour with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers leads to Knocked Out Loaded(#53, 1986) which does poorly


20/22

O. 1987 Tour with Grateful Dead leads to a concert album Dylan and the Dead(#37, 1989)

P. Down in the Groove (#61, 1988) uses Eric Clapton and Steve Jones (SexPistols) but still unsuccessful

Q. Tour and album as part ofTraveling Wilburys (incl. Petty, George Harrison,

Roy Orbison) one of his most successful ventures of the 1980s

R. Oh Mercy (#30, 1989) is praised, but follow-up Red Sky (#38, 1990)

lambasted by critics

S. Live performances (e.g., the 1991 Grammy presentations, and all-star concert

marking the 30th anniversary of Dylan's first album) are eccentric

T. Two albums of traditional songs with acoustical guitar/vocal (Good As I Been

To You [#51, 1992] and World Gone Wrong [#70, 1993) are welcomed by manylong-time fans and World earned 1994 Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album

U. Concerts in the mid-1990s seem more engaged-- new versions of older songs

o Strong appearance at Woodstock 1994

o Appearance on MTV Unplugged (some of which is on 1995 Bob Dylan

Unplugged)

V. Wins 1998 Grammy for album Time Out of Mind (Platinum)

W. Tours with Brian Setzer & Paul Simon

X. 2002 Grammy nomination for album Love and Theft

Y. Modern Times (2006) (Platinum)

X Other Folk-Rock

A. The Byrds (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hilman, Gene Clark, David Crosby,

Michael Clark)

1. Many of the original members have folk backgrounds

McGuinn had played with Chad Mitchell trio, Judy Collins (&Bobby Darin)

David Crosby had played coffee house circuit and Chris Hillman

had played with New Christy Minstrels


21/22

2. First hits with rock versions of Dylan's songs (first two albums [Mr.

Tambourine Man, #6, 1965 & Turn, Turn, Turn, 1965] include "All I

Really Want to Do," "Chimes of Freedom," "Times They Are A-Changin'"and others)

3. Style: a full instrumental texture dominated by McGuinn's 12-string guitar

(inspired by George Harrison in "A Hard Day's Night" and "Ticket toRide") and full, smooth (often 4-part) vocals)

Example: "Mr. Tambourine Man" (Dylan appears "live" with them

on a couple of occasions)

4. Second album still relies heavily on folk material, esp. Seeger's "Turn,

Turn, Turn" (from OT Book of Ecclesiastes) (#1, 1965)

5. Third album, Fifth Dimension, containing "Mr. Spaceman," "Fifth

Dimension," & (especially) "Eight Miles High" (#14, 1966) looks ahead to

experimental psychedelic period

Example: "Live" performance of "Eight Miles High" with long,"abstract" jazz-influenced McGuinn solo

6. Fourth album, Younger Than Yesterday (1967) less innovative andsomewhat cynical (esp. "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" [#29])as popularity fades somewhat

7. Personnel changes: Clark leaves to the Dilliard & Clark Band); Crosby

later goes on to Crosby, Stills & Nash (& Young)

8. Last Top 40 single is Dylan's "My Back Pages" (#30, 1967)

9. Later albums (The Notorious Byrd Brothers, 1967 and esp. Sweetheart

of the Rodeo, 1968) had significant influence on the emerging country

rock style (Hillman & Parsons go on to Flying Burrito Brothers)10. With McGuinn the only remaining member, the Byrds limp into

1973 before disbanding

11. One "reunion" album in 1973 reaches the top 20 (althoughmembers themselves dissatisfied)

12. McGuinn pursues solo career; tours with Dylan in Rolling Thunder

Review McGuinn rejoins with Hillman and Clark and, in 1979, has short-

lived success with "Don't You Write Her Off" (#33)

13. McGuinn charts again in 1991 with album Back from Rio (#44) ,

also featuring Tom Petty and Elvis Costello

B. Simon & Garfunkle

14. Early hit (1957) with "Hey, Schoolgirl"15. Early (1964) folk-influenced album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.

contains Dylan songs ("Times They Are A-Changin") and traditional

songs and original folky version of "Sounds of Silence"

16. Re-mixed over-dubbed with electric guitars, bass and drums

version of "Sounds of Silence" becomes #1 single in 1965 (early example

of folk-rock sound)


22/22

17. New album Sounds of Silence (containing remakes of some songs

from a U.K. Paul Simon solo release) and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and

Thyme as well as various singles (e.g., "I Am a Rock" & "HomewardBound") reached high on the charts

18. Less prolific in 1967, their career gets a boost from "Mrs.

Robinson" from the film "The Graduate"19. Album Bookends and single "The Boxer" continues their success

in 1969

20. Bridge Over Troubled Waters title song (and 2 other singles, "El

Condor Pasa" [#18] and "Cecilia" [#4]) sold extremely well in in the early

1970s

In 1977, given the British Britannia Award as the BestInternational Pop Album of the last 25 years (total of 20 million in

album sales for the duo)

21. Duo has performed sporadically since that time with occas.

recordings (e.g., 1975 "My Little Town" & The Concert in Central Park

(#6)22. Several joint concerts for charity into the 1990s and a 21-date sold-

out run at the Paramount Theatre in NYC followed by a tour of the far

East

23. Simon's solo career most notable for controversial use of South

African music in Graceland (#3, 1987) and Rhythm of the Saints (#4,

1990) using West African music, Brazilian and zydeco music

C. Joni Mtchell

24. Before 1968, known primarily as a composer for Judy Collins ("Both

Sides Now") and others25. First solo album Joni Mitchell (1968)

Example: "Night in the City"

26. Mitchell incorporates a variety of vocal styles, and is early

experimenter with a jazz synthesis, use of African music (before Simon)

27. Themes are originally "confessional" eventually become more

political, sometimes feminist

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