fandomhigh | Music 201 - 1/19/06 - Period 7

Bernadette, Pip
Blank, Martin
Callisto
Carlyle, Boone
Chase, Angela
Chiana
Carson, Bridge (TA's assistant) -

bridge_carson
Crichton, John (TA) -

whitedeathpod
Evans, Lily - 2 absences
Ford, James
Gavin, Jake Jr
Hopeless-Savage, Skank Zero
Kisaragi, Yuffie
McDonald, Lindsey
Mitchell, Cameron
O'Neill, Jack
Potter, Harry
Solo, Han
Stevens, Isobel
Sullivan, Chloe
Tate, Jessica

[OOC: Change to attendance policy. Both classes are open until Monday 6pm EST for commenting/participation.]

The music room was set up as it usually was, with food on the round table and Ted sitting at the front near the board. The food of the day was an assortment of tacos, burritos and other Mexican foods that are difficult to pronounce from Krazy Taco. [OOC: Bonus points if you know where that fictional store is from] There are, of course, Twinkies and cans of soda available too.

Once the students trickled in, Ted stood up and began to talk.

"Afternoon, dudes! Today we're totally gonna get started on the music of the multiverse. Because, like, that's what we're here for. And the Twinkies. But the music too. This week we're gonna learn about Earth music. Today will be music from right here in the United States. Tomorrow will be music from places that are not the United States." He turned to the board and wrote something.

U.S.A.

"U.S.A. That stands for the United States of America." He was quite proud that he remembered that. He pulled down a cord and a map of the United States was revealed with several stars on it. "Today we're gonna cover four places in the US of A and the music that people think of when they think of that place."

He pointed to #1 on the map. "Louisiana. Now, Louisiana is in the south. That's down the bottom, dudes. There's a lot of blues and jazz and stuff. The most important thing about music from Louisiana is that it always tells a story. For example, you've got the most excellent song Johnny B. Goode that starts with 'Deep down in Louisiana, close to New Orleans...' Johnny B. Goode is the most epic tale of a boy who never ever learned to read or write so well, but he could play a guitar just like a ringin' a bell. It's a song I can totally identify with." Ted took a moment to play a short excerpt of a recording of the song on the tape player.

"Another epic song from Louisiana is Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da." He played a recording of that song too. "I should warn you dudes that singing that song in public *might* make cartoon birds come and sit on your shoulder. But anyway, even if there's no lyrics, music from Louisiana always tells a story. Telling stories through music is most triumphant, student dudes."

He shifted aside and pointed to #2. "This is New York. New York has big buildings, a big park and big hot dogs. Everything there is totally big, and so's its music scene. In the 1970s, disco music was huge. The music in New York was more about getting people to dance to make their story known instead of the songs giving the story. There were a lot of guys who had big hair and white flares that danced to disco music, like this song - Stayin' Alive." He played a short section of the song. "The moral of New York disco music was that life is totally awesome and that you should use your body to show it."

Ted moved on to #3. "This is Kansas. Uh, I think. I'm not good at geography. This is *supposed* to be Kansas. In Kansas, they sing a lot about, like, tornados and rainbows and wanting to get out of Kansas. Then, when they're gone, they sing a lot about wanting to get back into Kansas, as if there's no place like home or something. Most known music from Kansas is ad-libbed. That means it's made up just as the people are walking around. No one really knows how music just starts playing in mid-air when they start singing, but that's what happens." He nodded sagely.

He finally pointed to #4. "And finally dudes, we've got something local. This is Washington DC, which isn't far from here. Washington DC is like the place where the President and all those political dudes come from. They make decisions, and talk like Abe Lincoln - who's totally a good friend of mine - and do important stuff for the country. So, like, they need important music to get them pumped and make them look important. Music can make anyone look important dudes. Keep that in mind. Music in Washington DC has a lot of drums and bugles and violins in it. They want that music to make you feel special, like part of their secret club, so they make it all big and grand and stuff. You can use music to get what you want, dudes. That's what those Washington dudes and babes in suits know that most people don't. Now you know. Use that information wisely."

Ted shrugged. "I'd talk about California music, which is where I'm from - SAN DIMAS RULES! - but I need a whole semester to do that."

He cleared his throat and pointed to the box in the bottom corner of the map. "There's also music in Alaska, especially in places like Cicily. It usually has harmonicas and kazoos and mooses, but we usually don't talk about it."

Discussion: "Pick one of the types of music we talked about today and talk to the class about what you think non-US type student dudes here at Fandom High would think about it. What would someone who's never heard this stuff before think of it? How would they react?"

Homework: None.

Music 201 - 1/19/06 - Period 7 - Class #3

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