Listening to the different versions of the songs was I thought a very interesting exercise because yes, they are the same songs, but the overall vibes and sounds are incredibly different. Pete Townshend is just not James Brown and Mick Jagger is not Buddy Holly, so the songs should sound very different. I think some of the authenticity was definitely lost in the renditions of the originals. James Brown is just such a captivating performer, his version just drew me personally in more. What was the most interesting comparison though in my opinion was between Nina Simone and The Animals. The two versions were just so exponentially different. With Nina’s deeply smooth vocals next to The Animals’ boy-band, big-band image, the message of the song (“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”) almost seems to change as well. I thought it was interesting that the biggest difference between the American and the British versions was the move from one name stardom to boy-band. I think in regard to needs of the British, American music carried a special authenticity and comfort. People already may have known the songs that were being adopted, and the new versions were exciting but not necessarily all that new.
Isabel, I totally agree with your take on the difference between the original versions of these songs and their covers. In my opinion, the bands that covered these songs (The Who, Them, The Rolling Stones etc.) change the entire vibe and strip the songs of the deep soulful qualities that make them so special. I suppose that change would make sense given that these bands had a very different audience than the original artists, like James Brown or Nina Simone. I agree that at the time it was probably very exciting to see ragingly popular bands like The Rolling Stones cover these songs, and the bands' reputations, rather than the actual quality of these covers, are what drove people to like them.
I loved seeing the commitment of James Brown in Please Please Please falling to the ground and the acting/showmanship. The Who's own showmanship of smashing their instruments and being "rowdy" then makes a really interesting contrast. Its easy to say how big of a culture shock it was for america going into the later 60's, and yes it was, but it really speaks to how sheltered white suburban america was, not really the US as a whole. -Kara
I 100% agree Kara. I went back and watched the video of The Beatles from last week and the body language difference from them and James Brown and The Who is insane. I showed the videos to my dad (who actually was actually alive in the 60s to see this transition) and he said he remembers The Who being called the bad boys of rock&roll because of their "antics" on stage. Definitely a sign of the times hahah
I completely agree. The Beatles bored me in comparison; something about how unpredictable both James Brown and The Who were on stage made the music more exciting to listen to.
This is Aubrey Adams:) Listening to this week’s songs, I felt as if we were hopping from genre to genre. James Brown, Muddy Waters, and Nina Simone have such soulful and R&B sounds whereas The Who, Them, The Animals, and The Stones are more pop and rock bands and you can definitely hear the difference in their covers. However, I’m not sure I would necessarily say something was lost in the translation. As with most covers, bands alter a song to fit their own style while still honoring the original artist. I think the covers were definitely different, but not necessarily better or worse than the originals. The songs were translated into a new genre and I honestly think both versions are great in their own unique ways. I was actually listening to a lot of Van Morrison with my dad over the weekend and I noticed a majority of his music has an almost R&B or jazz influence. I think Black American musicians like James Brown may have been an inspiration especially seeing as the origins for that style of music was American, not Irish. Obviously, when looking at the numerous covers of Black American musicians’ songs, we can see that British artists admired and were influenced by them, but I think this inspiration carried over even into the artists’ original work as it did with Van Morrison. When looking at The Who specifically, I can see a lot of R&B on their album, My Generation, which actually features the covers of I Don’t Mind and Please, Please, Please.
This week’s selection of songs were really interesting, as the comparisons between the American originals and the British covers revealed how influential R&B and soul were on the development of early rock bands. In general, I enjoyed both the original and cover versions of the songs, though some of the covers did not seem to have as much of an emotional impact as the original versions, possibly due to the nature of them being covers and thereby being less authentic than they were in their original form. Still, they were really fun to hear, especially in terms of the variations in instrumentation between the original and cover versions, as these differences were what really made the covers something new and worth listening to. For example, while “Please, Please, Please” by James Brown and the cover by The Who are both really powerful renditions of the same song, I could really feel how fervent Brown was throughout his performance and stage-presence, while The Who’s version had passion, but did not feel as urgent. In a way, American music, especially when adapted by British artists, was able to provide the British with something new, exciting, and out of the box, but with some familiarity and comfort.
Already, through the Week 1 song list, I saw the bridge between the old rock sound to the new sound that is more similar to what we know to be rock today. Transitioning from Gerry & the Pacemakers and The Beatles to The Who and The Sex Pistols showed two completely different sides of rock to me. I was taken aback to hear how different the two tones were. I feel as though I know The Beatles as a peaceful, light group that performed "Yellow Submarine", "Here Comes the Sun", and "Let it Be"...which I don't view as rock. On the other hand, hearing the first few notes of "My Generation" made me recognize the impact The Who really held in developing the classic rock sound for the decades to come. I'm quite honestly surprised and disappointed that I hadn't heard songs from The Who before this because I am just now realizing their impact on the rock genre.
Spending my evening listening to the collection of songs. I started with "Not Fade Away," and immediately there was a huge difference in terms of showmanship? The Rolling Stones put more of a pizzazz towards their rendition of the song, adding unconventional aspects of the song that you wouldn't have gotten from Buddy Holly's version. It made the song seem less simple and gave it something more memorable.
With Nina Simone's song, I gotta admit I have a bias towards her sound haha, I love Nina. Her voice is rich, the music backing her only compliments her more. The Animals though, it's like much more definitively rock. It's not that same soft, mysterious vibe you get from Nina. It's your typical classic rock group, and if I were to generalize the differences between these American songs and their British counterparts, it would definitely be that the British songs do more to try and make everything more lively. I guess nowadays it would be the equivalent to a pop artist making a cover to get more appeal, that's what I'm getting from the British Invasion.
I really enjoyed watching and listening to the songs for week 1 and week 2. It was super interesting to hear the differences between two versions of the same song. It was especially interesting when the music was accompanied by a video because it gave me the opportunity to also see how the artists moved and dressed as well. I think it is likely the case that some of the meaning behind the lyrics of the song was lost in future renditions, since so much of the meaning can also come from the accompanying instruments, which were played differently in different versions. I think also something may have been lost in translation, as the experiences of African Americans in America was very different from the experiences of white teens in England at the time. Even if some of the original meaning was lost in translation, however, the new artists could have also added their own personal spin on the song, consciously or subconsciously, which could have affected the final product. In general, the American versions seemed to be filled with more meaning, at least more explicit meaning. Like, for example, when James Brown sings “Please Please Please” he really seems to mean it. I think British bands also expressed themselves well through their music, but, to me, it seems that they focused less on the intense emotions associated with some of these songs. I do not know exactly why American music satisfied the British, but I would guess that the American music that the British listened to introduced them to a different perspective on the world. It may have allowed them to think of relationships and other situations in new ways, and these new perspectives may have intrigued the British. American music may have also just seemed like a fun way to express themselves. I really enjoyed this week’s listening materials, and I look forward to next week!
For week one's listening I got to hear the transition of rock and roll from a skiffle band type set up with Gerry & the Pacemakers to the rock of the Beatles once they made it to London and were already well known throughout the UK. Once I got to The Who I saw them interact with the show host and they were really funny. They didn't seem as strict or uniform as the Beatles with their "mop heads." It sounds more like the intense rock and roll with their stutters, the movements of their playing, and destruction of the instruments. The Sex Pistols seem more punk rock than the rest of them. There is a wide array of styles of Rock within these four British bands.
For week two's music I started with "Please Please Please." James Brown's version seems like a cross of doo wop (in the beginning) and rock and roll that is very exciting and engaging. It shows where America was and where it was headed. James Brown's performance is engaging as he dances and moves across stage. The Who's version of the same song shows the influence African American music had on British bands. The guitar is more prominent, but the song seems more monotonous than the James Brown version. I think "I Don't Mind" is a slower song like The Who's version of ""Please Please Please." In the Muddy Waters version of "Baby Please Don't Go" there is a back and forth between the voice and the guitar with solos in between the verses. In Them's version the guitar is more prominent and has more of a rock sound. It reminds me of "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet. Nina Simone's "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood has a soul aspect to it that reminds me of Adele. The Animals, however, add the keyboard which gives it more of a rock energy. The drums also give the piece more energy because the tempo is more obvious. In Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" I am reminded of "Big Yellow Taxi" because of the phrasing and pauses. There is a back and forth between the guitar and Holly. The Rolling Stones add maracas and a harmonica which gives it more energy and defines the tempo more clearly than in Buddy Holly's version. However, The Rolling Stones don't seem as funny as The Who were when their host introduced them, and they don't seem to be as close with their fans as the Beatles were when they became popular.
My overall takeaways are that African American music in America heavily influenced British bands, and that these artists show the progression of rock all the way from Skiffle to classic rock which has an influence on a significant amount of modern music. -Julia Alanis
I thought that listening to the different versions of the songs was so interesting because we got to see how the Who was influenced, but also how they were unique. One thing I noticed was how passionate both James Brown and the Who were when performing. In the Beatles music video they are standing perfectly still, all smiles, while both James Brown and the Who really perform. The stage antics and the smashing guitars clashes what was normal at the time and it makes them both unique. African American clearly influenced the sound of the Who, but it also had an affect on their image on stage.
After listening to the songs for both week 1 and week 2, I feel like I know a lot about the different singers and bands who were popular in the 1960’s. I really enjoyed comparing The Who’s music to Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Beatles, and The Sex Pistols. Listening to the different covers, it was super interesting to see the way the artists put their own spin on the originals. My favorite was “Please, Please, Please” -- performed by The Who and then by James Brown. In The Who’s rendition compared to James Brown’s, I noticed some striking differences, including the emotion they put into the song, the instrumentals, and how quickly they sing. In The Who’s performance of the song, Roger Daltrey puts a lot of emotion in the song. His singing is accompanied with guitar, drums, and piano, and he sings at a constant pace. In James Brown’s version of “Please, Please, Please,” he puts his own spin on the song, singing at a varied pace with more guitar than The Who’s version. I especially liked watching him perform the song, and the obvious connection he had to the lyrics. Just like Roger Daltrey did, James Brown sang with great emotion, and arguably even more. It is evident that he really puts his heart into the song and means the words he is saying. After having listened to the different versions of these songs, it is obvious that African American music made a huge impact on not only The Who, but the entire music industry in the 60's.
Listening to the music this week was surprising to me because even though I know The Who are part of the British invasion, The Who sounded way more like the Beatles than I even thought. I am a big Beatles fan, but listening to the Kids are Alright really had me forgetting which band I was listening to for a bit, in a good way! I love that overall type of sound, and I had only really known their most popular songs, so that was surprising to me. I also loved the live performances because they are so passionate, they really make you want to get up and dance and enjoy their music, which I appreciate a lot.
One thing I thought was interesting was that while listening to My Generation on the Smother Brothers, I noticed that although the guitar is fairly simple, the bass line was complex and really gave some interest to the song! I feel like the bass having its own melody is not something I typically see in earlier music. Additionally, I felt like comparing My Generation to songs like Ferry Cross the Mersey really show how revolutionary (or at least out-of-the-box) The Who was in the context of the 60s. To a modern listener, My Generation may sound tame in a modern time that knows later bands like Nirvana as rock. But knowing that the standard of British music was more chill groups like Gerry and the Pacemakers, it really shows how The Who started to cause a ripple in the music world.
As for Week 2's music, I think the biggest trend in the British covers of these songs, as many people pointed out, is that they push the tempo. The covers tend to feel more energetic, while the originals are more soulful, both of which are great and up to a listener's taste.
The songs covered by British groups show how they were craving rebellion and to be like stereotypical teenage/young adults of the 50s and early 60s. White America prospered after WWII, and it showed in the music and culture, while the UK was war-torn and struggling to rebuild. Thus, there was a need for young people to be distracted in the UK. The British covers come off as very similar to their originals, but faster paced at the same time.
It's interesting to notice the differences even between British groups. Merseybeat and American influences were obvious in Northerners (The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers), while that American style was less prominent in the Who and Rolling Stones.
Listening to the different versions of the songs was I thought a very interesting exercise because yes, they are the same songs, but the overall vibes and sounds are incredibly different. Pete Townshend is just not James Brown and Mick Jagger is not Buddy Holly, so the songs should sound very different. I think some of the authenticity was definitely lost in the renditions of the originals. James Brown is just such a captivating performer, his version just drew me personally in more. What was the most interesting comparison though in my opinion was between Nina Simone and The Animals. The two versions were just so exponentially different. With Nina’s deeply smooth vocals next to The Animals’ boy-band, big-band image, the message of the song (“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”) almost seems to change as well. I thought it was interesting that the biggest difference between the American and the British versions was the move from one name stardom to boy-band. I think in regard to needs of the British, American music carried a special authenticity and comfort. People already may have known the songs that were being adopted, and the new versions were exciting but not necessarily all that new.
ReplyDelete^That was Isabel Elkus, idk if my name is visible or not :)
DeleteIsabel, I totally agree with your take on the difference between the original versions of these songs and their covers. In my opinion, the bands that covered these songs (The Who, Them, The Rolling Stones etc.) change the entire vibe and strip the songs of the deep soulful qualities that make them so special. I suppose that change would make sense given that these bands had a very different audience than the original artists, like James Brown or Nina Simone. I agree that at the time it was probably very exciting to see ragingly popular bands like The Rolling Stones cover these songs, and the bands' reputations, rather than the actual quality of these covers, are what drove people to like them.
Delete^ Preston Patam. I guess all posts are anonymous
DeleteI loved seeing the commitment of James Brown in Please Please Please falling to the ground and the acting/showmanship. The Who's own showmanship of smashing their instruments and being "rowdy" then makes a really interesting contrast. Its easy to say how big of a culture shock it was for america going into the later 60's, and yes it was, but it really speaks to how sheltered white suburban america was, not really the US as a whole.
ReplyDelete-Kara
I 100% agree Kara. I went back and watched the video of The Beatles from last week and the body language difference from them and James Brown and The Who is insane. I showed the videos to my dad (who actually was actually alive in the 60s to see this transition) and he said he remembers The Who being called the bad boys of rock&roll because of their "antics" on stage. Definitely a sign of the times hahah
DeleteI completely agree. The Beatles bored me in comparison; something about how unpredictable both James Brown and The Who were on stage made the music more exciting to listen to.
DeleteThis is Aubrey Adams:) Listening to this week’s songs, I felt as if we were hopping from genre to genre. James Brown, Muddy Waters, and Nina Simone have such soulful and R&B sounds whereas The Who, Them, The Animals, and The Stones are more pop and rock bands and you can definitely hear the difference in their covers. However, I’m not sure I would necessarily say something was lost in the translation. As with most covers, bands alter a song to fit their own style while still honoring the original artist. I think the covers were definitely different, but not necessarily better or worse than the originals. The songs were translated into a new genre and I honestly think both versions are great in their own unique ways.
ReplyDeleteI was actually listening to a lot of Van Morrison with my dad over the weekend and I noticed a majority of his music has an almost R&B or jazz influence. I think Black American musicians like James Brown may have been an inspiration especially seeing as the origins for that style of music was American, not Irish. Obviously, when looking at the numerous covers of Black American musicians’ songs, we can see that British artists admired and were influenced by them, but I think this inspiration carried over even into the artists’ original work as it did with Van Morrison. When looking at The Who specifically, I can see a lot of R&B on their album, My Generation, which actually features the covers of I Don’t Mind and Please, Please, Please.
This week’s selection of songs were really interesting, as the comparisons between the American originals and the British covers revealed how influential R&B and soul were on the development of early rock bands. In general, I enjoyed both the original and cover versions of the songs, though some of the covers did not seem to have as much of an emotional impact as the original versions, possibly due to the nature of them being covers and thereby being less authentic than they were in their original form. Still, they were really fun to hear, especially in terms of the variations in instrumentation between the original and cover versions, as these differences were what really made the covers something new and worth listening to. For example, while “Please, Please, Please” by James Brown and the cover by The Who are both really powerful renditions of the same song, I could really feel how fervent Brown was throughout his performance and stage-presence, while The Who’s version had passion, but did not feel as urgent. In a way, American music, especially when adapted by British artists, was able to provide the British with something new, exciting, and out of the box, but with some familiarity and comfort.
ReplyDelete- Lillian Gabrelian
Already, through the Week 1 song list, I saw the bridge between the old rock sound to the new sound that is more similar to what we know to be rock today. Transitioning from Gerry & the Pacemakers and The Beatles to The Who and The Sex Pistols showed two completely different sides of rock to me. I was taken aback to hear how different the two tones were. I feel as though I know The Beatles as a peaceful, light group that performed "Yellow Submarine", "Here Comes the Sun", and "Let it Be"...which I don't view as rock. On the other hand, hearing the first few notes of "My Generation" made me recognize the impact The Who really held in developing the classic rock sound for the decades to come. I'm quite honestly surprised and disappointed that I hadn't heard songs from The Who before this because I am just now realizing their impact on the rock genre.
ReplyDeleteSpending my evening listening to the collection of songs. I started with "Not Fade Away," and immediately there was a huge difference in terms of showmanship? The Rolling Stones put more of a pizzazz towards their rendition of the song, adding unconventional aspects of the song that you wouldn't have gotten from Buddy Holly's version. It made the song seem less simple and gave it something more memorable.
ReplyDeleteWith Nina Simone's song, I gotta admit I have a bias towards her sound haha, I love Nina. Her voice is rich, the music backing her only compliments her more. The Animals though, it's like much more definitively rock. It's not that same soft, mysterious vibe you get from Nina. It's your typical classic rock group, and if I were to generalize the differences between these American songs and their British counterparts, it would definitely be that the British songs do more to try and make everything more lively. I guess nowadays it would be the equivalent to a pop artist making a cover to get more appeal, that's what I'm getting from the British Invasion.
- Kai Tokiyeda
I really enjoyed watching and listening to the songs for week 1 and week 2. It was super interesting to hear the differences between two versions of the same song. It was especially interesting when the music was accompanied by a video because it gave me the opportunity to also see how the artists moved and dressed as well.
ReplyDeleteI think it is likely the case that some of the meaning behind the lyrics of the song was lost in future renditions, since so much of the meaning can also come from the accompanying instruments, which were played differently in different versions. I think also something may have been lost in translation, as the experiences of African Americans in America was very different from the experiences of white teens in England at the time. Even if some of the original meaning was lost in translation, however, the new artists could have also added their own personal spin on the song, consciously or subconsciously, which could have affected the final product.
In general, the American versions seemed to be filled with more meaning, at least more explicit meaning. Like, for example, when James Brown sings “Please Please Please” he really seems to mean it. I think British bands also expressed themselves well through their music, but, to me, it seems that they focused less on the intense emotions associated with some of these songs.
I do not know exactly why American music satisfied the British, but I would guess that the American music that the British listened to introduced them to a different perspective on the world. It may have allowed them to think of relationships and other situations in new ways, and these new perspectives may have intrigued the British. American music may have also just seemed like a fun way to express themselves. I really enjoyed this week’s listening materials, and I look forward to next week!
- Hayden Carroll
For week one's listening I got to hear the transition of rock and roll from a skiffle band type set up with Gerry & the Pacemakers to the rock of the Beatles once they made it to London and were already well known throughout the UK. Once I got to The Who I saw them interact with the show host and they were really funny. They didn't seem as strict or uniform as the Beatles with their "mop heads." It sounds more like the intense rock and roll with their stutters, the movements of their playing, and destruction of the instruments. The Sex Pistols seem more punk rock than the rest of them. There is a wide array of styles of Rock within these four British bands.
ReplyDeleteFor week two's music I started with "Please Please Please." James Brown's version seems like a cross of doo wop (in the beginning) and rock and roll that is very exciting and engaging. It shows where America was and where it was headed. James Brown's performance is engaging as he dances and moves across stage. The Who's version of the same song shows the influence African American music had on British bands. The guitar is more prominent, but the song seems more monotonous than the James Brown version. I think "I Don't Mind" is a slower song like The Who's version of ""Please Please Please." In the Muddy Waters version of "Baby Please Don't Go" there is a back and forth between the voice and the guitar with solos in between the verses. In Them's version the guitar is more prominent and has more of a rock sound. It reminds me of "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet. Nina Simone's "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood has a soul aspect to it that reminds me of Adele. The Animals, however, add the keyboard which gives it more of a rock energy. The drums also give the piece more energy because the tempo is more obvious. In Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" I am reminded of "Big Yellow Taxi" because of the phrasing and pauses. There is a back and forth between the guitar and Holly. The Rolling Stones add maracas and a harmonica which gives it more energy and defines the tempo more clearly than in Buddy Holly's version. However, The Rolling Stones don't seem as funny as The Who were when their host introduced them, and they don't seem to be as close with their fans as the Beatles were when they became popular.
My overall takeaways are that African American music in America heavily influenced British bands, and that these artists show the progression of rock all the way from Skiffle to classic rock which has an influence on a significant amount of modern music.
-Julia Alanis
I thought that listening to the different versions of the songs was so interesting because we got to see how the Who was influenced, but also how they were unique. One thing I noticed was how passionate both James Brown and the Who were when performing. In the Beatles music video they are standing perfectly still, all smiles, while both James Brown and the Who really perform. The stage antics and the smashing guitars clashes what was normal at the time and it makes them both unique. African American clearly influenced the sound of the Who, but it also had an affect on their image on stage.
ReplyDeleteThis is Ben.
DeleteAfter listening to the songs for both week 1 and week 2, I feel like I know a lot about the different singers and bands who were popular in the 1960’s. I really enjoyed comparing The Who’s music to Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Beatles, and The Sex Pistols. Listening to the different covers, it was super interesting to see the way the artists put their own spin on the originals. My favorite was “Please, Please, Please” -- performed by The Who and then by James Brown. In The Who’s rendition compared to James Brown’s, I noticed some striking differences, including the emotion they put into the song, the instrumentals, and how quickly they sing. In The Who’s performance of the song, Roger Daltrey puts a lot of emotion in the song. His singing is accompanied with guitar, drums, and piano, and he sings at a constant pace. In James Brown’s version of “Please, Please, Please,” he puts his own spin on the song, singing at a varied pace with more guitar than The Who’s version. I especially liked watching him perform the song, and the obvious connection he had to the lyrics. Just like Roger Daltrey did, James Brown sang with great emotion, and arguably even more. It is evident that he really puts his heart into the song and means the words he is saying. After having listened to the different versions of these songs, it is obvious that African American music made a huge impact on not only The Who, but the entire music industry in the 60's.
ReplyDelete- Kate Latham
Listening to the music this week was surprising to me because even though I know The Who are part of the British invasion, The Who sounded way more like the Beatles than I even thought. I am a big Beatles fan, but listening to the Kids are Alright really had me forgetting which band I was listening to for a bit, in a good way! I love that overall type of sound, and I had only really known their most popular songs, so that was surprising to me. I also loved the live performances because they are so passionate, they really make you want to get up and dance and enjoy their music, which I appreciate a lot.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I thought was interesting was that while listening to My Generation on the Smother Brothers, I noticed that although the guitar is fairly simple, the bass line was complex and really gave some interest to the song! I feel like the bass having its own melody is not something I typically see in earlier music. Additionally, I felt like comparing My Generation to songs like Ferry Cross the Mersey really show how revolutionary (or at least out-of-the-box) The Who was in the context of the 60s. To a modern listener, My Generation may sound tame in a modern time that knows later bands like Nirvana as rock. But knowing that the standard of British music was more chill groups like Gerry and the Pacemakers, it really shows how The Who started to cause a ripple in the music world.
ReplyDeleteAs for Week 2's music, I think the biggest trend in the British covers of these songs, as many people pointed out, is that they push the tempo. The covers tend to feel more energetic, while the originals are more soulful, both of which are great and up to a listener's taste.
^Not sure if it's showing up as anonymous or not but I'm Sara Lim.
DeleteThe songs covered by British groups show how they were craving rebellion and to be like stereotypical teenage/young adults of the 50s and early 60s. White America prospered after WWII, and it showed in the music and culture, while the UK was war-torn and struggling to rebuild. Thus, there was a need for young people to be distracted in the UK. The British covers come off as very similar to their originals, but faster paced at the same time.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to notice the differences even between British groups. Merseybeat and American influences were obvious in Northerners (The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers), while that American style was less prominent in the Who and Rolling Stones.