So I finally got Episode 5 to download on my computer, but it took long enough! I think one of the best quotes in the episode was said right away. Harry Smith said "I would like to see more of you studying the beauty of nature around you." This fits with our class, because a lot of times this kind of relaxed looking around contributes to music. However, I think it fits better with the entire college setting, because often we get so wrapped up un our classes, we forget to just be amazed by the world and decide to learn things about it on our own.
When they talked about the "genuine anguish" expressed in the song "Penny's Farm", because I didn't hear that genuine anguish... I thought it sounded more like someone discussing the difficulties of life that they'd accepted.
In the Cajun Fox Trot, I liked the tune, and wondered what it would sound like on a different instrument... maybe like something we are more used to. I was also struck by the singer's apparant lack of pitch.... or is it supposed to sound like that?
I thought it was interesting how they talked about Harry Smith having too common of a name to become known early in his career-- I guess I never actually considered that a person's name could determine so much.
For awhile it was interesting to hear about how he was heavily into drugs and alcohol, and how he was basically crazy. But the "Harry" stories got overdone... just one or two would have gotten the picture across just fine.
I liked the sound of the Hawaiian Guitar in the song from sounthern Alabama, but it bothered me how the voices didn't match very well. They sang slightly different rhythms, and although they both used slides between notes, they did that at different times.
When they talked about him teaching Epistomology, I really really wanted to sit in on a class of this subject sometime. I think it'd be very interesting.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Line Dancing
So... line dancing. I kinda (really) have a big fear of performing... so I was really nervous (haha like you couldn't tell). But so yeah... thanks to all who participated and at least pretended to be interested--otherwise I would have felt even more dumb. But it was interesting to learn about the dance that accompanied the music that we've been studying, because a lot of times, the dance was the reason for the music. Bascially, I'm just glad it's done.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Episode 4
In episode 4, I found 2 important quotes. One was "My dreams came true... that I saw America changed through music." I found this especially imortant for our class. I think we maybe spend too much time in class focusting on how music changed because of how America changed, rather than how music itself contributed to the changing of America. Because music HAS changed America--from social activities to the world's perception of of.
I also found it important when they said "Music is a way of getting through the tedium of everyday life." How many times have you turned to your favorite music after a long or stressful day? Some of us can't even fall asleep without music playing. Music can be a vehicle for what we need... we can either use the music to express our emotions, or use the music as an escape from what we're feeling.
I laughed during the song "I wish I Were a Mole in the Ground". It was funny that critics can't agree on what it was about.... but it's funnier that critics would actually try to decide what its about. I can't offer an explination, all I have is that I definately wouldn't want to be either a mole in the ground or a lizard in the spring.
This one was harder to listen too, maybe because it was the second hour in a row?
I also found it important when they said "Music is a way of getting through the tedium of everyday life." How many times have you turned to your favorite music after a long or stressful day? Some of us can't even fall asleep without music playing. Music can be a vehicle for what we need... we can either use the music to express our emotions, or use the music as an escape from what we're feeling.
I laughed during the song "I wish I Were a Mole in the Ground". It was funny that critics can't agree on what it was about.... but it's funnier that critics would actually try to decide what its about. I can't offer an explination, all I have is that I definately wouldn't want to be either a mole in the ground or a lizard in the spring.
This one was harder to listen too, maybe because it was the second hour in a row?
Monday, October 23, 2006
Episode 3
Not going to lie-- that took a long time, and parts were really hard to listen to. I was impressed by the variety on there, though.
I couldn't really tell what "Irene" was, it didn't seem either blues or jazz or whatever they were talking about, it was just folky. The song kinda bothered me cause I have a really hard time with repetitive lyrics.
Later we herd the Hammer Song (I don't think thats the real title), and I laughed. It reminded me of a stand-up comody thing Ellen DeGeneres did about how if she had a hammer, she probably wouldn't actually hammer in the morning or in the evening or all over this town. Sorry that was random.
Then there was "Harlem Ray"... the first recorded ragtime. That made me laugh too, because it sounded like something straight from a piano lessons book. Apparantly I was in an odd mood. I was a little suprised that ragtime has been around since 1897, though. So that was interesting.
The poem "The Women Gather" suprised me... it's like early emo. "Most of us love cause we have a need for love, not cause we find someone deserving" That line bothered me... I guess I'm a fan of the "everyone deserves my love till they prove otherwise" idea. Not like I sleep around... but like in a friend-type way, I love people! Also, I like to believe that most of us actually DO find someone we really do love.
I was impressed that he got Martin Luther King Jr's famous "I have a dream" speech. I wonder if it's on of the only recordings of that, or if many people recorded it?
The Jawharp was interesting... not something I'd probably listen to for fun. But it had a cool sound. And I've had "skip to my lou" stuck in my head since I listened to it.
I got excited when they talked about Bob Dylan, cause I've actually listened to him outside of calss, and thats the first time thats happened!
So yeah, this is just a sample of the variety on there and my random thoughts while listening to it.
Oh yeah... the quote I found importanta was " It was important for Mo Ash to record the sounds of the world" I thought that really explained the variety of the album. Also, recording everying in its natural environment gives it a lot more character, and makes it seem more real to us.
Thats all.
I couldn't really tell what "Irene" was, it didn't seem either blues or jazz or whatever they were talking about, it was just folky. The song kinda bothered me cause I have a really hard time with repetitive lyrics.
Later we herd the Hammer Song (I don't think thats the real title), and I laughed. It reminded me of a stand-up comody thing Ellen DeGeneres did about how if she had a hammer, she probably wouldn't actually hammer in the morning or in the evening or all over this town. Sorry that was random.
Then there was "Harlem Ray"... the first recorded ragtime. That made me laugh too, because it sounded like something straight from a piano lessons book. Apparantly I was in an odd mood. I was a little suprised that ragtime has been around since 1897, though. So that was interesting.
The poem "The Women Gather" suprised me... it's like early emo. "Most of us love cause we have a need for love, not cause we find someone deserving" That line bothered me... I guess I'm a fan of the "everyone deserves my love till they prove otherwise" idea. Not like I sleep around... but like in a friend-type way, I love people! Also, I like to believe that most of us actually DO find someone we really do love.
I was impressed that he got Martin Luther King Jr's famous "I have a dream" speech. I wonder if it's on of the only recordings of that, or if many people recorded it?
The Jawharp was interesting... not something I'd probably listen to for fun. But it had a cool sound. And I've had "skip to my lou" stuck in my head since I listened to it.
I got excited when they talked about Bob Dylan, cause I've actually listened to him outside of calss, and thats the first time thats happened!
So yeah, this is just a sample of the variety on there and my random thoughts while listening to it.
Oh yeah... the quote I found importanta was " It was important for Mo Ash to record the sounds of the world" I thought that really explained the variety of the album. Also, recording everying in its natural environment gives it a lot more character, and makes it seem more real to us.
Thats all.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Country of Country- prologue, parts 2+3
So I guess it's time to play a little catch-up as far as the blogging is concerned.
Prologue-
It made me laugh how biased Dawidoff is about Country music. The first thought I had about the book is that it's not very journalistic or scholarly because of his overpowering opinions. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I'm used to reading for classes. Favorite sentence: "Brooks is a pop star masquerading as a country singer, a yuppie with a lariat."(pg 15) I laughed. I think he was a little extreme. He seemed to be saying that his kind of country is the only music that is played with emotion, but if you ask me, all good music is emotion. And sure, some country music is written to be sold, but theres some of that in all music genres. In fact, of the other genres, he probably only knows about the commercialized music, so it would seem to him that all other music if feelingless. He sees the emotion in country because it's what he knows the most about.
Part 2-
(Talking about the Carter Family) "It was straightforward music filled with honest feeling; a template for what would be called country." (pg 59) This bothered me. I'm sure it was an ancestor to country, but for a different reason. Like I said, theres lots of straightforward music with honest feeling. He was also contradictory--he had quotes about how Janette Carter wasn't wrapped up in music (probably not real emotional in her singing then) and how Kitty Wells sang about things that had nothing to do with her life. It's pretty hard to be as emotional as he talks about and not really understand what she's singing about.
Part 3-
I liked reading about the Bluegrass Music. We all kinda know what it sounds like, but it was neat to actually hear why it sounds like that. The fact that they have improvisional solos made me respect it a lot. It's also cool that it hasn't changed much since its beginnings.
The End
Prologue-
It made me laugh how biased Dawidoff is about Country music. The first thought I had about the book is that it's not very journalistic or scholarly because of his overpowering opinions. It's not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I'm used to reading for classes. Favorite sentence: "Brooks is a pop star masquerading as a country singer, a yuppie with a lariat."(pg 15) I laughed. I think he was a little extreme. He seemed to be saying that his kind of country is the only music that is played with emotion, but if you ask me, all good music is emotion. And sure, some country music is written to be sold, but theres some of that in all music genres. In fact, of the other genres, he probably only knows about the commercialized music, so it would seem to him that all other music if feelingless. He sees the emotion in country because it's what he knows the most about.
Part 2-
(Talking about the Carter Family) "It was straightforward music filled with honest feeling; a template for what would be called country." (pg 59) This bothered me. I'm sure it was an ancestor to country, but for a different reason. Like I said, theres lots of straightforward music with honest feeling. He was also contradictory--he had quotes about how Janette Carter wasn't wrapped up in music (probably not real emotional in her singing then) and how Kitty Wells sang about things that had nothing to do with her life. It's pretty hard to be as emotional as he talks about and not really understand what she's singing about.
Part 3-
I liked reading about the Bluegrass Music. We all kinda know what it sounds like, but it was neat to actually hear why it sounds like that. The fact that they have improvisional solos made me respect it a lot. It's also cool that it hasn't changed much since its beginnings.
The End
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