AQA GCSE: Popular Song

Some possible starting points

• Aural ‘analysis’ of almost anything currently in the charts (Steps, S Club 7, Hear’Say, Atomic Kitten etc)
  
• Cover versions for performance/recording
  
• Using standard drum patterns to compose/arrange pastiche
  
• Use any singers in the group as a resource: performing as a basis for listening/appraising
  
• Tapes to identify features
  
• Start from Integrated Assignment
  
• Specimen Papers (see CD)

 

Suggestions for Repertoire

(from Joe Bennett, Director Commercial Music course at BSUC)
NB Anything will do – no specific knowledge of any specific piece expected

• Solo ballads (if we mean by ballad slow pop song rather than folk song definition)
  Bryan Adams: (Everything I Do) I Do For You - from Waking Up the Neighbours 1991 (formula rock ballad)
  Dolly Parton: I Will Always Love You (formula Country ballad)
  
• Musical Theatre:
  Everything's All Right - Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) (crossover rock/show song)
  Cabaret - title song (political show song)
  Guy Says The Horse Can Do (Fugue for Tinhorns from Guys & Dolls) - not sure if this is the exact title (canonic and rather nice!);
  Les Mis.
  
• Soul/gospel
  Matchbox Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson, (about 1928) (early roots of recorded black music - pre-dates Robert Johnson and has strong gospel influence)
  If You're Ready - Staple Singers (50s/60s) (early soul/pop)
  Soul Man - Sam & Dave (60s) (golden era of soul/pop)
  Kiss - Prince (1980s) (synthy soul pop)
  Survivor - Destiny's Child (2000) (contemporary)
  
• Folk-influenced
  Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - Bob Dylan - 1960s (classic singer-songwriter etc)
  All Around My Hat - Steeleye Span (1970s) (pop/folk crossover)
  Fields of Fire - Big Country - 1980s (identifiable 'Scottish' folk-rock sound)
  
• Rock
  Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven (1950s) (very early R&B/rock)
  The Kinks - You Really Got Me (1960s) (acknowledged as the first Heavy Metal riff)
  Deep Purple - Black Night (1970s) (unison riffs and improv - HM by numbers!)
  Van Halen - Jump (1980s) (rock with synthesiser technology)
  Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit - (1990s) (retro punk revival 1990s)
  Limp Bizkit - Rollin' - (2001) (contemporary highly polished HM) – note by IB check lyrics
  
• Fusion - see below

Influence of World Musics

African Influence: most popular music is influenced by this. More specifically Graceland (Western popular styles mixed with a capella Ladysmith Black Mambazo, South African township music etc)

Carribbean: Bob Marley (see Legend CD )

Latin American

• Salsa/Rock: Santana (eg Oye como va)
  
• Salsa/Pop: Gloria Estefan (the album Mi Tierra); Ricky Martin
  
• Tango/Music Theatre: Don’t cry for me Argentina
  
• Latin/Music Theatre: West Side Story (America)

Indian Sub-Continent

• Beatles (Within You, Without you; Norwegian Wood
  
• Bhangra (see Rough Guide series)
  
• Talvin Singh (more into ‘dance’ than ‘song’ – see Ok and Ha!)
  
• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (eg Mustt Mustt – remix by Massive Attack – see QCA KS3 SOW)

 

Possible links from KS3 work

QCA Schemes of Work:

• Unit 3 Soundscapes
  
• Unit 4 Musical Cycles
  
• Unit 10 Hooks & Riffs
  
• Unit 12 Bhajan/Qawwali
  
• Unit 15 Song

EDEXCEL GCSE

Suggestions for repertoire
(from Joe Bennett, Director Commercial Music course at BSUC)

12-bar blues

• Blind Lemon Jefferson 'Matchbox Blues'
  
• Robert Johnson 'Crossroads Blues'
  
• Chuck Berry 'Johnny B. Goode'
  
• Elvis Presley 'Hound Dog'
  
• Cream 'Crossroads' (same song, different arrangement)
  
• Stealer's Wheels (Gerry Rafferty) 'Stuck In The Middle With You' - actually 24-bar blues

Reggae

• Bob Marley 'Legend' compilation album
  
• Black Uhuru 'Showcase' (1979) album
  
• Third World Greatest Hits (1995) album

Club dance remix

• Use pupil expertise if appropriate – almost anything will do if the processes are clear
  
• Could tie in to ‘Music that draws together two or more cultures’
  
• eg Bhangra The Rough Guide to Bhangra (World Music Network RGNET 1054) contains ‘Piya Re’, a remixed track featuring Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (see QCA Bhajan/Qawwali scheme of work), ‘Baloo’, showing a wide range of dance influences and samples (including Carmina Burana) etc
  
• Talvin Singh (Ha!, OK)
  
• Qawwali (eg Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Mustt Mustt, remix by Massive Attack)

Songs from musicals
See above

Selected Resources

Aschmann, L (1997) 500 Songwriting ideas Emeryville, CA: MixBooks
(Review subject matter beforehand – most is fine)

Farrell, G (1997) Indian Music in the West Oxford: OUP

Hooper, C & N (1999) Learn Songwriting London: Usborne

Waugh, I (2000) Quick Guide to Dance Music Tonbridge: PC Publishing

Rough Guides to World Music, Reggae, Techno, Drum’n’Bass, Rock etc etc