Alexis' Music Blog

11th Blog Post Song chosen:  Smells Like Teen Spirit  by Nirvana This is such an iconic song, I remember the first time  I listened to it was in the 7th grade, back when I was  listening predominately to One Direction. I obviously couldn't appreciate the absolute brilliance of this very popular single at the time. This song arises feelings of that pubescent teen angst, and I cannot see why this wasn't a popular song at the time of its release in 1991. According to some light research, this song did not chart or do well after its release.  This song is somewhat soft during the verses, and then gets harder during the chorus. Kurt Cobain said he liked the progression of the Pixie's "soft and quiet and then loud and hard" style. It's so cool to me that some of the most famous songs in history were inspired by some songs that the average population wouldn't even know. Nirvana finishes off this song with the loud and hard, with Cobain repeating "A denial...

8th Blog Post Song chosen:  What's Going On  by Marvin Gaye This song feels really genuine to me. The sounds of conversation and laughing in the background feels really raw. Reminds me of songs I've heard with various other sounds of life in the background, like police sirens or voices on a phone call. I love the feeling it gives a song.  Upon a lyrical analysis of this song, it seems to be an anthem about the "hippie movement" of the 1960s. This song was recorded in 1971, while the Vietnam War was still going on. He sings about mothers crying about losing sons, brothers dying. He urges his father (and referring to other men as well) to calm down and not escalate the war. He pushes for love over war and saying others shouldn't judge those of them who have long hair (aka hippies). This song would have been controversial at the time, which makes Gaye pretty brave in my opinion.  The instruments in the background are very mild and calm. A light rhythm in the backgrou...

7th Blog Post Song Chosen:  Respect  by Aretha Franklin I get such an upbeat feeling from this song, the backup singers add such a fun vibe to the piece. I also think this is a great example of the R&B genre, as it rings true to the past feeling of blues, but also has a great beat. The saxophone at  1:17  is so good, I've always adored a good saxophone!  Upon lyric analysis and some research, I have found it has become sort of a women empowerment movement. In Franklin's version of the song, she explains that she believes she deserves respect from her man when he gets home. She speaks of his kisses which may imply she wants intimacy from him. The original writer of this song is Otis Redding, who basically is demanding respect when he comes home to his wife because he makes all the money. It depicts the average American household at the time under a patriarchal power. Aretha flips this to be sung from a woman's point of view, demanding respect from h...

6th Blog Post Song Chosen:  Be My Baby  by The Ronettes This song surprised me because I know this song well. It has risen in popularity on social media and the chorus is a well known household tune. I find it so interesting how so many older songs have become popular due to social media. I sang a song in high school choir from 1956, it was called Why Do Fools Fall in Love by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. My grandpa would get excited every time I sang it because he loved it when he was young. I love how even now, the younger generations can enjoy older music in contexts that they enjoy.  I absolutely love the background singers and how they compliment the main singer so well. It's really awesome how their subtle voices in the background can really bring out the beauty of the main singer's voice and give the piece so much depth that it wouldn't have without it.  The lyrics are also so uplifting and romantic. "Since the day I saw you, I have been waiting for you...

5th Blog Post  Song Chosen:  Nature Boy  by Nat King Cole This song surprised me because I listen to a cover of this song regularly. AURORA covers this song, and I've loved it for awhile, and I know all the lyrics as well. I can see why she chose to cover this song, it is absolutely enchanting. Upon researching the song, I also found that David Bowie also covered this song for a movie. This song has obviously made a large impact on pop culture. The background music resembles that of an old Disney song, with the soft flute and piano. It provokes a feeling of nostalgia for me. Even the lyrics are so magical, talking about an enchanted boy, a boy who has a lot of wisdom to share. He shares "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" which I think is such a lovely piece of of advice. I absolutely love Nat King Cole's voice, he has such subtle and beautiful vibrato, along with passion and zest in his voice. To sing softly like this tak...

4th Blog Post Song Chosen: Great Speckled Bird by Roy Acuff I love the simplicity of the instruments in the song, it reminds me of a cartoon I loved as a small child. I also enjoy his voice, it is sort of soothing.  The emotion I get in this song has very religious undertones. He obviously loves his religion that he is singing about in this piece, and speaks of not wanting to fear looking at the “Savior”. The lyrics are very unique in the way that he never repeats a verse, there is no chorus, just one long verse of poetry. I think the way the lyrics interact with the instruments and music is very casual. Maybe this is meant to indicate he is content with his beliefs. He speaks of a “Speckled Bird” which he implies he is proud of his beliefs. However, upon more research on where this metaphor arose from, it seems to me that a “speckled bird” is about being faithful to her (the bird) creator, while all the other animals dislike her, she is “meek”. Acuff is proud to call himself a me...