Transcript Rock from 1974

Have a Nice Day
Rock in the 1970s
Rhythm in late ‘60s-early ‘70s
• Polyrhythmic
• Sixteen-beat style beat
• Syncopated bass lines, guitar riffs
• Percussiveness emphasized through
various techniques
– Choked guitar sound - removes pitch
– “Slapped” bass
– Short vocal phrases
Last Days of Motown
• Motown dominance of charts wanes after
1971
• No single “Motown sound”
• Biggest hit makers those who defy or
expand “sound of young America”
Stevie Wonder (1950- )
• Signed by Berry Gordy at age 12; billed as
“Little Stevie Wonder”
• Rebels against Motown formula when
contract re-negotiated in 1971
Stevie Wonder - Style
• Dense, polyrhythmic textures
– On early albums, Wonder plays all
instruments
– Extensive use of synthesizer
• Long, syncopated riffs as foundation
• Latin, reggae, and jazz rhythms prominent
Superstition
• Sixteen-beat style beat
• Strongly accented backbeats
• Each 16-bar verse divided into 2 parts
– First half: Drums, bass, guitar, synthesizer
– Second half: Horn line added; jazz flavor
– Locally end-weighted
• Verses harmonically static – built on pentatonic
scale
• Bridge harmonically active
• Leads to hook (serves as refrain)
Gospel/Soul
• Fusion of soul, gospel, and pop
• Personified in Al Green
– “Voice of soul in the ‘70s”
– Started as gospel singer
– Retains gospel traits in secular, romantic
songs
• Melismas, range of tone colors, techniques
• Vocal virtuosity replaces rhythmic drive,
lyric message
• Ex. Tired of Being Alone
Philadelphia Soul
• Philadelphia International Records (PIR)
founded in early ‘70s by Kenny Gamble
and Leon Huff
• Closely associated with Philadelphia
dance scene
Philadelphia Sound
• Heavily produced – thick, “Wall of sound”
textures
• Tight studio band - MFSB
– Mother, Father, Sister, Brother
• Riff-driven
• Hard, rock-style timekeeping with 16 beat
style beat
• Ex. The O'Jays, Back Stabbers
FUNK
• Fusion of soul, acid rock, and James Brown
• Riff-driven polyrhythmic structure
– Over minimal harmonies or pentatonic scale
• Backbeat avoided in favor of accenting
each beat of bar
– “Flat four” beat
– Key defining characteristic of funk
• Ex. Sly and the Family Stone, “Thank You
(Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again)”
Thank You (Falettinme Be
Mice Elf Again)
• Primarily 8 bar sections
– Some have lyrics on each repetition
– Others serve as refrain (“Thank you,
falettin me…”)
• Polyrhythms; separate patterns of
– Guitar
– Bass
– Various percussion
• Great deal of rhythmic layering
Parliament and Funkadelic
• Premiere funk bands of 70s, led by George
Clinton
• Motown roots evident
– Glimpses of doo-wop, Brill Building sounds
• Also influence from art rock
– Mixed meters
– Sophisticated jazz rhythms
– Shifting patterns of accents
• Thick, polyrhythmic textures
• Ex. Up for the Down Stroke
Mainstream Rock
• Less spontaneity, more focus on finding
mainstream audience
• Multi-Platinum hits of the mid 1970s
– Platinum record – 1 million copies sold
– Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive
– Fleetwood Mac – Rumors
• Reveal the amount of money that could be
made from rock music
Pop Rock
• Most glam rock
• Some singer/songwriters
– Paul Simon
– Billy Joel
• Groups and artists that might be classified
as pop or rock
– Elton John
– Wings
– Rod Stewart
– Fleetwood Mac
Elton John – Tiny Dancer
• Lyric dominates
• Verse-transition-refrain
– 2 part verse, each AABA
• End weighting through gradual addition of
instruments, new tone colors
• Subtle sixteen-beat rhythmic foundation
Jazz-Rock Fusion
• Rock bands influenced by jazz rhythmic
and harmonic sophistication
• Often jazz players in group
• Exs.
• Blood, Sweat, and Tears
• Chicago
• Steely Dan
• Ex. Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Spinning Wheel
Spinning Wheel - Form
Short intro - crescendo (increase in volume), horns play
one measure of 16-beat style beat
A: “What goes up…”
A: “You got no money…”
B: Extensive contrasting section/short bridge
A: “Someone is waiting…”
A: 1/2 verse as bridge (piano solo)
C: solo section: Improvisation on melody by trumpet,
2x through changes, plus extension
A: “Someone’s waiting…”
D (outro)? Mixed meter stop time, alternating with
calliope-like improvisation
“Blue-eyed soul”
• White groups influenced by gospel and
soul
– Doobie Brothers
– Dr. John
• Ex. Doobie Brothers, Takin' it To the
Streets
“Blue-Eyed Soul”
• Takin’ it to the Streets
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Soulful vocal style delivery
Active bass line, ala Stax Soul
Hammond organ
Backing vocals added in refrain
Extensive syncopation