Download Powerpoint

NAM 55 – Jimmy Cliff: You Can Get It If You Really Want
Background and Context
The mid 1960s saw American rock and blues mixing with traditional Caribbean to produce ska, rock steady
and, in time, reggae. These styles combined rock with rhythms and fast-moving harmonies of Jamaican folk
music. This resulted in ska, named after the lively ‘skank’ dance, followed by rock steady, which had a
slower tempo and was an early form of reggae. The word ‘reggae’ is probably derived from patois for a
‘regular’ beat. The three styles share some principal characteristics:
 Heavy, repetitive chord rhythms on the second half of the beat. The guitar often uses a heavy
downward ‘chop’ stroke, immediately dampened by the left hand. This technique, sometimes using
only the top four strings, was known as the reggae ‘shank’ style;
 ‘Tri-functional bass lines’. These provide a strong bass, mostly in root position. The harmonic
function is emphasised by the frequent inclusion of arpeggios. These bass lines often take on an
almost melodic role, as counterpoint against a more static vocal melody. Reggae itself usually has
bass lines with a strong rhythmic shape, full of syncopation against the tighter constraints of the
drum patterns; they are often phrased against the bar lines;
 An emphasis on the backbeat, (e.g. bar 5 ), sometimes played as a one-drop rhythm by the snare
and bass drum. There is also a regular hi-hat cymbal line, often in the form of continuous quavers,
with occasional fills at the ends of phrases.
Like reggae, rock steady is characterised by short repeated patterns based on a limited number of chords.
However, unlike reggae, it also has a heavy, steady bass line that gives the style its name. This is a clear
distinction from the later style, in which the bass is often silent on the first beat of the bar and is also
characteristically syncopated.
In 1969, Desmond Dekker had a UK Number 1 hit with his song The Israelites. This was one of the earliest
breakthroughs of a non-European or American style into the pop music world. This was followed in 1970
by You Can Get It If You Really Want. Both songs were in rock steady style. In addition to common musical
features referred to above, both styles share a common theme in many of their lyrics; they often refer to a
struggle against poverty and oppression, even though they are in a dance style.
Caribbean music often reveals a rich mix of cultural influences, which can be seen in NAM 55:
1. The close harmony backing vocals are a legacy of a 1950s style known as doo-wop music, which
remained popular in Jamaica;
2. The high trumpet riffs are a feature of Cuban and Mexican music
3. The tight rhythmic style betrays Latin-American influences with no swing in the drum patterns.
The guitars have an essentially subsidiary role, with the lead guitar taking the rhythm part. Its picked
semiquaver pattern gives an almost calypso-like feel to the texture. The second guitar provides background
chordal support to the electronic organ, an instrument often used in Jamaican music. The bass part provides
much of the character; it is often low and prominent in the mix, generally playing the root of the harmony in
simple on-beat patterns. The characteristic backbeat is present, supplemented by a fast tambourine pattern,
notated in bar 5, (although it is so far back in the mix that it is not always audible on the recording).
Structure
Form: Bars
1-3
Introduction
3 bars
4-13
Refrain
10 bars
14-25
Verse 1
12 bars (14-17 bridge, 18-25 verse)
26-13
Refrain (repeat)
10 bars
14-25
Verse 2 (repeat)
12 bars
27-35
Refrain
10 bars
36-43
Instrumental
8 bars
44-53
Refrain
10 bars
54-57
Outro (repeat to fade) 3 bars
NAM 55 is built mainly from 2-bar units on the chord progression I-IV, (Db-Gb). This is typical of reggae
and rock steady.
Tonality
The key is Db major. The lead vocal melody is based around the major pentatonic scale on Db (Db-Eb-GbAb-Bb), but the other parts use the full major scale of Db. After the alternating refrain/verse pattern, the
instrumental introduces the surprising chords of E, D and B major, used simply to add harmonic colour, not
for modulation. The song remains firmly in Db major, although there is reference to a whole tone scale in
the brass melody of bar 39 and 43.
Harmony
The harmony is based on two chords (anticipating reggae style). They are I and IV, alternating regularly in
2-bar units with occasional additions of other closely related chords, eg V7 (Aflat7) near the ends of verses
and refrains. The harmony for the verses is similar to the refrain, but ends with the pattern III – IV – V – V7
(eg 22-25). The only moments of chromatic colour are the use of E major (39) and the whole tone scale that
follows it. This effect is purely for harmonic colour and does not lead to a modulation.
Harmonic rhythm is mostly one chord per bar, with occasional speeding up to two or more chords per bar in
the verses and instrumental sections.
Melody
The lead vocal melody is based around the major pentatonic scale on Db (Db-Eb-Gb-Ab-Bb). There is an
opening motif (1-2) in the introduction, which is then varied to become the principal melodic motif, a
stepwise descent from F to Db. This is heard three times (bars 4-9); it is now a vocal melody and the rhythm
is slightly altered. The second time the phrase goes upwards, as in bars 1-2, but the rhythm is different
again. The first and third versions do not rise at the end. This repeated motif is then followed by the
progression I-V-IV-V7 to end the refrain. The motif is repeated through much of the song, acting as a
unifying riff.
Like reggae, the melody is made up of lots of short repeated patterns. The verses are very similar to the
refrain, but the singer uses falsetto (25, 43, 56) to produce a climax at the end of the verse.
Rhythm
Like reggae, there is a clear back beat (drum, bar5), with the addition of a fast tambourine pattern.
However, unlike reggae, there is very little syncopation in the rock steady style bass part, although brief
examples can be found at 39-43). The busy drum rhythms and tight rhythmic style are Latin American in
style and do not include swing rhythms.
Texture
The close harmony backing vocals are a legacy from 1950s doo-wop style. The lively trumpet lines come
from Mexican bands, which became popular into 1960s. The brass instruments are joined by saxes in the
instrumental (36-32). The lead guitar is used essentially as a rhythmic instrument, with the plucked quavers
giving a calypso-like feel. The second guitar simply gives chordal support. The organ is often a feature in
Jamaican music. Much of the track’s character comes from the bass part, which is low and prominent in the
mix. It consists of the root of each chord played in an on-beat rhythm.
Word Setting
As with reggae, the words represent a struggle against poverty and oppression – reggae often included
politically-based lyrics. The pop style does not feature much word-painting in a traditional sense, although
the vocal climax at the end of each verse is produced by a change of vocal register into falsetto.
Bar-by-bar analysis
What happens
Comment
Bars1-3
Intro.
Stepwise trumpet riff is a hook that will reappear
Key is D flat major.
throughout the piece. It is repeated, harmonised in
Guitars play alternating C and D flat chords.
3rds.
Bar 4 – upbeat to the main melody.
Bars 4-13
Refrain for the first time.
Lead vocal accompanied by harmonising backing
vocals and all other instruments except the
trumpets.
Both guitars are used as rhythm guitars.
The emphasis on the IV-I chord pattern is typical
reggae.
This is the first appearance of the percussion.
Syncopated rhythms in the guitars.
G flat and D flat chords set up the main harmonic
pattern, with some occasional A flat chords (11
and 13)..
Backbeat emphasised in the percussion.
Vocal range is narrow (based around a 3rd).
Bars 14-25
Short bridge (14-17) followed by verses (18-25).
Trumpet back in, repeating the riff, harmonised
again on its second time through.
Harmonic rhythm is slightly faster in the verse,
with some bars having 2 chords per bar.
Lyrics are typical of reggae/rock steady, with
emphasis on political messages and struggle
against poverty or oppression.
The bass fits the tri-functional role of providing a
strong bass line with a quasi-melodic shape.
The harmonic vocabulary is wider, using chord III
(22). The bass uses some slight rhythmic
decoration.
Vocal melody goes much higher at the end of the
verse (25).
Bars 26-35
Repeat of the refrain, as before.
Bars 36-43
Instrumental.
Baritone/tenor saxes join the instrumental line up
and play a strong, contrasting melody line. It
includes a descending whole tone scale at 39 and
43.
Tutti brass rejoin at 40, filling out the repeated
melody line with open position harmonies.
The whole tone bars are accompanied by a busier
drum pattern, creating a fill effect.
The second time it is harmonised. It is harmonised
by A flat – G flat – E – D and B chords, in an
unusual progression.
Bars 44-53
Repeat of refrain, as before.
Bars 54-57
Outro, repeat till fade.
The fade out indicates that this track was designed
for the recording studio.
Brass in octaves, with lead vocal fills between the
backing vocal phrases.
REVISION QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is meant by a title hook?
How does the trumpet motif in bars 1-2 of the introduction relate to the song’s title hook?
The lead vocal part is mainly pentatonic. What does pentatonic means?
Where does Dekker sing a pitch outside the pentatonic scale?
What do you notice about the rhythm of the part played by the organ and second guitar
throughout the song?
6. In which 2 bars is the bass part syncopated?
7. At the start of the drum part it is explained that much of the snare drum part is played cross stick.
What does this mean?
8. Briefly describe the tonality and the texture of this song.