Switched on Pop #3- The Past, Present, and Future of Emo (with Allegra Frank)

This podcast I was excited for when I saw the title of the episode. I listen to quite a bit of metal and alternative rock and this can kind of be perceived as emo. And apparently, I was right because after just listening to a few minutes of this podcast I knew they were going to be talking about my music. Greenday, Fallout Boy, and Panic! at the Disco already have been mentioned and these are all the bands I grew up on. The podcast transitions to figuring out what kind of music qualifies as Emo. And according to the podcast so far, Emo is not quite punk rock or alternative, but its more than a genre. Emo is a kind of emotion for people, so Emo is different for everybody. Mine is Fallout Boy and Panic! at the Disco, while someone else’s may be Korn and Mineral. They continue to explain how Emo has evolved and they go over this artist named Sunny Day Real Estate which I am not really a fan of. But then they go over Jimmy Eat World which is a lot more my style. A little bit harder hitting than Sunny Day Real Estate. I think past Emo was a lot more emotional earlier in time and switched off from hard and soft music. Present Emo is still emotional, but not as emotional as the past. Like “Thnks fr th Mmrs” by Fallout Boy is a lot faster paced than these past songs and is still conveying an emotional message, but I feel because it is not slow it is not as emotional. It wasn’t until 2004 when the bands I like start popping up and the people in the podcast agreed with me that it wasn’t the same Emo as those earlier years. I was impressed with this podcast’s breakdown of Emo as I do have to agree with a lot of their analyses of Emo. And the bands I do listen to right now, they have evolved to more pop and aren’t really Emo anymore.

Sloan, Nate and Harding Charlie, hosts. “The Past, Present, and Future of Emo (with Allegra Frank).” Switched on Pop, Vox Media Podcast Network 19 Nov. 2019 https://switchedonpop.com/episodes/the-past-present-and-future-of-emo-allegra-frank

Switched on Pop #2-Rihanna Party! (with Gina Delvac)

During this podcast, they breakdown Rihanna and her music career. They play songs such as: “Pon de Replay,” “Umbrella,” “What’s My Name,” and several more songs. I didn’t realize the amount of vocal range that Rihanna herself had. It wasn’t until these guys on the podcast pointed it out in these different songs. Rihanna herself mainly sticks with the lower vocals but on certain songs such as “We Found Love” she explores those higher vocals and it is fascinating to understand the range of her voice. If I do listen to pop music, Rihanna would probably be one of my top artists. In the podcast they also go over her musical achievements and it appears that Rihanna is one of the all-time artists in the world. She even has the same number of charts hitting singles as Michael Jackson. I am not really a fan of the person they keep going back to who is a producer called Jenny Gathright. She is just kind of describing the already visible and is brought up for clarification on what seems the obvious. During the podcast they also bring up the song “Umbrella” which personally I am not a fan of. I am not a big fan of constant repetition of one word, so I don’t really agree with what they said about it being such an important song. I was interested to learn that some of her songs were inspired by some ill-fated relationships. Also, Rihanna spans over several genres as her albums progress, which is impressive for Rihanna in demonstrating her abilities.

Sloan, Nate and Harding Charlie, hosts. “Rihanna Party! (with Gina Delvac).” Switched on Pop, Vox Media Podcast Network 29 Oct. 2019 https://switchedonpop.com/episodes/rihanna-party-with-gina-delvac

"Jump"-Van Halen

I can remember being super young and hear this song come on the radio. It is a very upbeat song with what sounds like and electric keyboard, drums, and electric guitar. It is a rather short song but the meaning behind it is a beautiful one. I am not really a fan of the repetition of the word "jump" just because I feel like it is a little boring. However, I love how upbeat the song is. After a little digging and trying to figure out what the song meant, I learned that the song itself is written as a person jumping into a relationship, taking the leap of faith. Throughout the song the electric keyboard and the drums are mostly what I hear prominently until the end of the song where an electric guitar solo comes in. I guess it might have just been me but my initial understanding of what seemed to be the message behind the song was a little dark and I thought it was something as of suicide and to my surprise the initial meaning of the song was inspired by that. But, after some thinking they decided that this was the best route and changed the meaning of the song. My favorite instrument of the song would have to be the electric keyboard as it makes just such a unique sound, and as soon as the song starts makes the signature start. I don't really know any other songs that start with that same melody in the beginning of the song. Overall, I love this song as it reminds me of my childhood.

Switched on Pop #1-Why U Love 2 Listen 2 Prince (with Anil Dash)

During this podcast, they discuss the song 1999 by Prince. And they breakdown the song as well as Thriller by Michael Jackson. 1999 was unique for its time because Prince had used a new drum machine for the beginning of his song which creates a wall of sound that sounds very electric. This wasn’t the intent of the drum machine, but Prince took the instrument and put his own spin on it which gives it a unique sound. The rest of the song is a repeating melody with Prince’s lyrics. This song exploded and then once Michael Jackson hears the song, he changes the song he had been working on at the time. This song was Thriller. Thriller then also gets a wall of sound just due to the competition at the time with Prince. This wall of sound was unique, and it generated competition within other artists because they knew it was making waves within the musical community. Then, Prince is also himself unique because he was one of the first people to really use computers and upload albums to the internet. I personally don’t listen to much Prince or Michael Jackson just because that’s not my favorite style of music but after comparing 1999 and Thriller together I have decided that I like Thriller a little more. I just like Michael Jackson’s vocals a lot more than Prince. Michael Jackson’s vocals and lyrics are so much louder and more prominent. Prince focuses more on the beats and his vocals aren’t very prominent and I am just not really a fan. However, when it comes to the drum machine discussed in the podcast, I am a really big fan of how Prince innovated this instrument. He found his own melody within it and pushed the machine to its limits to discover what he could do with it.

Sloan, Nate and Harding Charlie, hosts. “Why U Love 2 Listen 2 Prince (with Anil Dash).” Switched on Pop, Vox Media Podcast Network 22 Oct. 2019 https://switchedonpop.com/episodes/why-u-love-2-listen-2-prince-with-anil-dash

"I Shot the Sheriff"-Eric Clapton Cover

I personally like the cover more than the original just because I feel like I can understand the lyrics more in this version than the original. The type of music is very funky. The story itself is one of a harsh life and I believe it to be the story of a slave trying to earn his freedom. My reasoning behind this is due to the lyrics. During a part of the song the lyrics say, "Sheriff John Brown always hated me, For what I don't know, Every time that I plant a seed," and the part where it mentions a seed was my first inclination of slavery. The second inclination of slavery was much later in the song when it says, "Freedom came my way one day, And I started out of town, All of a sudden I see sheriff John Brown, Aiming to shoot me down." The mention of freedom is what really caught me off guard but also solidified my thoughts that the song was somehow linked to slavery. The song itself is a very sad song and this can be heard within the artist's voice. It is sad to think that back in history it was so unequal and that people looked at each other so differently. At least now a days we recognize that injustice in today's society and we are doing something about it. But back then it was entirely different story, and many people lost their lives due to slavery.

"Hotel California"-The Eagles

I have been listening to this song for years! My grandfather is the one who listened to it constantly, and I can recite it almost completely from memory. The song starts out with a guitar solo that is quite unique, and just this part alone lasts for an entire minute until the drums signal the start of the singing. Two deep taps of a drum and the singing begins. The singer's voice is quite high pitched but is smooth. The lyrics describe a story of a man who was riding on what I assume to be a motorcycle (this could be different depending upon person) in the middle of nowhere. He got tired and saw a hotel sign and he describes what I assume to be a very long drug-induced hallucination. He hears voices, he describes a woman, and then describes what sounds to be a murder. When I mean murder, this is what they lyrics say, "And in the master's chambers, They gathered for the feast, They stab it with their steely knives, But they just can't kill the beast." That sounds like an attempted murder or actual murder to me. Following this last verse, the singer describes him trying to run away from the scene. Trying to find a way out of the hotel, the singer comes across a night man who says he can never leave. At this point of the song, the tempo of the song picks up and the electric guitar takes over.

"Sound of Silence"- Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel

This song is one of a kind. After a little research I learned that the song initially actually did not do very well on the charts until it started receiving some attention after being played in a couple of states. I personally know the song through a cover done by Disturbed. After listening to the original soundtrack, I am not sure which version I like more. The cover done by Disturbed is a very powerful metal version of the original, but the original is so much more intimate. The quiet and smooth voices almost reminded me of a crooner style which is very personal to anyone listening. And the acoustic guitar playing the soft melody is impressive. It is not a happy song at all, and through the soft melodies and soft voices of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel it expresses a certain sadness within the song. My favorite part of the song has to be when they describe how in this person's vision it sounds as if he witnesses a bomb being dropped, "When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light, That split the night." Although I am confused how the flash of neon light turns into a neon god described later in the song but it still sounds amazing. The repeat in the middle of the song of the same lyric structure also has its own impact, "People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never share." The repeat solidifies and gives the lyrics power as they stand out.

"Charlie Brown" by The Coasters

Initially when I heard the title of the song I got the wrong idea. I thought it was going to be about the kids cartoon. The one with the white dog snoopy and all of the other kids. But I was definitely wrong, but I still had a pretty good laugh when I listened to the song. Just the initial, "Fe fe fi fi fo fo fum" already had me smiling as it was a funny start to a song. This initial start has a similar saying to the Jack and the Beanstalk story where the giant says "Fee fi fo fum." Otherwise I thought it was a really fun song. It is kind of sad that this one kid named Charlie Brown gets blamed for everything but the tone of the song is entirely different from the meaning. I like how they include the deep voice and how it responds to the music lyrics. This going back and forth progresses the story and makes it fun. The coasters themselves are an amazing band in my opinion. They sing the song Sh Boom Life Could Be a Dream and they are a fun band all around. So, when it comes to Charlie Brown by The Coasters, the song is fun, upbeat, and one of a kind. Especially with the saxophone in the background providing the upbeat tone. The saxophone and drum combo work well to give the song a happy and joking mood while Charlie Brown himself complains.

"Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes"

The song starts out with a very nice guitar melody that has a medium tempo, not to fast and not too slow. I originally thought that the song might have been a happier story but I was all too wrong. Jimmie Rodgers then starts to sing and his voice is much like the guitar which has a smooth tone to it, a little raspy here and there but overall its smooth. The lyrics then change everything. Jimmie sings about how he longs for a woman that left him and that the dreams of the past were untrue. I have never been a fan of yodeling songs because the ones I have heard I can barely understand the other lyrics. But when Jimmie sings and yodels it is clear and concise and the yodeling is not too off the top. My favorite lyrics has to be, "Alone, I'll be yearning tomorrow When sunshine brings memories of you My sunshine will turn into sorrow As I dream of the love we once knew" because they show just how much any kind of object or feeling will bring back the feeling of an old love. Love is a universal feeling as you can feel it in almost every aspect of life. I think the target audience are people who just recently got out of a meaningful relationship. And a part that really hurts is when Jimmie sings, "Why did you promise me sweetheart Never to leave me alone." The song itself is very emotionally charged, yet is sung so smoothly by Jimmie.

"How Deep is the Ocean" written by Irving Berlin, sang by Bing Crosby

As the song starts, I initially believed that the song was going to be sad but as soon as Bing started to sing that completely changed. His deep and smooth voice brings the song emotion and a sense of calm. Bing being a crooner also changes the song from the start because it is going to be a lot more emotional and personal. It is not a long song but the lyrics evoke a story of love and vulnerability. I was surprised to find the song to be split into questions and answers. For example, the song goes "how many times in a day Do I think of you?" and the previous verse leads into the question. I personally listen to music that is a lot more gravelly and the music hits harder, but Bing Crosby has to be one of my favorite singers. The part of the song that brings the most emotion to me has to be the verses, "And if I ever lost you How much would I cry?" I had a lover at one point where I thought I was in love and it would last. Unfortunately, after many days of toxicity and a series of issues it ended. However, this song emphasizes the theme of identity and it describes how much we feel when in love. So, this song had a major impact on me and made me look at family, friends, and future lovers through a different light. I think the target audience are people in a relationship or people who have been in love before because they understand the lengths they would go for their significant others.

"Long John" by Lightning Washington and fellow convicts

The song itself is a call and response and certain lyrics repeat throughout the song. But, the basic story behind the song is that an African American worker escaped the confines of slavery and made it to the north. There are no instruments except for the beat provided by the sound of wood chopping. The song itself seems like it has a sad tone or is sad because the the "O"s are stretched out in long, John, and gone. The music surprises me when it mentions the nailing of Jesus Christ to the the cross. My favorite part of the song has to be when John is describing that dogs are coming and that he needs to go. It provides a sense of suspense and anxiousness which gives the story a little terror and livens it up. My least favorite song has to be the "tell my rider That I'm on my way" because I don't really know what that means. "If I call next summer, Be in Baltimore", was very controversial at the time as the idea of African Americans escaping and running to freedom tore apart the country at one point. They had to fight to get there and many African Americans weren't lucky enough to make it. The main theme behind this song is identity. African Americans were fighting for a new life and to make a new identity for themselves. They were no longer the person to be pushed down on as they fought for their rights. I think the target audience was fellow African Americans and to inspire them. Making a message that their is hope and that some do make it to freedom.

Me, Myself and I

My name is Ethan Arnold, I am seventeen years old, and my hometown is Acton, California. My favorite music genre would have to be metal, however I do listen to alternative every once in a while. I love the power and messages incorporated into metal songs. Although, metal is stereotypical for screaming at the top of the lungs which I am not a fan of. Certain artists I make exceptions for due to the sound of their voice at that volume. My favorite artist is Five Finger Death Punch (FFDP) with Metallica and Three Days Grace following close behind. My favorite songs are Wrong Side of Heaven and Blue on Black.