Orren's musical ramblings

       Baba Yetu was written in 2005 for the game Civilization 4. In 2005 it would have been challenging to figure out the meaning of the lyrics. The song is meant to take a listener on a journey, and to experience this, the piece should be listened to before reading any analysis. Please take three and a half minutes to just listen to the song before reading further. "You took me out of my seat and somewhere" was Mel B's response when she heard this song on America's Got Talent. Let the music take you somewhere, and come back and read.  (Soweto Gospel Choir) Introduction     Baba Yetu was written in 2005 by Christopher Tin. It was performed by the Soweto Gospel Choir and became the first video game theme to win a Grammy in 2011(Mathias). It uses African percussion and rhythm in the song(Mathias). Baba Yetu means our father in Swahili (Baba- father, Yetu-Our), and the lyrics comprise the lord's prayer. This song is more than just a prayer.  ...

 Bibliography       Pentatonix is a Cappella group from Texas(Wikipedia). They are well known for their covers of a variety of songs from a variety of genres. The group began in 2012 with their debut album EP PTX, Volume 1. They formed because of a program called a sing-off, which is presumably a big singing talent show. They ended up winning and then created their band. After the competition, the group's bread and butter were catchy songs like Christmas music. They also released many songs on their youtube channel, which one them many rewards. In 2023, they were given a star on Hollywood's walk of fame. For this, we will look at their song radioactive, including the highly talented Lindsey Stirling. The second one is titled Hallelujah.     This is a Cover of the Hit song radioactive by Imagine dragons. In this song, Lindsey Stirling plays the violin while dancing. Pentatonix all sing and make different vocal sounds. This song is played at 134 Bea...

Geisha playing the Shamisen.      Tsugaru-Jamisen is a style of playing the Shamisen dating to the early 20th century. The Shamisen is an import of the Chinese Sanxian. This instrument arrived in Japan in the 16th century. It was popular in the court, with geisha, and as a folk instrument throughout history. During the early 20th century, various blind and not blind musicians created a new playing style based on folk music (Wikipedia). This play style was Tsugaru-Jamisen style. It's played very quickly and with flashy finger-work. It can be played solo, in pairs, or more. This is a modern style of playing Shamisen, and it is generally meant to entertain. It is also the style of music that brought Shamisen into global prominence.       The Shamisen is very banjo-like. It can be disassembled, as shown above. The bottom square or body, called a "do" 胴 is drum-like. The neck is fretless. The top has three pegs, traditionally made of ivory but now ofte...

From Bach to Country Rock History and comparison of violin music Intro The violin is an instrument that originated in the 16th century, Though other string relatives predate this. The violin's shape was first pioneered in Italy with modifications in the 17th and 18th centuries (www.britannica.com). The violin, sometimes called the fiddle, is widely spread and still used for modern music. This post will compare a Bach concerto to a famous contemporary country rock song, paying particular attention to the differences and similarities in the music. Below is the song from Charlie Danials Band, The Devil Went Down to Georgia . It was made in America in 1979. Feel free to listen while you read. History Violins in the 16th century were made by famous crafters and are still in high demand today. Well-known crafters like Amarti created instruments that have sounds that some say are mysterious and have never been replicated; others disagree. Either way, the instruments are beautiful. Below i...

 Musical analysis # 2: The Pretender The song The Pretender by Foo Fighters was released in 2007 in the U.S. It's very motivating and loud. The chorus, " What if I say I'm not like the others? What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays? You're the pretender. What if I say that I'll never surrender?" always really stood out to me. I had a habit of memorizing songs I enjoyed because we were too poor to afford mobile music-playing devices. During Bootcamp, I used to play this song in my head when times got tough. Basic facts about the song and band: The Pretender was written by David Grohl, who also did the vocals and rhythm guitar. He did not give away the song's meaning, as he prefers the listener to come out with their own interpretation. Grohl also founded Foo Fighters after his drumming role with Nirvana ended. Grohl is an excellent musician, and I recommend listening to his drumming work and observing his unique style. Grohl's drumme...

  "Mandela" By Cyhi The Prince Produced in 2014, U.S. Some songs can just be listened to. They are catchy and entertaining without any analysis. Some songs, like Cyhi's Mandela, are much more profound. Every scratch at the lyrics can lead to surprising rabbit holes that seem bottomless. The song was released on the mix tape called " Black Hystori," which is fitting because it needs to be analyzed through a historical lens. The song references American and south African history going back hundreds of years. This might seem daunting, but the bars are excellent and worth the journey. I was going to include the mix tape cover art, but it was just a picture with "Black Hystori" in the center. So instead, I'll use the common black power fist symbol. It matches the theme well. Here is a link to the song and the lyrics if you want to follow along. Video cant do outside publishing. What others have said: I read a review blog on Fuxwithit.com, cited below,...