MUAR 392: The History of Popular Music
Lectures:
Winter 2009
Prof. David Brackett
Tuesday/Thursday, 2:35-3:55 p.m., F. D. Adams Auditorium
Required
Reading
The required reading for this course consists of one book and one course pack, which are available at
the Campus Book Store:
PRS
David Brackett, The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader: Histories and Debates, 2nd ed. (Oxford
University Press, 2009)
Listening
CDs 1–5
A set of 5 CDs containing the listening material for this class. Five sets of the CDs are
available at the reserve desk in the Music Library (550 Sherbrooke St. W., 11th floor) and
the audio-visual desk at Redpath Library.
Overview
This course is an historical survey of pop, rock, and soul musics, tracing their development from roots
in blues, jazz, gospel, country music, and earlier popular styles to the music of today.
While the title of the course is “Popular Music Since 1945,” we will begin in the 1920s in order
to get a better appreciation of the background of popular music that developed in the post-WWII
period. In addition to the “Pop, Rock, and Soul” musics referred to in the title of the text for the class,
we will cover styles such as rap, reggae, top 40, and world music, as well as the “classics” of rock,
heavy metal, soul music, and alternative rock. To understand today’s music in its historical and
cultural context, we will also listen to music in a variety of other styles, including traditional folk
styles and even a bit of classical music.
No previous musical knowledge or experience is assumed in this course. We will start with
the basics and explain all of the concepts carefully. Our aim is to help you perceive and understand
the musical workings of popular music more deeply, to get some idea of what it is to think and listen
like a musician, and to understand the historical impact and importance of different genres of
popular music. You will be expected to learn and understand some technical musical terms and to
recognize and accurately identify details of rhythm, form, instrumentation, and style in the music you
hear. For some of you this may be very difficult at first, even if you are a passionate fan. If you are
having trouble, don’t hesitate to ask us for help during office hours.
Course Work
•Reading: All required reading is contained in the text. It is important to do the assigned reading
before the class for which it is assigned. The readings are mostly “source readings”—e.g., journalistic
criticism, interviews with musicians, and excerpts from autobiographies. Each of these readings is
introduced by a brief essay describing the historical background and the context for the article.
Teaching history through source readings makes different demands on you as students and on me as
MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
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a teacher, requiring not only the memorization of facts, but also the analysis of how the historical
information is being presented. The advantage of this approach is that it gives us a sense of what was
at stake—politically, socially, aesthetically—when the events we are studying occurred. In order to
facilitate your understanding of the readings, I will provide study questions via Web CT several days
before the assigned date for the reading. Questions for the exam will be drawn from these study
questions.
•Listening: Plan to spend between one and three hours a week listening to the class CDs. These
CDs will contain a representative sampling of the music we will discuss in class.
•Exams: There is a midterm on March 1 (worth 30% of your final grade), and a final (worth 40%)
at a time TBA. Adjust your schedule now as NO EXCEPTIONS to this schedule will be made. An
unexcused absence from an exam will be graded a 0%. We will not give make-up exams. In addition
to questions based on the reading, the exams will be based on questions about music that you will
hear perhaps for the first time during the exam. The point of this is to develop a general
understanding of styles and musical techniques, to learn the “sound” of each genre and time period
and how each genre fits into a larger historical framework. The exams will include material covered
in lectures, in the videos, in the CDs, and in the text(s) and will include short-answer questions (on
the reading) and multiple-choice questions (on the listening). The exams will be worth a total of 70%
of your final grade. The remaining 30% will be based on your initial writing assignment, listening
quizzes (discussed below), and in-class writing.
•Listening Quizzes: These are two brief (10–15 minutes) quizzes given between exams that will
test your ability to recognize examples from your listening CDs. You will be asked to identify the title
of the song, the name of the performer(s), the approximate date of recording, and the genre/style of
the piece. Warning: Excerpts may be taken from the beginning, middle, or end of the recording, so
listen to the whole recording carefully. The listening examples will be chosen from the recordings
assigned since the previous exam up to the day of the quiz. 2 quizzes@10% =20% of your final grade.
These quizzes will be held on January 27 and March 29.
•Initial Paper/In-Class Writing/Attendance: Your initial paper will count as 10% of your
grade. You will be given a grade from 1 (very poor) to 5 points (excellent). (Details of the paper are
given below.) We will not formally take attendance in this class. As is true of most classes, however,
your chances of performing well on the exams are considerably better if you attend class regularly.
•Grading Policy: Grades are computed according to the following chart:
Summary of Grading
Midterm
30%
Final
40%
Listening quizzes (2@10%)20%
Paper
10%
Total
100%
Sometimes people are overwhelmed with the amount of historical information in this course. As in
most history courses, however, the way to understand this information so that you will be well
prepared for the exams lies in looking at the content of the course as a story rather than a series of
disconnected facts. That is, while memorization of specific recordings, dates, etc. is important (and is
tested on the quizzes), in addition to the study questions based on the source readings, the exams will
test you on how the various “facts” fit together into a larger narrative: in other words, within a
general time frame, what was going on? What genres co-existed? Which genres influenced other
MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
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genres? What came after what? What was the connection between genres and other social events
occurring at the same time? For those who are worried about how to organize the information from
the lectures, readings, and recordings, I suggest that you create a chart: going across the top of the
page, list the genres studied during a given portion of the class; then, beneath the genre name, answer
the following questions, if they are relevant.
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. When and where did these styles become important?
2. Who were the most important artists in these styles? What was the social background of
the artists and producers (race, ethnicity, class, gender)?
3. For whom was the music intended? What marketing considerations were involved?
4. What were the most important musical factors in this style?
5. In terms of questions 4 , what were the innovations of this style? What did this style retain
from other styles? How did it influence subsequent styles? What were its aesthetics (beliefs
and musical values)? What were its ideological motives (world view)?
6. What issues were raised and emphasized by the readings and the discussion of them in
class?
Writing Assignment
Due: January 13
“Stranded”
Write a short essay (no less than 400 words, no more than 800—please include a total of the
word count at the end) about the following scenario: you wake to find yourself stranded on a desert
island. However, the supernatural force that caused this to happen allows you to have the music of
your five favorite recording artists sent to you. Please tell us who the five artists are and which songs
(no more than three apiece) you would have sent to you and why. Please type this essay or print it on a
word processor. We will not accept handwritten essays. This essay can take any form you like, but its
purposes are:
1. To help us get acquainted with you and to give us a picture of your musical tastes,
individually and collectively.
2. To encourage you to think about the role music plays in your personal life. What makes
these artists particularly important to you or well suited to this purpose? Where do they
stand in relation to other artists or types of music that you like? What were the close
competitors? You may also want to consider how music in general relates to your thoughts
and your feelings: What does it have to do with your social life (keeping in mind that you
won’t have a social life on this island)?
3. To give you some practice at writing about a subject that interests you.
At the end of the essay, include a separate list naming the five artists or groups that you chose. We
will tally the results of this poll and give you the results of this semester’s “MUAR 392 Top 40” later
in the semester. Also, look over the list of recordings on pp. x–xx of this syllabus and suggest one
recording that you think should be added. If you do not include a list or a suggested recording, you
will not receive credit for this assignment.
A note on grading: If you receive either a 1 or a 2, this means your work is below the level
expected of a university student. We urge you to rewrite and resubmit the essay. You might visit the
Writing Center for help.
Point scale: A = 5 (for outstanding ideas, writing, and effort); B+/A- = 4; C = 3; D = 2; F = 1
MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
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Syllabus Winter 2009
Date
Topics
Reading and Listening
Jan. 8
Introduction
Overview
Rhythm: Thinking the Beat
Notes: Terms and Definitions
Jan. 13
Rhythm and Form:
Organizing Time; Texture
Notes: Terms and Definitions
Jan. 15
“Stranded” essay due
Early Pop Music; Race and
Hillbilly Music; Classic Blues;
Country Blues
PRS 5-8; 1-4 (intros only).
Listening: CD1, 1-3, 14-18.
Jan. 20
Urban Blues, Rhythm and
Blues; Country Music, Indie
Record Companies
PRS 9-12; 13-15
Listening: CD1, 4-10
Jan. 22
Gospel Music; 50s R&B
PRS: 16-21
Listening: CD1, 11-13, 19-22
Jan. 27
First Wave of Rock ‘n’ Roll
PRS: 22-26
Listening: CD1, 23-34
Jan. 29
Listening Quiz 1
Teen Idols; Late 50s Pop;
Payola; 60s Pop; Girl Groups
PRS: 27-28
Listening: CD1, 35, 36, 40, 41
Feb. 3
Folk Revival; Folk-Rock
PRS: 30-32
Listening: CD1, 43; CD2, 1-3
Feb. 5
Soul Music I: Motown
PRS: 33-34
Listening: CD2, 7, 10
Feb. 10
Soul Music II: James Brown,
Southern Soul
PRS: 35-37
Listening: CD2, 4-6, 8-9
Surf; British Invasion I: The
Beatles
PRS: 29, 38-40
Listening: CD1, 37-39, 42;
CD2, 11-13
Feb. 12
MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
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Date
Topic
Reading and Listening
Feb. 17
British Invasion II: Stones,
Who, et al.; Blues Revival
PRS: 41-42
Listening: CD2, 14-18
Feb. 19
Blues-Rock, Psychedelic Rock,
Festivals
PRS: 43-46, 49
Listening: CD2, 19, 21-28
Feb. 23–27
Study Break
Mar. 3
Midterm
Mar. 5
The 70s Begin: SingerSongwriters
PRS: 50-52, 90
Listening: CD3, 2-7
Mar. 10
Seventies Soul, Funk
PRS: 53-55
Listening: CD3, 8-14
Mar.12
Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
PRS: 56-57, 71-72
Listening: CD3, 19-25; CD4, 12
Mar. 17
Glam; Disco
PRS: 58, 61
Listening: CD3, 17-19, CD4,
14-17
Mar. 19
Issues in Canadian Music
Reading/listening TBA—to be
posted on Web CT
Mar. 24
Punk/New Wave I
PRS: 62-65, 73
Listening: CD4, 8-13
Mar. 26
Mainstream 70s-80s; Technopop; MTV; Madonna;
Springsteen
PRS: 66-69
Listening: CD4, 3, 17-20
Mar. 31
Listening Quiz 2
Crossover in the 80s; R&B;
Hip Hop I
PRS: 70, 75-76
Listening: CD4, 23-26
MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
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Date
Topic
Reading and Listening
Apr. 2
Hip Hop II
PRS: 78-83
Listening: CD4, 27-29
Apr. 7
Alternative
PRS: 74, 84-86
Listening: CD5, 1-3, 7-8
Apr. 9
World Music
PRS: 88-89
Listening: CD4, 4-7, 22
Apr. 14
Dance Music/Techno; Popular PRS: 91-95
Listening: CD5, 4-6, 9-14
Music Today
Final Exam
TBA
Note: readings for The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader are identified by chapter number.
MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
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Recordings
[All available on reserve]
CD 1
1. Blind Lemon Jefferson, “Matchbox Blues” (1927), country blues
2. Bessie Smith, “Back Water Blues” (1927), classic blues
3. Robert Johnson, “Cross Road Blues” (1938), country blues
4. B. B. King, “Three O’Clock Blues” (1951), urban blues
5. Louis Jordan, “Choo-Choo-Ch-Boogie” (1946), rhythm and blues
6. Wynonie Harris, “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (1948), rhythm and blues
7. Larry Henseley, “Matchbox Blues” (1934), country/hillbilly blues
8. Bob Wills, “Steel Guitar Rag” (1936), Western swing
9. Hank Williams, “Move It on Over” (1947), country
10. Hank Williams, “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive” (1952), country
11. Clara Ward, “How I Got Over” (1950), gospel
12. Golden Gate Quartet, “The Golden Gate Gospel Train” (1937), gospel (quartet)
13. Soul Stirrers w/Sam Cooke, “How Far Am I from Canaan?” (1952), gospel (quartet)
14. Don Azpiazu, “El Manisero” (“Peanut Vendor”) (1930), pop (Latin)
15. Fred Astaire, “Cheek to Cheek” (1935), pop
16. Billie Holiday, “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” (1937), pop (jazz)
17. Duke Ellington, “Take the A Train” (1941), pop (jazz)
18. Tony Bennett, “Stranger in Paradise” (1954), pop
19. Darrell Glenn, “Crying in the Chapel” (1953), country
20. The Orioles, “Crying in the Chapel” (1953), rhythm and blues (doo-wop)
21. Chords, “Sh-Boom” (1954), rhythm and blues (doo-wop)
22. Crew Cuts, “Sh Boom” (1954), pop
23. Bo Diddley, “Bo Diddley” (1955), rhythm and blues, or rock ‘n’ roll
24. Fats Domino, “I’m Walkin’” (1956), rhythm and blues, or rock ‘n’ roll
25. Little Richard, “Long Tall Sally” (1956), rhythm and blues, or rock ‘n’ roll
26. Chuck Berry, “School Day” (1957), rhythm and blues, or rock ‘n’ roll
27. Joe Turner, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” (1954), rhythm and blues, or rock ‘n’ roll
28. Bill Haley, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” (1954), rock ‘n’ roll
29. Willie Mae Thornton, “Hound Dog” (1952), rhythm and blues
30. Elvis Presley, “Hound Dog” (1956), rock ‘n’ roll
31. Buddy Holly, “Peggy Sue” (1957), rock ‘n’ roll
32. Richie Valens, “La Bamba” (1958), pop-styled rock ‘n’ roll
33. Little Richard, “Tutti Frutti” (1955), rhythm and blues, or rock ‘n’ roll
34. Pat Boone, “Tutti Frutti” (1956), pop-styled rock ‘n’ roll
35. Drifters “There Goes My Baby” (1959), rhythm and blues (doo-wop)
36. Frankie Avalon, “Venus” (1959), pop
37. Chuck Berry, “Sweet Little Sixteen” (1958), rock ‘n’ roll
38. Beach Boys, “Surfin’ U.S.A.” (!963), surf
39. Ventures, “Walk Don’t Run” (1960), surf
40. Shirelles, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” (1961), girl group
41. Ike and Tina Turner, “River Deep—Mountain High (1966), pop-rock
42. The Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations” (1966), pop-rock
43. Peter, Paul, and Mary, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” (1963), folk
CD 2
1. Bob Dylan, “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965), folk, or folk-rock
2. The Byrds, “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965), folk-rock
3. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, “Ohio” (1970), folk-rock
4. James Brown, “Please, Please, Please” (1956), rhythm and blues
MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
5. Ray Charles, “What’d I Say (Parts 1 and 2)” (1959), rhythm and blues, or soul
6. The Impressions, “Amen” (1963), rhythm and blues, or soul
7. Supremes, “Where Did Our Love Go?” (1964), soul (Motown)
8. Wilson Pickett, “In the Midnight Hour” (1965), soul (Southern)
9. Aretha Franklin, “Respect” (1967), soul (Southern)
10. The Temptations, “My Girl” (1965), soul (Motown)
11. The Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1964), pop-rock
12. Beatles, “Norwegian Wood” (1965) British invasion, or pop-rock
13. The Beatles, “A Day in the Life” (1967), psychedelic
14. Buddy Holly, “Not Fade Away” (1957), rock ‘n’ roll
15. The Rolling Stones, “Not Fade Away” (1963), blues-rock
16. Rolling Stones, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” (1968) hard rock
17. Who, “My Generation” (1965), British invasion
18. Kinks, “You Really Got Me” (1964), British invasion
19. Cream, “Crossroads” (1968), blues-rock
20. Paul Revere and the Raiders, “Kicks” (1966), bubblegum
21. Jimi Hendrix, “Red House” (1967), blues-rock, or psychedelic rock
22. Muddy Waters, “Hoochie Coochie Man” (1954), Chicago blues
23. The Allman Bros., “Hoochie Coochie Band” (1970), blues-rock
24. The Doors, “Light My Fire” (1967), psychedelic
25. Grateful Dead, “Dark Star” (excerpts) (1969), psychedelic
26. Bob Dylan, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968), country-rock, or folk-rock
27. Jimi Hendrix, “All Along the Watchtower” (1968), psychedelic
28. Santana, “Black Magic Woman” (1970) psychedelic
29. Zappa, “The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet” (1966), avant-garde rock
30. Eagles, “Lyin’ Eyes” (1975), country-rock
31. The Band, “The Weight” (1968), country-rock
32. The Allman Bros., “Ramblin’ Man” (1973), country-rock, or Southern rock
33. Charlie Daniels Band, “The South’s Gonna Do It” (1975), Southern rock, or country-rock
34. Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama” (1974), Southern rock, or country-rock
35. Blood, Sweat, and Tears, “Spinning Wheel” (1968), jazz-rock
CD 3
1. Miles Davis, “Miles Runs the Voodoo Down” (1969), jazz fusion
2. Simon and Garfunkel, “Kathy’s Song” (1965), folk, or singer-songwriter
3. Carole King, “So Far Away” (1971), singer-songwriter
4. Joni Mitchell, “Help Me” (1974), singer-songwriter
5. Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car” (1988), singer-songwriter
6. Billy Joel, “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (1989), singer-songwriter, or 80s mainstream
7. Tori Amos, “Icicle” (1993), singer-songwriter
8. James Brown, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (1965), funk, or soul
9. Sly and the Family Stone, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” (1970), funk
10. Al Green , “Let’s Stay Together” (1971), soul
11. The O’Jays, “Love Train” (1973), soul (Philadelphia)
12. Kool and the Gang, “Funky Stuff” (1973), funk
13. Stevie Wonder, “Superstition” (1972), soul, or funk
14. Parliament, “Flash Light” (1978), funk
15. Yes, “Roundabout” (1972), progressive rock, or art rock
16. Pink Floyd, “Money” (1973), progressive rock, or art rock
17. David Bowie, “Space Oddity” (1968), glam rock
18. Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975), glam rock
19. Bon Jovi, “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986), glam, or heavy-metal, or hard-rock
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MUAR 392: Popular Music since 1945
20. Cream, “Sunshine of Your Love” (1967), blues-rock, or hard rock
21. Boston, “More Than a Feeling” (1976), hard rock
22. Jake Holmes, “Dazed and Confused” (1967), folk-rock, or psychedelic rock
23. Led Zeppelin, “Dazed and Confused“ (1969), hard rock, or heavy metal
24. Black Sabbath, “Paranoid” (1970/1971), heavy metal
25. Judas Priest, “Victim of Changes” (1976), heavy metal
CD 4
1. Alice Cooper, “School’s Out” (1972), hard rock, or heavy metal
2. Metallica, “Master of Puppets” (1986), heavy metal
3. Eagles, “Hotel California” (1976), mid-70s mainstream
4. The Maytals, “If You Act This Way” (1964), ska
5. Bob Marley and the Wailers, “I Shot the Sheriff” (1973), reggae
6. The Specials, “Concrete Jungle” (1979), ska
7. Wayne Smith, “Under the Sleng Teng” (1985), reggae, or dancehall
8. Velvet Underground, “Heroin” (1966), New York underground, or pre-punk
9. New York Dolls, “Personality Crisis” (1973), punk
10. The Sex Pistols, “God Save the Queen” (1977), punk
11. Dead Kennedys, “Kill the Poor” (1980), punk, or, hardcore
12. Devo, “Jocko Homo” (1976), new wave
13. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, “Radio Radio” (1978), new wave
14 & 15. Donna Summer, “Love to Love You Baby” (1975), disco (Euro-disco)
16. The Trammps, “Disco Inferno” (1977), disco (R&B disco)
17. Chic, “Good Times” (1979), disco (R&B disco)
18. Prince, “Little Red Corvette” (1982), early 80s mainstream
19. Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984), singer-songwriter, early 80s mainstream
20. Madonna, “Papa Don’t Preach” (1986), early 80s mainstream
21. U2, “With or Without You” (1987), 80s mainstream
22. Youssou N’Dour (w/Peter Gabriel), “Shakin’ the Tree” (1989), World Beat
23. Sugarhill Gang, “Rapper’s Delight” (1979), rap, or hip-hop
24. Grandmaster Flash, “The Message” (1982), rap, or hip-hop
25. (0:00-1:31) Salt-N-Pepa, “Expression (Half-Step)” (1989), rap, or hip-hop
26. (1:32-3:08) Public Enemy, “911 Is a Joke” (1990), rap, or, hip-hop
27. N.W.A., “Express Yourself” (1988), gangsta rap
28. Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Who Am I (What’s My Name)” (1993), gangsta rap
29. Notorious B. I. G., “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems” (1997), hip-hop, rap
30. Lauryn Hill, (1998), “Doo-Wop (That Thing),” hip-hop, rap, R&B
CD 5
1. Hüsker Dü, “Could You Be the One?” (1987), alternative, or post-punk
2. R.E.M., “Radio Free Europe” (1983), 80s alternative, or 80s mainstream (?)
3. Morrissey, “Everyday Is Like Sunday” (1988), alternative, or post-punk
4. Mission, “Wasteland” (1986), gothic
5. Ministry, “Stigmata” (1988), industrial
6. Nine Inch Nails, “Mr. Self Destruct” (1994), industrial
7. Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991), alternative, or grunge
8. Smashing Pumpkins, “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” (1995), alternative
9. Roni Size, “Timestretch” (1994), drum ‘n’ bass, or electronica
10. Tricky, “Overcome” (1995), trip hop, or electronica
11. Dave Mathews Band, “So Much to Say” (1996), jam band/90s mainstream
12. Rage Against the Machine, “Testify” (1999), rap-metal
13. Erykah Badu, “Appletree” (1997), R&B
14. Moby, “Body Rock” (1999), techno
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