Whats That Sound?

An Introduction to Rock and Its History

Chapter 1
Norton Media Library
Chapter 1: The World Before Rock
and Roll
Elvis Presley on television in 1956
(See Figure 1.1)
Controversy
Grinding hips and suggestive singing on Milton Berles show
Cameras permitted to shoot only from Presleys chest up on
the Ed Sullivan Show
Protest from adult viewers fueled their teenage childrens
interest
Clear indication that rock and roll was specifically intended
for teenagers
Elvis Presley on television in 1956
(continued)
B.Importance of Presleys performance on national television
Instant credibility
Reaction (good and bad) was on a large scale
Immediate exposure to vast segment of American society
II.The world of mainstream pop
before 1955
National versus regional
Early post-nineteenth century American culture was regional
People were conditioned by immediate surroundings
Less travel
Less access to national and world news
II.The world of mainstream pop
before 1955 (continued)
2. Popular music styles were associated with geographic regions

Certain styles of music were popular in certain regions of the
country
People played instruments themselves or went to live
performances
Many Americans could read sheet music or play by ear
3. Rock and roll has roots in three styles of music
Mainstream popular music
Rhythm and blues
Country and western
II.The world of mainstream pop
before 1955 (continued)
B.Emergence of large-scale entertainment media
Radio was only regional until 1928
Developed at the end of the nineteenth century
Originally intended for military and maritime communications
1920: first important broadcasts by KDKA (Pittsburgh) and WWJ
(Detroit)
They broadcast news, local information, and live music
II.The world of mainstream pop
before 1955 (continued)
2. NBC went Coast to Coast in 1928 with a national radio
network
3. 1930s and 1940s were a golden age for motion pictures
Music was an important part of motion pictures
Motion pictures played to audiences across the country
II.The world of mainstream pop
before 1955 (continued)
C.1930s1940s national network programming made some
pop styles more national than others
Target audience was middle class with their appreciation for
certain artists
Bing Crosby
Andrews Sisters
Big Bands
Frank Sinatra
II.The world of mainstream pop
before 1955 (continued)
2. National exposure caused less distinction between among
these styles of mainstream pop
3. Styles that remained regional were country and western and
rhythm and blues
Low-income whites seemed to prefer country and western music
Low-income blacks seemed to prefer rhythm and blues
These styles kept their regional distinctions
III.The rise of radio networks in
the 1920s
High power transmission (Superstations) had a range of
several hundred miles
Federally licensed frequencies
Called clear channels,, they had no local interference
Range could be several states
Some stations set up transmitters in Mexico
Called X stations because their call letters began with the letter X
More powerful that than allowed by U.S. government
Sometimes X stations could be heard from Mexico to Chicago
III.The rise of radio networks in
the 1920s (continued)
C.In 1928 NBC created the first network that spanned the
entire countryCoast to Coast
Used ATT telephone lines to connect local and regional
stations
Participating stations were called Affiliates
Programming originated in a central location (usually New York)
Affiliates also contributed live programming
This concept is still in use in television
This is also the model for talk radio stations
III.The rise of radio networks in
the 1920s (continued)
3. Up until 1945 records were not played on radio
Considered unethicalthat the station was trying to fool the
listeners
Radio was originally all about live performance in real time
Was a positive environment for musiciansmore work for them
Musicians union worked to keep records off the air
III.The rise of radio networks in
the 1920s (continued)
D.Wide spectrum of network shows broadcast during the
1930s and 1940s
Radio plays and Soap operas (continuing serial dramas
sponsored by soap companies)
a. The Guiding Light (began in 1937)
b. Superman
c. The Lone Ranger
d. Amos n Andy (comparable to the success of Seinfeld, M*A*S*H,
or Friends)
III.The rise of radio networks in
the 1920s (continued)
2. The national network audience defined a national popular
culture
Music was always an important part of radio
National exposure could render bestow instant success
IV.Television was introduced in
the late 1940s
Corporate money and interest shifted from radio to
television
RCA (Radio Corporation of America) was a key player
Headed by David Sarnoff
He was the radiotelegraph operator who decoded the Titanic
SOS signal in 1912
Worked his way up to head of the company
He developed the first NBC network in 1928
IV.Television was introduced in
the late 1940s (continued)
C.Television was thought to be more appealing than just
radio
D.Many long long-running radio series moved to television
(see IIID.1.a-d above)
E. Now there were three entertainment concepts that
combined to establish a national pop culture:
Radio
Motion pictures
Television
IV.Television was introduced in
the late 1940s (continued)
F. As television grew, radio audiences diminished
Local and regional radio executives became creatively
entrepreneurial
This new attitude toward survival plays a key role in the
development of regional styles
Country and western music styles
Rhythm and blues music styles
V.Tin Pan Alley and the sheet
music publishing industry
It was an area in New York City with a high concentration
of music publishing companies
First half of twentieth twentieth century, sheet music was the
principal way to sell music
Tin Pan Alleys music publishing companies employed staff
songwriters
They worked on old pianos that seemed to sound like tin pans
V.Tin Pan Alley and the sheet
music publishing industry
(continued)
B.Tin Pan Alley is also used as a term to describe a way of
doing business in popular music
Thousands of songs written by professional songwriters
Irving Berlin
Cole Porter
George and Ira Gershwin
Jerome Kern
V.Tin Pan Alley and the sheet
music publishing industry
(continued)
2. The Tin Pan Alley era focused on marketing the song itself
Was a contrast to rock music, which markets recordings of songs
on record, tape, CD, or MP3
Tin Pan Alley was focused on selling the intellectual property:
words and music
The goal was to get as many different singers as possible to record
the song their own way
The more versions, the more royalties for the songwriter and the
publisher
V.Tin Pan Alley and the sheet
music publishing industry
(continued)
3. Songs were marketed to the public in various ways with the
goal being sheet music sales
Most common: convince performers to include it in their
performance
Song pluggers working for publishers interrupted performances
with their new song
Songs could be included in Broadway shows and motion
picturesespecially musicals
The best guarantee of success was getting a song performed on
national radio
V.Tin Pan Alley and the sheet
music publishing industry
(continued)
4. Radio was dominated by big bands (19351945) and star
singers (19451955)
C.Tin Pan Alley songs followed (with flexibility) several
formal patterns
VI.Tin Pan Alley era formal
structural patterns
Sectional verse-chorus
Sectional verse section sets the mood of the song
Sectional chorus is the main section of the song that is most
recognizable
Irving Berlins White Christmas is best known by its sectional
chorus
Most popular version sung by Bing Crosby
Featured in the movie Holiday Inn that included the entire song.
VI.Tin Pan Alley era formal
structural patterns (continued)
3. Sectional choruses often in a 32-measure pattern called AABA
form
Over the Rainbow sung by Judy Garland in the film Wizard of
Oz
The AABA form is common in rock music
VII.Singers and Big Bands
Tin Pan Alley publishers, singers, and radio networks all
depended upon each other to survive
Big bands were dance bands that included:
Rhythm section of bass, drums, piano, and guitar
Horn sections of trumpets, trombones, and saxophones
VII.Singers and big bands
(continued)
2. Big bands were led by permanent leaders who were
instrumentalists
Benny Goodman
Tommy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
Glenn Miller
3. Singers were merely featured soloistsintended to add some
variety to the act
4. Singers and musicians within the band were temporary and
interchangeable
VII.Singers and big bands
(continued)
B.Bing Crosby (see Performance Box 1.1)
Most important pop singer of 1930s and 1940s
Relaxed crooning style generated a string of hit recordings
Pocket Full of Dreams (1938)
Only Forever (1940)
Swinging on a Star (1944)
White Christmas (1942) and (1945)
VII.Singers and big bands
(continued)
3. Had successful film acting career
In several films he co-starred with Bob Hope
4. Hosted his own radio variety show sponsored by Kraft Foods
C.The Andrews Sisters
Many hit records capitalizing on their harmony vocal
arrangements
Bei Mir bist du Schoen (1938)
Shoo-Shoo Baby (1943)
Rum and Coca Cola (1945)
VII.Singers and big bands
(continued)
D.The Mills Brothers
Like Andrews Sisters, their style was built on harmony vocal
arrangements
Tiger Rag (1931)
Paper Doll (1943)
You Always Hurt the One You Love (1944)
Both groups singing style foreshadowed 1950s doo-wop and
1960s girl groups
VII.Singers and big bands
(continued)
E. Frank Sinatra
Like Bing Crosby, he broke away from being a big band
featured singer and went solo
Sang with Harry James band
Sang with Tommy Dorsey band
Establisted Established the singer as the star of the show,
setting the stage for future rock singers
Elvis Presley
Pat Boone
VII.Singers and big bands
(continued)
3. Went solo in 1943
Became a teen idol based upon good looks and sensual style of
singing
Young girls reacted by swooning and fainting
A great example of his singing style is Ive Got a Crush on You
(1948)
He became one of the most successful singers of pop music
His career as a performer lasted well into the 1980s
VII.Singers and big bands
(continued)
F. Big band era ended at the end of the 1940s due to financial
hardshipstoo costly an enterprise.
G.Tin Pan Alley supplied songs to singers backed by smaller
combo bands until 1955
VIII.Pop music in the early 1950s
Singer is out in front of the musicsolo vocalist with
instrumental background
Wholesome songs are meant for family audience: children,
their parents, and grandparents
Patti Page
How Much Is That Doggie in the Window? (1953)
Tennessee Waltz (1950) was number one for 13 weeks
Eddie Fisher: Oh My Papa (1954)
Tony Bennett Rags to Riches (1953)
VIII.Pop music in the early 1950s
(continued)
4. Johnny Ray Cry (1951) introduced a more emotional style of
singing
5. Les Paul and Mary Ford introduced the solid body electric
guitar to their vocal duo style
Im Sittin on Top of the World (1953)
6. Other female vocal stars reinforced the concept of singer
backed by instrumental accompaniment
Jo Stafford: You Belong to Me (1952)
Kay Starr: Wheel fo of Fortune (1952)
VIII.Pop music in the early 1950s
(continued)
C.This was the sound on the national network airwaves up
through 1955
D.Tin Pan Alley was not ready for rock and roll
The broadcasters, record companies, and publishers were
focused on the pop audience
Rock also included aspects of two other styles that were not
considered important (or lucrative)
Country and western music
Rhythm and blues music
Big music businesses didnt understand these styles
IX.Country and Western Music: two distinct
regional styles until the late 1940s
Country music in 1920s1930s southeast
Nashville became the center for recording this type of music in
late 1940s
Country music was found in southeast and Appalachia
Derived from folk music of the British Isles
Earliest field recordings made by Ralph Peer known as hillbilly
music
He recorded Fiddlin John Carson and Gid Tanner and His
Skillet Lickers
IX.Country and western music: two distinct
regional styles until the late 1940s (continued)
3. The Carter Family exemplify this early regional style
influenced by white gospel music
Maybell: acoustic guitar and vocals
Sarah: autoharp and vocals
A.P.: vocals
Can the Circle Be Unbroken (1935)
4. Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseans
included Included slide guitar in their sound
Slide guitar foreshadowed inclusion of Hawaiian pedal steel in
later country and western music
Great Speckled Bird was a hit for them in 1936
IX.Country and western music: two distinct
regional styles until the late 1940s (continued)
B.Western music in 1920s1930s, California and southwest
Connection with Hollywood movies about cowboys
Gene Autry was the first of the singing cowboy movie stars
Back In in the Saddle Again (1935) was a big hit for him
Roy Rogers was also extremely popular
Patsy Montanas I Want to Be a Cowboys Sweetheart (1935) used
Jimmie Rodgers-style yodeling
IX.Country and western music: two distinct
regional styles until the late 1940s (continued)
C.Western swing
Big band with a cowboy twist
Radio dance band with rhythm section, horns, fiddles, steel
guitar, and Mariachi trumpet parts
Popularized by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys (they were
also in movies)
New San Antonio Rose (1940) is an example of this style
Bing Crosbys 1941 version further popularized the style
IX.Country and western music: two distinct
regional styles until the late 1940s (continued)
D.Jimmie Rodgers: the first country music star
He was to country music what Gene Autry and Roy Rogers
were to western music
Difference being that Autry and Rogers carreers were
enhanced by film appearances
IX.Country and western music: two distinct
regional styles until the late 1940s (continued)
3. Jimmie Rodgerss singing style was imitated by subsequent
country and western singers
Yodeling: Blue Yodel (1927) was covered by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Rodgers was known as The Blue Yodelera rustic back porch
image
Also known as The Singing Brakemana wandering hobo type
of person
This was just marketing, as he was known to perform in fancy
decorative clothing
4. The Jimmie Rodgers image became the model for country and
western artists
X.Superstation broadcasts of
country and western music
Radio stations began broadcasting country music in the
1920s
WSB in Atlanta in 1922 broadcast performances by local artists
Fiddlin John Carson
Git Tanner
WBAP in Ft. Worth
X.Superstation broadcasts of
country and western music
(continued)
3. WSM in Nashville launched the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 and
became a clear channel station in 1932
4. WLS in Chicago broadcast the National Barndance, going
national in 1933 on NBC
5. NBC began a coast-to-coast broadcast of WSMs Grand Ole
Opry in 1939
X.Superstation broadcasts of
country and western music
(continued)
B.Country Music music during WWII
Soldiers stationed together shared music interestsespecially
Country country and Western western music
Country and Western western music became the most popular
style among the Armed Forces
Southerners migrated north after the war to fill factory jobs
therebringing their music with them
XI.Nashville as the headquarters of country and
western music in the postWWII years
Country and Western western music business enterprises
began moving there in the 1940s
Influence largely due to the impact of the Grand Ole Opry show
Acuff-Rose publishing company was a key element
Founded by Roy Acuff and songwriter Fred Rose in 1942
Didnt rely on printed music but rather recorded music
1946 Fred Rose signed Hank Williams as a songwriter
Their 1950 pop hit Tennessee Waltz expanded their financial base
and influence
XI.Nashville as the headquarters of country and
western music in the postWWII years (continued)
B.Hank Williams: the personification of 1950s Country country
and Western western music
1948 began performing on the Louisiana Hayride radio show on
KWKH in Shreveport
First important recording was a Tin Pan Alley song, Lovesick
Blues
Joined the ranks of regulars on the Grand Ole Opry in 1949
XI.Nashville as the headquarters of country and
western music in the postWWII years (continued)
4. Hank Williamss songs and singing style
Extensive vocal inflections sounded like sincere emotional
expressions
Lyrics are direct and simplecommon conversational vocabulary
Autobiographical sounding lyrics and emotional delivery made him
sound believable
XI.Nashville as the headquarters of country and
western music in the postWWII years (continued)
5. Important Hank Williams songs
Lovesick Blues
Your Cheatin Heart
Cold, Cold Heart
Im So Lonesome I Could Cry
Hey, Good Lookin
XI.Nashville as the headquarters of country and
western music in the postWWII years
(continued)
B.Bluegrass music and Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys
Developed by Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys during Post
postWWII period
Bill Monroe: mandolin and high vocal harmony
Robert Chubby Wise: fiddle
Lester Flatt: acoustic guitar and lead vocal
Earl Scruggs: banjo
XI.Nashville as the headquarters of country and
western music in the postWWII years (continued)
2. First performed on the Grand Ole Opry in 1939 gained more
popularity in the late 1940
3. Bluegrass music was used as theme music for television and
movies
The Beverly Hillbillies television show (The Ballad of Jed
Clampett)
Foggy Mountain Breakdown from the film Bonnie and Clyde
Dueling Banjos from the film Deliverance
XI.Nashville as the headquarters of country and
western music in the postWWII years (continued)
4. Virtuosic instrumental aspects of the music overshadow vocals
5. Earl Scruggs developed a new technique called three finger roll
Allowed for much more complex passages
Elevated the banjo to new heights of virtuosic technique
Inspired generations of musicians to follow his example
XII.Blues: rural (delta blues) and
urban (rhythm and blues)
Beginning of the blues
Post PostWWI sheet music by W.C. Handy was sold
nationally
Memphis Blues
St. Louis Blues
Recordings by singer Bessie Smith
Down Hearted Blues
Sold a million copies in 1923
Recorded in New York with finest jazz musicians
XII.Blues: rural (delta blues) and
urban (rhythm and blues)
(continued)
B.Delta (rural) Blues
Robert Johnson
Enormous influence on rock guitarists of the 1960s
Sang and accompanied himself on guitar
Relaxed attitude toward meter and harmonic structure
Extremely emotional vocal style
His Cross Roads Blues (1936) is an excellent example of his style
It was covered by Cream in 1968
XII.Blues: rural (delta blues) and
urban (rhythm and blues)
(continued)
C.Urban Blues
Blues musicians moved to cities and formed combos
Electric guitars
Bass
Drums
Harmonica
They used microphones to amplify the vocals
More organized structure because more than one person was
involved
XII.Blues: rural (delta blues) and
urban (rhythm and blues)
(continued)
2. By the early 1950s Chicago was the center of electric blues
3. Records did not circulate far from the city where they were
recorded
Therefore blues remained much more regional than pop music of
the same time period
This is similar to what happened with country and western music at
the same time
XII.Blues: rural (delta blues) and
urban (rhythm and blues)
(continued)
D.Jump Blues
Louis Jordan and the Tympani Five
Some of his songs became popular on the pop charts
GI Jive (1944)
Caldonia Boogie (1945)
Choo Choo Chboogie (1946)
XII.Blues: rural (delta blues) and
urban (rhythm and blues)
(continued)
2. The Jordan approach to blues
Dance tempos and rhythms found in big band
Reduced instrumentation: rhythm section and his saxophone
Upbeat humorous lyrics and stage antics
Influenced groups like the Coasters and Chuck Berry
XIII.Blues and the music
business
How the radio business works in conjunction with
Commercial radio stations are supported by money from
advertisers
They sponsor programs that are suited to an audience that
would buy the sponsors products
The early 1950s pop audience had shifted from radio to
televisionthis was good
Inventive radio executives tried broadcasting styles of
music other than pop
Country and western music
Blues
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
3. Black audiences grew in urban areas during the 1940s
Creating a market in cities for radio stations playing music that
blacks liked
Creating a market in cities for products that blacks liked
Informing blacks of advertisers that wanted their business
Due to racial segregation in those times, that was helpful
information
4. Because it was broadcast, white listeners (particularly teens)
could hear it too
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
B.Post PostWWII Independent independent Record record
Labelslabels
Independent record labels opened specializing in rhythm and
blues
Sun Records in Memphis
Chess Records in Chicago
King Records in Cincinnatti
Atlantic records in New York City
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
2. Independent record labels were small operations
Not capable of national distribution
Capitalized on major labels lack of interest in black music
Radio capitalized on televisions lack of interest in black music
Radio and independent labels supported each other
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
3. Major labels at the beginning of the 1950s:
Decca
Columbia
Rca-Victor
Mercury
Capitol
MGM
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
C.Gospel music influence
Southern blacks learned to sing in church
Harmony ideas derived from gospel music
Sacred song lyrics sometimes changed into secular black pop
songs
Good example: I Got a Woman by Ray Charles
Caused controversy, considered blasphemous and/or a sell
out
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
D.Chess Records in Chicago
Founded in 1947 by Caucasian blues fans Phil and Leonard
Chess
Low-budget facilities and equipment
Specialized in solo singers backed by small electric bands
Howlin Wolf: Evil (1954)
Muddy Waters: I Just Wanna Make Love to You (1954)
John Lee Hooker
Little Walter
Bo Diddley: Im a Man (1955)
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
4. Rough-edged emotion, expressive vocals, unpolished
production
5. Instrumental accompaniment combined technical skill with
bravura
6. General impression conveyed was simple honesty
7. Adult-oriented lyrics
8. This style of Chicago electric blues was not meant to appeal to
white middle-class tastes
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
E. Atlantic Records Black Pop
Founded in 1948 by (white blues fans) Ahmet Ertegun and
Herb Abramson
Atlantic records songs were more polishedthe singer out
front
Similar approach to the big band style when singers were featured
performers
Incorporated some of the big band harmony, rhythm, and
instrumentation
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
3. Singers were technically more polished
Ruth Brown
Big Joe Turner
Clyde McPhatter
Ray Charles
4. Arrangements were more structured and controlled
5. Less emphasis on instrumental solos
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
F. Doo-Wop: Urban Vocal Music
Began with competing street singers in urban neighborhoods
Couldnt afford instruments so songs were sung a capella
Doo-wop refers to nonsense syllables in the vocal arrangement
Derived harmonic aspects of the music from church singing
Solo singer against vocal group accompaniment
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
6. AABA form derived from Tin Pan Alley style songs
7. Compound meter: beats are divided into three equal parts
instead of two
8. Important groups and songs in this style include:
Chords: Sh-Boom (1954)
The Five Satins: In The the Still of the Night (1956)
XIII.Blues and the music
business (continued)
G.Controversy
White middle-class parents disapproved of their teenage
childrens interest in this music
Disapproval largely due to negative racial stereotypes
Lyrics were often suggestive and sometimes blatent
Hokum blues contained double-entendres
When white artists covered rhythm and blues they cleaned up
the lyrics or topic
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This concludes the Norton Media Library
Slide Set for Chapter 1
Whats That Sound?
An Introduction to Rock and Its History
by
John Covach
W. W. Norton & Company
Independent and Employee-Owned