Transitions 1960-70 Overview: The Youth Generation of the 1960s • • • • Kennedy's assassination Social issues Sexual revolution Music was a central to the 1960s landscape Bob Dylan Bob Dylan • Early years • New York City 1961 • March 1962 Bob Dylan • • • • • • • The Free-wheelin' Bob Dylan With The Times They Are a-Changin' Dylan warns the establishment Newport Folk Festival Another Side of Bob Dylan Folk rock Like a Rolling Stone Bob Dylan • • • • Dylan seemed to disappear “All Along the Watchtower" Nashville Skyline Dylan after the 1960s Dyaln’s Significance Lyrics • Symbolism, internal ironies, sarcasm, thought-provoking messages, dry wit, surrealism, and graceful flow Soul And Mowtown: Aretha Franklin Soul And Mowtown: Aretha Franklin • Early years • Early 1960s, Aretha pop singer for Columbia Records • Wexler and Atlantic Records • Songs by some of the finest songwriters • Vocal agility Respect • • • • • First uptempo hit Emotionally redefined fast soul Transforms sexual machismo Became anthem for women’s movement Interlocked rhythm section Respect • • • • • Riffs or sustained chords “Gospel sound” Spelling out RESPECT memorable Verse/refrain has changed Denser textures What a Friend We Have in Jesus • familiar form • sixteen measures • AABA pattern What a Friend We Have in Jesus • • • • rhythm uncomplicated F major Expands form “freedom” of musical form What a Friend… • fills form with melody • Compare the first two measures of the original tune with Aretha’s phrase • notes added and rhythms significantly modified • some notes falling behind where they “should”; others coming ahead • pitch variations • “blue note” What a Friend… • Interpolations • freedom to add words • Melisma: a technique in which one syllable is extended over two or more pitches Amazing Grace • eleven minutes • contains many examples of extended melismas • Wide range of vocal timbres • Shout “What a Friend” “and needles pain” • Very breathy tone San Francisco: Overview 1. Drugs 2. Volume levels at live concerts reached a new high. 3. San Francisco groups often placed considerable emphasis on the instrumentalists 4. Electronic technology Janis Joplin Janis Joplin • Early years • Ghet Helms • Big Brother Ball and Chain • • • • • Stutters, reiterations Melismas, interpolations Hommange to Smith? Hisses “sitting” Necessary embellishments Ball and Chain • • • • Joplin’s voice not as rich as Smith’s Tempo of the song slower Musical space must be filled Progressively less restrained Pearl • Roots in R & B and Gospel • Janis was unique Mercedes Benz • Parodies hippie values and communalism • A cappella Art Rock And Frank Zappa Art Rock And Frank Zappa • In the late 1960s, the creative minds in rock began to expand • Just how far can Rock go? Classical Elements and Rock Elements 1. Quote a classical excerpt in the midst of a rock song. 2. Use a classical melody as the basis of a rock song. 3. Create a series of rock songs conceived as units in a larger form. Frank Zappa • Introduction • Offends • Early years Help I’m a Rock A "It can't happen here"—non-metric, non-tonal vocal expanding this lyric B "Who could imagine"—(1) "freak out in Kansas" (followed by improvisation on "Kansas") (2) "freak out in Minnesota" (followed by improvisation on "Minnesota") C: Instrumental section—piano and drums in a fragmented, non-tonal, pointillistic style Help I’m a Rock B: "Who could imagine"—"freak out in Washington, D.C." (followed by improvisation on "D.C.") A: "It can't happen here"—enters underneath previous section, but begins to dominate D: "I remember"—metric; three phrases Help I’m a Rock A: "It couldn't happen here"—brief return E: Suzy Creamcheese—dialogue with semifictional Zappa character A: "It can't happen here"—brief return; filtered voices Help I’m a Rock • Combines two common classical forms: the arch form and the rondo. C B B A A • Improvisation • Experimentation with textures Frank Zappa • Drugs • Uncle Meat • Fillmore East • Shut Up Play Yer Guitar