Module 4

Module 4 covers music from 1946-1959.  While this is not a huge chunk of time, there are many different types of music that emerged within this time frame.  Historical events and technological advances are always influencing the music industry and this time period was no exception.  More new types of music were being developed and recorded than in previous times.

Within this time period there was major influence of the mambo style of music.  Two instances of this influence are “Mambo No. 5” and “Mambo Italiano”.  While one would think they would be similar, I found that to be further from the truth.  “Mambo No. 5” was purely instrumental except for some grunts from the musicians.  This music was written by Perez Prado and performed by his band.  The mambo is Cuban music and he was born in Cuba.  This piece helped to popularize the mambo in the U.S. during this time period.  “Mambo Italiano” is starkly different.  Bob Merrill wrote this piece and Rosemary Clooney sings throughout.  There are many cultural references and stigmas sung throughout and actual doesn’t even follow the mambo “groove” of Prado’s mambo style.  “Mambo Italiano” was purely a pop hit that took influence from Latin music and Tin Pan Alley styles.

There are also types of blues music that become popular during this time period.  Jump blues music such as “Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie” had a place with the common person and became popular in the general public.  This music will influence other musicians such as Chuck Berry in the coming years.  It was easy to listen to, was happy, and made people want to dance.  Chicago electric blues had a very different feel to it.  “Hoochie Coochie Man” is the style that most people think of when it comes to the term “blues” because of the stop time effect.  It was not meant for dancing and not so much for a pop hit.  It is very reminiscent of the older country blues from the Mississippi Delta except that amplification was now used.  Muddy Waters is credited with bringing this sound from the south to Chicago.  This music found a place in Chicago and other famous blues guitarists such as Buddy Guy and BB King would also have very successful careers, also influencing later guitarists such as Eric Clapton.

Country music also had some different approaches during this time period.  “It’s Mighty Dark to Travel” is a country song based on the bluegrass tradition of the south.  Amplified instruments were not used.  This music is based off of the sound of fiddle music and incorporates the fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and string bass.  It has influence from blues and Appalachian music.  It was happy and upbeat making good dancing music.  “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” is what is considered a country standard.  Amplified instruments are used and the tempo is very laid back.  There is a solemn message to the song and is very easy to listen to.  This type of country music became very popular and many country singers modeled themselves after this style in coming years and decades.

There were many different types of music during this time and this is just touching the tip of the iceberg in comparing them.  Each has their place in history and has directly influenced later generations of musicians and has also drawn from past music.  The invention of the 33 1/3 LP now allowed recording companies to release full length albums instead of singles.  Each disc held more than 20 minutes of music, yet songs still stayed at about 3-4 minute lengths because of past practice.  This practice is still evident today.