Download Analysis of "Inner City Blues"

MusicAnalysisTool
UsingMusicasaPrimarySource
(Readtheguideinitsentiretybeforelisteningtothemusic.)
1.DescribingtheMusicusingHistoricalContext:
• Title:
“InnerCityBlues”
• DateComposed/Recorded:June-September1970
• EventsHappeningintheWorld/Country/RegionattheTime:“twocentersofgravity”inAfricanAmerican
communities,DetroitRiotof1967,AssassinationsofMartinLutherKingandRobertKennedy,Vietnam
War,radicalizationofactivisminnortherncities,innercityfrustrationsofAfricanAmericans(poverty,
drugabuse,discrimination),environmentalism
• RecordingCompanyandLocation:Tamla,HitsvilleU.S.A.inDetroitandSoundFactoryinWestHollywood,
California
• Composer:MarvinGayeandJamesNys
• BackgroundoftheComposer:(position,nationality,gender,occupation,socialclass,religion,ethnicity,etc.)
AfricanAmerican,borninWashingtonDC,singerandsong-writer,popularrecordingartistforMotown,
Christianupbringing,AirForceveteran,brotherservedinVietnam
2.Whatdidyouhear?(Firsttimeplayed)
o TypeofMusic(folk,classical,blues,jazz,rock,etc.):pop,rhythmandblues
o Instruments(brass,woodwinds,strings,percussion):
triangle,bongodrums,bass,strings(violins),saxophone,piano
o Vocals:Isthereavocalistinthepiece?yesWhatlanguage/dialectisbeingsung?English
o Describethemusicand/orthevoice.Describetheartist(s)approachtothemusic.
Distinctiverhythmofthebongodrum(streetinstrument),bassseemstoprovideaheart-beat,
lyricsseemtobetakenfromaconversation,intensitywithadditionofstrings,solovoicejoinedby
others
3.AnalyzingtheMusic:(Secondtimeplayed)
• CompositionalandPerformanceStyle:Usemusicaltermstoanalyzethemusicyoujustdescribed.(beat,
callandresponse,dynamics,harmony,improvisation,melody,register,rhythm,tempo,texture,timbre,
etc.)The“JazzGlossary”createdbyTheCenterforJazzStudiesatColumbiaUniversitydefinesmanyof
theseterms.http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/jazzglossary/archives.html.
MusicalTerm Analysis(Howisitusedinthemusic?Why?) Rhythm
BongodrumsandBasslineislikeaheart-beat,heart-beatofthe
nation
Timbre
UseofFalsetto,screaminthevocals.Increasestension.Senseof
urgencytothemessage.
Instrumentation
Simpleuseofrhythmsection.Addingofstringsaddstothetension.
Sax-thesoundofjazz-anurbanmusic.Bongos-streetinstrument.
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•
SongLyrics:Writedownthemostimportantwordsofthesong.Howdotheyhelptellthesong’sstory?
Words/Phrase
Makemewannaholler
Billspileupskyhigh
Sendthatboyofftodie
Triggerhappypolicing
Analysis(Whatdoesthewordmean?Whyisitused?)
Frustrationsofcitizens,particularlyAfricanAmericansininner
cities
Poverty,incomedisparity,lackofjobsecurity,highrents,African
Americansnevercangetahead
AfricanAmericansservedinVietnamWar,disproportionatelyto%
ofpopulation
Policebrutality,onecauseof1967riotinDetroit
•
•
Noteanythingthemusicinformstheobserveraboutlifeintheworld/nation/regionatthetimeitwas
created.
Issuesofinner-cityresidents-poverty,crime,policebrutality,panic
Frustrationoflittlegettingdone.
Anti-warsentimentsevidentduringVietnamWar
Video Performance (if available): Describe the performance (wardrobe, location, choreography, staging,
interactionbetweentheperformersandtheaudience,depictionofthemusic,etc.)ofthepiece.Howdoes
theperformanceofthepiecehelptofurtherthemessageofthesong?
Studiorecording
4.InterpretingtheMusic:(Basedonthedescriptionandtheanalysisofthepiece.)
• Motivation/Purpose:Whatisthemessageofthepiece?Whatisthecomposertryingtodo?Explainusing
specificreferencesfromthemusic.
Seemslikeheisissuingawarning.Callattentiontoissuesfacingthenation.(Jefferson’s“firebellinthe
night.”)
CallattentiontothemanyissuesfrustratingAmericans,butparticularlyAfricanAmericans.“Makesme
wannahollerandthrowupmyhands.”
Powerlesstochangedespitethemanyissues.“Thewaytheydomylife.”
Governmentnotaddressingneedsofthepeople.“Rockets,moonshots,spenditonthehavenots”
Fearforthefuture.“Godknowswherewe’reheading”
• Audience:Basedonyourdescriptionandanalysisofthepiece,whowastheintendedaudienceforthe
music?Explain.
AfricanAmericans.
Problemsoftheinnercities.“Thisain’tlivin’,thisain’tlivin’”
Governmentspendingmoneyonthespaceprogramandnotonprogramsthatwouldmakepeoples’
livesbetter.“Rockets,moonshots.Spenditonthehavenots.”
Crimeandpolicebrutality.“Crimeisincreasing.Triggerhappypolicing.”
Americans.ManyAmericanshadsimilarproblems.“Inflationnochance”,“Hangups,letdowns”
• Impact/Effectiveness:Isthecomposer’smessageeffectivelypresentedinthemusic?Whatimpactwouldit
haveontheintendedaudience?Howdiditmakeyoufeel?Explainwithspecificreferencestothemusic
anditshistoriccontext.YES!Itwaslikehewaslisteningtomanyconversations.Useofhisvoicetostate
issuesandthenmultiplevoicesjoininaschorus.Swingingrhythm.Can’tforgetit!Useofstringstocreate
tension.Youcanfeelthefrustrationinthemusic!
5.LastingImpression:Whatisthemostmemorableorpowerfulaspectofthispiece?Explain.
Makemewannaholler.Repeatedoverandover.CollectivefrustrationofAfricanAmericans.
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StudentDiscussionQuestions
1. Whatisthetitleofthepiece?Whowasthecomposer?Providesomeinformationonhis/herbackground.
2. Whenwasitwritten?Whathistoricaleventswereoccurringatthetime?
3. Canyouexplainwhatishappeninginthemusic?
4. Howwillyourememberthispiecesoyoucanidentifyitwhenyouhearitagain?
5. Whatwasthemotivationofthecomposertowritethepiece?Doesthemusiceffectivelysupportthe
composer’smessage?(Includerelevantandspecificdetailfromthehistoricalcontextinyouranswer.)
6. Whatquestionswouldyouaskofthiscomposerinaninterview?
7. Doyouagreewiththemessageofthepiece?Citespecificinformationtosupportyourview.
8. Imagineyourselftobeamusiccriticatthetimethepiecewasfirstperformed.Howwouldyouratethe
piece?Why?
Created by Marcie Hutchinson for Jazz from A to Z 2015 3