Welcome to the first of two blog posts that will wrap up the class. This first one is focused on revisiting some of the listening logs I did that were submitted separately.

The first song I want to visit is titled “Barbara Allen”. One of the things that I noticed is that it sounds to be an older recording. It sounds like it came from a record. I believe I hear a guitar as the accompanying instrument. The rhythm is very consistent and predictable. The melody is very pleasant and simple as it is just the guitar playing and the singer. There isn’t a harmony present in this song. The tempo isn’t very fast or slow, it goes at a nice pace. The singer does not have a very wide range in this song, and has a medium intensity. I do want to mention again that this is a folk song and because the tune is the same melody over and over again, the song can be as long or as short as the singer desires.

This is a folk song that is also a ballad. It tells a story like many songs. This intersects with other songs I will talk about. While all the songs tell a story to some degree, this song tells the story very clearly. It is a very linear story with a beginning and a definite end. Other songs might focus more on a concept or theme, while some songs are made to express a story.

The next song I would like to visit is called “Amity”. This song is less than a minute long, but it is extremely pleasant to listen to. This is a spiritual song. I do want to make correction to the listening log, I thought I heard music, but what I was really hearing was the harmony. The rhythm is slow and deliberate. There is a four-part harmony in this song. It is separated out between bass, tenor, alto and sopranos. The tempo is a little faster than the previous song but I wouldn’t consider it to be a quick tempo. The timbre in all the voices is rich and strong.

This spiritual is tricky to find how it fits into the musical web because it is so short and is also sung a-capella. It does have a very strong harmony that is also found in “Walk This Way”. “Amity” is special in that we hear a four part harmony. This gives it a very lyrical feel to it.

Next is “Rock Around the Clock”. This is a fast paced rock song. The music that is played has a full band behind the singer. I hear a trumpet of some kind, piano, something that makes a clicking sound and a number of stringed instruments. The rhythm changes up throughout the song. The melody is complex with many layers thanks to the many instruments. There isn’t a harmony in this song as it is just the one singer. The tempo is very quick. The singer has some timbre. The range isn’t especially wide, but it does have a strong intensity.

This is one of three rock songs I will discuss in this post. These songs all share rich music and strong singers. Generally speaking with these three songs, there is one singer. However, we did discuss that “Walk This Way” has a harmony present.

The next song is called “Good Rockin’ Tonight” It is a little slower than the previous rock song, but it is rock nonetheless. I hear trumpets and some stringed instruments as the main musical component to the song. The rhythm is consistent and has a strong beat to it. The melody is interesting because it has instruments fall in and out of the song. The tempo is at a medium-fast pace. The singer has a rich timbre to his voice due to the impressive range and character he brings to the song.

The final song I will visit again is called “Walk This Way”. Of the five songs, I knew this one the best. There is a lot going on in the song when one listens critically. As far as instruments, there is guitar, drums, and some artificial sounds from the DJ. The rhythm is consistent and has a strong beat. The melody is in line with what we typically think of rock. There is some harmony. The tempo is quick. The singers have a rich timbre due to the intensity and range they are able to reach.

I wanted to wrap up the musical web segments here. Overall, these are at the very base, songs. Most have a tune, but not all. We can group these songs into folk, spiritual, and rock. Many of them have at least a two part harmony to add texture and color to the song. Many are smooth and fluid. I would say “Walk This Way” has more of a rough texture as some parts are presented differently. I am referring to when “Walk This Way is sung, it doesn’t sound as fluid as the rest of the song.

These songs are all similar in that they came from an artist who wanted to spread a message. Whether that message is about lovers, or rocking out showing someone how to act, these songs get a point across. We can also see how a harmony can add complexity to a song, as seen in “Amity” and “Walk This Way”. It should also be pointed out that instruments are not always needed in order to create a song. “Amity” only uses harmony. “Barbara Allen” only uses a single stringed instrument as accompaniment. While instruments can add to a song, it can also cause the lyrics to be lost. “Walk This Way” has lyrics that go quickly and can be difficult to hear what is being said. This may be in part due to the melody. “Good Rockin’ Tonight and “Rock Around the Clock” have a good balance between instrument and lyric.

I hope this has inspired you to think differently about music. I know that when I listened to my playlist today, I started thinking more about the music and what makes it a song. See you in the next and final post!