Bruce Springsteen Rough Draft

After watching “The Language You Cry In” in class, I found myself reflecting on how music has impacted my life and with whom I have shared it with. It’s truly incredible how a simple, 5 line chorus ultimately allowed this woman to discover her history as it traveled from Sierra Leone all the way to the Gullah society in Georgia. The really displays the power that music can have over not only individual societies, but over the globe. No matter what political movements were occurring and throughout the immense inequality and slavery that was being faced, music has always remained reliable. This song brought people together and allowed them to embrace their heritage even in the worst of times, and I believe that this is still true today.

In the essay “Of thee they sing with feeling”, Garrison Keillor details his opinion on the United States’ National Anthem and the unity it brings Americans when they join together in song. After reading his essay, a greater appreciation for the indescribable feeling it gives those who sing it was more thoroughly developed. Although our society is constantly changing, the National Anthem is a timeless patriotic piece that will be cherished by many generations to come.

From the creation of harmonies to singing to instruments, music has been an abstract form of human expression. Although an auditory collection of pitches and volumes, musicians can manipulate the same notes and bring them alive for their audiences. The true emotion and energy that’s felt in music really comes from the player as feelings are transferred to and through the listener. This interaction between performer and the house is catharsis, the complete release of strong repressed emotions. Thanks to the musician, music has the ability to grasp people and cause them to sense emotions and feelings without lyrics or images even being necessary. Although it’s believed we can only hear with our ears, something about music makes it emotionally if not physically tangible. In James Baldwin’s short story “Sonny’s Blues,” a narrator certainly unaware of the impact of music invites himself to experience jazz for the first time. Baldwin uses the final scene of his story to argue that music has an effect on those who are able to experience it. Baldwin does this in one single moment by letting the fixed, practical minded, “well-intentioned” narrator experience catharsis from jazz as his growing, free-spirited brother communicates with him through jazz.

I am a dedicated and conscientious student in class, and a key member in many extra-curricular activities. As a keen musician, playing violin, trombone and piano, I contribute to a number of musical ensembles in school and played an integral part in the organisation of our school’s summer concert. I am also a member of several local youth orchestras and bands, with whom I have toured abroad many times, most recently to Italy, France and Belgium.

The song “Atlantic City” by Bruce Springsteen tells the story of a couple, their love and how it has fallen apart as well as their debts. The man in the relationship is trying to get either his girlfriend or wife a new, better life. He wants to start over and due things the right way, having a strong relationship, a steady job and no debts. He wants to be able to buy her expensive things and be able to pay the bills and rediscover their love for one another ‘were going out where the sands turning to gold”. He thinks their love has died but can come back, “how everything dies baby that’s a fact/but maybe everything that dies someday comes back” which also connects to him self to a new task, that he may not survive while in “Atlantic City”.

In this essay I will attempt to underscore and celebrate Simone’s activist efforts through song and demonstrate the messages in the music about race, gender, and class.

Meaning in music is derived from parenthetical analysis of several technical aspects including lyrics, form, historical context, emotional content, and personal connection. A hermeneutical approach to the Star-Spangled Banner can yield only interpretational results. Therefore, we must examine the more concrete details of the work, and how the music relates to the meaning of the protests as stated by Colin Kaepernick in August of 2016.

Throughout its history, music has permeated the significant events of American history. Its effect on American society and the way the American people cope with each event has only grown as popular music evolves and new genres reach more and more individuals. People can remember where they were and their exact surroundings to amazing detail when asked about life-changing events in history. Older generations will remember the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Their children will remember when Kennedy was assassinated and when man walked on the moon. Their grandchildren will remember much of the turmoil of the ‘70s and ‘80s and their great grandchildren grew up in the world impacted by the events of September 11, 2001. Even one’s surroundings during the start or end of a relationship or personal events such as graduation, getting a driver’s license, or getting married can all be paired with the music that was popular at the time.

Throughout all the anti-war protests and marches during the Vietnam War, it is interesting to note the changes in the music of that time. From the beginning of the war, where support and loyalty from Americans was present in songs, to the end of the war, where anger and distrust was evident in musical lyrics, American’s opinion changed about the war. This change in opinion was easily recognized by the altering of musical lyrics about the war when Americans grew tired of the constant sending of U.S. troops to Vietnam. The growing dissatisfaction with the Vietnam War led to increasing levels of anger and hostility in the popular music of the time.

Frank Sinatra’s songs helped Italian Americans embrace their heritage. Sinatra brought various, diverse experiences and, through music, made them relatable to both United States citizens and non-citizens. The lyrics in which Sinatra sang allowed Italians to feel a sense of belonging in America. This project will focus on Frank Sinatra and how his music influenced Italian Americans. Though I do not have a personal stake in this subject matter, I believe it is important to tell this story in hopes that anyone going through change will start to realize that they are not alone. In this project I am looking to emphasize the role that Frank Sinatra’s music played in influencing Italian Americans and allowing them to not feel isolated.

Never could I have thought that my first concert experience was going to be in a college class, performed by various composers of classical music. During the concert, I got to listen to four performances. First, the Oxycotton was played by Tim Sanchez. Second, Samantha Post played Acht Stucke on flute, followed by Nicholas Gledhill, playing Blues and Variations for Monk on horn. Finally, the CSU Graduate Brass Quintet performed a piece named Misty. In this essay, I will share my personal experience of the concert and discuss the different elements of music seen in the different performances.

Music is a form of literature that can be used as an instrument to express an artist’s feelings through their lyrics about a particular situation or topic. In the song “American Pie”, Don McLean expresses his feelings on how the generation is changing and how the influence of music will “die” because of a tragic event. The wordage and tone of McLean’s lyrics are written in a negative manner but represented in a positive and upbeat song. Don McLean’s song, “American Pie”, reveals three significant feelings, which include death, fear of change, and his devout faith.

Some people found a new source of identity, turning to religion. Some songs have a religious tone to them like “Let the Redemption come”. Pieces started to have double meanings. The piece that struck a chord with me was “My boy, where are you going? Sweetheart, it’s all over”. In one sense it could be saying something about a bad breakup or that two people have been forcefully separated after one is transported away. By grouping so many people from so many backgrounds, cultures, and languages, music was even more so a unifying thing as people united under a local or national song to affirm themselves to their home.

Music is a centerpiece in just about every culture in the world. It allows individuals to express their unique traits and interests and connect with other people on a personal level. On a cultural scale, the style of music that is considered “popular” to a group can vary extremely due to a group’s values, circumstances, and location. Music also tends to evolve and change over time, to fit the narrative of future generation’s circumstances. This is exemplified well during the early 20th century, when Paris went through a “modern renaissance,” which produced a great number of painters, poets, and musicians. Within this period, the popular music of France at the time underwent some radical changes. New styles emerged, and iconic singer’s identities were formed in this period. Influential singers such as Cole Porter, Edith Piaf, and Serge Gainsbourg became renowned in 20th century Paris, and

Do you ever wonder what is the meaning behind what you so proudly sing whenever you hear it? Music is an art form of culture which organizes sound with times It first came around in prehistoric times, however, as times passes, music is drastically changing. As a result, in the last decades music has experienced drastic changes in the themes they are talking about. These changes are due to the generations and what they are living, political and social actions of the time. For example, the decade of the 80s was the rise of hip-hop and rap music from a local phenomenon to a worldwide known genre of music. Previously, a crack cocaine epidemic had stroke major cities in the USA and it coincided with the rise of hip-hop in black communities as these