StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Critique of Kokomo sung by the Beach Boys - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
This is a detailed and critical review of the song written by Beach Boys - "Kokomo". The analysis of the song in terms of tempo, melody, intonation etc - included in the paper…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER92.9% of users find it useful
Critique of Kokomo sung by the Beach Boys
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Critique of Kokomo sung by the Beach Boys"

Critique of “Kokomo” sung by the Beach Boys Introduction The song “Kokomo” was sung by the Beach Boys and acut from the album Still Cruisin in 1988. The song depicts lovers suggesting to go to a place called Kokomo. When the song was written, this place was still fictional. According to Songfacts, “Kokomo is a city in the middle of Indiana and is also a small resort owned by Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay, the title was made up. It was supposed to represent all the tropical places and images that people think of when wishing to get away to some paradise island to escape the dreary work life. John Phillips thought the name sounded good and wanted to use it for the title. Mike Love added the "Aruba, Jamaica" part and changed the line "Thats where we used to go" to "Thats where we want to go."” (par. 5). The song was played in the movie Cocktail which featured Tom Cruise. It was ranked number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles (DeKnock, 1988). Analysis of the Song 1. Pitch The pitch is an element of tone, determined by the frequency of vibration (Free Dictionary, par. 1). The song was delivered in well balanced vocal tones and vibration accompanied by steel drums, acoustic guitar, bass and saxophone. The pitch of the voice of singers, Mike Love and Carl Wilson, were harmonious and well blended. The intensity or loudness was average with vocals and instrumentation concocted to arrive at a unified musical structure. High quality exudes from the distinctive overtones heard from the drums at the background and the guitar. 2. Vibrato In an article written by Jones on Understanding Vibrato, he defined vibrato as "slight variation of pitch resulting from the free oscillation of the vocal cords". This free oscillation of the vocal cords results from (1) an open pharynx or what many call the "open throat" along with (2) healthy "closure of the cords" I consider that vibrato is a result of these two opposites working together: open throat and closed cords. (3) Another major factor to be considered in regard to vibrato is the even sub-glottic breath pressure. This is regulated by the "support system" which involves the abdominal muscles, lower lumbar/upper gludial muscles, intercostal muscles and pectoral muscles” (Jones, par. 2). Though the Beach Boys have been acknowledged as one of the legendary singers of all times, the song “Kokomo” did not clearly manifest vibrato due to the easy – going nature of the song and the message relayed therein. Since the song exemplified a message of fun and the intent to go the Kokomo, as a place to relax and to bask in the sun and the sand, the vocal characteristics depicting vibrato were not clearly and eminently expressed, but for sure, the singers naturally have. 3. Intonation Being the melodic pattern, intonation is definitely expressed by the Beach Boys in Kokomo through starting with a low melody and eventually building to a crescendo. As the singers sang the refrain portion, the pitch has become high and thin before going back to the low melodious tune. Through the intonation, the meaning of the song is expressed as having desire to go to Kokomo to spend relaxing time, to have fun, to dream about the sun, the sea and the sand. 4. Phrasing As the name indicates some form of division in melodic line or parts into musical phrases, the song clearly manifests phrasing as singers pause in well defined statements after indicating clear messages. The lyrics “Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya/ Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama/ Key Largo, Montego baby why dont we go/” (YouTube: Lyrics), distinctively showed pauses and breaks as manifestations of phrasing. 5. Melody Schneider (2002) described melody as “a musical and successive line of single tones or pitches perceived as a unity. Its characteristics include range, shape, and movement. Movement can be either conjunct or disjunct. When the melody moves stepwise and is connected, the movement is termed conjunct. Melody that leaps from pitch to pitch with no natural connection or flow is said to be disjunct” (pars. 2 & 5). In the song “Kokomo”, melody characterizes a conjunct movement of tones and pitches where every element has a natural connection. The vocals, musical instruments chosen (steel drums, acoustic guitar, bass and saxophone) and the arrangement in phrasing and musical score all contribute to a melodious piece. In Study Bass (2010), a distinguishing trait defines staccato versus legato, to wit: “the term legato (pronounced "leh-gaw-toe") means connected, or joined, notes. That means there is no perceivable silence between two notes played one after another. To remember legato means connected, think your leg is connected to your body. The term staccato (pronounced "stuh-caw-toe") means detached, or separated, notes. Staccato notes have space, or silence, between them. There are different degrees of staccato notes. Staccato notes can range from short to very short (staccatissimo). To remember what staccato means, associate it with to stop” (pars. 3 & 4). Using this to analyze “Kokomo”, one could perceive that elements of staccato are manifested in the song due to the rhythmic pattern exemplified by the length of one note to another. 6. Texture Mitchell & Logan initially define texture in music as “two areas of musical phenomena: (1) melodic and harmonic relationships and (2) the density of the simultaneous layering of different musical components” (par. 1). A monophonic texture is composed of a single line, in contrast with a homophonic (single line accompanied by harmony) and polyphonic (two or more lines). The song “Kokomo” typically exude a homophonic texture where there is a single melodic line accompanied by harmony. The musical lyrics and score progress in a particular rhythmic pattern concurrently accompanied by various instruments which complement the vocal expression. 7. Harmony Harmony in “Kokomo” is clearly achieved through smooth progression of notes and chords forming musical patterns. The flow was shown as building up from the low melodic start to the refrain portion depicting high quality tones in rhythmic progression. The drums and the guitar complement giving harmony to the song. 8. Key The song “Kokomo” is played in the major key of C (e-chords) which indicates that “a song played in the ‘key of C major’ revolves around the seven notes of the C major scale – C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. That means the fundamental notes making up the song’s melody, chords, and bassline are all derived from that group of notes” (Study Bass: Keys In Music, par. 3). 9. Tempo Schneider (2002) has averred that “tempo is the musical term that indicates the overall pace of an arrangement. Tempo markings include grave, meaning solemn and extremely slow or allegro, meaning fast and cheerful. A gamut of musical terms for rhythm exists” (par. 11). “Kokomo” has a tempo of 108 beats per minute making it allegretto, or “light and cheerful, faster than moderato, slower than allegro” (Hollis, 2010). 10. Formal structure Connexions (2010) has revealed that forms or structure in music define the overall plan or picture of the song. With diverse types, forms range from binary (two different main sections: A B); ternary (three main sections, usually A B A or A B A) or jazz standard form (a chord progression in A A B A form (with the B section called the bridge) is repeated many times. On the first and last repetition, the melody is played or sung, and soloists improvise during the other repetitions) (Connexions, 2010). The song “Kokomo” seem to manifest a jazz standard form as the first two stanzas conform to the same sytle and pattern, while the refrain, conforms to pattern B. As indicated in lyrics, the pattern become evident: Aruba Jamaica ooo I wanna take you Bermuda Bahama come on pretty mama INTRODUCTION Key Largo Montego baby why dont we go Jamaica Off the Florida Keys Theres a place called Kokomo PATTERN A Thats where you wanna go to get away from it all Bodies in the sand Tropical drink melting in your hand Well be falling in love PATTERN A To the rhythm of a steel drum band Down in Kokomo Aruba Jamaica ooo I wanna take you To Bermuda Bahama come on pretty mama PATTERN B Key Largo, Montego baby why dont we go Likewise, the same pattern is repeated throughout the song. 11. Dynamics As indicated in the Free Dictionary, dynamics in music “normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic (staccato, legato etc.) or functional (velocity)” (par. 1). In this regard, “Kokomo” has been clearly exemplified as a staccato piece with increasing volume and an allegretto tempo. Conclusion The song “Kokomo” has gained diverse criticism ranging from “VH1s "40 Most Awesomely Bad No. 1 Songs". However, it received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song - Motion Picture in 1989. The song also ranked at #12 on Blender magazines list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever", while the music video was named the #3 worst video of 1988 on MuchMoreMusics Back In... 88” (Wikipedia, 2010). Songs, as musical expressions, are analyzed in terms of musical elements as proffered above. However, one’s disposition to like or dislike a particular song is subjective depending on an individual’s values and perceptions that are ingrained in one’s personality. Not everyone could have loved the song “Kokomo” but the fact that it has gained popularity through the years is a measure of its legendary success. Works Cited Connexions. Form in Music. 2010. Web. 21 October 2010. < http://cnx.org/content/m10842/latest/> DeKnock, Jan. "Kokomo Puts Beach Boys on Top After 22 Years". Chicago Tribune (Tribune Company). (1988-11-04). Web. 21 October 2010. Free Dictionary. Dynamics (music). 2010. Web. 21 October 2010. Free Dictionary. Tone. 2010. Web. 21 October 2010. Hollis, Benjamin. The Method Behind the Music – Jargon. 2010. Web. 21 October 2010. Jack, David L. Understanding Vibrato. N.d. Web. 20 October 2010. Mitchell, Danlee & Logan, Jack. Texture. N.d. Web. 20 October 2010. Schneider, Elaine. The four elements of music - melody, harmony, rhythm, and dynamics. 2002. Web. 21 October 2010. < http://www.essortment.com/all/elementsmusic_rllc.htm> Study Bass. Keys In Music. 2010. Web. 20 October 2010. Study Bass. Legato and Staccato. 2010. Web. 21 October 2010. < http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-technique/legato-and-staccato/> Wikipedia. Kokomo (song). 2010. Web. 21 October 2010. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokomo_%28song%29> YouTube. Beach Boys – Kokomo. N.d. Web. 21 October 2010 Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Critique of Kokomo sung by the Beach Boys Essay”, n.d.)
Critique of Kokomo sung by the Beach Boys Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/music/1571241-critique-of-kokomo-sung-by-the-beach-boys
(Critique of Kokomo Sung by the Beach Boys Essay)
Critique of Kokomo Sung by the Beach Boys Essay. https://studentshare.org/music/1571241-critique-of-kokomo-sung-by-the-beach-boys.
“Critique of Kokomo Sung by the Beach Boys Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/music/1571241-critique-of-kokomo-sung-by-the-beach-boys.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Critique of Kokomo sung by the Beach Boys

Music Appreciation Critique #2

In one critique of popular music, jazz music was highly appreciated (Alexander, 2009).... Advocates… Their movement was under pressure from perceived social and moral changes actually took shape at this moment in order to continue the process of Task: Music Appreciation critique American society had changed significantly a century after a music curriculum was introduced byLowell Mason into Boston public schools and music educators and critiques developed music appreciation to respond to new demands, concerns and innovations of modern America....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Underachievement Of Black Afro Caribbean Boys

The writer of the research "Underachievement Of Black Afro Caribbean boys" reviews literature based on Underachievement of Black Afro Caribbean boys in the area of education, and majors on the educational perspectives and experiences of the African Caribbean boys.... hellip; Underachievement can also be derived from the fact that boys are performing below the required limits.... According to literature, boys' underachievement is effectively analyzed when comparing the boy's repetition in school, results of the girls, adult literacy and transitions to secondary school to that of the girls (Hickey, 2003)....
3 Pages (750 words) Dissertation

Original and Cover Songs

The song selected to comply with the requirements of the essay is “Lithium” which was originally sung by Nirvana in 1991 and to be compared to the cover song of the same title sung by the Polyphonic Spree in 2006.... The comparative analysis would be presented by initially… The similarities and differences would be appropriately detailed, including any disparities in lyrics and meaning. The original song sung Listeners could hear the following musical instruments: guitar, drums, and bass guitar with vocals....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

The Beach Boys

Coming from humble backgrounds and dating back to a humble beginning, the band grew and developed to one of the leading rock bands in the United States just a few years after… the beach boys wrote, composed, and produced numerous rock hits right from the year 1961 to date.... From their music, the beach boys the beach boys is a renowned rock band in the United s since the year 1961 when it was established.... the beach boys wrote, composed, and produced numerous rock hits right from the year 1961 to date....
1 Pages (250 words) Research Paper

LEARY ENG 105 PAPER 2 RITUAL ASSIGNMENT

Popular among teenage adolescent boys in the Chinese… Some of the teenagers get top sing so many times that they get used to the Karaoke TV.... Thus, as the boys sing, they express their wishes about their sour relationship.... Without adequacy in the definition of periods when the modern Chinese boys and girls can date, many boys find themselves in this booth.... Although this ritual convey a sense of femininity, it actually offer a space for boys to ignore strict gender code and emotional abreact their anger and fragility....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Black and White Song by Michael Jackson

The last verse is sung by Jackson on a very large sculpted torch.... The boys' father later crashes in Africa.... The paper "Black and White Song by Michael Jackson" states that this song of a black and white plea for racial tolerance.... The song portrays Michael Jackson as a civil rights activist....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

The Song Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon

This case study "The Song Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon" analyzes the song Give Peace a Chance that can help understand the role of music in social criticism and activism.... Give Peace a Chance manifests numerous attributes of anti-war music that characterize the sixties.... hellip; Give Peace a Chance characterizes anti-war music that has a simple structure and soulful tune and lyrics, as it calls for peace and satirizes political, social, and governance systems that support the war....
10 Pages (2500 words) Case Study

Manner of J.S. Bach

His life as a young musician reflected the time in which he lived because at that time young boys of his age with talent in music joined the choir and sang in services within the town.... He was born and lived in Germany between 1685 and 1750, a time when Baroque music was widely sung....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us