Listening Journal Week 6

The first five listening examples for the week six readings were grouped together in a category called “A 1970s Jukebox.” I found it interesting that these very different songs all had simple forms and where written or co-written by their performer and yet all claimed a number one position during the decade. The Tin Pan Alley model makes it seem unlikely that so many singer-songwriters would achieve this claim. Another similarity they hold is their nostalgic components. Starr and Waterman (2014, page 374 – 377) mention the throwback lyric efforts of Elton John and The Eagles, and John Denver also uses the technique in “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.” Interestingly enough, while I was reading about the origination of the nostalgic “revival shows” or the 1970’s I saw an advertisement on my email for Selena Gomez’s upcoming revival tour. I suppose it’s never too early to market to the nostalgic listeners. The most recent concert I attended was REO Speedwagon and I’m not really sure why they would solicit me with a Selena Gomez advertisement, but it was very topical.

Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” is described as the time periods “anthem for heavy metal.” When compared to the music of the other rock bands of that time, I think it is vocals of lead singer Robert Plant that indicates the title of “heavy metal.” The development of “Stairway to Heaven”, particularly the vocals, shows just how versatile and talented Led Zeppelin was musically. For comparison here are songs from The Stones and The Who from the same year of 1971.

 The song by Townes Van Zandt titled “Pancho and Lefty” is rather intriguing. The story has several different perceived meanings including a correlation between Pancho to Jesus and Lefty to Judas. In a live recording, Van Zandt claims to have written the song about “two bandits that he saw on television two weeks after he wrote it.” I suppose musicians of “outsider” music might feel the need to fit the role, authentically or not, as “outsider” themselves.

The text was not exaggerating when it categorized the Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” and punk rock in general as a “back to basic” approach (2014, page 423). “Psycho Killer” does not contain impressive musical abilities in any area of the group and I wonder if part of this song’s success is due to its relationship to the news media sensation Son of Sam killings. Another example of the importance of the lyrics can be found in “Pedro Navaja.” I began listening to the song and reading the description at the same time. The light hearted percussion instruments and ascending trombone harmonies made the song seem delightful. That is until I read that the Spanish lyrics were about a double murder that went unnoticed by other civilians expect for a drunk thief.  Relating to the lyrics of a pop song can be critical to the song’s success.

Starr, L., & Waterman, C. (2014). American popular music: From minstrelsy to MP3 (4th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.