Mark Davenport/Music of the Rock Era Syllabus

Writing Analytically/RCC-200 Section 08

Words & Music: Aesthetics and Conscience in Popular Culture

Syllabus/Fall, 2009

Tuesdays/Thursdays, 9:25am-10:40am; Fridays, 9:00am-10:15am: Main Hall/Classroom #137

Professor: Dr. Mark Davenport Office Hours: Tuesdays/Thursdays /1:30-3:00pm

Office: Main Hall/Office #123-C (other times by appointment)

Office Phone: (303) 964-3609 E-mail: mdavenpo@regis.edu

Webpage: www.regis.edu/music

TA: Patricia Krmpotich

TA Office Hours: TBA

(Office hours in the Writing Center)

TA E-mail: krmpo@regis.edu

Course Objective:

The years between 1962 and 1976 produced some of the most extraordinary developments in the history of popular music. Emerging as the most visionary, innovative, and influential musical figures during this period, were four popular “singer-songwriters”: Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, and Joni Mitchell. Naturally curious and remarkably gifted musicians, they consciously developed their craft through an increased level of sophistication in both the content of their words and the substance of their music. This transformation fostered a new pop aesthetic, with unprecedented artistic merit paid to contemporary songwriters: a period when folk singers became poets, songwriters became composers, and entertainers became artists. By listening, analyzing, reading, and writing about the music of these popular performing artists, students will discover how their songs impacted and reflected the political and cultural dynamics of the time. As a Freshman Seminar, this course will also introduce students to the principles of argumentative and analytical writing, research methodology, organizational writing strategies, and grammatical rules.

Required Texts:

Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference, 6^th Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.

Bellman, Jonathan. A Short Guide to Writing About Music, 2^nd Edition. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2007.

Gill, Andy. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right: Bob Dylan, The Early Years. New York: Thunder’s Mouth, 1998. (This book is no longer in print. A copy is on reserve in the library for 4-hour checkout. Pertinent sections of the text will be handed out in class).

Lodder, Steve. Stevie Wonder: A Musical Guide to the Classic Albums. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2005.

Additional required readings will made available through online resources or distributed in class.

Required Listening:

Listening to music is a crucial component of this course. A set of supplementary listening examples will be provided for students throughout the duration of this course.

Written Assignments:

There will be two written assignments (two pages each). Each will require that students take a stand on a particular debatable issue, drawing on material presented in the class reading. Students will have opportunities to prepare rough and final drafts. Topics will be provided by the instructor.

Unit Summary/Responses:

There will be four Unit Summary Responses (two pages each) asking students to summarize the main topics and issues in each unit, including summary statements about the reading assignments, lecture presentations, class discussions, written assignments, and listening material. Detailed guidelines will be distributed in class.

Research Paper:

The main written assignment will be a research paper (5-6 typed pages). Students should choose their own topic and then submit a one-paragraph proposal which must be approved by the professor. Specific guidelines for written assignments will be distributed early in the semester.

Required Concert Attendance

There is one required concert event outside of the classroom. You will be asked to write a two-page music review of this concert. Guidelines will be distributed later in the semester. Students with documented academic courses or work-related conflicts that prevent you from attending this on-campus required event should arrange an alternate assignment with the instructor during the first week of classes.

Quizzes/Exams:

There will be two quizzes, a midterm and a final exam. These will consist of multiple choice questions, listening identification, and short answer. Study guides will be handed out during quiz/exam review.

Attendance Policy:

The course follows a lecture/listening format but classroom discussion also plays an important part of the activities that take place. Topics covered in class provide most of the questions for the quizzes and exams. “Special Topics” assignments as well as supplementary reading and listening materials are given during class time. Classes also provide opportunities for extra credit, making regular class attendance imperative.

Evaluation/Grading Policy:

An additive point system will be used to determine the final grade with a 1000-point maximum possible score (see page 3 of this syllabus). Quizzes, exams, and the required concert attendance may not be made up (with the exception of documented family and/or health emergencies). Late written assignments will be accepted for partial credit (one letter grade deducted for each class period the assignment is late).

Learning Support:

If you have a documented disability requiring academic adjustments for this class, please contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), Room 118B, Life Directions Center, 303-458-4941. They will review your documentation with you and help determine appropriate, reasonable accommodations. Following this meeting, please make an appointment with your instructor to discuss your accommodation request in light of the course requirements. You may self-disclose and request an academic adjustment any time during the term. However, it is strongly recommended that you do so as soon as possible because accommodations are not provided retroactively and adequate lead-time is required.

The Regis Writing Center:

The Writing Center is a free resource for Regis College undergraduates. Whether you are a proficient or struggling writer, you will benefit from working with a writing consultant. These peer consultants help at any point in your writing process, from brainstorming for ideas to organizing a draft to polishing the final version. You get immediate and personal feedback about your writing as well as answers to your questions. Appointments for this popular service are recommended. Drop by the Writing Center in Loyola 1 or call (303) 458-4039 for more information.

Class Schedule

All class text reading assignments are identified as:

1. Diana Hacker, A Writer’s Reference (H) or

2. Jonathan Bellman, A Short Guide to Writing About Music (B)

3. Andy Gill, Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right: Bob Dylan, The Early Years (G)

4. Steve Lodder, Stevie Wonder: A Musical Guide To The Classic Albums (L)

Date Topic/Reading Assignment Pages

Prelude/Music of the Counterculture Era

AUGUST:

Week 1 21 Introduction to class obtain texts

25 Jenkins, Philip. “Mainstreaming the Sixties,” in Decade

of Nightmares: The End of the Sixties and the Making

of Eighties America. 24-46

Perone, James E. “Background” in Music of the Counterculture

Era. 1-18

Perone, James E. “Popular Music Trends through the

Counterculture Era,” in Music of the Counterculture Era. 19-32

27 Formulate a tentative thesis (H) 10-11. 14-17

Writing with an active (not passive) and original voice (H) 140-142

Writing effective introductions and conclusions (H) 14-18

Library Tour (10:10-10:40am)

28 “Walkabout” essays due/discussion

SEPTEMBER:

Unit I: Bob Dylan, Folk, Folk-Rock and the Anti-War and Civil Rights Movements

Week 2 1 Writing About Texts A1 (H) 57-66

Constructing Reasonable Arguments A2 (H) 67-76

Evaluating Arguments A3 (H) 77-84

3 Bob Dylan (G) 8-12

4 No Direction Home: Movie Screening

Week 3 8 The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (G) 18-21

Writing in the Disciplines A4 (H) 85-90

Writing About Music 1 (B) 1-8

Writing About Music By, And For Those Who Cannot

(Necessarily) Read It (B) 21-39

10 The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (cont’d) (G) 18-21

Choose Research Paper Topics Today

11 No Direction Home: Movie Screening

Week 4 15 Writing Assignment #1 First Draft Due Today

The Times They Are A-Changin’ (G) 36-41

17 Another Side of Bob Dylan (G) 52-55

Bringing It All Back Home (G) 64-67

Beliefs Into Words: Opinion and the Writing of An

Effective Essay (B) 72-91

18 No Direction Home: Movie Screening

Week 5 22 Highway 61 Revisited (G) 78-81

24 Blonde on Blonde (G) 92-95

John Wesley Harding (G) 124-127

Research in Music (B) 92-115

Review Quiz #1

25 Jesuit Education Panel: St. John Regis Chapel

Week 6 29 Quiz #1: Unit I

Unit I Summary/Response Due Today

Writing Assignment #1 Final Draft Due Today

Unit II: John Lennon, The Beatles, Drug Culture, Art Rock

29 White, Timothy. “John Lennon” in Rock Lives: Profiles and

Interviews. 114-121

OCTOBER:

1 Joe Stuessy, and Scott Lipscomb. Rock and Roll:

Its History and Stylistic Development. 103-154

Beatles Anthology: The Early Beatles (movie screening)

2 No Class Today/Fall Faculty Conference

Week 7 6 Please, Please Me (1962-63)

With The Beatles (1963)

Research Paper Bibliography Due Today

Style in Writing (B) 135-161

8 A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

9 Full Library Session Today with Martin Garnar

Week 8 13 No Classes/Mid-Semester Break

15 Beatles Anthology: Movie Screening

16 Trouble Shooting Session: St. John Regis Chapel

Week 9 20 Concert Review Due Today

Beatles For Sale (1964)

Help (1965)

Rubber Soul (1965)

22 Revolver (1966)

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band (1967)

Hicks, Michael. “Getting Psyched,” in Sixties Rock: Garage,

Psychedelic, and Other Satisfactions. 58-74

23 Beatles (White Album)

Abbey Road

Beatles Anthology: Movie Screening

Week 10 27 Solo Lennon (Post Beatles)

The Final manuscript (B) 161-187

29 Finish Unit II

Review Midterm Exam

30 Midterm Exam: Unit II

Unit II Summary/Response Due Today

Unit III: Stevie Wonder, Motown, Soul, Funk, Civil Rights, Racial Equality

Week 11 3 Introduction (L) 6-9

Chapter 1: Family, Detroit & Motown (L) 10-29

Chapter 2: Sixties Recordings (L) 30-57

5 Chapter 3: Independence and Transition (L) 59-75

Chapter 4: The “Classic” Album Years, 1972-1976 (L) 77-79

Music of My Mind (1972) (L) 79-84

Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) (L) 182-186

I Love Everything About You (L) 195-197

Talking Book (1972) (L) 84-87

You and I (L) 124-130

Superstition (L) 111-116

6 Research Papers Due for Peer Review Members

` King, Martin Luther. “The Civil Rights Struggle Brings Hope

For Black Americans,” in The 1960s: Opposing Viewpoints. 164-170

Lester, Julius. “The Civil Rights Struggle Has Brought

Despair to Black Americans,” in The 1960s: Opposing Viewpoints. 171-181

Big Brother (L) 144-148

Week 12 10 Writing Assignment #2: First Draft Due Today

Innervisions (1974) (L) 87-91

Visions (L) 207-210

Living For The City (L) 148-153

All In Love Is Fair (L) 130-135

12 Fullfillingness’ First Finale (1974) (L) 91-93

You Haven’t Done Nothin (L) 153-159

They Won’t Go When I Go (L) 136-140

Bird Of Beauty (L) 166-174

13 Peer Edits of Research Papers Due Today

Songs In The Key Of Life (1976) (L) 93-103

I Wish (L) 198-199

Pastime Paradise (L) 221-213

Review Quiz 2

Week 13 17 Quiz 2: Unit III

Unit III Summary/Response Due Today

Unit IV: Joni Mitchell, Women’s Movement, Counterculture

17 White, Timothy. “Joni Mitchell” in Rock Lives… 328-329

Ruhlmann, William. “Joni Mitchell: From Blue to

Indigo,” in The Joni Mitchell Companion. 21-40

Rodgers, Jeffrey Pepper. “My Secret Place: The Guitar

Odyssey of Joni Mitchell.” 225-230

Boyd, Jenny. “Musicians in Tune,” in The Joni Mitchell

Companion. 231-237

19 Mead, Margaret. “Woodstock Proves Viability of

Countercultural Ideals.” 151-157

Ardery, Philip Jr. “Woodstock Does Not Prove

Viability of Countercultural Ideals.” 158-162

Paglia, Camille. “Joni Mitchell” in Break, Blow, Burn. 225-232

20 Segars, Mary C. “The Women’s Movement Is a Positive Force.” 195-205

Bernays, Anne. “The Women’s Movement Is Not a Positive Force.” 206-212

Week 14 24 Writing Assignment #2: Final Draft Due Today

Joni Mitchell (cont’d)

26, 27 NO CLASSES THANKSGIVING BREAK

DECEMBER:

Week 15 1 Final Draft/Research Paper Due Today Joni Mitchell (cont’d)

3 Joni Mitchell: Woman Of Heart and Mind: Movie Screening

4 Finish Unit IV

Last Day of Class/Review Final Exam

Joni Mitchell: Woman Of Heart and Mind: Movie Screening

Week 16 10 Final Exam: Unit IV

Unit IV Summary/Response Due Today

Exam Time: Thursday, Dec. 10: 10:10am