Anna's Popular Music in America Blog

 This week I chose to write about Eagles' "Hotel California". This song is very popular for many reasons. The song is a highlight of the 70s. This song has powerful lyrics and a memorable melody.  The lyrics in this song are very interesting. On the surface, this song seems like it is simply about a good trip to California, however, the lyrics portray nearly the opposite--with darker meanings. There are a few lines that are most powerful for this opposite meaning.  "You can check in any time you like but you can never leave" is one of them. Another powerful line portraying that California might not be the dream everyone envisions is when the line, "This could be heaven or this could be hell". Rest assured, this phrasing was intentional. Another impactful line in the song is when it says, "Some dance to remember, some dance to forget". In the case of this song, "dancing" may actually refer to drinking. The final most impactful line i...

 This week I decided to write about "Takin' a Chance on Love" arranged by Fletcher Henderson and performed by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra.  The first time I listened to this song on its own I observed what I liked about the song without studying it too into depth. First off, I love the introduction of just having the band play for a while. Once the guest singer began I simply danced and got a feel for the music.  The second time I listened to this song I paid more attention to the lyrics and even read the lyrics along with it to more fully appreciate the words written for the song. The song doesn't have singing the entire time but there are a few lyrics. Perhaps my favorite line of the song is when it says, "We'll have our happy ending now taking a chance on love".  The third time I listened to this song today I thought about Goodman's band. I like that the band stayed at a piano enough dynamic that the singer wasn't overpowered when she was ...

 For this week's blog I decided to write about "Sh-Boom" by The Chords. I chose this song because when we were discussing it in class I was pretty sure I had never heard it before, however as soon as it started I realized I did know it. This song perhaps is most well-known for being featured in the Disney/Pixar animated film, Cars .  The first time I listened to this song independently from class I thought about the emotions that the song evokes in the listener. This song is very upbeat and makes the listener want to dance. This song also brings back memories of watching Cars  as a kid and the emotions I used to feel watching it. This movie was never my favorite but I did enjoy it. The second time I listened to the song on my own I focused on the lyrics. Initially, the lyrics in this song can be hard to understand and honestly I think up to this point I could only make out a few lines in the song-not realizing how much of the song was comprised of made-up words. One of th...

  This week I decided to write about Ella Fitzgerald's, "A-Tisket-A-Tasket". When I first heard this song in class I wasn't sure how to feel about it. I wasn't a big fan of her bright tone at first. However, the first time I listened to it today I was a bit more used to it. I think knowing what to expect this time around helped me appreciate it more.  The second time I listened to it I thought about the lyrics. The lyrics aren't very deep or complex al all-but I don't think they were meant to be. It is obvious that this song was meant to be a light-hearted and perhaps even a silly song. The lyrics tell the story of a woman who has lost her yellow basket and is asking around to know if anyone has seen it. While the lyrics don't provide the most ideal ending (we're guessing that the little girl in the song took it and never returned it) it is a fun little tune regardless.  Photo Source: https://jazztimes.com/features/profiles/jazz-singers-ella-fitzge...

  Today I decided to write about the song, "How Deep is the Ocean" by Bing Crosby. I am already familiar with some of Bing Crosby's music so I was excited to analyze this song. The first time I heard the song I tried to listen to the song as a whole by listening to musical aspects as well at the lyrics without overanalyzing it yet. The second time I listened to this song, the first thing I noticed was how slow the introduction tempo was. The contrast that appears sixteen seconds later is dramatic and takes the song from slow and somber to a bit more upbeat. This tempo jumps back and forth from being slower to more upbeat throughout the song.  The final part that I paid special attention to was the lyrics! Crosby asks how deep a woman's love for him is through several metaphors. He asks if her love is as deep as the ocean. He also poses the question of how often he thinks of her in a day. He gives the answer of "How Deep is the Ocean?" implying that his love ...

       Today I decided to write about Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World". The first time I listened to it I simply had it playing in the background to see what impressions it gave me. This song is a classic and on this first listen it made me think of my dad who used to sing this song sometimes when I was little. My dad knows how to sing but I am not a fan of his voice so I remember being annoyed a couple of time when he sang it but I have a deep appreciation for this song now, especially because of the lyrics.      Speaking of lyrics, the second time I listened through, "What a Wonderful World", I paid better attention to those that are in this song. Previously I had never thought about the meaning behind why so much nature is mentioned in the song. Now, especially having the lyrics in front of me I think it holds a lot of meaning. For one, the singer is reflecting on all that he is grateful for in the world and nature is a huge blessing that ...