EDWARD'S LECTURE NOTES:
More notes at http://tanguay.info/learntracker
C O U R S E
History of Rock, 1970-Present
John Covach, University of Rochester
 |
C O U R S E L E C T U R E Prince and Janet Jackson Notes taken on May 11, 2016 by Edward Tanguay |
•
Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, and Janet Jackson
•
interesting connections between all four of them
•
Prince and Janet Jackson having their success in the second half of the 1980s
•
all of them big MTV stars
•
stars that depended much on the video dimension of music
•
Prince (1958-2016)
•
born in Minneapolis
•
developed an image as a somewhat sexually charged and somewhat androgynous figure
•
you are reminded to a certain extent of David Bowie during the Ziggy Stardust period
•
you're not sure if he's dressing to approach more his feminine side
•
or whether he's just a dandy or a pretty boy
•
there's definitely something sexually charged
•
so it's not like he's asexual or not interested in sexual attraction
•
he's definitely sexual and in many of his songs the sexuality that he expresses is of a markedly heterosexual nature
•
but his appearance is somewhat androgynous
•
has his roots in 1970s black pop and funk
•
coming out of the Parliment Funkadelic sound
•
extremely prolific as a song-writer
•
a fantastic multi-instrumentalist
•
one problem was that he was producing music too fast
•
Prince (1979)
•
success was in the rhythm and blues
•
success with black audiences
•
not crossing over like Michael Jackson
•
"I Wanna Be Your Lover"
•
Dirty Mind (1980)
•
Controversy (1981)
•
1999 (1982)
•
"Little Red Corvette"
•
"Delirious"
•
"Lady Cab Driver"
•
heavy sexual element in stage shows
•
1984 Purple Rain
•
sound track to a film
•
not directed by Prince but designed to showcase him
•
"When Doves Cry"
•
"Let's Go Crazy"
•
"I Would Die 4 U"
•
had new material, record companies were telling him to not produce so fast
•
1985 Around the World in a Day
•
1986 Parade
•
1987 Sign O' the Times
•
1988 Lovesexy
•
1989 Batman (Soundtrack)
•
Michael Jackson was probably the biggest artist of the two in the 80s
•
in the 90s, Michael Jackson starts to fall from favor and Prince continues to be active
•
but two photogenic guys
•
Michael Jackson more the dancer
•
Prince more the musician type
•
Janet Jackson (1966-)
•
the youngest sister of the Jackson family
•
ends up being produced by two associates of Prince from Minneapolis
•
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
•
her act showcases dancing like her brother Michael
•
was a child actress, a child star
•
Good Times
•
Different Strokes
•
Fame
•
first albums were in that child star mold
•
1982 Janet Jackson
•
1984 Dream Street
•
called "bubble gum soul"
•
very dominated by her family and her dad
•
teen idol, squeaky clean
•
1986 Control
•
this third album was much different
•
something she needs to prove
•
breaks with her family
•
new management
•
bring in Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
•
at worked with Prince
•
as a way to show she is different now
•
"When I Think of You"
•
"Let's Wait Awhile"
•
main songs
•
Control
•
starts with a spoken declaration of independence
•
the sexuality element
•
Madonna's already done this
•
because she had been such a squeaky clean teen idol, had something to prove
•
there was a complete break with teen innocence with regard to the sexuality
•
1989 Janet Jacksons's Rhythm Nation 1814
•
seven top five singles
•
four number one hits
•
a concept album addressing social injustice
•
at the approach from the Control album from 1986
•
a continuation of Madonna's sexual rebellion meeting up with a proof of independence
•
coming out of the Jackson family
•
proves that she is her own person
•
Janet Jackson sexuality
•
1993 Rolling Stone Cover
•
unknown man's hands covering her breasts
•
"The Joy of Sex"
•
scandalous cover for its day
•
2004 wardrobe malfunction
•
exposed breast