The Chords wrote and performed this song first, then later on another band, The Crew Cuts, recorded a cover of this song and reached number #1 on the pop charts. Nowadays though, people prefer the original, at least I do.
"Life could be a dream" is the first line of the lyrics in the song "Sh-Boom" by The Chords. I love how smooth and calming the music is while still having a happy undertone to it. Of course, most people who listen to this song are now reminded of Cars, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I think this song was written with a certain nostalgic feeling, and this song certainly fits the scene in Cars where it's featured.
This song doesn't have any political messages or racial streams in it like we saw in some of the other music we've listened to, "Sh-Boom" is definitely a romantic song with the singer just trying to get a girl to fall in love with him. It may seem cheesy, but I definitely prefer these types of songs to any other of that specific time period because it's easy to sing to and enjoy.
Monday, September 30, 2019
Monday, September 23, 2019
"In The Mood" Glenn Miller
I love the song "In the Mood." I played trombone in Jr. High, so my teacher showed me some songs by Glenn Miller and his orchestra and "In the Mood" was one of them. Since then, I loved listening to some of Glenn Miller's songs, but I think "In the Mood" is still my favorite. I study to this song sometimes because it's upbeat rhythm helps me think.
There is a certain part of the song that lasts for a few measures and repeats itself throughout the song. It assists in making the song memorable and easy to dance to. Nowadays, songs that repeat themselves over and over kind of get annoying, but I think "In the Mood" really has enough variance that the listener or dancer stays entertained throughout the entire song. Even though there is not any words in the song.
This song has withstood time because (in my opinion) it's so memorable and unique. Maybe not unique at the time of the composition, but it's a great piece that represents that time period so well. It's unique and unusual for our day and age, which is why people remember "In the Mood" when they hear it.
Glenn Miller and his orchestra did a really good job performing this song, the tempo changes and the dynamic changes are really accentuated and add a depth to the song that otherwise would leave the song lacking. This type of swing really adds a sense of nostalgia that is felt by the listeners, even though I, an eighteen year-old, have literally no idea what that time period was like.
There is a certain part of the song that lasts for a few measures and repeats itself throughout the song. It assists in making the song memorable and easy to dance to. Nowadays, songs that repeat themselves over and over kind of get annoying, but I think "In the Mood" really has enough variance that the listener or dancer stays entertained throughout the entire song. Even though there is not any words in the song.
This song has withstood time because (in my opinion) it's so memorable and unique. Maybe not unique at the time of the composition, but it's a great piece that represents that time period so well. It's unique and unusual for our day and age, which is why people remember "In the Mood" when they hear it.
Glenn Miller and his orchestra did a really good job performing this song, the tempo changes and the dynamic changes are really accentuated and add a depth to the song that otherwise would leave the song lacking. This type of swing really adds a sense of nostalgia that is felt by the listeners, even though I, an eighteen year-old, have literally no idea what that time period was like.
Monday, September 16, 2019
"I've Got Rhythm" George and Ira Gershwin
Today I listened to "I've Got Rhythm" by George and Ira Gershwin. The piece was composed by George Gershwin and the lyrics were written by his brother Ira Gershwin. I already had heard of this song before taking this class, but listening to Ethel Merman sing this song never gets old. I love how unique and powerful Ethel Merman's voice is.
The song evokes various emotions including happiness and being carefree. I think that those emotions are achieved through Merman's voice and upbeat, driving rhythm of the song. Like the song I listened to last week, ("Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin) I could listen to this song all day. The music and the words go very well together, especially considering the tempo.
A surprising part about this piece was the section, "...who could ask for anything more?" It's faster than I would expect and is a nice ending to the phrase preceding that. It's fun to listen to the music at that section, it sounds like the song is running down some stairs for a dramatic effect. And it works. The music fits very nicely with the rest of the piece, and "I've Got Rhythm" has withstood the effects of time very well.
The target audience of the time was most likely middle-class Americans. The song was published in 1930, and was included in a Broadway show titled "Girl Crazy." After that, the song was featured in many more shows and has appeared in some movies as well, including one of my favorites, "American in Paris."
The song evokes various emotions including happiness and being carefree. I think that those emotions are achieved through Merman's voice and upbeat, driving rhythm of the song. Like the song I listened to last week, ("Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin) I could listen to this song all day. The music and the words go very well together, especially considering the tempo.
A surprising part about this piece was the section, "...who could ask for anything more?" It's faster than I would expect and is a nice ending to the phrase preceding that. It's fun to listen to the music at that section, it sounds like the song is running down some stairs for a dramatic effect. And it works. The music fits very nicely with the rest of the piece, and "I've Got Rhythm" has withstood the effects of time very well.
The target audience of the time was most likely middle-class Americans. The song was published in 1930, and was included in a Broadway show titled "Girl Crazy." After that, the song was featured in many more shows and has appeared in some movies as well, including one of my favorites, "American in Paris."
Thursday, September 5, 2019
"Maple Leaf Rag" Scott Joplin
The song, "Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin is really fun to listen to. It is very upbeat and cheery. This song has a similar feel throughout, and is very recognizable at any point. The listener should be able to tell the time period because of the two-step feel to it. The format of the song is easy to tap your foot to and isn't so predictable that the listener gets bored at any point. One of the listening themes present within this song is a certain groove that makes the song stuck in people's heads, but in a totally good way.
Scott Joplin is the composer and main performer for this piece and was very prominent within the Ragtime community. I would argue that "Maple Leaf Rag" was not his most popular piece; however, I wasn't around at the time of the composition, so I can't say for sure whether "Maple Leaf Rag" or "The Entertainer" (another of Joplin's famous pieces) sold more copies.
A periphery that "Maple Leaf Rag" would have been included in at the time of its creation would have been the African American community because Ragtime was a genre more prominent in the South at the time.
Another aspect I like about the song itself is the syncopation within. It's less formal than the songs that came before, and much more entertaining. I like listening to this song, and also enjoyed learning more about Joplin. He's a talented composer and also made African American music more popular at a time that was very difficult.
Scott Joplin is the composer and main performer for this piece and was very prominent within the Ragtime community. I would argue that "Maple Leaf Rag" was not his most popular piece; however, I wasn't around at the time of the composition, so I can't say for sure whether "Maple Leaf Rag" or "The Entertainer" (another of Joplin's famous pieces) sold more copies.
A periphery that "Maple Leaf Rag" would have been included in at the time of its creation would have been the African American community because Ragtime was a genre more prominent in the South at the time.
Another aspect I like about the song itself is the syncopation within. It's less formal than the songs that came before, and much more entertaining. I like listening to this song, and also enjoyed learning more about Joplin. He's a talented composer and also made African American music more popular at a time that was very difficult.
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