Origins and Roots of Rock - correct answers1. Rhythm and Blues
2. Country and Western
3. "Tin Pan Alley" Pop
Rhythm and Blues - correct answersA hard-driving version of electric blues
Chicago, big cities
By far the biggest influence on early rock music
Important artists: Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Louis Jordan
Starting in 1920s, "race records" sold mainly to African Americans
Country and Western - correct answersBefore the mid-50s, mostly regional phenomenon
South, South West, and Midwest U.S.
The Grand Ole Opry - most powerful/influential C&W radio show
Important artists: Hank Williams, Gene Autry, Hank Snow, Enst Tubb
Independent labels sold "hillbilly records"
Pop - correct answers"Tin Pan Alley" tradition of professional songwriters in NYC
Artists typically did not write themselves
Following a formula (AABA)
Important artists: Frank SInatra, Tony Bennett, Nat "King" Cole
Record labels: RCA, Victor, Columbia, Capitol, Mercury, and Decca
Oriented towards adults, not teens (this is where rock comes in...)
"Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats - correct answersRiff - saxophone, an important piece
(repeated)
Up-beat, danceable
,Important for teen market appeal
Based on boogie-style of rhythm and blues
Call and response important in rhythm and blues
Conversation/discussion element
Released 1951
Brenston sang lead for Ike Turner's band
Rocket 88 was a car, song helped market it (hist. context)
May consider first recorded rock song
Distorted guitar
Subject: fast car
12-bar blues form
Big Joe Turner - correct answers"Shake, Rattle, and Roll"
12 bar blues form
Bridged jump blues, R&B, boogie woogie, rock
Rhythm meant adding drums, rhythm sections
Boogie woogie used piano
Life woes sexual themes
"Shouting" style and risqué lyrics/performances
Radio segregated pre-rock era
R&B stations
"Shake, Rattle, and Roll" by Big Joe Turner - correct answersJuxtaposition between lyrics (serious) and
sound (danceable)
12 bar blues form = predictable, repetitive, repolicable
Largely white crowd highlights segregation
Saxophone solo, instrumentation...highlighted at various points
Sexual lyrics carried over from blues tradtition (and carries into rock)
Cheeky, innuendos might be missed if you didn't know
, Vanilla Versions - correct answersBill Haley and His Comets
Removed some innuendos
Vanilla version (appropriation) - white artists get mainstream radio play and sell more records
Appropriation!
"Shake, Rattle, and Roll" by Bill Haley and His Comets - correct answersDIFFERENCES from original:
Loud, but less shouting, less raspy
Less background sound (feels "tighter," "cleaned-up")
Felt more rehearsed
Tweaked lyrics
Ruth Brown - correct answers"Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean"
Verse/chorus form
Tambourine/vocal style show gospel influence
Influence on Little Richard
Black women have HUGE influence on R&R
Church/gospel style singing
One of the first R&B stars to get radio airplay from white DJs
Teens like Elvis Presley heard on the radio in the South
"Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" by Ruth Brown - correct answersVocal breaks/cracks show
emotion (upset)
Physical movements complimented the beat and lyrics
She clearly loves to perform
Tempo slower in recorded version, faster in live version
Brings a different feel to the song
Brings the woman's side of the story
Movements closer to that of a rockstar (less stationary)