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The Importance of Music

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Noah Eskew

Humans are blessed with five senses that elicit responses and connect the external world with the soul. Sight, taste, touch, smell, and sound are the ways by which we can interact with the world around us. When a person taps in to any of these senses, various reactions will occur with endorphins inside the brain. Sound, however, regularly causes a visible physical stream of responses. Rare is it to see a painting that inspires a flash mob, or a candle that brings you to tears, but that’s part of the magical spiritual force music does. That’s why I’d like to talk about the importance of music. Music has the immense power to incite a fire within an individual, a group, a nation, or the world. Music is utilized alongside other senses to generate greater responses. It can completely change a person. All these things together make music one of the most powerful and important aspects of the universe.

This thesis and subject matter is interesting due to its distinct nature. This assertion has the potential to last long after my time. Arguments surrounding music have distinguished themselves beyond those of science and numbers because of their inherent subjectivity. Because of this, this thesis will be addressing a bit of a “Cold War.” Not too many people are adamantly vocal against the importance of music. However, not enough people are vocalizing positivity for music. Instead, each side expresses their stance through their actions and attitude. The historical background involved with this subject played a major role in my choosing to address this topic. For years, the arts have been looked upon as just another piece of culture often left for the weaker members of society to experiment with (take the times of Shakespeare for instance). Now, all over the country, many adults have forgotten the major role music can play in a child’s life. This forgetfulness appears in various forms: a neighbor complaining a drummer in the neighborhood is too much of a nuisance or overly strict noise ordinances put upon neighborhoods. In a letter to a city council about absurd noise regulations, Dave Grohl, award-winning musician, had this to say:

Music is not only a healthy pastime, it is a wonderful, creative outlet for kids, and fosters a sense of community necessary to the emotional and social development of any child…. It is crucial that children have a place to explore their creativity and establish a sense of self through song. The preservation of such is paramount to the future of art and music. Without them, where would we be?

My goal with dissecting this subject is to further display the power of music and to discover what good things can come from properly harnessing said power. Through this I plan to replace the negative attitude toward the power of music some still harbor, with a highly appreciative attitude toward the art form and the heavy experimentation, patience, and practice it entails. I plan to make clear valuing musical things should not be dismissed as frivolous or “just a hobby,” but, instead, are meaningful things with unmatched purposefulness and possibilities. Lastly, one of the primary reasons why I chose such a topic was to cease the view music’s influence is inherently bad; secular music doesn’t have to dishonor God.

I would like to define three terms. First, “music” is the organization of melody, harmony, and rhythm in the name of human expression. Second, “influence” is music’s ability to create changes, and its absence is obvious. Third, “participation” in music and the arts means to enjoy, practice, or to have a thorough respect for the importance of such.

This thesis should be important to you because you may be missing out on one of the most beautiful parts of creation. Your lives, your children’s lives, and your communities’ lives will be enhanced if these beliefs are put into practice.

In order to prove music is one of the most powerful and important aspects of life, I will confirm six arguments: 1) Music has displayed power through shaping history. 2) Music is powerful because of its widespread dominion. 3) Music is a powerful social force, which encourages communication beyond words. 4) Music clearly shapes people’s attitudes, appearances, philosophies, and being. 5) Music is important because of its therapeutic benefits. 6) Music is vital to a child’s development. In order to further prove my thesis, I will refute four counterarguments: 1) Music only affects those who actively participate in it. 2) Due to improvements in technology, music is being taken for granted. 3) music’s influence on society is mostly negative. 4) Music is only important because of its benevolent side effects.

My first argument is music has demonstrated its power through shaping and developing the stories of history. Music has been around since God made it. And once bestowed to the human race, music has been stirring the cultural pot, promoting ideas, telling stories, providing encouragement, etc. For the sake of time, I will begin by addressing some ways music shaped things within the 1800s. A good chunk of this century, and seemingly most of history, is spent during times of war. And in war, there isn’t a lot of time or room for arts and the appreciation of them, yet music found a way to fit in and shake things up. This quotation from civilwar.org nicely sums up the ways music was used in wartime:

Music was played on the march, in camp, even in battle; armies marched to the heroic rhythms of drums and often of brass bands. The fear and tedium of sieges was eased by nightly band concerts, which often featured requests shouted from both sides of the lines. Around camp there was usually a fiddler or guitarist or banjo player at work, and voices to sing the favorite songs of the era. In fact, Confederate General Robert E. Lee once remarked, “I don’t believe we can have an army without music.”

It’s interesting to note how the ways a soldier might have used music, such as to psych himself up for battle, are similar to a modern-day athlete listening to a pre-game playlist. But, in the context of the Civil War, both the Union and the Confederacy had songs that demonstrated their loyalty and pride such as “May God Save The Union” and “Dixie.”

During that time, and still today, songs have been used to promote political campaigns. For instance, the song “One Hundred Years Hence,” written by Civil War-era actor Tony Pastor, expresses a feeling of readiness toward Lincoln’s departure from the presidency. The song expresses a belief Lincoln was forgettable and how his political opponent, George McClellan, would outlast Abe in terms of historical relevancy. In a more modern example, Joan Baez, a 1960s folk singer, advocated for civil rights, most notably in the song “We Shall Overcome.” Rage Against the Machine is another example of musicians with a clear goal of spreading their ideologies through melody. Tom Morello, the band’s guitarist, said in an interview with MTV, “I think that one of the important things about Rage [Against the Machine] is that we are able to seduce some people in with the music, who then are introduced to a different political message. That’s kind of why we play music.” The band knew they could begin to influence people’s thoughts if they could first draw attention with their sound.

My second argument is music is so powerful because of its widespread dominion. People can use music in their lives to manipulate their moods, alleviate the boredom of tedious tasks, and create environments appropriate for particular social events. Due to advances in technology, just about every kind of music out there is available to a great portion of the world at any time. This gives society even more exposure to music, and when humans have this kind of exposure to anything, it is bound to affect their way of life. Human exposure to music is at an all-time high, and the numbers show no signs of letting up. Forbes magazine did a study on human interaction with music and concluded,

On average, Americans now spend just slightly more than 32 hours a week listening to music. That’s an incredible figure, and it shows significant growth from even just the past two years. In 2016, Americans listened to an average of 26.6 hours of music per week, while the year prior, it was just 23.5 hours.

The trend shows massive gains from year to year, with the average expanding by several hours every 12 months. While some interactions with forms of media are measured in minutes, Americans now listen to almost a day and a half of music every week, which shows that they have songs, albums and playlists streaming throughout the day, and that they now incorporate music in many different parts of their life. 

Americans, on average, are listening to 32 hours of music per week. Now, the average American sleeps for about seven hours a night. This means we sleep through about 48 of 168 total hours in a week, and are left with 120 active hours. The 32 hours of music we partake in now account for 27% of our life. That means almost a third of the week involves some sort of music! Think of all the things people count on music to get them through: yardwork, schoolwork, driving, hosting a party, religious services, and more. One thing particularly interesting that sets music apart from other art forms is the number of things within society that rely on music to keep them relevant. And that quotation from General Lee, used in my first argument, makes me think of what sporting events would be without music. Just imagine: you’re at the ballpark, no organ, no walk-up music, no fun. The crowd would be less involved in between plays. The teams would storm on the field to silence. The quality of the sporting event experience as a whole would just seem incomplete. Many times, movies count on a riveting score or soundtrack to draw lasting interest. What’s Gilligan’s Island without the opening verse, “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale,” or Seinfeld without the famous “sitcom bass”? What is Dirty Dancing without the song “The Time of My Life,” or even movies like the Star Wars prequels, which are shunned by some of the series’ true fans, still included an amazing score of music. Restaurants will even play music to soothe the impatience of waiting for a table or food, and hopefully put consumers in a nice mood suitable for spending. Because of its widespread dominion, music can change things ranging from major events or Joe Random’s Thursday morning.

In the past, music has appeared so powerful it has been mistaken for a plot of world domination. Hitler suspected the growing popularity of jazz in the 1940s was being fueled by a conjoined effort of blacks and Jews to infiltrate society with their promiscuous ideas. He realized the music began to soften the tension between different races, and immediately banned “negro” music from the airwaves. Says Chris Trueman, “Jazz music was banned as it was considered to be ‘black music’ with origins from the southern states of America. The Nazis associated jazz music with Black Americans and as a result it was labeled ‘degenerate.’” Hitler recognized the people like the black and Jewish music from America enough to where he could probably benefit for making Nazi-friendly counterparts. Joseph Goebbels assembled the group “Charlie and His Orchestra” in order to begin spreading anti-Allied propaganda.

There is even a conspiracy theory which holds all of the Beatles discography was too good to just be rock ‘n’ roll. Instead, it must be some kind of Marxist plot against America. The music was too compelling, it had to be using some sort of mind control in order to spread propaganda. Joseph Noebel wrote a book Communism, Hypnotism, and the Beatles to promote the idea. In many ways, this is the ultimate praise for a musical group. These aren’t necessarily the prettiest conclusions to draw from history, but its history. Music has been through a lot of pressure, but its impact lives on. This just goes to show, when humans interact with the force of music, the influence is undeniable.

My third argument is music is a powerful social force, which encourages and inspires communication beyond words and causes emotional reactions and supports the development of group identity. Music can communicate with words but also avoid words entirely and still evoke an emotional response. First, you must understand two listeners can experience two separate emotions from the same piece. As Dave Grohl explains, “That’s one of the great things about music. You can sing a song to 85,000 people and they’ll sing it back for 85,000 different reasons.” So, in a sense, the audience is never wrong in drawing a particular emotion from a song. But, in many cases an artist will communicate specific feelings to the audience. For example, the opening to “Ride of the Valkyries” conveys the feeling of an army entering an epic battle, or at least something very similar to that sentiment. Or in a song such as “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, where there is a clear theme of remorseful melancholic feelings within the chords alone. In other words, you don’t have to speak French to understand the feelings represented in a Debussy piece.

My fourth argument is music displays its power through the impact it has on an individual’s physiological, movement, mood, emotional, cognitive and behavioral responses. Playwright William Congreve wrote, “Music has the charm to soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks, or to bend a knotted oak.” Music makes people physically move. Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin suspects this about the interactions between music and the brain:

Music stimulates the cerebellum, a region of the brain crucial to motor control. Connections between the cerebellum and the limbic system (which is associated with emotion), may explain why movement, emotion, and music are tied together. Music is more than entertainment: It is a regulating force for our moods. Because of its strong ties to our emotions, we rely on music to wake us up, calm us down, entertain us, and motivate us — something a balanced checkbook can’t quite match.

Music has different effects on different individuals. It can make some people’s cognitive processes improve, but it may cause others to stop everything and listen. In fact, while compiling this paper, some days were spent writing while listening. But other days the music would have me too enthralled to buckle down and work. The brain’s multiple processing of music makes it difficult to predict the particular effect of any piece of music on any individual.

My fifth argument is listening and playing music have powerful therapeutic effects. Music can promote relaxation, alleviate anxiety and pain, and enhance the quality of life of those beyond medical help. One fascinating example of such uses for music is through the journey of pregnancy. Therapist Dr. Ginger Garner analyzed the findings of researchers on this theory and noted,

Music can be an effective means for managing both pain and stress during labor. A study showed that using music during childbirth has a significant effect on mother’s perception of pain. Another second study in 2000 revealed perinatal physicians, nurses, and caregivers became more relaxed, slowed their activities, and demonstrated increased respect for laboring mothers when music was used. Music was also found in a study, when combined with progressive relaxation, to be more effective in inducing relaxation in laboring mothers.

This is yet another way music is at your service. It’s amazing that such a powerful thing in its own right has these other positive “side effects.”

My sixth argument is music can play an important part in enhancing human development in the early years. Active involvement in music making in children may increase self-esteem and promote the development of a range of social and transferable skills. I have experienced this benefit of music full well. When I was about six years old, my cousin Sarah came to live with us as a foster child. She began attending Summit. She was a handful. Sarah was too much of a disturbance to our house and to our school. Along with her aunt, we decided to enroll her into piano lessons, which yielded great results. Rather quickly, she became quite good at the instrument, and the skills of patience and grace she had learned from piano became paralleled in other aspects of her life.

The first counterargument against my thesis is music only affects the lives of those who actively participate in it. The biggest problem with this argument lies within overlooking the effects of music on culture. In history, events happen on a cause and effect basis. Take, for example, the Boston Tea Party: George III raised the taxes until the colonists got fed up. But, in terms more related to our argument, the cultural changes that occurred in the 1960s weren’t just coincidences. For instance, as mentioned earlier, the groups of the British Invasion came over and immediately influenced fashion and especially hair. However, The Beatles managed to change far more than style. After the Beatles played on the Ed Sullivan Show, an initiative of starting a band swept across the youth of the nation. The Beatles soon became the first real celebrities to be asked about political and social issues. Their presence in popular culture was a boon to the Civil Rights movement in the ’60s. In the thick of American society, they had their fair share of interactions with segregation. In their tours, if a venue was segregated between colored and white, the Beatles would only agree to play if the rule was done away with. This excerpt from the BBC’s Web site outlines the band’s feelings on segregation: “The Beatles showed their support for the U.S. civil rights movement by refusing to play in front of segregated audiences, a contact shows. Signed by manager Brian Epstein, it specifies that The Beatles ‘not be required to perform in front of a segregated audience.’” These big statements by the Beatles got the music business behind racial equality. Without the support of pop culture to this degree, who knows how long of a delay the movement would have lasted. These moral decisions groups and artists like the Beatles made affected the world as a whole, not just the music industry.

The second counterargument against my thesis is due to improvements in technology, music is being taken for granted. This can lead to neglect in considering how the infrastructure supporting music and musicians is resourced, maintained, and developed. Some fear the process behind the making of popular music is becoming too factory produced, robotic, and digital. They think if all music becomes computerized it will all begin to sound alike and there will be no emotional attachment without the human element. It is true: we are currently in an era of music where “perfection” in the sense of sound and image are glorified. Anybody can make a hit record with the help of computer software. This is why parents and teachers must not suppress their child/pupil’s interest into learning an instrument. This world needs real musicians playing and dedicating themselves to real instruments through which they can distinguish their sound from everyone else’s.

The third counterargument against my thesis is music’s influence on society is mostly negative. First, like most things, we tend to focus on the negatives in society. If the positive things music accomplishes everyday were to go missing, we might begin to understand its true value to society. Is some music out there providing incorrect moral standards? Yes. This tells us if music has the ability to influence for bad, it also has the inverse ability. We’ve seen in the past with music for charities, churches, and other things have influenced culture for the better. Music’s influence on society can be good. For evidence of this, I will look to an unlikely example: Punk Rock. In the ’80s, punk rock band Minor Threat started a movement called “straight-edge.” Dictionay.com defines straight-edge as “advocating abstinence from alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and sex.” Minor Threat became incredibly influential to the punk music scene, and many of their fans followed suit with the anti-drug, anti-alcohol lifestyle. In-fact, there are still people who cling to the straight-edge lifestyle.

Finally, the fourth argument against my thesis is music is only important because of its benevolent side effects. Peter Greene explains why music education is important due to music’s inherent importance,

Music is universal. It’s a gabillion dollar industry, and it is omnipresent. How many hours in a row do you ever go without listening to music? Everywhere you go, everything you watch — music. Always music. We are surrounded in it, bathe in it, soak in it. Why would we not want to know more about something constantly present in our lives? Would you want to live in a world without music? Then why would you want to have a school without music?

One of the biggest issues I wanted to conquer with this thesis was music being important because it helps with other things. Music is so heavily involved in our everyday lives that studying it, participating in its production, and listening to music are worthwhile causes of their own. Don’t get me wrong, all of the benefits mentioned in this paper are incredible bonuses included in the enjoyment of music. However, that is what they are: bonuses. There’s no need to wait around for a scientific study to prove music improves SAT scores before you listen to it.

After hearing more about the subject, there are a number of ways to utilize the new information. First, know the pursuit of musical excellence is not a dead end journey, but instead leads to a purposeful life. Encourage the next generation to value music, and to choose what they listen to carefully because it will have a big impact on who they become. Finally, do not rule different styles of music out of your life based on prejudices. Experiment with new sounds; chances are that something is out there, and you’re missing it. Don’t let this gift from God pass you by!

Bibliography

Bierle, Sarah K. “1860’s Politics: Songs For The Campaign Trail.” Emerging Civil War, 11 Nov. 2016, emergingcivilwar.com/2016/11/11/1860s-politics-songs-for-the-campaign-trail/.

Bowman, John S, and Stephen Currie. “Music of the 1860’s.” Civil War Trust, Civil War Trust, http://www.civilwar.org/learn/articles/music-1860s.

Collins, Michael. “The Benefits of Listening to Rock Music.” Google, Google, 16 May 2016, http://www.google.com/amp/www.theodysseyonline.com/benefits-listening-rock-music.amp.

Daugherty, Kevin. “Rock Music vs Classical Music.” Violinist.com, 4 Mar. 2004, http://www.violinist.com/discussion/archive/3641/.

Garner, Ginger. “Secrets for Easing Labor Pain.” Modern Mom, 4 Mar. 2016, http://www.modernmom.com/f3e7cc90-3b3d-11e3-be8a-bc764e04a41e.html.

 Greene, Peter. “Stop ‘Defending’ Music Education.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 11 June 2015, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-greene/stop-defending-music-education-_b_7564550.html.

Grohl, Virginia. From Cradle to Stage. Coronet Books, 2017.

Hallam, Susan. “The Powerful Ride of Music in Society.” Google.com, WordPress.com, 10 July 2008, http://www.google.com//amps/s/musicmagic.wordpress.com/2008/07/10music-in-society/amp/.

https://phys.org/news/2015-09-restaurants-music.html

https://takelessons.com/blog/health-benefits-of-playing-an-instrument-z15

McIntyre, Hugh. “Americans Are Spending More Time Listening To Music Than Ever Before.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 9 Nov. 2017, http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2017/11/09/americans-are-spending-more-time-listening-to-music-than-ever-before/#129fe41a2f7f.

Oppenheimer, Mark. “Stop Forcing Your Kids to Learn a Musical Instrument.” New Republic, 16 Sept. 2013, newrepublic.com/article/114733/stop-forcing-your-kids-learning-musical-instrument.

Pearlman, Catherine. “You Can’t Always Shelter Your Children and You Shouldn’t Try.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 16 Oct. 2015, http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Resler, Seth, et al. “5 Reasons Why It’s Important to Teach Popular Music History.” Jacobs Media Strategies, 28 July 2017, jacobsmedia.com/5-reasons-why-its-important-to-teach-popular-music-history/.

Trueman, C.N. “Music in Nazi Germany.” History Learning Site, Apr. 2012, http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/nazi-germany/music-in-nazi-germany/.

“Why Study World Music and Culture?” World Musics & Cultures at Union College, http://www.muse.union.edu/wmc/archives/why-study-world-music-and-culture/.

Yusko, Alan, and Ed Prior. “RELIGIOUS ROCK…” RELIGIOUS ROCK… The Music of Devils in the CHURCH!!!, http://www.biblebelievers.com/rock1.html.

Critical Countdowns

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Peter Runey, Dylan Fields, Noah Eskew, and Melissa Yeh

Peter Runey’s Critical Listening Top 10

1. “Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down and Out)” by John Lennon

2. “Come Together” by The Beatles

3. “A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles

4. “Get Back” (Live on the Rooftop) by The Beatles

5. “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Beatles

6. “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight” by The Beatles

7. “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys

8. “Band on the Run” by Paul McCartney(/Wings)

9. “The Long And Winding Road” by The Beatles

10. “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” by The Beatles

This was extremely difficult to boil down to the top ten, however these are my thought-through, most profound songs of the Critical Listening class this year. While many of these carry real-life meaning to me since they’re attached to a fond memory of mine, some of these I admire purely based on their musical and lyrical quality.

“Nobody Loves You (When You’re Down and Out)” — John Lennon creates one of the most uniquely-sounding songs I’ve heard from him, whether it be from his solo career or from the Beatles. He incorporates a string orchestra as well as trumpets/horns, all the while still retaining the same classic Lennon vibe from the Beatles so many loved. Lyrically, Lennon takes a creative approach to exposing the fact people tend to only show love when they want it in return (“I’ll scratch your back and you scratch mine”), as well as the fact often great people are only admired and recognized for their accomplishments when they’re “six feet in the ground.” Ironically, Lennon gained even more of a following of his ideas upon his assassination.

“Come Together” — Despite the fact Lennon is known to be involved with the use of psychedelics, few can say the Beatles’ music became any less unique when they began using. Lennon crafts an incredibly artistic song beginning with a deep bass masking whispers of “shoot me, shoot me,” most likely referring to heroine. At this point, John Lennon was becoming a figure in many a cultural and even political scene (as an influencer not a participant) and used the song as somewhat of an anthem for the freedom to use psychedelics. Despite its intentions, I find this song to be one of the most creative and catchy songs the Beatles ever produced.

“A Hard Day’s Night” — I could tell an incredibly long story of a memory attached to this song for me. Instead, I’ll just say this song became very relevant to me on one special night in the Shenandoah mountains.

“Get Back” (live on the rooftop) — This song mostly holds its meaning to me since it was the final song to be performed live by the Beatles. I found it amusing that their desire was to be dragged off the venue by police since the concert was considered to be an unannounced public interruption, however the concert ended with a mere “pull of the plug,” so to speak, from the local authorities. It’s not just a special song but also a special performance since it was the last time the four ever played together in public.

“Don’t Let Me Down” — There are a few reasons why I love this song. The first of these is this was also played at the final rooftop concert. Another reason is Paul and John both harmonize beautifully in this song, which makes John’s raw, heartfelt message of love to Yoko Ono that much more special.

“Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight” — While these are technically two separate songs, the track was ordered so “Golden Slumbers” could carry seamlessly into “Carry That Weight” as part of a 6-part climactic medley in Abbey Road. I love “Golden Slumbers” because it begins simply with Paul and a piano playing a sheet of music he found on his grandfather’s piano with his own words put to it.

“Good Vibrations” — While this is the only Beach Boys song that made the list, it’s definitely one of the most enjoyable listens of the years. I appreciate the upbeat rhythm and lighthearted melody. The Beach Boys have mastered the art of crafting songs perfect for driving in a car with the windows down on a summer day, and this is certainly one of those.

“Band On The Run” — Paul branched out with this song. He begins to step out of his shell of his creativity since he no longer experiences the same pressures of being in the Beatles now that he was in control of his own solo career. On this track, Paul, in a way, mixes three songs into one, making a roller coaster of a song, but not to the point where it’s distracting to the listener. Paul’s musical brilliance really shines when somehow he pulls off a silky-smooth transition from the magnificent blare of brass and electric guitar instruments into an acoustic guitar/drum combination for the rest of the track.

“The Long And Winding Road” — This is easily one of the most emotional song from the Beatles, aside from maybe “Blackbird.” Paul takes the listener on a journey down a long and winding road with this song but leaves the listener with little conclusion or sense of achievement. It’s inferred that the end can’t be reached, and it’s unattainable. Obviously, this is how Paul must’ve felt at some point in his life, and he depicts this season of life very effectively and eloquently.

“Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” — This song is believed to be a reference to a drug known as LSD, which was likely being used by at least one of the band at the time. One thing I do appreciate about the times when the Beatles were under the effects of drug usage is their creative thinking tended to be much more outside the box, which resulted in unique tracks like “Lucy In the Sky.” The song doesn’t make much sense, lyrically, but to me it doesn’t have to in order to appreciate its special sound.

Dylan Fields’s Critical Listening Top 10

1. “A Hard Day’s Night” — Beatles

2. “Come Together” — Beatles

3. “Little Deuce Coupe” — Beach Boys

4. “Don’t Let Me Down” — Beatles

5. “Maybe I’m Amazed” — Paul McCartney

6. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” — Beach Boys

7. “All Things Must Pass” — George Harrison

8. “Help Me Rhonda” — Beach Boys

9. “Pease Please Me” — Beatles

10. “The Monster Mash” (Live) — Beach Boys

This list was a whole lot harder to make than I anticipated it being. Many of these songs may not be my favorite for their musical aspects but the stories behind them. I will be explaining why each song is special to me throughout the course of this paper.

“A Hard Day’s Night” — This is the epitome of Critical Listening music for me. It may not be my favorite critical song musically but the story behind it makes it what it is to me. In the beginning of the year when Critical Listening was just starting, we had just heard this song and Pete and I were jamming to it non-stop. We literally had this album on repeat every time we were in the car. That being said one day I had the bright idea to go on a road trip/camping trip to the Shenandoah mountains with Pete and Pedro. The trip started off great: we were having a ton of fun and everything was going great. We arrived in the mountains and that’s where things started going wrong. There was a police car involved and we had to stay in an overpriced dirty motel instead of camping out. We got to camp out the second night and it was decently fine from then on out. So fast forward to the ride home, Pete throws on this song and it just made sense. That trip was “A Hard Day’s Night.” So every time I hear this song I think about this trip, the bad parts but mostly the good.

“Come Together” — This song has been one of my favorite Beatles songs since the start of the class. I love the intro of this song. I think the crazy thing about the beginning and throughout the song is John is saying “shoot me” and ends up getting shot and killed; he obviously want talking about guns in the song but it is still ironic. I am going to say this for a lot of these songs and I could probably say this for all of them but this was a song me and Pete loved to jam to in the car.

“Little Deuce Coupe” — I really don’t like this song musically, but the story behind it is what makes it one of my favorite Critical Listening songs. One of the first times we were listening to this song in first semester I think it was Pete that started singing the chorus obnoxiously at a super high pitch, then I would sing low, then Noah would go high with Pete. This turned into a thing we did. We would just sing “Little Deuce Coupe” as obnoxiously as we could. We did it everywhere, in the classroom, in the halls, in the parking lot, everywhere.

“Don’t Let Me Down” — My first memory of this song was the video of them playing on the roof around the time they were breaking up and all the people come out of their houses to watch. After we watched that in class I had it stuck in my head and I was jamming to it non-stop and apparently Pete did too because I was texting him one night and I said I was jamming out to the Beatles and he said he was, too, and I texted him “Don’t Let Me Down” was a banger and as I hit the send button I got a text from him saying basically the same thing. We always kinda joked about that.

“Maybe I’m Amazed” — My words while listing to this song for the first time were “Dang, I like this song … Oh, dang, I really like this song!” This song was one of those rare cases of love at first hearing of a song; most songs take me a couple times to listen to them to really like them. This one was not the case; I had this song stuck in my head for about a whole month after I listened to it one time. I remember jamming to this with Pete while going from thrift shop to thrift shop looking for pianos to cure our addiction to music.

“Wouldn’t it Be Nice” — Every time I hear this song I see Joanna and Sarah on stage at the Battle Cry talent show. This song makes me think of my class and all the memories we shared together. It’s crazy how music will do that to you.

“All Things Must Pass” — This has been my theme song for the past couple of weeks with so much changing. I am going from one huge part of my life to the rest of my life. This is the end of the beginning for me and I can really relate to this song right now. I loved high school and made so many memories here but like everything in life all things must pass, good things or bad they all will pass.

“Help Me Rhonda” — I don’t really have a story behind why I like this song, but this could easily be my favorite Beach Boys song. It’s just so free spirited and groovy and I dig that. This is in my top ten in any genre for jam out sessions in the car.

“Please Please Me” — This was my first song in Critical Listening I really liked. I listened to this song and the entire album a whole lot at the beginning of the class. I still really like this song and it brings me back to Noah, Pete, and me dancing all around room 103 all first semester.

“The Monster Mash” (Live) — I don’t like this song for its musical sense unless it’s around Halloween, but this song was a classic in the first semester of Critical Listening. Noah and I would sing this obnoxiously all the time and it was so much fun. I remember sitting in our second period study all just doing our math homework and singing “He did the mash … He did the monster mash! … It was a graveyard smash.” That song was just a lot of fun to me.

In conclusion, I loved this class and I’ve said it before but I’ll go ahead and put in in writing, this was my favorite and most beneficial class I ever took at Summit. Not to take anything away from the other classes or teachers, but this class had such an impact not only in my taste for music but it really did impact my life. It brought Noah, Pete, and me closer, and they are some of my best friends I have. It also made me open my eyes to music: I discovered so much more music and even made me want to get in the realm of creating music, which I was not successful in at all. It also played a huge roll in choosing my thesis topic because music was constantly on my mind during that time. Mr. Rush, thank you for offering this class and putting up with us even when I was rolling around on the cart or playing with the music stand; I truly appreciated this class.

Noah Eskew’s Favorite Five, yea Six Beatles Albums

What are the top 5 Beatles records? I would put that question in a top 5 list of unanswerable questions. However, I have determined my 6 favorite Beatles records based on the ratio of songs that left a memorable and positive impression on me over the total number of tracks on the LP. The one fault to this method is it doesn’t account for how much I enjoy a specific track; it instead simplifies it to: Did I like it? For example, I thoroughly appreciate the songs “I’ve Got a Feeling,” “For You Blue,” “Across the Universe,” and “Get Back,” which are all featured on Let It Be, but the rest of the album leaves much to be desired. The outcome of this process slightly surprised me (in regards to the resulting order), even though my previous general idea was almost precise.

#5 A Hard Day’s Night

With this album I found seven of the thirteen songs appealed to me. The title track begins with a special strum of a chord. To this day, few can identify what note is exactly being played. The lyrics are highly relatable to anybody who’s been hard at work. Plus, the guitar solo is swung in a manner that’ll make the guitar player and the average listener happy. In this song, the Beatles prove within the context of pop sensibility they can remain true to their musicianship. “I Should Have Known Better,” “If I Fell,” and “I’m Happy Just to Dance with You” also add to what is truly a solid start to this album. “Can’t Buy Me Love” is practically a Beatles staple. With a catchy chorus, and rather true lyrics in the verse, this hit did not disappoint. Lastly, my favorite song of the entire work is without question “You Can’t Do That.” With a jangly guitar intro, John’s impeccable attitude-filled vocals, and Ringo’s driving drum and cowbell groove, this song has placed itself among my favorites.

#4 Magical Mystery Tour

There are seven songs of the twelve on this compilation of which I am fond. The title track kicks off the record with a catchy repeatable chorus, and in between choruses we get a glimpse of the mysteriousness to be experienced in the following minutes of the LP. “Your Mother Should Know” is yet another classic involving Paul and the piano. The piano riff bounces along lightheartedly, while the lyrics are a fun alternative to some of the other strange styles during this period. The hits that have emerged from this compilation included such smashes as “Hello, Goodbye,” “I Am the Walrus,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “All You Need is Love.” Part of the genius behind the Beatles’ discography is their ability to churn out the hits with fun and catchy choruses, but simultaneously the ability to entertain with more eerie sounding progressions as well.

#3 The Beatles (The White Album)

Out of the 30 tracks produced on this double album, I like listening to 18 of them. If I always had the time required, I would not skip any of the first 12 tracks (except maybe “Wild Honey Pie”). The first dozen on disc 1 could be an album by themselves. This, above all the other albums, shows the individual musical personality of each of the four Beatles. This is probably due to the fact the group did not spend much time together in the studio compared to previous sessions. Paul thrives on “Back in the USSR” (the driving rock ‘n’ roll tune), “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” (the happy and hopeful pop song), “Martha My Dear,” “Birthday,” and “Helter Skelter.” George offers some of my favorite Beatles numbers of all time such as “Savoy Truffle,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and “Piggies.” John ventures into interesting lyrical processes by incorporating the stories of other Beatle songs into the phrases of “Glass Onion.”

#2 Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Many magazines and other award-givers rank this work as the greatest album of all time. Combining the sounds of the psychedelic rock movement with those magical Beatle melodies, the Fab Four did indeed produce one of the most revolutionary records ever. Eight of the songs stick with me years after hearing them. Tracks one through five have the flow of a live performance. “Fixing a Hole,” “Getting Better,” and the reprise of the title tracks remain my favorites for their interesting lyrics, simple but solid guitar parts, and energy that really speaks to me.

#1 Tie Between: Revolver & Rubber Soul

Within these two records begins the change of the Beatles’ career. They move from the lovable mop-tops into the genius musicians that have pulled themselves out of live performances in order to further their art. They begin to incorporate eastern influences into their songs, but yet again don’t shy away from their rock ‘n’ roll identity. Each of these albums included 14 tracks, and each of the albums included 9 tracks that I love. “Nowhere Man,” “Think For Yourself,” “What Goes On,” and “I’m Looking Through You” are my favorites from Rubber Soul. “Taxman,” “I’m Only Sleeping,” “She Said She Said,” “Good Day Sunshine,” and “Got to Get You Into My Life” are my favorites from Revolver.

Melissa Yeh on “Band on the Run”

With the Wings album, Paul McCartney released “Band on the Run” in 1973.  The song has different interpretations based on history and listeners agree it is well composed and one of his most memorable.  The most popular and speculated-on theory from this song concerns the reflections and aftermath of the breakup the Beatles underwent from Paul McCartney’s perspective.  He confirms in an interview the song was influenced by one of the many long meetings where George Harrison remarks on the regrets of the events going on at the time.  “If I ever get out of here, thought of giving it all away, to a registered charity.”  For this phrase especially, he wishes they could have spent more time on the music, focusing on the good, and the wealth was not worth that happiness; instead it should have been devoted to charities.  The song then develops his freedom from the tension of the break-up and his ability to pursue what he wants to without being burdened by the obligations the band held over him.  When asked about if the song was in association to the break-up, Paul McCartney responds, “Sort of, yeah.  I think most bands are on the run.”  In another comment, one listener feels the song is not as much about the break-up as people think the song is.  In fact, it’s completely absurd and almost obsessive to relate everything back to the Beatles.  In another part of the song, articles and listeners have alluded to the line “and the jailer man and sailor Sam were searching everyone,” being connected to the incident in Sweden in 1972.  Paul McCartney and all of group Wings were arrested on drug charges.  Thus, the police were searching them at the time.  Later comments express McCartney’s plead for focus away from these types of charges and on what matters most, the music.  Overall, the song is about a prison escape and the shift from captivity to freedom.  “Stuck inside these four walls, sent inside forever,” describe the jailed prisoner, cut off from the outside world.  Again the prison is referred to in “if I ever get out of here.”  The explosion symbolizes the escape and again the band is running from police, “in the town they’re searching for us everywhere, but we never will be found.”

When talking about the instrumental in working with the theme of that escaped prisoner, the composition itself embodies the mood of the song.  Paul McCartney has been noted for his ability to combine multiple songs into one; here there are three distinct melodies. The first transitions into the second from verse one to two, beginning at, “if I ever get out of here.”  The tempo speeds up slightly and moves into a minor key through an instrumental break.  This represents a sense of sadness and regret in the tone of the song.  The third begins after the dramatic instrumental charge into the verse, “Well, the rain exploded with a mighty crash as we fell into the sun.”  The song modulates from A minor into C major, now with a new and happier tone from what it was before.  The movement of the song captures that feeling of relief and freedom.

What moved me to choose this song followed from the moment where as I was sitting in class, I heard the first chord and immediately decided I like this song.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the music in class, but none of the songs had caught my attention as quickly as this one.  While in the bus in Germany passing through the countryside, I remember going through a tunnel or under a bridge and right as the song changed from the second part into the third, the bus flew into the open again into the light with long fields surrounding us.  That moment McCartney creates of an explosion into freedom was more than what I can describe in words.  With that, this song will always tie me back to the memory with our class, driving past landscapes in Europe.

Bonus Track: Mr. Rush’s 5 Mandatory Beach Boys Non-canonical Albums for Real Fans

1967: Sunshine Tomorrow — Wild Honey is one of my favorite BB albums, and this 2017 release of many WH outtakes, alternate versions, and unreleased live cuts, including the entire Lei’d in Hawaii album, make this essential.  As if that wasn’t enough, it has Smiley Smile outtakes and a beautiful a cappella version of my favorite BB song, “Surfer Girl.”  Don’t miss this.

Endless Harmony Soundtrack — This collection of rare cuts accompanying the biopic is a monumental gift.  You’ll get a fresh look at a band you think you know, a fresh look that will only reinforce your love for them.

Hawthorne, CA — Thanks to the success of Endless Harmony, Capitol Records continued to open the vaults of rare cuts, radio spots, demos, and more.  Just when you thought you heard it all, you learn you haven’t heard anything yet.  It’s disjointed at times, but it is more BB tracks, which is what we want.

Made in California 1962-2012 — This 6-cd panoply of the band’s career is pricey but worth it.  It has a lot of rare live tracks, alternate versions, and much forgotten work from Carl and Dennis.  If you’re a real fan, you need this mega-set.

Ultimate Christmas — Not only does this have the entire original Christmas Album, it collects all the tracks for the unreleased second Christmas album plus all the rare promos, singles, and other Christmas goodies.  It’s a must-have.

*2023 Editor Note: Be sure to get the original version of Ultimate Christmas! The recent streaming versions delete the best song on the collection, “Christmastime is Here Again.”

A Hard Day’s Write

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Dylan Fields, Noah Eskew, and Peter Runey

The Beatles’ third album, A Hard Day’s Night, was a major stepping stone for the Beatles as they reached the American audience like they had never done before. Following the production of the movie the Beatles then produced the soundtrack album. The movie had an incredible effect on the film industry as well as the album, as it produced two number one singles, “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.” Both singles reached number one in America and England. This album also showcased the writing ability of legendary songwriters John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Unlike their two previous albums, Please Please Me and With The Beatles, all thirteen songs on A Hard Day’s Night were written by John and Paul.

Ringo Starr, the drummer of the Beatles, accidentally made the name of the album, according to John Lennon in a magazine interview:

I was going home in the car and Dick Lester suggested the title A Hard Day’s Night from something Ringo had said. I had used it in In His Own Write, but it was an off-the-cuff remark by Ringo. You know, one of those malapropisms. A Ringoism where he had said it not to be funny, just said it. So Dick Lester said we are going to use that title, and the next morning I brought in the song. ’Cause there was a little competition between Paul and I as to who got the A-side, who got the hit singles.

This album musically strays away from the pop sounding cover songs the Beatles had previously produced. A Hard Day’s Night has more of a rock-n-roll feel to it. The album is predominately written by John, as he is the primary songwriter for nine of the thirteen tracks that on the album. Paul sings lead on the title, other than that John is the lead singer for the eight other songs he wrote. Paul McCartney wrote “And I Love Her,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and “Things We Said Today,” while Paul McCartney and John Lennon wrote “I’m Happy Just To Dace With You” together. Ringo Starr does not sing lead vocal on any songs on A Hard Day’s Night, which is one of three albums where he does not including Let It Be and Magical Mystery Tour.

The ideas behind the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album started with Paul McCartney in 1966.  Shortly after the Candlestick Park incident, some speculated the Beatles might not make music together again. This is probably due to George’s public display of disenchantment with being a “Beatle” and the circus life that came with it. But realistically speaking, all four of the guys had to be mentally and physically spent. They had just made their way through southern United States after John’s infamous comments on Jesus. And because of that and other sorts of chaos surrounding them, they at some points felt their lives were in danger. However, the band had too many contractual obligations to just quit making records. So Paul and John went on their respective sabbaticals. John filmed a movie and Paul went to France.

While Paul is in France, he begins to cook up new ideas for songs. The Beatles were always good listeners, and so Paul begins to draw more and more influence from American psychedelic music. The Warlocks (later the Grateful Dead) Jefferson Airplane, 13th Floor Elevators, and even The Peanut Butter Conspiracy were some of the bands that would influence the next Beatles sound. Paul liked the adventurous names these bands had, and thought maybe his band should do something fresh and maybe go by a different name. So within Paul’s mulling through band name ideas, he came up with the name Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Hence, Paul’s idea for the concept of the album was to perform the album live as SPLHCB. But, this idea didn’t seem plausible to George and John, so things didn’t quite get that far. The concept of the album still feels like a live performance. The way the songs run together is very much like a concert.

Other elements of the album are affected by the band’s mentality to “go for broke” as George Martin puts it. They wanted to push the artistic envelope as much as possible. The Beatles wanted to take their time and create their greatest musical masterpiece, using all kinds of effects, instruments, and new sounds.

When talking about the aura surrounding SPLHCB, one must look at the album artwork. The idea was to have the scene of a funeral service for “The Beatles” and to erect a new persona, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The figures on the album cover are representative of the guest list to such a funeral.

I would say the genius of this record lies in its duality. The songs fit together excellently as a concept, yet they still stand upright separately. Many of the songs on this album don’t require a concept to make sense, but they add a lot to the concept when in context. The lasting impact is also quite impressive, with many Web sites and magazines citing it as the greatest album of all time. It seems as if The Beatles accomplished their goal. Branching out farther than ever, they probably created their greatest (quality and impact) artistic accomplishment.

Abbey Road was first released on September 26, 1969, and was also the final Beatles album to be recorded but not their last to be released. Let It Be, though mainly recorded in January 1969, was finally released in May of ’70 alongside the film Let it Be. The recording process itself was completed on August 25, 1969, which was almost a month before John Lennon told the other Beatles he wanted to leave the band. His decision was made on September 12, just before the Plastic Ono Band performed at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival, and he told the rest of the group at a meeting a week later.

Abbey Road was considered a rock album that incorporates other genres like blues, pop, and progressive rock. It also makes prominent use of the Moog synthesizer and the Leslie speaker. Side two contains a medley of song fragments edited together to form a single piece. An example of this would be “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” and “The End” (in that order), all of which continue straight into the next without interrupting or changing the sound as a whole very much. The album was recorded in a bit of a more enjoyable atmosphere than the Get Back/Let It Be sessions earlier in the year, but there were still plenty of disagreements within the band, mainly concerning Paul’s song “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” John had privately left the group by the time the album was released, and McCartney publicly quit the following year. A 16-minute medley of some short songs makes up the majority of side two, closing with the line “and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Following the somewhat live feeling of the Let It Be recordings, for Abbey Road, The Beatles returned to the North London studios to create carefully-crafted recordings with ambitious musical arrangements. Interestingly, 12 of the songs that appeared on the finished album were played during the filmed rehearsals and sessions for Let It Be back in January.

For the first time ever on a Beatles album, the front cover contained neither the group’s name nor the album title, just that iconic photograph taken on the street crossing near the entrance to the studios in London in ’69.

Abbey Road entered the British album chart at no.1 in October and stayed there for a total of seventeen of its 81 weeks on the chart. In the US, it spent eleven weeks at #1 during its initial chart stay of 83 weeks.

For the first time, both Billy Preston and George Martin recorded with the Beatles, both of whom played Hammond organs and harpsichord. They also joined the Beatles on a few “live” (in actuality they were private showings, some for films or television) performances.

It is commonly thought The Beatles knew Abbey Road would be their final album and wanted to present a fitting farewell to the world. However, the group members denied they intended to split after its completion, despite a realization their time together was drawing to a close. George Martin said the following concerning the topic of finishing the Beatles:

Nobody knew for sure that it was going to be the last album — but everybody felt it was. The Beatles had gone through so much and for such a long time. They’d been incarcerated with each other for nearly a decade, and I was surprised that they had lasted as long as they did. I wasn’t at all surprised that they’d split up because they all wanted to lead their own lives — and I did, too. It was a release for me as well.