In 1980, Talking Heads along with producer Brian Eno, released the song “Once In a Lifetime” to moderate success. With the advent of MTV a year later, the song became wildly popular as a meditative poem to the American middle class. Music vlogger Polyphonic recounts the its appropriately weird history, noting that the whole series…
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How the Timeless Mythology of J.R.R. Tolkien Inspired Progressive Rock Bands of the 1970s
Music writer and vlogger Polyphonic takes a look at how Led Zeppelin and the subsequent progressive rock bands of the 1970s such as Rush and Genesis, incorporated the timeless mythology of J.R.R. Tolkien into the lyrics of their storytelling songs. Polyphonic posits that musicians on the road feel a particular kinship with those from Middle…
The Emotional Difference Between Bruce Springsteen’s Albums ‘Born To Run’ & ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’
Music writer Polyphonic, who creates informative video essays on an ongoing basis takes a rather insightful look at the emotional difference between Bruce Springsteen’s albums Born To Run (1975) and Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978). Polyphonic notes that several upsetting events occurred in the three years in between the albums, and that growing…
The Profound Effect Transgender Artists Have on Music
Music essayist Noah LeFevre of Polyphonic takes a look at the wonderful history of transgender artists in popular music. He notes the profound effect they’ve had over the years, the courage it took to perform in the earlier years and the fluidity of gender roles in rock. He also takes a look at transgender artists…
How the Song ‘American Pie’ Reflected the Drastic Changes in American Culture From 1959 to 1971
In a brilliantly detailed analysis, the knowledgeable music essayist Polyphonic (previously) took a deep dive into the iconic 1971 Don Mclean song “American Pie” and how it reflected the drastic change in American culture over a decade. Using the song as a timeline, the narrator examined the background events happening with each verse, deconstructing the…
A Lively Visual Classical Music Mashup Featuring 70 Different Songs From Wide Range of Composers
Musician and producer Grant Woolard who composed a brilliant classical music mashup in 2016 that featured 57 Popular Songs by 33 Composers. Woolard then followed up in 2017 with part II, which featured 52 Popular Songs by 31 Different Composers. Now, in 2019, Woolard has arranged a third part to his magnificent series with a…
How Jack White’s Love for the Number Three Shows Up in Various Aesthetic and Musical Aspects of His Career
Music essayist Noah Lefevre of Polyphonic takes a tertiary look at musician Jack White and his obsession with the number three. In doing so, Lefevre points to solid examples that show how White incorporated the number into his career, both aesthetically and musically. These examples include Third Man Records, songs with three chords (1-4-5), song…
How the Mythological Tale of Orpheus and Eurydice Has Been Reinterpreted Through Music
YouTuber Polyphonic, who creates incredibly informative video essays about music took a historical look at the classic mythological tale of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, noting how that very same story has been interpreted very differently by artists throughout the ages. It’s easy to see why contemporary musicians have latched on to this myth. The tragedy…
