Rock N Roll example essay topic

A History Paper-Rock 'n' Roll Many people and many styles of music influenced Rock and Roll. The styles included Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Bluegrass, Boogie-Woogie, and Rockabilly. Each was a major factor into the introduction of a new style of music called Rock 'N' Roll. Popular music places a premium on accessibility, represents various meanings to boost both instant appeal and memorability - distinctive tunes, novel instrumental flourishes, danceable rhythms, repeated riffs - but its signal feature is melodic emphasis and great vocal gatherings.

Popular music at the turn of the century came largely from musical theater - Broadway and Hollywood. Originally, popularized by traveling groups and sheet music sales, popular music really came into its own with the arrival of radio broadcasting, jukeboxes, 78 r. p. m recordings and other twentieth century technologies which continued into the Fifties. Hits from the first half of the 20th century were supplied by Tin Pin Alley that celebrated the boom years and Roaring Twenties and provided an escape from the Depression and two World Wars. Cole Porter, Hoag y Carmichael, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Jerome Kern left their imprint during 'the Jazz Age. ' However, there were the long-forgotten hacks cashing in on the latest fads spewing out sentimental weepers and cute novelty numbers aimed at the bland tastes of American mainstream.

Jazz and "boogie-woo gie" of the Thirties moved popular music away from the light entertainment of the publishing houses toward a more exciting and dance oriented style that made the swing era a golden age. As the bigger bands died out and the star singers again grabbed the spot light the songwriters again found their services in demand. Without jazz driving it and Americans rebuilding their lives and starting baby booms people were too busy to waste time dancing. Popular music turned back to light sentimental songs and cute novelty music song by polished voices and backed by sweetly generic instrumentals.

The Fifties were a good time to be a white middle class American These years brought an UN-thought of prosperity and confidence to Americans who barely remembered the Great Depression. Popular music of the early fifties mirrored the life of mainstream America: bland predictable and reassuring. Which didn't seem bad after the depression and horrifying war, or at least to those adults who lived through those hard years. These people actually enjoyed Peri Como, Patti Page Doris Day, Teresa Brewer, Rosemary Clooney, Kay Starr, Dean Martin, Connie Francis, Fontaine Sisters, McGuire Sisters, and Lawrence Wilks. Mystery Question. The following is from the book: 'WHAT WAS THE FIRST ROCK 'N' ROLL RECORD?' by Jim Dawson & Steve Proper, by Faber & Faber, 1992, provides a list.

Their following list of early candidates to a question that will always be one of the great and true unknown pieces in the history of Rock 'N' Roll. 1 Jazz at the Philharmonic: Blues, Part 2 (1944) 2 Joe Leggins: The Honey dripper (1945) 3 Helen Humes: Be-Baba-Leb a (1945) 4 Freddie Slack: House Of Blue Lights (1946) 5 Big Boy Crud up: That's All Right (1946) 6 Jack Mcvey: Open The Door, Richard (1946) 7 Lonnie Johnson: Tomorrow Night (1948) 8 Wyn onie Harris: Good Rockin' Tonight (1948) 9 Bill Monroe: We " re Gonna Rock, We " re Gonna Roll (1948) 10 Orioles: It's Too Soon To Know (1948) The Death (or fall) of American Rock and Roll By the late fifties, rock and roll had begun to move away from the raw immediacy of its early stars and become a vehicle for the trite plan of camera friendly faces singing songs about teenage romance. It had barely established itself, yet rock and roll was losing its rebellious edge and drifting into the abyss, becoming nothing more then a catchphrase for teens with a beat. Another unfortunate development was the desegregation that began to take place.

Previously, rock and roll had made tremendous headway in breaking down the barriers between the races. By the end of the decade, this would be a memory, and the industry would regress to business as usual. Several early greats-Pat Boone Debby Reynolds and Tab Hunter all had #1 hits in 1957 with no crossover appeal, while only 'safe' black acts like Johnny Mathis and Sam Cooke had #1 hits, with tame, lukewarm performances. More disturbingly, the influence of R&B had on rock and roll and do wop all but disappear, with Tin Pan Alley and country music becoming the major sources of new material. All was not lost, however, to the most die-hard-rock-and-roll fan had it was disheartening to see rock and roll fall prey to the corporate machinations and manipulated anarchy formula. A Quote This quote was a basic reflection on the death of American Rock 'N' Roll.

' The Darkest Hour Is Just Before the Dawn'Dedicated To the One I Love' by The ShirellesAcross the ocean in Britain things were much different. British youth had followed rock and roll from its beginnings and from a distance that allowed them a clearer view of the music. England was not saturated with around the clock radio. Their exposure came from the few singles shipped from America and limited programming on the government controlled BBC.

This limited availability contributed to an excitement, much like young white Americans had discovered late at night with there radios listening to R&B stations in rock's earliest days. While Americas turned to a lighter pop, such as teen idols and the Twist. The British kept there taste for authentic rock and roll and R&B. A new generation of British bands - the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark 5, Animals, Kinks, etc. began reshaping the music in their own image and make England the rock capital of the world. The British Invasion of 1964 brought America's music - reinvented and revitalized - home, a new generation of rock fans was born.

Rock now entered what is now known as its Classic Era. In conclusion this report has helped us understand the significance of Music in America. Also, the impact it has on music we listen too. Music is very much like a big chain reaction.

Rock 'N' Roll, much like music today, stood out and was in a way rebellious. Parents now hate Rap and we love it. People in the 70's loved Rock 'N' Roll and parents hated it. This shows that maybe no matter how much older people deny it, the time gap and generation gap is not too far apart. Without Rock 'N' Roll the World would without a doubt be changed. Any guess to that of which way would be a good one.

Bibliography

1 Gass, Bryan 'A History of Rock Music: The Rock and Roll Era' World Book. Ed. 6.1994.
2 Jervey, A.J. ' Rock Music Developments' World Book. Ed. 6.1994.
3 Brass, Jake 'A Rock'n Time" Compton's. Ed. 13.1987.
4 Mack, Stacey 'ROCKED AND ROLLIN' TIME to Rock round the Clock Nash Publishing, 1994.