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Mainstream Pop...
2
Popular songs:
"Pocket Full of Dreams"
"Swinging on a Star"
"White Christmas" (#1 in 1942 and 1945)
Review
How was it marketed? What did people buy in order to hear it?
Bing Crosby
Who was driving the bus when it came to popular music?
Successful and influential 1920s-50s
Radio created what for America?
What engineer intercepted telegraphs from the Titanic and became head of RCA?
"Everyone's favorite uncle", known for golfing, smoking a pipe and wearing knitted sweaters
Concerning mainstream pop, what is
more important--the song, or the
performance?
Hosted coast to coast variety show
One of first singers to use microphone; singers before microphone had to have
loud voice to carry over instruments
Sense of intimacy with audience
#1 celebrity: radio, singer,
and film
Bing Crosby
- Ears pinned back during early films
- Bad investments in racehorses
- Terrible, almost colorblind taste in casual clothing
- His will said his sons couldn't get inheritance until they were 65 years old
- Sang on the radio at least once a week from 1931-1962
- Nicknamed "Binge" because he loved to drink
- Wore toupees for several films
- On day of his death, played 18 holes of golf and won the match
Conclusion
Big Bands
- Associated with jazz
- Aren't about singing, but playing; job to keep people dancing
- Black big bands for black venues, white big bands for white venues
Who do you think is our present-day Frank Sinatra?
Other important figures:
Pattie Page Les Paul and Mary Ford
Johnny Ray Tony Bennett
Eddie Fisher
- Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller
- Duke Ellington and Count Basie influential big bands
Andrews Sisters
- Three sisters from Minnesota, the way they harmonized sounded like big bands
- "In The Mood," "Shoo, Shoo Baby," "Rum and Coca Cola"
- Sang "Don't Fence Me In" with Bing Crosby on his variety show
"Boogie Woogie
Bugle Boy"
Mills Brothers
- Four African American singers, black church tradition
- Crossover appeal; rare, listeners usually favored singers of their own race
- "Paper Doll"
Frank Sinatra
- Became even more popular than Bing Crosby
- Big Band singer; one of the first to launch a solo career; people thought he was crazy, but he was young/attractive
- Gave lots of credit to musicians in band
- Teen idol- "Bobby Soxers"
- "All Of Me," "I've Got a Crush On You,"
"Nancy with the
Laughing Face"