Jazz Age Music
Directions: Listen and analyze each of the songs below.
For each of the songs:
Bonus: If you have any time left over, watch the video from Fantasia 2000 will George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." While you watch and listen, compare it to the other songs. What elements of other musical styles created this piece? Do you think the Disney animation portrays an accurate depiction of the music.
For each of the songs:
- Write down adjectives that describe the music (examples of words you might use are below).
- What are elements that each of these songs has in common? What is different?
- Are there any songs that are similar or seem to have evolved from each other?
- What kind of instruments are used in the music? What is the subject matter?
- Is there anything in any of these songs that represents American culture in the 1920s?
Bonus: If you have any time left over, watch the video from Fantasia 2000 will George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." While you watch and listen, compare it to the other songs. What elements of other musical styles created this piece? Do you think the Disney animation portrays an accurate depiction of the music.
King Oliver's Creole Band: Dipper Mouth BluesBessie Smith: St. Louis BluesCole Porter: Let's Do It |
DUke Ellington's Orchestra: Jubilee StompThe CharlestonBonus Song: George Gershwin RHAPSODY in Blue |
Possible Adjectives (you may use these or any others)
Upbeat Slow Light
Quick Repetitive Soulful
Sultry Choppy Structured
Happy Written music Rigid
Improvisational Smooth Sad
Unpredictable Rough
Upbeat Slow Light
Quick Repetitive Soulful
Sultry Choppy Structured
Happy Written music Rigid
Improvisational Smooth Sad
Unpredictable Rough
Cole Porter, Let's Fall in Love When the little bluebird Who has never said a word Starts to sing Spring, spring When the little bluebell At the bottom of the dell Starts to ring ring ring When the little blue clerk In the middle of his work Starts a tune to the moon up above It is nature that is all Simply telling us to fall in love And that's why Chinks do it, Japs do it, Up in Lapland little Laps do it Let's do it, let's fall in love In Spain, the best upper sets do it Lithuanians and Letts do it Let's do it, let's fall in love The Dutch in old Amsterdam do it Not to mention the Finns Folks in Siam do it, think of Siamese twins Some Argentines, without means do it I hear even Boston beans do it Let's do it, let's fall in love Romantic sponges, they say, do it Oysters down in oyster bay do it Let's do it, let's fall in love Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do it Even lazy jellyfish do it Let's do it, let's fall in love The most refined schools of cod do it, Though it shocks 'em, I fear, Sturgeon, thank God, do it, Have some caviar dear. In shallow shoals, Dover soles do it, Goldfish, in the privacy of bowls, do it, Let's do it, let's fall in love. The dragonflies in the reeds do it. Sentimental centipedes do it. Let's do it, let's fall in love. Mosquitoes, heaven forbid, do it, So does every katydid do it. Let's do it, let's fall in love. The most refined ladybugs do it When a gentleman calls Moths in your rugs they do it What's the use of moth balls Locusts in trees do it. Bees do it. Even overeducated fleas do it. Let's do it, let's fall in love. The chimpanzees in the zoos do it, Some courageous kangaroos do it Let's do it, let's fall in love I'm sure giraffes on the sly do it. Heavy hippopotami do it. Let's do it, let's fall in love. Sloths who hang down from the twigs do it Though the effort is great Sweet guinea pigs do it-- Buy a couple and wait! We know that bears in pits do it. Even Pekingeses in the Ritz do it Let's do it, let's fall in love |
Bessie Smith, St. Louis Blues
I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate to see that evening sun go down It makes me think I’m on my last go round Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today I'll pack my truck and make my get away St. Louis woman with her diamond ring Pulls that man around by her apron string If it wasn't for powder and her store-bought hair That man I love wouldn't have gone nowhere, nowhere I got the St. Louis blues, blue as I can be He’s got a heart like a rock cast in the sea Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me |