Final Assignment - Music Connects People Emotionally

 In early January of this year, American teen singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo released her debut single titled Drivers License. Rumors quickly spread that she had written the song directed towards her High School Musical the Musical: the Series co-star Joshua Bassett, who is also an American singer-songwriter, and the "blonde girl" Rodrigo had seemingly wrote about in her song, Sabrina Carpenter, another American singer-songwriter. These three have all released songs that the public have believed are directed towards one another. These artists use their music to express their emotion. They use it as a way to communicate with each other and the audience. A way to express the emotion and heartbreak they are all experiencing over what is most likely the same situation. And even though it may seem that the artist's had exact experiences in mind when creating these songs, the audience can connect and apply their songs to their own life. Therefore, I will be arguing the thesis that music connects people emotionally. 

For some background, it is believed that Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett were dating until he had left her for Sabrina Carpenter. Though none of these artists have confirmed this, fans around the world have speculated and have come up with many theories that ultimately result in Bassett leaving Rodrigo for Carpenter.

The first song of this so-called "trilogy" is Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo. This song received a widespread of critical acclaim as people praised her for her songwriting, emotional vocals, and the meaning of the song. She has said that the song is about a heartbreak that was very confusing to her, and that "putting all those feelings into a song made everything seem so much simpler and clearer". With a combination of the descriptive lyrics and minimalist instrumentation, fans felt connected to Rodrigo through her use of music to tell her story. Fans could relate, imagine, and emphasize with Rodrigo's experience. She used music to connect with her audience, the songs subject, and express her emotions in the best way she knew how to. 

            

Drivers License written by Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro,

performed by Olivia Rodrigo, released January 8, 2021.

This song features a recorded sound of her mother's car starting, syncopated hand claps, piano, and kick drums. As the song progresses there is a long crescendo in the verses followed by the strong, emotional chorus. Harmonies chime in loud and clear during the bridge of the song. It is an overall slow paced song, but the color tones of her voice vary throughout, starting small, reaching its peak, and then settling down once again. It is known to be a power ballad that blends bedroom pop, indie pop. and power pop styles. 

Fans have speculated Drivers License to be about Joshua Bassett because he was the one who taught her how to drive. 

            "I got my driver's license last week

            Just like we always talked about

            'Cause you were so excited for me

            To finally drive up to your house."

Along with this, Bassett rumored to have wrote his single, Anyone Else, about Olivia Rodrigo when he had liked her but she was in another relationship at the time.

            "Guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me."

Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter were seen hanging out starting the summer of 2020, in which fans jumped to the conclusion that Rodrigo directed a line towards Carpenter.

            "And you're probably with that blonde girl

            Who always made me doubt.

            She's so much older than me

            She's everything I'm insecure about."

Though none of these artists confirmed anything regarding the drama around this song, it is clear Rodrigo is using her music to get her emotions across. Whether it be that her lyrics are just oddly descriptive or that she intended every single part of the song, she used her music to connect to people emotionally.

The second of the "trilogy" was Sabrina Carpenter's song: Skin. This was released not even a month after Rodrigo's song, and fans jumped to conclusions quickly. She has denied that the song was "written about any one person in particular", but the lyrics and timing of the release sparked many rumors. Fans thought this was a "mean" song given that her lyrics are implying that she has the man another girl wants. People assumed this was her response to Drivers License, but she has since claimed that it is about her haters in general. 

Skin written by Sabrina Carpenter and Tia Scola, performed 

by Sabrina Carpenter, released January 22, 2021.

This song begins with soft instruments in the back to emphasize Carpenter's lyrics and vocals. There is a steady backbeat and features Carpenter harmonizing with her own voice. The tempo remains the same throughout the song but her color tones of her voice go from soft, powerful, and back to gentle. The end also only features her voice and a few piano notes. This really showcases her emotion and how words can hurt.

Even though Carpenter has denied the song is directed towards anyone, the lyrics seemingly say otherwise. The opening verse implies that all songs should have a meaning behind them, but that maybe songwriters do not always mean the words they write. She also mentions the iconic Rodrigo line about a "blonde girl".

            "Maybe we could pretend

            There's no gravity in the words we write.

            Maybe you didn't mean it

            Maybe "blonde" was the only rhyme."

Carpenter used her song-writing platform to tell emotions she was experiencing with the hate she was receiving for a song that was not even confirmed to be about her. She used her music to connect with the audience and "tell her side". Once again, this song is another example of how music connects people emotionally.

The third of the "trilogy" is Crisis by Joshua Bassett. He has vaguely claimed that this song is about his costar Olivia Rodrigo and all of the hate he has received. This song was very recently released in early December of 2021. It has so far received a widespread of love and empathy given that it is a response to the media rampage he has been dealing with regarding his relationship with Rodrigo since 2020. He uses his music to connect with Rodrigo herself by calling out a subject with very specific lyrics whom everyone agrees HAS to be Rodrigo.

Crisis written by Joshua Bassett, Mikey Reaves, and Derrick Southerland, 

performed by Joshua Bassett, released December 3, 2021.

This song features the guitar, piano, and various percussion instruments. Bassett harmonizes with himself throughout the verses, chorus, and short bridge. The tempo stays static throughout the whole song, but the lyrics are sung with emotion and fragility. The song runs very legato and has a steady guitar strumming and plucking pattern that pulses during it. The simplicity of the song enables listeners to really listen to Bassett telling his side of the story. He uses this song as a way to communicate with Rodrigo and connect with his fans. 

The lyrics of the song seem to be a direct response to Rodrigo's actions given that with all the speculation that resulted in Bassett receiving so much hate (to the extent of death threats) she still has not spoken up about the situation.

            "You're messing' with my life as a career move.

            I can't help but wonder, why won't you make it end?

            Guess you would never dare

            You would never dare to waste a crisis."

Seeing the amount of hate that Bassett has been receiving is very disheartening. His musical response dictating his emotions was very much needed. This song has connected him to his fans once again, as he stated that if he tried to defend himself before, it seemed "impossible" to win.

Within these three songs I would rate from my favorite to least favorite: Crisis, Drivers License, and then Skin. Before any of the drama I was a fan of all three of them individually, and being able to hear each of their sides made me empathize with their situation. A situation that the public has no business in being in. I believe they each did a great job using their own styles of music to get their emotions out. I am so happy that Bassett finally spoke up about the situation because he is a kind-hearted guy. I love all his music but I believe the meaning behind Crisis is extra special. I love Rodrigo's work. She is so talented at creating heartfelt lyrics that really make listeners feel emotional. I will be honest, I am not that big of a fan of Carpenter's song, but she no doubt has an amazing voice and deserves the same respect the other artist's do. There is an endless amount of examples of how music connects people emotionally, but I think that these three songs are very specific with who it is connecting and what emotions are being portrayed. I believe that music has the ability to story tell, to provide feelings people can relate to, and to communicate with one another.

There is no doubt that music is universal and can be interpreted in numerous different ways, but it is interesting to hear what artists intend for themselves with their own music. These three songs have all been a way for the artists to connect with their emotions during the so-called "love-triangle" that the media is putting them in. They used their music as a way to tell their side (even though some may deny it) and connect with their fans. All three songs have deep emotions of real human beings-- celebrities whom we all forget are real people too. 

My relationship with music has changed so much throughout this course. Growing up as a dancer, I had a pretty good understanding of music. I understood the elements of music really easily and I knew a lot of the vocabulary that was used. But actually sitting down and researching music had a bigger impact on me than I thought it would. I have a much greater appreciation for the artists and composers of music. I know see how there is so much intention that can be found in music. I also acknowledge how music can tell stories in such a creative way more now. It made me remember why I love broadway musicals so much. In addition, I really enjoyed the format of the assignments. Creating blogs was a fun a new way for me to do my work, and I loved the sense of completion that I felt while scrolling through my blog. I definitely understand why this course is titled Music Appreciation!

Sources:

“AZLyrics - Request for Access.” AZLyrics.com, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/oliviarodrigo/driverslicense.html. 

“Drivers License (Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Dec. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drivers_License_(song). 

“Joshua Bassett – Crisis.” Genius, https://genius.com/Joshua-bassett-crisis-lyrics. 

“Skin (Sabrina Carpenter Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Sept. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_(Sabrina_Carpenter_song). 

Songfacts. “Lyrics for Crisis by Joshua Bassett - Songfacts.” Song Meanings at Songfacts, https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/joshua-bassett/crisis.  

Continued Exploration - Music and the Fictive Dream - Tangled

Combined with a heartfelt plot, beautiful animation, and amazing music, Tangled has become my favorite Disney movie of all time.

In the Kingdom of Corona, the King and Queen have a beautiful and magically long haired baby named Rapunzel. When Rapunzel sings a song, her hair glows and is able to heal anything around it. Mother Gothel discovers this and, when trying to steal the power to keep herself young, finds out that when Rapunzel's magic hair is cut it loses its power. This results in Mother Gothel kidnapping Rapunzel and raising her as her own in a tower, refusing to share her power with the outside world. Rapunzel grows up locked in a tower, afraid of the dangers of the outside world, and believing Mother Gothel is her true mom. Although she is scared of the dangers beyond her tower, Rapunzel dreams of leaving and seeing the "floating lights", which are lanterns sent by the kingdom in search of the Lost Princess. After an escaped prisoner named Flynn Rider stumbles upon her castle and makes a deal with Rapunzel to help her see the floating lights in exchange for his satchel, they embark on a journey that leads to Rapunzel discovering who she truly is. 

"When Will My Life Begin" is the first song of the movie. It was composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Glenn Slater and sung by Mandy Moore. This song serves to keep the plot moving forward as Rapunzel is singing about how she is bored of the same routine in her tower and wonders what possibilities the outside world holds. Rather than just simply wondering when her life will begin, Rapunzel is wondering about when she will make her own decisions and have new adventures in her life. This song basically shows how she accomplishes many things throughout the day, but she wants to adventure outside of the tower. 

                " 7 AM, the usual morning line-up:

                 Start on the chores and sweep 'til the floor's all clean

                 Polish and wax, do laundry, and mop and shine up

                 Sweep again

                 And by then

                 It's like 7:15"

Before creating this song, Menken had to keep in mind that the movie had planned to have a guitar-themed score. He wrote six different versions of the song and ironically the first version he chose is not in the movie, but is featured in the musical on broadway. The genre is rock and the tempo is moderately fast, with an ending that slows down. It features acoustic guitar, the Hammond organ, and aggressive percussion. The writers had the goal of making Rapunzel's songs have a youthful exuberance feel. This is especially noticeable when listening to the contrast of Mother Gothel's songs. 

I personally really like the end of the song where the pace changes. This is a complete change of tone because she is singing about her dream in a more serious and sadder tone rather than her bubbly and optimistic tone that she had during the rest of the song. It fits the lyrics perfectly because if she sang it with the same color tone and pace as the rest of the song, it would not nearly have the same impact on the audience as it does slowed down. This is also a key moment for the movie plot as a whole because it is when she decides to finally stand up to Mother Gothel and ask to explore beyond the tower.

                 "Tomorrow night the lights will appear

                 Just like they do on my birthday each year

                 What is it like out there where they glow?

               Now that I'm older, mother might just let me go"

Aside from this song being significant to setting up the plot for the course of the movie, this song can serve a deeper meaning. Parents and their kids do not always see eye to eye, and this song explores that. Rapunzel being stuck in the same routine Mother Gothel put her in because she does not want to share her with the world is similar to parents not allowing kids to do some things at certain ages. Rapunzel sings about how being older may change Mother Gothel's mind as we all know being older means we can have more responsibility. 

Before researching, I had already loved all parts of the song like the lyrics and the instruments they used. But now, I have an even greater appreciation for the song because I discovered things I did not notice before such as the contrast between the tones of Rapunzel's songs and Mother Gothel's songs. I also really love how creative the lyrics are when naming all the things that Rapunzel does throughout the day, as they all flow very nicely together and make the song catchy. I too get stuck in the same routine everyday (especially during quarantine) and this song makes me think maybe it isn't too bad because this girl has been doing the same routine for 18 years! 

As I stated before, Tangled is a very beautifully crafted movie that uses music to portray the story. I have linked additional songs from the movie that I really enjoy listening to. 

I See the Light - sung by Rapunzel and Flynn

Mother Knows Best - sung by Mother Gothel

I've Got a Dream - sung by Rapunzel, Flynn, and the townspeople 

Sources: 

“Tangled.” IMDb, IMDb.com, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt00398286/plotsummary. 

“When Will My Life Begin.” Disney Wiki, https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/When_Will_My_Life_Begin. 

“When Will My Life Begin?” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Nov. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Will_My_Life_Begin%3F. 

Music and the Fictive Dream - Wicked!

 Of course with this assignment I had to take the opportunity to write about the hit broadway musical: Wicked. As my favorite musical by far, it was difficult to choose a song to analyze as I believe the music does an amazing job of using musical elements to portray the story. I encourage you to find the album from this show and pick another song at random to listen to.

Wicked is based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which is a retelling of the 1900 L. Frank Baum novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It tells the story of two witches in Oz who are unlikely friends. There is Elphaba, also known as the Wicked Witch of the West, who is intelligent, ambitious, and green-skinned. In contrast to her there is Galinda, who is later known as Glinda the Good Witch. Glinda is a beautiful, self-centered, and popular girl. The two girls see each other as competition in the school they go to along with the attention of Fiyero, a love-interest that they share. Elphaba and Glinda later see past their differences and become friends. Glinda even tries to help Elphaba fit in more as she sings "Popular", which is the song I will analyze. Elphaba soon discovers the corrupt government that the Wizard of Oz is truly running, and sets out to stop him. In doing so, she became a public enemy of the city. She fakes her death, runs away with Fiyero, and Glinda remains in the city telling the story of her past friend. Though Wicked received mixed reviews at first, it is now the fifth longest running broadway show and the second-highest grossing musical.

"Popular" is the first solo sung by Glinda. She sings this to Elphaba as an act of friendship after Elphaba helps her get accepted into their school's witch studies. This song displays Glinda's bubbly, materialistic, and spoiled way of life. She sings about how a person's value is determined by how others view you in society. Glinda uses her experience to tell Elphaba how she can change the way she looks and acts to make other's become more attracted to her. Rather than being nice and helping a friend out because it would be the right thing to do, she sees herself as more "fortunate" than others because of her looks and popularity. 

             "Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I

               And let's face it-- who isn't-- less fortunate than I"

Glinda has never experienced any true hardships throughout her years at the school like Elphaba has, so she believes that the attributes that she herself carries (being popular) is what Elphaba needs to have rather than the traits she already carries, such as her intelligence.

             "When I see depressing creatures

               With unprepossessing features

               I remind them on their own behalf to think of

               Celebrated heads of state or

               Especially great communicators.

               Did they have brains or knowledge?

               Don't make me laugh!

               They were popular! Please. 

               It's all about popular!"

Clearly this song does not teach the best lesson. Though it is a funny, playful, and overall extremely fun song to sing along to (trust me), it is basically telling the audience that nothing matters besides how people view you and how much people like you. The only thing that matters is your popularity. The message behind "Popular" serves its purpose in the musical to really exaggerate the traits of Glinda's character. 

There are many adlibs throughout the song that showcase the bubbly personality of Glinda. Along with this are many pauses and pace changes. There is also a lot of contrast with the parts that she sings and the lines that she talks through. When listening to the song, the beginning is slower and more staccato. As the song plays an upbeat and playful tempo develops. Near the end the pace and tone slow down once again. But then finally, to compliment Glinda's personality, the song ends with a face pace and long note. It is no doubt a very dramatic song!

"Popular" has been my favorite song from a broadway show for the longest time, but there was never a moment in my life where I completely agreed with the message Glinda is trying to get across. There is no doubt that how people see me and how I view others can impact my lifestyle, but the way Glinda obsesses over how people view her is not something I agree with. I am a believer of living life for myself and not others, and if people like who I am and what I am doing that's awesome, and if they do not like it (without good reason, of course) then it is not my problem. But I will gladly sing this song at the top of my lungs. 

This is a live performance of "Popular" from Wicked. As I had stated in my previous blog, Kristin Chenoweth does an amazing job portraying Glinda. Her performance is amazing given she is acting and singing live.

Music is a creative way to tell stories. I personally love broadway musicals, so music that portrays a fictive dream is something that I really like. It is interesting to see how composers and artists use musical elements to truly match a feeling and theme of a song and story.

Sources:

Friends 'for Good' - Wicked: A New Musical and the ... https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1072&context=ctamj. 

“What Is Wicked Truly about?” Show Score, 1 Oct. 2021, https://www.show-score.com/blog/what-is-wicked-truly-about. 

“Wicked (Musical).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Nov. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked_%28musical%29#:~:text=Wicked%20%28musical%29%20The%20musical%20is%20told%20from%20the,friends%2C%20Elphaba%20%28the%20Wicked%20Witch%20of%20the%20West%29. 

Role of the Performer - Kristin Chenoweth

    Since I was little, I have always had a love for Wicked, the broadway musical. I was drawn to the performers's voices, specifically Kristin Chenoweth. Her voice is so unique that I began to recognize her in numerous different works. When I saw her become a reoccurring guest star on Glee as April Rhodes, I was so excited (even more than when they sang Defying Gravity). I remember watching Hairspray Live! in 2016 and seeing Kristin Chenoweth sing along other great performers such as Ariana Grande and Maddie Baillio. I have always been a fan of Kristin Chenoweth and I believe that her unique voice and high falsetto voice have become iconic throughout music history.

    Though I know Kristin Chenoweth best from her role as "Glinda" in Wicked, she has been apart of a great amount of broadway and off-broadway shoes, TV episodes, films, and performances. Growing up, she was always interested in performing. She sang gospel songs at church and participated in community plays. During her early adult years, she studied musical theater in her hometown at the Oklahoma City University. She then earned a Masters Degree in Opera Performance at OCU. She went to New York City to support a friend who was auditioning for a broadway role when she ended up auditioning herself and blew the producers away. Since then she has been apart of numerous broadway shows, films, and TV shows. Some of her more famous works include performing as "Sally" from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, "Olive Snook" on Pushing Daises, and "April Rhodes" in Glee (these three of her more well-known works have earned her Tony and Emmy Awards). Other works include Steel Pier, Epic Proportions, her own short-lived NBC comedy Kristin, and much more. She has even performed with various symphonies across the world and became the third musical theater performer in history to perform at the NYC's Metropolitan Opera in 2007.

In this video, Kristin Chenoweth covers The Way We Were by Barbra Streisand. Her voice has so much control it gives me goosebumps. She is able to hit the many crescendos and decrescendos with her voice. The tone color she has in her voice is amazing when she emphasizes certain lyrics and knows just when to breathe in-between singing. You can tell by her facials and body language that she loves and was born to perform. 

This is a clip from when Kristin Chenoweth guest starred on Glee as "April Rhodes". Something I love about her is that when she performs, she performs with character. Her character is supposedly a loser, someone who's life is in shambles but is still optimistic. I feel as if she captured this in both her voice and her body language. Her range is incredible in the song along with her iconic high note that she hits at the end. She sings this with Lea Michelle, who is also an amazing performer. 

This is by far my favorite broadway song and scene. Chenoweth's ability to perform and entertain is truly showcased here. This song is Popular from Wicked and Chenoweth's spin on it is what makes me love the song. Her range from singing to adding little adlibs is hilarious. With the lyrics it is sometimes as if she is just talking, but she is actually singing, therefore her ability to hear pitch is very good considering this is live. Though I have seen Wicked live with a different cast, I would do anything to watch Kristen Chenoweth perform this song!

I believe that Kristen Chenoweth's role as a performer is to entertain. Whether she is singing on broadway or performing a cover on a TV show, her voice is so powerful and distinguishable that it brings joy to people when listening. There have been many adaptations and different singers who took on the role of "Glinda" in Wicked, but I still prefer listening the Chenoweth's versions. Though her covers that she performs are works of others, her unique voice adds a new feeling to the music. She has also used her many experiences in performing to mentor others. Chenoweth uses her gift as an amazing performer to entertain others as well as pass down her knowledge to the next generation of performers. 

Sources

“Kristin Chenoweth.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 5 Dec. 2019, https://www.biography.com/actor/kristin-chenoweth. 

“Kristin Chenoweth.” IMDb, IMDb.com, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0155693/bio. 

“Kristin Chenoweth.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Nov. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristin_Chenoweth. 

Take A Musical Trip - Music of Africa

    

African music is typically easily distinguishable. You hear a lot of drums, some stomping and clapping, and amazing ranges of vocals. It is the type of music that makes you want to "dance to the beat of your own drum". 

    Music is very important to African religion. It was used to pass down stories in both rituals and religious ceremonies, and of course to simply sing and dance to. African music has influenced many other styles of including blues, jazz, old-time, Caribbean genres, and Latin American music. It can also be organized into numerous genres such as jùjú, fuji, highlife, makossa, kizomba, afrobeat, and more. Sub-Sahara African music can be divided into four regions:

        - The eastern region consists of the music of Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Comoros. 
        - The southern region includes music from South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. 
        - The central region has music from Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia.
        - The western region consists of music from Senegal, the inland plains, coastal nations, and the islands Sao Tome and Principe. 

Though African music slightly differs depending on which region it came from, there are common aspects of the music that the regions share.

    A lot of parts of African music are improvised, but there is a core rhythm pattern that is played while new patterns are being improvised over the static ones. This is a polyrhythm, and the most common found in African music plays three beats on top of two. Harmonization of the melody can be sung in parallel thirds, fourths, or fifths. There is also a call-and-response nature where one voice or instrument plays a short phrase and then that phrase is echoed by another voice(s) or instrument(s). 

    Speaking of instruments, there are many interesting kinds found in African music. There are five groups of Sub-Saharan African musical instruments:

        - Membranophones include drums, kettles, clay pots, and barrels.

        - Chordophones are stringed instruments like harps and fiddles.

        - Aerophones are wind instruments and can include flutes and trumpets.

        - Idiophones are instruments such as rattles and shakers.

        - Percussion consists of instruments like xylophones, djembes, and other drums but can also include clapping and foot-stomping.

    I was personally drawn to research music of Africa because at my dance studio we compete our own afrobeat and stepping routines. The music is truly something that can get people up and out of their seats. Live African drumming is amazing! The energy is unmatched. I also enjoy listening to African music when doing homework as it gets me motivated without getting distracted by lyrics. 

Here are a few different links to awesome African music:

Afrobeats is also common in pop songs nowadays. For example:

Sources:

Mitchell, Barry, et al. “Foundations of African Music.” Theory of Music, 13 Sept. 2008, https://theoryofmusic.wordpress.com/2008/02/14/foundations-of-african-music/#:~:text=African%20music%20is%20mostly%20polyrhythmic%2C%20composed%20of%20multiple,to%20acquire%20the%20discipline%20of%20the%20separate%20beats.

“Music of Africa.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Oct. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Africa.

“Musical Structure.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/art/African-music/Musical-structure.

Music Videos - Innovations and Evolutions

When listening to music, we all have our own interpretations and visuals that we create that are personal to us and the song we are listening to. Music videos have given the public a peek at what the artist of the song was envisioning for their own work. However, music videos were not always as popular and accessible as they are today.

The start of putting music and pictures together was an early innovation. In the 1930s and 1940s, the cartoons created by Max Fleisher were cut to sings by Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong. Then in 1943, Panoram Soundies were placed in nightclubs and diners, These were jukeboxes where people could listen to music and watch performers on the miniscreen of the jukebox. From then on, music and pictures were used for commercial and marketing purposes. They were seen in commercials, theaters, shopping malls, department stores, and more. It wasn't until cable TV became an accessible option for Americans that the success of music videos truly began.

Big television companies weren't sure about how music videos would receive feedback. Warner took a gamble on the format in 1980 by dedicating a whole day to rock videos, and to their surprise, it received positive feedback. In 1981, MTV (Music Television) was created and quickly became popular and successful. Record companies reported a rise in sales following its premiere. Music videos then fueled the current boom in the recording industry so much that awards for music videos have been made and they have become part of the song's marketing strategy.

Aside from the growing popularity of music videos, there were always those who weren't fans of them. Some people have argued that music videos can be detrimental to a song because of the listener's own interpretations and personal images that they have created for the song being hindered or forced to associate the song to the video. People have also not been fond of the creation of false realities that some music videos may give, but then again, isn't that the fun part?

Music videos can be anything the artist and director want them to be. The sky is the limit. Although, there tends to be a repeated series of creative choices. This includes emphasized gestures which are often shown with dancing, exaggerated colors that may be shown with the use of filters, nonlinear editing, abstraction and surrealism, and pure spotlight showcasing the "star" or artist of the song. Music videos can tell a story, create a new reality, or even bring a live performance of the artist on stage into the viewer's living room. 

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is widely credited as the first global hit song with a music video that has been part of its marketing strategy. The budget was extremely low, so special effects were minimal. Lighting changes and differences played a huge role in this video, as it transforms the mood of the visuals the director had planned. You can really tell that this was one of the first popular music videos given its production quality. The production was simple yet had hidden metaphors in the imagery. And although music videos now have a bigger budget and more technology, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is still a legendary music video that has millions of views today.

                    Click here to view the music video for "Bohemian Rhapsody".

"Call Me By Your Name" by Lil Nas X and its music video have caused a lot of controversy since its release in 2021. Because of the development of technology and special effects, artists now have much more freedom to truly create whatever they can imagine. In this music video, the imagery goes from religious to nudity throughout the song. Lil Nas X received a lot of negative feedback, but it ultimately gave him a lot of views and buzz that helped his popularity grow. This shows that music videos still are used as a marketing strategy. 

                    Click here to view the music video for "Call Me By Your Name".

I love the ability to create false realities through the new developments in technology. Though the video created by Lil Nas X was an extreme reality, I do believe that those types of videos receive way more feedback than simple music videos. With special effects, CGI, and more, I think music videos now are more appealing to the eye.

Nowadays, music videos are much more accessible to the public. We can view them or even create them on our phones. Music videos today are still evolving as new technologies are trends are being created.  

Sources

Changing the Business: Music Videos in Society. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=backstage-pass.

Shaffer, Claire Elizabeth. “Emotion Pictures: The Art and Evolution of Music Videos.” Emotion Pictures: The Art and Evolution of Music Videos, 1 Jan. 1970, https://digitalcollections.wesleyan.edu/object/ir-965.

"Brutal" - Musical analysis #2

As the first track of her debut album, "Sour", Olivia Rodrigo chose "Brutal": a song about her teenage inner thoughts and view of the world. 

"Brutal" by Olivia Rodrigo

Tempo

Before her first album came out, Rodrigo was known for her slow, sad love songs that make her fans have all the feels. However, "Brutal" showcased a different side of her songwriting. It starts out slow, just as anyone would anticipate given the history of her previous songs. After about 12 seconds of soft violins, she says 

            "I want it to be like...messy"

and the beat drops to reveal a faster-paced tempo for the song. This tempo takes over until the end where it gradually slows down to go back to her well-known, slower-paced singing. 

The changes in tempo add another layer to this song. If she sang about how brutal the world was in a mellow and romantic tempo, as most of her songs are, the song would not have the same impact as it does with the loud, rock tempo that it currently has. 

Rhythm 

Rodrigo utilizes many accents and silence throughout this song. After the beat drops, the guitar playing puts an accent at the beginning of every four-count. This is used for the whole song, not including the slower violin parts at the beginning and end. Silent beats can be heard in this song as well. Specifically, in the chorus before one of her most iconic lines, the instruments and her singing is loud, until all of a sudden everything is silent and she says, 

            "God, it's brutal out here". 

Timbre and Dynamics

The beginning and end of this song hold a very mellow and warm tone quality. The verses and chorus have a heavy and harsh (yet controlled) tone quality. The differences in the tone qualities enhance the lyrics.

The tone color in this song is very interesting. During the chorus, you can tell that Rodrigo's tone is much stronger, almost as if she's yelling. This is a very cool dynamic given that after she is "yelling" the silent beat comes in and it sounds as if she is tired of yelling. 

Lyrics

The lyrics in this song are very relatable. It is interesting to hear how a celebrity can still feel insecure and have self-esteem issues, as sometimes the public can forget that famous people experience those feelings too. She also makes this song relatable by using well-known phrases in her lyrics such as "teenage dream", "golden years", and "enjoy your youth". 

A specific group of lyrics in this song stuck out to me when I first listened to it. 

            "And I'm so tired that I might

            Quit my job start a new life

            And they'd all be so disappointed

            'Cause who am I if not exploited?"

These lyrics are interesting to me because I believe it is a comment she is making about Disney. Before her music career took off, she was known as an actress on two Disney shows. Given that her job was being a "Disney kid", there is a certain stereotype that is given to child actresses who become singers. It is as if she is implying that Disney has exploited her and that they fully intended to do so. 

Form

The form of this song is simple. It begins with an instrumental intro, followed by the first verse. Next comes the chorus and second verse. As the music slows down, the song ends with an outro. I find it interesting that as "Brutal" is the first track of her album, the last lyric of this song is

            "God, I don't even know where to start."

It shows that she planned the song to have this form as some kind of prologue to her album. She ends the song that is at the start of her album with that line, then proceeds to have songs related to her teenage years that she was referencing in "Brutal". I find the form of this song so clever that it gives me chills!