The British Invasion - Essay Example

Teacher How did the British system differ from what we learned about American music of the early 1960s in the previous chapter?  The British system differed in their musical genre compared to their counterpart in the United States in the early 1960s. The British music were typically characterized with skiffle music which is a kind of folk/jazz hybrid while the American music style was more of the combined influence of American rhythm and blues and rock and roll.The Beatles are one of the few bands that seem to have found new audiences with every generation.

Why do you think this is? I, myself is a fan of the Beatles and I belong to a different generation when the Beatles became popular. I believe that good music will always find new audience with every generation which explains the phenomenon about Beatles having fans even with generations beyond them. The chords of their music were also simple (but beautiful) that everybody can relate. The themes of the lyrics of their music are also universal that anybody can relate whatever the generation, background or orientation of the listener.

Themes like love and hope contained in the lyrics Let it Be and Here There and Everywhere are universal human aspiration that will always find an audience regardless of generation.Do you think the initial appeal of The Beatles (look at the Brackett readings to help understand this) is still applicable today? Yes it is. The combination of skiffle, rock and roll, folk and to some extent jazz that characterizes the music of the Beatles still have a following in this generation and such, it is still applicable today.

The Beatles were also real artists. Meaning, they wrote their own song, composed their music and arranged their own melodies unlike with many of today’s performers whose music pre-made by recording companies and they are just asked to perform. In fact, artists who make their own music are more esteemed today. Are there any non-American bands or performers that you regularly listen to today and how does their national identity figure into their music and public presentation (are you aware of the nationality of your favorite bands)?

 I listened to Bob Marley. Yes I am very much aware about his national identity and his brand of music. He is a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. His national identity influenced his genre of music which reggae. I believe that Bob Marley is Jamaica’s equivalent of Beatles in Great Britain. He is very popular even outside Jamaica and his music also finds audience in different generation. Their music are timeless (finds new audience in every generation) and can cross varying cultures speaking about the same themes of human experience such as frustration in No Woman No Cry, love and hope in Redemption Song and One Love that would always touch audience whatever generation or nationality they may belong.

His presentation also speaks well of where he came from. His beaded hair and colored skin naturally represents the culture of where he came from especially the genre of his music which is patently Jamaican.