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Notes: reading and listening listed under a particular date should be done by the start of class that day, and assignments listed are due at the beginning of that class period.
RHR = Rock History Reader
WTS? = What’s That Sound?
This schedule is subject to change. Please monitor Blackboard for updates & announcements!
August
8/27 ♦ Introduction
Reading: WTS?, “Studying Rock,” pp. 3–8
RHR, preface, pp. xi-xiv (optional)
8/29 ♦ Listening workshop 1: basics and form ♦ Tin Pan Alley
Reading: WTS?, pp. 8–16 & 34–44
Edward B. Marks, excerpts from They All Sang (on Blackboard)Listening: Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, “Rocket 88”
The Chords, “Sh-Boom”
Elvis Presley, “Heartbreak Hotel”
Jerry Lee Lewis, “Great Balls of Fire,”
The Carter Family, “Can the Circle Be Unbroken”
The Crickets, “That’ll Be the Day”
Judy Garland with Victor Young and His Orchestra, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”Viewing: Covach podcasts on rhythm, melody, and harmony (optional)
September
Week 2
9/3 ♦ Listening workshop 2: instrumentation ♦ Records, radio, and regional styles
Reading: WTS?, pp. 16–22 & 44–50
Kyle Chrichton, “Thar’s Gold in Them Hillbillies” (on Blackboard)Listening: Jimmie Rodgers, “Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)”
Bessie Smith, “Down Hearted Blues”
Robert Johnson, “Cross Road Blues”
Louis Jordan, “Choo Choo Ch’boogie”
9/5 ♦ Listening workshop 3: studio techniques ♦ Popular music in the 1940s and early 50s
Please note: 9/6 is last day for add/drop!
Reading: WTS?, pp. 50–73
Listening: Les Paul and Mary Ford, “I’m Sittin’ on Top of the World”
Andrews Sisters and Bing Crosby, “Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive”
Howlin’ Wolf, “Evil (Is Going On)”
Hank Williams, “Hey Good Lookin’”
Muddy Waters, “I Just Want to Make Love to You”
Big Joe Turner, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll”Fresh Air podcast about Les Paul (on Blackboard under “Course Documents”)
9/10 ♦ Rock’n’Roll in the 1950s ♦ Cover songs
Assignment: Using the listening guides in What’s That Sound? as a model, create a guide to the song “At the Hop” by Danny and the Juniors (available on Blackboard). Indicate the form of the song (simple verse, AABA, simple verse-chorus, or contrasting verse-chorus), and use timings to indicate where each section begins. Your guide should also point out any other musical features that you are able to identify, which might include time signature, approximate tempo, melodic features, harmonic progressions, vocal techniques, instrumentation, and stylistic influences.
Reading: WTS?, pp. 74–95
RHR, pp. 9–12, “R&B: A Danger to the Music Business?” and “Miss Rhythm Speaks Out: Ruth Brown on R&B Covers”Listening: Fats Domino, “Blueberry Hill”
Chuck Berry, “Johnny B. Goode”
LaVern Baker, “Tweedle Dee” & Georgia Gibbs’s cover
Little Richard, “Tutti Frutti” & Pat Boone’s cover
9/12 ♦ The 1950s, continued ♦ Elvis and rockabilly ♦ Dance crazes
Participation task: Each student will be assigned a different dance craze or dance style popular between the 1920s and the early 1960s. Briefly explain this dance (basic steps, style of music, origins)—a bullet-point list is fine. Bonus points will be awarded for in-class demonstrations!
Reading: WTS?, pp. 95-126
RHR, pp. 13–18, “Elvis Presley and ‘The Craze,’” “Elvis Defends Low-Down Style,” and “Experts Propose Study of Craze.”Listening: Elvis Presley, “That’s All Right (Mama)”
Janis Martin, “My Boy Elvis”
Chubby Checker, “The Twist”
Kingston Trio, “Tom Dooley”
Week 4
9/17 ♦ Brill Building and the rise of the producer ♦ Sweet soul ♦ Girl groups
Reading: WTS? pp. 126–138
RHR, pp. 25–29, “Leiber and Stoller”; and 43–49, “Phil Spector and the Wall of Sound”Listening: The Coasters, “Down in Mexico”
The Crystals, “Da Doo Ron Ron”
The Ronettes, “Be My Baby”
Sam Cooke, “You Send Me”
The Drifters, “There Goes My Baby”
9/19 ♦ Rockabilly Popsters ♦ Surf ♦ Rock music in Britain before the Beatles
***Listening Quiz 1***
Reading: WTS? pp. 139–166
Listening: The Everly Brothers, “All I Have to Do Is Dream”
Roy Orbison, “Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)” (more on next page→)
The Beach Boys, “Surfin’ U.S.A.”
Shangri-Las, “Leader of the Pack”
Lonnie Donegan, “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour?”
9/24 ♦ British Invasion
Assignment: Read “Beatlemania Frightens Child Expert” (RHR, pp. 53–54). Compare it with “R&B: A Danger to the Music Business?” (RHR, pp. 9–10) “Elvis Presley and the ‘Craze’” (RHR, pp. 13–14) and/or “Experts Propose Study of ‘Craze’” (RHR, pp. 17–18). What are the common observations and concerns made by these “experts”? Address this question in about one page.
Reading: WTS? pp. 166–191
RHR, pp. 51–60, “The Beatles: Press Conference,” “Beatlemania Frightens Child Expert,” and “George Martin on the Beatles”Listening: The Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
The Beatles, “Tomorrow Never Knows”
The Animals, “House of the Rising Sun”
The Rolling Stones, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
The Kinks, “You Really Got Me”
9/26 ♦ American responses
Reading: WTS? pp. 193-221
RHR, pp. 61–66, “Understanding Dylan”Listening: Bob Dylan, “Positively 4th Street”
The Byrds, “Mr. Tambourine Man”
The Beach Boys, “California Girls”
The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie”
The Monkees, “Last Train to Clarksville”
October
Week 6
10/1 ♦ Motown
Reading: WTS?, pp. 223–235
RHR, pp. 67–72, “Motown: A Whiter Shade of Black”Listening: The Supremes, “Baby Love”
Martha and the Vandellas, “Heat Wave”
The Temptations, “The Way You Do the Things You Do”
The Four Tops, “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)”
10/3 ♦ Funk ♦ Southern soul
Assignment: Turn in Motown/Stax “dramatis personae” worksheet
Reading: WTS?, pp. 235–253
RHR, pp. 73–81, “James Brown: Soul Brother No. 1”Listening: Wilson Pickett, “In the Midnight Hour”
Aretha Franklin, “Respect”
Sam and Dave, “Soul Man”
James Brown, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, Pt. 1”
10/8 ♦ Psychedelia
Reading: WTS?, pp. 255–286
RHR, pp. 99–102, “The Electric Kool-Aid Test”Listening: The Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations”
The Beatles, “A Day in the Life”
Jefferson Airplane, “White Rabbit”
Cream, “Sunshine of Your Love”
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, “Purple Haze”
10/10 ♦ Blues and country in ‘70s rock ♦ Singer-songwriters
Reading: WTS?, 296–316 and 331–341
RHR, pp. 113–116, “The Country Boom,” and 125–126, “Singing-Songwriters”Listening: Led Zeppelin, “Whole Lotta Love”
The Allman Brothers Band, “Whipping Post”
Santana, “Evil Ways”
Carole King, “You’ve Got a Friend”
The Eagles, “Take It Easy”
Week 8
10/15 ♦ Music Festivals
Reading: WTS? pp. 287–295
“Woodstock Nation” (on Blackboard)Listening: None
10/17
***Midterm Exam***
10/22
Fall Break, no class
10/24 ♦ TBA
Reading: TBD
Listening: TBD
Week 10
10/29 ♦ Prog, glam, and art/experimental rock
***Paper topic ideas due***
Send me an e-mail by the start of class today describing a potential final paper topic. Explain what you hope to research/analyze/investigate (this could be phrased as a research question or a potential thesis statement) and list a few resources you could use to get started.Reading: WTS? 316–331 (see also 390–392 on the Velvet Underground)
RHR, pp. 159–162, “Reflections on Progressive Rock”Listening: Velvet Underground, “White Light/White Heat”
The Who, “Pinball Wizard” from Tommy
Yes, “Roundabout”
David Bowie, “Ziggy Stardust”
Frank Zappa, “I’m the Slime”
10/31 ♦ Black pop ♦ Reggae ♦ Disco
Reading: WTS?, 343–373
RHR, pp. 149–151, “Reggae: The Steady Rock of Black Jamaica,” and pp. 163–166, “Disco! Disco! Four Critics Address the Musical Question”Listening: Sly and the Family Stone, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin”)
The Temptations, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”
Stevie Wonder, “Living for the City”
Parliament, “Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)”
Bob Marley and the Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up”
Donna Summer, “Bad Girls”
November
11/5 ♦ Special presentation: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Library + Archives
Reading: None
Listening: None
11/7 ♦ Punk ♦ New wave
Assignment: Research resources worksheet due
Reading: WTS?, pp. 390–409
RHR, pp. 167–179, “Why Don’t We Call It Punk?” and “The Subculture of British Punk”Listening: Patti Smith, “Horses”
The Ramones, “Blitzkrieg Bop”
The Sex Pistols, “Anarchy in the UK”
The Cars, “My Best Friend’s Girl”
Elvis Costello, “Radio, Radio”
Week 12
11/12 ♦ MTV and music video ♦ 80s dance music
Assignment: Watch the music video for Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” (on Blackboard). Read Richard Gehr’s “The MTV Aesthetic” (also on Blackboard). Which of the themes and techniques that Gehr describes are apparent in the video? (Alternatively, if you find part of the video that seems to disprove what he says, you can write about that.) Your response should be 1-2 pages, double-spaced.
Reading: WTS? pp. 410–31
RHR, pp. 213–218, “The MTV Aesthetic”; pp. 249–253, “Madonna–Finally, a Real Feminist” and “Can Madonna Justify Madonna?”Listening/Viewing: Michael Jackson, “Billie Jean”
Madonna, “Like a Virgin”
Prince, “1999”Additional Viewing: On Blackboard, you will find links to many of the videos mentioned in the readings for today. Please watch a selection of them.
11/14 ♦ Special presentation: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
Assignment:
Option A: Review the inductee list posted on Blackboard and/or on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s website (rockhall.com/inductees). If you could nominate an artist not currently inducted, who would it be and why? Alternatively, select an inductee who you do not feel belongs in the RRHOF, and explain your reasoning. Consider factors like the performer’s artistic influence (or lack thereof), their commercial success, and/or their musical style. Your response should be about 1 to 2 pages (double-spaced).OR
Option B: Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (show your CWRU student ID at the ticket counter for one free ticket). Tour the Ahmet Ertegun Main Exhibit Hall (lower level). In one page or less, summarize your impressions of the museum by answering the question: how does the main exhibition space tell the story of rock and roll? Please attach your admission wristband.
Reading: WTS?, pp. 575–581
RHR, pp. 367–371, “Why no Yes in the Rock Hall?” and “A Response to ‘Why no Yes in the Rock Hall’”Listening: Your choice from the Rock Hall’s “Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll” (on Blackboard via Spotify)
11/19 ♦ Rock mainstreams in the 70s & 80s: arena rock, hard rock, and “new traditionalists”
***Listening Quiz 2***
Reading: WTS?, pp. 375–390 and 431–451 (optional: “Punk Goes Hardcore”)
RHR, pp. 119–123, “Cock Rock,” and pp. 237–243, “The Real Thing–Bruce Springsteen”Listening: Peter Frampton, “Show Me the Way”
Boston, “More Than a Feeling”
Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A”
The Police, “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)
Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer”
11/21 ♦ Hard Rock ♦ Heavy metal
Reading: WTS?, pp. 453–463
RHR, pp. 217–235, “The Parents Music Resource Center: Statement before Congress” and “Heavy Metal and the Highbrow/Lowbrow Divide”Listening: Mötley Crüe, “Shout at the Devil”
Metallica, “One”
Yngwie Malmsteen, “Black Star”
Judas Priest, “Better By You, Better Than Me”Recommended viewing: Dream Deceivers: The Story of Judas Priest vs. Robert Vance (optional; viewer discretion advised)
Week 14
11/26 ♦ Rap and hip-hop ♦ Sampling
Reading: WTS?, pp. 463–477 and 516–520
RHR, 265–272, “Public Enemy’s Bomb Squad” and “The Death of Sampling?”Listening: Run-DMC, “Rock Box”
Public Enemy, “Don’t Believe the Hype”
Queen Latifah, “Ladies First”
Dr. Dre, featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, “Nothin’ but a ‘G’ Thang”
11/28
No class: Thanksgiving
December
12/3 ♦ Alternative and indie
Reading: WTS?, pp. 477–508 and 524–535.
RHR, pp. 277–284, “The Problem with Music,” and 313–18, “So You Wanna Fake Being an Indie Rock Expert?”Listening: R.E.M., “The One I Love”
Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Tori Amos, “Crucify”
Neutral Milk Hotel, “In the Aeroplane over the Sea”
Nine Inch Nails, “Closer”
12/5 ♦ 2000s: Student’s choice ♦ Wrap-up and review for final
***Final paper due***
Participation task: Please pick one song that you feel represents rock and roll since the year 2000. E-mail me the title/artist prior to class, and be prepared to explain to the group why you feel the song is significant.Reading: None
Listening: None
Finals
Date & location TBD
***Final Examination***