- You will write an 1800 word essay describing what you hear happening in “Baby Song” by The Raincoats (from their album, Odyshape). Using time-code (the minutes and seconds after the song starts that an event you’re noting happens) describe the texture of the music and how it changes throughout song. These observations should be empirical – that is describe what something sounds like to you (you don’t have to accurately identify what is making the sound; and you can make up words – “sounds like whoooshhhishh” would be fine). For example: “The song starts with a steady rustling noise (maybe a drum); there’s no groove yet” or “At 00:43 a high voice sings [try to transcribe the lyrics] and about 6 seconds later whispering voices fade in – talking not singing – saying [try to transcribe the lyrics]; the high singing voice seems far away and the whispering/speaking voices seem close, right in my ear.” Try to transcribe all of the lyrics. Discuss the lyrics as you hear them rather than as how you read them; that is, if you cannot understand the lyrics at a given point in the song, tell me when that point is, describe why you can’t understand the lyrics, and discuss how what is audible but not understandable impacts your impression/interpretation of the song. This discussion should be a part of a more general discussion about the affect of the song, how you perceive the various sounds of the texture (including the voices) together with the lyrical content working as a whole. If you can not make out most of the lyrics (which is likely) refer to the printed lyrics available online (the lyrics were printed on the album cover to Odyshape so The Raincoats would expect the listener to refer to them). However, you essay should focus on you experience listening to the song; do NOT spend a lot of time discussing the lyrics as written.
- Do not include a formal introduction and conclusion (that is, do NOT tell me what you’re going to do in the paper at the beginning and then tell me what you just did at the end).
- This assignment should NOT include any history about British post-punk, the Raincoats, Odyshape, or “Baby Song”; it is strictly about what you are hearing and how you are experiencing what you are hearing. THERE SHOULD BE NO CITATIONS.
- Given the previous point, write in the first person – “I”, “me”, etc. – the paper is about your listening experience. Do not conjecture on how others might hear it or what the popularity of the song might be in relation to other pop-after-rock.
- Use an informal voice in your writing, as if you were writing to a friend. However, you will be marked on grammar; what you’re saying has to be clear and coherent. I recommend you read your writing out loud (preferably to someone you trust to be frank with you) before you submit; I have found that’s a good way to know if what you have written is what you mean to say.