The popular music genre is extremely diverse and has roots in the late 1890s but it was not until the 1920s until the term had gained currency. It is not simply a genre but is an important means of documenting the evolution of society through the decades and is at the mercy of its audience. Therefore, when analysing popular music, it is essential to study it from a broad perspective and take into consideration the environment in which it was written.
Shruker elaborates on this by stating, “The study of popular music embraces aesthetics and musicology, economics and sociology, and social psychology”. These factors are explored in this essay to trace the changing socio-cultural trends across the decades and their effects on musical style. The example of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley is employed to achieve this objective, as well as two cover versions by English Reggae and pop band UB40 and Swedish pop group A-Teens.
A detailed musical deconstruction of each song will be provided with an overview of the structure, lyrics, instruments and stylistic indictors, which place the song in its era. Furthermore, an in-depth exploration of the relevant era in which the song was written and recorded will be provided, including a brief background of the performer with regards to his appearance, presentation and promotional material. Ultimately, this essay will prove popular music to be a product of its socio-cultural environment.
Table of Contents
1. Can’t Help Falling in Love: Comparative analysis of original by Elvis Presley and cover versions by UB40 and A-Teens
Objectives and Topics
This essay aims to demonstrate that popular music is fundamentally a product of its socio-cultural environment by conducting a comparative analysis of Elvis Presley’s original version of "Can’t Help Falling in Love" and the cover versions by UB40 and the A-Teens, focusing on musical deconstruction and historical context.
- Musical deconstruction (structure, lyrics, instrumentation, and style)
- Socio-cultural influences of the 1960s, 1990s, and early 2000s
- Impact of youth culture and cinema on music production
- Comparative analysis of artistic interpretation across different decades
Excerpt from the Book
Can’t Help Falling in Love: Comparative analysis of original by Elvis Presley and cover versions by UB40 and A-Teens
The popular music genre is extremely diverse and has roots in the late 1890s but it was not until the 1920s until the term had gained currency (Shruker, 1998) (p. 226). It is not simply a genre but is an important means of documenting the evolution of society through the decades and is at the mercy of its audience. Therefore, when analysing popular music, it is essential to study it from a broad perspective and take into consideration the environment in which it was written. Shruker elaborates on this by stating, “The study of popular music embraces aesthetics and musicology, economics and sociology, and social psychology” (Shruker, 1998) (p. x-xi). These factors are explored in this essay to trace the changing socio-cultural trends across the decades and their effects on musical style.
The example of Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley is employed to achieve this objective, as well as two cover versions by English Reggae and pop band UB40 and Swedish pop group A-Teens. A detailed musical deconstruction of each song will be provided with an overview of the structure, lyrics, instruments and stylistic indictors, which place the song in its era. Furthermore, an in-depth exploration of the relevant era in which the song was written and recorded will be provided, including a brief background of the performer with regards to his appearance, presentation and promotional material. Ultimately, this essay will prove popular music to be a product of its socio-cultural environment.
Summary of Chapters
1. Can’t Help Falling in Love: Comparative analysis of original by Elvis Presley and cover versions by UB40 and A-Teens: This chapter provides an introduction to the methodology and objectives of the study, establishing that music is a reflection of the socio-cultural environment of its time through the analysis of Presley's original recording and subsequent cover versions.
Keywords
Popular music, Elvis Presley, UB40, A-Teens, Can’t Help Falling in Love, socio-cultural trends, musical deconstruction, youth culture, Blue Hawaii, reggae-pop fusion, 1960s, 1990s, musicology, performance style, cover versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic work?
The work explores how popular music serves as a document of societal evolution, using the song "Can’t Help Falling in Love" as a case study to illustrate its relationship with the socio-cultural environment.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The text focuses on musicology, historical socio-cultural trends, the influence of youth culture, and the technical deconstruction of musical arrangements across different decades.
What is the central research objective?
The goal is to prove that popular music is a product of its environment by analyzing how the original version and two distinct covers are shaped by the cultural context of their respective eras.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses comparative musical analysis, focusing on structure, lyrics, instrumentation, and stylistic indicators, supported by historical and sociological literature.
What does the main body of the text discuss?
It provides a detailed breakdown of the original 1961 Elvis Presley recording, followed by analytical chapters on the 1993 UB40 reggae-pop version and the 2001 A-Teens pop version.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include popular music, socio-cultural environment, musicology, youth culture, comparative analysis, and musical deconstruction.
How does the 1993 UB40 version reflect its era?
The UB40 version incorporates a reggae-pop fusion style, reflecting the global political movements and the relaxed, peaceful atmosphere of the 1990s.
Why was the A-Teens version altered for its audience?
To cater to a younger Disney audience, the track featured a faster tempo, altered lyrics for better accessibility, and an electronica influence, shifting the song away from the band-heavy arrangement of the original.
What role does cinema play in the songs analyzed?
Cinema is a critical link; Presley's version is tied to the youth culture of the film "Blue Hawaii," while the A-Teens version was commissioned for the film "Lilo and Stitch," influencing both the style and marketing of the covers.
How does the author describe the connection between history and music?
The author argues that music is the "child of its social environment" and is moulded by the major events of world history rather than forming the environment itself.
- Quote paper
- Kassidy-Rose McMahon (Author), 2017, Comparative analysis of original by Elvis Presley and cover versions by UB40 and A-Teens, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/369879
