I Just Wasn't Made for These Times by Jacob Smolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb The Beach Boys en-us 2016-12-09 04:24:28 UTC 2017-05-17 01:51:57 UTC hello@padlet.com About JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142721123 As a bit of a music buff, I'm very particular about what songs mean the most to me. All of the songs I was considering for this project have all deeply inspired me, both musically and otherwise. One album will always stand above the rest for me, though, and that album is the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. My love of the album goes way beyond the music, however. Pet Sounds is also a historical icon. The Beach Boys that most people know are the surfing, fun-loving pop-rock stars from California who sing about good times and girls. This all changed in 1966, when Brian Wilson had retired from touring and retreated into the studio, where he developed his musical genius. Pet Sounds was not received enthusiastically at first—people weren’t ready for music this real and powerful, especially from the feel-good Beach Boys.

In the album, Wilson opens up his heart and soul, offering deeply personal lyrics about his insecurities and mental condition. Pet Sounds was a deliberate turn away from consumerist pop music meant to turn a profit for the label, and remains a shining example of true art from one of our generation’s greatest musical geniuses. The song I chose, in particular, resonates with me for a number of reasons. The arrangement is out of nowhere. Guitars, basses, saxophones, (4!) a harmonica, as well as the first example of a Theremin in a popular song. Like other songs on Pet Sounds, Brian maintains the rhythms with the bass and saves the percussion for the bridge, which adds a tremendous level of emotion. The lyrics are unadulterated cries for help. Wilson pours his damaged heart out and leaves the active listener deeply moved. The song’s energy perfectly reflects my own feelings at times, and represents my love of true musical art.  
 
]]> 2016-12-09 04:27:31 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142721123 1. Mood JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142721679 Despairing, lonely, introspective...so many feels. Primarily, this song's mood hits me hard because of its orchestration and lyrics. The song opens with Brian saying "I keep looking for a place to fit in", with a Phil Spector-esque wall of sound that mirrors the wishy-washy emotional state of the songwriter. The next section kills me every time. "They say I got brains, but they ain't doing me no good. I wish they could." This is where the drum comes in, adding to the pulsing, crushing emotional tone, and Brian virtually cries this part. Each section is different, and each retains the somber, lonely feel matched by the lyrics. "Where can I turn when my fair weather friends cop out? The song's instrumental is equally as intense, with low, chromatic, jazzy chords by a sax quartet and a beautiful flute riff.]]> 2016-12-09 04:45:31 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142721679 2. Form JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142722056 Verse 0:00
Bridge 0:20
Pre-Chorus 0:31
Chorus 0:43
Verse 1:14
Bridge 1:35
Pre-Chorus 1:45
Chorus 1:58
Refrain/Fade out 2:40]]> 2016-12-09 04:58:37 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142722056 3. Instruments JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142722127 Chordophones: Acoustic guitar, piano, harpsichord, bass, electric guitar
Aerophones:
tenor sax, baritone sax, flute, harmonica,
Membranophones: 
drums (timpani, bongo, kit), temple blocks
Electrophones:
theremin]]> 2016-12-09 05:01:21 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142722127 4. Timbre JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142897157 The timbral effects of this song's orchestration leave the listener with a wholesome experience. Wilson utilized a revolutionary tactic in the studio pioneered by his idol, Phil Spector, called the "Wall of Sound", which creates a lush, full, lucid instrumental track. This effect lulls the listener into a world of dense sound. The softness of the bass, the delicateness of the Beach Boys' vocal harmonies, and the razor sharp precision ]]> 2016-12-09 19:36:16 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142897157 5. Textual Layers JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142902550 During the bridge, there are 6 definite layers and 1 indefinite pitch. Brian's lead vocal, bass, guitar, harpsichord, piano, drums, and backing vocals. 

The only instrument performing the melody is the lead vocal. The harmonizing layers are the piano, harpsichord, backing vocals, and bass.

The overall texture of the bridge is homophonic. ]]> 2016-12-09 19:57:18 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142902550 6. Rhythm and Meter JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142903658 The entire song is in 4/4. During the bridge, the bass guides the chord progression by playing notes more frequently. The melody is the fastest moving part, due to the song's focus on its lyrics. The song has two main riffs: one sung by Brian as he chants the song's title, and one performed by the flute following the chorus. ]]> 2016-12-09 20:01:54 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142903658 7. Dynamics JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142904240 Brian was an absolute genius when considering dynamics. He used drums minimally on the entire album, saving them for the most dramatic parts of the song. The song gets louder as he goes into the bridge, the drums kick in, and his voice gets rawer. He then settles the dynamics for the verses. The song's dynamic (as well as the rest of Pet Sounds reflects on the lyrics. As the lyrics describe what the singer is experiencing, the orchestration and dynamics often reflect this.

]]> 2016-12-09 20:04:15 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142904240 8. Favorite Thing JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142905019 So, so many favorite things, but my number one would have to be how Brian was able to so vividly communicate his passion and troubles to the listener via both this lyrics and music. It takes more than just words to encapsulate an emotion, and Brian not only provides the lyrics but even more compelling music to accompany them. ]]> 2016-12-09 20:07:12 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142905019 9. New Observations and Comparison JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142905518 I first heard Pet Sounds as a young kid, maybe 5 or 6 years old. And even then, it blew my mind. I wasn't sure why or how, but it resonated with me in a very powerful way and that remained throughout my entire life. Now that I'm older and can understand music more clearly, I can truly appreciate the musical complexity and innovation he took, and how these musical factors are the same ones that inspired me when I was little. The inverted and unusual chords, (the song's pre-chorus is all 6 chords) unorthodox orchestration, will always continue to impress me. ]]> 2016-12-09 20:09:38 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142905518 10.Self Discovery JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142906094 Studying this song allowed me to realize that music has the potential to take someone's experiences and overall thoughts and essentially put them in a time capsule. 50 years after this album came out, I feel as though Brian is speaking directly to me—even though our culture is vastly different and we never knew each other, his music is so purely honest and personal that it made me realize that music has limitless potential]]> 2016-12-09 20:12:39 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142906094 The Song JacobSmolover https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142912287 2016-12-09 20:51:13 UTC https://padlet.com/JacobSmolover/cj7cis3korqb/wish/142912287