Enter Show Year 10 Song Analysis By Matthew Taliangis

Year 10 Song Analysis P op Music Jazz Music S ong Analysis Of John Lennon’s - Imagine Year 10 Song Analysis Imagine Lyrics Bibliography

Pop Music Pop music was originally an abbreviation of popular music but evolved to become a specific music category. Pop music is the most common and modern music today. It is composed for audience enjoyment, commercial success, record sales and to do well in the music charts. Pop music is designed so that anyone is able to enjoy it. A defining element of pop music is a hook, a short vocal catch – phrase (Vocal Hook) or quick instrument section (Instrumental hook). See examples. A pop song is usually less than five minutes long. A typical pop band includes a lead guitarist, a bassist, a drummer, a keyboardist and one or more singers. Most common themes in pop music are romance, love and feelings. Pop music often takes bits from other records. Next Page Examples

Pop Music Pop music began when record companies began to fight to enforce their own standards. In 1955 the price of records considerably dropped and the demand for record players skyrocketed. Companies began to apply commercial merchandising to music, advertising, tie-ins and marketing. Music companies even payed radio stations and disc-jockeys to play songs more often to falsely influence their popularity. Tension rose between the creative and productive side of the music industry. The artists won and today we have pop music. Pop music did not have an easy start in the United Kingdom and the US due to radio laws limiting the amount of music played. Today pop is one of the biggest and most popular genres in the world. Some famous pop songs are “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” by the Black Eyed Peas and “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani. Previous Page

Examples Example of Voice Hook – American Pie Example of Instrumental Hook – Don’t Phunk With My Heart (Click speaker to start music –Only listen to one at a time) Previous Page

Jazz Music Jazz is an original American music form. The main component of Jazz music is improvisation. Jazz fist appeared in the 20 th century in New Orleans, from blues and folk music of black slaves. First style of Jazz was ragtime music, a mix of older folk styles and modern harmonies. The next group of Jazz musicians formed small ensembles and put emphasis on the offbeats. Most of these people couldn’t read so improvised to make the music sound good. Big Jazz bands formed in the 1920’s as Jazz became more popular for the dance halls. The most frequent Jazz instruments are the trumpet, saxaphone, drums, piano, flute, trombone, clarinet, double bass, guitar and the cello. Usually Jazz starts with the “head”, an original tune by a lead instrument and an accompanist followed by several improvised solos and again finishing with the head. Next Page

Jazz Music Jazz singers sometimes improvise parts of their song too. Bebop Jazz, a form that is recognisable by its fast tempo and improvisation based on harmonic structure, appeared in the mid 40’s. Cool jazz, free jazz, soul jazz, Afro-Cuban jazz and Brazilian jazz appeared in the late 50’s and in the 60’s. Next was jazz rock-fusion in the 70’s. In later decades acid jazz, nu jazz and jazz rap was formed. Some famous jazz artists are Louis Armstrong, Freddie Hubbard and Charlie Parker. Example of Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” Previous Page (Click speaker to start music)

Imagine Lyrics Imagine there's no Heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one John Lennon’s “Imagine” Click Speaker to Start Click Here for Song Analysis

Song Analysis Imagine, written in 1971 by John Lennon, is twenty-two lines of lullaby style rhyme about his belief that we are all one country, one world and we should live in peace together. The song begins with an easy piano rhythm, which continues throughout the song, setting a serious feel. The background music is quite soft which gives a greater effect and meaning to the lyrics. Slight variations made by the drummer and quick pauses from the piano help add variation to the verses, without being a distraction from the vocals and keeps listeners from getting bored from the same melody. At the start and end of every verse the drummer adds a drum fill, a short section played to end a vocal or instrumental phrase. This provides a fantastic springboard for the following verse or chorus and along with the piano pauses before a new verse it helps listeners separate the different parts of the song. My personal reaction to the song was the truth in what Lennon was singing about. It made me think about if the world had “no need for greed or hunger” and how much better off we would be if it was true. I believe the song sends a good image across to listeners, particularly younger ones, on the importance of sharing, peace and love for each other in the world. John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ Next Page

Song Analysis John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ I feel that Lennon wrote the song in a time when there was a great deal of conflict between countries, within countries and within governments. I believe he wrote it to get his personal beliefs of a world without fake divisions of faith, politics and greed out into the public as “someday I hope you’ll join us” in his views. Throughout the song Lennon uses powerful descriptions and repetition to help get his ideas across. He continuously asks listeners to “Imagine” different things in the world creating incredible images for the listeners. The repeating of the word “imagine” also helps with this. The final line “And the world will live as one” gives the song a powerful ending to an amazing song. Previous Page

Bibliography John Lennon’s Imagine downloaded off Limewire