American Pop Music

Song: Kasuna Kura- Master Drummers of Dagbon

This song is a field recording from West Africa. This kind of music moved to the USA with slaves. It contains rhythmic complexity, call and response and preclusive elements that are emblematic of the West African music tradition. The ployrhythms, call and response, and syncopation present here shaped jazz and early blues.

Song: Prove It On Me Blues- Ma Rainey

Of the Classical Blues tradition. Embodies the African American experience, defies gender norms, and heteronormativity. While Ma Rainey began her career traveling with a minstrel show the new classic blues gave room for black women to express themselves, rather than playing into stereotyping. Blues allowed for emotional storytelling and social commentary, creating an empowering space for black women.

Song- Strange: Things Happen Everyday- Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Recorded during WWII during a time of social upheaval and shifting cultural norms. This song blends gospel with blue and boogie woogie. One of the fist gospel songs to break onto the secular music charts. This song’s style had an influence on the development of rock and roll, inspiring the style of artists like Little Richard and Chuck Berry.

Song: Streets of Laredo- Buck Owens

This is a country adaptation of the ballad “The Unfortunate Rake”. The original is about a soldier who has come down with syphilis and is going to die. This version is set in Laredo and tells the story of a cowboy who has been shot and is going to die. Cleaning up the image of the song, and setting it in a new, trendy location. This shows the way the ballad tradition shaped other genres, and its ability to be molded to fit the ideal story of the time.

People: Stephen Foster

An American songwriter, one of the first professional, and certainly one of the most popular songwriters of the 19th century. Helped to standardize American songforms, inspiring the Tin Pan Alley songform.

People: Bing Crosby

Successful American singer. The pioneering technology of the microphone allowed him to sing in a ‘crooning’ style, low, soft, and melodic, rather than having to project his voice. The emerging popularity of radio also added to his incredibly widespread success. Inspiration and mentor to later crooners like Frank Sinatra.

People: Sam Cooke

American singer songwriter known as “The King of Soul”. Started in gospel music but transitioned to secular music. Popularized the Soul genre, and created his own record label SAR records.

Song Forms Blues

12 Bar

I |. I |. I | I

IV |. IV |. I | I

V |. V |. I | I

Lyrics AAB form

Song Form Ballads

Verse (often with tagline), Verse, Verse, Verse, ect.

Song Form Broadway/ Tin Pan Alley

32 Bar AABA

Songform Rock

Verse Chorus Form but this one is not an exact science

Name 3 elements of West African traditional music that can be said to survive in American popular music

1) call and response- e.g. gospel, blues, jazz, hip hop

2) polyrhythms and syncopation- e.g. drum patterns of funk

3) improvisation- e.g. guitar solos, jazz improv, freestyle rap

Describe the influential innovations of Motown

Motown was inspired by the Detroit Ford company assembly line. They made their own “Hit Factory” a model with songwriters on staff, vocal coaches, etiquette classes, and makeovers. All to make the most marketable star possible.

Vocab: Ballad

A narrative song passed down orally telling stories of love, tragedy, adventure, or supernatural events. Following a simple repetitive structure. Rooted in the traditions of the British Isles, and moved to the USA with the migration of the Scotch Irish to Appalachia. Inspired folk and country music.

Vocab: Tin Pan Alley

Late 19th-20th century music publishing industry in New York. song writers mass produced songs for broadway and vaudeville. Established the 32 bar AABA songform. Called this because in the hot NY summers without AC all the windows were open and the passers by thought all the overlapping music sounded like the banging of tin pans.

Vocab: Syncopation

Rhythm technique with an emphasis placed on the normally weak or off beats of 2 and 4. Prevalent in African tribal music and now used prolifically in jazz, funk, and hip hop.

Essay Outline: Describe the continuities and differences between so-called “classic” and “country” blues. P1

-Classic and country blues share a foundation in the African musical tradition

-spiritual and work songs

-Blues comes from slang for depression

-lyrics pertaining to sadness and suffering

-classic blues was primarily preformed by black women in urban areas

-country blues was primarily preformed by men in rural communities

-the 2 genres share a similar lyrical quality and song form, but also differ greatly in their sound, performers, audience, and who these traditions inspired.

Essay Outline: Describe the continuities and differences between so-called “classic” and “country” blues. P2

-Classic blues emerged in the 1920s

-dominated by black female vocalists

-Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith

-These women brought blues to the stage and recording studios

-followed a strict 12 bar structure

-accompanied by a big band

-songs written by professional songwriters

-songs about sex, love heartbreak, and the black female experience.

-widely popular, one of the first mainstream commercially viable genres for black female performers.

Essay Outline: Describe the continuities and differences between so-called “classic” and “country” blues. P3

-country blues was preformed by black male rural singer-songwriters

-Robert Johnson and Son House

-lyrics about death, containing apocalyptic imagery

-song written by their performer so the songs had a personal and confessional quality

-not accompanied by bands, often just by a banjo

Essay Outline: Describe the continuities and differences between so-called “classic” and “country” blues. P4

-classic blues tradition was very popular

-created a popular space for black women to express themselves

-prior performance modes like minstrel performers were based on stereotypes

-classic blues inspired later jazz, R&B, as well as a whole host of black female artists in every genre

Essay Outline: Describe the continuities and differences between so-called “classic” and “country” blues. P5

-country blues influenced early rock music, as well as country and folk music.

-it has a clear impact of early rock artists like Chuck Berry

-It also had a profound impact on white musicians in the country and folk spaces.

-These white artists received great commercial success

-the country blues sound is now heavily linked to the newer white tradition

-in large part due to the pattern of white artists absorbing and repackaging black music for wider, and whiter audiences

Essay Outline: Describe the continuities and differences between so-called “classic” and “country” blues. P6

-despite their differences classic and country blues both shaped the future of American music

-influencing artists across racial and gendered lines

-classic blues paved the way for black female artists giving women a space to be both vulnerable and powerful

-country blues was a major influence on most singer-songwriter traditions

-the success seen by white singer songwriters inspired by the country blues style, and the historical shift in who is considered prolific contributors to this sound, highlights how race and gender influence commercial success in America