Monday, January 25, 2010
Musical Savants
I find it really impressive and interesting that people can bend their minds so completely around music. To be able to play an instrument even before speaking is simply amazing. That music can act as a basis for learning to perform normal everyday functions only shows how integrated music is in our lives. It may even explain the property of music to evoke dancing.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Jack Johnson: Sleep Through The Static
Jack Johnson was born on May 18, 1975 in Hawaii and still resides there. Johnson is the son of a famous Hawain surfer and himself started surfing at the age of five. When he was seventeen, Johnson competed in the Banzai Pipeline, a professional surfing tournament. Aside from surfing and writing music, Johnson also worked on film production. His surfer film Ticker Than Water was acclaimed best movie of the year by Surfer magazine in 2000. For his musical talent, he is well known for his soft rock and acoustic melodies and released the album Sleep Through The Static on February 5, 2008. This album quickly reached number one on the Billboard 200 charts and held the record for most iTunes downloads in single day until Cold Play's Viva La Vida set a new record with their album.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_Through_the_Static
http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Johnson,_Jack/Biography/
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_Through_the_Static
http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Johnson,_Jack/Biography/
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Legends and Myths
#1 Robert Johnson Sells His Soul to The Devil
It is often claimed that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil, but is this story a myth or a legend? The rumor started back in the 1930’s after Son House claimed that “the only way that [Robert Johnson] could have become so good in such a short period of time was to have sold his soul to the devil”(Davis). This appears untrue, however, and it is truly due to the fact that Johnson managed to befriend and learn guitar from Ike Zinnerman, an outstanding guitarist. In the end, Robert Johnson’s soul selling habits are only a myth.
#2 Ozzy Ozbourne’s Taste For Doves and Bats
The legend surrounding Ozzy Osbourne’s actually biting off the head of a bat while on stage does indeed ring true. As the legend goes, someone allegedly threw a dead or concussed bat on stage which Ozzy promptly picked up and bit. Ozzy admits that he was a little drunk at the time and that it seemed like a good laugh. When he realized that the bat was real however, he went off stage, threw up, and left for the hospitable to get a tetanus shot.
#3 The Mythology Surrounding the Abbey Road Cover
The myth surrounding the Abbey Road cover involves the belief that Paul McCartney was dead. Supposedly Paul died previous to the making of the album and had been replaced by someone who looked and sounded like him. On the cover John Lennon in white is supposed to represent the clergy, Ringo in black the undertaker, and Paul (dead) the corpse. Paul (the replacement) is the only Beatle on the cover that is barefoot, whose eyes are closed, and the only one dressed in work clothes, supposedly to represent the gravedigger. He (the replacement) is also holding a cigarette in his right hand although the true Paul McCartney is left handed. There is also the fact that cigarettes are sometimes called “coffin nails.” There are also several pictorial elements on the back of the cover that helped start the rumor, including a shadow that looks remarkably like a skull. There is also a crack in the “s” at the end of “Beatles” and also eight dots to the left of “Beatles” that when connected form a 3. This is supposedly symbolic of the fact that there are only three Beatles members left alive. In the end though, this rumor turned out to be just another myth.
#4 Bob Dylan Goes Electric
It’s 1965 at the Newport Folk Festival and all that can be heard is the wail of an electric guitar spiced up with some buffalo wing vocals; It’s 1965 and Bob Dylan is playing a Fender Stratocaster. Few moments have changed the world or rock and roll as much as Dylan’s performance that day. In a shear 15 minutes both rock and roll and folk music were forever changed. Needless to say such a legendary performance came at a price and Dylan was very shook up by the crowds angry yells. It appears that Dylan was so perturbed that he even forgot to bring out the right harmonica for his next song and had to acquire one from the crowd.
It is often claimed that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil, but is this story a myth or a legend? The rumor started back in the 1930’s after Son House claimed that “the only way that [Robert Johnson] could have become so good in such a short period of time was to have sold his soul to the devil”(Davis). This appears untrue, however, and it is truly due to the fact that Johnson managed to befriend and learn guitar from Ike Zinnerman, an outstanding guitarist. In the end, Robert Johnson’s soul selling habits are only a myth.
#2 Ozzy Ozbourne’s Taste For Doves and Bats
The legend surrounding Ozzy Osbourne’s actually biting off the head of a bat while on stage does indeed ring true. As the legend goes, someone allegedly threw a dead or concussed bat on stage which Ozzy promptly picked up and bit. Ozzy admits that he was a little drunk at the time and that it seemed like a good laugh. When he realized that the bat was real however, he went off stage, threw up, and left for the hospitable to get a tetanus shot.
#3 The Mythology Surrounding the Abbey Road Cover
The myth surrounding the Abbey Road cover involves the belief that Paul McCartney was dead. Supposedly Paul died previous to the making of the album and had been replaced by someone who looked and sounded like him. On the cover John Lennon in white is supposed to represent the clergy, Ringo in black the undertaker, and Paul (dead) the corpse. Paul (the replacement) is the only Beatle on the cover that is barefoot, whose eyes are closed, and the only one dressed in work clothes, supposedly to represent the gravedigger. He (the replacement) is also holding a cigarette in his right hand although the true Paul McCartney is left handed. There is also the fact that cigarettes are sometimes called “coffin nails.” There are also several pictorial elements on the back of the cover that helped start the rumor, including a shadow that looks remarkably like a skull. There is also a crack in the “s” at the end of “Beatles” and also eight dots to the left of “Beatles” that when connected form a 3. This is supposedly symbolic of the fact that there are only three Beatles members left alive. In the end though, this rumor turned out to be just another myth.
#4 Bob Dylan Goes Electric
It’s 1965 at the Newport Folk Festival and all that can be heard is the wail of an electric guitar spiced up with some buffalo wing vocals; It’s 1965 and Bob Dylan is playing a Fender Stratocaster. Few moments have changed the world or rock and roll as much as Dylan’s performance that day. In a shear 15 minutes both rock and roll and folk music were forever changed. Needless to say such a legendary performance came at a price and Dylan was very shook up by the crowds angry yells. It appears that Dylan was so perturbed that he even forgot to bring out the right harmonica for his next song and had to acquire one from the crowd.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Plagiarism In Song Assignment
The instance involving Joe Satriani's "If I Could Fly" and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" doesn't strike me as a legitimate case of plagiarism. The notes of the lead singers voice resemble the guitar notes played in Joe Satriani's song, however, the resemblance between the two is merely that and not a complete replica. I beleive that this case is a coincidental relationship between the two songs that may have arisen from the singers subconcious mimicry of the familiar note of Joe Satriani's solo. On that note, the lead singers voice only follows one small segment of the guitar solo and not the entire thing. The song has enough variation in its vocals to make it similar yet different from Joe Satriani's song. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' song "Dani California" does appear to be a legitimate plagiarism of Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance," however. The rhythm of both guitar parts in each of these songs is just too similar to possibly be coincidence. Not only are the two parts nearly identical but they both persist throughout a good portion of the song and are nearly trademarks of each. Just hearing the rhythm of the guitars alone brings to mind one and both of these songs at the same time.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Backmasking And Reverse Speech
The Beatles – “I’m So Tired”
This clip is backmasking because, although it is nonsensical when played normally, it makes perfect sense when played backwards. Not only this, but the message is too relevant and specific to John Lennon’s death and the band itself to be a coincidence.
Pink Floyd – “Empty Spaces”
This example, I feel, is also legitimate backmasking. Saying “congratulations. You have just discovered the secret message,” is too coincidental to be unintentional in my mind. Also, “old pink” seems to be a reference to the band.
Weird Al – “Nature Trail to Hell”
This is too much like something that Weird Al would come up with and is way to clear to be unintentional. It was definitely done on purpose, it even has a beat to it backwards.
ELO – “Fire on High”
You don’t get much straighter forward then “the music is reversible…” The message is too concise and seemingly rehearsed to be coincidental. Also, it is indistinguishable nonsense words when played forwards, adding credibility to the hypothesis that it was indeed intentional.
Eagles – “Hotel California”
This is not backmasking or reverse speech. This is a bunch of “hogwash” conceived by someone with way too much time on their hands. The message is barely coherent and has no relevance to the band or the song. This guy was just so caught up in finding satanic messages in backwards music that he created his own farfetched example.
Yoko Ono – “Kiss, Kiss, Kiss”
This clip is “hogwash.” If she’s really saying “I shot John Lennon” backwards, then she did so with a full grown lobster hanging from her tongue.
Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”
I believe that this is an example of legitimate backmasking. Led Zeppelin is more of a satanic music oriented band and the message is too elaborate to be a coincidence. The backwards message also refers to the “path” mentioned in the forwards playing lyrics.
Pokemon Rap
I feel that this clip is just unintentional reverse speech. The message is clearly there, but I feel that it was not foreseen by the artist and is merely a coincidence.
Eminem – “My Name Is…”
I believe that this clip is backmasking because it is very clear, includes the name of the artist, and makes sense when looking at the song title.
Michael Jackson – “Beat It”
I feel that this is reverse speech and not backmasking. It seems unintentional to me and may be just a coincidence based on the covert language flow.
This clip is backmasking because, although it is nonsensical when played normally, it makes perfect sense when played backwards. Not only this, but the message is too relevant and specific to John Lennon’s death and the band itself to be a coincidence.
Pink Floyd – “Empty Spaces”
This example, I feel, is also legitimate backmasking. Saying “congratulations. You have just discovered the secret message,” is too coincidental to be unintentional in my mind. Also, “old pink” seems to be a reference to the band.
Weird Al – “Nature Trail to Hell”
This is too much like something that Weird Al would come up with and is way to clear to be unintentional. It was definitely done on purpose, it even has a beat to it backwards.
ELO – “Fire on High”
You don’t get much straighter forward then “the music is reversible…” The message is too concise and seemingly rehearsed to be coincidental. Also, it is indistinguishable nonsense words when played forwards, adding credibility to the hypothesis that it was indeed intentional.
Eagles – “Hotel California”
This is not backmasking or reverse speech. This is a bunch of “hogwash” conceived by someone with way too much time on their hands. The message is barely coherent and has no relevance to the band or the song. This guy was just so caught up in finding satanic messages in backwards music that he created his own farfetched example.
Yoko Ono – “Kiss, Kiss, Kiss”
This clip is “hogwash.” If she’s really saying “I shot John Lennon” backwards, then she did so with a full grown lobster hanging from her tongue.
Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven”
I believe that this is an example of legitimate backmasking. Led Zeppelin is more of a satanic music oriented band and the message is too elaborate to be a coincidence. The backwards message also refers to the “path” mentioned in the forwards playing lyrics.
Pokemon Rap
I feel that this clip is just unintentional reverse speech. The message is clearly there, but I feel that it was not foreseen by the artist and is merely a coincidence.
Eminem – “My Name Is…”
I believe that this clip is backmasking because it is very clear, includes the name of the artist, and makes sense when looking at the song title.
Michael Jackson – “Beat It”
I feel that this is reverse speech and not backmasking. It seems unintentional to me and may be just a coincidence based on the covert language flow.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Song Analysis #2
Bob Dylan is recognized as one of the greatest songwriters of his time. His songs have been highly praised and intensely studied by aspiring songwriters. All of Bob Dylan’s songs are extremely rich in their abundance of poetic devices, and sometimes they even tell a story. “Hurricane” by Bob Dylan is one such narrative song that focuses on the false imprisonment of a famous black boxer.
This song is clearly a narrative as its lyrics tell a complete story. The story is based on how Rubin Carter, a famous black boxer, was “falsely tried” for the shooting of three men. The lyrics tell how he was “obviously framed” but how “the newspapers…went along for the ride” and Rubin was thrown in prison: “an innocent man in a living hell.” The entire song is a series of events that flow in chronological order and as thus is a narrative.
Bob Dylan also uses irony, which can be seen at several points throughout the song. That Bello claims that he didn’t kill the three men, when he clearly did, and says to Patty that “one of [them] had better call the cops,” is ironic. That Bello, the murderer, is suggesting that they call the cops is the opposite of the expected outcome. The last two lines of the fourth verse, “and although this man could hardly see/ they told him that he could identify the guilty men,” also displays irony. It is ironic in this case that although this man has been mortally wounded and can barely see is to be the witness who identifies the guilty men. It is also ironic when, in the second line of the seventh verse, the “cops said, a poor boy like you could use a break,” to Arthur Dexter Bradley. That the cops are calling the murderer a “poor boy” and are saying that he could “use a break” is not what one would expect given the circumstances.
Bob Dylan also incorporates a fair deal of alliteration into the lyrics. The fourth line of the ninth verse, “to the white folks who watched he was…,” is an example of consonance. In this case the “w” sound is being repeated. The third line of the tenth verse, “Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied,” is also an example of consonance repeating the “b” sound. The second line of the fourth verse, “...Arthur Dexter Bradley were just out prowlin around,” is a good example of assonance. In this example it is the “r” sound within the words that is being repeated.
Bob Dylan’s use of poetic devices is prominently displayed in his plethora of protest songs, and is one of his major trademarks. Dylan’s use of poetic devices in songs such as “hurricane” lend depth and character to the lyrics, making the songs more complex and interesting. It is this factor which allows Dylan and other protest song writers to convey a powerful message in a way that is effective. When it comes to writing, poetry is power.
This song is clearly a narrative as its lyrics tell a complete story. The story is based on how Rubin Carter, a famous black boxer, was “falsely tried” for the shooting of three men. The lyrics tell how he was “obviously framed” but how “the newspapers…went along for the ride” and Rubin was thrown in prison: “an innocent man in a living hell.” The entire song is a series of events that flow in chronological order and as thus is a narrative.
Bob Dylan also uses irony, which can be seen at several points throughout the song. That Bello claims that he didn’t kill the three men, when he clearly did, and says to Patty that “one of [them] had better call the cops,” is ironic. That Bello, the murderer, is suggesting that they call the cops is the opposite of the expected outcome. The last two lines of the fourth verse, “and although this man could hardly see/ they told him that he could identify the guilty men,” also displays irony. It is ironic in this case that although this man has been mortally wounded and can barely see is to be the witness who identifies the guilty men. It is also ironic when, in the second line of the seventh verse, the “cops said, a poor boy like you could use a break,” to Arthur Dexter Bradley. That the cops are calling the murderer a “poor boy” and are saying that he could “use a break” is not what one would expect given the circumstances.
Bob Dylan also incorporates a fair deal of alliteration into the lyrics. The fourth line of the ninth verse, “to the white folks who watched he was…,” is an example of consonance. In this case the “w” sound is being repeated. The third line of the tenth verse, “Bello and Bradley and they both baldly lied,” is also an example of consonance repeating the “b” sound. The second line of the fourth verse, “...Arthur Dexter Bradley were just out prowlin around,” is a good example of assonance. In this example it is the “r” sound within the words that is being repeated.
Bob Dylan’s use of poetic devices is prominently displayed in his plethora of protest songs, and is one of his major trademarks. Dylan’s use of poetic devices in songs such as “hurricane” lend depth and character to the lyrics, making the songs more complex and interesting. It is this factor which allows Dylan and other protest song writers to convey a powerful message in a way that is effective. When it comes to writing, poetry is power.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Today's Popular Music: A Reflection Of Our Culture
“Down” by Jay Sean may be the number one song in America today because it is a song that a lot of people can relate to. The song talks about getting away from all of the problems in life and just leaving it all behind. This says that American teen society feels too overwhelmed with all of the pressure being thrust upon them to do good in school, go on to college, grow up too fast, and just all of the problems in life that they need to deal with everyday along with just about a million other things. It also shows how teens just want to have fun and not worry about all of the demands that the world is thrusting upon them. The song also includes a successful love story. Love is something that American teenagers are experiencing for the first time, and it often seems very complicated; this song relates to those feelings and confusion and gives the impression that everything will work out in the end.
"Watcha Say" by Jason DeRulo is a song about how a man messed up a good relationship by cheating on his girlfriend. He is trying to get her back by appologizing for all that he did and saying that soon he'll "become a star...be livin so large" that he'll do anything for her. This line really digs at the materialism present in today's society. A lot of teens nowadays are experiencing difficulty with relationships and can relate to this aspect of the song.
"Watcha Say" by Jason DeRulo is a song about how a man messed up a good relationship by cheating on his girlfriend. He is trying to get her back by appologizing for all that he did and saying that soon he'll "become a star...be livin so large" that he'll do anything for her. This line really digs at the materialism present in today's society. A lot of teens nowadays are experiencing difficulty with relationships and can relate to this aspect of the song.
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