The Jazz Singer: Society's Secret Influence on Making Ethical Decisions

By: Catherine Keithley

The film, "The Jazz Singer" dating back to its release date in 1927 was one of the first films in American popular culture that had portrayed its characters with speaking lines. Aside from the first speaking line in the film, there is beautiful music that accompanies the film. Within the story of the film we see the climax of the film approach upon a religious holiday for the Rabinowitz family. The holiday was the "Day of Atonement" which is the Jewish holiday also known as "Yom Kippur." In Yom Kippur, people of the Jewish faith were to fast for twenty-four hours and then are expected to repent and ask for forgiveness through intensive prayer. The interesting idea about the film is why did the writer decide to make the climax during this particular holiday in the Jewish faith?

I believe the reason for the writer and director to portray the film in this particular light is because as Yom Kippur is the day of repent we see Jackie facing his father for the first time since he was disowned for wanting to become a cantor. Not only is his father on his deathbed on the day of atonement but Jackie's father finally decides to accept his son for becoming a jazz singer. It is plausible that the writer thought that by bringing religion into the discussion of acceptance is the ethical way of dealing with a child doing an occupation that the parent did not wish for. The question that arises from The Jazz Singer makes me wonder about why did the writer in 1927 decide that it was an ethical point in the film to introduce the ideologies of religion to justify the decision of accepting Jackie's decision of becoming a jazz singer.

Overall there is an ethical question relating to the way the film is written compared to our ideologies today for deciding what is right from wrong. The question that The Jazz Singer arises is, "do we rely on religion to make ethical decisions in our everyday lives?" I'll leave you with that idea. What do you think?

One Song at a Time, Pop Culture Repeats Itself: From Minstrel Shows to Disney's Mickey Mouse

Entertainment repeats itself through media trends from the past. The most fascinating comparison from the past to present are the Minstrel shows and American popular culture.

Minstrel shows date back to the early 1830's that portrayed segments of comic skits, variety acts, dancing acts, and music acts. Originally minstrel acts were led by entertainers with black faces which depicted the traits of African Americans that were brought over from Africa to America to engage in slavery. Minstrel shows were arranged in three acts. The first would traditionally be dancing, the second, being a "pun-filled" stump speech, and the third act would be concluded by the "slapstick" musical plantation act. Music played a large role in the Minstrel shows. The songs sang in the shows were performed by artists such as; "Zip Coon (1834), Old Dan Tucker (1842), Miss Lucy Long (1842), and De Camptown Races (1850)," (Kun 2010).

We see pop culture in the United States repeat itself just as entertainment in general repeats itself, however, the creation of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse is the most well known "Minstrel show" inspired form of entertainment. Mickey Mouse's first appearance was in Steamboat Willie, a black in white, silent film debuted in 1928. In the film we see Mickey interact with Minnie on a steamboat as Minnie accidentally drops the sheet music to "Turkey in the Straw" written and sung by Zip Coon from 1834. Mickey picks up the sheet music and begins to whistle "Turkey in the Straw."


Steamboat Willie Song (Turkey in the Straw)

Today in 2010, children would identify "Turkey in the Straw" with the song "Do your ears hang low?" As we see nursery rhymes develop from Minstrel shows in the early 1830's, we then note to see hip-hop today develop their tracks from nursery rimes like "Do your ears hang low?" For example, rapper "Jibbs" broke into the music industry by remixing the harmony of "Do your ears hang low?" into "Does your chain hang low?"


Jibbs- Does your chain hang low?

From Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse to American nursery rhymes to Jibbs' "Does your chain hang low?" we can conclude that there is a cohesive for American popular culture. This cohesive is repeating entertainment's history and using these traits to create something new. Think of it as reinventing pop music.


Kun, Josh (2010), http://soundclash307.tumblr.com/, Los Angeles, California: University of Southern California.
Lott, Eric (1993), Love and Theft: Blackface Minstrelsy and the American Working Class, New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 019509641X .

"Blues Music in a White Man's World"

By: Catherine L. Keithley

After reading Leroi Jones' "Blue's People," I have found a connection between the two when defining Blue's music in American Pop Culture. The term “Blue’s People” derives the concept of the history of the Blues music defines the identity of a Blue’s person. There is something singularly American about the Blue’s. The Blue’s are about facing the reality of never going back home, being a person that has lost their culture… not speaking the same, children who will have different societal views and realizing you are a new person in a new country as a outcast.




Blues music is about waking up to the realization of social distance between you and your people and the country you are in. During the time of slavery we see people as property rather than individuals conveying personal opinions. Leroy Jones' ideas remind us to remember slaves are not immigrants like European immigrants. The social interpretation between European immigrants and African immigrants is that one signifies the celebration of life and the other signifies the becoming of a commodity object. Blues music is about the slaves becoming a commodity object within a market of bodies. Additionally, Jones adds that this actually happened to the Africans who became slaves in the United States. These human beings were stripped of their identities, the very identities that forced them to think and be people different than who they really are. Blues music expresses the struggle and need for social change.
Then we observe paradox of the American dream and the influence this had on Africans who were then victims of patriotism and the historical concept of truth. Blues singers became empowered by liberal freedom and independence, however, the success of liberal freedom for few depended on the lack of freedom for others. The notion of freedom was based on slavery.
Jones asks his readers, "What happens to these people who have lost their "identities" so to speak?" (Jones, 41). This he says is the "beginning of cultural innovations and cultural freedoms that come out of blues music. (Jones, 43). Which leads to the ultimate theme of economics versus population to find an answer through cultural practice. Blues music is about the sub-culture of being black and singing emotion that resides from the soul.
"With the soothing sounds of the saxophone, guitar, and a soulful voice, blues music relives itself every time it is played."

-Catherine Keithley
Leroi, Jones. Blues People:Negro Music in White America. 1st ed. New York, NY: Harper Perennial, 1999. 40-56. Print.

Check out Nina Simone performing Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Work Song"


Check out The Supremes singing "Chain Game"

American Popular Music : An Always Evolving Sound in Media & Society

By: Catherine Keithley



"People value American popular music for many reasons, including a desire for beauty, but also a great deal more;they use music to escape from the rigorous work week,to celebrate important events in their lives, to help them make money, war, and love" (Starr, and Waterman 6).

American popular music is important in our everyday lives this is true...but why is it that the pop music we listen to has such a distinctive sound? Why does Britney Spears' "In the Zone" album sound so similar to her most recent album "Circus?" Why are the Black Eyed Peas so famous for "I Gotta Feeling?" We hear these pop songs and forget our daily lives as authors Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman state in "American Popular Music: From Minstrelsy to MP3," but simultaneously there is a technical sound to all pop music. With a catchy chorus and recognizable feelings everyone may experience one may have a pop song.



Today in 2010, we notice a transformation within music written by The Beatles in the 1960's to today's pop music. Our music today has an electronic European feel and no longer is using a guitar and drums beat. With synthesizers our music is almost spoken, like Ke$ha's "Tik Tok." Pop music is about having a good time, getting ready for partying, and forgetting all your worries.

Along with a catchy sound artists today have managed the way they market themselves. Sure we can all sing "Tik Tok," but it is about attitude and physical presence while performing, the style clothing one may choose, etc. Popular music is a constantly changing sound and evolves with the culture and society we live in as time progresses.



Sources:
Larry, Starr, and Waterman Christopher. American Popular Music: From Minstrelsy to MP3. 1st ed. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press, 2010. 6-8. Print.

Jersey Shore: The Birth of the Guido Subculture

Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

MTV's Cast of "Jersey Shore"

The "guido" subculture has taken after much popularity since MTV's "Jersey Shore" has hit televisions across America this past fall season. The subculture is defined according to NJGuido.com as "Italian Americans that reside ONLY from North Jersey." The other attributes of the newly advertised subculture are tanned, toned, and hair perfected young males and females. As "The Situation" describes on MTV's Jersey Shore, the hair is what takes the most time perfecting the complete look of a guido. Girls rarely have highlighted or blond hair. Most of the time they have very dark brunette hair or black, long hair. "Snooki," also a character on Jersey Shore, tells her audience that she won't go to the gym without a full face of make-up because she is in high hopes of meeting a bronzed guido hottie. An interesting observation of the guido in today's society would be the pride and exclusiveness that comes with being a guido. Guidos date guidos. Period. In Los Angeles, the only familiarity Angelenos have with this guido stereotype is the "Ed Hardy" inspired crowd you would normally catch on Friday nights at West Hollywood bars and nightclubs. Imperfections are covered up by layers of spray tans and pancake foundation make-up. Many females a part of the guido crowd are also known for plastic surgery, especially breast implants. Guidette curves are inspired from true Italians and Guidos are known for their excessive body building, protein powder, and blow drying their bodies dry after showering.





Nicole "Snooki" 21 of Malboro, NJ and Mike "The Situation" 27 of Staten Island, NY

This phenomenon of the guido subculture is entertaining for the fans of Jersey Shore yet detrimental to those who aspire to become a guido or guidette. Again and again the media is influencing physicality over intelligence. The guido subculture is simply another way to outcast others aside from the in crowd in American society.





***Check out MTV's Jersey Shore Thursday at 10pm ET/PT!

Lady Gaga: A Visionary or Next Best Thing?

A Hollywood buzz lately has been Lady Gaga's obscene and rather potent fashion trends. Like Madonna, for Gaga's moment in the spotlight she has made a name for herself all around the world. From her utmost famous bubble dress to her nude leotards and blazer attire she is turning heads in every corner of Tinseltown. Most recently in the Gaga world, the bi-sexual Lady Gaga was seen at the National Equity March, calling President Obama out on a podium in Washington D.C. in regards to Gay and Lesbian civil rights. As the artist screamed out to the president, "ARE YOU LISTENING?" She firmly proposed her opinions and thoughts for the quiet gays of America. Her speech was then concluded by a talented performance of John Lennon's "Imagine."

Question is that is Lady Gaga a visionary or simply the next big thing? In accordance to the Billboard Hot 100, Gaga has had more album and concert sales than any other artist in the mainstream music world.

In my opinion, Gaga is a visionary. Her respect for high couture fashion in the artsy-fartsy world of France and New York City is impressive yet her music is just as contemplating. Her risky videos and impromptu clothing choices make her marketable and recognizable in every household. The test of time will be Ms. Gaga's largest challenge but as a fan I'm sure we will all be wanting more of her and her music as the years to come.

Check out her latest video here...


Catch you all in my next post...

With Love,
Catherine

Class of 2010's Graduation is Moving Closer

For a young 21 year old college student, childhood dreams seem so far while graduation creeps up slowly. As a graduating college student we are faced with issues in compelling situations that may require more thought than one had originally acquired. We see so many students these days continue their education by attending graduate school to stray away from their nagging fears of being in the "real" world. What is the real world anyways? Its not the running fifteen year long reality show most of us remember in the wee hours on MTV and it cannot be the college life... so what is it with the real world? We all have bills to pay in college. We all have term papers, exams, and reluctance against general education requirements. So why are we constantly pressured by the fear of the real world?

Well coming from a college senior I am now obsessing with my place in the real world just as any person would. When one observes their future, as a high school senior would, one might feel as if the pressure has heightened more than ever. A striking observation to me is the fact that as a graduating senior in college we have more options than ever. I mean honestly speaking this world is simply a playground of negative beings. We have created a world that supports how we enter and exit out of buildings and how you dress can determine the person you are. This structured society is all a playground in which the government wants us to stress about.

As graduation arises there is a heightened chance of landing a full time job straight out of college... sure this is great if you have a fabulous salary but why not celebrate the 17 years we all just spent in college? Sure we partied on Thirsty Thursdays and went to Hollywood clubs in Hummer limos with the Frats but really we need a sober, more intelligent, hats off to a celebration of hard work. This is why after graduation I plan on traveling.

I am going to plan my first trip to Europe with my family. Ideally I would spend the entire summer in Italy since I studied Italian intensively for two years but I feel the exposure will make me a more broadened and intelligent person all around. I guess afterwards a job would be ideal but here is the next dilemma a person might face after graduation. To stay in their college town or make the move home to save money and move in with their parents? In my case, should I stay in Los Angeles or move back to the San Francisco Bay Area? Entertainment is in LA and grad school, family, familiarity, and public relations with Pixar and such is in the Bay Area. I guess where I land a job is where it will take me.

Until next time,
Catherine