1. Chapter 1 – Roots of Rock Music
“The way to write American music is simple. All you have to do is be an American and then write any kind of music you wish” – Virgil Thomson, composer
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Early American Popular songs
From Britain and other parts of Europe
American National Copyright Act, 1790
Printed sheet music sold for home use
Ragtime (“ragged,” or syncopated rhythms) – 1890s
Scott Joplin ( )
Influence on rhythm and blues piano styles
Tin Pan Alley – 1890s into early 20th century
Simple, easy to remember songs (“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”)
Songs used in Vaudeville shows
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3. Early Jazz in New Orleans
Improvisation used, early roots not known because music not notated, first recorded in 1917
“Hot band” instrumentation:
Front line:
1 trumpet (or cornet)
1 trombone
1 Clarinet
Rhythm section:
banjo and/or guitar
piano
string bass or tuba
drums
Jazz spread north as early as 1908
Bands became larger for use in dance halls, Swing Jazz developed for dancing by 1934
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4. Swine Dance Bands
Played from arrangements Improvisation still used in solos Horn section: 2-4 trumpets 2-4 trombones 2-4 saxophones (clarinets or flutes) Rhythm section: piano string bass (“walking bass” style) drums Male singers as “crooners” influenced late-50’s teen idols
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5. The Blues
Early roots not known because no notation was used Influences from songs by African griot singers, and African American work songs and field hollers “signifying” (double meanings) used in song texts improvisation call-and-response “blue” notes string bending AAB lyric form four-beat bars 12-bar form uneven beat subdivisions
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6. 12-Bar Blues Form
“A” lyric Sung text Instrumental fill C C C C / C C C C / C C C C / C C C C / Sung text Instrumental fill F F F F / F F F F / C C C C / C C C C / “B” lyric Sung text Instrumental fill G7 G7 G7 G7 / F F F F / C C C C / C C C C /
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7. Robert Johnson
King of the Delta Blues: Robert Johnson ( ), singer, songwriter, guitarist Listening Guide: “Cross Road Blues” by R. Johnson (1936) Tempo: 88 beats per minute, 4 beats per bar Form: 12-bar blues played freely with occasional added and missing beats Features: voice and acoustic guitar, and uneven beat subdivisions Lyrics: Images include a lonely black man “flagging a ride,” an illusion to darkness and a curfew, no one stopping, and his failure to connect with a woman.
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8. Classic Blues
Empress of the Blues: Bessie Smith ( ), singer, songwriter Listening Guide: “Lost Your Head Blues” by B. Smith (1926) Tempo: 84 beats per minute, 4 beats per bar Form: 4-bar introduction, 12-bar blues Features: voice with cornet and piano Lyrics: The singer’s lover has deserted her since he “got money” and he has forgotten that she stood by him when he was poor.
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9. The Beginnings of Rock and Roll
Magnetic tape recorders improved recorded sound Overdubbing used Performers lip sync to recordings on television in 1950s Technological developments in 1948, more available by mid-50s: Transistor radios, light and easy to carry 33 1/3 rpm long-playing (LP) records 45 rpm single records Jukeboxes played 45 rpm single records when coins were dropped in Radio stations playing black rhythm and blues Televisions common in homes during the 1950s Alan Freed helped promote r&b on radio and in live concerts
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10. Discussion questions
To what degree did early rock music depend on sociological changes as distinct from technological developments? What were some of those sociological changes and how did they help create and popularize rock music? How might the blues be different if slavery had never existed and African Americans had been welcomed immigrants in the United States?
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