It’s Just Business

Bodysnatchers, written by Colin Charles Greenwood,
Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Edward John O’Brien, Philip James Selway, and Thomas Edward York; performed by Radiohead (2007)

This weeks song, Bodysnatchers by Radiohead, serves as the key witness to the distrust and angst that arose between the music publishing companies and recording artists. On the one hand were executives who paid out big money for exclusive recording deals and demanded that artists fulfill their contracts. On the other there were hard working artists who, after spending months or even years on concert tours, felt that the constant demand placed on them for something new was too great. The overall tone of Bodysnatchers meets the listener head on with hard-edged, overdriven, sonically angry sound. The premise recalls the days of early Sci-Fi, when terror engulfed the town, as no one could be trusted. Aliens had taken control of neighbors and no one knew who would be next. As an artist being pressured to compose and record music that doesn’t come from as artistic expression but from corporate pressure takes on these feelings of being evicted from ones own body.

Radiohead released the album on the Internet, allowing people to pay what they wanted for it. The average price people paid was $2.26. This direct release to the public garnered the group $2.7 million in direct profits. Later that year the group turned down a multi-million dollar contract from a major label. Though they were not the only group to eschew big business in lieu of retaining creative rights, the song, album and year of release (2007) represent a significant turning point in the relationship between artist and music company. Bodysnatchers embodies the long time struggle with the freedom of expression and corporate interests.

Musical Metamorphosis

     Like the caterpillar emerging from its cocoon to take flight as a beautiful butterfly, so music emerged from the decade of the 1960s with freedom to soar beyond form, tone and content. This week we will look at this decade as rock ‘n’ roll evolves to simply rock through the work of three innovative artist: the Beatles, the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan.

Please, Please Me, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney,
performed by the Beatles (1962)

As you might expect, we start off the decade without venturing too far from tradition. Please, Please Me follows a traditional form, AABA Tin Pan Alley, maintaining a solid structure even within each of the sections. Variations from tradition are subtle and include the use of “please” as both a verb and adverb, the descending melody stating the issue and then the reply of “come on…” with an ascending melody, and the lack of a cadence until the end of each section. While not pushing the bounds of music too far at this point, the Beatles demonstrate even in these simple ways an adeptness toward molding lyrics and music to present a well constructed composition.

A Hard Days Night, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney,
performed by the Beatles (1964)

From the onset, the strum of the dissonant guitar, we recognize that A Hard Days Night is going to continue to push the limit of popular music. This first sonic hit serves as an efficient and effective hook. Though still maintaining a typical AABA format and 12 bar blues structure, we see the emergence of poetic variation and chord structure. The traditional chords do not fall in expected places but rather serve the lyric of the song by waiting to resolve the tension until the lyric has also resolved. Additionally, the song ends with the music fading as if to tell the listener that things are “all right.”

Yesterday, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney,
performed by the Beatles (1965)

Yesterday demonstrates the ability of the Beatles to master the compositional and production aspects of popular music. The striking thing here is the use of non-rock instruments along with the simple appeal of the song. Again we see the typical AABA format and the time honored theme of broken romance. The novelty here is that it is such a departure from rock ‘n’ roll, a deliberate venture into new musical territory, while maintaining the many things that make popular music iconic. The hook of the elongated first word provides us with a basis for the rest of the song. The melody lines fall when we look lyrically backward and soar as we hear the hope that once was. The addition of the string ensemble on the word “suddenly,” perfectly emphesises the feeling along with driving the song forward musically in lush tonality.

Eleanor Rigby, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney,
performed by the Beatles with accompanying string ensemble (1966)

Eleanor Rigby is the true departure from tradition for the Beatles. Again we see the use of strings as accompaniment, but this time instead of long lush phrasing and counterpoint they bow repeated chords keeping the rhythm of the song much like guitars and drums in a typical rock group. Harmonically the song utilizes two chords, C major and E minor, that have little relation to each other in terms of tonal centering. We would expect that the major chord would dominate the song, but in the end it is the minor chord that plays a larger role. The austere harmonic nature of the song once again serves the lyrics of loneliness and despair. In terms of form, it borrows from the folk ballad, telling the story with the repeated chorus, interrupted by a restatement of the introduction prior to the third verse that builds tension as we wait to hear the rest of the story. The musical phrasing also serves the depressed lyric as the four bar phrase is followed by a one bar interjection, destabilizing the listener and adding to the despair. Finally, the song concludes with the introduction sung over the top of the final chorus. Here again we see the musical tension, lyrical depravity and mastery of the songwriters to match sound and lyric.

Good Vibrations, music by Brian Wilson, lyrics by Mike Love,
performed by the Beach Boys with instrumental accompaniment (1966)

Brian Wilson’s masterpiece of musical innovation takes us on a journey of harmonic variance, sumptuous sound and a departure from previously known form. There is no good way to describe the form of Good Vibrations other than to say it builds on the idea the lyrics are describing. Initially a standard verse/chorus pattern (2 statements of each), it falls apart into two diverse sections that only serve to add to the enjoyment of the “good vibrations.” Musically the sound is otherworldly, as the accompaniment is rooted in the organ and Theremin. The tonal center shifts of the C section, which should serve as a bridge were it not for the lack of a restatement of either the A or B sections, also serve the otherness sound of the song. The ecstasy of the chorus is restated at the close of the song but in a way that is derivative rather than repetitive, continuing to develop the idea and texture of the song. Rather than a hard ending the song, the music fades out as if to let us know that the Good Vibrations continue.

Like a Rolling Stone, written by Bob Dylan,
performed by Bob Dylan with instrumental accompaniment (1965)

Bob Dylan single handedly turned musical recording on its ear with Like A Rolling Stone. Aside from the familiar pattern of verse/chorus, everything else here is a departure from tradition. The most obvious note is that the song is more than six minutes long, a huge departure from the three minute limitation of early singles. Additionally, both the verses and chorus are elongated; forty bars for each verse and twenty or twenty-four bars for the chorus’. This expansion along with the lyrical density creates a dynamic intensity that is only amplified by the lack of lyrical closure. Musically, the song is sonically dense and different from previous songs due to the use of two keyboard instruments—the organ and piano. One final ground breaking item to note is that this recording simply sounds like a live studio performance with as little editing or sonic augmentation that would affect the final product.

Reborn without the constraints of the past, rock (and virtually all popular music) presses on into the tumultuous 1970s where the tension between commercialism and authenticity begins to take root. Additionally, the 1970s reveal both the creative rejuvenation of certain popular musical styles as well as the popularization of new forms of cultural music.

Back to the Future

As we press on from WWII on into the 1950s music not only develops into a new style called Rock ‘n’ Roll but earlier genres continue to maintain popularity. In this mix of songs we have swing, crooning, blues and rock. Thus the 1940s and 1950s truly take us back to the future.

Nancy (with the Laughing Face),
music & lyrics by Jimmy Van Heusen and Phil Silvers;
performed by Frank Sinatra with the Alel Stordahl Orchestra (1945)

Frank Sinatra performs this piece with vocal agility that fits the lush orchestral arrangement to a tee. The laid back feel allows Sinatra to stretch out phrases for maximum effect. True to form, we hear long vocal phrases which add to the intimate nature and fluidity of the song. This Tin Pan Alley 32 bar AABA form was written for the birth of Sinatra’s daughter, Nancy. No doubt both the implied romantic feeling along with the reason for conception only adds to the popularity and charm of the song.

Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie
music and lyrics by Milt Gabler, Denver Darling, and Vaughan Horton;
performed by Louis Jordan’s Tympany Five (1946)

Combinding the verse/refrain Tin Pan Alley form, a 12 bar blues verse, and an upbeat swing boogie-woogie and you get a tremendous upbeat song. The predictability of the song along with the masterful arrangement by Louis Jordan brings delight to this song. We hear the train coming into the station in the introduction and the lyrics remind us of those who had to hop the train in search of work during the great depression. What could be a setting for a depressing ballad instead gives us hope for a bright ending. Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie topped the charts for eighteen weeks and reached number seven on Billboards pop hit list.

Maybellene
music & lyrics by Chuck Berry;
performed by Chuck Berry and His Combo (1945)

With this performance we can clearly hear the dawning of a new era in music history. This is partly due to the use of the electric guitar with distortion and partly due to the simple instrumentation of the group; drums, guitar, bass, piano & percussion. The form is the typical verse/refrain form, each part being 12 bar blues poetic phrasing with the chord changes overlooked at the verses. The story that Berry tells reminds us of the British ballad tradition. Barry becomes the bandleader, lead guitarist and head vocalist all in one rock icon.

Long Tall Sally
music & Lyrics by Entros Johnson, Richard Penniman and Robert Blackwell;
performed by Little Richard and unidentified band (1956)

Little Richard posses much of the ebullient personality that Louis Armstrong presented years earlier and it comes through in the extra exclamations and vocalizations. This song is a twelve bar blues progression with the last four bars becoming the repeated chorus. This form becomes a standard for the pop music of the time as we will see in the next two songs. The stop time feel in the beginning of each verse allows for clarity in the vocal line so that the listener can hear the story easily while still maintaining a sense of forward motion.

Don’t Be Cruel,
music & Lyrics by Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley;
performed by Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires (1956)

Toping the charts for 11 weeks late in the summer of 1956, Don’t Be Cruel maintains the blues form like Long Tail Salley with the last 4 bars become the repeated chorus. The use of the Jordanaires provides a sweetening of the sound as they provide both rhythmic support and harmonic depth to the simple instrumentation. Elvis’ style is evident early with the “hiccupping” effect that identifies the singer to the listner. In this recording we also begin to hear electronic effects, reverb, being applied to mimic natural auditory phenomena. Presley breaks the strophic form after the first chorus by adding the extension to the blues phrasing.

Charlie Brown,
music & Lyrics by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stroller;
performed by the Coasters with King Curtis, sax (1958)

Our last song reminds us that by this point music was being targeted to teens and young adults as they purchased more than a third of the recordings. With the cartoon reference and the “yackety sax” it is little wonder why this song was so popular. The song is high energy, with spoken cat calls and the repeated iconic phrase, “why is everybody always pickin’ on me?” For being a 12 bar blues form it is noticeably lacking in blue notes—save the saxophone. The use of stop time in the verses again leaves us to hear the words of the verses clearly. The Coasters add a B section to add contrast and dynamic tension to the song.

With the birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll behind us we press on and see how the form solidifies during a time of exploration and political tension during the 1960s. American Pop, the British Invasion, Urban folk and Rock take center stage as the music industry diversifies and multiplies.