For our final assignment, I read the chapter titled “Popular Music and Political Culture: The Sixties.” When I think of the sixties, I think of the movies. The movies and the media have defined my impression of what life was like in the 60’s. Even though I was born in the 70’s, I am familiar with many musical groups from the sixties.
Through out all of the readings spanning from the 60’s to the 90’s, I have been intrigued with the connection between history and music. Specifically, how music was used as a political tool. In the 60’s music paralleled the Civil Rights Movement.
“During this period, then, the influence of the Civil Rights movement on rock n’ roll is not apparent in the content of its lyrics but in the ascendancy of black producers and black-owned record labels and in the appearance of black female vocal groups” (Garofalo 153).
These vocal groups were known as “girl groups.” They continued to surface and by 1962, “there were more black artists on the year-end singles charts than any other time in history” (Garofalo 153).
Phil Spector took it upon himself to bring many of these “girls groups” to their peak. According to Tom Wolfe, Spector was the “First Tycoon of Teen” becoming a millionaire before he was 21 (Garofalo 155). I found Tom Wolfe’s quote in our text interesting as I recently took a class on the literary journalism and I imagine that at the time Tom Wolfe interviewed and studied Phil Spector to write The First Tycoon of Teen.
As the “girl groups” began to fade out, Phil Spector continued his efforts with the Righteous Brothers known for their first hit “You Lost That Loving Feeling.” Their musical style took on the term “blue-eyed soul” (Garofalo 156). This was a landmark in the Civil Rights movement as “the color-blindness of the early civil rights movement was reinforced, for here was black-sounding music that was written by whites, produced by whites, performed by whites, and accepted by blacks” (Garofalo 157).
African Americans continued to struggle to make it into the mainstream and it was with this goal in mind that Motown came into the scene. As the “largest black-owned corporation in the United States,” Motown began to make a name for itself. The Supremes were one of the leaders and produced several hits including “Stop! In the Name of Love.”
Folk music also began popular. It was said “In folk circles at the time, there was a fiercely argued, if not terribly relevant, distinction between performers who were ‘authentic’ and those who were ‘commercial’” (Garofalo 163). I found it interesting to know that this was a dilemma in the 60’s and still is today. However, Bob Dylan was the musician who “openly challenged the distinction.”
Simultaneously, the groups from Britain entered the charts. This was known as the British Invasion. The Beatles were the leaders of this movement. They began in 1964, shortly after John F. Kennedy’s assassination. “It is noteworthy that in the six months between Kennedy’s assassination and the passage of the Civil Rights act of 1964, the Beatles’ upbeat sound captured the cultural life of the nation” (Garofalo 166). The Beatles quickly became a phenomenon. “In 1964 alone, they charted thirty songs and released six best selling albums” (Garofalo 167). I was surprised to learn that many of their songs were remakes and many were originally by African American artists. “Their motivation in covering so many African American hits was less to cash in on black culture than to pay tribute to their musical heroes” (Garofalo 168).
Other groups like The Animals, The Byrds, Simon and Garfunkel, and Sonny and Cher appeared in the music limelight. Their new genre of music became know as folk-rock. “Folk rock thus brought not only the poetic leanings but also the predominately left-wing political inclinations of folk music to a mainstream audience” (Garofalo 176).
This all was leading up to what I have always considered the 60’s - the 60’s that was depicted in movies like Forrest Gump. The “counterculture” or the “hippies” that wanted to make a statement of peace and love. The Grateful Dead were leaders in this movement, and “the one unifying element that held this myriad of forces together was the widespread use of mind-expanding drugs” (Garofalo 181). The Grateful Dead’s first organized “Trip Festival was chronicled by Tom Wolfe in The Electic Kool-Aid Acid Test” (Garofalo 182). I only have read a section from Wolfe’s non-fiction novel, but it is a fascinating depiction of his experience on a road trip with a group of hippies. He documents the trip and pretends to be part of their circle for his piece.
As the 60’s progress, many of the groups became more reliant on drugs and they have thousands of followers for their music. Some of the leaders are the Beatles, The Doors, and Janis Joplin. They along with several others appeared at Woodstock, which drew a crowd of 400, 000 people for a three-day concert.
Following Woodstock, the Rolling Stones hosted Altamont, a free concert, to conclude their tour. “The violence at Altamont reflected the deterioration of political movements and served notice of the counterculture’s impending demise” (Garofalo 198).
I mentioned Forrest Gump earlier, and I now can look at the back cover and recognize most of the artists. This chapter provided me with many names to connect with music that I already know. When I think about Forrest Gump, I think about how the soundtrack defines that time. It creates an identity of that period in history, through all the ups and down of war and political unrest.
Am I defined by the music I grew up listening to? How does our current music define our time in history? These questions prompted some general assignment ideas:
Assignment 1
Pick a currently popular song that you feel has a political message. Listen to the song several times. What is the political message? How does this message depict our recent history?
OR
Pick a song from the 1960’s that has been remade. Think about the meaning of the song in the 60’s. What do you think the message was? Now consider how the same message is relevant to our recent history.
Assignment 2
I would imagine that many of your parents grew up in the 60’s. Interview your parents or someone you know about their memories of the sixties.
• Write about their experience
• Was their experience similar to what you had envisioned from the movies?
• Explain some of the similarities and differences.
• Does this music define them? Explain.
• How does your music define you? Explain.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Music Review
http://media.photobucket.com/image/natasha%20bedingfield%20unwritten/rayfontofall/albums%25202/Natasha_Bedingfield_Unwritten.jpg
What do we look for in a good song? We look for a connection. In Natasha Bedingfield’s 2004 release of Unwritten, we can connect. This song not only has a catchy beat, it has profound message. A message that both young and old can identify with.
When the song begins, her first verse explains that life is “unwritten and undefined.”
She uses key phrases like “staring at the blank page before me…” and “reaching for something in the distance so close you can almost taste it, release your inhibition,” which immediately provide an attitude of “the sky is the limit.” The slate is blank and we can write our own story.
As she embarks upon the second verse, her lyrics continue to speak to us. She goes further to talk about needing to “break tradition” and “make mistakes” – both valuable life lessons.
Immediately these messages are intensified in the chorus:
“Feel the rain on your skin…no one else can feel it for you…only you can let it in…no one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips…today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.”
The chorus instantaneously becomes more upbeat and again she captures the attention of her listeners with a sign of hope. It is clear that it is up to us to write our book or live our life because it is “unwritten.”
Our youth can especially relate to this song. It was featured in the teen movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. A movie about four young girls making their way though life.
In a culture where youth are under so much pressure to "fit in" and be “popular” we need more artists who provide pure songs our youth can relate to as well as more songs that couple a meaningful message with a hit song.
Assignment 1
We all connect to different music. Find an appropriate popular song that personally connects to you.
In your journal, respond to the following questions:
• What does the song means to you personally?
• What emotion does the song evokes in you?
• What specific lyric speak to you (quote them)?
• What is the message or theme of the song?
Be specific and use strong word choice and precise examples.
Assignment 2
As Natasha Bedingfield’s song “Unwritten” was used in the movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants to strengthen its message, most movies have songs that are used to enhance their plot. Today you get to choose the songs to be used in the movie production of one of the books you read this year.
• Choose a book that we read as a class this school year.
• Consider the message of the book and the different high points, action points, etc.
• Compile a soundtrack for this book
• You should chose several appropriate songs that capture the plot of the book (make sure all of your songs are appropriate).
• Create an outline that details the plotline of the book.
• At each point in the plotline, insert a song that you feel would appropriately accompany that specific scene.
• Make sure to write a detailed description of each scene, the song that will be inserted into each scene, and a short rationale as to why you feel the song works in this specific location.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Celebrity Influence
Analyzing the idea of celebrity is not something I have spent much time doing. I know that celebrities influence us as a society, but that is the extent of my analysis. The article “The Promotion and Presentation of the Self: Celebrity as a Marker of Presentational Media” in the journal Celebrity Studies definitely shed a new light on the subject of celebrity.
I want to consider Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus as my celebrity. I have a 10 and 8 year old who absolutely adore Hannah Montana. They love her show, they love her music, they love her videos, and they loved her movie. They have grown up over the last several years considering themselves “in style” in terms of how they dress and fix their hair. Is there a connection? According to Marshall, “Celebrity taught generations how to engage and use consumer culture to ‘make’ oneself” (36).
Hannah Montana has a television show in which she is a normal teenager with a big secret. She is Hannah Montana, the rock star. Only one of her friends is aware of her secret. In the series, she is a celebrity playing another celebrity. Hannah Montana is broadcast on the wholesome Disney Channel. It is a family show with good moral messages. Montana is always making a wrong choice and then realizing that she has made the wrong choice and correcting it. Many times her wrong choice is to protect her brother or her friend.
I became aware of the power celebrity when Hannah Montana: The Movie was released. The premise of the movie was that Hannah Montana had to make the decision to reveal her secret and permanently become her true self, Miley Cyrus. She was concerned that she would disappoint her fans. My daughter in all sincerity thought that she was making a life changing decision on the big screen. It broke my heart to inform her of the reality of the situation – she is a celebrity making a living.
The celebrity image of Hannah Montana is aimed at young girls between the ages of 8 and 14. Initially, Miley Cyrus portrayed a similar image. Hannah and Miley captured the hearts of youth in Hannah Montana: The Movie with heartfelt songs like “Butterfly Fly Away”. Additionally, their music proved to be character building with songs like “Nobody’s Perfect” and “The Climb”, which was the culminating moment in the movie when she was embracing her Miley Cyrus character and leaving Hannah Montana behind.
In contrast to the pure celebrity image of Hannah Montana and the initial image created for Miley Cyrus, the most recent image of Miley Cyrus creates a dichotomy to her predecessor. Cyrus as a performer has evolved to a more mature young adult audience. She recently starred in her first young adult movie The Last Song. Additionally, her music has become increasingly inappropriate for her initial audience. For example, my daughter automatically thinks that if Miley Cyrus is in a new movie, she will go see it. She also assumes that if Cyrus has a new song released, she will download it. However, Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA” and “Fly on the Wall” videos are not aimed towards my daughter. Cyrus has transformed her image.
As I continue to consider celebrity, I realize that I always consider a celebrities influence on society overall, but I never think about how the celebrity establishes their image. According to Marshall, “Celebrities presented themselves in their cultural forms as performers, but they also were presented in interview structures and in celebrity gossip setting” (42). The concept of celebrities having a personal, professional, and performer persona on-line is something that I had never considered. To learn that celebrities have their publishers post their Twitter and Facebook messages and “are allowing themselves to expose their lives further in order to gain a following and an audience” is definitely a powerful way for them to connect with their fans.
However, as we continue to be influenced by celebrity in our society, we (as fans) will “continue to strip away the veneers of performance and publicity to find these true versions of celebrities…” (44).
Lessons in Celebrity
Students in today’s society are constantly inundated with the power of celebrity and the images that go along with these current celebrities. I want my students to consider what image is and how our definition of image affects their lives as young adults.
Day 1
What is Image?
• I will show the video “It’s my Party”
• After viewing the video, the students will write for five minutes about their impression of the image of Leslie Gore.
• Next, we will watch “Party in the USA.” Again, the students will write for five minutes about their impression of Miley Cyrus.
• They will get into groups to compare and contrast what they have observed. I will have them create a list of the three observations they want to share out to the whole class.
• We will end with a group share of the observations.
Day 2
Who determines image?
• I will provide them with several pictures of different people and have them try to guess what kind of people they are. Are they a healthy person? Are they a CEO? I want them to be judgmental based on appearance. I will then reveal the answers, which will be surprising.
• I will ask them if they know who Marilyn Monroe is. I hope get responses like a model, actress, singer, etc. I will have them guess what size they think she wore (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12).
• I will them have them guess the average size of a celebrity today.
• I will reveal Marilyn Monroe’s size in contrast to a celebrity today.
• I will ask them to create a list of the different influences that they think define image.
• Lastly, I will have them consider how image affects their own life.
I want to consider Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus as my celebrity. I have a 10 and 8 year old who absolutely adore Hannah Montana. They love her show, they love her music, they love her videos, and they loved her movie. They have grown up over the last several years considering themselves “in style” in terms of how they dress and fix their hair. Is there a connection? According to Marshall, “Celebrity taught generations how to engage and use consumer culture to ‘make’ oneself” (36).
Hannah Montana has a television show in which she is a normal teenager with a big secret. She is Hannah Montana, the rock star. Only one of her friends is aware of her secret. In the series, she is a celebrity playing another celebrity. Hannah Montana is broadcast on the wholesome Disney Channel. It is a family show with good moral messages. Montana is always making a wrong choice and then realizing that she has made the wrong choice and correcting it. Many times her wrong choice is to protect her brother or her friend.
I became aware of the power celebrity when Hannah Montana: The Movie was released. The premise of the movie was that Hannah Montana had to make the decision to reveal her secret and permanently become her true self, Miley Cyrus. She was concerned that she would disappoint her fans. My daughter in all sincerity thought that she was making a life changing decision on the big screen. It broke my heart to inform her of the reality of the situation – she is a celebrity making a living.
The celebrity image of Hannah Montana is aimed at young girls between the ages of 8 and 14. Initially, Miley Cyrus portrayed a similar image. Hannah and Miley captured the hearts of youth in Hannah Montana: The Movie with heartfelt songs like “Butterfly Fly Away”. Additionally, their music proved to be character building with songs like “Nobody’s Perfect” and “The Climb”, which was the culminating moment in the movie when she was embracing her Miley Cyrus character and leaving Hannah Montana behind.
In contrast to the pure celebrity image of Hannah Montana and the initial image created for Miley Cyrus, the most recent image of Miley Cyrus creates a dichotomy to her predecessor. Cyrus as a performer has evolved to a more mature young adult audience. She recently starred in her first young adult movie The Last Song. Additionally, her music has become increasingly inappropriate for her initial audience. For example, my daughter automatically thinks that if Miley Cyrus is in a new movie, she will go see it. She also assumes that if Cyrus has a new song released, she will download it. However, Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA” and “Fly on the Wall” videos are not aimed towards my daughter. Cyrus has transformed her image.
As I continue to consider celebrity, I realize that I always consider a celebrities influence on society overall, but I never think about how the celebrity establishes their image. According to Marshall, “Celebrities presented themselves in their cultural forms as performers, but they also were presented in interview structures and in celebrity gossip setting” (42). The concept of celebrities having a personal, professional, and performer persona on-line is something that I had never considered. To learn that celebrities have their publishers post their Twitter and Facebook messages and “are allowing themselves to expose their lives further in order to gain a following and an audience” is definitely a powerful way for them to connect with their fans.
However, as we continue to be influenced by celebrity in our society, we (as fans) will “continue to strip away the veneers of performance and publicity to find these true versions of celebrities…” (44).
Lessons in Celebrity
Students in today’s society are constantly inundated with the power of celebrity and the images that go along with these current celebrities. I want my students to consider what image is and how our definition of image affects their lives as young adults.
Day 1
What is Image?
• I will show the video “It’s my Party”
• After viewing the video, the students will write for five minutes about their impression of the image of Leslie Gore.
• Next, we will watch “Party in the USA.” Again, the students will write for five minutes about their impression of Miley Cyrus.
• They will get into groups to compare and contrast what they have observed. I will have them create a list of the three observations they want to share out to the whole class.
• We will end with a group share of the observations.
Day 2
Who determines image?
• I will provide them with several pictures of different people and have them try to guess what kind of people they are. Are they a healthy person? Are they a CEO? I want them to be judgmental based on appearance. I will then reveal the answers, which will be surprising.
• I will ask them if they know who Marilyn Monroe is. I hope get responses like a model, actress, singer, etc. I will have them guess what size they think she wore (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12).
• I will them have them guess the average size of a celebrity today.
• I will reveal Marilyn Monroe’s size in contrast to a celebrity today.
• I will ask them to create a list of the different influences that they think define image.
• Lastly, I will have them consider how image affects their own life.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Censorship
The American Heritage Dictionary defines censorship as “the act, process, or policy of censorship. They define censor as “a person authorized to examine literature, plays, or other material and who may remove or suppress what he sees as morally or otherwise objectionable.”
The American Heritage Dictionary. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1982.
This definition forced me to consider who exactly is “authorized” to censor material. It also posed the question of what should be censored. After listening to “Suicide Solution,” I started thinking about our last assignment on authentic music. I realized that I often am not aware of the lyrics to a song, but I enjoy the beat. However, a young impressionable teen is a completely different story. What if the teen considers Ozzy Osbourne to be authentic music? What if they are connecting with the artist as one? Are they then vulnerable to acting out the message (in this case suicide)?
I find that I have a different opinion on the topic of censorship depending which hat I am wearing. Am I the teacher? Am I the parent? Am I an adult taking a popular culture class? Am I a record company trying to promote my product? Am I the artist sharing my message?
With these thoughts in mind, I decided to consider the following lesson to introduce and address the issue a censorship in my classroom.
Day 1
What is censorship? I wouldn’t provide a definition until my students had the opportunity to ponder this question.
• I will have the question on the board and ask them to come in and think of one word that comes to mind when they are asked “What is censorship?"
• I will give them 1-2 minutes to come up with their one word. After everyone has their word, they will go around and quickly share their words.
• Once they are done I will have them write a few paragraphs explaining in more detail what they think censorship is and how they think it is used. I also will have them consider how different forms of censorship affect their lives.
• I will put them in groups to read and discuss their paragraphs. They will each need to highlight one thought or idea that they want to share with the class.
• After they share in a group, I will bring them back together and have them share with the whole class. Each group will send a member up to add something to the list on the board.
• After we compile a list of our ideas on what we think censorship is, I will provide them with the official dictionary definition.
Day 2
• I will provide them with two articles: one for the censorship and one against the censorship of music, videos, literature, etc.
• I will put them in groups and divide each article into sections. They will be responsible to read and summarize their section for the group. This will allow them to begin to become familiar with both articles.
• I will then ask them to think about what their personal position is on the censorship of music, literature, videos, etc.
• Their assignment will be to write a one page rational on their stance using the articles as support.
Day 3
Now that they have defined and read about censorship, I want then to consider this topic from different points of view. To achieve this I will have them participate in an on-line role-play.
• I will assign them a role to adopt for this on-line role-play. They will either be a junior high student, a parent of a junior high parent, a teacher in a junior high classroom, a school principal, a rock star marketing their music to youth, a record company promoting a product, or (since I teach in a Catholic school) a priest. If they have another perspective that I have missed, they will be able to talk to me and have it approved.
• I will post a collection of links that they can access to use as support in their role-play. They also will be expected to use the two articles that they read in class the previous day.
• Their first assignment will be to introduce themselves in their role. They will provide a one-page introduction of who their character is, what their character's background is, and how their character is affected by censorship. They need to become their fictional character and be creative.
• To help organize their discussion, I will provide different forum questions that they can go to and respond. They will be required to respond to a certain number of their classmates’ posts and they will be required to use the articles and links provided to support their stance.
I participated in something similar to this in one of my U of M classes and it was an effective activity. I think that the students are all heard in this type of debate. Additionally, they learn how to effectively use the facts they have found to back up their opinions. This would be a great topic to use for my persuasion unit. The role-play could be used as a pre-writing activity that could then be followed up with a persuasive essay or speech.
The American Heritage Dictionary. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1982.
This definition forced me to consider who exactly is “authorized” to censor material. It also posed the question of what should be censored. After listening to “Suicide Solution,” I started thinking about our last assignment on authentic music. I realized that I often am not aware of the lyrics to a song, but I enjoy the beat. However, a young impressionable teen is a completely different story. What if the teen considers Ozzy Osbourne to be authentic music? What if they are connecting with the artist as one? Are they then vulnerable to acting out the message (in this case suicide)?
I find that I have a different opinion on the topic of censorship depending which hat I am wearing. Am I the teacher? Am I the parent? Am I an adult taking a popular culture class? Am I a record company trying to promote my product? Am I the artist sharing my message?
With these thoughts in mind, I decided to consider the following lesson to introduce and address the issue a censorship in my classroom.
Day 1
What is censorship? I wouldn’t provide a definition until my students had the opportunity to ponder this question.
• I will have the question on the board and ask them to come in and think of one word that comes to mind when they are asked “What is censorship?"
• I will give them 1-2 minutes to come up with their one word. After everyone has their word, they will go around and quickly share their words.
• Once they are done I will have them write a few paragraphs explaining in more detail what they think censorship is and how they think it is used. I also will have them consider how different forms of censorship affect their lives.
• I will put them in groups to read and discuss their paragraphs. They will each need to highlight one thought or idea that they want to share with the class.
• After they share in a group, I will bring them back together and have them share with the whole class. Each group will send a member up to add something to the list on the board.
• After we compile a list of our ideas on what we think censorship is, I will provide them with the official dictionary definition.
Day 2
• I will provide them with two articles: one for the censorship and one against the censorship of music, videos, literature, etc.
• I will put them in groups and divide each article into sections. They will be responsible to read and summarize their section for the group. This will allow them to begin to become familiar with both articles.
• I will then ask them to think about what their personal position is on the censorship of music, literature, videos, etc.
• Their assignment will be to write a one page rational on their stance using the articles as support.
Day 3
Now that they have defined and read about censorship, I want then to consider this topic from different points of view. To achieve this I will have them participate in an on-line role-play.
• I will assign them a role to adopt for this on-line role-play. They will either be a junior high student, a parent of a junior high parent, a teacher in a junior high classroom, a school principal, a rock star marketing their music to youth, a record company promoting a product, or (since I teach in a Catholic school) a priest. If they have another perspective that I have missed, they will be able to talk to me and have it approved.
• I will post a collection of links that they can access to use as support in their role-play. They also will be expected to use the two articles that they read in class the previous day.
• Their first assignment will be to introduce themselves in their role. They will provide a one-page introduction of who their character is, what their character's background is, and how their character is affected by censorship. They need to become their fictional character and be creative.
• To help organize their discussion, I will provide different forum questions that they can go to and respond. They will be required to respond to a certain number of their classmates’ posts and they will be required to use the articles and links provided to support their stance.
I participated in something similar to this in one of my U of M classes and it was an effective activity. I think that the students are all heard in this type of debate. Additionally, they learn how to effectively use the facts they have found to back up their opinions. This would be a great topic to use for my persuasion unit. The role-play could be used as a pre-writing activity that could then be followed up with a persuasive essay or speech.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What is authentic music?
After completing the readings, I have concluded that authenticity is a compilation of many factors. Artists being true to themselves, staying out of the mainstream, identifying who they are, connecting with their audience, and representing their culture or background is essentially, what makes them authentic.
In the article by Kembrew McLeod, he considers authenticity of hip-hop music in six different categories. Even though they don’t transfer over completely to other music genres, they do give us a clearer understanding of authenticity. The categories are as follows:
• Social psychological
• Racial
• Political-economic
• Gender-sexual
• Social locational
• Cultural
In most genres of music, artists meet the social psychological category of “staying true to yourself” or “representing who you are in actuality to the best of your ability” (McLeod, 140). Most musicians perform what they love with lyrics that speak from their heart. I find this parallel to the “voice” of a story. A reader can recognize an author by their voice just as we can recognize a musical artist by their style. For example, Miley Cyrus connects with her audience and passionately provides different messages through her lyrics that seem to resonate with her.
Another category that affects all genres of music is the political-economic category. According to McLeod, an artist is considered authentic if they stay away from the mainstream and avoid the commercial influence of MTV and radio. Ideally, these authentic groups would perform “underground” in local clubs, etc. However, many successful artists become victims of the commercial elements and are still are considered authentic. Dyer concludes that “it is not enough that the star is real; he or she must “act realness” (Pattie, 3). Therefore, it seems that the artist can maintain their authenticity if they remain true to themselves even once they become a mainstream artist.
Authenticity was also measured by social location and cultural influences. In terms of hip-hop music, this was considered being true to the "streets" and your roots. However, this can be applied to other genres of music as well. According to McLeod, “Constructions of authenticity center around, among other things, an acknowledgment of rich cultural heritage, a close connection to its audience, and a genuine expression of one’s inner feelings” (147). An example would be a country singer, who connects with their audience emotionally and carries their country connections close to their being. I will reference Miley Cyrus again. Her background and upbringing was as a “country girl” and her music captures that authentically.
It seems that when we consider the best music versus the most authentic music, we are faced with who defines “best” and who defines “authentic.” However, I think that these two go hand in hand.
According to Pattie, authenticity is reached when the audience and the performer share an experience together that is not repeatable. The connection between the audience and the performance is “real.” They are both engaged in the experience. Jon Savage reiterates, “This moment of transformation, where the boundary between the performer and the audience no longer seem to exist, is the goal of any successful rock performance” (Patti, 8).
Therefore, it seems obvious that each person connects with a specific genre of music that they experience authentically because they “invest in their own meaning, while still engaging in a shared experience of the performance” (Pattie, 10). Whether, they were at Woodstock, the Country Music Festival, or Lollapalooza. This authentic experience is completely individual.
When considering a group that I would rank as authentic, I tend to consider the longevity as well. It seems that if a groups sustains popularity across generations, they are more authentic. To mention a few: Abba, The Beatles, U2. I would consider these authentic groups, but I cannot prove that because, as I stated above, the connection that one person experiences is completely their own. However, I absolutely do not enjoy country music, yet I would probably agree that there are authentic groups out there even if I haven’t experienced the connection to their music.
The concept of authenticity was something I never related to music. When I initially started contemplating what I thought made something authentic, I immediately considered the longevity of the artist. However, as I completed the readings, I realized that I was totally on a different page. I kept this in mind as I considered a lesson I could do in the classroom to initiate the discussion of authenticity among our celebrities and musician.
I would first define authenticity.
• In the middle of a poster board, they would write “authenticity” and then in different colors write what initially comes to their minds.
• After each group has brainstormed, I would have them agree on one definition to present to the class.
• Once the class agrees on a definition, I would play several songs from different genres of music and have them decide whether they consider the groups/song to be authentic.
• I would again have them get in groups and discuss why or why not they considered each group authentic or not.
• I would then provide them with some of the evidence that was presented in the articles we read to help identify authenticity and then I would have them reconsider their decision from above.
I would follow that lesson up with the opportunity for them to find what they consider “authentic music” and then have them respond to questions proving the group/songs authenticity.
• I would have them provide a pod cast of their song and their rationale regarding the authenticity of the group/song. They would have to convince us that it was authentic. They would have to explain why they think so, consider if the media has played a role in their decision, etc.
• I also think it would be beneficial for them to discuss their thoughts with others, so I may have them each listen to and respond to two other students.
In the article by Kembrew McLeod, he considers authenticity of hip-hop music in six different categories. Even though they don’t transfer over completely to other music genres, they do give us a clearer understanding of authenticity. The categories are as follows:
• Social psychological
• Racial
• Political-economic
• Gender-sexual
• Social locational
• Cultural
In most genres of music, artists meet the social psychological category of “staying true to yourself” or “representing who you are in actuality to the best of your ability” (McLeod, 140). Most musicians perform what they love with lyrics that speak from their heart. I find this parallel to the “voice” of a story. A reader can recognize an author by their voice just as we can recognize a musical artist by their style. For example, Miley Cyrus connects with her audience and passionately provides different messages through her lyrics that seem to resonate with her.
Another category that affects all genres of music is the political-economic category. According to McLeod, an artist is considered authentic if they stay away from the mainstream and avoid the commercial influence of MTV and radio. Ideally, these authentic groups would perform “underground” in local clubs, etc. However, many successful artists become victims of the commercial elements and are still are considered authentic. Dyer concludes that “it is not enough that the star is real; he or she must “act realness” (Pattie, 3). Therefore, it seems that the artist can maintain their authenticity if they remain true to themselves even once they become a mainstream artist.
Authenticity was also measured by social location and cultural influences. In terms of hip-hop music, this was considered being true to the "streets" and your roots. However, this can be applied to other genres of music as well. According to McLeod, “Constructions of authenticity center around, among other things, an acknowledgment of rich cultural heritage, a close connection to its audience, and a genuine expression of one’s inner feelings” (147). An example would be a country singer, who connects with their audience emotionally and carries their country connections close to their being. I will reference Miley Cyrus again. Her background and upbringing was as a “country girl” and her music captures that authentically.
It seems that when we consider the best music versus the most authentic music, we are faced with who defines “best” and who defines “authentic.” However, I think that these two go hand in hand.
According to Pattie, authenticity is reached when the audience and the performer share an experience together that is not repeatable. The connection between the audience and the performance is “real.” They are both engaged in the experience. Jon Savage reiterates, “This moment of transformation, where the boundary between the performer and the audience no longer seem to exist, is the goal of any successful rock performance” (Patti, 8).
Therefore, it seems obvious that each person connects with a specific genre of music that they experience authentically because they “invest in their own meaning, while still engaging in a shared experience of the performance” (Pattie, 10). Whether, they were at Woodstock, the Country Music Festival, or Lollapalooza. This authentic experience is completely individual.
When considering a group that I would rank as authentic, I tend to consider the longevity as well. It seems that if a groups sustains popularity across generations, they are more authentic. To mention a few: Abba, The Beatles, U2. I would consider these authentic groups, but I cannot prove that because, as I stated above, the connection that one person experiences is completely their own. However, I absolutely do not enjoy country music, yet I would probably agree that there are authentic groups out there even if I haven’t experienced the connection to their music.
The concept of authenticity was something I never related to music. When I initially started contemplating what I thought made something authentic, I immediately considered the longevity of the artist. However, as I completed the readings, I realized that I was totally on a different page. I kept this in mind as I considered a lesson I could do in the classroom to initiate the discussion of authenticity among our celebrities and musician.
I would first define authenticity.
• In the middle of a poster board, they would write “authenticity” and then in different colors write what initially comes to their minds.
• After each group has brainstormed, I would have them agree on one definition to present to the class.
• Once the class agrees on a definition, I would play several songs from different genres of music and have them decide whether they consider the groups/song to be authentic.
• I would again have them get in groups and discuss why or why not they considered each group authentic or not.
• I would then provide them with some of the evidence that was presented in the articles we read to help identify authenticity and then I would have them reconsider their decision from above.
I would follow that lesson up with the opportunity for them to find what they consider “authentic music” and then have them respond to questions proving the group/songs authenticity.
• I would have them provide a pod cast of their song and their rationale regarding the authenticity of the group/song. They would have to convince us that it was authentic. They would have to explain why they think so, consider if the media has played a role in their decision, etc.
• I also think it would be beneficial for them to discuss their thoughts with others, so I may have them each listen to and respond to two other students.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Potential Lessons to Bring Popular Music into the Classroom
After completing all of the readings, I felt drawn to incorporating popular music into my classroom to explore history through literature. I teach To Kill a Mockingbird and thought I would start with trying to find ideas specific to this novel. I found a website called Lit Tunes, which seems to focus on popular music in regards to literature and writing. This site had several great lessons and one was specifically for To Kill a Mockingbird.
http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp019_text/grnbklp_prnt.pdf
It addressed four specific themes that are prevalent in the novel: social inequality, political inequality, moral character, and the loss of childhood innocence. A list of songs for each of the themes was provided to be incorporated in the classroom. Students could be divided into groups to listen to various songs and then determine which theme of the novel their song aligned with. Additionally, they could determine the connection that song had with the novel. There were four different approaches to implementing this lesson into the classroom.
As I continued to look at this site, I come across several other lessons that would be potential options to use in incorporating popular music into the classroom. One was to create “The Soundtrack of Your Life”http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp01_soundtrack.html.
This lesson was to identify eight significant moments in your life and find music that corresponds to these different events. The result would be a personal narrative with a sound track. It was also suggested to create a soundtrack for a novel. Both would have to be monitored for school-appropriate songs.
The last lesson that I thought looked interesting was using popular music lyrics to identify literary terms http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp06_litterm.html. This lesson had specific examples of popular music that students had to listen to while trying to identify literary terms. The focus was on poetry and figurative language. Students then had the opportunity to find music with further examples of the different literary terms.
I was very impressed with this website and felt that it had a lot of valuable material to help incorporate popular music into the classroom. For me, the hardest part of incorporating popular music is finding popular music that has the message I want to connect to specific literature or writing. I found the song lists to be very helpful in this process.
http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp019_text/grnbklp_prnt.pdf
It addressed four specific themes that are prevalent in the novel: social inequality, political inequality, moral character, and the loss of childhood innocence. A list of songs for each of the themes was provided to be incorporated in the classroom. Students could be divided into groups to listen to various songs and then determine which theme of the novel their song aligned with. Additionally, they could determine the connection that song had with the novel. There were four different approaches to implementing this lesson into the classroom.
As I continued to look at this site, I come across several other lessons that would be potential options to use in incorporating popular music into the classroom. One was to create “The Soundtrack of Your Life”http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp01_soundtrack.html.
This lesson was to identify eight significant moments in your life and find music that corresponds to these different events. The result would be a personal narrative with a sound track. It was also suggested to create a soundtrack for a novel. Both would have to be monitored for school-appropriate songs.
The last lesson that I thought looked interesting was using popular music lyrics to identify literary terms http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_lp019/lp06_litterm.html. This lesson had specific examples of popular music that students had to listen to while trying to identify literary terms. The focus was on poetry and figurative language. Students then had the opportunity to find music with further examples of the different literary terms.
I was very impressed with this website and felt that it had a lot of valuable material to help incorporate popular music into the classroom. For me, the hardest part of incorporating popular music is finding popular music that has the message I want to connect to specific literature or writing. I found the song lists to be very helpful in this process.
Research on Teaching Popular Music in the Classroom
I found several articles to that could prove to be helpful resources when it comes to incorporating popular music in to the classroom. I initially searched for ways to use popular music in the classroom. Then I narrowed my search to using popular music teach English. However, the majority of the articles that surfaced were regarding teaching English as a language. There were a few that focused on teaching grammar as well. I then changed my search to using popular music to teach literature. This resulted in a few strong sites as well.
Popular Music in the Classroom: Teaching Race, Class, and Gender with Popular Culture by Theresa A. Martinez
http://www.jstor.org.floyd.lib.umn.edu/stable/pdfplus/1319141.pdf
I originally found this in my search but only the first page was available. I then search the UMN library system for the article in its entirety. I thought that it was an excellent article. Martinez gives examples of songs and lyrics that could be used in the classroom to address a variety of topics including child abuse, prejudice/discrimination, race, class, gender, etc. She explains that her objective is to stimulate discussion with her students and the song lyrics provide a great springboard. The music examples she provides definitely seemed geared towards the older grades.
The Give and Take between Song Lyrics and Canonical Text Helps Students Read and Appreciate Classic Literary Works by Christian Z. Goering
http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_rsrch.html
This link takes you to a research article in a great website called Lit Tunes. I will reference this site more when I take about potential lesson plans. The article discusses that using popular music in the classroom can enhance reading and the understanding of literature. That we as educators are constantly trying to reach and connect with our students and that they are “increasingly disengaged.” Popular music is considered an avenue to peak their interest, so they can make connections between music and literature. Music can be use to introduce a unit as a “pre-reading” activity or it can be embedded into the unit. Goering states:
“I am not suggesting that we replace traditional texts with contemporary music and popular music in the secondary English classroom. What I am suggesting is that we pair pieces of classic literature with contemporary music, allowing some of the natural, thematic connections to come to the surface and allowing our students to see these connections and their relevance to their own lives.”
This site had several units and lessons available that embedded popular music into the heart of the lesson.
Pop Songs in the Classroom by David Mower
http://www.pearsonlongman.com/opportunities/pdfs/pop_songs.pdf
This was a more general article giving some basic examples for incorporating music into a classroom. He gave an example to use for grammar, which could be interesting. He suggested using the lyrics of a song and leaving gaps in the song. The students would have to fill the gaps with the correct verb tense or prepositions. However, this article was more focused on teaching English as a language.
Popular Music in the Classroom: Teaching Race, Class, and Gender with Popular Culture by Theresa A. Martinez
http://www.jstor.org.floyd.lib.umn.edu/stable/pdfplus/1319141.pdf
I originally found this in my search but only the first page was available. I then search the UMN library system for the article in its entirety. I thought that it was an excellent article. Martinez gives examples of songs and lyrics that could be used in the classroom to address a variety of topics including child abuse, prejudice/discrimination, race, class, gender, etc. She explains that her objective is to stimulate discussion with her students and the song lyrics provide a great springboard. The music examples she provides definitely seemed geared towards the older grades.
The Give and Take between Song Lyrics and Canonical Text Helps Students Read and Appreciate Classic Literary Works by Christian Z. Goering
http://www.corndancer.com/tunes/tunes_rsrch.html
This link takes you to a research article in a great website called Lit Tunes. I will reference this site more when I take about potential lesson plans. The article discusses that using popular music in the classroom can enhance reading and the understanding of literature. That we as educators are constantly trying to reach and connect with our students and that they are “increasingly disengaged.” Popular music is considered an avenue to peak their interest, so they can make connections between music and literature. Music can be use to introduce a unit as a “pre-reading” activity or it can be embedded into the unit. Goering states:
“I am not suggesting that we replace traditional texts with contemporary music and popular music in the secondary English classroom. What I am suggesting is that we pair pieces of classic literature with contemporary music, allowing some of the natural, thematic connections to come to the surface and allowing our students to see these connections and their relevance to their own lives.”
This site had several units and lessons available that embedded popular music into the heart of the lesson.
Pop Songs in the Classroom by David Mower
http://www.pearsonlongman.com/opportunities/pdfs/pop_songs.pdf
This was a more general article giving some basic examples for incorporating music into a classroom. He gave an example to use for grammar, which could be interesting. He suggested using the lyrics of a song and leaving gaps in the song. The students would have to fill the gaps with the correct verb tense or prepositions. However, this article was more focused on teaching English as a language.
Popular Music in the 1970s and 1980s
After reading the two chapters in Rockin’ Out: Popular Music in the USA by Reebee Garofalo, I was drawn to the topic of racism throughout the music industry and its effects on music trends.
I have always enjoyed listening to many different genres of music and I usually am attracted to the tune before I know or comprehend the meaning of the words. I also have been completely unaware of all the political implications the different music genres carry with them. It was amazing to learn that much of our country’s history has been embedded in the popular music of the times; specifically, that the racist and sexist trends our history contains were being mirrored in the music industry.
The clashing genres of popular music started with the onset of punk and disco. They both had distinct differences but shared similar struggles. For example, both were not welcomed to radio initially. According to Garofalo, “Critics decried disco as escapist and embraced punk as a political statement.” The leaders of the punk trend were the Sex Pistols and The Clash. These and other punk groups continued to be in the hot seat of controversy. In 1977 The Sex Pistols, a British group, intended to release a record called “God Save the Queen.” The song was accused of “uncovering the cracks” in the British government. As a group without an album, they made openly touring difficult for themselves. As the punk trend continued, many of these groups felt inspired by the shock value they could create. They started outwardly displaying symbols of controversy such as the swastika sign. Additional, songs such as “Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas” were released. Creating further controversy, anti-black songs such as “Rock and Roll Nigger” and “White Riot” entered the punk music scene.
With the development of Rock Against Racism (RAR), the merging of the music industry began to take place. RAR “packaged black and white acts together” to make an anti-racist statement. The events “paired reggae groups with punk bands.” The trouble arose when the skinheads, a group of punk followers, attended these events and behaved destructively.
Eventually, disco broke into the mainstream music industry. Many big musical names entered the disco genre, such as the Bee Gees, but again racial difficulties arose. Garofalo states:
"In a given week as many as forty of Billboard’s Hot 100 were disco releases. With the market saturated to this degree, there was bound to be backlash, and given disco’s particular history, it was bound to have racial overtones."
This break-through posed a challenge for disco artists considering several FM radio stations were simultaneously running “anti-disco campaigns.” Robert Hilburn is quoted in Garofalo’s book saying:
"Rock-oriented radio stations could have educated this young audience on the historical link between rock and black music by programming classic Motown-Stax-Hendrix tracks or rock-oriented tracks by such contemporary black stars as Stevie Wonder, Prince, Donna Summers, and Rick James. Eager to be culturally in tune with their listenership, however, the stations carelessly picked up on the anti-disco sentiment and fell into racist programming policies: They simply stopped playing all black records."
These racial trends continued into the 1980s. Music videos became a new phenomenon with the introduction of MTV. However, MTV favored British artists and refused the airing of videos by African Americans. Rumors circulated that MTV was racist as they further refused to air Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” videos. Finally, after being threatened by CBS they aired Michael Jackson’s videos, making him the first African American to be on MTV. I find this extremely interesting because I have vivid memories of listening to Casey Kasem’s Top 40’s when Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” carried the number one slot for several consecutive weeks. I definitely was a fan while never being aware of the controversies, which were underway.
Jackson started a wave of successful African American artists, including Prince, Lionel Richie, and Whitney Houston. This was followed by several efforts to unite the races. Many artists released “well-calculated cross-racial ethnic duets.” The “ultimate crossover recording” was “We Are the World.” Additionally, Charity Rock events became a growing movement. Some included Live Aid, United Support of Artists for Africa, and the Human Rights Now! Tour.
As a junior high English teacher, I teach a literature unit on the Holocaust and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Both of these units, clearly, position themselves in two very controversial times in our history. Therefore, I wonder if popular music could be a teaching tool to introduce these topics and to explore the themes presented throughout these units.
With the Holocaust taking place between 1942-1945, it is hard to understand that there were politically charged music groups in the late 1970s displaying swastikas and recording songs called “The Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas.” However, I think that students too often assume that these stereotypes are behind us and possibly could learn from these popular music trends. This especially holds true for To Kill a Mockingbird. The racial issues are considered at a peak during this time and it is surprising to learn that similar racial issues continued into the 1980’s with MTV’s refusal to air Michael Jackson’s music.
Additionally, I mentioned that, for me, the tune of a song always takes precedence over the lyrics, but I think that exploring the lyrics of popular music could educate students on their understanding of these periods in history.
Music will always reveal the dysfunctions in our society at any given time in history, whether it is emphasizing racism, sexism, wartime, etc. It is almost as if music is the time-line of our history. As we wade back through the music trends, we reveal history in the making. Allowing students to explore history and historical literature through this medium allows them to connect with the music they listen to while becoming aware of the messages the music possesses.
References
Garofalo, Reebee. Rockin’Out: Popular Music in the USA, 2nd edition. Prentice Hall, 2002.
I have always enjoyed listening to many different genres of music and I usually am attracted to the tune before I know or comprehend the meaning of the words. I also have been completely unaware of all the political implications the different music genres carry with them. It was amazing to learn that much of our country’s history has been embedded in the popular music of the times; specifically, that the racist and sexist trends our history contains were being mirrored in the music industry.
The clashing genres of popular music started with the onset of punk and disco. They both had distinct differences but shared similar struggles. For example, both were not welcomed to radio initially. According to Garofalo, “Critics decried disco as escapist and embraced punk as a political statement.” The leaders of the punk trend were the Sex Pistols and The Clash. These and other punk groups continued to be in the hot seat of controversy. In 1977 The Sex Pistols, a British group, intended to release a record called “God Save the Queen.” The song was accused of “uncovering the cracks” in the British government. As a group without an album, they made openly touring difficult for themselves. As the punk trend continued, many of these groups felt inspired by the shock value they could create. They started outwardly displaying symbols of controversy such as the swastika sign. Additional, songs such as “Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas” were released. Creating further controversy, anti-black songs such as “Rock and Roll Nigger” and “White Riot” entered the punk music scene.
With the development of Rock Against Racism (RAR), the merging of the music industry began to take place. RAR “packaged black and white acts together” to make an anti-racist statement. The events “paired reggae groups with punk bands.” The trouble arose when the skinheads, a group of punk followers, attended these events and behaved destructively.
Eventually, disco broke into the mainstream music industry. Many big musical names entered the disco genre, such as the Bee Gees, but again racial difficulties arose. Garofalo states:
"In a given week as many as forty of Billboard’s Hot 100 were disco releases. With the market saturated to this degree, there was bound to be backlash, and given disco’s particular history, it was bound to have racial overtones."
This break-through posed a challenge for disco artists considering several FM radio stations were simultaneously running “anti-disco campaigns.” Robert Hilburn is quoted in Garofalo’s book saying:
"Rock-oriented radio stations could have educated this young audience on the historical link between rock and black music by programming classic Motown-Stax-Hendrix tracks or rock-oriented tracks by such contemporary black stars as Stevie Wonder, Prince, Donna Summers, and Rick James. Eager to be culturally in tune with their listenership, however, the stations carelessly picked up on the anti-disco sentiment and fell into racist programming policies: They simply stopped playing all black records."
These racial trends continued into the 1980s. Music videos became a new phenomenon with the introduction of MTV. However, MTV favored British artists and refused the airing of videos by African Americans. Rumors circulated that MTV was racist as they further refused to air Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” videos. Finally, after being threatened by CBS they aired Michael Jackson’s videos, making him the first African American to be on MTV. I find this extremely interesting because I have vivid memories of listening to Casey Kasem’s Top 40’s when Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” carried the number one slot for several consecutive weeks. I definitely was a fan while never being aware of the controversies, which were underway.
Jackson started a wave of successful African American artists, including Prince, Lionel Richie, and Whitney Houston. This was followed by several efforts to unite the races. Many artists released “well-calculated cross-racial ethnic duets.” The “ultimate crossover recording” was “We Are the World.” Additionally, Charity Rock events became a growing movement. Some included Live Aid, United Support of Artists for Africa, and the Human Rights Now! Tour.
As a junior high English teacher, I teach a literature unit on the Holocaust and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Both of these units, clearly, position themselves in two very controversial times in our history. Therefore, I wonder if popular music could be a teaching tool to introduce these topics and to explore the themes presented throughout these units.
With the Holocaust taking place between 1942-1945, it is hard to understand that there were politically charged music groups in the late 1970s displaying swastikas and recording songs called “The Final Solution” or “Belsen Was a Gas.” However, I think that students too often assume that these stereotypes are behind us and possibly could learn from these popular music trends. This especially holds true for To Kill a Mockingbird. The racial issues are considered at a peak during this time and it is surprising to learn that similar racial issues continued into the 1980’s with MTV’s refusal to air Michael Jackson’s music.
Additionally, I mentioned that, for me, the tune of a song always takes precedence over the lyrics, but I think that exploring the lyrics of popular music could educate students on their understanding of these periods in history.
Music will always reveal the dysfunctions in our society at any given time in history, whether it is emphasizing racism, sexism, wartime, etc. It is almost as if music is the time-line of our history. As we wade back through the music trends, we reveal history in the making. Allowing students to explore history and historical literature through this medium allows them to connect with the music they listen to while becoming aware of the messages the music possesses.
References
Garofalo, Reebee. Rockin’Out: Popular Music in the USA, 2nd edition. Prentice Hall, 2002.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Three Very Different Music Videos
After viewing the videos by Leslie Gore, Fiona Apple, and Lil’ Kim, I was immediately aware of our changing society. It was evident that the image of women in our society has changed drastically over the years.
Leslie Gore
As the video “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To” began, I was immediately struck by Leslie Gore’s conservative dress. Her shirt is up around her neck and she is wearing a blazer over the top of it. The stage is full of others dancing, giving it the feeling of a party. She is singing about the fact that her boyfriend left with Judy, another woman. She is singing in a “matter of fact” tone. She is helpless in the situation and she won’t enjoy herself without John. Although the lyrics continue to repeat, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to,” she isn’t portrayed as being emotional. Her eyes are dry and she is almost smiling throughout the song.
Fiona Apple
This video is very different from the last. In “Criminal” Fiona Apple is viewed as a confused girl who has done something very wrong. When the video begins, the viewer sees her as a seductive woman who is taking advantage of someone. However, there are several references throughout the video of her being a confused adolescent. There is a stuffed animal that is shown a few different times and at one point, she is shown curled up in the closet, wearing long braids. Some of her physical actions also seem juvenile. For example, she is chewing on her hand like a child in one scene. The video has a mysterious quality that leaves the viewer confused about the message. However, I felt that the video made more sense after reading the critique. In contrast to the first video, she is portrayed as insecure and scared. She isn’t portrayed as having power considering when the man appears in the video it is contrasted with her in an insecure adolescent role.
Additionally, her video also has sexual overtones that were absent in the previous video. In both videos, we can assume that cheating took place. The Gore video alludes to handholding whereas in the Fiona Apple video, she is shown zipping up her pants.
Lil’Kim
This video absolutely blew my mind. It was an extreme change from the previous two videos. I had to watch it a few times to fully understand the message. After the first scene where they were assembling a mannequin, I thought that it would reference how everyone was the same. I then forgot that part as the video continued to unfold. My initial impression was the Lil’Kim was being portrayed as a strong woman who got what she wanted. In this case, sex. She seemed very in control, confident, and not ashamed of her actions. That is a contrast to Fiona Apple’s video. As the end approached and revealed that she was three different sexual adventures, I realized that the mannequin in the beginning was her being constructed to please …men. Now, I question if she is being portrayed as strong or weak.
I have to admit that I am not a music buff and I was not familiar with the names of these performing artists. I immediately knew and could sing along with Leslie Gore and Fiona Apple. The Lil’ Kim song was completely unknown to me. I realize that I recognize Fiona Apple because she was popular in my college years; however, I wasn’t even alive when “It’s My Party” was released and I definitely was too young to remember when it was popular. However, I have several memories of dancing to this song at different parties throughout my life.
When we study popular music, we are referencing music that is popular during specific periods in time. However, what makes a song become a classic? I would guess that in 30 years people will still be sing Leslie Gore’s song, but Fiona Apple and Lil’Kim will not even be a vague memory. I think that the sex appeal sells in the short run, and artists think that it is the best way to reach the top. However, the quality of the music and the talent of the artist is truly were the success lies.
Lastly, with the topic of this course being “Popular Music in Classroom”, I couldn’t help but consider classroom use after viewing the videos. Fiona Apple and Lil’ Kim do not belong in the classroom, nor do they provide an educational message for students. How do educators incorporate music into their classrooms and engage students when our adolescents have access to these inappropriate videos that they find more entertaining.
Overall, the three videos clearly depict a transition in how women have been portrayed throughout the years. The thing that I find ironic is that women don’t appreciate how they are perceived in the media and in commercials, however, women create these video images for the world to see and interpret negatively.
Leslie Gore
As the video “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To” began, I was immediately struck by Leslie Gore’s conservative dress. Her shirt is up around her neck and she is wearing a blazer over the top of it. The stage is full of others dancing, giving it the feeling of a party. She is singing about the fact that her boyfriend left with Judy, another woman. She is singing in a “matter of fact” tone. She is helpless in the situation and she won’t enjoy herself without John. Although the lyrics continue to repeat, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to,” she isn’t portrayed as being emotional. Her eyes are dry and she is almost smiling throughout the song.
Fiona Apple
This video is very different from the last. In “Criminal” Fiona Apple is viewed as a confused girl who has done something very wrong. When the video begins, the viewer sees her as a seductive woman who is taking advantage of someone. However, there are several references throughout the video of her being a confused adolescent. There is a stuffed animal that is shown a few different times and at one point, she is shown curled up in the closet, wearing long braids. Some of her physical actions also seem juvenile. For example, she is chewing on her hand like a child in one scene. The video has a mysterious quality that leaves the viewer confused about the message. However, I felt that the video made more sense after reading the critique. In contrast to the first video, she is portrayed as insecure and scared. She isn’t portrayed as having power considering when the man appears in the video it is contrasted with her in an insecure adolescent role.
Additionally, her video also has sexual overtones that were absent in the previous video. In both videos, we can assume that cheating took place. The Gore video alludes to handholding whereas in the Fiona Apple video, she is shown zipping up her pants.
Lil’Kim
This video absolutely blew my mind. It was an extreme change from the previous two videos. I had to watch it a few times to fully understand the message. After the first scene where they were assembling a mannequin, I thought that it would reference how everyone was the same. I then forgot that part as the video continued to unfold. My initial impression was the Lil’Kim was being portrayed as a strong woman who got what she wanted. In this case, sex. She seemed very in control, confident, and not ashamed of her actions. That is a contrast to Fiona Apple’s video. As the end approached and revealed that she was three different sexual adventures, I realized that the mannequin in the beginning was her being constructed to please …men. Now, I question if she is being portrayed as strong or weak.
I have to admit that I am not a music buff and I was not familiar with the names of these performing artists. I immediately knew and could sing along with Leslie Gore and Fiona Apple. The Lil’ Kim song was completely unknown to me. I realize that I recognize Fiona Apple because she was popular in my college years; however, I wasn’t even alive when “It’s My Party” was released and I definitely was too young to remember when it was popular. However, I have several memories of dancing to this song at different parties throughout my life.
When we study popular music, we are referencing music that is popular during specific periods in time. However, what makes a song become a classic? I would guess that in 30 years people will still be sing Leslie Gore’s song, but Fiona Apple and Lil’Kim will not even be a vague memory. I think that the sex appeal sells in the short run, and artists think that it is the best way to reach the top. However, the quality of the music and the talent of the artist is truly were the success lies.
Lastly, with the topic of this course being “Popular Music in Classroom”, I couldn’t help but consider classroom use after viewing the videos. Fiona Apple and Lil’ Kim do not belong in the classroom, nor do they provide an educational message for students. How do educators incorporate music into their classrooms and engage students when our adolescents have access to these inappropriate videos that they find more entertaining.
Overall, the three videos clearly depict a transition in how women have been portrayed throughout the years. The thing that I find ironic is that women don’t appreciate how they are perceived in the media and in commercials, however, women create these video images for the world to see and interpret negatively.
Why Teach Popular Music in the Classroom?
Rationale to principal for teaching popular music in my classroom
Why teach popular music and culture in our classrooms? In our rapidly changing world, we as educators need to change how we approach teaching the “basic skills” of our curriculum. With our changing students, we as educators need to strive to connect with our teens and provide them these “basics” using their language.
The “basic skills” that teachers strive to provide their students with each year haven’t changed, but the way we deliver these skills has to continue to change as we move through the 21st century. Using popular music in the classroom creates an opportunity for teachers to connect with students while fostering their learning. Popular music and culture should not be taught as a stand-alone subject, but rather should be incorporated to enhance the curriculum.
As a language arts teacher, there are several opportunities to incorporate popular music into the classroom. For example, students can analyze popular music looking for figurative language or other literary devices. They can then compare the similarities they find between traditional poetry and their popular music. Another opportunity is to use popular music to look at historical trends. My classroom just completed a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird, which looks at the issues of race, gender, and other prejudices taking place in the South at that time. To be able to compare that with the fact that MTV didn’t air a video by an African American until the mid 80’s allows students to understand that some of these prejudices weren’t just a thing of the past.
Popular music can also enhance the study of social studies. Throughout history, music was written to portray a specific time in society. Many lyrics reflect wartime struggles or economic trends. Using popular music throughout the eras to connect these trends to the study of history gives students a deeper understanding of our history. Many pieces of literature that are in our curriculum are grounded in a specific period of history. The use of popular music from that time will allow student to have a deeper understanding of their history.
Lastly, popular music could be used as the basis of a persuasive argument. According to Graff, the author of “Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind”, students should be well-versed in “framing an argument or taking someone else’s argument apart…” Having students argue whether or not popular music teaches immoral values would allow them to explore and defend something that is important to them. They could find examples of music that are popular and provide a positive message for youth.
It is important to have these creative ideas in mind, but it is more important to understand the value in incorporating popular music into the classroom. As educators, we have a curriculum that the state of Minnesota expects us to cover; however, it is not mandated how we go about the specific instruction of this curriculum. This gives us the opportunity to take advantage of our changing world.
Graff states that, “On the one hand, the content of the academic disciplines has gone through revolutionary changes…on the other hand, the average level of student cluelessness and apathy remains roughly what it was in 1910.” He goes on to say that, “High-achieving high-school and college students become insiders to the most exciting academic conversations, but the majority remain on the outside looking in.” As an educator, I constantly strive to figure out how to engage all students involved in the academic conversations. Students need to be able to connect and engage in their learning in order to overcome the apathy trend that they currently possess.
I would imagine that the majority of students in an average middle school have or have access to an ipod. In fact, I remember students talking about ipods and having to ask them what they were referencing. It is my job as a teacher to stay current in the teenage trends and utilize their interests as my teaching tools. They are always connected to music. Therefore, using music as a teaching tool allows students to make the connection to the curriculum. Additionally, as our technology advances it is important to utilize the skills that the students of today possess and allow them to foster their learning in non-traditional ways.
Popular music and culture need to be imbedded into the classrooms of the 21st century, so that we as educators are constantly challenging our students to be engaged. They will engage if they are interested and passionate about what they are learning. They can learn so much from music. However, we as educators need to spend the time to research and investigate music that is appropriate for the classroom and will influence student learning positively. It is our responsibility to continue to change our teaching approach to connect with the students of our future.
Why teach popular music and culture in our classrooms? In our rapidly changing world, we as educators need to change how we approach teaching the “basic skills” of our curriculum. With our changing students, we as educators need to strive to connect with our teens and provide them these “basics” using their language.
The “basic skills” that teachers strive to provide their students with each year haven’t changed, but the way we deliver these skills has to continue to change as we move through the 21st century. Using popular music in the classroom creates an opportunity for teachers to connect with students while fostering their learning. Popular music and culture should not be taught as a stand-alone subject, but rather should be incorporated to enhance the curriculum.
As a language arts teacher, there are several opportunities to incorporate popular music into the classroom. For example, students can analyze popular music looking for figurative language or other literary devices. They can then compare the similarities they find between traditional poetry and their popular music. Another opportunity is to use popular music to look at historical trends. My classroom just completed a unit on To Kill a Mockingbird, which looks at the issues of race, gender, and other prejudices taking place in the South at that time. To be able to compare that with the fact that MTV didn’t air a video by an African American until the mid 80’s allows students to understand that some of these prejudices weren’t just a thing of the past.
Popular music can also enhance the study of social studies. Throughout history, music was written to portray a specific time in society. Many lyrics reflect wartime struggles or economic trends. Using popular music throughout the eras to connect these trends to the study of history gives students a deeper understanding of our history. Many pieces of literature that are in our curriculum are grounded in a specific period of history. The use of popular music from that time will allow student to have a deeper understanding of their history.
Lastly, popular music could be used as the basis of a persuasive argument. According to Graff, the author of “Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind”, students should be well-versed in “framing an argument or taking someone else’s argument apart…” Having students argue whether or not popular music teaches immoral values would allow them to explore and defend something that is important to them. They could find examples of music that are popular and provide a positive message for youth.
It is important to have these creative ideas in mind, but it is more important to understand the value in incorporating popular music into the classroom. As educators, we have a curriculum that the state of Minnesota expects us to cover; however, it is not mandated how we go about the specific instruction of this curriculum. This gives us the opportunity to take advantage of our changing world.
Graff states that, “On the one hand, the content of the academic disciplines has gone through revolutionary changes…on the other hand, the average level of student cluelessness and apathy remains roughly what it was in 1910.” He goes on to say that, “High-achieving high-school and college students become insiders to the most exciting academic conversations, but the majority remain on the outside looking in.” As an educator, I constantly strive to figure out how to engage all students involved in the academic conversations. Students need to be able to connect and engage in their learning in order to overcome the apathy trend that they currently possess.
I would imagine that the majority of students in an average middle school have or have access to an ipod. In fact, I remember students talking about ipods and having to ask them what they were referencing. It is my job as a teacher to stay current in the teenage trends and utilize their interests as my teaching tools. They are always connected to music. Therefore, using music as a teaching tool allows students to make the connection to the curriculum. Additionally, as our technology advances it is important to utilize the skills that the students of today possess and allow them to foster their learning in non-traditional ways.
Popular music and culture need to be imbedded into the classrooms of the 21st century, so that we as educators are constantly challenging our students to be engaged. They will engage if they are interested and passionate about what they are learning. They can learn so much from music. However, we as educators need to spend the time to research and investigate music that is appropriate for the classroom and will influence student learning positively. It is our responsibility to continue to change our teaching approach to connect with the students of our future.
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