American Vernacular Music: Music Listening Journal, Chapters 9 & 10

Music Listening Journal, Chapters 9 & 10

The 1960’s would be a violent decade that was seen as disruptive and controversial. Baby boomers had a vital role in the political and cultural events in the 60’s. During their time, Rock ‘N’ Roll developed into rock. The decade started with the cowboy ballad El Paso by Marty Robbins this showed a slight pull to country music during this decade.

Dances that were a part of songs written about them became very popular. The Twist was written by Hank Ballad using a twelve bar blues. This did not become a hit for his group, but it became a major hit for Chubby Checker. The twist was not the free-form dance but signaled a change in the popular dance movement. There were other dances that were popularized by song the pony, the mashed potatoes, the monkey, and countless other dances developed. Theses dances appeared on American Bandstand and other programs that brought the music of the 1960’s and the dances that accompanied the music into American homes. Rock ‘N’ Roll music became the music of the liberated. This could be seen in the go-go dancers of the 60’s.

Songwriters also emerged during Carol King wrote The Loco-motion for her baby sitter, Little Eva. Phil Spector would have a hit with his song To Know Him is to Love him. Spector became more known for his music business and how he shaped the sounds of records that audiences came to enjoy. Part of the characteristic of his music was the “wall of sound” these records became known as teen-age symphonies. One of his groups The Drifters sang Save the Last Dance and Up on the Roof that became chart-toppers.

Berry Gordy Jr. became known for his songwriting/producing and marketing organization. Overall he became know for creating Motown-based in Detroit. Even through Motown had some of the great black musicians Gordy did not make music for only black listeners. He would be unapologetic in his goal of making the music available to all listeners. The Supremes and The Temptations became better known than the Crystals or the Ronettes. Motown artist would also break away from their groups and have great success. Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross were able to gain recognition away from their groups. Motown became know as Hitsville USA, which Gordy named. Motown produced Martha and the Vandellas, Junior Walker, and the All Stars, the Four Seasons, Gladys Knight and Pips, and the Jackson Five.

Bryan Wilson formed the Beach Boys with his two brothers and his cousin in Hawthorne, California. Wilson was a singer, songwriter, arranger, and producers. Wilson captured the sound of southern California and the surf and sun. Wilson would achieve international acclaim as a studio wizard. This was seen in Surfing USA the Beach Boys first number one hit.

In 1964, the Beetles had a chart-topper in America with I Want to Hold Your Hand. With the success of this song and others would spark Beatlemania. George Martin was seen as the fifth Beetle for his role in the recording studio. This marked a change not only for the music in America but also for the nation with the election of John F. Kennedy. Their success could be seen as an America asking for change. There would be countless British bands in the 1960’s that influenced the British Invasion of music.

Concept albums were conceived as integrated whole this could be seen in Pet Sounds. This album was a great influence on the Beatles 1967 album Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts club band. Brian Wilson also took inspiration for 1966 single Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys.

Latin soul pushed its way on the charts with Herby Hancock’s Watermelon Man in 1963 which stayed on the charts for eleven weeks for Ramon “Mongo” Santamaria. Ray Barretto would have a hit on the R&B and pop charts with his mambo band with EL Watusi. The Bossa Nova gained popularity in the 1960’s. Guitarist Joao Gilberto recorded the first bossa nova in 1958 with Chenga de Saudade. Stan Getz became passionate about the bossa nova giving the genre affinities with the west coast jazz. Herb Albert created a new style based on the Mexican Music that which became known as Ameriachi. This new style was seen in the hit record The Lonely Bull.

In the 1965 Buck Owens,’ I’ve got a Tiger by the Tail became number 25 on the pop charts. The feeling of separateness that characterized much of country music. Merle Haggard’s song Okie from Muskogee would be a critique of the counter counterculture of the late 1960’s. Pasty Cline was popular on the pop and country charts in 1960 with I Fall to Pieces and Crazy. Elvis Presley’s music seem to go with the times of with his music, Crying in the Chapel would have the Nashville sound.

Ray Charles would be a constant present in R&B during the 50’s. He would find great success with Tin Pan Alley’s Georgia on My Mind. Ray Charles was a fine piano player who was fluent in jazz and pop idioms. One of his records that be a risk for Ray Charles became the Modern Sounds of Country and Western music. His critics did not want Ray Charles to make this album and saw it as a failure from the start. He would not be swayed and made of the most enduring albums in music history. Country musicians and pop musicians alike celebrated the genius of his album.

Sam Cooke became the pioneer of soul music though he began his singing career as a gospel singer. He would give up singing gospel and change the world of music. His struggle to make soul records would be same as Bob Dylan. Sam Cooke music would express politics in soul and rock music. James Brown became known as the Godfather of Soul. His music became Politically charged with Say it Loud- I’m Black and I’m Proud. James Brown would have more influence of the sounds and styles of black music. Hip-hop artist samples his records even today and he is known as the pioneer of rap style.

Aretha Franklin underwent a long period of apprenticeship before she became know as breakthrough pop star in 1967. She found her success with I Have Never Loved a Man. Amazing Grace a gospel album recorded in a church became one of the most spectacular live albums. In 1968, she recorded Respect and co-wrote Think that became chart-toppers. Not only did Franklin symbolize female empowerment in her music she also did it in her music.

Bob Dylan wrote some of the most memorable songs recorders by many different artists over decades. Bob Dylan established himself as an acoustic singer-songwriter in the early 1960’s. Many artists in the counterculture of America would record blowing in the Wind. Peter, Paul, and Mary recorded the most popular version of Blowing in the Wind. Like a Rolling Stone would become an epic pop single that would make it to number two on the pop charts. Bob Dylan never was content to be pigeonholed to fall into a predictable role in music style or movement.

With rock music and radical politics developed its own culture. Fads of long hair, beards, beads, tie-dyed shirts and blue jeans became the fashion. The jargon of the hippies became common in American language with groovy, far out, stoned and other phrases emerged. Drugs also fueled this movement with LSD and other substance abuse. The music reflected the audience that listen to music influenced by these means of free expression.

In the summer of 1967 the summer of love the Beatles would release Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band. This album was revolutionary as pop musical art and this was the first of its kind. It also featured different instruments from India. When the Beatles sang We Love to take you home with us the listener took the Beatles into their homes in the form of a record. The Rolling Stones tried to out do with Beatles with Their Satanic Majesties. Blues and R&B influenced their album that was the inspiration for the Rolling Stones.

Psychedelic rock was played in San Francisco that encompassed a variety of styles. One of the biggest celebrities was Grace Slick and Janis Joplin. Janis Joplin was influenced by Bessie Smith and Big Mamma Thornton. Janis was not accepted by R&B charts and never managed to cross over. Jerry Garcia and the Grateful dead would have a following known as Deadheads. They were a different kind of group and encouraged their audiences to record them. Even though the Grateful Dead had a mass audience appeal they didn’t have hit till 1987.

The Doors would form their group in Los Angles, California and they had a steady gig at the Whiskey A Go-Go. They gained popularity with longer versions of their songs on AM radio stations. This was also a crucial development to Rock ‘N’ Roll music. Jimmy Hendrix was the most original, inventive and creative guitarist of the rock era. Jimmy Hendrix gained experience touring with R&B groups. This influence can be heard in Purple Haze and he used the solos to enhance his guitar solos.

Eric Clapton would be the most influential guitarist in Britain. He would attract R&B fans and blues fans. He also formed the band called Cream in late 60’s and would form the first line of rock trios. Crossroads would be a cover of the Robert Johnson version that be recorded in 1968.