Song Means: Analysing and Interpreting Recorded Popular Song

412 Pages·2012·2.78 MB·English

by  Allan F. Moore

Song Means:
Analysing and Interpreting
Recorded Popular Song
Allan F. Moore
Song MeanS: analySing and interpreting
recorded popular Song
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Song Means:
analysing and interpreting
recorded popular Song
allan F. Moore
© allan F. Moore 2012
all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
allan F. Moore has asserted his right under the copyright, designs and patents act, 1988, to be
identified as the author of this work.
published by
ashgate publishing limited ashgate publishing company
Wey court east Suite 420
union road 101 cherry Street
Farnham Burlington
Surrey, gu9 7pt Vt 05401-4405
england uSa
www.ashgate.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Moore, allan F.
Song means: analysing and interpreting recorded popular song. – (ashgate popular and
folk music series)
1. Songs – analysis, appreciation. 2. popular music – philosophy and aesthetics. 3. Sound
recordings in musicology.
i. title ii. Series
782.4’2164-dc22
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Moore, allan F.
Song means : analysing and interpreting recorded popular song / allan F. Moore.
p. cm. – (ashgate popular and folk music series)
includes bibliographical references and index.
iSBn 978-1-4094-2864-0 (hardcover : alk. paper) – iSBn 978-1-4094-3802-1
(pbk. : alk. paper) – iSBn 978-1-4094-2865-7 (ebook) 1. popular Music–analysis, appreciation.
2. popular music–History and criticism.
i.title.
Mt146.M66 2012
782.42164’117--dc23
2011026564
iSBn 9781409428640 (hbk)
iSBn 9781409438021 (pbk)
iSBn 9781409428657 (ebk)
Bach musicological font developed by © yo tomita
V
printed and bound in great Britain by the
Mpg Books group, uK.
Contents
List of Figures and Tables vii
List of Music Examples ix
General Editor’s Preface xiii
Acknowledgements xv
1 Methodology 1
2 Shape 19
3 Form 51
4 Delivery 91
5 Style 119
6 Friction 163
7 Persona 179
8 Reference 215
9 Belonging 259
10 Syntheses 285
11 Questions 331
Bibliography 337
Index of Recordings Cited 351
Index of Names and Topics 385
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List of Figures and Tables
Figures
2.1 Donovan: ‘Mellow yellow’. Soundbox transcription 33
2.2 Sam and Dave: ‘Soul man’. Soundbox transcription 34
2.3 Argent: ‘Hold your head up’. Soundbox transcription 35
Tables
3.1 The system of seven-note modes 72
3.2 Beatles: ‘Ticket to ride’; form 84
4.1 Michell’s consonantal qualities 115
7.1 Proxemic zones 187
8.1 Modal versions of a common harmonic sequence 225
8.2 Lacasse’s timbral modification qualities 232
10.1 Roy Orbison: ‘Oh pretty woman’; proportions 317
10.2 Roy Orbison: ‘Oh pretty woman’; pacing of the verse 318
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List of Music Examples
2.1 Chuck Berry: ‘Johnny B. Goode’; 6`` 22
2.2 Kate Bush: ‘The man with the child in his eyes’; 49`` 23
2.3 Eddie Cochran: ‘Three steps to heaven’; 8`` 25
3.1 Tractor: ‘Hope in favour’; metric modulation 53
3.2 Runrig: ‘Canada’; drum groove 53
3.3 Led Zeppelin: ‘When the levee breaks’; drum groove 53
3.4 James Brown: ‘Cold sweat’; drum groove 54
3.5 Snap: ‘The power’; drum groove 54
3.6 Basic habañera pattern 54
3.7 Radiohead: ‘Street spirit (fade out)’; drum groove from 1`50`` 54
3.8 Tymes: ‘You little trust maker’; drum groove and fill at 54`` (the hook) 57
3.9 Kinks: ‘Waterloo sunset’; outline of main melody 57
3.10 David Bowie: ‘Life on Mars’; outline of melody, first half of
opening verse 58
3.11 Procol Harum: ‘A whiter shade of pale’; outline of melody,
opening verse 59
3.12 Mott the Hoople: ‘All the young dudes’; outline of melody, chorus 60
3.13 Eric Clapton: ‘Let it grow’; melodic sketch and hypermetre 61
3.14 Beatles: ‘We can work it out’; two alternative readings of the bridge 66
3.15 Glen Miller: ‘In the mood’; melodic grouping 68
3.16 Slade: ‘Thanks for the memory’; formal sketch 88
4.1 Howlin’ Wolf: ‘I ain’t superstitious’; melodic sketch, verse 1 92
4.2 Rod Stewart/Jeff Beck: ‘I ain’t superstitious’; melodic sketch, verse 1 92
4.3 Blind Willie Johnson: ‘Nobody’s fault but mine’; melodic sketch 93
4.4 Big Bill Broonzy: ‘All by myself’; melodic sketch 93
4.5 Fleetwood Mac: ‘Black magic woman’; melodic sketch 94
4.6 Led Zeppelin: ‘You shook me’; melodic sketch 94
4.7 Rod Stewart/Jeff Beck: ‘You shook me’; melodic sketch 94
4.8 David Bowie: ‘She shook me cold’; melodic sketch from 31`` 95
4.9 Cliff Richard: ‘Move it’; melodic sketch (first half verse) 95
4.10 Icicle Works: ‘Don’t let it rain on my parade’; sketch 98
4.11 Frank Sinatra: ‘Blue skies’; melodic sketch 99
4.12 Platters: ‘Smoke gets in your eyes’; melodic sketch 99
4.13 Joni Mitchell: ‘Big yellow taxi; final melodic line of chorus 113
4.14 Meat Loaf: ‘I will do anything for love’; hook 116
4.15 Bread: ‘Everything I own’; hook 116