Crackingpopsongcode

3 e

GRAAD

Bart Goossens Els De Clercq

www.vanin.be ISBN 978-90-306-7166-4

562211

CEF

Ludo Joosen Corien Serneels Lieve Van Aert Roeland Vandersteegen

111364_VanIn_TRACKING_Covers_JTR_TPSC.indd 2

06/02/15 12:47

‘WE LEARNED MORE FROM A THREE-MINUTE RECORD THAN WE EVER LEARNED IN SCHOOL.’

© Brooks Kraft/Corbis

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE In this tracking you will: read texts and watch footage about the birth and evolution of pop music; listen to and analyse song lyrics; learn about poetic devices in pop music; create your own festival concept; present an argument on music.

In this tracking you can: carry out literary or linguistic research on song lyrics.

CONTENTS 1

2

3

4

5

6

2

‘I Want To Break Free’

3

1.1

The rigid rules of our fathers

3

1.2

The rise of youth culture

6

1.3

‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’

8

1.4

‘Here We Are Now, Entertain Us’

11

Icons or idols?

15

2.1

Elvis and the birth of rock and roll

15

2.2

Beatlemania

16

2.3

The makeable pop star

18

Festivalitis

20

3.1

My festival kit

20

3.2

My favourite concert ever

20

3.3

Woodstock: ‘Sex, drugs and rock and roll’?

21

3.4

Jobs of a lifetime

23

3.4.1

Ready to be a roadie?

23

3.4.2

A journalist’s report

25

3.4.3

My own festival

26

Pop music: art or entertainment?

26

4.1

Poetry or ‘just a song’?

26

4.2

Make or break lyrics

28

4.3

Chords of poetry

29

4.4

Digging deeper

32

‘I Beg Your Pardon?’

33

5.1

‘I don’t know what I’m singing’

33

5.2

‘They don’t know what he’s singing’

35

5.3

‘Does your mother know what you’re singing?’

37

5.4

Anthems of your generation

40

5.5

Presenting an argument

40

5.6

Your own song lyrics

41

Tracking tools

42

6.1

Poetic devices

42

6.2

Music genres

43

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

1 ⁄ ‘I WANT TO BREAK FREE’ 1.1 ⁄ THE RIGID RULES OF OUR FATHERS 1 Y oungsters, especially teenagers, often feel ‘trapped’ by rules and obligations of their parents, SPOKEN INTERACTION of school or of society as a whole. Discuss with a classmate how you feel about this. a Do you feel these rules and expectations are a burden for you? In other words: do you really have reasons to complain about or not? b If so, write down three things that hamper your life as you would like it to be. If not, explain why you are happy with your life as it is. c Then swap books with your classmate and let him/her judge if your complaints are justified.

Write down your comment on your classmate’s complaints and discuss them briefly. Then report your findings back to the class.

My complaints

Justified or not?

2 Listen to the song lyrics of 'I Want to Break Free'. What does the protagonist in the song want to break free from? Explain.

listening

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

3

I WANT TO BREAK FREE _ QUEEN I want to break free I want to break free I want to break free from your lies You’re so self satisfied I don’t need you I’ve got to break free God knows, God knows I want to break free I’ve fallen in love I’ve fallen in love for the first time And this time I know it’s for real I’ve fallen in love, yeah God knows, God knows I’ve fallen in love It’s strange but it’s true I can’t get over the way you like me like you do But I have to be sure When I walk out that door Oh how I want to be free, baby Oh how I want to be free Oh how I want to break free But life still goes on I can’t get used to living without, living without Living without you by my side I don’t want to live alone, hey God knows, got to make it on my own So baby can’t you see I’ve got to break free I’ve got to break free I want to break free, yeah I want I want I want I want to break free (Music and lyrics by John Deacon)

ARTIST PROFILE

Queen was formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of the late Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor. They became one of the most influential bands in rock music and were very successful for two decades. The flamboyant, powerful and provocative style of lead singer Freddie Mercury, combined with the unique sound of Brian May’s selfmade guitars, form the core of Queen’s music. The band is considered one of the best live stadium rock acts of all times, their performance of 1985’s Live Aid festival at Wembley being nothing short of legendary.

Queen’s lead singer also became an icon for another reason. Mercury was bisexual and his personal life was very unstable and risky. As a result, he became infected with HIV. In 1991, he was the first worldwide celebrity to die of complications from AIDS, thus giving the disease and its victims a face. But his music lives on. Songs like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘We Are the Champions’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ are known all over the world.

Adapted from: Rollingstone.com

4

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

3 Watch the video clip and compare the lyrics to what you can see in the clip.

listening

a Does watching the clip change how you understand the song? Why (not)?

b In your opinion, what does Freddie Mercury mock in the video?

c Do videos in general have a big impact on how you perceive a song? Explain. Give some examples if they do.

4 Has music always been the voice of the young generation? a Which music did your parents or your grandparents listen to when they were young?

SPOKEN INTERACTION

b Do you think their music was in any way rebellious?

Why (not)? c Can you appreciate their music? Explain.

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

5

1.2 â „ THE RISE OF YOUTH CULTURE Watch the documentary on youth culture in the 1950s and answer the questions.

1 The children of the post World War II-period are called the children of the 2 Strange though it may seem to modern day teenagers, white American teenagers of the fifties were the first of their age to have money to spend. What made this possible?

Š Bettmann/Corbis

3 Which technological evolutions made music accessible to youngsters?

4 Which instrument became crucial in rock and roll music?

5 Where do the roots of rock and roll come from?

6 What was the new style of music that DJ Alan Freed played on the radio first called?

6

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

listening

7 Who can be given the credit for inventing rock and roll? Why?

8 What did the first white performers of this new genre tone down? Why?

9 Which song became the unofficial anthem of the first rock and roll generation? Give the title and artist.

10 Why did many adults protest to the spread of rock and roll?

11 ‘If I could find a white man that could sing like a black man, I would make a million dollars,’ Sam Philips said.

What did he mean by that?

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

7

1.3 ⁄ ‘THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'’

ARTIST PROFILE

Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan voiced the spirit of the Sixties. Dylan was born as Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941. With his protest songs, he contributed to the critical attitude of the new generation that wanted a change from the rigid rules of the Fifties. In songs like ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ and ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’ he voiced the spirit of that new era. Dylan is one of the greatest lyricists in pop music history and his songs supported civil rights and anti-war movements.

He wrote many timeless classics, including ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and ‘Hurricane’.

His peculiar style of singing, however, seemed an impediment to real commercial success. As a result, some of his songs were more successful in cover versions by other artists. ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ and ‘Make You Feel My Love’ for instance, went to the top of the charts for artists Guns N’ Roses and Adele respectively.

The young Bob Dylan

Adapted from: Rollingstone.com

Listen to the lyrics of his song ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’ and answer the questions.

1 Dylan expresses the theme of his song by using many different metaphors. List all the synonymous expressions for ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’’.

2 Which groups in society does Dylan subsequently appeal to in his call for change? List them and try to explain why he refers to these groups.

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TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

listening

3 Compare Dylan’s complaints to your own grievances in point 1.1 The rigid rules of our fathers.

Which similarities and differences can you see?

4 The lyrics of this song contain several biblical references which young people in America may recognise. Find the biblical images in the song and look up what they refer to.

5 Why do you think Dylan made these biblical references?

DID YOU KNOW?

Interpreting song lyrics is not simply a matter of right or wrong. Like literature, pop songs are subject to different interpretations. This phenomenon is called ‘poly-interpretability’. Artists often consciously insert different possibilities of understanding into their work, or occasionally even forget what they originally meant. Be aware, however, that this does not imply that a song can mean anything: an interpretation should always be supported by proof from the lyrics.

'I think of a hero as someon e who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freed om.'

Bob Dylan

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

9

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ _ BOB DYLAN Come gather ‘round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You’ll be drenched to the bone If your time to you Is worth savin’ Then you better start swimmin’ Or you’ll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin’ Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin And there’s no tellin’ who That it’s namin’ For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’

to be drenched to the bone: to be compeletely wet to fade: to disappear slowly to heed the call: to participate when asked to rattle: to make an annoying noise, e.g. like something that is broken to roam: to walk around to spin: to turn round

Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled The battle outside ragin’ Will soon shake your windows And rattle your walls For the times they are a-changin’ Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don’t criticize What you can’t understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is Rapidly aging Please get out of the new one If you can’t lend your hand For the times they are a-changin’ The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is Rapidly fadin’ And the first one now Will later be last For the times they are a-changin’ (Music and lyrics by Bob Dylan)

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TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

1.4 ⁄ ‘HERE WE ARE NOW, ENTERTAIN US’

ARTIST PROFILE

Cobain struggled with the role his music was given. He also suffered from depression, was a heroin addict and had a destructive relationship with his wife Courtney Love. In 1994, at the age of 27, he was found dead in his house in Seattle. The cause of his death has been topic of debate, but police reports say that he committed suicide with a shotgun. Later that same year, Nirvana’s drummer Dave Grohl started the successful rock band Foo Fighters.

© Kevin P. Casey/Corbis

Nirvana skyrocketed to fame in 1991 with their second album Nevermind, which included songs like ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ‘Come As You Are’ and ‘Lithium’. The band consisted of lead singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain, bass player Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl. The band quickly got branded as the voice of ‘Generation X’, as the youngsters of the 90s were called.

Kurt Cobain

Adapted from: Biography.com

1 Listen to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Indicate the different parts of a pop song by filling in the correct terms in the empty boxes in the lyrics. Some of them can be used several times.

listening

bridge – chorus – intro – solo – verse

SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT _ NIRVANA

2nd

1st

I’m worse at what I do best And for this gift I feel blessed Our little group has always been And always will until the end

Load up on guns, bring your friends It’s fun to lose and to pretend She’s over-bored, self-assured Oh no, I know a dirty word

Hello, hello, hello, how low?

Hello, hello, hello, how low?

Hello, hello, hello, how low?

Hello, hello, hello

With the lights out, it’s less dangerous Here we are now, entertain us I feel stupid and contagious Here we are now, entertain us A mulatto, an albino A mosquito, my libido, yeah

Repeat and

3rd And I forget just why I taste Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile I found it hard, it was hard to find Oh well, whatever, never mind

Repeat and A denial (9x) (Music and lyrics by Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic)

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

11

2 What do you think the song is about? Analyse the meaning of some of the lines of this song.

READING

1 ‘With the lights out, it’s less dangerous Here we are now, entertain us’

2 ‘Our little group has always been And always will until the end’

3 ‘I found it hard, it’s hard to find Oh, well whatever, never mind’

4 ‘Hello, hello, how low’

3 Compare your interpretation of the song to what Cobain himself had to say about it in an interview in 1991. What is his view on the lyrics?

‘It’s basically just about friends. The friends that I have now, in a way. We still feel as if we’re teenagers because we don’t follow the guidelines of what’s expected of us to be adults. We still screw around and have a good time.

It also has a kind of a, like a, teen revolutionary theme to it, too.’

Source: Seattletimes.com

12

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

READING

4 There’s no denying that the song had a big impact on youth culture. How did the song do that?

Quote from the lyrics to explain your answer!

READING

DID YOU KNOW?

Grunge music originated from Seattle with bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam (their single ‘Alive’ hit the charts around the same time as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’). The powerful guitar sound and thundering drums set a new sound for recording rock music. It contrasted heavily with the synth sounds of the pop music of the 80s and the softer sound of 80s rock, as well as with the dance and house music that flooded the charts in the 90s.

Adapted from: Allmusic.com

5 Nirvana and postmodernism: Look at the definitions of postmodernism in the Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Oxford Dictionary. Compare them with your insights into the song lyrics and the extra information from the different sources on Cobain. In what way can Cobain’s song be called postmodern?

READING

Postmodernism, also spelled postmodernism: in Western philosophy, a late 20th-century movement characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power.

Postmodernism: a late 20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories.

Source: Encyclopaediabritannica.com

Source: Oxforddictionaries.com

TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

13

DID YOU KNOW?

You may not be the only one having difficulty understanding Kurt Cobain’s lyrics. Many DJs on radio stations were reluctant to play the song, because they couldn’t understand what he was singing. MTV even added subtitles to the video of the song for a while, to make it more accessible.

6 A year after the success of the song, comedian Weird Al Yankovic parodied ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ as ‘Smells Like Nirvana’. Compare the song to the original.

ARTIST PROFILE

Alfred ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic (° October 23, 1959) is an American singer-songwriter, comedian and actor. He is best known for his humorous versions of well known pop songs. He successfully parodied hits by Madonna (‘Like a Surgeon’), Michael Jackson (‘Eat It’, ‘Fat’), Lady Gaga (‘Perform This Way’), Lorde (‘Foil’) and Robin Thicke (‘Word Crimes’).

Source: Weirdal.com

a Listen to the lyrics to see how Yankovic parodies Cobain’s original lyrics. Give two examples of how he does that.

listening

b Watch how Yankovic parodies Nirvana’s videoclip. Give 2 specific examples of visual jokes in the video.

listening

c Conclusion: what does Weird Al Yankovic ridicule in this way?

7 Write your own parody on the lyrics of a well-known pop song.

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TRACKING: CRACKING THE POP SONG CODE

WRITING