Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, MLA Update Edition

230 Pages·2016·0.81 MB·English

by  Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen

We’ll begin by exploring some of the numerous versions of “Stormy Weather”
available on YouTube, which will give you a clearer sense of the astounding
range of musical styles in which artists have presented this classic song. To help
you become familiar with the specialized language of musical description, we
offer a glossary of key musical terms that you’ll find useful in developing your
own analyses. In the online version of the glossary, musician Greg Blair explains
and demonstrates each of the seventeen musical terms you’ll find defined in the
text. You will also read a model paper by Blair that examines three particular
covers of “Stormy Weather.” Not all covers are successful, of course. In “Why
Do Some Covers Disappoint?” critic Jeff Turrentine offers a set of standards for
you to consider and apply (if you agree with him) as you begin your review of
cover songs.
We then take up a second example of covers—this time, of Leonard Cohen’s
celebrated “Hallelujah.” You’ll review and analyze the unique styles of several
major covers of what has come to be known as the “Shrek song,” by John Cale,
Jeff Buckley, and others. Finally, for your listening enjoyment, we’ll provide
you with some listings of “The Greatest Covers of All Time.” Drawing upon
these resources, you’ll be able to write an informed paper examining two or
more covers of a song of your own choosing.
A Cloudful of “Stormy Weather”
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A Cloudful of “Stormy WeAther”
Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler
“Stormy Weather,” written in 1933 by harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, is one of
the most enduring songs in The Great American Songbook.1 It is a classic “torch
song”—one in which the artist sings longingly and disappointedly about her (or
his) lost or unrequited love. The song was first sung in public by ethel Waters at
harlem’s Cotton Club, to the accompaniment of Duke ellington and his
orchestra. Waters’s version of “Stormy Weather”
became famous, but the song has been recorded by numerous other artists,
including Lena horne, Billie holliday, Francis Langford, Glenn Miller (an
orchestral version), Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, etta James, Shirley Bassey,
Joni Mitchell, the Muppets, and at least two finalists on American Idol.
To get some idea of the wide range of moods the same song can convey when
performed by musicians with their own very personal interpretations, listen to
the following three distinctive covers of “Stormy Weather”: Go to YouTube and
search for “stormy weather lena horne.” Play this version, and you’ll hear a
classic performance by a great singer of Arlen and Koehler’s enduring song.
Next, search for “stormy weather art tatum” and you’ll be treated to an
astounding piano rendition of the same melody. Finally, to hear how “Stormy
Weather” comes across when “punked,” search for “stormy weather reigning
sound.”
This kind of exhilaratingly creative reinterpretation of song is the phenomenon
we will be exploring in this chapter.
“Stormy Weather” has a standard AABA form, which simply means that it
begins with a verse (the first A section) that gets repeated (the second A section).
The song continues with a “bridge”—the B section—which has a different
melody than the A section, followed by a return to the final A section.2
Thousands of popular songs take this form. Think of “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed
Reindeer,” for example, or “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and sing the verses
to yourself, one at a time, with this AABA form in mind. When you listen to the
various versions of “Stormy Weather,” you’ll notice that many artists take
liberties with this basic form that become part of their own interpretations.
1“The Great American Songbook” is a term used to indicate popular songs,
mainly from musical theater and musical films, that were written and performed
from the 1920s to the 1950s. Among the most popular composers of such songs
were Irving Berlin, Sigmund Romberg, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome
Kern, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Green,
Johnny Mercer, Herman Hupfield, Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Sammy
Fain, Frank Loesser, Henry Mancini, Harry Ruby, Arthur Schwartz, Jule Styne,
Frederick Lowe, Jimmy van Heusen, Harry Warren, Dorothy Fields, Naio Herb
Brown, and Victor Young.
2For a better understanding of musical concepts and terminology, see the next
selection—and the accompanying videos—by Greg Blair.
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ChAPTer 8 “Stormy Weather” and the Art of the Musical Cover
5
To continue your exploration of “Stormy Weather,” go to YouTube and search
for “stormy weather ellington instrumental” (the length is 3:04). As you listen to
this classic rendition, identify each section as Duke Ellington’s band plays it.
. . .
Note first that the band plays an introduction to the song, working in fragments
of the main melody. The first A section actually begins at 00:15 (i.e., 15 seconds
into the song), with the trumpet playing the main melody. The second A section
begins at 00:38, with another trumpet—muted this time— playing the melody in
a different style. After an extra line at the end of the second A section, the B
section begins at 1:07, with a trombone picking up the melody. The third A
section begins at 1:29, with the trombonist continuing to carry the melody. A
second bridge (B section) begins at 1:58, and a final A section begins at 2:19,
with a clarinet this time playing the melody. Note that the last line of this final A
section is repeated three times before the song draws to a close.
Having heard the instrumental version, hear (and see) how this same orchestra
performs “Stormy Weather,” this time with a vocalist. Search for “stormy
weather ellington anderson.” You’ll find another version of “Stormy Weather”
that Ellington made a few months after the instrumental version; but this time
singer Ivie Anderson accompanies the band. View and listen to this performance
and see if you can tell where the various A and B sections begin and end.
Compare the instrumental version with the vocal version. Which did you prefer?
Why?
. . .
In this first section, then, we’d like you to listen to (and in some cases watch)
some of the numerous covers of “Stormy Weather” in the cloud. First, we’ll
offer some specific listening suggestions. Then we’ll invite you to explore the
“Stormy Weather” cloud on your own. We promise that no matter how many
times you hear this remarkable song, you’ll never grow tired of it. And if you do,
times you hear this remarkable song, you’ll never grow tired of it. And if you do,
you must be in a bad mood!
Listening Suggestions
Go to YouTube and type in “stormy weather” followed by the name of the lead
artist. (Remember that YouTube search boxes are not case sensitive, so all
lowercase letters are fine.) In some cases, we have specified a video of a
particular length to differentiate between two or more covers of the song by the
same artist.
10
Note: If you feel that you need a better grounding in the elements of music to
listen with fuller awareness to these covers, see the next selection by Greg Blair
and watch his videos before proceeding with this section.
A Cloudful of “Stormy Weather”
245
Otherwise, listen now to some of the most well-known covers of “Stormy
Weather”:
Ethel Waters
Ella Fitzgerald
Lena Horne
Billie Holiday
Judy Garland
Frank Sinatra [ 4:15 and 3:38 versions]
Louis Armstrong
Next, sample some of the following additional covers:
Ted Lewis
Coleman Hawkins
Glenn Miller
Frances Langford
Charlie and his Orchestra [ Nazi propaganda version! ]
Art Tatum
Peggy Lee
Liberace [ “Mr. Showmanship” ]
Carmen Cavallaro
Etta James
Sarah Reid and Alex Serra
Amos Milburn
Charles Mingus [ 3:19]
Kay Starr
Eydie Gormé
Keely Smith
Willie Nelson and Shelby Lynne
The Spaniels
Elizabeth Welch
The Muppets
Reigning Sound [ punk version]
Royal Crown Revue [ L.A. band: 3:31 and 3:49]
Barbara Dennerlein
Oscar Peterson and Itzhak Perlman
Liza Minnelli
Joni Mitchell
Shirley Bassey
George Benson
Fantasia [ 5:40 and 3:30]
Finally, you may find it interesting to sample covers of “Stormy Weather”
by other artists. Just type in “stormy weather” and scroll through some of your
results. For example, try Vanessa Williams, Sal Grippaldi’s 2013 trumpet solo,
or the duet by Tony Bennett and Natalie Cole.
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ChAPTer 8 “Stormy Weather” and the Art of the Musical Cover
Discussion and Writing Suggestions
MyWritingLab™
1. Which of these versions do you like the best? Which the least? Explain the
reasons for your preferences.
2. Compare Judy Garland’s cover of “Stormy Weather” to that of her daughter,
Liza Minnelli. What similarities and differences in style and sound do you find
between these two versions of the song?
3. Listen to the three piano versions of “Stormy Weather”: those by Art Tatum,
Liberace, and Carmen Cavallaro. (Add Barbara Dennerlein’s organ to the mix, if
you wish.) What makes them sound different? How do these different
performances affect the mood of the song?
4. Both Lena Horne’s and Elisabeth Welch’s covers of “Stormy Weather” are
staged versions, involving a set and other characters who interact with the
staged versions, involving a set and other characters who interact with the
performer. Compare and contrast these performances in style and mood.
5. How well, in your view, does the “punk” sound of Reigning Sound’s 2002
performance of “Stormy Weather” fit with the music and lyrics of the song?
Why do you think the band might have chosen to record this particular song?
How does their interpretation compare with that of the Spaniels’ 1957
performance?
6. How do the gravelly voice of Louis Armstrong and the smooth voice of Frank
Sinatra bring out different qualities of “Stormy Weather”?
7. Compare and contrast Ethel Waters and Fantasia (or two other singers of your
choice) as interpreters of “Stormy Weather.” Note: this is less a matter of
determining which singer is “better,” but rather, how the singers convey
different moods and interpretations.
8. Shirley Bassey’s cover of “Stormy Weather” is offered as a “tribute” to Lena
Horne’s. Compare and contrast the two performances.
9. From your review of these covers, can you draw some preliminary
conclusions about which qualities make for the most successful covers? Do you
find yourself being more interested in the versions that stick closer to the
original song and its mood, or to versions that depart significantly from the
original?
hoW to tAlk—And Write—About PoPulAr muSiC
Greg Blair
People in any profession talk shop, and when they do they often use “in-house”
language.
By this we mean the specialized vocabulary of a trade. Carpenters use the words
“plumb”
and “square.” Software designers use the acronym “GUI” (for graphical user
interface).
Musicians also have their specialized language, and in the glossary that follows
we’ll introduce you to several key terms that should help you identify and then
compare and contrast notable elements of songs and their covers. This glossary,
written in nontechnical Glossary
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language, isn’t meant to be exhaustive. rather, it’s limited to fundamental
musical concepts that will help you consider the songs you hear and write about
them with greater nuance and precision.
You’ll probably find the companion video glossary to be especially helpful. In
these videos, musician Greg Blair demonstrates each glossary term with a
musical instrument.
Glossary
Accompaniment refers to everything that happens musically in support of the
melody, or main tune. In many types of Western music (rock, country, jazz, pop,
etc.), it is typical for an accompaniment to consist of a percussive beat, perhaps
from drums, bass guitar, and chords being played on the guitar or piano.
However, any instrument playing anything at all besides the melody can
contribute to a song’s accompaniment.
Dynamics means, quite simply, volume—specifically, it refers to the use of
volume as an expressive performance element. When a musician or group of
musicians play their instruments at a low or soft dynamic level, they are playing
quietly. An elevated dynamic level means that the musicians are playing their
instruments loudly. A piece of music can be described as having a narrow or
wide “dynamic range,” depending on how big the changes in dynamics are.
Note that “dynamics” refers only to the music as it is performed, and not how the
listener plays the music on his or her speakers. If you were to crank up your
speakers to make a soft part loud, you haven’t changed the dynamics of the work
itself.
Harmony is the result of multiple notes being played or sung simultaneously to
form chords. Unless we are listening to a solo performer, we are typically
hearing harmony in music all the time. Harmony is an essential element of
musical accompaniment, the function of which is to support the melody.
Harmony is used to evoke various moods throughout a piece, and different
harmonies can radically change the way a melody sounds and the mood it
evokes.
Over time, musicians have codified various types of harmonies and the ways in
which one moment of harmony moves to the next; these are called “chord
progressions.” The “twelve-bar blues” is a popular progression of one set of
harmonies—or chords—to the next, meaning that many different blues songs
have the same underlying harmonies.
Instrumentation refers both to the number and type of instruments chosen for a
performance of a piece of music. Music can have a large instrumentation
(symphony orchestra), small (string quartet), or anywhere in between.
A diverse instrumentation would be one with many different instruments, and a
uniform instrumentation would feature multiple musicians playing the same
instrument. In a choral piece for which the only musicians are the singers, there
is only one “instrument,” but there can be many or few of them. In this way, an
instrumentation can be diverse or uniform regardless of the size of the group.
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ChAPTer 8 “Stormy Weather” and the Art of the Musical Cover
Typical Instrumentations:
Rock/ Pop/ Blues Band: Lead vocals, backup vocals, guitar(s), electric bass,
keyboard, drums, and sometimes other instruments such as saxophone, trumpet,
violin, or synthesizer.
Big Band: Clarinet(s), 5 saxes, 5 trumpets, 5 trombones, and piano, bass, and
drums. Sometimes a lead singer is added to this instrumentation.
Orchestra: Large instrumentation typically comprised of strings (violins, violas,
cellos, double bass), woodwinds (flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons), brass
(trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba), and percussion (timpani, cymbals, etc.).
Jazz Combo: Trumpet or saxophone (or both), piano, upright bass, and drums.
Bluegrass: Mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar, upright bass, and singers.
There are, of course, as many options for instrumentation as there are