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Winter 2017 Course: US Popular Music History

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surveying the hits, cultural history style.

US Popular Music History
Chuck Berry.

Northwestern University, Winter Quarter 2017

Professor Michael J. Kramer, History and American Studies

Description

This course examines the historical significance of popular music in the United States from the late nineteenth century to the present. No musical training is necessary to enroll in the course, however we will think about how to analyze music as a dynamic historical force, examining it not only as text, but also in its embedded contexts: the cultural, social, political, and economic dimensions of genres ranging from Tin Pan Alley to blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, country, folk, soul, rock, disco, hip-hop, and classical music. Working toward a set of overarching themes, we will explore popular music as an art form, a business, a medium for shaping identity and making meaning, an entity encompassing both conflict and consensus, a local, national, and global phenomenon, and a key area in the life of Americans. Students are expected to attend lectures, discussion sections, and complete all reading, listening, and viewing assignments. There will be three essay assignments in the course, with draft assignments leading up to each one.

Books

  • David Hadju, Love For Sale: Pop Music in America (New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2016), ISBN-13: 978-0374170530
  • David Brackett, The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader: Histories and Debates, 3rd edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013). ISBN: 9780199811700. **Note: be sure to purchase the proper edition.**
  • Additional readings, listenings, viewings on Canvas.
WEEK 01  Introduction
  READING

·      Hadju, “Introduction,” Love For Sale (hereafter LFS), 3-12

·      Larry Waterman and Christopher Starr, “Themes and Streams of American Popular Music,” American Popular Music (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014), 5-44

·      George Lipsitz, “The Long Fetch of History; or, Why Music Matters,” in Footsteps in the Dark: The Hidden Histories of Popular Music (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2007), vixx-xxv

·      Michael J. Kramer, “The Multitrack Model: Cultural History and the Interdisciplinary Study of Popular Music,” in Music and History: Bridging the Disciplines, edited by Jeffrey H. Jackson and Stanley C. Pelkey (University Press of Mississippi, 2005), 220-255

LISTENING

“I Got Rhythm” Suite (George and Ira Gerswhin, written for Girl Crazy musical, 1930)

·      Ella Fitzgerald, “I Got Rhythm” (1959); Duke Ellington Orchestra, “Cotton Tail” (1940); Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, “Anthropology” (1945); Ethel Merman, “I Got Rhythm” (1956); Thelonius Monk, “Rhythm-a-Ning” (1957); Sonny Rollins, “Oleo” (1954); Various studio musicians, “(Meet) The Flintstones” (1961)

“Yesterday” Suite

·      The Beatles (1965); The Supremes (1966); Count Basie (1966); Ray Charles (1968); Dandy Livingstone (1968); Frank Sinatra (1969); Elvis Presley (1970); Marvin Gaye (1970); Joan Baez (1967, released 1970); Bob Dylan and George Harrison (1970); Boys II Men (1994); John Lennon (Parody, 1974)

Hadju

·      Tommy James and the Shondells, “Hanky Panky” (1966)

·      The Chordblenders, “I’m From New Jersey” (1961, written by Red Mascara)

·      Donovan, “Epistle to Dippy” (1966)

·      The Rolling Stones, “Let’s Spend the Night Together” (1967)

·      Billy Murray, “You’re a Grand Old Flag” written by George M. Cohan for 1906 musical, George Washington, Jr.)

·      Peter, Paul, and Mary, “I Dig Rock and Roll Music” (1967)

Waterman/Starr Suite

·      Jean Ritchie, “Barbary Allen” (1960, traditional)

·      Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers, “Soldier’s Joy” (1929)

·      Tommy Jarrell, “Soldier’s Joy” (early 1980s)

·      Dink Roberts, “Coo Coo” (1974)

·      Lightning Washington and Fellow Convicts, “Long John” (1934)

·      Mississippi John Hurt, “Stagolee” (1965, originally recorded by Hurt in 1928)

·      Carlos Gardel, “La Cumparsita” (1928)

·      Francisco Canaro y Quintero Pirincho, “La Cumparsita” (1951)

·      Grupo Afrocuba de Matanzas, “Enigue Nigue” (1998)

·      Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitln, “Son De La Negra” (1959)

Lipsitz Suite

·      The Isley Brothers, “Footsteps in the Dark” (1977), “It’s Your Thing” (1969); “Fight the Power” (1975)

·      Ice Cube, “It Was a Good Day” (1992)

·      Curtis Mayfield, “Pusherman” (1972)

·      King Sunny Ade “Ja Funmi” (1982)

·      Alash Ensemble, “The Raindeer Herder’s Song” (2011)

·      Gary US Bonds, “A Quarter to Three” (1960)

·      Dion and the Belmonts, “The Wanderer” (1961)

·      Parliament Funkadelic, “Flashlight” (1977)

·      KC and the Sunshine Band, “Blow Your Whistle” (1974), “Sound Your Funky Horn” (1974)

·      Zeke Carey and the Flamingos, “I Only Have Eyes for You” (1959)

·      2 Live Crew, “Me So Horny” (1989)

·      Baha Men, “Who Let the Dogs Out?” (2000)

·      Dr. John, “Iko Iko” (1972)

·      Earl Palmer’s Beat, 1956-1964 (Youtube compilations), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH8dh4r1Vug, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QD9otryiXU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVt2oA33RP4, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gQ3TwumfdA

“All Along the Watchtower” Suite

·      Bob Dylan (1967), Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967), Bobby Womack (1973), Brothers and Sisters Gospel Choir (1971), Bob Dylan and the Band (1974), Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead (1987), U2 (1988), Indigo Girls (1991), Bob Dylan (Unplugged, 1994), Dave Matthews Band (1997), David West, Pickin’ On Jimi Hendrix: A Bluegrass Tribute (1999), Neil Young (2000), Bryan Ferry (2007), Eddie Vedder and the Million Dollar Bashers (2008)

Th 01/05 Introduction — The Multitrack Model: Approaching Popular Music
WEEK 02 PRE-1900
  READING

·      W.E.B. Dubois, “Of Our Spiritual Striving” in The Souls of Black Folk (Chicago: AC McClurg & Co., 1903), http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/dubois/ch01.html

·      Amiri Baraka/LeRoi Jones, “Blues People and the Classic Blues” from Blues People: The Negro Experience in White America and the Music that Developed from It, in Brackett, The Pop, Rock, Soul Reader, Part 1, Section 6 (hereafter PRSR)

·      WT Lhamon, “Dancing for Eels at Catherine Market,” in Raising Cain: Blackface Performance from Jim Crow to Hip Hop (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1998), 1-55

·      Jody Rosen, “The 2013 VMAs Were Dominated by Miley’s Minstrel Show,” Vulture, 26 August 2013, http://www.vulture.com/2013/08/jody-rosen-miley-cyrus-vmas-minstrel.html

·      Brittney Cooper, “The first rule of blackface: It’s not hard to understand, everyone,” Salon, 29 October 2013, http://www.salon.com/2013/10/29/the_first_rule_of_blackface_its_not_hard_to_understand_everyone/

·      Tressie McMillan Cottom, “When Your (Brown) Body is a (White) Wonderland,” tressiemc, 27 August 2013, http://tressiemc.com/2013/08/27/when-your-brown-body-is-a-white-wonderland/

LISTENING

·      Thomas Hampson, “Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair” (1994, written by Stephen Foster in 1854)

·      Joan Morris and William Bolcom, “After the Ball” (1976, written by Charles K. Harris in 1891)

·      Peter DiSante and others, “De Boatmen’s Dance” (1998, credited to Dan Emmett of the Virginia Minstrels, 1843)

·      Peter DiSante and others, “Who Dat Knocking” (1998, Written by A. F. Winnemore, 1847, often performed by Christy’s Minstrels)

·      Fisk Jubilee Singers, “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” (1909)

VIEWING

·      Stephen Foster, dir. Randall MacLowry (2006)

·      Bamboozled, dir. Spike Lee (2001)

Tu 01/10 The Empire of Sentimentalism: In the Parlor with Stephen Foster, In the Street with John Philip Sousa
Th 01/12 The Minstrel Show’s Many Masks: The Vexing Legacy of the Racial Masquerade
WEEK 03 Circa 1900-1930
  READING

·      Hadju, LFS, Ch. 1-Ch. 3, 13-61

·      David Suisman, “When Songs Became a Business,” in Selling Sounds: The Commercial Revolution in American Music (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2009), 18-55

·      Larry Waterman and Christopher Starr, “Tin Pan Alley Song Form”-“What Makes a Song a Standard,” American Popular Music, 106-121

·      Brackett, PRSR

o   1. Irving Berlin in Tin Pan Alley, Charles Hamm, “Irving Berlin and the Crucible of God”

o   2. Technology, the Dawn of Modern Popular Music, and the “King of Jazz,” Paul Whiteman and Mary Margaret McBride, “On Wax”

o   3. Big Band Swing Music: Race and Power in the Music Business, Marvin Freedman, “Black Music’s on Top; White Jazz Stagnant”

o   Irving Kolodin, “The Dance Band Business: A Study in Black and White”

LISTENING

Hadju

·      Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville, “Au Clair de la Lune” (1860)

·      Clarice Mayne, “I Was a Good Little Girl Until I Met You” (1914, written by James W. Tate and Clifford Harris)

·      Gwendoline Brogden, “I’ll Make a Man of You” (1914, written by Arthur Wimperis and Herman Finck)

·      Al Jolson, “Who Paid the Rent for Mrs. Rip Van Winckle” (1930, written by Fred Fischer and Alfred Bryan in 1914)

·      Bert Williams, “The Darktown Poker Club” (1914)

·      Albert H. Campbell and Irving Gillette [i.e. Henry Burr], “On the Shores of Italy” (1914)

·      Billy Murray, “In Siam” (1915)

·      Enrico Caruso, “Celeste Aria” from Aida (1911)

·      “Whispering” Suite: Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (1920); Benny Goodman Quartet (1936); Tommy Dorsey And His Sentimentalists with Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers (1940); Dizzy Gillespie, “Groovin’ High” (1945); Lena Horne (1946); Harry Belafonte (1949); Miles Davis Sextet (1951); Bing Crosby (1957); Les Paul and Mary Ford (1951); Chet Atkins (1961); The Beatles (1969)

·      Duke Ellington, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” (1928, written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields), “Exactly Like You” (1930, written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields); “East St. Louis Toodle-oo” (1927, written by Ellington and Bubber Miley)

·      Cab Calloway, “Minnie the Moocher’s Wedding Day” (1932, written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler)

·      Ethel Waters, “Stormy Weather” (1933, written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler); Lena Horne, “Stormy Weather” (1941); Billie Holiday, “Stormy Weather” (1952)

·      Bruce Springsteen, “Jungleland” (1975)

·      Labelle, “Lady Marmalade” (1974, written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan)

·      Earth, Wind, and Fire, “Shining Star” (1975, written by Maurice White, Larry Dunn and Philip Bailey)

Additional listening

·      Dick Hyman, “Maple Leaf Rag” (2011, written by Scott Joplin in 1909)

·      James Reese Europe, “Castle House Rag” (1914)

·      Original Dixieland Band, “Tiger Rag” (1917)

·      Creole Jazz Band, “Dipper Mouth Blues” (1923)

·      Louis Armstrong, “West End Blues” (1928)

·      Al Jolson, “April Showers” (1921)

·      Gene Austin, “My Blue Heaven” (1927)

·      Ben Selvin, “Blue Skies” (1927, written by Irving Berlin for musical Betsy, by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, 1926)

·      Josephine Baker, “Blue Skies” (1927)

·      Kate Smith, “Swingin’ in a Hammock” (1930)

·      Bing Crosby, “Beautiful Dreamer” (1940, written by Stephen Foster, 1864)

·      Paul Whiteman, “Rhapsody in Blue” (1924, written by George Gershwin)

VIEWING

·      Jazz, dir. Ken Burns (2000), Episodes 1-3

Tu 01/17 Standardization: Tin Pan Alley and the Culture Industry
Th 01/19 Syncopatin’ Modernity: From Ragtime to Jazz In “The Jazz Age”
Fr 01/20 Discussion sections
Mo 01/23, midnight Assignment 01 Outline and paragraph. Upload to Canvas
WEEK 04  
  READING

·      Hadju, LFS, Ch. 4-5, 63-100

·      Adam Gussow, “Racial Violence, ‘Primitive’ Music, and the Blues Entrepreneur: W. C. Handy’s Mississippi Problem,” Southern Cultures 8, 3 (Fall 2002), 56-77

·      W.C. Handy, “Mississippi Mud,” in Father of the Blues, ed. Arna Bontemps (New York: Macmillan Company, 1941), 74-81

·      Joel Dinerstein, “Introduction: Bodies and Machines,” in Swinging the Machine: Modernity, Technology, and African American Culture Between the World Wars (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2004), 3-28

·      Brackett, PRSR:

o   5. Hillbilly and Race Music, Crichton, “Thar’s Gold in Them Hillbillies”

o   Reread 6. Blues People and the Classic Blues, LeRoi Jones, from Blues People: The Negro Experience in White America and the Music that Developed from It

o   7. The Empress of the Blues, Nat Shapiro and Nat Hentoff, from Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya: The Story of Jazz as Told by the Men Who Made It

o   8. At the Crossroads with Son House, Jerry Gilbert, “Son House: Living King of Delta”

·      Michael J. Kramer, “Tunesmithing History: Tin Pan Alley Imitation for Historical Inquiry,” Culture Rover, 12 November 2015, http://www.michaeljkramer.net/cr/tunesmithing-history/

LISTENING

Hadju

·      Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan, “Always (1957, written by Irving Berlin, 1925)

·      Ina Ray Hutton and her Melodears, “Doin’ the Susie Q” (1936)

·      Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra with The Pied Pipers, “I’ll Never Smile Again” (1940, written by Ruth Lowe, pianist for Ina Ray Hutton, 1939)

·      Tommy Dorsey, “On the Sunny Side of the Street” (1949, written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields in 1930, arranged by Sy Oliver)

·      Rudy Vallee, “Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries” (1931)

·      Bing Crosby, “Sierra Sue” (1940); “Ol’ Man River” (1928, with Paul Whiteman Orchestra, featuring Bix Beiderbecke on cornet, written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II for musical Showtime, 1927)

·      Mitchell Ayres and His Fashions in Music, “Make Believe Island” (1940)

·      Will Bradley Orchestra, “Beat Me, Daddy, Eight to the Bar” (1940)

·      The Capitols, “Cool Jerk” (1966, possibly performed by the Funk Brothers, house band for Motown)

·      Adele, “Hello” (2015)

·      Robert Wilcox, “The Jolly Cowboy” (1960, published in John Lomax’s Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads, 1910)

·      Billy Murray, “In the Land of the Buffalo” (1907, written by Egbert Van Alstyne and Harry Williams)

·      Tex Ritter, “You Two-Timed Me One Time Too Often” (1945, written by Jenny Lou Carson); “Rye Whiskey” (1949)

·      Carter Family, “Mid the Green Fields of Virginia” (1932, written by Charles K. Harris); “Little Old Log Cabin By the Sea” (1927, recorded as “Little Old Log Cabin In the Lane” by Fiddlin’ John Carson, 1923, and originally written in 1887 by William Shakespeare Hays as “De Old Log Cabin”); “You Are My Flower” (1938, written by Maybelle Carter based on magazine poem with melody from Mexican song heard on radio); “Single Girl, Married Girl” (1927, also on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, released by Folkways Records, 1952)

·      Blind Lemon Jefferson, “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” (1927, also on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, released by Folkways Records, 1952)

·      Ernst Phipps and His Holiness Singers, “Shine on Me” (1927, originally released on Bluebird, also on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, released by Folkways Records, 1952)

·      Uncle Dave Macon, “Way Down the Old Plank Road” (1926, also on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, released by Folkways Records, 1952)

·      Ken Maynard, “The Lone Star Trail” (1930, also on Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, released by Folkways Records, 1952)

·      Jimmie Rodgers, “Blue Yodel No. 2 (My Lovin’ Gal, Lucille)” (1928)’ ” Blue Yodel No. 9″ (1930, with Louis Armstrong on trumpet and Lil Hardin Armstrong on piano)

·      Bing Crosby, Sons of the Pioneers, and Louie Prima, “I’m an Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande” (1936, from film Rhythm on the Range, written by Johnny Mercer)

·      Gene Autry and Mary Lee, “Back in the Saddle Again” (1939); “I’m an Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande” (1941, from the film Back in the Saddle, written by Johnny Mercer);

·      Sons of the Pioneers (including Leonard Slye aka Roy Rogers), “Cool Water” (1947); “Ghost Riders in the Sky” (1948)

·      Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, “Happy Trails” (1952)

Additional listening

·      Bessie Smith, “St Louis Blues” (1925, with Louis Armstrong, written by W.C. Handy)

·      Blind Lemon Jefferson, “That Black Snake Moan” (1927)

·      Charley Patton, “Tom Rushen Blues” (1929)

·      Robert Johnson, “Cross Road Blues” (1936)

·      Carter Family, “Foggy Mountain Top” (1927); ” “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes” (1929)

·      Golden Gate Quartet, “The Sun Didn’t Shine” (1941)

·      Fletcher Henderson, “Wrappin’ It Up” (1934)

·      Benny Goodman with Helen Forrest, “Taking a Chance on Love” (1940, written by Vernon Duke, John Latouche and Ted Fetter for the Broadway musical Cabin in the Sky)

·      Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, “Caravan” (1937)

·      Count Basie Orchestra, “One O’Clock Jump” (1937)

·      Glenn Miller and his Orch., “In the Mood” (1940)

·      Charlie Parker, “A Night in Tunisia” (1946, with Miles Davis, trumpet, written as “Interlude” by Dizzy Gillespie, 1941-2)

·      Charlie Parker, “Koko” (1946, with Miles Davis or Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet, Dizzy Gillespie or Argonne Thornton (Sadik Hakim), piano, Curley Russell, bass, Max Roach, drums, based on chord changes of based upon the chord changes of Ray Noble’s “Cherokee,” 1938).

·      Dizzy Gillespie and His All-Stars (including Charlie Parker, alto saxophone), “Salt Peanuts” (1945, written by Dizzy Gillespie, with Kenny Clarke and possibly Charlie Parker, 1942)

·      Dizzy Gillespie, “Manteca” (1947, cowritten by Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo and Gil Fuller)

VIEWING

·      Jazz, dir. Ken Burns (2000), Episodes 5-8

Tu 01/24 Anti-Standardization: Race Records, Hillbilly Music, and the Emergence of Niche Markets
Th 01/26 A New Deal: Swingin’ the Machine in the 1930s
Fri 01/27 Discussion sections
Mo 01/30, midnight. Assignment 01. Upload to Canvas
WEEK 05 1940s-1950s
  READING

·      Hadju, Ch. 6, 101-121

·      Jerma Jackson, “With Her Spirituals in Swing: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Gospel, and Popular Culture,” in Singing in My Soul: Black Gospel Music in a Secular Age (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2004), 77-102

·      PRSR:

o   10. Jumpin’ the Blues with Louis Jordan, Down Beat, “Bands Dug by the Beat: Louis Jordan”, Arnold Shaw, from Honkers and Shouters: The Golden Years of Rhythm and Blues

o   13. Country Music as Folk Music, Country Music as Novelty, Billboard, “American Folk Tunes: Cowboy and Hillbilly Tunes and Tunesters”; Newsweek, “Corn of Plenty”

o   16. “The House that Ruth Brown Built,” Ruth Brown (with Andrew Yule), from Miss Rhythm: The Autobiography of Ruth Brown, Rhythm and Blues Legend

o   17. Ray Charles, or, When Saturday Night Mixed It Up with Sunday Morning, Ray Charles and David Ritz, from Brother Ray: Ray Charles’ Own Story

o   18. Jerry Wexler: A Life in R&B, Jerry Wexler and David Ritz, from Rhythm and the Blues: A Life in American Music

o   20. From Rhythm and Blues to Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Songs of Chuck Berry; Norman Jopling, “Chuck Berry: Rock Lives!”

o   21. Little Richard: Boldly Going Where No Man Had Gone Before, Charles White, from The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Quasar of Rock

o   22. Elvis Presley, Sam Phillips, and Rockabilly, Elizabeth Kaye, “Sam Phillips Interview”

o   24. The Chicago Defender Defends Rock ‘n’ Roll, Rob Roy, “Bias Against ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ Latest Bombshell in Dixie”

LISTENING

Hadju

·      Bessie Smith, “T’aint Nobody’s Bizness If I Do” (1923); “Downhearted Blues” (1923); “Gin House Blues” (1925, written by Fletcher Henderson and Henry Troy)

·      Alberta Hunter, “Downhearted Blues” (1922)

·      Duke Ellington, “Down in Our Alley Blues” (1927)

·      Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, “Stompin’ at the Savoy” (1936, arranged by Fletcher Henderson)

·      Big Joe Turner, “Shake, Rattle, Roll” (1954, written by Jesse Stone under the pseudonym Charles E. Calhoun, Atlantic Records); “The Chicken and the Hawk” (1955)

·      Jackie Brentson, “Rocket 88” (1951, recorded by Ike Turner and His Kings of Rhythm)

·      Wynonie Harris, “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (1948)

·      Billy Preston and His Prestonians, “Rock the Joint” (1949)

·      Louis Jordan, “Caledonia” (1945); “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” (1947); Saturday Night Fish Fry” (1949); “Ain’t That Just Like a Woman” (1946, compare the guitar intro played by Carl Hogan to Chuck Berry, “Johnny B. Goode”)

·      Jim Jackson, “Jim Jackson’s Kansas City Blues” (1927)

·      Charlie Patton, “Going to Move to Alabama” (1929)

·      Count Basie, “Red Wagon” (1939, with Freddie Green, guitar, Walter Page, bass, and Jo Jones, drums)

·      Hank Williams, “Move It On Over” (1947)

·      Big Bill Broonzy and the Famous Hokum Boys, “Eagle Riding Papa” (1930)

·      Milton Brown and His Brownies, “Easy Ridin’ Papa” (1936)

·      Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, “Ida Red” (1938, compare to Chuck Berry, “Maybelline”); “New San Antonio Rose” (1940)

·      Bill Haley and His Saddlemen, “Deal Me a Hand” (1950); “Rocket 88” (1951); “Rock the Joint” (1952)

·      Wild Bill Moore, “We’re Gonna Rock, We’re Gonna Roll” (1948)

·      Bill Haley and His Comets, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” (1954); “Thirteen Women (and Only One Man In Town)” (1954); “(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock Tonight” (1954)

·      Chuck Berry, “Maybellene” (1955); “Thirty Days” (1955); “Too Much Monkey Business” (1956); “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man” (1956); “You Can’t Catch Me” (1956); “Sweet Little Sixteen” (1958, compare to The Beach Boys, “Surfin’ USA,” 1963, Berry won a copyright infringement suit against The Beach Boys for the song); “Back in the USA” (1959, compare to The Beatles, “Back in the USSR” and Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the USA”); “Come On” (1961)

·      Little Richard, “Tutti Frutti” (1957, produced by Robert “Bumps” Blackwell); Pat Boone, “Tutti Frutti” (1957)

·      Little Richard, “Keep a Knocking” (1958, produced by Robert “Bumps” Blackwell; compare to minstrel song “Who Dat Knocking” and Jaack McVea’s “Open the Door, Richard”)

·      Elvis Presley, “That’s Alright (Mama)” (1954); “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (1954) (compare to Bill Monroe version); “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956); “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956, written by Otis Blackwell); “Jailhouse Rock” (1957, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller)

Jackson Suite

·      Sister Rosetta Tharpe, “Hide Me in Thy Bosom” (1938, written by Thomas Dorsey); “That’s All” and “Rock Me” (1938, with Albert Ammons on piano, from Sprituals To Swing concert, Carnegie Hall, organized by John Hammond); “This Train” (1939, traditional, collected by John and Alan Lomax, compare to version by Woody Guthrie, 1940, Staple Singers, 1965); “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” (1949, first recorded by Blind Willie Johnson, 1927); “Savior Don’t Pass Me By” (1939); “Rock Me” (1941, with Lucky Millander); “What He Done For Me” (1942); “Didn’t It Rain” (1946); “Up Above My Head” (1949)

Additional Listening

·      Mills Brothers, “Paper Doll” (1957)

·      Roy Acuff, “Great Speckled Bird” (1936)

·      Xavier Cugat, “Brazil” (1943)

·      Machito and His Afro-Cubans, “Nagüe” (1941)

·      Frank Sinatra and the Axel Stordahl, “Nancy (With the Laughing Face)” (1945)

·      Nat “King” Cole, “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” (1946, written by Bobby Troup)

·      Nat “King” Cole, “Nature Boy” (1948, written by eden ahbez (George McGrew))

·      Pèrez Prado, “Mambo No. 5” (1947)

·      Rosemary Clooney, “Mambo Italiano” (1954)

·      Jack McVea and His All Stars, “Open the Door, Richard” (1947) (compare to minstrel show song “Who Dat Knocking” and Little Richard’s “Keep a Knocking”)

·      Ruth Brown, “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean” (1952)

·      Big Mama Thornton, “Hound Dog” (1952, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller); Elvis Presley, “Hound Dog” (1956)

·      Muddy Waters, “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” (1954, written by Willie Dixon, Chess Records)

·      Howlin’ Wolf, “Spoonful” (1960, written by Willie Dixon, Chess Records)

·      Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys, “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (1946); “It’s Mighty Dark to Travel” (1947)

·      Hank Thompson, “The Wild Side of Life” (1952) (compare to Carter Family, “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes” and Roy Acuff, “Great Speckled Bird”)

·      Kitty Wells, “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky-Tonk Angels” (1952, written by J. D. “Jay” Miller) (compare to Hank Thompson, “The Wild Side of Life,” Carter Family, “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes” and Roy Acuff, “Great Speckled Bird”)

·      Hank Williams, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949); “Hey, Good Lookin'” (1951)

·      The Chords, “Sh-Boom” (1954); The Crew Cuts, “Sh-Boom” (1954)

·      Junior Parker, “Mystery Train” (1953); Elvis Presley, “Mystery Train” (1955)

·      Jerry Lee Lewis, “Great Balls of Fire” (1957, written by Otis Blacwell)

·      Buddy Holly and the Crickets, “That’ll Be The Day” (1957)

·      Ritchie Valens, “La Bamba” (1958)

·      The Coasters, “Charlie Brown” (1959, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller)

VIEWING:

·      Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll, dir. Taylor Hackford (1987)

Tu 01/31 Everybody Eats When They Come to My House: Postwar Reconfigurations
Th 02/02 Roll Over Beethoven: The Rise of Rock ‘n’ Roll
WEEK 06 1960s Part 1
  READING

·      Hadju, LFS, Ch. 7-8, 123-150

·      Grace Elizabeth Hale, “Black as Folk: The Folk Music Revival, the Civil Rights Movement, and Bob Dylan,” in A Nation of Outsiders: How the White Middle Class Fell in Love with Rebellion in Postwar America, 84-131

·      PRSR:

o   25. The Music Industry Fight Against Rock ‘n’ Roll: Dick Clark’s Teen-Pop Empire and the Payola Scandal, Peter Bunzel, “Music Biz Goes Round and Round: It Comes Out Clarkola”; New York Age, “Mr. Clark and Colored Payola”

o   26. The Brill Building and the Girl Groups, Charlotte Greig, from Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? Girl Groups from the 50s On

o   27. From Surf to Smile, Richard Cromelin, “Interview with Brian Wilson”

o   29. Bringing It All Back Home: Dylan at Newport, Irwin Silber, “Newport Folk Festival, 1965,” Paul Nelson, “Newport Folk Festival, 1965”

o   32. No Town Like Motown, Harvey Kubernik, “Berry Gordy: A Conversation with Mr. Motown”

LISTENING

Hadju

·      The Shirelles, “Tonight’s the Night” (1960, written by Luther Dixon and Shirley Owens, produced by Luther Dixon); “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” (1960, written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, produced by Phil Spector)

·      Roy Orbison, “Only the Lonely” (1960); “Crying” (1962)

·      Connie Francis, “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” (1960)

·      Frankie Avalon, “Why” (1959)

·      Stephen Stills, “Love the One You’re With” (1970)

·      Billy Eckstine, “Love the One You’re With” (1971)

·      Pèrez Prado, “Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)” (1955)

·      Mitch Miller, “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1955)

·      Elton John, “Philadelphia Freedom” (1974)

·      David Bowie (with John Lennon), “Fame” (1975)

·      The Eagles, “One of These Nights” (1975)

·      Eve Tanguay, “I Don’t Care” (1922)

·      Billie Holiday, “God Bless the Child” (1955)

·      Frank Sinatra, “Ebb Tide” (1958, compare intro to Erroll Garner, “Misty”)

·      George Jones, “She Thinks I Still Care” (1962)

·      Ray Charles, “Hit the Road, Jack” (1961, written by Percy Mayfield)

·      Trini Lopez, “If I Had a Hammer” (1964, written by Pete Seeger, compare to version by Peter, Paul, and Mary)

·      The Beatles, “Love Me Do” (1963); “Chains” (1963, written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin); “Please Please Me” (1963); “Can’t Buy Me Love” (1964); “You’ve Got To Hide Your Life Away” (1965); “Help!” (1965); “Eleanor Rigby” (1966); “Come Together (1969, compare to Chuck Berry, “You Can’t Catch Me”), all produced by George Martin

·      Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan (produced by John Hammond): “Talkin’ New York” (1962); Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (producers John Hammond and Tom Wilson): “Masters of War” (1963); “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” (1963, music based on traditional Child ballad “Lord Randall”); “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright” (1963, music adapted from traditional song “Who’s Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I’m Gone?”); “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963); The Times They Are A-Changin’ (produced by Tom Wilson): “The Times They Are A-Changin'” (1964); Bringing It All Back Home (produced by Tom Wilson): “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965); Highway 61 Revisited (produced by Tom Wilson): “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965)

·      The Rolling Stones, “Come On” (1963, compare to Chuck Berry version); “Satisfaction” (1965)

·      Lovin’ Spoonful, “Do You Believe in Magic?” (1965)

·      Mississippi John Hurt, “Coffee Blues” (1966, Today!)

·      Joni Mitchell, “My Old Man” (1971)

·      REM, “Radio Free Europe” (1983)

·      Guided By Voices, “Hardcore UFO’s” (1994)

·      Eric B. and Rakim, “Eric B. Is President” (1986)

·      Tyler, the Creator, “Yonkers” (2010)

·      Marvin Gaye, “Got To Give It Up” (1977)

·      Robin Thicke, “Blurred Lines” (2013, produced by Pharrell Williams, Marvin Gaye added as a writer due to lawsuit over copyright infringement for “Got To Give It Up,” 2015, currently being appealed)

Additional listening

·      The Kingston Trio, “Tom Dooley” (1958, based on actual murder in North Carolina, recorded versions by G. B. Grayson and Henry Whitter, 1928; field recording of Frank Proffitt, 1940, recorded in 1961; Frank Warner, 1952; The Folksay Trio, 1953; Paul Clayton, 1956; Lonnie Donegan, 1958; Doc Watson, 1964)

·      The Drifters, “Up On The Roof” (1962, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King)

·      The Ronettes, “Be My Baby” (1963, written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, produced by Phil Spector)

·      The Crystals, “He’s a Rebel” (1962, uncredited vocals by Darlene Love, written by Gene Pitney, produced by Phil Spector); “Uptown” (1962, written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, produced by Phil Spector); “Da Doo Run Run” (1963, written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector, produced by Phil Spector)

·      The Beach Boys, “Surfin’ USA” (1963); “In My Room” (1963); “I Get Around” (1964); “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” (1966); “God Only Knows” (1966); “Good Vibrations” (1966)

·      The Temptations, “My Girl” (1964, written and produced by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, Motown)

·      Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “The Tracks of My Tears” (1965, written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin, Motown)

·      The Supremes, “Stop! In the Name of Love” (1965, written by Holland–Dozier–Holland, Motown); “You Can’t Hurry Love” (1966, written by Holland–Dozier–Holland, Motown)

·      Marvin Gaye, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You” (1964, written by Holland-Dozier-Holland); “Ain’t It Peculiar” (1965, written by Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin); “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1967, with Tammi Terrell, written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson); “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong); “What’s Going On” (1971, written by Marvin Gaye)

Tu 02/07 Twistin’: Teenage Symphonies, Hitsville USA, and More
Th 02/09 The Rise of the “Auteur” Pop Star From Subcultural Spaces: The Beach Boys and California Surfers—Dylan and the Folk Revival
Fr 02/10 Discussion sections
Mo 02/13, midnight. Assignment 02 Outline and Paragraph. Upload to Canvas
WEEK 07 1960s Part 2
  READING

·      Hadju, Ch. 9, 151-170

·      Simon Frith, “‘The Magic That Can Set You Free’: The Ideology of Folk and the Myth of the Rock Community,” Popular Music 1, 1981, 159-168

·      Michael J. Kramer, “The Wild West Festival Is You And Me in a Cooperative Association,” in The Republic of Rock: Music and Citizenship in the Sixties Counterculture (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013), 94-129

·      PRSR:

o   31. From R&B to Soul, Jerry Wexler and David Ritz, from Rhythm and the Blues: A Life in American Music

o   35. Aretha Franklin Earns Respect, Phyl Garland, “Aretha Franklin-‘Sister Soul’: Eclipsed Singer Gains New Heights”

o   36. The Beatles, the “British Invasion,” and Cultural Respectability, William Mann, “What Songs the Beatles Sang . . .,” Theodore Strongin, “Musicologically . . .”

o   37. A Hard Day’s Night and Beatlemania, Andrew Sarris, “Bravo Beatles!,” Barbara Ehrenreich, Elizabeth Hess, and Gloria Jacobs, “Beatlemania: Girls Just Want to Have Fun”

o   38. England Swings, and the Beatles Evolve on Revolver and Sgt. Pepper; Richard Goldstein, “Pop Eye: On ‘Revolver'”; Jack Kroll, “It’s Getting Better…”

o   39. The British Art School Blues, Ray Coleman, “Rebels with a Beat”

o   40. The Stones versus the Beatles, Ellen Willis, “Records: Rock, Etc.-the Big Ones”

o   41. If You’re Goin’ to San Francisco, Ralph J. Gleason, “Dead Like Live Thunder”

o   42. The Kozmic Blues of Janis Joplin, Nat Hentoff, “We Look at Our Parents and . . .”

o   43. Jimi Hendrix and the Electronic Guitar, Bob Dawbarn, “Second Dimension: Jimi Hendrix in Action”

o   46. Festivals: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, J. R. Young, “Review of Various Artists, Woodstock”, George Paul Csicsery, “Altamont, California, December 6, 1969”

o   49. Sly Stone: “The Myth of Staggerlee,” Greil Marcus, from Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock ‘n’ Roll Music

LISTENING

Hadju

·      Julie Andrews, “The Rain In Spain” (1956, from My Fair Lady, written by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion)

·      Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, “Ohio” (1971)

·      Chicago, “Saturday in the Park” (1972)

·      David Bowie, “Ziggy Stardust” (1972); “Starman” (1972)

·      Gilbert and Sullivan, “Favorite Airs from The Mikado” (1914, Edison Records)

·      Sarah Vaughan, “Stairway to Paradise” (1957, written by George Gershwin, 1922)

·      Ella Fitzgerald, “I Get a Kick Out of You” (1956, written by Cole Porter, produced by Norman Grantz); “Can’t Buy Me Love” (1964, compare to The Beatles); “Sunshine of Your Love” (1968, compare to Cream version)

·      Cream, “Sunshine of Your Love” (1968, Disraeli Gears); “Crossroads” (1968, Wheels of Fire, compare to Robert Johnson version)

·      The Beatles, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967, Sg.t Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band); “Revolution” (1968, The Beatles (The White Album)); “Back in the USSR” (1968, The Beatles (The White Album)), all produced by George Martin

·      The Rolling Stones, “Street Fighting Man” (1968, Beggars Banquet)

·      Janis Joplin, “Piece of My Heart” (1968, Cheap Thrills)

·      Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence” (1965, produced by Tom Wilson); “America” (1968)

·      Les Paul and Mary Ford, “How High the Moon” (1951)

·      The Shangri-Las, “Leader of the Pack” (1964, written by George “Shadow” Morton, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, produced by George “Shadow” Morton)

·      The Kinks, “Sunny Afternoon” (1966, Face to Face)

·      The Who, “Pinball Wizard” (1969)

·      Various musicians, “Superstar” (1970, from Jesus Christ Superstar, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice)

·      Carole King, “It’s Too Late” (1971, Tapestry)

Additional listening

·      Sam Cooke, “You Send Me” (1957, produced by Robert “Bumps” Blackwell); “A Change is Gonna Come” (1964)

·      James Brown, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (1966)

·      Otis Redding, “Respect” (1965, written by Otis Redding, Stax Records); Aretha Franklin, “Respect” (1966, produced by Jerry Wexler, recorded at Muscle Shoals Studios, Atlantic Records);  The Rationals, “Respect” (1966)

·      Jefferson Airplane, “White Rabbit” (1967, Surrealistic Pillow)

·      Grateful Dead, “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)” (1967, Grateful Dead); St. Stephen” (1969, Live/Dead); “Turn on Your Love Light” (1969, Live/Dead); “Uncle John’s Band” (1970, Workingman’s Dead)

·      The Doors, “Break on Through” (1968, The Doors)

·      The Temptations, “Cloud Nine” (1968, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, produced by Norman Whitfield, Motown)

·      Jimi Hendrix, “Star Spangled Banner” and “Purple Haze” (Live at Woodstock, 1969, released on Woodstock album, 1970)

·      Credence Clearwater Revival, “Fortunate Son” (1969, Willie and the Poor Boys)

·      Sly and the Family Stone, “Everyday People” (1969, Stand!); “Don’t Call Me Nigga, Whitey” (1969, Stand!)

VIEWING

·      Woodstock, dir. Michael Wadleigh (1970)

·      Gimme Shelter, dirs. Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin (1970)

Tu 02/14 The Rise of the “Auteur” Pop Star From Subcultural Spaces: The Beatles and the British Invasion—Marvin Gaye at Motown // R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Soul and Civil Rights in the Sixties
Th 02/16 Are You Experienced? Rock and the Youth Counterculture
WEEK 08 1970s
  READING

·      Hadju, LFS, Ch. 10, Ch. 12, 171-184, 197-210

·      Eric Weisbard, “It’s Whose Thing?: The Isley Brothers and Rhythm and Blues,” in Top 40 Democracy: The Rival Mainstreams of American Music (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014), 28-69

·      Jeff Chang, “Loop 1: Babylon Is Burning, 1968-1977,” in Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2005), 7-88

·      PRSR:

o   47. The Sound of Autobiography: Singer-Songwriters, Carole King, Robert Windeler, “Carole King: ‘You Can Get to Know Me through My Music’

o   52. Heavy Metal Meets the Counterculture, John Mendelsohn, “Review of Led Zeppelin,” Ed Kelleher, “Black Sabbath Don’t Scare Nobody”

o   57. Get On Up Disco, Andrew Kopkind, “The Dialectic of Disco: Gay Music Goes Straight”

o   51. Parliament Drops the Bomb, W. A. Brower, “George Clinton: Ultimate Liberator of Constipated Notions”

o   56. The Global Phenomenon of Reggae, Robert Hilburn, “Third-World Theme of Bob Marley”

o   58. Punk: The Sound of Criticism?, James Wolcott, “A Conservative Impulse in the New Rock Underground”

o   70. Hip-Hop, Don’t Stop, Robert Ford, Jr., “B-Beats Bombarding Bronx: Mobile DJ Starts Something with Oldie R&B Disks,” Robert Ford, Jr. , “Jive Talking N.Y. DJs Rapping Away in Black Discos”

o   71. “The Music Is a Mirror,” Harry Allen, “Hip Hop Madness: From Def Jams to Cold Lampin’, Rap Is Our Music,” Carol Cooper, “Girls Ain’t Nothin’ but Trouble”

LISTENING

Hadju

·      New York Dolls, “Jet Boy” (1973, produced by Todd Rundgren)

·      The Dead Boys, “Sonic Reducer” (1977, Young, Loud, and Snotty, written by David Thomas of Rocket from the Tombs and Pere Ubu and Cheetah Crome of Rocket from the Tombs and Dead Boys, produced by Genya Ravan)

·      Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, “Chinese Rocks” (1977, L.A.M.F., written by Dee Dee Ramon and Richard Hell)

·      David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977, Heroes, written by David Bowie and Brian Eno, produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti)

·      Iggy Pop, “Sister Midnight” (1977, The Idiot, produced by David Bowie)

·      The Ramones, “Blitzkrieg Bop” (1976); “Judy Is a Punk” (1976); “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” (1977)

·      Blondie, “One Way Or Another” (1978); “Heart of Glass” (1978); “The Tide Is High” (1980, cover of The Paragons, 1966); “I Feel Love” (1977, Live cover of Donna Summer song)

·      Donna Summer, “I Feel Love” (1977, written and produced by Giorgio Moroder); “Bad Girls” (1979)

·      Barry White, “Love’s Theme” (1974)

·      Don McLean, “The Day the Music Died” (1971)

·      Velvet Underground and Nico, “Sunday Morning” (1967, written by Lou Reed and John Cale, sung by Nico) “I’m Waiting For the Man” (1967, written by Lou Reed); “Heroin” (1967, written by Lou Reed)

·      Patti Smith, “Gloria” (1975, Horses, produced by John Cale)

·      The Stooges, “No Fun” (1969, The Stooges, produced by John Cale, lead singer Iggy Pop)

·      James Brown, “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” (1970)

·      Sly Stone, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” (1969); “Thank You for Talkin’ to Me Africa” (1971, There’s a Riot Goin’ On)

·      Gloria Gaynor, “I Will Survive” (1978)

·      Sylvester, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” (1978)

·      D.O.A., “Disco Sucks” (1979)

·      The Vectors, “Death to Disco” (1979)

·      The Accident, “Kill the Bee Gees” (1979)

·      Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, “The Message” (1982)

·      Kraftwerk, “Trans-Europe Express” (1976)

·      Afrika Bambaattaa, “Planet Rock” (1982)

·      Gil Scott-Heron, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” (originally recorded in 1970 for Small Talk at 125th and Lenox; re-recorded with full band, 1971, Pieces of a Man)

·      KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions, “The Bridge Is Over” (1987, note reference to Billy Joel, “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”)

·      Chic, “Good Times” (1979, lyrics based on Depression era songs “Happy Days Are Here Again,” 1929, written by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen, as well “About a Quarter to Nine,” written by Harry Warren and Al Durban for the 1933 musical 42nd Street, made famous by 1935 performance by Al Jolson, written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards)

·      The Sugarhill Gang, “Rapper’s Delight” (1979, produced by Sylvia Robinson of Mickey and Sylvia)

·      Blondie, “Rapture” (1980, note Deborah Harry’s rap and mention of “Fab Five” Freddie and Grandmaster Flash)

·      The Clash, “The Magnificent Seven” (1980, Sandinista!)

·      LL Cool J, “I Can’t Live Without My Radio” (1985, Radio, produced by Rick Rubin and Jazzy Jay

·      Notorious B.I.G., “Gimme the Loot” (1994, Ready to Die, produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs and others

·      Lonnie Johnson, “Got the Blues for Murder Only” (1930)

·      Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter, “Duncan and Brady” (1947)

·      Johnny Cash, “I Shot a Man in Reno” (1957)

·      Charles Ives, Symphony No. 2 (1897,1901)

·      Miles Davis, “Serpent’s Tooth” (1953, featuring Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins)

·      Public Enemy, “Party for Your Right to Fight” (1988, produced by Chuck D, Rick Rubin, Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad); “Fight the Power” (1989, produced with members of the Bomb Squad)

·      Kanye West, “Gold Digger” 2005, samples Ray Charles, “I Got a Woman”)

Additional listening

·      Santana, “Oye Como Va” (1970, written by Tito Puente, 1963)

·      Charles Wright, “Express Yourself” (1970)

·      Led Zeppelin, “Stairway to Heaven” (1971, Led Zeppelin IV)

·      Stevie Wonder, “Superstition” (1972, Talking Book, 1972)

·      The Staples Singers, “Respect Yourself” (1972)

·      Townes Van Zandt, “Pancho and Lefty” (1972)

·      Elton John, “Crocodile Rock” (1973, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player, lyrics by Bernie Taupin)

·      John Denver, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” (1974)

·      The Eagles, “Hotel California” (1976, Hotel California)

·      Bob Marley, “Simmer Down” (1963/4, as The Wailing Wailers, with Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith, produced by Coxsone Dodd); “Get Up Stand Up” (1973, Burnin’, written with Peter Tosh); “Trenchtown Rock” (1975, Live!); War” (1976, Rastaman Vibration); “Africa Unite” (1979, Survival); “Redemption Song” (1980, Uprising)

·      Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols)

·      The Clash, “1977” (1977, The Clash); “London Calling” (1979, London Calling)

·      Television, “See No Evil” (1977, Marquee Moon, produced by Andy Johns)

·      Talking Heads, “Psycho Killer” (1977, Talking Heads: 77)

·      Willie Colon and Ruben Blades, “Pedro Navaja” (1978)

VIEWING

·      Almost Famous, dir. Cameron Crowe (2000)

·      Wild Style, dir. Charlie Ahearn (1982)

Tu 02/21 Mainstream and Margin in the 1970s: AOR, Funk, Punk, Disco, and More
Th 02/23 Two Turntables and a Microphone: The Rise of Hip Hop
Fr 02/24 Discussion sections.
Mo 02/27, midnight. Assignment 02. Upload to Canvas
WEEK 09 1980s-Present
  READING

·      Hadju, LFS, Ch. 11, Ch. 13, Coda, 185-196, 211-244

·      John Seabrook, “The Song Machine,” New Yorker, 26 March 2012, http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/03/26/the-song-machine

·      John Seabrook, “Blank Space: What Kind Of Genius Is Max Martin?,” New Yorker, 30 September 2015, http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/blank-space-what-kind-of-genius-is-max-martin

·      Madonna, “Madonna’s Full Acceptance Speech at Billboard Women in Music 2016,” Billboard, 13 December 2016, http://www.billboard.com/video/madonnas-full-acceptance-speech-at-billboard-women-in-music-2016-7624369

·      Sady Doyle, “In Defense of the Spice Girls,” Rookie, 10 November 2011. http://www.rookiemag.com/2011/11/in-defense-of-spice-girls/

·      Jessica Rosenberg and Gitana Garofalo, “Riot Grrrl: Revolutions from Within,” Signs 23, 3, Feminisms and Youth Cultures (Spring 1998), 809-841

·      PRSR:

o   62. Thriller Begets the “King of Pop”, Greg Tate, “I’m White! What’s Wrong with Michael Jackson”, Daryl Easlea, “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough: Sweden Remembers the Times with Michael Jackson”

o   63. Madonna and the Performance of Identity, Camille Paglia, “Venus of the Radio Waves”

o   65. R&B in the 1980s: To Cross Over or Not to Cross Over?, Nelson George, from The Death of Rhythm and Blues

o   72. Where Rap and Heavy Metal Converge, Jon Pareles, “There’s a New Sound in Pop Music: Bigotry”

o   73. Hip-Hop into the 1990s: Gangstas, Fly Girls, and the Big Bling-Bling, J. D. Considine, “Fear of a Rap Planet”

o   79. Grunge Turns to Scrunge, Eric Weisbard, “Over and Out: Indie Rock Values in the Age of Alternative Million Sellers”

o   80. “We Are the World”?, George Lipsitz, “Immigration and Assimilation: Rai, Reggae, and Bhangramuffin”

o   82. Public Policy and Pop Music History Collide, Jenny Toomey, “Empire of the Air”

o   85. Country in the Post-Urban Cowboy Era, Mark Cooper, “Garth Brooks: Meet Nashville’s New Breed Of Generously Stetsoned Crooner”

o   86. Performance as Simulacrum, Boy Bands, and Other 21st-Century Epiphanies, Joshua Clover, “Jukebox Culture: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Boy Band,” Nina C. Ayoub, “Idol Pursuits”

o   88. The End of History, the Mass-Marketing of Trivia, and a World of Copies without Originals, Jay Babcock, “The Kids Aren’t All Right They’re Amazing,” Robert Everett-Green, “Ruled by Frankenmusic,” Eliot Van Buskirk, “Why File Sharing Will Save Hollywood, Music”

LISTENING

·      Michael Jackson, “Thriller” (1982, Thriller); “Man in the Mirror” (1987, Bad, produced by Quincy Jones)

·      The Eurythmics, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” (1983)

·      Van Halen, “Jump” (1984, 1984)

·      Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the USA” (1984, Born in the USA, produced by former rock critic and Springsteen manager Jon Landau, among others); “Born in the USA” (acoustic demo, 1982)

·      David Bowie, “Let’s Dance” (1983, Let’s Dance, produced by Nile Rodgers)

·      Madonna, “Like a Virgin” (1984, Like a Virgin, produced by Nile Rodgers); “Vogue” (1990, I’m Breathless); “What It Feels Like for a Girl” (2000)

·      Prince, “When Doves Cry” (1984, Purple Rain)

·      U2, “(Pride) In the Name of Love” (1984, The Unforgettable Fire, produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois)

·      Run D.M.C., “King of Rock” (1985, King of Rock, produced by Russell Simmons)

·      Beastie Boys, “King of Rock” (1985, cover of Run D.M.C.); “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)” (1986, Licensed To Ill, produced by Rick Rubin); “Shake Your Rump” (1989, Paul’s Boutique, produced by Beastie Boys, Dust Brothers, and Mario Caldato Jr.)

·      Run DMC with Aerosmith, “Walk This Way” (1986)

·      Salt N Peppa, “Push It” (1987)

·      NWA, “Fuck the Police” (1988); “Express Yourself” (1988, Straight Outta Compton, produced by Dr. Dre, Easy E, and others)

·      De La Soul, “Me Myself and I” (1989, 3 Feet High and Rising, produced by Prince Paul)

·      A Tribe Called Quest, ” Jazz (We’ve Got) Buggin’ Out” (1991, Low End Theory)

·      Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991, Nevermind, produced by Butch Vig)

·      Bikini Kill, “Rebel Girl” (1993)

·      Hole, “Asking For It” (1994, Live Through This)

·      Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg, “Nothin’ But a G Thang” (1992, The Chronic)

·      Tupac Shakur (2Pac), “Dear Mama” (1995, Me Against The World)

·      Puff Daddy ft. The Notorious B.I.G., The LOX & Lil’ Kim, “It’s All About the Benjamins” (1997, No Way Out)

·      Spice Girls, “Wannabe” (1996, Spice)

·      Radiohead, “Karma Police” (1997, OK Computer)

·      Backstreet Boys, “I Want It That Way” (1999, Millennium)

·      Britney Spears, “…Baby One More Time” (1998, …Baby One More Time, produced by Max Martin and Rami); “Oops!…I Did It Again” (2000, Oops!…I Did It Again, produced by Max Martin)

·      Christina Aguilera ft. Lil Kim, “Can’t Hold Us Down” (2002, Stripped)

·      Katy Perry, “I Kissed a Girl” (2008, One of the Boys, written by, among others, Max Martin, produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco)

·      Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera, “Moves Like Jagger” (2011, Hands All Over, produced by Shellback and Benny Blanco)

·      Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off” (2014, 1989, written by Taylor Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback, produced by Max Martin and Shellback)

·      Beyoncé, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (2008, I Am… Sasha Fierce, written by Beyoncé Knowles along with Thaddis Laphonia “Kuk” Harrell and producers Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Terius “The Dream” Nash); “Formation” (2016, Lemonade, written with Khalif Brown, among others, and produced by Beyoncé Knowles, Mike Will Made It (Michael Len Williams II), Andre “A+” Levins, and others)

Hadju

·      Cher, “Believe” (1998, Believe)

·      Jeremih (Featuring YG), “Don’t Tell ‘Em” (2014, Late Nights)

·      Kid Ink, “Money and the Power” (2013, My Own Lane)

·      Ke$ha, “Tik Tok” (2010, Animal, written with Dr. Luke and Benny Bianco, produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Bianco)

·      Beyoncé, featuring Jay-Z, “Drunk in Love” (2013, Beyoncé, produced by Timbaland and others)

·      Nicki Minaj, “Sex in the Lounge” (2012, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, featuring Lil Wayne and Bobby V)

·      Tina Turner, “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” (1984, Private Dancer, written and produced by Terry Britten)

·      Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973, Let’s Get It On)

·      KC and the Sunshine Band, “That’s The Way (I Like It)” (1975, At the Time)

·      Katy Perry, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” (2010, Teenage Dream, produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin)

·      Leslie Gore, “You Don’t Own Me” (1963, producer Quincy Jones)

·      Lorde, “Royals” (2013, Pure Heroine)

·      Kendrick Lamar, “Alright” (2015, To Pimp a Butterfly, produced by Pharrell Williams); “The Blacker the Berry,” (2015, To Pimp a Butterfly, produced by Boi)

·      Taylor Swift, “Bad Blood” (2014, 1989, featuring Kendrick Lamar, produced by Martin, Shellback, Ilya)

·      Rolling Stones, “Ruby Tuesday” (1967); “Let’s Spend the Night Together” (1967)

VIEWING

·      Purple Rain, dir. Albert Magnoli (1984)

·      Optional: 1991: The Year Punk Broke, dir. Dave Markey (1992)

Tu 02/28 Video Killed the Radio Star: The 1980s //

Indie Nations/Corporate World: 1990s

Th 03/02 Guest Lecture—Alana Toulin, Rebel Girls, Pop Tarts and Problematic Faves: Women, Gender and Power in American Music, 1980s to present
Fr 03/03 Discussion sections

 

Mo 03/06 Assignment 03 Outline and paragraph. Upload to Canvas
Tu 03/07 The Expansion of Compression: The MP3 and Pop Music Formats in the New Millennium
Mo 03/13 midnight Assignment 03. Upload to Canvas

Expectations

Attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures and discussion sections. If a student misses more than three meetings, the instructor reserves the right to issue a failing grade.

Reading: This course features roughly 100-150 pages of reading a week.

Listening/Viewing: Multimedia is an essential part of this course for obvious reasons. Be sure to complete the listening and viewing assignments as well as your readings. In a course on popular music, it would be a shame to privilege reading over other modes of communication, expression, argument, and experience!

Assignments: Students must complete all assignments to pass the course. These are designed to be fun, but they are also demanding—and perhaps for some, frustrating. Rather than test the breadth of your absorption of course materials, the assignments test your ability to wield specific knowledge of US popular music effectively in order to mount compelling, evidence-based arguments. If this mode of evaluation is not to your tastes, do not take the course.

Please be aware that historical analysis and musical analysis are not a science in the strict sense of the term. There is no purely objective, machine-like way to develop interpretation within the traditions of historical or musical meaning-making. This means there is not some perfectly standardized way to evaluate your work. There is, however, a craft to this mode of thinking, writing, and reasoning. It is that craft that we will use evaluations to help you access, participate in, and through which you can improve your capabilities as an observer, thinker, and writer. Your task is to develop effective and compelling evidence-based arguments informed by historical awareness and thinking. These will often work by applying your judgment and assessment to consider how things connect or contrast to each other: how do different or similar songs, performers, genres, historical moments, geographic locations, etc., relate to each other? And most importantly, why? Additionally, your task in this course is not to treat popular music merely as a reflection of larger phenomenon, but rather as a shaping agent of historical activities: music not as a mirror, but as a vessel of historical meaning and action.

Rubric: Your assignments must be well written in order to communicate a convincing, compelling, and precise argument that is driven by our description of and analysis of meaning in materials drawn from the course (and other sources if needed). Evaluation of assignments is based on the following rubric: (1) presence of an articulated argument, (2) presence of evidence, (3) compelling and precise connection of evidence to argument by comparing and contrasting details and their significance, and (4) logical flow and grace of prose: an effective opening introduction; the presence of clear topic sentences; the presence of effective transitions from one part of the assignment to the next; a compelling conclusion.

If you have any questions about evaluation in the course geared at helping you access and develop the craft of historical analysis, please speak with the instructor or teaching assistant.

Please submit your essay through the course Canvas website.

Late/Extension Policy: Please communicate with your instructor or teaching assistant ahead of time if you require an extension for an essay. Reasonable, occasional requests will be granted, but may involve a slight deduction in points to be fair to students who complete work on time. Late assignments without extensions granted will lose 1/4 point per day.

Quizzes/Short Assignments: There may be a number of quizzes and shorter assignments in this course. They will be evaluated as part of your participation grade.

History Department Writing Center: The History Department Writing Center is available for students working on your assignments. It is not merely for students having difficulty with their writing (we all have difficulty with our writing for it is difficult to write well), but also for students at any level or stage of the writing process: reading evidence, “brainstorming,” generating an argument, connecting argument to evidence, structuring paragraphs and transitions, and improving style and tone. Students wishing to contact the History Department Writing Center can email historywriting@northwestern.edu. There is also the Writing Place, another excellent resource for improving your thinking and writing about historical topics, http://www.writing.northwestern.edu.

Academic Integrity: All Weinberg College and Northwestern policies concerning plagiarism and academic dishonesty are strictly enforced in this course. The instructor also reserves the right to assign a failing grade for the course if a student is found to have violated college or university policy concerning academic integrity. See http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/handbook/integrity/ for more details.

Special Needs: Students with special needs and disabilities that have been declared and documented through the Northwestern Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) should meet with the instructor to discuss any specific accommodations. For further information, see the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) website: http://www.northwestern.edu/disability.

Evaluation

Assignment 01: 15%

Assignment 02: 15%

Assignment 03: 30%

Assignment Outlines/Drafts: 5% x 3 = 15%

Class/discussion section attendance/participation (including shorter assignments as necessary): 25%.

Assignments receive grades as both a letter grade (on the scale below) and a point system within the course percentages per assignment. Since assignments are weighted differently, the scales varies as to points given per assignment, but they all translate to the following 100-point scale in terms of letter grades.

93 and above – A

90-92 – A-

87-89 – B+

84-86 – B

80-83 – B-

77-79 – C+

74-76 – C

70-73 – C-

65-69 – D

65 and below – F

Assignments 

Assignment 01

Write an imitation of a Tin Pan Alley song. You will not be evaluated for the quality of your hit-making songwriting skills, but rather for your explanation of how and why your imitation resembles a Tin Pan Alley standard. Have fun with your imitation, try to pay attention to the themes, styles, rhymes, and tones of the quintessential Tin Pan Alley song. To accompany your Tin Pan Alley imitation, in 500 words or less, explain precisely and compellingly how your lyric relates to the content and context of the Tin Pan Alley song as a historical phenomenon. You might even use the moments when your imitation does not seem accurate to you as opportunities to explain what the Tin Pan Alley song was all about in its time, location, and context. Be sure to justify the choices you made in relation to specific examples and aspects of Tin Pan Alley songwriting and its historical context from lecture, readings, viewings, and/or audio selections. Refer to assignment rubric under Expectations section of syllabus for more information and guidelines. For more on this assignment, read Michael J. Kramer, “Tunesmithing History,” http://www.michaeljkramer.net/cr/tunesmithing-history/.

Assignment 02 

You have been asked by a recording label to write an essay and construct an annotated Spotify playlist of 5-10 songs revolving around a particular artist, group, producer, record label, or other topic between 1840 and 1960 (we will review how to construct a Spotify playlist in class—see instructions below; you may create an actual playlist or, if for some reason you are not able to do so, you may simply create an annotated playlist in the text entry box. Your assignment is to (1) create the annotated playlist in Canvas (1-3 sentences of description and justification of selection per track), and follow it with (2) an analytic essay of up to 1000-1500 words. The recording company insists that your essay must offer a compelling, precise, and clear evidence-based argument as to the historical significance of your profile topic. In other words, the “suits” (the executives) want to know what their customers can learn about the larger story of US history from studying the story you will tell in your annotated playlist and analytic essay. Your annotated tracks can form part of your evidentiary base, along with specific evidence from the readings, listening, viewing, and lectures. Your essay should emphasize how your profile topic relates to a specific theme from the course: why does it matter to the larger history of popular music in the United States between 1840 and 1960? Refer to assignment rubric under Expectations section of syllabus for more information and guidelines.

USING SPOTIFY:

-Log in to or create a free account at Spotify web player (or download the Spotify app) at https://play.spotify.com/.

-Click on “Your Music” on the lefthand column.

-Click on “New Playlist” and Create a playlist name.

-Use the Search function on lefthand column to locate songs you wish to add.

-Move cursor over the three dots next to song name to open up menu. Select Add to and then when next menu opens up add the song to the playlist you have created.

-Click on “Your Music” and go to your playlist.

-Next to each track (not for the playlist as a whole), move cursor to the three buttons and select “Copy Spotify URL.”

-Go to this webpage, https://developer.spotify.com/technologies/widgets/spotify-play-button/.

. Paste in the Spotify URL to generate the embed code. Select and cut the embed code to paste in to your Canvas assignment.

-You will write your canvas assignment directly in the HTML page as a “Text Entry.”

-To paste in your Spotify track as an embedded file, you must switch to the “HTML editor” function, which lets you paste in the embed code (which should look something like this: <iframe src=”https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:track:7GBk90STM3d2BsNomTnpve” width=”300″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″ allowtransparency=”true”></iframe>). Click on “HTML editor” to paste in code. Once you do so you can switch back to “Rick content editor” to write your annotations of the text and your essay (the embed will show up as a gray box).

-You can also assemble your embed code, annotations, and essay in a text file or MS Word and then paste the entire document into the HTML Editor setting on the Text Entry page. This will prevent you from accidentally deleting or losing any of your work. If you do be sure to switch back to the “Rich content editor” function to make sure your assignment is rendering correctly.

-Be sure to submit your assignment. You can revise it up until the deadline.

-You are now a computer programmer! (And you thought that you wouldn’t be acquiring useful computer skills in a pop music course!)

-It is acceptable if you run into technical difficulties to create a text version of your song tracks and annotations and essay. Give the technical part a try and see if you can do it; if not, spend your time on the content of the assignment.

Assignment 03

In 2000-2500 words, develop an analytic essay about one genre of American popular music. Your essay must focus on the relationship of this genre to larger cultural issues in the United States: what did this genre do as an active agent in the shaping of US history? What can we learn about US history through the “amplifier” of this genre? How does this genre relate to other genres of American popular music? Which performers or songs or labels, etc., best exemplify the genre and why? Your essay must offer a clear, compelling, and precise argument that is driven by explications of specific evidence. You only need to draw upon material from the course, but you may also pursue outside sources as well if you wish to do so through additional research. Refer to assignment rubric under Expectations section of syllabus for more information and guidelines for essays.

 


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