Listening Exam #1

Question 1

My Blue Heaven was performed by, music by, lyrics by and in what year

Answer 1

Performed by Gene Austin, music by Walter Donaldson, lyrics by George Whiting in 1924

Question 2

My Blue Heaven was

Answer 2

the best selling record of it’s era

Question 3

My Blue Heaven is in …

Answer 3

AABA form

Question 4

Appeal of My Blue Heaven…

Answer 4

appealed to a multitude of persons through representing a familiar and comfortable version of the “American Dream”, although it is the music refrain that holds the most appeal. It is a great tune that once remembered, is remembered for good and with affection.

Question 5

The choice of… (in My Blue Heaven)

Answer 5

a solo cello (discreetly accompanied by the piano) immediately set the record apart from others. It creates the song to be more intimate.

Question 6

St. Louis Blues music and lyrics, performed by and recorded in…

Answer 6

Music and lyrics by W.C Handy Performed by Bessie Smith accompanied by Louis Armstron (cornet) and Fred Longshaw (reed organ) recorded in 1925

Question 7

St Louis Blues combined…

Answer 7

elements structural elements from Tin Pan Alley and elements from Country Blues. The form being AABA with 12 bar blues.

Question 8

W.C. Handy…

Answer 8

Turned the AABA form into a AABC form to try and make the song less monotony in the song.

Question 9

St Louis Blues uses…

Answer 9

A call and response technique

Question 10

St. Louis Blues …

Answer 10

song accentuates the feeling of helplessness and despair through Bessie Smith’s singing and accompanied by the organ, allowing the moaning in her voice to exemplify the feeling of hopelessness and despair.

Question 11

That Black Snake Moan written…

Answer 11

written and performed by Blind Lemon Jefferson. Recorded in 1926

Question 12

Blind Lemon Jeffersen

Answer 12

was highly suspected that Jeffersen NEVER played the song the same way twice. He hugely relied on improvisation in this song.

Question 13

The lyrics… (of Black Snake Moan)

Answer 13

portray a blunt realism to the realities of poverty and erotic desire.

Question 14

The form of the song (Black Snake Moan)

Answer 14

is six-three line stanzas set to essentially the same music and repreated lines of the text are set to the same repeated music.

Question 15

Black Snake Moan represents

Answer 15

Jeffersen himself, his environment, his sexual partner, the nature of their interaction and the way they both feel about that interaction. This is a huge difference from the attitudes deployed in main stream Tin Pan Alley songs.

Question 16

Gospel Ship Written…

Answer 16

written by A.P Carter, performed by the Carter Family and recorded in 1935

Question 17

Gospel Ship was

Answer 17

one of the most famous examples of white gospel music by the Carter Family

Question 18

The style of Gospel Ship…

Answer 18

is humble and unpretentious. They sang this song with a very plain style that listeners saw as humility and devotion marking authentic religious faith

Question 19

Gospel Ship by The Carter Family…

Answer 19

exemplifies the general importance of sacred music in Southern culture and the popularity of commercial recordings of this music.

Question 20

The lyrics of Gospel Ship

Answer 20

expresses the feeling of many “hillbillies” who endured the scorn of sophisticated higherclass people. Although the song argues that the faithful will have the last laugh in heaven

Question 21

Five Facts About My Blue Heaven

Answer 21

1. It was performed by Gene Austin, writen by Geoge Whiting, music by Walter Donaldson recorded in 1924
2. The best selling record of it’s era
3. Held a strong appeal - lyrics based on “american dream” also the refrain was very remembered
4. Solo cello (along side piano) sets it apart
5. AABA format

Question 22

Five Facts About St. Louis Blues

Answer 22

1. lyrics and music by W.C. Handy, performed by Bessie Smith and accomplices in 1925
2. combines elements of a Tin Pan Alley song with Country Blues
3. uses structure of the AABA format, although uses AABC because W.C. Handy wanted to avoid monotony
4. Uses a call and response technique with Bessie Smith and the instruments
5. Bessie Smith’s singing along with the organ really exemplifies the feeling of hopelessness and despair in her voice.

Question 23

Five Facts About Gospel Ship

Answer 23

1. Writen by A.P. Carter, performed by The Carter Family and recorded in 1935
2. one of the most famous songs in White Gospel music by the Carter Family
3. Marks authentic religious faith due to the humility and authenticity of the song and the humbleness in which the Carter Family sang it
4. sacred culture of southern music and popularity of commercial recordings
5. expresses the feeling of many hillbillies against more “sophisticated” people

Question 24

Five Facts About Black Snake Moan

Answer 24

1. writen and performed by Blind Lemon Jeffersen and recorded in 1926
2. highly suspected Jeffersen never played the song the same twice
3. uses six-three line stanzas
4. represents himself, his environment, his sexual partner, their erotic encounters and how they both felt about those encounters
5. has a blunt realism in his lyrics regarding poverty and erotic desire

Question 25

Taking A Chance On Love was...

Answer 25

compose by Vernon Duke, lyrics by John Latouche and Ted Fetter, arranged by Fletcher Hendersen; performed by BENNY Goodman and his Orchestra, recorded in 1940

Question 26

Taking A Chance On Love reached...

Answer 26

reached number one on the Hit Parade chart published in the influential trade journal Billboard in 1943

Question 27

Taking a chance on love represents ...

Answer 27

a common aspect of the repertoire of big bands - orchestrated versions of popular Tin Pan Alley songs

Question 28

The singer of Taking A Chance on Love is ...

Answer 28

sang by Helen Forrest who, although not heard of today, was seen as one of the greatest big band crooners. Her warm, fluid voice and clarity of phrasing was admired by musicians and she eventually worked with three of the most prominent bands of the swing era. (those of Goodman, Artie Shaw, Harry James)

Question 29

Taking A Chance on Live is in ...

Answer 29

Thirty-two-bar AABA song structure, including an interesting 24 measure instrumental introduction

Question 30

5 Interesting facts about taking a chance on love

Answer 30

1. composed by vernon Duke, lyrics by John Latouche and Ted Fetter, performed by Benny Goodman and his orchestra, arranged by Feltcher Hendersen. Recorded in 1940 2. represents a common aspect of the repertoire of big bands - "orchestrated versions of popular Tin Pan Alley songs" 3. sang by Helen Forrest - one of the most renown female crooners, was admired by many musicians and worked with three of the most prominent bands of the swing era 4. reached number one on Hit Parade chart published in the influential trade journal billboard in 1943 5. thirty-two bar AABA song structure - including 24 measure instrumental introduction

Question 31

Caravan was

Answer 31

compose by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, arranged by Duke Ellington, performed by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, recorded in 1937

Question 32

Caravan is in

Answer 32

thirty-two bar AABA form.

Question 33

Caravan begins with

Answer 33

drummer, Sonny Geer, whose role in the Ellington band was much different than the competing bands. His contribution was broadly musical - Ellington never wrote drum parts for Geer. He relied on his innate sense of direction.

Question 34

Caravan's arrangement is...

Answer 34

enlivened with "exotic" precussion and bluesy jazz improvisations.

Question 35

Caravan has been

Answer 35

recorded by a wide variety of musicians over the years including Nat King Cole, Chet Atkins, the Carpenters, the Ventures. It has also appeared in movies such as Oceans Eleven, and TV shows such as The OC and The Simpsons

Question 36

Five Facts About Caravan

Answer 36

1. composed by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, arranged by Duke Ellington, performed by Duke Ellington and His orchestra recorded in 1937 2. Caravan is in thirty-two-bar AABA form 3. begins with an instrumental by the drummer Sonny Geer - relied on his sense of direction (never had music written for him) 4. enlivened with exotic percussion and bluesy jazz improvisations 5. Recorded by many musicians, in movies and TV shows

Question 37

Brazil was

Answer 37

written by Ary Barroso, performed by Xavier Cugat and His Waldork-Astoria Orchestra, recorded in 1943

Question 38

Brazil is

Answer 38

one of the most recorded songs of ALL TIME. perhaps has become familiar through repetition as a staple of tourist trade, performed in hotel bars, ballrooms worldwide

Question 39

The musical logic of Brazil is ...

Answer 39

centered on two elements: 1. a one-measure syncopated pattern repeated over and over to create momentum and 2. a sweeping meoldy with ABCD form which never repeats itself in the same manner as a Tin Pan Alley song

Question 40

In Brazil...

Answer 40

the arrangement and rhythmic pattern and melody are tossed from instrument to instrument and extra measures are introduced at important transition points.

Question 41

It could be argued that the structure of Brazil...

Answer 41

the formal structure and musical texture of Brazil, a song, that to this day functions as an emotionally saturated symbol of Brazilian national identity