I believe that the majority of people's tastes in music are not limited to just one genre, and I am definitely not an exception. Mr. Duemer presented the idea in class to talk about one's own "House of Music" which I found extremely interesting to consider. Therefore here is what my House of Music would sound like in each room.
Main Rooms: I would say there is a random array of music, typically I would just set my iTunes on shuffle and listen to my music that fit my particular mood.
Work out Room: Music with high energy that makes me happy and want to have fun. I think that when a person wants to have an effective workout they should have fun with it so they want to push themselves for a longer period of time. I would listen to a lot of pop music, mainstream rap and hip hop, and fast-paced fun rock. Some of the artists would include Chris Brown, Lady Gaga, Blink 182, Soulja Boy, Britney Spears, etc. Another aspect of my workout room would contain what music I listen to before I have a basketball game which is mostly pump-up music like music mixes you could find on "Jock Jams", techno mixes and more serious rap.
Party Room/ Dance Floor: This music would probably be rather similar to the music I listen to while I work out but with the added Cyndi Lauper "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" sing-a-long type songs that I can have fun with and sing and dance to with my friends. I also listen to of popular songs that you would hear on the radio just because that is what most people know and all listen to and like. I just want to have a good time in this room and by having upbeat, popular music playing I feel like that is the best way I can do that.
Bedroom: What I listen to in my room truly depends a lot on my mood at that point in the day. For the most part what I want to listen to in my room is something that will relax me. I will listen a lot of alternative rock with artists such as John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Death Cab for Cutie, Band of Horses, The Shins, etc. I typically listen to music before I go to sleep so I find that those artists are best for me to relax to and fall asleep in a happy mood. On the other hand in my room when I am cleaning or doing work or getting ready for the day I love listening to music from different cultures mostly Spanish, Finnish and Italian music. However they are not limited to just those. I really love different languages and cultures so this is my way of listening to something different that I won't hear on the radio every day.
Basement: I love the oldies! Since I was very young whenever my Dad and I would be in the car he would insist on listening to the oldies music station. At first I despised it and would tune it out but the more I listened to it I learned I really loved a lot of the music. The Beatles, CCR, Jackson 5, Carol King, The Who and so many more are definitely some of my favorites and they are a guilty pleasure of mine.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Murder Ballads and other recent music we've listened to in class...
Honestly, I am beginning to learn that I truly dislike this music. I understand that they are classic and that they play a part in American history and have added to our culture in some small way. However the actual songs are painful to my ears and I am praying to the music Gods that we will change genres of music as soon as possible. To me the singers are whining a bit too loudly into the microphone while simultaneously ensuring that the lyrics are unable to be understood, which may be a positive thing because these lyrics aren't that great in the first place. I understand that the music today can be seen in the same light but personally I believe that there is at the very least a good beat to tap along with.
I know I may be judging harshly but I can't help the way I feel about the majority of these ballads. I understand that we should go back to the roots while learning about music, but seriously can we listen to something that has a bit of taste and melody to go along with it? We don't even have to listen to today's "popular music", when I think of American Popular Music I think of Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin; just to name a very few. Overall I am just hoping that I can either find the beauty in the music we have currently been listening to or that we change genres and listen to something that I would consider enjoyable.
I know I may be judging harshly but I can't help the way I feel about the majority of these ballads. I understand that we should go back to the roots while learning about music, but seriously can we listen to something that has a bit of taste and melody to go along with it? We don't even have to listen to today's "popular music", when I think of American Popular Music I think of Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin; just to name a very few. Overall I am just hoping that I can either find the beauty in the music we have currently been listening to or that we change genres and listen to something that I would consider enjoyable.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Ballads - "Matty Groves" by Fairport Convention
One of my favorite ballads that our class listened to today was "Matty Groves" by Fairport Convention. Not only was it a more modernized form of a ballad but I thought there was a rather interesting story told within the song about infidelity, sex and violence. I feel as though the melody and actual music really set the pace for the story of Matty Groves. One of my favorite things about this ballad is how the song opens in a church when the story is based on an affair. While I was listening to this song I was wondering what brought Lord Donald's wife to this point of being unfaithful. Was Lord Donald cheating on her? Was he no longer showing her affection? Was she forced into the marriage in the first place? Was this a typical activity for "Lady Donald"?
Here is a short story of what I think could have happened prior to this ballad:
As a young woman, Lady Donald was known as Ruth. Ruth was the oldest daughter of a wealthy family, this family was looking for her to soon get married since she was at the age to be wedded and both parents wanted he to be taken care of for future years. Most preferably by a wealthy man. However Ruth was a more carefree, fun-loving individual compared to her rigid and borderline snobby parents. She would rather spend hours traveling and exploring among crowded street ways with the "commoners" than being primped for the town ball or meeting suitors her parents introduced to her. Ruth was definitely different from her family but she was about to meet a man that was the perfect fit for her, almost.
While Ruth was shopping in a downtown market one afternoon she ran into a a young and attractive man playing an instrument on the side of the road. Ruth was awestruck by this man and immediately felt the need to approah him. As she made her way over to him, he too noticed Ruth and was equally amazed at her beauty. When the two finally reached each other there was no doubt that it was love at first sight, however ridiculous that may be there was no denying it. The man introduced himelf as Matty Groves and from that moment on both Ruth and Matty were inseperable. The two spent many weeks together and it was obvious to anyone in the proximity of them that they were madly in love with each other. Although Ruth had been in pure bliss with Matty, she realized that he was not a wealthy man, and certainly not a man that her parents would approve of.
As time went Ruth's parents began to get extremely curious of this young man that their daughter Ruth was spending so much time with. In time Ruth finally got up enough courage to introduce Matty to her parents in hopes that they would accept him the way he was and allow the two to be together forever. Unfortunately the meeting of Matty and Ruth's parents did not go well and her parents were less than impressed with her choice in men. After they had spoke with Ruth about their absolute dislike for Matty, they insisted that they move to another town far away and they forbade Ruth to ever speak to Matty again. Ruth in Matty were ultimately forced apart, both heartbroken and unsure of if they would ever see each other again.
As Ruth and her family approached the new town they passed a hand-written sign for a ball in order to meet Lord Donald. Lord Donald was looking for a wife, and Ruth's parents insisted and yet again forced Ruth to attend this ball. At the ball Lord Donald found Ruth immediately and requested to spend more time with her. Ruth could only think about Matty and how much fun she had with him and that Lord Donald would never match up to the man that Matty was. Her parents had accepted Lord Donald's request for Ruth without any thought of what she wanted. Against Ruth's desires her and Lord Donald began spending more and more time together which only made her despise him more. After about two months of courtship Lord Donald asked for Ruth's hand in marraige, and yet again her parents accepted for her. Ruth was absolutely miserable and so ready to stop doing what her parents forced her to do, to stop being with Lord Donald and to overall be happy again, no matter what it took.
Ruth went to church a few miles outside of town one day to get out of Lord Donald's house and to clear her mind. However when she first walked into the church all she saw was Matty Grove playing his instrument in the church choir. Ruth could barely move, breathe or speak, but she knew that this was her chance that she was hoping for to become happy again. As courage and old memories of love filled her she walked over to Matty just like the day she had first saw him shopping downtown, and the two began to speak.
Although this probably isn't very well written this is what I think could have happened prior to the Ballad of Matty Groves.
Here is a short story of what I think could have happened prior to this ballad:
As a young woman, Lady Donald was known as Ruth. Ruth was the oldest daughter of a wealthy family, this family was looking for her to soon get married since she was at the age to be wedded and both parents wanted he to be taken care of for future years. Most preferably by a wealthy man. However Ruth was a more carefree, fun-loving individual compared to her rigid and borderline snobby parents. She would rather spend hours traveling and exploring among crowded street ways with the "commoners" than being primped for the town ball or meeting suitors her parents introduced to her. Ruth was definitely different from her family but she was about to meet a man that was the perfect fit for her, almost.
While Ruth was shopping in a downtown market one afternoon she ran into a a young and attractive man playing an instrument on the side of the road. Ruth was awestruck by this man and immediately felt the need to approah him. As she made her way over to him, he too noticed Ruth and was equally amazed at her beauty. When the two finally reached each other there was no doubt that it was love at first sight, however ridiculous that may be there was no denying it. The man introduced himelf as Matty Groves and from that moment on both Ruth and Matty were inseperable. The two spent many weeks together and it was obvious to anyone in the proximity of them that they were madly in love with each other. Although Ruth had been in pure bliss with Matty, she realized that he was not a wealthy man, and certainly not a man that her parents would approve of.
As time went Ruth's parents began to get extremely curious of this young man that their daughter Ruth was spending so much time with. In time Ruth finally got up enough courage to introduce Matty to her parents in hopes that they would accept him the way he was and allow the two to be together forever. Unfortunately the meeting of Matty and Ruth's parents did not go well and her parents were less than impressed with her choice in men. After they had spoke with Ruth about their absolute dislike for Matty, they insisted that they move to another town far away and they forbade Ruth to ever speak to Matty again. Ruth in Matty were ultimately forced apart, both heartbroken and unsure of if they would ever see each other again.
As Ruth and her family approached the new town they passed a hand-written sign for a ball in order to meet Lord Donald. Lord Donald was looking for a wife, and Ruth's parents insisted and yet again forced Ruth to attend this ball. At the ball Lord Donald found Ruth immediately and requested to spend more time with her. Ruth could only think about Matty and how much fun she had with him and that Lord Donald would never match up to the man that Matty was. Her parents had accepted Lord Donald's request for Ruth without any thought of what she wanted. Against Ruth's desires her and Lord Donald began spending more and more time together which only made her despise him more. After about two months of courtship Lord Donald asked for Ruth's hand in marraige, and yet again her parents accepted for her. Ruth was absolutely miserable and so ready to stop doing what her parents forced her to do, to stop being with Lord Donald and to overall be happy again, no matter what it took.
Ruth went to church a few miles outside of town one day to get out of Lord Donald's house and to clear her mind. However when she first walked into the church all she saw was Matty Grove playing his instrument in the church choir. Ruth could barely move, breathe or speak, but she knew that this was her chance that she was hoping for to become happy again. As courage and old memories of love filled her she walked over to Matty just like the day she had first saw him shopping downtown, and the two began to speak.
Although this probably isn't very well written this is what I think could have happened prior to the Ballad of Matty Groves.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Crossing the Brooklyn Ferry
I have to admit that the first few times I read this poem I ddn't like it, simply for the reason that I didn't understand it. However after I shut off the iTunes, shut my bedroom door, and turned my cellphone on silent and really read the poem I realized I really liked the message that Whitman was expressing.
I understood the poem as Whitman wondering what he is to the strangers he sees in the crowds of people and who he is to them. Overall he belives that these strangers and him are seeing the same thing in each other which makes them connected in some way. Continuing on in the poem he describes how people have seen and felt essentially the same things throughout the past and present and will continue to do so for years to come.
I too have thought about the very same thing that Whitman has written about. This is usually during times when I am alone and walking through a large crowd similar to what I picture Whitman was doing while writing his poem. Typically when I think about this topic I imagine people around my own age walking on campus years earlier or years in the future. Obviously years prior to myself walking on campus there were no cellphones, laptops, ipods, etc. What I am more curious about is what people will be doing, wearing, and using in the future years across Clarkson's campus. Not to mention that the campus may change drastically, who is to say that in 100 years Snell will be still there or if it will be taken over by yet another dining hall? That may be a bit drastic but it is something to think about. Overall I feel as though many people have these same thoughts about the past, present and future, and that Whitman's poem can be easily related to various groups of people.
I understood the poem as Whitman wondering what he is to the strangers he sees in the crowds of people and who he is to them. Overall he belives that these strangers and him are seeing the same thing in each other which makes them connected in some way. Continuing on in the poem he describes how people have seen and felt essentially the same things throughout the past and present and will continue to do so for years to come.
I too have thought about the very same thing that Whitman has written about. This is usually during times when I am alone and walking through a large crowd similar to what I picture Whitman was doing while writing his poem. Typically when I think about this topic I imagine people around my own age walking on campus years earlier or years in the future. Obviously years prior to myself walking on campus there were no cellphones, laptops, ipods, etc. What I am more curious about is what people will be doing, wearing, and using in the future years across Clarkson's campus. Not to mention that the campus may change drastically, who is to say that in 100 years Snell will be still there or if it will be taken over by yet another dining hall? That may be a bit drastic but it is something to think about. Overall I feel as though many people have these same thoughts about the past, present and future, and that Whitman's poem can be easily related to various groups of people.
First Reading/Listening Journal - My Thoughts
The very first thing that I would like to state in my journals is that I am not a very skilled writer and by taking this class I am hoping to improve my writing skills in some small way. Another reason why I am taking this class is because I am honestly very interested in music and I love listening to a variety of different genres, so I think this class is a good fit for me. Although I am nervous about the unfavorable grading scale and writing lengthy essays in general I am up for the challenge and ready to put in hard work. Hopefully the remainer of my last semester at Clarkson University will be a memorable and successful one!
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