Class Blog Posts Part 2
September 29, 2008
As I am planning to do something similar for my midterm, by response will focus on the Hornby and Klosterman excerpts. To me, what makes music truly transcendent is the ability to pair it with a specific memory. Would I care for “We Will Rock You” as much if it didn’t instantly conjure up thoughts of the stadium rocking along to the back beat? Doubtful. These essays reminded me a lot of the movie “High Fidelity”, but I think that’s also because the movie was loosely based on Klosterman or one of his compatriots.
Anyway, while I doubt I can put my feelings and memories into words as eloquently as Hornby does, his article is what I’d like to attempt and emulate with my midterm. I absolutely love ranking any and everything and I think this will be the perfect avenue for me to do so AND get credit for it. Having read Klosterman’s “Fargo Rock City”, I can honestly say it’s one of my favorite books. The excerpt chosen for this week was definitely one that stood out for me, and not just because it was the opening. I remember one summer reading this book and then turning around and watching “Almost Famous” and being knocked over by all the similarities. I wish we could watch it in class, but I know there’s no time.
Some more on the Hornby/Klosterman dynamic.
September 10, 2008
The Griffiths piece really brought the connection between poetry and lyrics to the surface for me. Now, I’ve long been aware that such a connection existed, but I don’t always pay it much mind. One artist that I listen to and really notice the connection is Led Zeppelin. I remember reading a while ago that the lyrics to many of their more famous songs came directly from lead singer Robert Plant’s journal of poetry. I recall thinking at the time that I thought it was cool and gave some cred in my book to poetry, which I despised then and still do for the most part today. Anyway, the Griffiths piece made me think about it and I thought I’d share the story in my response. I gotta put something, right?
The Smith piece amused me because the topic of songs in cinema was one of the ideas I’d bounced around as a focus for the semester. Music and other formats of media are always intertwined and sometimes the director just subtly and brilliantly shoehorns the perfect song behind a certain scene that really makes it stand out and pop. For me, the soundtrack for a movie can be just as memorable as the movie itself.
As for tropes, I’d have to say “protropes” are the ones most commonly used in the sporting anthems of the world. Nothing gets a crowd more riled up than “We Will Rock You” and the like. Anytime I crowd can participate by singing along to the lyrics (like Mason does with “Livin’ On A Prayer”) or stomping to the beat of a song (a la “Rock and Roll Pt 2” and “We Will Rock You”), the more likely it is that the song will become an “anthem” in the sporting arenas across the globe.
The tropes and lyrics connection are things I need to talk about in the essay. I’d almost completely forgotten about them at this point. The tropes and lyrics are the things that get the crowd going and into the game.
September 1, 2008
I haven’t been able to find much the way of physical readings for my genre, but I have plenty of other kinds of examples I can use to display music’s use in the sports venues across the globe. One nice resource I have as a start is my 2007 Boston Red Sox World Series Champions DVD. There’s a little extra on the disc that has players explaining why they chose certain songs as their entrance themes that play as they come to bat or enter to pitch.
I also can draw from various op-ed articles from ESPN and Sports Illustrated about the way music has infiltrated the sports culture. There are opinions on the distractions of music in the game as well as articles on how the hip-hop stereotype is one that the NBA should shy away from. It may not sound like much, but it’s a start, right?
The seeds of frustration are planted…
August 27, 2008
There are two mediums of entertainment that have crossed to form a bond. You rarely see one without the other. In this instance, I am talking about sports and music. Have you ever been to a relatively large sporting event without hearing music? What about watching sports broadcasts on television? Music has become a vital part of the world of sports and this pairing is what I’d like to investigate this semester.
Music is so vital to sports because it keeps the live crowd involved. Nothing can get the Patriot Center rocking quite like a thunderous dunk followed by our pep band roaring up the school’s fight song. This does not apply solely to basketball, it can be seen in all sports venues across the country—and the world. I was watching the Beijing Olympics and was shocked to hear some familiar tunes blaring through the arena speakers. I just think this is an avenue worth exploring. Is it detrimental to the games? After all, it might be distracting to the athletes. The evolution of the relationship between the two mediums is fascinating to me in and of itself. I haven’t decided exactly what approach I’ll take just yet (blog, myspace, etc.), but I hope to have an answer soon enough.
Ah, young and naive Cliff. If only you’d picked Zeppelin…
3 years ago • Notes