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OTHER ACTS' ANALYSES
This is a very important part of the site, since it gives us the possibility of learning how other musicians did their work. Although Queen was a wonderful band, they weren't the only one able to produce extraordinary works, and they weren't the only valuable composers in popular music. Examining contemporaries allows us to enhance our perspective. As a pilot project, only eight tracks will be commented here: one from the 1960's, one from the 2000's, and two from each decade from 1970 to 1990 (November Rain counts as 1980's because Axl wrote it long before making it part of the 'Illusion' album). The idea is to cover different styles in order to observe similarities and differences between them. For the moment I've chosen eight very well-known numbers because the average reader is probably familiar with all of them. I'd love this section to be balanced in the future with a good share of obscure tracks (e.g. unreleased demos from Pink Floyd), as well as increasing the styles analysed here (adding jazz, hip-hop, traditional music from different territories and of course classical). Some of the artists mentioned here do have connections with Queen: Kansas opened for them sometimes in the 70's, both Beatles and Led Zeppelin were heroes for Freddie & company, and Guns N' Roses were partly influenced by them. Again, that's something I'd like to enlarge in this section: analyzing things close to the band members (for instance, Valensia's masterpiece Phantom of the Opera) as well as some others which aren't related at all (like JT Tunstall's pedal ditty). Dust in the Wind is a beautiful piece both lyrically and musically, and throughout the years has gained deep respect amongst a wide public, from amateur guitarists, violinists or violists (who often pick this song as one of the first to learn) to top musicians such as Sarah Brightman, Simon & Garfunkel and Scoprions, all having covered it marvelously. It has some (accidental or conscious) nods to old English music, which is one of the reasons why I love it so much. Every Breath You Take is one of the songs that made me start playing guitar (the others were Stand By Me and George Harrison's When We Was Fab), because I wanted to perform it for a chick ... I never had the courage to do it, but I learned to play the instrument and it opened a new journey in my life, which has become more important to me with every passing day. It cleverly combines overused music clichés with a lovable melody and above all, a highly professional and ear-pleasing arrangement. Fear of the Dark has earned profound respect as a heavy-metal classic, which is relatively rare for pieces that are pretty modern. Although most of the public may be more used to the famous live version at Rock in Rio III, the analysis will deal with the excellent (and fiarly underrated) studio version. Awesome song, awesome band, one of the best ever. Popular music is frequently, let's face it, a basic exercise of putting rhymes and catchy melodies together, then marketing them. Yet there have been some wonderful composers and performers taking it to another level. Amongst them, the greatest (IMO) was John Winston Lennon. So, it was obvious that I Am the Walrus had to be featured here also. What can be said about this exquisite track? Well ... words aren't quite enough... More often than not, pop tends to be mordaciously criticized in favor of rock. Lots of people have condemned groups like 5ive, Boyzone or Backstreet Boys because they, apparently, "can't write songs, can't play instruments, can't produce their own records...", an over-simplification that results both misleading and ignorant. Some may prefer other styles, but still it's undeniable that pop has enlightened the world with some beautiful songs, such as I Want It That Way, which is analyzed here too, in terms of harmony, arrangement, form and who-sang-what. Two crucial rock classics couldn't be left out, and they're of course Stairway to Heaven and November Rain, both of them superb epics with unforgettable guitar solos, unique arrangements, exquisite form and the fact they've been part of our culture, our memories, our life. Last but not least, Avril Lavigne's recent ballad When You're Gone completed the octet. Is Avril a hypocrite because her clothing, behavior and music all contradict each-other? Has she ripped-off several other artists? Are her abilities on guitar, piano and drums far from extraordinary? The answer to all of these questions is: probably, but I could care less - she's a great musician, songwriter, performer, her accent is very particular ... and above all she's so damn beautiful ;) Should you have any request or suggestion, don't hesitate to contact me, yet you must know there are no guarantees whatsoever. If you'd like certain song to be analyzed, why don't you try it yourself? The more the better! Possible future analyses will cover the following fields: - Pop Classics: Eternal Flame, Don't Speak, I Was Made For Loving You... - Guitar Pieces: Clap, Rising Force, For the Love of God... - Epics: Won't Get Fooled Again, Coma, Jesus of Suburbia... - Minimalist Hits: The Winner Takes It All, Creep, With Or Without You... - Folkloric Tunes: Sakura, Danny Boy, Scarborough Fair... - Songs from Musicals: God's Own Country, Gethsemane, Whistle Down the Wind... - Beatles: Yesterday, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, A Day in the Life... - The Good Ol' Present: Thnks fr th Mmrs, Candy Man, Lollipop... - Jazz Vowel Series: Pappa Garland, Pepper Clemens, Lilly Higgins, Bob Gordon, Truthful Lulu... - Classical Guitar: Bourree in Em, Pavan, Rujero... - Choral Works: Butterfly, Coney Island, Now Is the Month of Maying... - National Anthems - Music from Movies: Tubular Bells, Everything I Do I Do It For You, Hello Zep... - Music from TV: I'll Be There For You, Theme from Blackadder, Golden Years... - Traditional Christmas Carols: Jingle Bells, Silent Night, The First Noel... - Queen-Related Music: Man from Manhattan, Where Were You, State of Shock... |
