"When I Shine" By the Herbaliser Feat. Bahamadia 1999

Instrumentation: guitar, piano, bass, drums. The drum set beat, while everything adds to a jazzy feel. The introduction is all instrumental and each instrument is sort of doing their own thing, yet their is a good bend between them. Bahamadia's vocals come in slow and steady. She is rapping at one note, no variation in volume or different notes. Novelty in the song comes from the choruses where male voices who have been remixed say, "I see my influence still shinin" While she is speaking the instruments continue their odd mix in the background. This song uses a lot of technology and mixing to achieve its unique sound. The instruments both begin and end the song, giving them a good control over the songs pattern.

Texture: The texture of this song is very Polyphonic. With all the different instruments doing different things, and the vocals resting at one note, their is a full sound to this song. The instruments move without the vocals and their definitely is not one complete sound to this song. The steady tempo does keep everything together and add a line of music that the instruments tend to follow.

Lyrics and Performance: I admire the lyrics and rap style of Bahamadia, and the talents of Herbaliser to create such an unique beat. The song is about using music and her words to reach out to her audience and evoke change. Bahamdadia begins the song with the words, "Your not dealin with the typical/ I am Queen Order in the physical." These words give her power and makes her audience recognize, not only her femininity, but her creativity in this genre. The song goes on to tell how despite all that is going wrong in the world, she and her audience can "try to leave a mark" to better society. I enjoy listening to rap that has a message to send, and is not all about having parties, drinking and objectifying women. I find this song creative, empowering, and provoking.

"Party In The Rain" Eve, 2002

Instrumentation: Trumpet, piano, drum syth pad, more beat mixer-claps, beat boxing. breathing, Eve's vocals, and female and male chorus. The beat mixer adds the running beat that defines the songs rhythm. The chorus parts sung by females adds a new vocal range that eve does not hit in her alto speech. The back up singers hit the high notes that rap songs do not usually cover, and that eve herself does not hit. The men and women choral singers add embellishment with their ohhs and ahhs. As a rapper, Eve has real control and speed in this song. eve has agency in this song since she composed it, and as a woman she has greater power because women were so often limited in this musical genre. Male voices only enter the song at 3:10 when men begin giving orders to the audience-get on the floor, clap. The multiple voices are overlapped and muted a little and add a harsher tone to the song.

Texture: I felt like this song has a more polyphonic feel. With the beat mixer that ran with and without the vocals there was a whole new line of music. This song was fairly thick with all the differing instruments and embellishments.

Lyrics and Performance: I definitely admire Eve for her success as a female rap artist in a male dominated field. The lyrics in this song are very powerful. Eve has this attitude that resembles, "I will do what I want, and if you dont like it, Screw you" She is not scared of critique and believes in the power of her music.

"Back In Your Head" Tegan and Sara 2007

Instrumentation: Electric Guitar, Electric piano, drums, synth pad, bass, and vocals are edited to sound very electronic. The song is very much defined by the interplay between vocals and piano on the chorus. Besides the piano's part in contributing to the chorus, the rest of the instruments and sounds made by the synth pad are kept in the background of the song, and emerge at 2:20 for the section sung, "RUN RUN RUN." Right after this part, the song loses a lot of the instruments and almost becomes A Capella. This added to the novelty of that verse and gave the finale excitement. The ending was very punctual because when they stopped singing, everything stopped and slowly faded out. The volume of the vocals and the instruments mainly remains low, and then builds leading up to the chorus and the finale when the volume greatly increases adding to the songs urgency and catchiness.

Lyrics and Performance: This is a song about getting back into a relationship. I feel that the lyrics and the instrumentation seem fitting, because like their troubled relationship, the songs tone is edgy and fits the message. The song has a lot of repetition. For example the last ten seconds of the song are filled with Tegan and Sara repeating, "I'm not unfaithful but i'll stray" The acknowledgement by the audience of their message is clearly important to this band, and thus they repeat it and enforce its message.

Texture: While the singers demand the focus of this song, the instruments clearly add support and emphasis to the song. Especially the instrument that provided the beat of the song played a consistent part in this song and added texture to the song single movement together.

"When You Were Mine" Cyndi Lauper 1986

Instrumentation: Voice, Choral female singers, electric guitar, bass, drums. All these instruments were played and edited to sound very electronic, synthesized and edgy. The guitar slides a lot and is very synthesized and muted. In the background there is this running beat on the drums and is very contrasting to Lauper's high and loud voice. Lauper's voice has good range moving from mid Soprano to Soprano. Lauper tended to scream the very high notes to add to the tone of the song. The volume of the song is consistently loud and only quiets at the end when Lauper whispers to her ex-boyfriend.

Tempo is very upbeat and fast. 4:4 time and is steady throughout the song.

Texture: The song is homophonic. The beat mixer is constant, and doesn’t add much texture. Slight thickening of the song comes from the chorus girls who sing at a different pitch.

Lyrics and Performance: Despite the songs upbeat attitude and structure, the lyrics clearly illustrate a break up song. Lauper is singing about her ex boyfriend who is with another girl yet she is still in deep love with him. I found this disempowering to women since she played the attached ex girlfriend. Only during the whisper section towards the end did I find any trace of sadness in her voice. The beat is so overwhelmingly upbeat that it drowns out the message of her losing the love of her life, and her inability to get him back cause he is with someone else.

"Hallelujah" k.d. lang 2004

Instrumentation: Piano, Violins, Guitar, and K.D. Lang's Alto Voice.

The piano introduction and contribution throughout is very beautiful, and I fell it compliments the K.D. Langs voice very well. At the songs climax around 1: 45 Violins enter and add a beautiful intensity to the pain that K.D. Lang is expressing. When all the instruments play together, it is really quite powerful. When the instruments fall and rise together I felt this wave motion between the tormented storm and the calm and gentle waves. this feeling is given justification by the wide range in volume and notes.

Texture: The song has a thick sound, yet if you think about the way the instruments move with the vocals it is clear that they all move together. When K.D. Lang's voice diminishes, so does the instruments. Thus the song seems homophonic in this regard.

Tempo: Slow and full. Most likely duple meter, because the song is steady throughout.

Lyrics and Performance: The lyrics in this song are very empowering to women. It is about a woman taking a man's power. "She tied you To a kitchen chair /She broke your throne, and she cut your hair /And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah" I think K.D. Lang's performance is very inspiring. Compared to the Counting Crows version of this song I much prefer a woman's voice. K.D. Lang sang with such emotion and control that it was moving.

Bette Midler, "Beast of Burden" 1983

Instrumentation: Two electric guitars, a bass guitar, drums, Bette Midler's voice. The guitars get solos towards the middle part of song, and gives credit to the talent of the players. This adds to the electric guitar excitement that was part of this Rock N Roll genre. Midler's voice is sung with power to elicit a harsh and more manly tone. Additionally she sings loudly and almost like she is yelling to add to this illusion. The songs range is limited, as it was originally sung by the Rolling Stones. Her femininity comes out when she screeches high notes to the lyrics, "Aint I hot enough, Rich enough."

Vocal Range: For the majority of the song, Midler sticks to the original notation by the Rolling Stones, thus resulting in the songs alto sound, and repetitive vocal patterns. She adds high notes in the song, but they are typically yelled out.

Originality: During the parts of the song, Midler adds novelty to the famous song. By coming in before and after the beat, and adding slides to the song she makes it her own.

Tempo: Compared to the original, Midler's version is much more upbeat, and fast. Most likely duple meter.

Texture: The song is homophonic, because the instruments move with Midler's voice, and do not add any straying musical sequences. The song, thus, has a thin texture. The only force that has any influence over the texture of the song, is Midler's voice, and he screaming and attempts at giving off a harsher voice, does not add much to the song.

Lyrics, and her performance: I liked when she stated to her audience, "NOW write this down." I felt like this was Midler's way of grabbing the audiences attention and specifically men's attention and recognition. As a woman singing this song about attraction, desire and sex, she adds a new sexiness with her voice and grunts. I thought the section about her sister being used by men was interesting because Midler herself is questioning why she is not good enough for a man.

Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, "Selena Medley" 2009

The "Selena Medley" is a combination of four of Selena's greatest songs. 2 ballads, and 2 more upbeat typical mariachi songs. Each song has unique aspects but when blended together share a pleasing sound and original composition.

1st song:"Como la flor" is a love song with a medium tempo, with minimal vocal range, yet with great volume range-loudness used to translate Selena's pain caused by her love finding a new woman and leaving her. Her voice is of a higher pitch that associates with her innocence. A quality that this young star had a lot of and used to further her career. Transition is very smooth and you hardly notice the change in tempo and change in key.

2nd song: "No me quede mas" is a little slower than "Como la flor" with more vocal range, and less volume range. Similar in that both the first two songs are love songs, "No me quede mas" is much more passionate than "Como la flor." I felt more of a connection between Selena and this song because of the slower tempo and heavenly sounds the violins added. This song used the same instruments but the different tones and the addition of female chorus adds a new texture that is polyphonic rather than the earlier homophonic song, "Como la flor."

3rd song: The transition between the second and third song makes a shift between ballades to upbeat dancing songs. "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" begins with an outburst of "hey ya's" as if Selena is stirring life in her audience and energizing them to dance to her music. This song also adds a shaker to assist the guitar in creating the beat. Selena covers a wide range of notes and volumes in this song. This song is also a love song, but unlike the first two does not discuss losing love, but finding love and having her heart be excited by him. "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" refers to the sound of her heart when she thinks about her lover. This song is one of a few we have studied that looked at relationships in a happy way. Texture is thickening from the ballades, yet has settled into a homophonic texture line.

4th song, "Baile esta cumbia" is introduced at 5:22 with instrument introduction. Different tone to her voice. Still upbeat. Her voice is higher in this song, and carries a different inflection. Song ends with a burst of all the instruments and Selena's voice. This song is not about love but just about dancing and enjoying life. This song seems to be a strong example of the persuasive and energizing influence Selena had over her audience. The instruments play a greater role in this song, adding to a thicker texture yet the song remains homophonic.

While each song is very different, each reflects aspect about the Singer. I sensed innocence and youth in her ballads- a loss of love is a common theme for young singers because they are going through the changes personally. In the upbeat songs I recognized Selena's ability to use her music to inspire her audience to be lively and happy. Selena was a strong performer with great adversity and there is no doubt as to why she was so popular.