Read all of my directions before asking for assistance. This will be graded as a TEST over April Break. Submit your work (as a comment) here.
PART ONE: Below you will find a list of some of the more noteworthy legends and myths of modern music history. For Part One of this assignment, you should research and summarize each incident in a well-developed paragraph. (6 paragraphs total).
Myth/Legend #1: Robert Johnson sells his soul to the devil
Myth/Legend #2: Ozzy Osbourne's taste for doves and bats
Myth/Legend #3: The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover
Myth/Legend #4: Bob Dylan goes electric
Myth/Legend #5: Research on your own and choose your favorite
Myth/Legend #6: The mythology presented in the Sgt. Pepper cover (click here). Identify and summarize the notariety of 3 individuals whom you recognize and 3 individuals of whom you are ignorant.
Make sure that your sources are legitimate. Remember- any information that you gain from any source is not yours. You must cite your sources using MLA format. Use the links on this blog to assist in your citations. Keep in mind that the 30 other students in your class will uncover much of the same information, so in order to separate yourself from the pack you must focus on authoritative sources, excellent writing, detail, and proper citations.
For MLA documentation assistance, click here.
PART TWO: Use 3 different Website Evaluation Guides (linked below) to validate 3 of the web pages cited in your work above. Complete and print these guides and turn them in before April Break. Your test grade will be posted as a "0" until you do so.
Schrock's Evaluation
University of Maryland Evaluation
University of California at Berkeley Evaluation
30 comments:
Bob Dylan goes electric.
At the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, popular folk singer Bob Dylan shocked the audience and the world of folk music when he "declared his independence from the orthodoxy of the folk scene and publicly unveiled his rock & roll heart" (Rolling Stone, 1). To do so, Dylan plugged in an electric guitar for the first time and played three songs with "the electric-Chicago charge of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band" (Rolling Stone, 1). Because Dylan's change was drastic and unexpected, the audience was not pleased with his decision. It was said that "he left the stage in tears — shocked by the shouting and heckling from several members of the Newport audience" (Rolling Stone, 1). Although Bob Dylan's decision to change his styling was not well-recieved at first, he has come to change the world of rock and roll forever.
Dylan Goes Electric in 1965. Rolling Stone Magazine. 24 June 2004. Web. 15 April 2010.
Favorite myth or legend in song.
On July 29, 1974, 'Mama' Cass Elliot died after several successful years in the popular music group the "the Mamas & the Papas" (White, 1). Many conspiracy theorists have suggested that Elliot died by choking on a ham sandwich, simply due to the fact that "the uneaten remains...were found near her body" (White, 1). Despite these rumors, the autopsy reported that Mama Cass "died of heart failure brought on by the effects of obesity and crash dieting" (White, 1). Also, when her body was discovered, "the coroner found no evidence of anything, ham sandwich or otherwise, blocking her windpipe" (White, 1). Due to this undeniable evidence, one can be certain that the conspiracies surrounding this incident are indeed false and that Elliot died from a heart attack.
White, David. Top Ten Rock Music Myths. David White, 2005. Web. 15 April 2010.
Sgt. Pepper cover
In the Sgt. Pepper cover, many familiar faces are present. First, an image of Paul McCartney, a former member of the popular British band the Beatles, appears in the image. Because McCartney was a "founding father" of the Beatles and the cover is for a Beatles album, Paul McCartney is shown on the Sgt. Pepper cover. Another legend that appears on the album cover is Edgar Allen Poe. Similar to the Beatles writing their own songs, Poe was a writer of poetry and short stories. Therefore, Edgar Allen Poe appears on this cover. Finally, John Lennon, another popular member of the British band, is shown on the Sgt. Pepper cover because of his affilition with the Beatles.
Despite several familiar faces on the Sgt. Pepper cover, their are several faces that are unfamiliar. Sonny Liston is an individual that is unrecognizable. Liston was a professional heavyweight boxer, winning several fights throughout his career. Another face that is unfamiliar is that of Diana Dors. Twentieth century actress, Dors had several roles in small films television series. A third person that is unfamiliar is Lenny Bruce, a famous comedian and striving dancer. Liston, Dors, and Bruce were all unfamiliar faces that appeared on the Beatles Sgt. Pepper cover.
Waymark, Peter. Diana Dors (actress). Peter Waymark, 2004. Web. 15 April 2010.
Boskin, Joseph. Bruce Lenny. Joseph Boskin, 2000. Web. 15 April 2010.
Davis, Luckett V. Sonny Liston (boxer). Luckett V Davis, 2000. Web. 15 April 2010.
Robert Johnson sells his soul to the devil.
A talented blues musician, Robert Johnson was willing to do anything for popularity in the industry. Legend has it that one day Johnson was told to go to a nearby crossroad with his guitar. Here, "he was met by a large black man" (Wikipedia, 1), or a representative of the Devil. The Devil took the guitar from Robert Johnson, and he played several songs for him with a high level of skill. After finishing these songs, the Devil returned the guitar to Johnson, who was then blessed with a "mastery of the guitar" (Wikipedia, 1). In essence, this was "a deal with the Devil" (Wikipedia, 1) because Robert Johnson gave up his soul and in exchange he "was able to create the blues for which he became famous" (Wikipedia, 1).
United States. Wikipedia. Robert Johnson (musician). 14 April 2010. Web. 15 April 2010.
Ozzy Osborne's taste for doves and bats.
Throughout his adult life, Ozzy Osbourne has been criticized for his abuse of drugs and alcohol and his unpredictability. Osbourne has been known to bite the heads off of small animals, more specifically a bat and a dove, due to drunkedness or simply out of the blue. Osbourne planned to use doves at an upcoming concert "as a sign of peace" (Wikipedia, 1). While in Los Angeles "meeting with some record-company executives" (Wikipedia, 1), Ozzy "bit the head off a dove...due to being intoxicated at the time" (Wikipedia, 1). Another incident involving Ozzy Osbourne and a small animal was during his 1982 performance at the "Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa" (Wikipedia, 1). An audience member threw a bat that she said "was brought to the show dead" even though "the Rolling Stones stated the bat was alive" (Wikipedia, 1). Instead of removing or avoiding the bat on the stage, Ozzy "bit the head off the bat he thought was rubber" (Wikipedia, 1). All in all, Osbourne has gained much feedback from these incidents, and they "have been alluded to several times throughout his career" (Wikipedia, 1).
United States. Wikipedia. Ozzy Osbourne. 13 April 2010. Web. 15 April 2010.
The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover.
Millions of conspiracies have surrounded the Beatles famous Abbey Road album cover. According to conspiracy theorists, there are several hidden messages covering the entire cover that were meant to portray that Paul McCartney had died. One message was the absence of Paul's shoes on the cover which represented that he was dead. Also, the choice of clothing for each of the band members portrayed different roles that are played at a funeral; priest, grave digger, and mourner. A bloodstain, which represents that of McCartney, appears in the image in front of Ringo Starr. Also, it is said that "if the back cover is turned 45 degrees anticlockwise a crude image of the Grim Reaper appears" (Mail on Sunday Reporter, 1), which is another indication of Paul's death. Finally, in the backround of the album cover there is an stationary police van. This is "a reference to the police who kept quiet about Paul's 'death'" (Mail on Sunday Reporter, 1). Even though Paul McCartney did not die, many conspiracy theorists look for signs in the Abbey Road album cover that suggest that he did, and this has "sparked a million conspiracy theories" (Mail on Sunday Reporter, 1).
United Kingdom. Mail on Sunday Reporter. The Beatles album cover that started a decades-long conspiracy theory. 9 August 2009. 15 April 2010.
This is the second page of my response.
Legend #4: Bob Dylan goes electric
Bob Dylan was playing at the Newport Folk Festival. Instead of his usual set he played an electric guitar with a full band. He played a 15-minute set without doing a sound check. The sound was awful and the fact that he was playing an electric guitar meant that he was giving up his folk roots to become more main stream. He was booed my his fans. This was by far the harshest reaction he had ever gotten from any of his fans. This event is also believed to be one of the events that spawned Rock and Roll.
Legend #5: Jim Morrison is alive
Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors, died of a heart attack an 1971. Some people believe that he is still alive and kicking it. These theorists believe that the body buried in Morrison’s grave in Paris is an imposter. They also believe that he is as a cowboy in the Pacific Northwest.
Legend #6: The Sgt. Peppers cover
The Sgt. Peppers cover is a smorgasbord of people. These people seem to have nothing in common and seem completely random. One person that I recognized was H.G. Wells. H.G. Wells was a writer that wrote very famous science fiction novels such as The Time Machine and War of the Worlds. Another person that I immediately recognized was Marylyn Monroe. She was a famous actress in the 1940s and 1950s and she died young. She is arguably the most famous person from the 20th century. Probably my favorite person in this picture is good ol’ Bob Dylan! He is one of the most influential artists ever. He is a music legend. He even trumps the Beatles. There are very few people that I recognize off of the top of my head in this picture; one that stood out was the large figure of Sonny Liston. Sonny Liston was an extremely successful boxer who at one point held the world heavyweight title before losing it to the famed Muhammad Ali. Another person that I did not recognize was Aleister Crowley. Crowley was one of the darkest minds in history. He was an occultist and dedicated most of his life to witch craft and dark mysticism. Mae West was another that I wasn’t familiar with. She was a child star and famous actress and wrote plays in the 20th century.
This is the first page of my response.
Legend #1: Robert Johnson Sells his soul to the Devil
Penn State professor, Dr Simon Richter gives this explanation to the question of Robert Johnson’s drastically improved guitar playing: “Johnson displayed uncanny growth in musical skill in a very short amount of time. He had only left Robinsonville for just short of two years(1931-33) and had returned a master of songwriting and the guitar. Rumors began to spread that Johnson had traveled to the crossroads in Mississippi, and in a Faustian sense, had sold his soul to the Devil for musical talent. His songs seemed to lend truth to the rumors with their frequent hellish references to the devil, hell and the crossroads. The theory was never substantiated by Robert Johnson, unlike his contemporary Tommy Johnson, who explicitly claimed to have signed a deal with the devil.” He also offers another theory on this topic: “This is a more rational theory. His lessons with Ike Zinnerman are often overlooked by those looking to pin a pact with the devil on Robert Johnson. To what extent Zinnerman actually improved Johnson's play is very difficult to determine. Other local influences were enormously beneficial to Johnson's development. His brother Charles introduced him to the guitar. He watched and listened to Son House, Willie Brown and Charley Patton perform in Mississippi. Joseph Monzo claims that he was also exposed to a large variety of recordings, including Duke Ellington. He could have spent the time in Hazelhurst learning to integrate the styles of his predecessors into his own style.”
Legend #2: Ozzy’s taste for bats and doves
In an interview Ozzy explains in great detail his incidents involving devouring of doves and bats. He claims that he was completely intoxicated when meeting with the executives of the CBS network and his wife told his to throw two white doves into the boardroom upon entering. Instead of throwing both, he threw on up in the air and bite the head off of the other as a joke…the executives of CBS didn’t exactly share his sense of humor. In the incident involving the bat, Ozzy states that during a concert someone threw a live bat onstage that Ozzy assumed was made of rubber so he bit into its head. To his surprise, the bat was very real and he had successfully bitten the head off of a live bat.
Legend #3: The Mythology Surrounding the Abbey Road Cover
The Cover the Beatles’ album Abbey Road is where the whole “Paul is Dead” Rumor began. The album cover depicts the four Beatles walking single file across Abbey Road. This image is said to symbolize funeral procession with John Lennon leading the procession dressed in white to represent a priest. Ringo is behind John dressed in black to represent the undertaker. Paul is supposed to represent the dead man. He is out of step with the other three and is not wearing shoes. In some Eastern religions, they bury their dead barefoot. George is behind Paul and is dressed in work clothes to represent the gravedigger.
Myth/Legend #1: Robert Johnson sells his soul to the devil
Tommy Johnson
“One of the questions which is always on our minds here at the Mudcat is: Is it possible to sell one's soul to the devil? Shawn{one of the people who works with the Mudcat} traveled to the crossroads with his guitar at midnight. He played his entire repertoire twice, but to no avail. No devil, no big black man, just the same tuning which he began the night. Though, he did try this in the North, and since we are optimists, and maintain hope that maybe one needs to be at a southern crossroads.
I asked Clarence Gatemouth Brown if he knew anyone who sold his soul to the devil. Unfortunately he did not. And I had the feeling he thought it a foolish question.
I took my search to the library and decided to focus on Robert Johnson. The majority of the information concerning Robert Johnson said relatively the same thing -- nothing. It is only the rumor, or legend, surrounding him. People tell about a young RJ being scolded and ridiculed by Son House at a local juke joint. All that is known is that Robert Johnson disappeared for a time span and when he returned his genius flourished with his guitar. One author chalked it up to intensive practice over a year's time.
A man named Julio Finn wrote a book titled: The Bluesman The Musical Heritage of Black Men and Women in the Americas. Finn adds the factor of voodoo to the equation, "It is doubtful whether Johnson could have written the lyrics of songs with out having been initiated into the cult…the symbolism involved in them is highly complex and of a nature which makes it highly improbable that they were simply things he 'picked up'(215)." With voodoo given credence, Finn provides an intuitive insight of Johnson's psyche and artistic sensibility. I believe an answer to our burning question is found with Julio Finn.”
http://www.mudcat.org/rj-dave.cfm
The myth of Robert Johnson sells his soul to the devil, in this article Tommy Johnson believes that the artist is the only one that knows the myth and the myth isn’t revealed.
Myth/Legend #2: Ozzy Osbourne's taste for doves and bats
James Sullivan
“Some myths are so perfectly suited to the legend they're too good to be true. Others just turn out to be true. Although many fans dismiss the story as myth, Ozzy Osbourne -- reality TV's rock & roll Prince of Darkness -- actually did bite the head off a bat. After the 1981 release of his second solo album, Diary of a Madman, the former Black Sabbath vocalist hit the road for a tour nicknamed "Night of the Living Dead." Onstage, Ozzy pelted his audience nightly with 25 lbs. of pig intestines and calves' livers. Fans began bringing meat, and then dead animals, to throw back. One night in Des Moines, someone threw a live bat onstage. Stunned by the lights, the bat lay motionless. Osbourne, thinking it was a rubber toy, bit into its neck. He was rushed to the hospital and tested for rabies. Rumors that Osbourne once bit the head off a dove during a meeting with CBS Records have also been confirmed. But even this madman can't live up to the reputation every time: One rumor has it that Ozzy used to throw three dogs into the crowd before shows, refusing to begin until their dead carcasses were returned to the stage. That one is, in fact, a myth.”
http://www.rollingstone.com/Mythozzy
James Sullivan believes that Ozzy did bite off a head of a bat. He was rushed to the hospital and sent to the hospital and tested for rabies.
Legend 1:
It is said; if you go to where the road crosses with your guitar just before midnight and play a song, a large black man will come and tune your guitar for you and play a song on it and then, you will be able to play anything. Robert Johnson was a believer in this. The myth of Johnson selling his soul to the devil is arguably one of the greatest music myths of all time. There is a lot of controversy that follows the story of Robert Johnson, "The legend has it that he sold his soul to the Devil so that he could play anything." The Mudcat Cafe, April 14, 2010. It is believed Robert Johnson did indeed go to a crossroad, play his guitar and sell his soul to the devil. Which makes this myth seem as though it could be true is, "There is also uncertainty to how and where Robert Johnson died, and where he was buried." The Mudcat Cafe, April 14, 2010. Also, within many songs sung by Robert Johnson, many of them talk about his "encounter" with the devil. In his song "Cross Road Blues" he says, "I wend to the crossroads/I fell down on my knees/I cried Lord above have mercy/Save poor Bob if you please." "Cross Road Blues," Robert Johnson. This mind-boggling myth has, and probably will always, keep many people wondering whether or not Robert Johnson sold his sould to the devil.
The Mudcat Cafe
Legend 2:
The thought of biting the head off of a living animal seems repulsive to many. Well, it is. Even rockstar sensation, Ozzy Osbourne. After finishing his second solo album, "... the former Black Sabbath vocalist hit the road for a tour nicknamed "Night of the Living Dead." Onstage, Ozzy pelted his audience nightly with 25 lbs. of pig intestines and calves' livers. Fans began bringing meat, and then dead animals, to throw back. One night in Des Moines, someone threw a live bat onstage. Stunned by the lights, the bat lay motionless. Osbourne, thinking it was a rubber toy, bit into its neck. He was rushed to the hospital and tested for rabies." The Rolling Stone, April 14, 2010. As crazy as this myth may seem, it is very true. Although this incident was an accident, his dove incident was not. Just after signing with a new label, in order to gain their attention, "...it was arranged that Ozzy would enter the office and then throw two doves into the air. It is unclear if the rest was intended or simply a spur of the moment decision on Ozzy's part, but instead of two doves flying into the air, Ozzy took one out of his pocket and bit the head off of it. Ozzy admits to being drunk at the time of the incident, but regardless of what the initial plan was, the end result was plenty of publicity, and most of it not at all pleasant." Ozzy Biography, April 14, 2010. This is one of the few music myths which was proven to be true.
The Rolling Stone
Legend 5:
Elvis Presley is arguably the greatest rock and roll legend ever. His young death was very traumatic to many of his fans. However, many people believe that he is still alive today. According to the myth, "Elvis didn’t die in 1977 but used that as a cover to go into seclusion and get out of the public spotlight." David White, Top Ten Rock Music Myths (1). Many people claim that they seem him at various places like; the convenience store, at breakfast diners, walking down the street etc. This is a very difficult myth to prove, and it is also very difficult to believe. These days, there are many Elvis impersonators so, it's not very strange if you see somebody that looks like Elvis around; especially in large, famous areas of the world.
David White, Top Ten Rock Music Myths
Legend 6:
The Beatles eighth album is the, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The album cover was created by, "...British "pop" artist Peter Blake, who, in collaboration with his wife, created the famous cover collage, known as 'People We Like.'" Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, April 15, 2010. Located on this cover are many famous people like; Marilyn Monroe, Snow White, and Edgar Allen Poe along with many other people. Marilyn Monroe was a, "...film actress and sex symbol, born Norma Jean Mortensen (and was also known as Norma Jean Baker in her youth) in Los Angeles, California..." Margot A. Henrickson, American National Biography Online (1). Snow White, the creation of Walt Disney, is the main character of, "...Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), which was the first animated feature film with sound and color." Mark Langer, American National Biography Online (1). Edgar Allen Poe was, "(a) fiction writer, poet, and critic, born in Boston, Massachusetts, the second son of David Poe, Jr., and Elizabeth Arnold, actors." Kenneth Silverman, American National Biography Online (1). However, there are many people on the Sgt. Pepper's cover who are not quite as well known. "...born Maria Magdalena Dietrich in Berlin, Germany, the daughter of Louis Erich Otto Dietrich, a policeman, and Wilhelmina Elisabeth Josephine Felsing." Stephen G. Marshall, American National Biography Online (1), Marlene Dietrich was a famous actress and singer. Tom Mix was, "(a) cowboy and motion picture star, born Thomas Hezikiah Mix in Mix Run, Pennsylvania, the son of Edwin Elias Mix, a teamster in the lumber industry, and Elizabeth Smith." Ginger Clark, American National Biography Online (1). Another unfamiliar face was, comedian, "Leonard Alfred Schneider in Mineola, New York, the son of Myron Schneider and Sadie Kitchenburg." Joseph Boskin, American National Biography Online (1). The cover for the Beatles album consists of many familiar and unfamiliar faces.
American National Biography Online
Legend 3:
When you think of some of the most popular rock music groups, the Beatles might cross your mind. Along with the Beatles, many of the myths and rumors revolving around them might cross your mind as well. There have been many rumors that revolve around the Beatles bass, Paul McCartney "...player/songwriter/singer (supposedly) died in a car accident early on, and (was) replaced with a look-alike." Andrew Kotick, (1). As crazy as this may seem, many people believe this becaue they believe there are signs of this on the cover of their album, Abbey Road. On the front of the album, "In the procession across the street, John represents the Preacher (or God), Ringo represents a Pall Bearer (or Undertaker), Paul is the deceased, and George is the gravedigger." Abbey Road, April 15, 2010. Supposedly, "The car in the background appears to be directly headed at Paul." Abbey Road, April 15, 2010. As crazy as this may seem, many people believe this to be true. However, it may be possible that people are just looking way too far into the Beatles Abbey Road cover.
Abbey Road Article
Legend 4:
Switching to a different instrument does not seem like it is very dramatic. However, when Bob Dylan switched from an accoustic guitar to an electric guitar, there was a huge controversy that followed him. It all began in July of 1965, "Dylan played three songs with a rock backing and unleashed a storm of derision." Robert Shelton, No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob Dylan (1). As he began singing with his new, surprising rock sound, "...there was some reserved applause and a flurry of boos. Someone shouted: 'Bring Back Cousin Emmy!'" Robert Shelton, No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob Dylan (1). Seeing as though he was performing at a folk festival, his use of rock backing was very uncommon. He usually played the accoustic guitar; he picked a really bad time to start playing with more of a rock sound, especially because this was a folk festival.
Robert Shelton, No Direction Home: The Life And Music Of Bob Dylan
my essay has too many characters to post... ill print it
kristina
1) According to Simon Richter, an instructor from the University of Pennsylvania, states that there could be two theories for Robert Johnson’s musical improvement. His first theory/legend is that “Johnson had traveled to the crossroads in Mississippi, and in a Faustian sense, had sold his soul to the Devil for musical talent. His songs seemed to lend truth to the rumors with their frequent hellish references to the devil, hell and the crossroads. The theory was never substantiated by Robert Johnson, unlike his contemporary Tommy Johnson, who explicitly claimed to have signed a deal with the devil.” The second more rational theory that he states is that Johnson’s “ lessons with Ike Zinnerman are often overlooked by those looking to pin a pact with the devil on Robert Johnson. To what extent Zinnerman actually improved Johnson's play is very difficult to determine. Other local influences were enormously beneficial to Johnson's development. His brother Charles introduced him to the guitar. He watched and listened to Son House, Willie Brown and Charley Patton perform in Mississippi. Joseph Monzo claims that he was also exposed to a large variety of recordings, including Duke Ellington. He could have spent the time in Hazelhurst learning to integrate the styles of his predecessors into his own style.
2) According to James Sullivan from the Rolling Stones, “Although many fans dismiss the story as myth, Ozzy Osbourne actually did bite the head off a bat. After the 1981 release of his second solo album, Diary of a Madman, the former Black Sabbath vocalist hit the road for a tour nicknamed "Night of the Living Dead." Onstage, Ozzy pelted his audience nightly with 25 lbs. of pig intestines and calves' livers. Fans began bringing meat, and then dead animals, to throw back. One night in Des Moines, someone threw a live bat onstage. Stunned by the lights, the bat lay motionless. Osbourne, thinking it was a rubber toy, bit into its neck. He was rushed to the hospital and tested for rabies. Rumors that Osbourne once bit the head off a dove during a meeting with CBS Records have also been confirmed. But even this madman can't live up to the reputation every time: One rumor has it that Ozzy used to throw three dogs into the crowd before shows, refusing to begin until their dead carcasses were returned to the stage. That one is, in fact, a myth.”
3) The Abbey Road cover has to do with the “Paul is dead” rumor. It is said to be a funeral procession where john is wearing white which represents the clergy. Ringo is dressed in black as the undertaker. Paul is barefoot and his eyes are closed which represents the corpse. George is the gravedigger because he is dressed in work clothes. On the right side of the photo is a police van which refers to the police who kept quiet about his death.
4) According to Peter Yarrow, an American singer from the 1960’s, When Dylan walked on stage at the Newport Folk festival with an electric guitar and backed by a full electric band, it was a crucial point in the history of rock music. Previously known as a folk artist, this was Dylan rejecting his acoustic roots and opting for the thrill of rock. The first song Dylan and band played was met with a confused response from the audience. By the time they'd finished his recent single "Like A Rolling Stone", the grumblings of the audience had turned into booing. After the first half of the show, Dylan conceded and went back on with an acoustic guitar to finish his set to rapturous applause. From this point onward the folk community became bitterly divided, while Dylan stepped into the pop limelight.”
5) The song called “puff the magic dragon” by Peter, Paul and Mary may have some references to marijuana. According to multiple websites, “Some include the name “Puff”, being a puff of smoke from a joint.” Also some may say that “Others are that this make believe world of Honah Lee is the effects of getting high on drugs. But it is supposed to symbolize a child’s imagination and innocence; their over creative minds and the imaginative fantasy adventures they go on.”
6) The 3 people I know are John Lenon, he was a musician and a member of the famous band called the Beatles. The second person I know is Marilyn Monroe. She was a famous actress and a sex symbol in the 1940’s and 1950’s. the 3rd person I know is Lewis Carrol. He was an author, mathematician and photographer. A person that I did not know was named Tommy Handley. He was a comedian who became a professional singer. The second person that I have learned about is named W.C. Fields. He was a comedian who was also an actor and he was also doing radio shows. The last person I decided to learn about was named Max Miller. He was also a comedian who used sexual jokes to entertain people.
"Abbey Road." Turn me on dead man. Turn me on dead man Online, 2000.
Web. 17 April. 2010.
Richter, Simon. "Did Robert Johnson Sell his soul to the devil." Web.
17 April. 2010.
Yarrow, Peter. “Dylan goes Electirc.” BBC, MMX 2000. 17 April. 2010.
“Puff the magic dragon controversy.” Music couch. Triond. 17 April 2010.
“Osborne’s crave for bats.” Rolling Stones. April 17, 2010
#4 Bob Dylan goes electric
Sunday July 25th, 1965 at Freebody Park, in New Port RI, Bob Dylan shows everone that he is going to play electric guitar. At the opening of his section of the concert he brings out an electric guitar rather than an acoustic guitar played or even lasted for only latest for about 15 minutes with no one on his side. Some say that after this much unexpected reaction Dylan left the stage crying and was very shocked. It is said that this was the first time that Bob had played electric guitar since his high school days. After this "great" event the folk scene was never the same and Bob new it was all because of him.
"Bob Dylan Goes Electric - Newsweek.com." Newsweek - National News, World News, Health, Technology, Entertainment and More... - Newsweek.com. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
T#5 The Devil Went Down to Georgia
This song is a narrative about the devil who comes to Georgia to procure a soul. As he goes he is trying to “make a deal” but instead comes across a young fiddle player named Johnny. Johnny is minding his own business and just playing very well. The devil walked over to him and told him that he could also play the fiddle quite well. He then decided to challenge Johnny to a fiddle-playing contest that he may be more skillful then the boy. The catch however is that if Johnny wins he will get the devil’s shinny fiddle mad of gold, but if the boy looses the Devil gets his soul. As the perform Johnny wins and the devil gives up his shinny fiddle and Johnny reminds him that at any time he is welcome to come back for a rematch.
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia." Main Page - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
#6
Albert Einstein was a very smart man; he went very far in life for what he did. Many people remember him from his crazy hair. He did most of his work in the United States. He worked a lot among the government and was also offered any positions, such as the Presidency of state in Israel.
"Albert Einstein - Biography." Nobelprize.org. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
Paul McCartney is still alive today; he used to be one of the 4 players in the Beatles and is best known for that. Paul still has many tours around the world singing and entertaining. He is an English singer-songwriter.
PAUL McCARTNEY.COM . HOME. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
W.C. fields was known for his great comedian acts that he would perform all around the world. He was also an actor, juggler, and writer during his time. He played in many shows and movies and had many friends that loved him, cared for him, and supported him in all that he did. He was married to a young lady named Harriet and they had a son together.
"W. C. Fields - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia." Main Page - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
#1 Robert Johnson sells his soul to the devil.
Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil? can that really happen? This is a question that many people ask when they hear his name. he is famous for this event and known around the country for it. This legend consists of a crossroad, Robert Johnson, the devil, and a guitar. According to this legend Johnson was playing his guitar at a crossroad trying to play his guitar when a large colored man walked up to him (the devil), he took the guitar out of his hands a tuned it for him. He then played a few songs for him and handed the guitar back to Johnson. This is what they say was the deal with the devil and exchange Johnson got the talent from the devil playing it and tuning it.
"Robert Johnson (musician) - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia." Main Page - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
#2 Ozzy Osbourne's taste for doves and bats
Ozzy Osbourne's taste for doves and bats, this myth maybe true. The story comes from Ozzy's concerts when people would throw dead animals and raw meat up on the stage. One of his concerts however went a little farther than expected. This myth consists of someone throwing a live bat up on stage, the bat was stunned by the light but Ozzy picked it up and bit its head off! He was later sent to the hospital and had to be tested for rabies. The story of the dove was along the same lines. He was in a meeting with CBS records went he did this.
"Ozzy Osbourne The Rest of the Story." Dial-the-Truth Ministries a Christian Resource and Tract Ministry. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
#3 The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover
On August 1969 the photo of Abbey Road was taken outside of the recording studio. The photo was taken by Iain Macmillan and the designer was Apple Records. It is said that this picture is supposed to represent the funeral of Paul McCartney; they had to have a lookalike contest to find his look alike to put into the picture. In this picture John Lennon is where white in order to represent the Church, in the eastern cultures white is the color of mourning. Ringo is dressed in black to represent the undertaker. George Harrison was dresses in work clothes to represent the gravedigger. The imitator of Paul is out of step with his eyes closed and barefoot. In some places the corpses are buried without shoes.
Polidoro, Massimo. "A Myth That Rocks: The Premature Death of Paul McCartney | LiveScience." LiveScience | Science, Technology, Health & Environmental News. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .
Robert Johnson Sells his Soul to the Devil
Robert Johnson has been considered by many the father of blues. It was not until years after his untimely death at age 27 on August 16, 1938, however, that he gained most of his fame. His mysterious life and passing have only added to a mystery that has followed his legacy for so many years. It is said that, “…Robert made a deal with the Devil; in exchange for his soul he wanted to play the guitar better than anyone” (Downs). It is part of old southern mythology that if you go to a crossroads on a night with no moon, the devil will appear to make a pact with you. For Johnson, the story goes that he went to a crossroad on such a night where the Devil came to tune his guitar, played a few songs on it, then returned it which was a pact that for indescribable musical talent, he would sell his soul to the devil. Some say that his early death along with some of his different attributes. “Some fans thought that he had the "evil eye". Actually, he suffered from a small cataract. Also, it has been reported that Johnson turned from the audience while playing, and would leave suddenly from a performance, sometimes even during breaks in his set. While today such actions are not considered odd, in those days they were. Many people took it to mean that he was a man with something to hide” (The WB Television Network). There is no possible way to know much more then the legends that surround his name because his entire life is one of the greatest mysteries of music history.
Ozzy Osbourne's taste for doves and bats
For years, Ozzy Osbourne has been known for his unusual ways as well as his substance abuse. While this reputation fits his lifestyle and career as lead singer-bassist of the theatrical band Kiss, several times Ozzy has surprised everyone with his actions. Two of these well known stunts are the stories of Ozzy biting of the heads of a bat and a dove, both of which have been confirmed as true. In 2004, James Sullivan writes for Rolling Stone that during one of Kiss’s performances on their “Night of the Living Dead” tour, a member of the audience threw a live bat up on the stage, but the creature became stunned by the lights and lay motionless. “Osbourne, thinking it was a rubber toy, bit into its neck. He was rushed to the hospital and tested for rabies” (Sullivan). Although Osbourne claims to not know the bat was real let alone alive, Kyle Munson writes about the time Osbourne bit the head off of a dove that he knew was alive and in his pocket. Munson writes that, “He bit the head off a live dove in 1981 in Los Angeles, during a meeting with horrified record-company executives.” Osbourne later states that he was intoxicated at the time, but that did not stop people from telling these stories that would continue to reappear in his career from then on.
The mythology presented in the Sgt. Pepper cover
The Beatle’s Sgt. Pepper was another album cover that was used in several different Beatle’s theories and legends. It has a picture of the four band mates in full band attire but they are surrounded by a peculiar crowd. Most of the space on the cover is filled with cut outs of mostly famous people. I am able to recognize a few of these cut outs, including Edgar Allan Poe. Poe was a poet and short story writer whose favorite subjects were the macabre and supernatural. He had an unfortunate life filled with death and despair that lead him to write this stories as well as become and alcoholic and, “Throughout his life those illnesses had interfered with his success as an editor, and had given him a reputation for intemperateness that he scarcely deserved” (Wilson). Another familiar face is that of Bob Dylan. “Bob Dylan's influence on popular music is incalculable. As a songwriter, he pioneered several different schools of pop songwriting, from confessional singer/songwriter to winding, hallucinatory, stream-of-consciousness narratives. As a vocalist, he broke down the notion that a singer must have a conventionally good voice in order to perform, thereby redefining the vocalist's role in popular music. As a musician, he sparked several genres of pop music, including electrified folk-rock and country-rock” (All Media Guide). Marilyn Monroe was also a recognizable feature on the cover. During her life, she was widely successful in modeling and acting and, “She still remains popular today as an icon of sex appeal and beauty” (A&E Television Networks).
Some faces that are not so familiar to me are those of Stuart Sutcliffe, Carl Jung, and Richard Lindner. Stuart Sutcliffe appears off to the side of the crowd on the cover away from the band, but he was actually a former member of the Beatles. Sutcliffe was, “…was a painter and the original electric bass guitarist of The Beatles for fifteen months (May 1960–August 1961). Sutcliffe earned praise for his paintings, which mostly explored a style related to abstract expressionism. Sutcliffe is one of the group of people sometimes referred to as ‘the fifth Beatle’” (Wikipedia). Carl Jung’s work, Kendra Cherry writes, “left a notable impact on psychology. His concepts of introversion and extroversion have contributed to personality psychology and also influenced psychotherapy.” Although some of his work is not held to high standards by all, is impact on psychology is definite. Richard Lindner was a famous German artist who did most of his work in America. “His work has been described by art critics as "mechanistic cubism." Infused with personal imagination, his style has overtones of the "Cabaret-Berlin" culture of the 30's…” (Barewalls Interactive Art Inc.). The Beatle’s Sgt. Pepper’s certainly has a wide rang of people to grace its cover.
***Hey Mr. Kefor. My computer had an internet connection problem the night the assignment was due so I couldn't post it.
The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover
The myth’s and suspicions about the Abby Road cover of the Beatle’s album goes along with the continued rumor that Paul McCartney had actually died and was replaced by a look alike. Many people believed that Paul died in a car accident while the Beatles were at the height of their career. Not wanting to give up their success, the band mates found a Paul look-alike to replace him so no one would know. Massimo Polidoro, author, psychiatrist, and investigator of paranormal actives, writes about the rumored “clues” the band left that pointed to McCartney’s death. On the cover, the four Beatles are walking across a cross walk which fans thought symbolized a funeral procession. Polidoro writes about each member’s supposed symbolic meaning in his article “A Myth that Rocks: The Premature Death of Paul McCartney” in 2005:
“…John Lennon, dressed in white, represented the Church (and white is the traditional color of mourning in many Eastern cultures); Ringo, dressed in black, represented the undertaker. Paul was out of step with the other three Beatles, with his eyes closed and barefoot: in a number of societies, it appears that corpses are buried without their shoes; furthermore, Paul held a cigarette in his right hand, when everybody knew that the real McCartney was left-handed! George Harrison, last in line, was dressed in work clothes and, to many, represented the gravedigger.”
Polidoro also talks about other hidden “clues” such as the license plate that reads “LMW 28IF” which was supposed to mean that if McCartney was still alive, he would be 28 years old. Similar “clues” were found in songs and other album covers. The number of these far fetched “clues” started to actually convince people that he was dead. It wasn’t until Paul made a statement that he was still alive that this legend ended.
Bob Dylan goes electric
By 1965, Bob Dylan had emerged as a popular folk singer. He’s original sound was playing an acoustic guitar and occasionally other “folk-sounding” instruments. On July 25, 1965, Dylan was playing at the Newport Folk festival. He decided to switch his acoustic for and electric guitar and to be backed by a small, just “thrown-together”, electric band. “Previously known as a folk artist, this was Dylan rejecting his acoustic roots and opting for the amped up thrills of rock” (BBC). The BBC also goes on to say that, “The first song Dylan and band played was met with a confused response from the audience. By the time they'd finished a scrappy version of his recent single ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, the grumblings of the audience had turned into booing.” It would appear that the audience was completely taken back by his change and was offended that he did this. Later reports say that the crowd was divided between booing at the electric guitar and booing at the noise because it was so badly performed.
Phil Collins’s “In the Air Tonight”
Phil Collins’s “In the Air Tonight” is a widely popular song that most people are familiar with. Many may also know the stories that go along with it. Although Collins wrote the song metaphorically about his failed marriage, many took the song literally about watching someone drown. Although there are many variations to the story there are two basic ones: Collins himself/another man watched a friend drown without trying to help him when he was younger or it is about how his wife was raped. Both stories gained momentum and people started to say that Collins, “…hired a private detective to find the man, sent him a free ticket to his concert, and premiered the song that night with the spotlight on the man the whole time” (Songfacts). Collins became frustrated with absurd stories and continues to hear the whispers every time he comes to America.
4)Bob Dylan Goes Electric
Bob Dylan was known for his simple acoustics and amazing story telling, so when he made the transition to electric it shocked fans. On July 25th 1965, Dylan played with an electric blues band for the first time. He played only three songs with them and took extremely harsh criticism from the crowd. Dylan was booed while leaving the stage and was bashed for taking a step away from his roots. While at the time Dylan saw this as a failure his ability to fuse folk music and rock n' roll changed music forever.
"Electric Dylan Controversy." Wikipedia. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
5)Tupac Lives
On September 7th 1996 Tupac Shakur took four shots to the chest and abdomen. Shakur went on to die six days later in a Las Vegas hospital. Since the time of his death countless rumors have been started about his life after death. It is said Tupac faked his own death as a publicity stunt. Due to previous shootings Shakur almost always wore a bullet proof vest when out in public but for some reason he was not wearing one the night of the shooting. In a video that was released shortly after Tupac's death he played an angel who was shot while out with a friend. Also in another one of his videos the time on the clock read 4:03 which coincidentally is the exact time of his actual death. In the song "seven day theory" Tupac says "Suge shot me" very softly, Suge Knight was in the car when Tupac was shot.
In reality Tupac is dead and he is not coming back but there are many people who still believe he is still out there.
"Tupac Lives." Http://www.mtv.com/onair/big_urban_myth/birth/index.jhtml?choose=Tupac%20Lives. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
6)
Known
1) Albert Einstein came up with the theory of relativity and encouraged the creation of the atomic bomb.
2)Edgar Allen Poe was known for his ability to create gruesome and bizarre stories.
3)Marilyn Monroe was an American model and actress who was famous mostly for her good looks.
Unknown
1)Tyrone Power was an American actor born in Ohio.
2)Lenny Bruce was an extremely controversial comedian who was known for his crude humor and obscene jokes.
3)Albert Stubbins was an English soccer player whos career was cut short by World War 2
1) Robert Johnson sells his soul to the devil
Robert Johnson started off as any other musician, traveling around, sharing his music with anyone that was willing to listen. Johnson was very influenced by Son House and became friendly with him during his early years. House thought he was nothing more than an average guitar player and song writer. House went on tour and didn't see Johnson for about 3 years. When the two met up again something was very different about Johnson. His musical skills had skyrocketed to legendary status. House was astounded at how quickly Johnson became so good. That's where the stories began to arise. Southern legend has it that if one goes to a crossroads at night they can sell their soul to the devil. Apparently that is exactly what Robert Johnson did. Its said that the devil appeared and tuned Johnson's guitar, when he returned it Johnson was instantly a master.
"Meet Robert Johnson At The Crossroads ( The Devil Legend)." Polyvore.com. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
2)Ozzy Osbourne is considered one of the wildest entertainers of all time. He has had his fair share of shocking moments and incidents. One of his most famous occurred in 1981. Ozzy had just signed his first solo career record deal and was in a meeting with some record company executives. Ozzy brought doves that he was going to release to signify peace but he was horribly intoxicated. He then proceeded to take a dove, bite off the head, and spit it out in front of everyone. The incident is highly controversial but considered a legend none the less.
One year later Ozzy found himself in a case of terrible deja vu. While performing a women through a live bat on stage. Ozzy thought it was rubber and bit the head off. Very shortly after he realized it was far from rubber and had to get a series of rabies shots. While Ozzy's head eating days are long gone, the legend will live forever.
"Ozzy Osbourne." Wikipedia. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
3)Abbey Road Cover
The Abbey Road Cover is what started the "Paul is Dead" controversy. The cover shows the four Beatles walking across Abbey Road. There are a few subtle characteristics that supposedly suggest Paul McCartney is dead. for starters Paul is barefoot which is how people are often buried. The order of the Beatles hints towards a funeral. John is first and dressed all in white which suggests that he is leading the funeral. Next is Ringo who is in all black which suggests he is the undertaker. Then comes Paul who is barefoot and ragged which suggests he is a corpse. Last is George wearing jeans which suggests he is the grave digger. Also Paul is holding a cigarette which is also known as a "coffin nail". Another clue is the taxi behind George. License plate is 28 IF which means Paul would be 28 if he was still alive.
"It Was the Cover of Abbey Road That Started It All!" Http://www.ispauldead.com/552.html. Web. 27 Apr. 2010.
Myth/Legend#4- At the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, popular folk singer Bob Dylan shocked the audience and the world of folk music when he shockingly plugged in a electric guitar. This shocked all of the audience so their automatic response was to boo. When he got on the stage he plugged in his guitar and continued to play three songs. But due to the booing it deeply upset him and he left hysterical. Even though he left upset he remained with folk and went down in history forever as changing the music world.
Myth/Legend#5- The myth I decided to choose was that Elvis Presley and Jim Morrison are still alive and that they have been sighted. Many people have spread ideas and theories that Elvis dresses up and goes undercover because he is still alive and just couldn’t take the fame anymore. Also that Jim Morrison wasn’t dead he was still alive for he same reason and that there was another body in his casket.
Myth/Legend#6-
Known-
* Marilyn Monroe- a film actress and sex symbol. She has been involved in many films such as, There is no business like show business and Some like it hot. Women wanted to be her and men wanted to be with her.
* Dianne Dors- also an actress who is very well known and played in many movies. She had a similar look as to Monroe but completely different in personality.
* Paul McCartney- A Beatle, from England and by being in the most famous rock group became extremely famous and well known. But unfortunately his life ended short in 1966.
Unknown-
* Marlene Dietrich- she was a famous actress and singer in the 50’s. She was in movies like Touch of Evil. She died on stage in Australia while on tour.
* Sir Robert Peel- Prime Minister, He had many historic events in his life to what he gained his notoriety. He made contributions to Europe, which changed history.
* Stan Laurel- He was a well-known comedian. He lived in the US for most of his life and died in CA.
Myth/Legend#1- Robert Johnson, a blues musician, was supposedly to have sold his soul to the devil to be able to do what he loves and play music. Dr. Simon Richter, a professor at University of Pennsylvania, states, “ Johnson displayed uncanny growth in musical skill in a very short amount of time. He had only left Robinsonville for just short of two years(1931-33) and had returned a master of songwriting and the guitar. Rumors began to spread that Johnson had traveled to the crossroads in Mississippi, and in a Faustian sense, had sold his soul to the Devil for musical talent.” He then later said, “His songs seemed to lend truth to the rumors with their frequent hellish references to the devil, hell and the crossroads. The theory was never substantiated by Robert Johnson, unlike his contemporary Tommy Johnson, who explicitly claimed to have signed a deal withe the devil." This brought up a controversially topic now that the idea of the devil was brought up. His musical improvement was outstanding and people had no other place to turn but the devil was their only explanation to what had occurred.
Myth/Legend#2- There are many possible views on this occurrence of Ozzy eating a dove and bat. But the one that I picked up on is that he first wanted to prove to the record company that he wasn’t crazy so he went to them with two white doves and proceeded to bite the head off one and allow the other to live. This caused the record company people to get sick and gag. But the record company refused to fire him because they felt, as it would disappoint the millions of fans that were interested and loved him. So after this occurrence he was on the Bible of a Madman Tour in 1982 and while on stage he bit the back of a bat and then after fainted and was rushed to the hospital.
Myth/Legend#3- This mythology is extremely popular and many people have heard of the theory of Paul McCartney’s premature death. Skeptics believe that there are secret messages also located in some of their songs saying, “Paul is dead”. But the most popular is the Abbey Road Cover, Polidoro says, “This was thought to symbolize a funeral procession: John Lennon, dressed in white, represented the Church (and white is the traditional color of mourning in many Eastern cultures); Ringo, dressed in black, represented the undertaker. Paul was out of step with the other three Beatles, with his eyes closed and barefoot: in a number of societies, it appears that corpses are buried without their shoes; furthermore, Paul held a cigarette in his right hand, when everybody knew that the real McCartney was left-handed! George Harrison, last in line, was dressed in work clothes and, to many, represented the gravedigger.” This is the overall idea and belief on what the Abbey Road Cover.
Legend #4: Bob Dylan, known for his fine playing on the guitar, made a very shocking scene to his fans at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. Six weeks before the festival, Bob began record some electrified music and started to move away from the whole acoustic music. Since his electric album "Like A Rolling Stone" was only released five days before his show in Newport, not many people heard the new music of his and were very shocked to hear what he brought to them. When he took the stage with his Fender Stratocaster and began playing the electrified version of "Maggie's Farm", the audience immediately began yelling and booing at the band until his music was drowned out by them. Many of his fans felt that he betrayed his outlooks on using only the acoustic guitar and also, the sound quality of the electric guitar sounded horrible. This tragic event marked a great change in the folk scene and many believed that it would never be the same due to Bob Dylan.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/7/25?catId=13
Legend #5:
Legend #6: The mythology of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart album has many symbols in it. For example, on the right of the cover, there is a doll dressed in a red, black and white striped shirt holding a white, toy car. The car in his hand symbolizes the car that Paul McCartney died in. Also, the statue Hindu God, Shiva, standing in front of the "T" in "Beatles" is pointing to Paul's name in the yellow flowers. Also, where the Beatles are behind the drum, all of the members are standing sideways and look 3D except for Paul, who is standing straight forward and looks like a cardboard cutout.
http://www.paulisdeadhoax.com/index.php/sgt-peppers-lonely-hearts-club-band/
Legend #1: The legend of Robert Johson selling is soul to the devil has many things behind it. Johnson's legend is that he went to the crossroads at midnight and began playing the guitar at relatively the same tones. He did this so that he could become the best bluesman in the history of blues. When he walked by the crossroads, he ran into the devil. The devil told him he would give him the ability to play the guitar if he sold his soul to him. Johnson agreed on this and the devil then told him to keep playing and playing until his fingers were able to play songs. After this legend went about, Johnson later died and people believed that it was due to "selling his soul to the devil."
Legend #2: Ozzy Osbourne, famous musician who was once in the band Black Sabbath, has done many twisted things that people may have never even thought of doing. After awhile, Sharon helped him start his music career again. At one of Ozzy's shows, she planned for him to release three doves as a sign of peace. Since Ozzy was very intoxicated, when he released the three doves, instead of letting them fly free, he grabbed one of them and bit the head off of it. It was a very disturbing sight and showed no sign of peacefulness like Sharon was aiming for. Also, at one of his concerts, many of his fans brought all different living animals such as cats, frogs, chickens, snakes, etc, and they would throw them up onto the stage with Ozzy. Many of the animals were slaughtered due to Ozzy's demonic stage on state. During the "Bark of the Moon Tour", somebody threw a bat onto the stage and Ozzy grabbed the bat and bit the head off of it, just like he did the dove. Since, this time, it was a wild animal, he was required to get two weeks of rabies shots. Ozzy's twisted mind caused him to do wild, uncalled for acts on the stage.
http://www.av1611.org/rock/ozzy.html
Legend #3: The legend with the Beatle's cover album, "Abbey Road" has many interesting facts behind it. On November 1966, The Beatles were at the Abbey Road studios, where they recorded their music. Paul McCartney left the studio, upset due to an argument he had with his band members. He drove off down and picked up a hitchhiker named Rita, who then somehow caused him to get into a horrible car accident which killed him. Since the Beatles were at the highest popularity of their career, they worried that it would be the end of their career. Instead of coming straight out with Paul's death, they kept it secret and decided to find a lookalike of Paul who could also play his music. Their new singer, William Campbell was able to write very similar music and had the same voice as Paul, too. Once they began getting used to the new guy in the band, the remaining members began feeling guilty. This led them to start putting hints/clue into their music and albums. The main clue of it was the cover, "Abbey Road". The four band members were walking across Abbey Road where John Lennon was dressed in white to symbolize the Church and mourning. Ringo was dressed in black, to symbolize the undertaker. George Harrison was dressed in work clothes to symbolize the gravedigger. Lastly, Paul McCartney was barefoot because when one is buried, they would be barefoot. Also, he was out of step with the other members and was holding his cigarette with his right hand when, in reality McCartney was left-handed. Also, the Volkswagen Beetle shown in the background of Abbey Road, had a license plate that read, "LMW 28IF" which symbolized that McCartney would have been 28 years old now, if he was still alive. All of these symbolization's in this album cover launched many fans to revealing these clues and realizing what the remaining Beatles members were trying to tell everybody.
http://beatlesnumber9.com/dead3.html
#4. Bob Dylan went electric in 1965. At the Newport Festival in July, “Dylan played three songs with a rock backing and unleashed a storm of derision” (Robert Shelton). Bob Dylan’s change in music was so sudden that the crowd booed him and was not happy. He was not expecting this reaction and it left him depressed and shocked. By playing the elctric guitar, Dylan was saying “good-bye to the folk-purist audience” (Shelton).
United States. Shelton, Robert. Dylan goes electric. 18 April 2010.
http://campus.queens.edu/depts/english/dylan_goes_electric_the_newport_.htm
#5. There are many famous myths in music. One of them is that the KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons had a cow’s tongue surgically attached to his own. Facts about this myth are that “Simmons’ tongue is abnormally long, and he has learned to use it in ways that draw abnormal attention to it”. The fact is about this myth is that doctors did not have the experience or idea to attach animal parts to humans then, and a cow’s tongue looks nothing like Simmons’ or any humans.
United States. About.com: Classic Rock. 18 April 2010.
http://classicrock.about.com/od/history/a/rock_myths_2.htm
#6. In the Sgt. Pepper cover, I recognize a few faces. Paul McCartney is one of them. McCartney was a former member of the band the Beatles. Because he was a member of the beatles, he obviously appears on the cover. Another familiar face on the album cover is Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe was very popular and famous for acting. She was also a famous sex symbol in past times. Lastly, a familiar face is Bob Dylan. He was an incredible musician that everyone loved, because his voice was so different.
Although there were faces on the Sgt. Pepper cover that I did recognize, there were some that I did not. This includes Aleister Crowley. Crowley was an occultist and spent most of his time learning witch craft. Also, Marlene Dietrich, who was a famous actress and singer. Lastley, I did not recognize Sonny Liston, a professional heavyweight boxer.
#1.Robert Johnson was a blues musician. According to a legend, Robert Johnson wanted to become a great blues musician. He was told to take his guitar to a crossroad near Dockery Plantation at midnight. “He met a large black man there” (Wikipedia)(the Devil), who took the guitar and tuned it. After, the Devil played a few songs and returned it to Johnson, “giving him mastery of the guitar” (Wikipedia). This was a deal with the Devil, in exchange Robert Johnson was able to create music from which he became famous. Johnson has claimed occasionally that he had sold his soul to the Devil, but it’s not clear if he was serious or not.
United States. Wikipedia. Robert Johnson (musician). 18 April 2010.18 April 2010.
#2. Ozzy Osborne has had many myths said about him. One of these include his taste for doves and bats. In 1981 he bit the head off a live dove during a meeting with Columbia Records executives. A few months later, “a concert-goer in Des Moines tossed what Osborne assumed was a rubber bat onto the stage” (bandbiographies). Osborne discovered only after sinking his teeth into it, that it was real. Ozzy had bit the head off of a real live bat.
United States. Ozzy Osborne Biography. 18 April 2010. http://www.bandbiographies.com/ozzy_osborne/biography.htm.
#3. The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover is that on the cover, John represents the “Preacher (or God), Ringo represents a Pall Bearer (or undertaker), Paul is the Deceased, and George is the Grave Digger” (paulisdeadhoax). Paul’s eyes are closed and he is barefooted, which are both representative of a corpse. “Paul is out of step with the other Beatles - his right foot is forward, the others are leading with their left foot” (paulisdeadhoax). Also, it is said that the ambulance, or a morgue wagon, is parked on the right side of the street and the car in the background is headed directly at Paul. The bug that is parked on the left side of the street, supposedly has a license plate that says “28IF.” Paul McCartney would have been 28 when this album was released. Lastley, the license plate says “LMW” which stands for “Linda McCartney Weeps.”
United States. Abbey Road. 18 April 2010.
http://www.paulisdeadhoax.com/index.php/abbey-road/#
In 1965, there was a music festival in Freebody Park in Newport, Rhode Island. Bob Dylan had been a huge folk artist and had never actually used an electric guitar publically, until July 25th at Newport. He came out dressed in black pants and green shirt, with a Fender Stratocaster in his hands. This idea was a complete failure because they did not practice or actually sound good in general. On the tape that recorded this, there was no booing but yelling. People said it was because of the PA mix and said that Dylan’s voice was also very distorted and disgusting. He kept coming on and offstage after this horrific incident, finally coming out alone asking for a harmonica from someone. A man that yelled ‘Judas’ had said, “I think most of all I was angry that Dylan... not that he'd played electric, but that he'd played electric with a really poor sound system. It was not like it is on the record [the official album]. It was a wall of mush. That, and it seemed like a cavalier performance, a throwaway performance compared with the intensity of the acoustic set earlier on. There were rumblings all around me and the people I was with were making noises and looking at each other. It was a build-up.”
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6085476/50_moments_that_changed_the_history_of_rock__roll_dylan_goes_electric_in_1965/2
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/bob-dylan-how-i-found-the-man-who-shouted-judas-507883.html
Before a European tour in 1973, Rolling Stone’s Keith Richards was said to undergo a treatment to replace his entire drug and alcohol saturated blood with whole new blood. This treatment would have made him pure and clean, and helped with his addiction to drugs and alcohol. He has come clean about it, though, stating that on his way to treat his heroin addiction some Switzerland boys asked him what he was doing, in which he replied “To exchange my blood.” They took this in a wrong way and ended up in a huge myth about Richards. This shows that even a simple comment by an artist can fuel a huge myth.
http://classicrock.about.com/od/history/a/rock_myths_2.htm
Sgt. Pepper Beatles Album:
Known
Karl Marx: Creator of early Communist ideas/invented Marxism.
Marilyn Monroe: Idea of beauty in 60s/70s, actor and model.
Edgar Allen Poe: Dark/depressing writer
Not Known
Oscar Wilde: A writer, and an Irish nationalist
Fred Astaire: Dancer, actor, and choreographer (40s-70s)
Stan Laurel/Oliver Hardy: Comedian Duo
http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/sgtpepper/
Robert Johnson started off with just the harmonica, but soon turned to guitar as an outlet to get out of poverty. He randomly learned how to play guitar like one of the best in such a small time, thus created the rumor that he sold his soul to the devil. The story goes that he went to Mississippi, to a crossroads, and traded his soul for musical talent to the devil. Robert Johnson never actually agreed with the rumors, but a lot of his songs make references to hell, the devil, and the crossroads. This is said to be part of the Hoodoo religion, which uses rituals to summon a hellish creature called Legba at the crossroads. The other, more realistic theory is said that he just practiced a lot and had help from Ike Zinnerman. Tommy Johnson, Robert Johnson’s contemporary, said in a famous quote on how he got so musically talented, "If you want to learn how to make songs yourself, you take your guitar and your go to where the road crosses that way, where a crossroads is. Get there be sure to get there just a little ' fore 12 that night so you know you'll be there. You have your guitar and be playing a piece there by yourself…A big black man will walk up there and take your guitar and he'll tune it. And then he'll play a piece and hand it back to you. That's the way I learned to play anything I want."
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/german/course_webpages/devil/grmn256/rjdeal.html
As Ozzy Osbourne was in Des Moines in a tour called Night of the Living Dead, he often threw pig intestines and calves’ livers at the crowd, so it wasn’t a big deal when people started to throw meat and even a living bat onto stage. When this bat, stunned by the lights, showed up on stage Ozzy thought it was a toy and bit the head off. He said “For a start, my mouth was instantly full of this warm, gloopy liquid, with the worst aftertaste you could ever imagine. I could feel it staining my teeth and running down my chin. Then the head in my mouth twitched.” He doesn’t denounce the rumor, but embraces that it actually happened. CBS also confirmed that he once bit the head off of a dove’s head too. Another rumor that is completely untrue from Ozzy is that he would throw dogs bodies off the stage and not start until the dead carcasses are thrown back on stage.
http://www.rollingstone.com/Mythozzy
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/6209030/Ozzy-Osbourne-describes-biting-head-off-bat.html
The Beatles were the pioneers of Pop rock and in 1969 a huge controversy hit them. It is said that Paul McCartney has been dead since 1966 when he crashed his Aston-Martin on a rainy night after a recording session. After this incident, the band stopped a tour and found an impersonator, it is said. They began slowing hinting towards his death, John Lennon saying “Here another hint for you. The walrus is Paul.” This is a big sign because of the walrus being a symbol for death in Roman mythology. The Abby Roads album really hinted towards it specifically with what they are wearing. “John, dressed in pure white symbolizes the preacher or heavenly body. Ringo, dressed in full black symbolizes the mourner. George, in scruffy denim jeans and shirt symbolizes the gravedigger and Paul, dressed in a shabby, out-dated suit and barefoot symbolizes the corpse.” This describes a funeral possession going on with the death of Paul. There also used to be a “bloodstain” in the original album art.
http://homepages.tesco.net/harbfamily/opd/albumabbey.html
http://www.rollingstone.com/Mythpaul
Robert Johnson was a black man that had moved to a Native American reservation in Washington State. He moved to the reservation because he had some trouble in his life and had to get away. One day when he was driving around he stopped at a crossroads and stood in the center. Everyone in the reservation knows that the devil hangs out at crossroads and that it is possibly a gate to hell. Well, that is where Robert Johnson met the devil and made a deal with him. He wanted to be able to play guitar better than anyone else, so he made a deal with the devil; he sold his soul and in return he would receive the skills to be the best guitarist. The curse that he accepted eventually drove him to kill himself, he played the guitar until his hands bled and could not stop. By killing himself the guitar was left behind and Victor found it and sold his best friends soul for the talent.
At a meeting with a record company, after signing to begin his solo career, Ozzy bit off the head of a dove. The point of the dove was to show peace as they flew away, but Osbourne was so trashed that he bit the head off instead. Another occurrence was the night at one of his own concerts; when Ozzy Osbourne bit off the head of a live bat. Throughout his tour he was biting off the heads of rubber bats because that is what he was known for. Though at this one particular show, a woman threw a real bat right in front of Ozzy on stage. Being stunned by all the flashing lights of the show the bat was stunned. So of course thinking it was fake, Ozzy picked up the bat and bit off its head. Realizing that he was real he was rushed to the nearest hospital and received rabies shots.
Ravo, Nick. "AT TEA WITH: Ozzy Osbourne; Family Man. Fights Fat, Is Good With Kids.(Living Desk)." New York Times 23 Sept. 1992. The New York Times. Web. 15 Apr. 2010.
-Katie Rogers
Robert Johnson:
Legend has it that Robert Johnson, also known as the father of blues music, sold his soul to the devil. In southern myth, people will leave town for the night and go out to the crossroads of a train and sell their soul to the devil. Robert Johnson allegedly did exactly this and sold his soul to the devil so that he might play the guitar better than anyone else. Robert Johnson was well known for excellent guitar playing capabilities and unorthodox chord styles, which many believe to qualify the possibility of his playing ability being unnaturally obtained. Not only this, but in his song Crossroad Blues he does speak of this, which many assume is correct. Personally, I believe that this is ridiculous because I do not believe that the devil exists.
Bluesnet.hub.org
Ozzy Osbourne:
According to a commonly known myth, Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off of a bat at a concert and bit the heads off of doves as well (not on stage of course). Although Ozzy Osbourne is one of the most beloved musicians of the 20th century, what he is most notorious for is not his musical talent but rather his appetite for doves and bats. I do believe that Ozzy definitely bit the head off of a bat at a concert because he mistook it for a rubber one (the ammunition his fans usually used) which required that he be rushed to the hospital afterwards for rabies shots. The doves, however, I find to be a little ridiculous; there are far less witnesses of this because it apparently happened in an office of a record company, leading me to believe that this was made up (though I would not be surprised to be incorrect).
Sing365.com
Abbey Road:
The Abbey Road album cover has sprouted one of the biggest musical conspiracy theories, or perhaps hoaxes, ever. I am speaking; of course, of the Paul is dead theory. Paul McCartney was thought to be dead by thousands of people because of some of the images on the Abbey Road album cover and also by some subliminal messages in songs. On the cover, John Lennon is wearing all white, Ringo Starr is wearing all black, Paul McCartney is wearing no shoes, and George is dressed somewhat normally. Some believe that John represents heaven or god; some believe that Ringo represents Death because of the black. Paul’s lack of shoes is interesting because in Greece, no shoes is a symbol for death. It is believed that Paul died in a car accident and that he was replaced with an identical double at death so as to not jeopardize the band. In my opinion, this is a ridiculous idea which was carefully crafted by The Beatles to be found and believed.
Bob Dylan Goes Electric:
According to this myth, Bob Dylan, a long beloved strictly acoustic folk musician, plugged in and played an electric guitar on stage. After seeing this, fans were insulted by the act and booed him off of the stage. This is one of the more believable myths of the series in my opinion.
Sergeant Peppers Cover:
Some of the people of whom I am familiar on the cover of the Sgt. Peppers album are Bob Dylan, Marilyn Monroe, and Aleister Crowley. Bob Dylan is a well known folk musician and self proclaimed poet whose music is characterized by his very distinctive vocal quality. Marilyn Monroe is one of the most famous ‘adult’ stars in American history covering more Playboy magazines than pretty much anyone. Aleister Crowley is one of the better know masters of the occult and dark arts in recent and distant history, put in the limelight partly by Osbourne’s song Mr. Crowley. Some of the names I am unfamiliar with are Stan Laurel, Richard Lindner, and Lenny Bruce. Stan Laurel was a British comedian and actor well known for his double comedy act Laurel and Hardy. Richard Lindner was a painter from New York City whose paintings had a common theme of supernatural and urbanized beings and heroes. Lenny Bruce was a controversial comedian of the fifties and sixties known for joking about taboos of the time period, Bruce died of an overdose in the bathroom of his own home.
Wikipedia... Yeah...
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