The Unique Sound of Prince
Born Prince Rodgers Nelson, aka Prince, boldly declared, “I’ve got more hits than Madonna’s got kids” (Prince). ALLMUSIC described him as “During the '80s, he emerged as one of the most singular talents of the rock & roll era, capable of seamlessly tying together pop, funk, folk, and rock” (Erlewine, ALLMUSIC). The authors of American Popular Music, Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman, made a statement similar to ALLMUSIC’s suggesting that Prince can’t be defined as a specific genre or sound when they said, “In stylistic terms, Prince’s recorded output has encompassed a wide range of musical inspirations, from funk music and guitar-based rock’n’roll to urban folk songs, new wave, jazz, and psychedelic rock” (p.
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482). Prince is labeled an R&B artist but his work appeals to a larger more diverse audience. The analysis below of two of his songs provides some indication of his ability to attract appreciation from fans across diverse genres. Not only is Prince’s sound distinctive but so is his reputation. Early on Prince established himself as a rebel by changing his name to a symbol to gain control of his recording output and circumvent the Warner Bros. contract. Warner Bros. did not want Prince to continue to distribute music at such a fast pace for fear he would flood the market. In response Prince changed his name to a symbol that could not be pronounced or typed, further illustrating that he would not be a “slave” to the record label. His new name encompassed the the male and female gender signs. Prince is known for his risqué performances, eyeliner and sexually explicit lyrics. This unique presentation draws fascination and rejection. In addition to Prince’s own success he has also written songs for other artists including the Bangles, Sheila E., Tevin Campbell and Sinead O’Connor (phactual). One of his most famous songs “Purple Rain” was also the title of the album which later became the soundtrack to the movie “Purple Rain.” According to SongFacts “It's a love song, with Prince singing about his devotion to a girl, but it also serves as a catharsis, releasing the pent-up frustrations that had been building throughout the movie.
The "Purple Rain" is a place to be free” (Songfacts). Years later Prince released “Diamonds and Pearls” which also addresses deep personal relationships. Although these two songs sound very different they have many similarities. Both songs feature electric guitars, drums, the piano and keyboard. In both songs, his ability to stretch each syllable over many notes (or melisma) evokes emotion and encourages the listener to sing along. By addressing romantic relationships both songs have a universal appeal across genres. In both songs fans across genres can easily recognize Prince’s unique timbre or “tone color.” “Purple Rain” and “Diamonds and Pearls” are both polyrhythmic. This is the combination of different rhythms being played together and is a defining characteristic in African American music. In “Purple Rain” the piano and guitar play at different rhythms and come together to complement Prince’s voice. “Diamond and Pearls” uses polyrhythm with the variety of background sounds and instrumentation as well as the call and response singing style between Prince and the female
singer. Although both songs can be easily identified as Prince they contain many differences. “Purple Rain” features chorus singers, while in “Diamonds and Pearls” Prince sings equally with a female singer. “Purple Rain” showcases Prince’s extreme guitar talent. Prince plays a guitar solo for the last three minutes of the song as opposed to “Diamonds and Pearls” which includes very little improvised solos. While “Diamonds and Pearls” is very repetitive with an easy to remember hook purple rain is more complex. Prince’s tone in “Purple Rain” is very serious, passionate and at times loud compared to his tone in “Diamonds and Pearls” which is gentle, warm and loving. The similarities between Prince’s songs establish his unique and identifiable sound, while the differences in Prince’s songs draw a more diverse fan base, ensuring him greater popularity. These two qualities contributed to Larry Star and Christopher Waterman deeming him “one of the most creative and influential musicians of the 1980s” (p. 489). Although he is usually labeled R&B for marketing purposes, Prince’s unique style can’t be confined to one genre.
Tropicalia is not only know as a form of music in Brazil but as a rebellion. Its theme of cultural non conformity was strengthened by the idea that Brazil had lost its way. Tropicalia took a stand against the social and musical hierarchy of Brazil. Though mainly known as a form of Brazilian pop music Tropicalia is deeply rooted in the political and cultural background of Brazil.
#3 Green Run opened up their gym Wednesday night and welcomed in #8 Maury Commodores. This story before this game tipped off was anticipated to be Green Runs interior players vs the backcourt of Maury.
1. How does Celie change over the course of the novel? Incorporate evidence from the novel for support.
As people called him The King of Pop. But his style of music fell into many different genres such as soul, R&B, funk, disco and dance-pop. Many different people of many different genres like James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, and Fred Astaire musically influenced him. So Michael’s music was for pretty much everyone.
Elvis Presley may be the single most important figure in American 20th century popular music. Not necessarily the best and certainly not the most consistent. But no one could argue with the fact that he was the musician most responsible for popularizing rock & roll on an international level. Viewed in cold sales figures, his impact was phenomenal. Dozens upon dozens of international smashes from the mid-'50s to the mid-'70s, as well as the steady sales of his catalog and reissues since his death in 1977, may make him the single highest-selling performer in history.
Health effects are prominent in Vietnam veterans but denied by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. As reported in the American Legion Magazine, “The defoliant also is believed to have poisoned many people who handled it or passed through sprayed locations. After the war, a conspicuous percentage of veterans contracted various cancers or diabetes, and birth defects occurred at high rate among their children, VA compensation and care were denied (Carroll).” Denial of these severe diseases and unnatural occurrences by the VA could be construed as a cover-up for the government’s mistake or a truthful disconnect of Agent Orange and the diseases. Research has shown, “Dioxin has been found to be a carcinogen associated with Parkinson’s disease,
This form of music combined elements of R&B and country music with an increased tempo. This style of music can be heard in more of his famous hits such as "Heartbreak Hotel", "Blue Suede Shoes", and "Mystery Train".
As a contemporary pop/rock artist, Elton John was the by-product of early artists such as Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Little Richard and Bob Dylan (10). Music within this genre usually exudes a more traditional rock and roll sound but is lyrically developed to be catchy, uplifting and relatable. The “British invasion” refers to the explosion of British cultural influence via pop music --also known as Britpop-- in America in the late 1950s and 60s. The slow declination of rock and roll in America gave Britpop an advantage to success; America was awed by the new British bands delivering a new sound and style, and very quickly integrated it into their culture. (1) Americans jumped on the bandwagon tha...
Alice Walker has distilled some of the most controversial literature of her time. Her work has been the foundation for many colored writer's ambitions as well as many others. Her work has stroked passion and evoked a copious amount of different emotion among not only Americans but people around the world. Her story The Color Purple is a prime example of the essence of her persona and the messages she tried to portray. Walkers ideas embedded into this story great strike the souls of Americans, even to the point where this story is being banned from high schools around the country. Jacqueline Bobo states in her book, “This analysis will show
There are numerous works of literature that recount a story- a story from which inspiration flourishes, providing a source of liberating motivation to its audience, or a story that simply aspires to touch the hearts and souls of all of those who read it. One of the most prevalent themes in historical types of these kinds of literature is racism. In America specifically, African Americans endured racism heavily, especially in the South, and did not gain equal rights until the 1960s. In her renowned book The Color Purple, Alice Walker narrates the journey of an African American woman, Celie Johnson (Harris), who experiences racism, sexism, and enduring hardships throughout the course of her life; nonetheless, through the help of friends and family, she is able to overcome her obstacles and grow into a stronger, more self-assured individual. While there are numerous themes transpiring throughout the course of the novel, the symbolism is one of the strongest prospects for instigating the plot. In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, numerous symbols influence and drive the plot of the novel.
Love has the power to do anything. Love can heal and love can hurt. Love is something that is indescribable and difficult to understand. Love is a feeling that cannot be accurately expressed by a word. In the poem “The Rain” by Robert Creeley, the experience of love is painted and explored through a metaphor. The speaker in the poem compares love to rain and he explains how he wants love to be like rain. Love is a beautiful concept and through the abstract comparison to rain a person is assisted in developing a concrete understanding of what love is. True beauty is illuminated by true love and vice versa. In other words, the beauty of love and all that it entails is something true.
My reaction to this article was quiet agreeing. I agreed with many things stated in this article, the article explained the story exactly right. For example when it states the relationship between Shug and Celie because Shug was always there for Celie. The article did a really good job explaining the novel and gave a really good report. (The New York Times).
20th century also brought African Americans and their music culture, which was more practiced by slaves. However, even before the African Americans came into music, blues music was already evolving leading to the development of other genres like country music, jazz to rock and classical music. Soul music came up as a result of rock and roll from the African American gospel, rhythm and blues. As the century grew bands were created like the bubblegum pop band comprised of blacks who created a new fusion of R&B and hip hop music that is still embraced till now. Rap music evolved from the Blues, rap music was made up of deep rhythms and autobiographical lyrics.
The Color Purple depicts the struggle within the life of the female protagonist, Celie. Celie, a clear victim of abuse, narrates the story through a collection of writings that starts with her confession of “Dear God.” Celie’s story encompasses around her life and the characters that breaks the common gender depiction. The story heavily addresses the subject of social and behavioral standards for either men and women. It raises an issues on traditional marital subjects, family patriarchy, and social topics. In a traditional take of the family structure, the man often exhibits the dominant male figure head with the final say. The father provides the money and security for the wife and children as well as claim authority over the family. He becomes very work oriented and cares for the children only in times of need. On the other hand, the woman acts to be passive and pleases her husband. She plays a major role in raising and educating the children in every way possible. Often times, the woman takes a small part in maintaining a profession; although, she holds responsibility for all house work. The societal perspective of the patriarchal family system relies so heavily on gender roles that it becomes an expectation and the regulated norm. The Color Purple disrupts this gender norm by introducing characters that faces marital issues due to being the opposite of the typical gender role. Because they embody the opposite gender’s likely attributes, it becomes a questioning issue that leads to striving to live up to social norms or dealing with society disapproval. Within the progression of the novel, the women possess a sense of empowerment while as the men accept how things are in the world. The introducti...
The Beatles experimented with several different types of musical genres, ranging all across the board, from rock and roll to psychedelic. In Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends Who Changed Music Forever, Scott Schinder and Andy Schwartz describe the Beatles’ musical evolution: