Week 7: Beyoncé

Beyoncé - "Run the World (Girls)" (US #29, 2011)

Week 7: Beyoncé
Mon 10.1/Wed 10.3
Read: OWEN—Pg. 101 - 200
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 4

Upcoming:

Week 8: Dolly Parton
Mon 10.8/Wed 10.10
Read: BRAIN—“I Love Music and I Love Science—Why Would I Want to Mix the Two?” – “Behind the Curtain”
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 5

Music News: 9.29

• Will Smith returns to his rap roots on Marc Anthony's "Está Rico" | E! News 
• Should the Hip-Hop curator at National Museum of African American History be a white person? | NPR
• Apple Music overtakes Spotify in the US, Canada, and Japan | DigitalMusicNews
• Brit DJ faces backlash after calling BTS' music "noise" | Hypebae
• Cher plans to retire ... eventually | People
• Number one this week thirty years ago: Bobby McFarin's "Don;t Worry Be Happy" |YouTube

 

Upclose: The Music of Owen Noone and the Marauder

Here is a sampling of the music featured in Owen Noone and the Marauder. Remember, the duo performs punk versions classic American folk songs.

• "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
• "Groundhog"
• "John Henry"
• "Big Rock Candy Mountain"
• "Come All You Virginia Girls"
• "Erie Canal"
• "Dixie"
• "The Midnight Special"
• "Hush Little Baby"
• "Carlesss Love"

Reflection 4: We Are(n't) the World—Exploring International Music

Despite "Fake Love's" recent success, we don't often get the opportunity to hear non-English music on American commercial radio. While we might hear the occasional song sung partially in another language (e.g. "Macarena," "Time to Say Goodbye," "Bailamos," "Gangnam Style's" ), songs sung entirely in a foreign language are still rare (e.g. "La Bamba," "Bamboleo"). However, that's not the case around the world, where foreign language songs, including American music, routinely become hits in a number of markets. But Americans are notoriously resistant to songs that aren't in English. So, while the rest of the world gets to hear a variety of international artists, Americans are largely limited to music from English-speaking countries (e.g. the UK, Canada, Australia). 

For this reflection, you'll take a musical trip around the world. First, go to PopVortex's iTunes International Charts page, which compiles Apple music sales worldwide. Next, choose three non-English-speaking countries, and spend some time sampling the local musical fare. As you do, consider what are these countries' musical tastes are at this moment, and to what degree American music has penetrated their charts. Finally, do you you believe any of the music you sampled could have a shot at success in America? Why or why not?

Mechanics:

• 1-1.5 pages in length
• MLA Style
• Works cited page

Due: Thu 10.4

Week 6: Adele

Adele, "Someone Like You" (US #1, 2011)

Week 6: Adele

Mon 9.24/Wed 9.26*
*No class

Read: OWEN—Pg. 51 – 100 

Listen: DB—An Owen Noone Playlist

Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Upcoming:

Week 7: Beyoncé
Mon 10.1/Wed 10.3
Read: OWEN—Pg. 101 - 200
Class: SHORT ANSWER RESPONSES; Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 4 

Music News: 9.22

• Snoop Dog to Kanye West and Trump supporters: "F*ck You" | Esquire
• The Internet loves Beto O'Rourke airdrumming to The Who at a Texas Whataburger drive thru | Rolling Stone
• Lil Pump shares his jewelry collection of diamonds and gold | GQ
• Maroon 5 set to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show | Billboard
• Prince back with intimate "Piano & a Microphone 1983" | Rolling Stone
• First look: Maria by Callas | YouTube

Autobiographical: Six Songs of Me

Here is your autobiographical assignment:

In class on Wednesday:

1. In class, identify six songs which define you as a person. 
2. In short answer responses (8-10 sentences each), write about THREE of your chosen six songs. Be sure to explain the personal significance of each song.

Due Monday:

1. At home, translate your understanding of ONE of the remaining three songs in a drawing.

Examples:

• “If I Loved You” from Carousel (1945): The first time I heard this song I cried. Maybe, it had something to with the fact that Kevin Borland broke my heart just a few days earlier, but who can say. All I know is that when Ms. Baxter played the song in Drama, gauging our interest in Carousel for the next play, it was as if this song was written specifically for me. Immediately, I started to cry—and I couldn’t stop. It wasn’t an ugly cry, but it wasn’t a cry that people didn’t notice, either. The song is about a doomed, but hypothetical, relationship. It is not only a song about heartbreak, but specifically, the heartbreak that come’s from regret: “Longin' to tell you / But afraid and shy / I'd let my golden chances pass me by.” Today, Kevin is a distant memory; I can’t believe I shed a single tear for that boy. But “If I Loved You” has stayed with me, deep in my heart. It reminds me that in life (including relationships), having tried, and failed, is better than having never tried at all. I’m determined not to let any golden chances pass me by.
 

• Western Stars” by k.d. lang (1988): I grew up in the Coachella Valley of Southern California. But my Coachella isn’t hipsters and Daf Punk, it’s craggy mountains and the warm Santa Ana Winds. The desert is my home and “Western Stars” takes me back every time I hear it. The song is about the loneliness of the desert, under a star-filled sky: “Western stars light up the sky / hear the desert wind roll by / Tonight, tonight / Western stars can break your heart / they keep shining when we're apart / Tonight, tonight.” I remember those stars. They really do light up the sky. To me, “Western Stars” is about my home in the desert, where I’m basking in the most beautiful lights you’ve ever seen.

Week 5: Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett, "Fly Me to the Moon" (from MTV Unplugged), 1994

Week 5: Tony Bennett

Mon 9.17/Wed 9.19

Read: OWEN—Pg. 1 – 50

Class: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL; Multimedia presentations

Due: REFLECTION 3

Upcoming:

Week 6: Adele

Mon 9.24/Wed 9.26*
*No class

Read: OWEN—Pg. 51 – 100 

Listen: DB—An Owen Noone Playlist

Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Music News: 9.12

• MTV reviving Yo! MTV Raps in UK and other international markets | Variety
• Trolls blame Ariana Grande blame for Mac Miller's death, forcing her to disable her Instagram comments | People
• Kelly Rowland on Cardi B vs. Nicki Minaj Melee: Keep it classy | The Grapevine
• ALSO ... Nicki Minaj takes on male rappers in new single, "Barbie Dreams | HuffPost [NSFW]
• Paul McCartney says he and John Lennon masturbating together once as young boys was "good, clean fun" | Billboard
• ALSO ... Paul McCartney breaks down iconic Lennon-McCartney songs | GQ

Reflection 3: As Heard on TV—The Music of Commercials

Let's face it, music can have great influence over us and that includes the ability to sell us things. Advertisers have known this for decades, which is why TV  commercials have been laden with music since the early days of radio. Today, music is still an integral part of commercials. Advertisers work diligently to find music that enhances the appeal of a product, knowing that pairing the right song with the right product can result in increased profits. Additionally, many artists' songs have been resurrected, or plucked from obscurity, after being placed in a major commercial. For many artists, having "that song from that commercial" can translate into a considerable bump in album sales. For this reflection, you will examine three of the following commercials to assess the overall impact music has in the ads. (Note we are not looking at songs that are modified for a particular campaign, but songs that are used in their original form in order to help sell you something.) Each of these songs was chosen for a reason. But what do you think those reasons were? What likely was the desired effect? How is the product enhanced by this music? If you are already familiar with the song, how does your prior knowledge affect your appreciation of the ad or the product? Finally, do songs in television advertising ever influence your own purchase of products?

 

Choose three of the following ads for your analysis:

• Tiffany & Co.'s "Believe in Dreams" featuring Elle Fanning and A$AP Ferg's "Moon River" (2018)
• Apple's "Sway" featuring Sam Smith's "Palace" (2017) 
• Levi's "Circles" featuring Jain's "Makeba" (2017)
• Target's "Vibes, TargetStyle" featuring Spencer Ludwig's "Diggy: (2016)
• Nike's "Unlimited Pursuit" featuring Lissie’s “Pursuit of Happiness" (2016)
• Coca-Cola's "Break Up" featuring Alexander Cardinale's “Made for You” (2016)
• Apple's iPhone 6' s "Timer" featuring Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle" (2016) 
• Subaru Forester's "Making Memories" featuring Gregory Isakov's "Time Will Tell" (2015)
• Android's "Friends Furever" featuring "O-De-Lally" by Roger Miller (2015)
• Android's "And You" featuring Andrew W.K.'s "Party Hard" (2014)
• Apple iPhone's "Metal Mastered" featuring "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp (2013)
• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas' "Misfit Right In" featuring Major Lazer ft. The Partysquad's "Original Don" (2013)
• Chipotle's "The Scarecrow" featuring "Pure Imagination" by Fiona Apple (2013)
• Taco Bell's "Viva Young" featuring fun's "We are Young" in Spanish (2013)
• Target's "Color Changes Everything" featuring "Alouette" by The Delta Rythmn Boys (2012)
• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas' "Let Him Go" featuring Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2012)
• Internet Explorer's "IE9" featuring "Too Close" by Alex Clare (2012)
• Chipotle's "Back to the Start" featuring Willie Nelson's (cover of Coldplay's) "The Scientist" (2011)
• Hieneken's "The Date" featuring “Jaan Pehechaan Ho” by Mohammed Rafi (2011)
• Chanel's "Train de Nuit" featuring "I'm a Fool to Want You" by Billie Holliday (2011)
• Volkswagen Passat's "The Force" featuring "The Imperial March" by John Williams (2011)
• Apple iPod's "iPod Nano" featuring "1234" by Feist (2007) 
• Gap's "The Skinny Black Pant" featuring "Back in Black" by AC/DC (2006)
• Apple iPod's "Life is Random" featuring "Jerk it Out" by The Caesers (2006)
• Epic Games' Gears of War's "Mad World" featuring "Mad World" by Gary Jules (2006)
• Gap's "Pretty Khaki" featuring "I Enjoy Being a Girl" from Flow Drum Song (2005)
• Chanel's "Le Film" featuring "Claire de Lune" by Claude Debussy (2004)
• Mitsubishi Eclipse's "Days Go By" featuring "Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas (2003)
• Mitsubishi Outlander's "Breathe" featuring "Breathe" by Télépopmusik (2002)
• Volkswagen Jetta's "Big Day" featuring "One Million Miles" by J. Ralph (2001) 
• Gap's "Simply Irresistible" featuring Daft Punk's "Digital Love" (2001)
 

Mechanics:

• 1-1.5 pages in length
• MLA Style

Due: Wed 9.19

Week 4: Sam Smith

Sam Smith, "I'm Not the Only One" (2014, US #5)

Week 4: Sam Smith
Mon 9.10/Wed 9.12
Read: eR—"Gen Xers, Millennials Sound Off On The Music That Moves Them" (NPR), “Does Music Define You?” (NPR), “Six Songs of Me” (GuardianMusic), “This is the Song That Defines Your Life (According to Some Random Twitter Person)” (Washington Post)
Class: Lecture—“You’re in College Now: The New Rules of University Writing`” and “Citing Sources in MLA: The Basics”

Upcoming:

Week 5: Tony Bennett

Mon 9.17/Wed 9.19

Read: OWEN—Pg. 1 – 50

Class: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL; Multimedia presentations

Due: REFLECTION 3 

 

Music News: 9.7

• Mac Miller dead of apparent overdose at age 26 | Stereogum
• Cardi B parody artist, Lardi B, talks body positivity | Billboard
• John Legend: Kanye is serious about running for president | CNN
• Here are 25 hip hop songs that namedrop Colin Kaepernick | XXL 
• Disney prepping High School Musical TV series | The Hollywood Reporter
• Lady Gaga draws rave reviews in A Star is Born | Entertainment Weekly

 

Multimedia Presentations

This semester, you and a partner (or partners) will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation.

Requirements:

• The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length 
• There should be 10-12 slides (including introduction and conclusion) and should contain least one video clip—absolutely no more than three minutes in length 
• On the day of your presentation, email your presentation (or a link) to me at dhdelao@gmail.com

You may utilize any presentation program you like (e.g PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote). However, please sort out any technical issues before your presentation date (our room's projection system can be found throughout campus).

The best presentations will:

• Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important Use words economically 
• Include visually interesting illustrations—gifs are also acceptable 
• Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects 
• Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone 
• Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities 
• Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube)—ad blockers are time savers 
• Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important 

This is an opportunity to be creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual design of your presentation.

Lower scoring presentations might:

• Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront 
• Be thinly researched 
• Allow visuals to overrun their content or lack a cohesive style 
• Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way—this is often achieved by reading an entire presentation 
• Lack multimedia 
• End without a concluding slide

Remember, you must provide your own laptop. Also, Macs will require an Apple-specific adapter to connect to the university’s projection system. Newer model PCs with HDMI-only connections will also require special adapters.

Also:

• You must present from a downloaded version of your presentation (e.g. PowerPoint, Keynote); DO NOT present directly from Google Docs online 
• Presentations without an introduction and/or conclusion cannot score higher than a C 
• You may be docked for a lack of preparedness

Topics:

1. Explicit Content: The History of the Parental Advisory Label 
2. Feed the World: All About Live Aid 
3. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and the Day the Music Died 
4. K-pop 101
5.  If You’re Going to San Francisco: The Music of the Summer of Love 
6. Go, Man Go: The Legacy of West Side Story 
7. Game Changers: Nirvana's Nevermind 
8. Hittin’ It Big (Except in America): X Japan, Robbie Williams, and Tokio Hotel 
9. Knowing Me, Knowing You: The Story of ABBA
10. Game Changers: The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Are You Experienced 
11. The Left/Right Divide: What Music Do Liberals and Conservatives Listen to?
12. Eurovision 101 
13. Les géants de la musique Française: Charles Aznavour, Maurice Chevalier, and Edith Piaff 
14. Is That Really a Thing?: Nintendocore, Chap Hop, and Pirate Metal 
15. Beyond the Hood: The Hip Hop of Japan’s YDIZZY, Brazil’s Karol Conká, and Britain’s Rizzle Kicks 
16. There’s a Light: The Legacy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show 
17. The Founding Sistas of Hip Hop: MC Lyte, Salt-N-Peppa, and Monie Love 
18. Mariachi 101 
19. Music in the Classroom: A Crisis 
20. Inside the World of Bollywood Musicals 
21. The Holy Sites of Rock: Graceland, Woodstock, and The Apollo 
22. Totally Bitchin’: All About New Wave 
23. #mexmoz: Why Mexicans Love Morrissey 
24. Blonde Ambition: Three Decades of Madonna 
25. The Michael Jackson Music Video Experience: Thriller, Black or White, and Scream 
26. Not Throwin' Away My Shot: The Story of Hamilton

Sec. 1:

Week 6: Wed 9.26

1.  Daisy G, Michael H, and Analiese L - Not Throwin' Away My Shot: The Story of Hamilton
2. Joseph B, David C - The Michael Jackson Music Video Experience: Thriller, Black or White, and Scream

Week 7: Mon 10.1/Wed 10.3

1.  Terry H, Shuyang L, and Davis L - Blonde Ambition: Three Decades of Madonna

Week 8: Mon 10.8/Wed 10.10

1.  Charles C, Jayden B - Eurovision 101

Week 9: Mon 10.15/Wed 10.17

1.  Jasmine M, Sunny M - Explicit Content: The History of the Parental Advisory Label

Week 10: Mon 10.22/Wed 10.24

1.  Keeghan A, Paul C, and Kelly- Game Changers: Nirvana's Nevermind

Week 11: Mon 10.29

1.  Ryan R, Kevin T, Julia M - There’s a Light: The Legacy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Week 12: Mon 11.5/Wed 11.7

1.  Kyle T, Bowen Z - K-pop 101

Week 15: Mon 11.26/Wed 11.28

1.  Andres C, Brandon L - The Left/Right Divide: What Music Do Liberals and Conservatives Listen to?

Sec. 7:

Week 6: Wed 9.26

1.  William C, Diana G, and Simar G - K pop 101

Week 7: Mon 10.1/Wed 10.3

1. Alyssa A, Mel B - Mariachi 101
2. Spencer G, Kelsey G, and Kendall R - Eurovision 101

Week 8: Mon 10.8/Wed 10.10

1.  Dan L, Isabel O - Explicit Content: The History of the Parental Advisory Label 
2. Alyssiana H, Joshua V - The Michael Jackson Music Video Experience: Thriller, Black or White, and Scream

Week 9: Mon 10.15/Wed 10.17

1. Joanna R, Tommy T, and Chloe L - Game Changers: Nirvana's Nevermind 
2. Diljot S, Sally T - Not Throwin' Away My Shot: The Story of Hamilton

Week 10: Mon 10.22/Wed 10.24

1. Alfredo L, Zara S - Game Changers: The Jimi Hendrix Experience's Are You Experienced 
2. Yun L, Kenny T - Is That Really a Thing?: Nintendocore, Chap Hop, and Pirate Metal

Week 11: Mon 10.29

1. Dat T, Joshua K - The Left/Right Divide: What Music Do Liberals and Conservatives Listen to?

Week 3: Madonna

Madonna, "Take a Bow" (1994, US #1)

Week 3: Madonna

Mon 9.3*/Wed 9.5
*No Class—Labor Day
 

Class: Presentation partner and topic assignments; Lecture—“Building a Better Multimedia Presentation: An Annotated Look”

Due: REFLECTION 2

Upcoming:

Week 4: Sam Smith

Mon 9.10/Wed 9.12

Read: eR—"Gen Xers, Millennials Sound Off On The Music That Moves Them" (NPR), “Does Music Define   You?” (NPR Music), “Six Songs of Me” (GuardianMusic), “This is the Song That Defines Your Life (According to Some Random Twitter Person)” (Washington Post)

Class: DIAGNOSTIC; Lecture—“You’re in College Now: The New Rules of University Writing`” and “Citing Sources in MLA: The Basics”

Due: REFLECTION 3