Music 2734A/B Lecture Notes - Big Mama Thornton, Pentatonic Scale, Melodic Motion
Document Summary
Descending melodic motion (prevalent in blues stylings, both in urban and rural manifestations) Second principle source of rock music (first being the blues) Many of the elements of tin pan alley are directly descendent of anglo-american ballads. Ballad tradition had its origins in the british isles, recognizing specific historical context. 17th c. if not earlier, many of these songs were transported to north america with the immigration. The blues singer in the african-american tradition had a symbolic place for the position of the male in society; many of the songs have some overt sexual tones. Singing the blues in the rural and urban is primarily male. Women not viewed primarily as blues singers; social setting, topographical & geographical setting, performing jazz before wwii. Big difference between male and female singers in the african-american blues tradition. Many of the songs used in child rearing were sung by women (because they should be child rearing)
