Jess' Music Explorations

For this blog post, I wanted to do one more dedicated musical analysis, one that focuses on the classic artist, Elvis Presley. One of my favorite songs by Elvis is his absolutely heart-melting love song Can’t Help Falling in Love from his 1961 album Blue Hawaii. The song was written by hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George Weiss and was later produced by Gladys Music Inc for Presley’s film Blue Hawaii (Rice, 1982). A mildly problematic aspect to this song is that the melody is almost exactly taken from a French love song Plaisir d’Amour which was composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Egide Martini (Songfacts). However, there is a heavy debate as to whether or not the melody was stolen or merely changed. No matter what, this classic love song is still widely listened to as a classic love song which lovers, old and new, listen to and are immediately hit with an enticing rhythm, thumping drums, and lyrics which make you fall in love all over again. 

Rhythm

The rhythm presented in this song is quite laid back and has a swing to it, which makes the song feel more relaxed. Overall, I think this song is performed adagio so as to savor all of the wonderful vibrato Elvis’ voice has when he holds his notes. This tempo also aids in the smooth feeling of the song and I think that it really gives the signature romantic feel of the song. I think this was a great stylistic choice by Elvis as well, because it really accents his voice and talents and just goes to show that he was great at giving feeling to his music.

Harmony

Elvis’ voice is the most prominent voice heard in this song, however, there are some great backup vocalists who add a wonderful warm and rich tone to the overall feeling of this song. The vocalists harmonize with Elvis throughout the entire song with a consonant combination which only makes the song feel warmer and more romantic. Almost always the backup vocalist’s are not singing words, but a chord progression or two note ‘swing’ of “oo’s” which is just enough to supplement those long drawn out notes sung by Presley. This simple harmony adds so much to the overall feel of the song and, in my opinion, adds a vital layer of tone which makes the song sound more cozy and intimate. 

Melody

Along with the harmony of this song, is the melody which adds the soft, romantic feel to the song as a whole. The beautiful melody also adds a touch of innocence to the song as well as romance. Mixing the piano, drums, guitar, and vocals the melody really feels like it “flows like a river” just as the song says. Set in D major, the two sharps–C# and F#– allow the song to have an artistic flair while still sounding upbeat and happy. Overall, I think it was a smart choice for the song as there are lots of moments where the song shifts from sharp to natural and it gives such a smooth transition and Presely pulls it off nicely as well. 

Timbre

Elvis is known for his voice–I mean come on, he’s universally recognized when addressing only his first name–which is why this song is particularly memorable. There is just no other voice which can replicate the same emotion and sound as Elvis’ can–and this song has been covered by tons of popular artists over the last fifty years! Yet, no one compares to the original. Elvis’ smooth, sexy vibrato also add a touch of artistic flair which adds character to the song. This song, with its soft instrumentals and back up vocals, was made for the lyrics to stand out and resonate with the listeners. 

Lyrics

Like I stated, the lyrics are what stand out in this song. They are beautiful, romantic, thoughtful, and heartfelt–well, at least they sound heartfelt when being sung by Elvis! With his voice and these beautiful lyrics, they would make anyone swoon, myself included. After the film premiered, Presely would often close his live performances with this song as it is slow and romantic, but also leaves the audience wanting more. Overall, a wonderful song which fits perfectly with Elvis’ voice. 

Conclusion

Elvis Presley is unforgettable both as an on screen star and as a singer, however, Can’t Help Falling In Love is more than just Elvis’ voice slapped on a song. The song itself has lived on as one of the best original love songs–in my opinion–as the first version remains the best and most meaningful. The elements of the song come together in a great harmony and are supplemented by perfect lyrics to make anyone feel butterflies in their stomach. 

Works Cited

Billboard. “The Hot 100.” The Hot 100 February 1967, Billboard Inc, http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1962-02-03.

Presley, Elvis. “Can’t Help Falling In Love (’68 Comeback Special 50th Anniversary HD Remaster).” YouTube, YouTube, 29 Oct. 2018, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttuVUynl5SU.

Rice, Jo. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits. 1st ed., Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1982.

The premier of High School Musical on January 20th, 2006 on the Disney Channel was the beginning of an era for many young children–myself included. This modern adaption of “Romeo and Juliet” is set in the halls of the real life East High School in Utah, and follows the forbidden love affair of two high school juniors, Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez–played by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, respectively. The movie revolves around the two main characters and their struggles to balance their academic and athletic lives while also following a shared passion for musical theatre, which overall causes a rift in the two characters throughout the movie. The movie ends on the two being able to find a way to follow their passions as well as performing in the school musical. While there are a couple notable songs, the best song, in my opinion, is the very last song which closes out the movie called “We’re All in this Together“. Let’s take a deeper dive into the song.  

History 

The song “We’re All in This Together” was written by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil and was performed by Zac Efron, Drew Seeley, Vanessa Hudgens, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Ashley Tisdale, and Lucas Grabeel. Also, it was recorded in 2005 during the production of the movie, but it was released when the movie premiered in January 2006. Overall, the release of the movie reached almost 225 million viewers worldwide since its release, however, the soundtrack to the movie has sold almost 5 million copies since the beginning of 2016–thus, making it the best-selling TV soundtrack since 1991. This soundtrack became a staple in many young children’s home after the release of the movie, with many kids and teens learning the dances and singing along. 

This particular song is the grand finale of the whole movie, involving an energetic choreographed dance with loads of dancers and a band. It is meant to be the unification of the main cliques of the school, more specifically between the sports jocks and the science and mathematics focused academic club. Within the movie, this song represents how the main characters “have come together as one and look forward to the future” as friends (Songfacts, 2019). The lyrics are sung by the whole cast, however, the main focus is on the two star-struck lovers Gabrielle and Troy, who have just rekindled their relationship during their performance at the musical and before the anticipated final basketball game. This song is the perfect finale to the show which brings together everyone and resolve the conflicts which arose during the movie. 

Rhythm

This song is a perfect anthem for kids, it has a very upbeat rhythm and a heavy beat which automatically makes anyone want to get up and dance. There is a cool underlying syncopation with the percussion on the off-beats which create a unique element to the pop song. I also believe the allegro tempo aides the upbeat factor of the song, which adds a happy element to the song. There is also lots of clapping from the dancers which only amplifies the happy-upbeat elements of the rhythm of the song. 

Dynamics

The dynamics are pretty static throughout the entire song, as it is a mezzo-forte throughout the entire song, during the bridge there is a slight crescendo into a soft fortissimo, but there is a quick minor diminuendo into the final renditions of the chorus as the song comes to a close at a mezzo-forte. These minor shifts in the dynamics keep the song interesting while also maintaining the kid’s interests and the happy dynamics of friendship and togetherness which is supplemented by the lyrics. 

Social Commentary & Personal Reaction

As this song is meant for younger children, the message behind this song is loud and clear: being different does not have to divide people, being united is always better. Quite literally, this song is about unification and friendship–everyone is in this together. The lyrics read “Everyone is special in their own way, we make each other strong / We’re not the same; we’re different in a good way / Together is where we belong” and I think that this resonates with many children, teens, and adults. This song represents the importance of creating and maintaining a strong support system which can help someone in whatever they do, whether it is friends, family, or mentors (Garrett, 2014). It also sends a message that we all need to be aware that we could be a valuable asset to someone else’s support system and to be supportive of our friends and family and respect them for this. The overall message is to be a good person, and to remember that we’re all in this together. 

This song absolutely takes me back to elementary school, which was when I was first watching this movie and listening to the songs. As a kid, I absolutely adored the movie and all of the songs because they were fun and upbeat and there was not much “good” music for kids that I enjoyed at the time. I think that this movie really jump started the market for kids music between the ages of 8-13, as there was not much at the time. For me, the meaning of this song still resonates with me as a 20 year old in that having a support system is so necessary to stay sane in this incredibly crazy world. 

Works Cited

Caulfield, Keith. “’High School Musical’ Was a Chart-Topping Phenomenon 10 Years Ago.” Billboard, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2016, http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6851107/high-school-musical-chart-topping-success-2006.

Dalia. “High School Musical – We’re All in This Together.” YouTube, YouTube, 11 July 2010, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbrbUfYSt0E.

Garrett, Camryn. “6 Important Life Lessons From ‘High School Musical’.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 28 May 2014, http://www.huffpost.com/entry/post_b_4988010.Songfacts.

“We’re All In This Together by High School Musical Cast.” Songfacts, Songfacts LLC, 2019, http://www.songfacts.com/facts/high-school-musical-cast/were-all-in-this-together.

Upon reading the requirements for this blog post, I immediately wanted to do my analysis on Lady Gaga–who, in my opinion, is one of the greatest performers I have seen in my lifetime. 

Brief Biography

Born March 28, 1986, Lady Gaga–born Stefani Germanotta–grew up in New York and began writing music and lyrics as a teenager. At 17, she was admitted to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and played open mic nights around Manhattan. In 2006, Gaga began working with a producer who helped her create her stage name which with inspiration from Queen’s classic hit Radio Gaga (Lamb, 2019). While signed to her second label, Gaga wrote The Fame which was her first album. On this record was her hit single Just Dance which was in the pop top forty when it was released. Her singles Just Dance and Poker Face both became number 1’s on the charts; in the fall of 2009 Bad Romance was released and this is what spurred her musical career forward and into superstar status. 

Throughout her career, Lady Gaga has had both highs and lows, although one thing has always stayed consistent with her: her shows and performances are absolutely astounding! Since her debut, her appearances and performances have been flashy and outrageous, but one thing has held true–Lady Gaga has an absolutely incredible voice which has kept her on top of the music charts since her breakout into stardom. Gaga consistently puts on a spectacular show with an equally spectacular voice and never lip-syncs as she is  truly a great artist who has no need to (McKinney, 2015). For this blog, I wanted to showcase two of her very famous performances from when she first began performing to a recent performance. Thus, I will first be discussing her 2009 VMA performance of Paparazzi, which at the time, was highly controversial. Second, is her Super Bowl LI Halftime Show performance in February 2017 where she performed a medley of her most popular songs in a spectacular display of showmanship. 

2009 VMA Performance

Tone Color

Comparing this performance song Paparazzi to her original studio version of this song, the tone color is quite different and far more dramatic than the original. This live performance has far more jumps into the upper register of her voice which paints a more colorful picture of the song she is performing. She also plays around quite a bit with vibrato and she adds many staccato’s to different points of her song is varying registers which adds layers of depth and shows the capability of her vocal range even while live. The moments where Gaga chooses to emphasize her song with the ups and downs of her register come through to the audience and it makes her already dramatic performance pop. 

Harmony

Along with tone color, the harmony in this live performance of Paparazzi is strikingly different than her studio recording, and she chooses dissonant chord combinations which stand out more than the original consonant chords would have–which I believe is her choice as she wants to make a big impact during her performance. She constantly chooses to sing dissonant to consonant chords which makes her audience constantly feel the tension and then release within her music. All of this is her choice as the performer and I think that it conveys well especially since her performance is also extremely dramatic and flashy.

Super Bowl 51 Performance

Dynamics

Although this performance is extremely flashy, I think that it was done in good taste and in proper character for Gaga’s stage persona. Singing a soft rendition of God Bless America before the dramatic entrance into the field from above was a great tribute to the Country while simultaneously keeping in-line with her dramatic flair. Throughout her performance, Gaga and her vocals are the center of attention besides her choreography and flashy stage as the beginning of each little tribute to her most popular songs are softer in melody than the rest of the songs, which helps the audience transition between the songs. Gaga has an incredible vocal range and in each of her songs she understands how to fully use dynamics to keep her songs interesting and appropriate for the meanings behind them. For example, in her song A Million Reasons she is softer and more heartfelt while singing than her next song Bad Romance as it is more upbeat. 

Rhythm

Similarly to that of dynamics, Gaga knows how to transition between slower songs and faster, more upbeat songs. Many of her faster songs were accompanied by fast, jumpy choreography which really hypes up the crowd. During her performance, there were many points in the transition between songs where she sped up and slowed down for further dramatic effect during her performance, but mainly at the beginning and end of the clippits of her songs. 

Overall Reaction

Like I said in the beginning, I think Lady Gaga is one of the best and most elaborate live performers today. Her use of dramatic flair both visually and musically are what make her performances absolutely phenomenal. I have always loved her music since her first album came out in 2007, when I was in elementary school. 

Works Cited

Gaga, Lady. “Lady Gaga – Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl LI Halftime Show.” YouTube, YouTube, 6 Feb. 2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjrdywp5nyE.

Lamb, Bill. “The Story of Lady Gaga, Dance-Pop Superstar.” LiveAbout, LiveAbout, 24 May 2019, http://www.liveabout.com/lady-gaga-biography-and-profile-3245408.

McKinney, Kelsey. “People Were Surprised at Lady Gaga’s Great Voice at the Oscars. They Shouldn’t Have Been.” Vox, Vox, 23 Feb. 2015, http://www.vox.com/2015/2/23/8094069/oscars-2015-lady-gaga-performance.

Monster, Frank. “Lady Gaga – VMA 2009 ‘Paparazzi’ (HD).” YouTube, YouTube, 23 Mar. 2014, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H2ldxsPMuI.

History of Russian Music

Russian culture is very close to my heart as I spent 12 years studying the language throughout my education in elementary through high school. Being one of the world’s largest and oldest countries, the origin of Russian music stems from ritual folk songs and the sacred music of the Russian Orthodox Church. The reign of Tsar Peter the First, brought reform to Russian culture which introduced “western music fashions” into Russia; subsequently Empresses Elizabeth and Catherine attracted many Italian prominent musicians to court who introduced the Italian traditions of “opera and classical music in general” which inspired future generations of Russian composers (Ward, 2017). The music later evolved into the famous Russian classical music in the 19th and 20th centuries, and during the Soviet era Russian rock and pop along with many other genres began to emerge. Today, there are many different styles of music present in Russia, however, I would like to focus on the traditional, ethnic folk music, which is still wildly popular in pop culture in Russia to this day and its evolution into modern culture. 

Overall, Russian folk music originated in old traditions that started in Village life and traditions before modern Russia began. Folkloric music is a category of Russian folk music which is led my music professionals who take authentic music and arrange it in a manner formulated to the accepted standards at the time. This was wildly popular before and during the Soviet Union, when Stalin’s regime refined the sounds again to be accepted as authentically Russian by Western audiences. For this post, I chose one song called Катюша (Katyusha) which is in the folkloric style, as the sound is far more dramatic than any traditional folk songs, which are primarily just basic instruments and vocals. I also included a song called Sasha, Play for the Dance, which is mainly an instrumental song using traditional instruments and sounds. In these songs, traditional instruments such as the balalaika are often used alongside more modern instruments like the accordion which is not inherently Russian as it originated in Berlin, but has become an iconic instrument in Russian music and is one of the many wind instruments used to give Russian music its distinct sound. 

Musical Elements

Texture

Overall, the texture for both songs seems very plain to me, listening through each of the songs, there is not much variation in sound or anything musical interesting throughout the pieces. Sasha,, Play for the Dance is homophonic, with the main overlying sound of the accordion and the balalaika strings accompanying in the background. As the song progresses, the song goes through periods of homophonic texture where all of the vocalists and instruments are following the same, almost haunting melody, just in separate keys. The song then returns to the homophonic and monophonic pattern until the song ends. Katusha, on the other hand, is monophonic, with the main vocalists taking the lead and overpowering the softer beat. Although it is difficult to hear the instruments in the background of the video, I believe that it is also homophonic because the instrumentalists seem to be following more chords than individual notes. 

Form

Both of these songs, like many other folk and folkloric style songs seem to follow binary form, where two main sections of a song are repeated until the song ends. In each song, there is a distinct section which gets repeated like the chorus, which in this case would be part A of the form, and there is a softer or different sounding part B which comes after A. This creates contrast in the song, and along with the beat, it makes the listener want to dance and is also very traditional in Russian music. Additionally, these songs seem to never end, and I attribute this to their form, as it seems as though there is an almost never-ending cycle which the form brings to the song. 

Summary

Russian folk music will always have a special place in my heart as I grew up listening to it at school and it has such an interesting sound. All of the instrument combinations of string, wind, and vocalists make up such an interesting sound that it is difficult not to want to explore more. Another interesting part of Russia’s music history is the classical music which emerged in the 18th through the 20th century–I definitely recommend looking up some classic Russian ballets and operas. 

Works Cited

Posterfromrus. “Катюша_-_Ансамбль Песни и Пляски Советской Армии Имени Александрова_1978.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Sept. 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCk3bCEFdDo.

 “Russian Traditional Music Instruments :: Manners, Customs and Traditions :: Culture & Arts :: Russia-InfoCentre.” Russia, russia-ic.com/culture_art/traditions/755/#.XR1DH9NKhdA.

 Topic, Balalaika Ensemble Wolga -. “Sasha, Play for the Dance.” YouTube, YouTube, 8 Feb. 2015, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWxdoAFPECs. 

“A Timeline of Russian Classical Music.” Edited by Danielle Ward, Hartford Stage, http://www.hartfordstage.org/stagenotes/our-great-tchaikovsky/timeline/.

Almost every popular song today has some element of a synthesized beat, instrument, or sound in it today, and these sounds are commonly produced with a synthesizer. This particular electronic instrument has the amazing capability to generate any kind of sound using the principles of how sound works. The synthesizer as we know it today has been around since the early 1960’s when Robert Moog, an American electrical engineer, constructed the first modern synthesizer (NPR) . This experiment was initially intended for academic and experimental music purposes, however they gained traction in the commercial music industry. Made popular by artists in the 70’s and 80’s, the synth gained in popularity as classic rock groups began incorporating the sounds only the synth could produce. As time progressed, the synth became more of a staple in modern music–for example, the songs on the radio today sound quite different from the early days of pop and rock, however similar beats and elements used from modern synths are copiously used and are reminiscent of the original synth sounds. In this blog post I will be comparing Eurythmics 1983 hit Sweet Dreams to Calvin Harris’ 2011 synth-pop hit Feel So Close as both of these songs were hit singles at their peak.

Brief History

As I mentioned, Robert Moog was an engineer with no intention of creating an instrument–merely a device used for academic and experimental music purposes. However, the “Minimoog”–as it was named–went on the road with many rock “groups including The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and The Doors” which popularized the Moog sound and propelled the market for new and different types of sound (Bates, 2005). When the 70’s rolled around, there was a new type of synthesizer on the market using digital computer systems which look exactly like a piano. Without getting too technical, digital synthesizers are essentially like “CD players” which “produce a stream of numbers at a steady sample rate” these are then converted to analog form to drive speakers and produce sound (Elsea, 1996). The pioneering in digital engineering has lead to the advancement in the capabilities of available sounds to be produced, and thus the range of applicable genres of music are extremely broad–and honestly, almost every band producing music uses a modern digital synthesizer in some shape or form in their music, whether that is the beat of the song or it is just smaller added elements. 

 Eurythmics

Calvin Harris

Rhythm

Both Sweet Dreams and Feel So Close are both synth-pop songs, with Sweet Dreams being one of the first synth-pop songs I had ever heard as a child, and has since stuck with me. It has such a heavy beat that it sticks in your head even after the song is over. While the beat is heavy, it is also very monotonous in the fact that the beat is the same throughout the whole song. It does not seem to speed up or slow down and is very repetitive. In my opinion, this makes the song feel as if it is going on forever–making it almost dream-like. Also, the fast past synth-beat in the background mixed with the slower vocals creates an interesting contrast. This very heavy synth beat seems quite common with older, true synth-pop songs that feature this type of beat.

In Feel So Close the rhythm is not monotonous at all. In the beginning, there is a very simple synth track used to emulate drums, piano, and clapping, however as the pre chorus hits a guitar and heavier drum synths are added for dramatic flair and emphasis on the chorus. This song has an upbeat feel to it which is caused by the fast-paced beat produced by the drum-synth sound. Comparing the two songs, we see that the use of synthesizers to produce the rhythm of songs has changed from using big bold sounds as the beat to using lots of smaller synth-tracks to make up the beat, thus making a more dynamic song and keeping the listener interested. 

Dynamics

Like the rhythm element, Sweet Dreams lacks in dynamic variety and is not very interesting to listen to throughout the song as there are only a few places where the dynamics shift to being softer and quiet. These softer bridge parts of the song emphasizes the lyrics, but are followed boldly by a short crescendo and goes back to the original beat produced by the synthesizer. Compared to Feel So Close the dynamics are significantly different.

Harris’ song starts out with a soft drum-synth and piano before the music gets louder. As the song leads into the pre-chorus, the song goes through a crescendo from mezzo-piano to forte as the chorus hits and we are bombarded with different synthesized beats. At the end of the song, the synthesizer beats slowly die off and get quieter through a decrescendo symbolizing the end of the song. Comparing the two songs, Feel So Close and Sweet Dreams both use synthesizers to enhance the dynamics of the song. However, this has evolved over the course of time to add more dynamically to a song, which is modeled in Harris’ song. 

Personal Preference

Comparing the two styles of music, I personally enjoy the more modern approach to using synthesizers in music because music production has evolved to make songs far more dynamic and interesting than the early songs produced. Although, there will always be a special place in my heart for the early synth-pop songs which paved the way for modern pop songs to take place. Also, synthesizers extend far beyond the pop genre into almost every genre produced today. We owe a lot to Robert Moog as he was the founder of the first synth, and without that vital invention we would not have the amazing variety of music we have to this day. I absolutely love the creativity and ingenuity of music and engineering that the synthesizer has pioneered.

Works Cited

Bates, Karen Grigsby. “Robert Moog, Inventor of the Music Synthesizer.” NPR, NPR, 22 Aug. 2005, http://www.npr.org/2005/08/22/4810029/robert-moog-inventor-of-the-music-synthesizer.

Elsea, Peter. “Digital Synthesis.” Digital Synthesizers, UCSC Electronic Music Studios, 1996, artsites.ucsc.edu/EMS/music/equipment/synthesizers/digital/Digisynths.html.

Eurythmics. “Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (Official Video).” YouTube, YouTube, 25 Oct. 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeMFqkcPYcg.

Harris, Calvin. “Calvin Harris – Feel So Close (Official Video).” YouTube, YouTube, 14 July 2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGghkjpNCQ8.

Background

For this week’s post, I decided to dive into Billie Eilish’s song Bellyache as it is a very diverse song and filled with a ton of musical elements which create an awesome sound that honestly gave me goosebumps the first time I listened to it. This is Eilish’s fifth song and was released February 24, 2017 as the second single from her debut album Don’t Smile at Me (Barlow 2017). I do want to include a background of the song: how and why it was written, and the meaning behind the song. I believe that understanding why a song was written–beyond the fact that it makes money and is an art-form for the artist–helps in analyzing the musical elements of the song which are supplemented by the lyrics. Understanding why a song sounds the way it does is only accomplished through understanding the lyrics, and I find that for this song in particular reading through the lyrics is a must (I provided the lyrics and the music video so that you can watch the video, listen to the song, and then read the lyrics for a well-rounded understanding of the song before I analyze the musical elements)!

Considering this, “Bellyache” at first glance seems like another edgy teen to young adult grunge-pop song. However, after researching this song, the lyrics make way more sense then the first time I heard the song. I found a small excerpt from an interview with Billie Eilish in Teen Vogue where she explained what the inspiration was for this song. In the interview, Billie states that the song is in the “perspective of a sociopath, who is left with her actions, regretting these resulting in committing suicide;” thus, the meaning of this song is not necessarily relatable to most people however, the lyrics tell a story. This is not something mainstream artists are doing right now, so this is a refreshing take on new musical content. Beyond the persona Eilish creates with the lyrics, the song seems to be more about the idea of remorse and guilt of actions and consequences. This can be seen in the two last verses of the chorus “thought that I’d feel better / but now I have a bellyache” which shows that the actions taken have consequences and the persona feels guilty because of their actions. With this in mind, let’s look at the elements of music which take this song to another level.

Analysis

Texture

The song starts out with a simple drum beat and guitar riff, which is monophonic in nature. Approximately twenty seconds into the song it switches to a homophonic texture between the original accompaniment and Eilish’s voice. When the chorus hits, the texture returns to monophonic with the synthesized beat and her voice. This change back to monophonic creates a sort of emphasis on the lyrics of the song as there are less musical layers for the listener to process, thus this is Eilish’s way of centering the focus of her music on the meaning of the lyrics and not on instrumentation.

Timbre & Dynamics

Overall, the timbre of this song, for myself, paints a sort of splatter paint painting in my mind. In the beginning, the song begins in the mid-range register which is quite normal for a song and the accompanying guitar and base are also similar in range. Also, in the beginning the song seems quiet and almost secretive in sound. During the pre-chorus, the timbre shifts to a mid to high range register which in turn also shifts the tone of the song; it sounds very airy and light and increases slightly in volume. However, when the chorus hits the whole song shifts to a higher register and the dynamics of the song shift. The songs bass seems to get louder during the chorus and her voice gets lighter, but also more forceful in how she accentuates the lyrics–they seem more pointed and short. This repeats itself throughout the song, and at the end all parts come together and then end abruptly.

Melody & Harmony

Overall the melody of this song is quite simple as anyone is able to sing along quite easily. Throughout the entire song, there really isn’t a place where the melody is disjunct, in my opinion it is entirely conjunct. However, the harmony is a different story. The best place for harmony in this song is whenever Eilish sings the verse “Where’s my mind?” as wherever this is in the song bursts out in a consonance harmony that is ultra-pleasing to the ear and, for me personally, gives me goosebumps sometimes. The combination of melody and harmony in this song makes it feel almost dream like–there is a heavy bass which constantly beats throughout the whole song like a heartbeat and the way the melody is sung feels light and airy, just like dreams can feel like. During the chorus, the beat shifts to a more extreme up and down beat which is more intense than the rest of the song. This along with the melody and harmony of the guitar and vocal layering all add to a very unique explosion of sound for the audience to experience.

Lyrics

[Intro]

Mind

Mind

[Verse 1]

Sittin’ all alone

Mouth full of gum

In the driveway

My friends aren’t far

In the back of my car

Lay their bodies

[Pre-Chorus]

Where’s my mind?

Where’s my mind?

[Verse 2]

They’ll be here pretty soon

Lookin’ through my room

For the money

I’m bitin’ my nails

I’m too young to go to jail

It’s kinda funny

[Pre-Chorus]

Where’s my mind?

Where’s my mind?

Where’s my mind?

Where’s my mind?

[Chorus]

Maybe it’s in the gutter

Where I left my lover

What an expensive fake

My V is for Vendetta

Thought that I’d feel better

But now I got a bellyache

(Mind)

[Verse 3]

Everything I do

The way I wear my noose

Like a necklace

I wanna make ’em scared

Like I could be anywhere

Like I’m reckless

[Pre-Chorus]

I lost my mind

I don’t mind

Where’s my mind?

Where’s my mind?

[Chorus]

Maybe it’s in the gutter

Where I left my lover

What an expensive fake

My V is for Vendetta

Thought that I’d feel better

But now I got a bellyache

(Bellyache, bellyache, bellyache, bellyache

Bellyache, bellyache)

Maybe it’s in the gutter

Where I left my lover

What an expensive fake

My V is for Vendetta

Thought that I’d feel better

But now I got a bellyache

Works Cited

Barlow, Eve. “Billie Eilish’s ‘Bellyache’ Is Totally Psycho and Perfectly Pop.” Vice, VICE, 24 Feb. 2017, www.vice.com/en_us/article/9a8xja/billie-eilishs-bellyache-is-totally-psycho-and-perfectly-pop.

Teen Vogue. Billie Eilish Creates the Soundtrack to Her Life | Teen Vogue. Billie Eilish Creates the Soundtrack to Her Life | Teen Vogue, YouTube, 5 Dec. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOrv50LDDNY&feature=youtu.be&t=3m30s.

by Bastille on their album Bad Blood, published in 2003, London, United Kingdom

[Verse 1]

When you fall asleep

With your head upon my shoulder

When you’re in my arms

But you’ve gone somewhere deeper

[Bridge 1]

Are you going to age with grace?

Are you going to age without mistakes?

Are you going to age with grace?

Or only to wake and hide your face?

[Chorus]

When oblivion

Is calling out your name

You always take it further

Than I ever can

[Verse 2]

When you play it hard

And I try to follow you there

It’s not about control

But I turn back when I see where you go

[Bridge 2]

Are you going to age with grace?

Are you going to leave a path to trace?

[Chorus]

When oblivion

Is calling out your name

You always take it further

Than I ever can

[Chorus]

When oblivion

Is calling out your name

You always take it further

Than I ever can

Listen to the music video here

Analysis

This song is the 8th song off of Bastille’s studio album Bad Blood. At face value this song is merely about someone being oblivious or just an ode to the thought of oblivion and the afterlife. However, I think there is something more to the lyric “Are you going to age with grace? / Are you going to leave a path to trace?” which could represent someone in your life whom you are close with, possibly an intimate relationship or friendship, that lives a much faster paced life than the persona in the song. The person in the song is going places in life that the persona cannot reach yet, but they still want to be in that relationship. Therefore the persona wishes the person would leave a path for them to follow because when the persona turns back they want to see where they went in their life because it is the only thing the persona can do at this point. Whether the persona in the song wants to follow the fast-paced person can only be answered by the questions in the chorus: will that person have a good life which they are proud of and enjoyed, or will it have been full of regret due to their fast lifestyle? Thus, I think this song is really about accepting that you cannot always be on the same track as the people you are close with–people drift apart and there will be differences. However, I believe that in this case, one would fear oblivion and being left behind by the other person in the relationship.

Oblivion is a very monotonous song throughout its entirety–it mainly consists of simple, fluid piano chords to accompany the harsh–almost staccato sounds of the lyrics. However, this drastically changes as the song morphs into a fluid bridge consisting of an ascending, melodic piano and cello duet during the first bridge into the chorus. In my opinion this is the best part of the song, because right as the bridge ends the tempo increases. This creates a cacophony of sound as the chorus quietly explodes with emotion and the tone of the piece is brought forth through the instrumentation; both in the voice of the singer and his words, but also the slowing of the tempo back to the original beat. This repeats again, and the song ends with a duet between two cellos fading into the background–very reminiscent of a memory fading away, in my opinion. This is quite a simple song, but I think that the simplicity of the melody, beat, lyrics, and instruments which leads to a very emotional song. Throughout the song you can feel the emotion written in the song and the performance only amplifies this.

Resources

“Bastille – Oblivion.” Genius, 5 Sept. 2014, genius.com/Bastille-oblivion-lyrics.

BASTILLEvideos. “Bastille – Oblivion (Official Music Video).” YouTube, YouTube, 21 July 2014, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgXOPeobPcI.

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Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton