The Defiant Ones Collaboration

Term Project
As a term project, you have 2 options:
1. Documentary Project
2. An Analysis Project
Remember, you choose ONE, and please identify what you are doing. Please don't do both.
Either project is due Thursday July 1, 2021, at noon.
1. Documentary Project
We are very fortunate these days to have access to many excellent documentaries about music, both old and new. Below, you will find a list of excellent documentaries. Take a look at the list, and see if anything interests you.
If you select to write about one of these docs as your project, please do the following:

1. Take some notes about the film as you are watching. When certain major ideas are emphasized, make sure to acknowledge them.
2. Write an essay (500-750 words) about the film. Please use at least a 12 point font, and double space.
Focus on things you may have learned in the film, or things you may have found most interesting, and outline them. You don't have to include everything in the film, just work to get your main ideas down.
Develop your main points through elaborating and discussing them.
Were there any items or ideas in the film that moved you, made an impact on you, or fascinated you? Make sure to include and discuss these issues, and the reason they may have reached you in a certain way. As an example, when I watched Muscle Shoals, I was personally very moved by the idea that there was something very spiritual about the place ("something in the water") that influenced the music that was produced there.
Use good grammar that is appropriate to college-level writing. Organize your paper as an essay, with an introductory thesis, a body where you information is presented and discussed, and a conclusion.
I really hope you enjoy this project, and that it brings something to you which may change the way you hear music!
Sonic Highways An eight-episode documentary mini-series. It may seem kind of long, but I enjoyed every minute of this series. It focuses on Dave Grohl and his work with Foo Fighters on their album Sonic Highways. Each episode concentrates on a different American city, and in each city the band records a song in a prominent studio in that city. The musical culture of each city is discussed, and often musicians from these cities join them. Available on HBO.

The Defiant Ones A four-part documentary focusing on the careers of top-notch producers Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. It offers a great overview of Jimmy Iovine's long career. Along with that, it offers (to me) an even better overview of Dr. Dre's career, beginning in his early days with NWA, and continuing with his solo work, and his work as a producer. These two very diverse artists eventually collaborated in the 90s on some projects, and most recently they were involved in Apple's "Beats." Available on HBO. I love this one.

The Wrecking Crew This is about an astonishing group of musicians, most of them working out of LA in the 60s and 70s. These musicians were prominent players on hundreds of popular songs. They provided tracks for The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Phil Spector, Sonny and Cher, Elvis, etc. Available on Hulu and Starz. Dont confuse this with a 1968 film of the same name. Available through iTunes.

Muscle Shoals A story about 2 recording studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Many great artists from the 60s and 70s recorded some of their very best work in Muscle Shoals. Some of the people who recorded there are Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Seger and George Michael. Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube

Devil at the Crossroads – A look at the short, mysterious life of blues legend Robert Johnson. Johnson was said to have made a deal with the Devil in rural Mississippi. This features great interviews with Taj Mahal, Keith Richards, and Eric Clapton, among others.
Available on Netflix.

2. Analysis Project
This is not really any more complex than the Documentary option, but it is more from a musicians point of view. If you choose to do this, please follow the guidelines below.

— Choose one of the songs listed on the bottom of this page and analyze; write a paper (500 – 750 words) based on your analysis. Graphics, timelines, etc. are necessary in order to fully illustrate the structure of the song. Use the Listening Guides in the book, and the analysis I provided of "Send Me" in Part 1 as models for your graph or graphs. This is not a biography of the artist. It is a breakdown of a piece of music and the lyrics associated with the music.
1. significance of the lyrics Are they silly and nonsensical, deep and meaningful, socially conscious, politically conscious, etc? What context do they come from?
2. Make sure that you include the lyrics to the song. There are many sites online which offer complete lyrics. Also, remember that different versions of a song will have different lyrics. For instance, in the book there is a comparison of the two different versions of "Shake, Rattle and Roll." So, make sure that the lyrics you use match up to the version you are analyzing. Changing the lyrics could alter the form.
3. the form of the song all of the listed songs fall into one of the standard forms we have talked about also, usually in one way or another, the form is dictated by the lyrics, or vice versa (theres usually no way to tell; they are simply interrelated)
a. blues either a pure 12 bar blues or a variation of itdont just say its a blues. Give detail as to how its a blues, how the verses line up with the cycle of chords, how there are breaks, solos, etc.
b. AABA, a standard formula in traditional pop music where the B is a contrasting section, usually a bridge
c. Strophic a really common one is verse1 – chorus -verse2-chorus, etc.
Suggestions and hints:
Remember that the form types listed above arent always exclusive of one another; for example a blues-based song could be an AABA, where there are 2 verses followed by a chorus.
Make sure to account for all sections of a song; there are often introductions, solos, endings (codas) etc.
In regards to the previous points, a successful analysis of a song might be approached in the same way I analyzed the song "You Send Me" in Part 1 of the course. In this analysis, notice that I identified each verse according to what section it represented in the form. An analysis of a song will not be considered complete unless the form is outlined clearly.
3. Source of the material is it original to the artist who recorded it, or is it a cover? Document your sources.
4. Point out any unusual features in the song that make it more unique, innovative, effective or quirky.
The songsyour selection must be from this list, or you will receive no credit.
These songs are accessible through the Listening Links:
Tutti Frutti Little Richard
Great Ball of Fire Jerry Lee Lewis
Johnny B. Goode Chuck Berry
Ticket to Ride The Beatles
Shop Around Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Shining Star Earth, Wind and Fire
How I Could Just Kill a Man Cypress Hill
I Shot the Sheriff Bob Marley
Time of the Season The Zombies
Burning Down the House Talking Heads

Assignment
Term Project Submission
Please submit your Term Project here. The project is graded based on how well you address the particulars of the assignment. Please see the rubric for details.

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