Media ISU
Option 1
Time Line:
The Beatles-> U2-> The Killers
Band 1: The Killers
-formed in 2002
Brandon Flowers:Vocals, keyboard
Dave Keuning:Guitar, backing vocals
Mark Stoermer: Bass, backing vocals
Ronnie Vannucci Jr:Drums, percussion
-Alternative rock
Hot Fuss(2004)
Sam's Town(2006)
Sawdust(2007)
Day & Age(2008)
-over 15 million albums sold worldwide
-signed with record label Lizard King in 2003
-later “Mr. Brightside” was released and The Killers signed with Island Dem jam
-Hot Fuss went platinum 6x by BPI and 3x platinum by RIAA
-Performed “Mr. Brightside” and “Smile like you mean it” on the O.C. In 2004
-Recorded songs where the profit went to product red
-Feb 2007, won Best International group and international album at the Brit awards
-Sawdust platinum by BPI
-Dec 2008, The Killers have another song for product red Elton john and Neil Tennant
-“A White Demon Love Song” was added to the New Moon soundtrack
Band 2: U2
U2 is a rock band from Dublin, Ireland
Bono: Vocals and Guitar
The Edge: Guitar, Keyboards, and vocals
Adam Clayton: Bass guitar
Larry Mullen Jr.: Drums and percussion
-formed in 1976 in high school
-signed to Island records with debut "Boy" (1980)
-Album "October" (1981)
-"War" (1983)
-"The Unforgettable Fire" (1984)
-the album "The Joshua Tree" in 1987, let the band go "from heroes to superstars" according to Rolling Stone
-"Rattle and Hum" (1988)
-"Achtung Baby" released 1991
-"Zooropa" (1993)
-"Pop" released 1997
-U2 appeared on an episode of "The Simpsons"
-"All That You Can't Leave Behind" October 2000
-performed at the Super Bowl, and was ranked as the best halftime show ever on SI.com
-"How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" released later 2004
-"No Line on the Horizon" in 2009
-have won 22 grammy awards
-sold more than 150 million albums
Band 3: The Beatles
-formed in 1960 in Liverpool
-rock band
John Lennon:Rhythm guitar, vocals
Paul McCartney:Bass, vocals
George Harrison:Lead guitar, vocals
Ringo Starr:Drums, vocals
-Brian Epstein Manager, got the band's style going
-"Love Me Do” comes out in UK in late 1962
-Signed to Parlophone label
-Second single, “Please Please Me”
-tons of touring in UK, mainstream success
-1st live television performance on Ed Sullivan show
-Toured internationally in Denmark, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand
-Band met Bob Dylan, introduced them to cannabis. Changed their sound to more like his
-first movie, “A Hard days Night”
-Queen Elizabeth II made them Members of the Order of the British Empire
-Second film “Help!”
-Met Elvis Presley, played together
-“Rubber Soul” released, ranked #5 by Rolling stones on the 5 Greatest Albums of All time
-“Yesterday and Today” album cover controversy
-“Revolver” is 3rd greatest album of all time in 2003
-“Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: marked #1 in Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums of all time
-“All You Need is Love” became the flower power anthem
-Epstein Dies
-Cartoon movie, “Yellow Submarine” featuring the band's music and carton versions of themselves
-“The Beatles” released, also known as the White album
-last live performed in London on a rooftop of Apple Corps in 1969
-“Abbey Road” released 6 days after Lennon's departure
-“Let It Be” released
The Killers
I think that The Killers belong in the alternative music group. The instruments used are: Vocals, guitar, bass, drums and percussion, and keyboard. They use these instruments in a way that it's not really loud and overbearing like rock or metal music, but still has a hint of it.
The beats and tempo of their music ranges from fast to slow, just like almost all songs. Their song, 'A Dustland Fairytale', is mostly slow, while 'Mr Brightside' is more up beat and fast.
The clothing they wear includes things that other bands wouldn't wear. They dare to be different, like with Flowers suit with feathered shoulders and gold sequin suit. They also wear a lot of ties and jackets or blazers or whatever they're called. Sometimes it looks like they got ready for prom and then decided to be the live entertainment for the event. I like their style a lot.
U2
U2 definitely belongs in the rock and alternative group to me. I listened to a few songs with my sister and there were definite equal parts of both. Instruments that they mainly use are vocals, guitar, keyboard, bass, drums and percussion. The drums and guitar are very prominent and you can hear them more clearly than the vocals a lot of the time, especially in the more rock songs. The tempos in their songs differ depending on the song, like every other band. From looking up pictures on Google, I would label U2's style as rockers. The band, and especially Bono, is usually wearing sun glasses. Leather, jeans, and tee shirts are also included.
The Beatles
The musical grouping that I would put The Beatles in would have to my made up group called psychedelic rock. It's softer than rock and roll and has the hippy qualities included in their later music.
Most of their music is pretty simple and easy to follow along with. The tempos are usually upbeat and happy like. Their later music is more psychedelic and hippy like, with slower tempos which makes it more relaxing. Yellow Submarine is more upbeat and has a faster tempo than Michelle that is slower.
The style that The Beatles had was longer hair, also known as the mop-top. They wore ankle boots and and matching suits without collars, and moved on to more hippy-like patterns on their clothing later on.
The instruments that were used in this band mainly were guitar, vocals, bass, and drums. Orchestras were used in some of their later albums though.
Lyrics
The Beatles
The Beatles' lyrics were all about love until 1963. They then moved onto different music. The first song was 'There's A Place'. It seems to have changed when they were introduced into drugs, but I'm not completely sure. Other lyrics are about lonely people, depression, relationships, life, and many other things. An early song that they had was 'Love Me Do'.
Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I'll always be true,
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.
Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I'll always be true,
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.
Someone to love,
Somebody new.
Someone to love,
Someone like you.
Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I'll always be true,
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.
Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I'll always be true,
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.
Yeah, love me do.
Whoa, oh, love me do.
Whoa, oh love me do
why don't cha love me do
The lyrics are quite obviously about love. Loving someone and being faithful to them and asking for them to do the same. It's quite simple and nothing to go into depth with. But a song more like 'Eleanor Rigby' it has a somewhat obvious message, but still much more complex than 'Love Me Do'.
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding
has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by
the door
Who is it for?
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from ?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong ?
Father McKenzie writing the words of a sermon that no one will
hear
No one comes near.
Look at him working. Darning his socks in the night when there's
nobody there
What does he care?
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her
name
Nobody came
Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from
the grave
No one was saved
All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?
This song is obviously about lonely people, but also about how they're treated and how they get through the day. Eleanor is an old woman, about to die and no one cares. She wears “the face the she keeps in a jar by the door” to make it seem like she is happy, but she isn't. Father Mackenzie, is as we know is “writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear” most likely for Eleanor's death, but we don't know that she dies yet. This could mean that Eleanor told Father Mackenzie that she was going to commit suicide, or that he knows she will die soon. Either way we know he doesn't care, because he would try to help her anyways. After we know that she has died and no one comes to her funeral, Father Mackenzie wipes “the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.” This could be stating that he is glad that he doesn't have to put up with her anymore and there's good riddance. I think that we should all be more considerate of the lonely people in the world and try to make them happier. Like if there was a loner at school who was always by himself, couldn't we just sit and talk to him? It really is as simple as it sounds.
U2
U2's lyrics are usually open to interpretation and to what others make of them. They have been seen as about love, war and violence, drugs, religion, relationships, sexuality, equality, abuse, terrorism, and about life's struggles and hardships. 'I Will Follow' is apparently about Bono's relationship with his mother before she died. I can't seem to really find that anywhere in the lyrics, but here you go. That just shows that their lyrics are definitely open to one's opinion of them. I don't really have an opinion on what the song is about. It could be just about someone accepting others and 'following' them with their choices.
I will Follow...
I was on the outside when you said
You said you needed me
I was looking at myself
I was blind, I could not see
A boy tries hard to be a man
His mother takes him by his hand
If he stops to think he starts to cry
Oh why
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
I was on the inside
When they pulled the four walls down
I was looking through the window
I was lost, I am found
Walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
If you walkaway, walkaway,
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
I will follow
Your eyes make a circle
I see you when I go in there
Your eyes, your eyes...
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway..I will follow
If you walkaway, walkaway
I walkaway, walkaway...I will follow
I will follow
I will follow...
Vertigo, a later song from 2004, also has interpretive lyrics. Some think it is about God and religion, while others think it is about being stars and being afraid to fall from the top. I think that it could be about both, explaining why they need God in their lives or they wouldn't be at the top and that there's no need to worry about falling if God is there for them. It could also just be a random catchy song. Either way, I actually like it, which is very surprising.
Unos, dos, tres, catorce! Lights go down it's dark The jungle is your head Can't rule your heart A feeling so much Stronger than a thought Your eyes are wide and though Your soul it can't be bought Your mind can wander Hello hello (Hola) I'm at a place called Vertigo (Donde esta?) It's everything I wish I didn't know Except you give me something I can feel, feel The night is full of holes As bullets rip the sky Of ink with gold They twinkle as the Boys play rock and roll They know that they can't dance At least they know I can't stand the beats I'm asking for the cheque The girl with crimson nails Has Jesus 'round her neck Swinging to the music Swinging to the music Hello hello (Hola) I'm at a place called Vertigo (Donde esta?) It's everything I wish I didn't know But you give me something I can feel, feel All of this, all of this can be yours All of this, all of this can be yours All of this, all of this can be yours Just give me what I want And no one gets hurt Hello hello (Hola) We're at a place called Vertigo (Donde esta?) Lights go down and all I know Is that you give me something I can feel your love teaching me how Your love is teaching me how How to kneel, kneel Yea, yea, yea, yea, yea, yea, yea, yea Yea, yea, yea, yea, yea, yea, yea, yea
The Killers
The Killers lyrics are about a variety of things including religion, sexuality, love, relationships, break ups, and life in general. 'Mr Brightside' from Hot Fuss, is about a happy, up beat, positive person looking for love, but when he finds it, the girl just doesn't feel the same and that turns him into a jealous, angry man. He then realizes that he needs to move on with his “eager eyes.”
I'm coming out of my cage
And I’ve been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss
Now I’m falling asleep
And she’s calling a cab
While he’s having a smoke
And she’s taking a drag
Now they’re going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it’s all in my head
But she’s touching his chest
Now, he takes off her dress
Now, let me go
And I just can’t look its killing me
And taking control
Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it’s just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
‘Cause I’m Mr Brightside
I'm coming out of my cage
And I’ve been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this
It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss
Now I’m falling asleep
And she’s calling a cab
While he’s having a smoke
And she’s taking a drag
Now they’re going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it’s all in my head
But she’s touching his chest
Now, he takes off her dress
Now, let me go
Cause I just can’t look it's killing me
And taking control
Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it’s just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
‘Cause I’m Mr Brightside
I never...
I never...
I never...
I never...
'A Dustland Fairytale', a song from their newest album, Day & Age, is about Flowers' parents and how their life went. Flowers said this himself, and that the story goes something like this,
His parents met and they were in love, but he was an alcoholic. She knew that eventually he would sober up and be good as seen here, “She says she always knew he'd come around.” He did, and became a Mormon but, his “mind is poison” so they move “to the valley of the great divide” which is Nevada. They ended up not liking Nevada because nothing grows and “the birds don't sing”. His mother ends up getting cancer and he's telling her to stay strong because “everybody needs you”. Flowers' mother actually ended up dying from her brain cancer earlier this year. So, I guess it's good that this song came out before them. It probably meant a lot to her.
The Dustland fairytale beginning
Just another white trash county kiss in '61
Long brown hair and foolish eyes
He looked just like you'd want him to
Some kind of slick chrome american prince
A blue jean serenade
Moon river what'd you do to me
I don't believe you
Saw Cinderella in a party dress,
But She was looking for a night gown
I saw the devil wrapping up his hands,
He's getting ready for the show down
I saw the minute that I turned away
I got my money on a pawn tonight
Change came in disguise of revelation
Set his soul on fire
She says she always knew he'd come around
And the decades disappear like sinking ships,
But we persevere
God gives us hope
But we still fear
What we don't know
Your mind is poison
Castles in the sky, sit stranded, vandalized
The drawbridge is closing
Saw Cinderella in a party dress,
But she was looking for a night gown
I saw the devil wrapping up his hands,
He's getting ready for the show down
I saw the ending where they turned the page
I threw my money and I ran away
Straight to the valley of the great divide
Out where the dreams all hide
Out where the wind don't blow
Out here the good girls die
And the sky won't snow
Out here the birds don't sing
Out here the fields don't grow
Out here the bells don't ring
Out here the bells don't ring
Out here the good girls die
Now, Cinderella don't you go to sleep
It's such a bitter form of refuge
Why don't you know the kingdoms under siege
And everybody needs you?
Is there still magic in the midnight sun?
Or did you leave it back in sixty-one?
In the cadence of the young mans eyes
Out where the dreams all hide
Similarities
One of the similarities that the bands have with one another is their lyrics. They all write about love, relationships, and life. The Killers have 'Mr Brightside', U2 has 'Hawkmoon 269' which states “Like a rhythm unbroken, Like drums in the night, Like sweet soul music, Like sunlight, I need your love.” And The Beatles have 'All You Need is Love' which says, “All you need is love, love, love is all you need.” These songs are about needing someone to love. I would say that The Beatles is the most simple, and then U2, and then The Killers. Complexity and deeper lyrics are definitely more seen now than before. There is also 4 band members in each band.
I think that influence The Beatles had on U2 were a few things that include their lyrics and covers that are performed in concerts. For The Beatles' 'A Day in the Life', the first line was, “I read the news today, oh boy” and with U2's 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', the first line was, “I can't believe the news today.” Different lyrics, but still sounding oddly familiar. The Beatles also had a song entitled 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'. U2 also does covers of Beatles songs at their concerts including, 'Help!', “Norwegian Wood', and 'Rain'.
The influences that U2 had on The Killers were mostly the instruments and the way they were played. The guitar and bass in 'Mr Brightside' is noticeably similar to U2. Both bands also usually have the instruments louder than the singing. Like in The Killers' 'Spaceman' and U2's 'Elevation'. In both of those songs it is hard to understand the lyrics and even here them. The guitar and other instruments are more prominent.
Changes in music for The Beatles resulted in drug use for song inspiration because what they were already doing wasn't good enough. I don't believe the drug use was the things that broke them up though, it only changed their music. For U2, their sound changed in 1984 from rock to more artsy. They continue to change their sound for what works at the moment and it seems to be working seeing as they've been around for 30 years or so. The Killers are still new and relevant in my opinion. Their sound hasn't really changed in my opinion. They are still the alternative, indie, rock band that I was introduced to in the first place. They may have been more pop like when 'Hot Fuss' came out and now more indie, but it isn't that noticeable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGdGFtwCNBE Mr. Brightside
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3hyrkzFRss A Dustland Fairytale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BqLlVHlWA I Will Follow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W9QuMq-2k Vertigo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEEC-yhr_Ks Love Me Do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Itt02QOO0&feature=related Eleanor Rigby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2zqx1vYAOc Hawkmoon 269
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVnMFYZok-Q&feature=related All You Need is Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc16Y9fiCvQ Spaceman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19KstSgU-c0 Elevation
Caillie Oldroyd
June 23, 2010
Mr. Edwards
EMS 3O
