Unit 4 – Rhetorical Analysis of a Protest Song: Terminology
Voice/Delivery:
Cadence – rhythm and inflection (flow) of the singer’s vocals
Ex. Singer songwriter Jim Croce is known for his unique cadence, which creates a kind
of sonic liquidity; he de-stresses harsh consonants and blurs the ending of one word into
the next with such adept skill that his delivery often resembles the sound of flowing
water. (“Operator”)
Falsetto – a style of singing where a vocalist (often males, but sometimes females) surpass their
vocal register and mimic/attain to the very high notes of the soprano
Ex. Though falsetto singing was fairly common among male singers in the fifties, more
contemporary artists such as Chris Isaac also utilize the technique. (“Wicked Game”)
Timbre – the unique color/tonal quality of a singer’s vocals; often described in terms of color
and texture: bright/dark, rich/thin, deep/nasal, rough/smooth, warm/shrill
Ex. The voice of Adele in the hit “Rolling in the Deep,” is the perfect demonstration of
the complexity of her timbre: at times a rich, deep velvet, at other times oscillating into
bright, delicate runs.
Tenor – the vocalist’s range from low to high notes: soprano, alto, bass, tenor (can also think
about this as “vocal register”)
Ex. Much of the pleasure from the music of Motown legend the Temptations is derived
from the group’s combination of different vocal tenors. (“Papa was a Rolling Stone”)
Vibrato – a vocal effect achieved by a quick pulsation of pitch; notable for its preeminence in
operatic singing, but also a technique used by various singers
Ex. Freddie Mercury (Queen) “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Additional methods/aspects of delivery: rasp (Bonnie Tyler, “Total Eclipse of the Heart”), growl
(Stiff Little Fingers, “Suspect Device”), scream (Roger Daltrey - The Who, “Won’t Get Fooled
Again”), rapid fire (Snow, “Informer”)
Lyrics:
Chorus – portion of the lyrics which recurs periodically; a staple of pop and rock music
Hook – often a portion of the chorus; the ‘catchy’ line in a song
Verse – in music, the portion of the lyrics which changes or varies between the chorus
Rhyme – a poetic device often used at the ends of lines of song lyrics to fulfill a sense of
expectation and delight the ear
Repetition – in song lyrics, this can be a key phrase which appears throughout the lyrics as a
way of tying together theme; a key component in the blues, where lines are often repeated twice
or three times to underscore their meaning and emotion
Imagery – a key component of many song lyrics, the image being a concrete description that
grounds the theme/message in the senses
Ex. Leonard Cohen, “Suzanne”
Music:
Melody – an organized succession of musical notes; aesthetically pleasing musical phrase
Harmony – simultaneous combination of two or more notes or chords which creates a feeling of
order/accord
Dissonance – a simultaneous combination of two or more notes or chords which creates a
feeling of unrest/uneasiness
Ex. John Barnes Chance “Incantation and Dance”, Sonic Youth “Superstar,” Radiohead
“Everything in its Right Place”
Rhythm – the regular “beat” in music which keeps time; can be achieved via drums, bass guitar,
and rhythm guitar
Ambient Sound – the use of synthesizers, organ, or modified guitar to create the feeling of
mood or atmosphere in a song; often (though not always) a song or portion of a song utilizing
ambient sound will lack a sense of beat/rhythm or structured melody
Ex. Pink Floyd “Echoes”, U2 “Bad” (here, ambient sound is created by the Edge’s
modified guitar)
Wall of Sound – a musical technique developed by producer Phil Spector in which the original
music composition and lyrical performance are bolstered/overlaid with a dense background
sound created by multiple guitars and/or orchestral instruments
Ex. Tina Turner “River Deep, Mountain High,” The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations”
(though in this track, Wall of Sound is also accompanied by ambient sound and a sense of
dissonance)
Bridge – a compositional element often used in rock/pop music; the section of the song which
features a contrast (musically and sometimes lyrically) to the verses and chorus; provides a break
from and anticipates return of verses/chorus
Theme and Variation – a technique used in various kinds of music, including orchestral music
and blues, in which a musical phrase is established as a prevailing theme and recurs throughout
the piece in different variations
Ex. B.B. King “Chains and Things”
Solos – section of music performed by a single musician and may be lyrical or instrumental
Ex. Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven”
Examples of Tone:
Tongue-in-cheek – Rolling Stones “Lady Jane”
Satirical – Country Joe and the Fish “Feel Like I’m Fixing to Die Rag”
Accusatory/Aggressive – Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen”
Lamentation/Melancholy – Bill Withers “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Johnny Cash “Hurt”
Hopeful – Johnny Nash “I Can See Clearly Now”
*Often, a singer’s lyrics/lyrical delivery can include multiple, juxtaposed tones – accusatory and
lamenting, lamenting yet hopeful
Rhetorical Terms for Your Consideration:
Ethos – appeal to credibility
Pathos – appeal to emotion (the English work “pathetic” derives from pathos)
Logos – appeal to logic
*In citing the use of rhetorical appeals, it is not necessary to use the Greek terminology (although
it is fairly common to refer to the use of “pathos” or the “pathetic”); rather, it is more than
sufficient, for example, to make a claim about how a singer/group/musician is appealing to a
“credibility,” “emotion,” or “logic.” Though note that “credibility” and “logical” appeals will
appear in the lyrics, whereas the pathetic appeal can appear in both lyrics and music.