“Layla”

Artist: Eric Clapton with Derek and the Dominos feat. Duane Allman on guitar

Album: Layla and Other Assorted Lone Songs

What'll you do when you get lonely

And nobody's waiting by your side?

You've been running and hiding much too long.

You know it's just your foolish pride.

Layla, you've got me on my knees.

Layla, I'm begging, darling please.

Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind.

I tried to give you consolation

When your old man had let you down.

Like a fool, I fell in love with you,

Turned my whole world upside down.

Chorus

Let's make the best of the situation

Before I finally go insane.

Please don't say we'll never find a way

And tell me all my love's in vain.

Chorus

Chorus

Myth and Legend in Music

Myth and Legend #1: Robert Johnson sells his soul to the devil

The question whether or not Robert Johnson truly sold his soul to the devil crosses everyone's mind at one point or another in time. As one may find, there is barely any information regarding this subject anywhere, including libraries and online websites. The only information is brought forth through the tall tales that are told about him. It is said that a young Robert Johnson was scolded and ridiculed by Son House in an old juke joint. He went out to a crossroads just south of Rosedale and meets a man, presumably the devil. The man's dog howls and Johnson states he wants that sound; the man says the cost is his soul and so, Johnson sells his soul to become the greatest guitar player; he had wanted to become the King of Delta Blues. Then, he suddenly disappeared for a long period of time and when he returned, “his genius flourished with his guitar” (Scott). Another source claims that Johnson that the idea that Johnson was able to write the lyrics to his songs without being initiated into a cult and practicing forms of voodoo is almost impossible. They believe that the symbolism in them is highly complex and from a nature that make it improbable that Johnson had just picked it all up. Also, when Johnson lost his wife in childbirth, it is believed that he used voodoo and music as a toll for Johnson to find himself and gain control of his life once again. In order to do this, Johnson sought out a root doctor (medicine doctor for voodoo) and he learned to channel human energy through his guitar just as people channel the spirit thought their body. These claims about Johnson are from within the works of David Scott. However, as stated before, there is not hard evidence to prove any of these hypotheses.

Myth and Legend #2: Ozzy Osbourne's taste for doves and bats

While participating in the band The Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne had been known to throw the insides of animals out at the crowd. While in Des Moines, on stage in front of 5,000 or so fans (witnesses), Ozzy Osbourne dined on a bat's head, which had been thrown up on stage by a fed up fan; it became known as the “chomp heard 'round the world”. The fan's brother had brought home a bat from school, alive. Two weeks later, it had failed as a house pet. The fan's friends, aware of Osbourne's carnivorous reputation, convinced him to put the dead bat into a bag and tuck it into his coat for the concert. Assuming the bat was dead, Osbourne bit the head and was soon rushed to the hospital to receive rabies vaccinations. The bat-biting incident was born of a rare mix of calculation and coincidence. Osbourne claims the questions from people about it will forever haunt him until his death and then they will dig him up and ask again. His antics led to the prohibition of performers from using, presenting, or in any way using animal parts as part of a show. The issue with the dove was Osbourne had bitten the head off a dove to get a rise out of already horrified record-company executive at CBS studios. He had carried in two or three doves into the studio and threw them up for a show and continued the act by biting the head off of one of them. Prior to the meeting, Osbourne had been drinking. These series of obscene antics were characterized by Osbourne's prior issue with drugs and drinking.

Myth and Legend #3: The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover

It all began when a DJ in Detroit received a phone call from a man named “Tom”, claiming that the Beatles record contained hidden clues suggesting that McCartney had actually died. The conspiracy revolved around the theory that Paul had been decapitated during a car accident cause by a hitchhiker that he had picked up alongside the road on which he was driving. It is said that he had just left Abbey Road studios in London, finishing recording their new album, after a heated argument with the other band members. With his death, a huge problem arose for the band: they were at their peak of their career and this loss would mean the end of the member's careers as they knew it. To avoid this catastrophe, they hired a look alike named William Campbell, who had previously won a look alike contest the band had held. It did not hurt to assume he could write songs like McCartney and have the same voice. This new impostor would explain the band's sudden termination of touring in 1966 and the start of growing mustaches. It would have been easy to spot Campbell on stage and it all needed a disguise. The guilt of the remaining original members led them to put in hints to the actual occurrence. The band' s album cover contained these hints. The men walk in a single file line, symbolizing a funeral procession. John Lennon, dressed in white, symbolized a church in front. Ringo, dressed in black, symbolized the undertaker. McCartney was out of sync with other guys, barefoot, and with his eyes closed; this, in some cultures, represented a walking corpse. Also, he held a cigarette in his right hand when he was known to be left-handed. And finally, Harrison was last, dressed in work clothes, symbolizing the gravedigger. Also, in the buggy in the back, the plate said “LMW 28IF”, representing that if Paul was really alive, he would have been 28 years old. However, none of these speculations have been proven correct.

Myth and Legend #4: Bob Dylan goes electric

Bob Dylan, who had been notoriously known for his folk music from the beginning of 1965, took the stage at the Newport Folk Festival with everything but folk music in mind. A crowd with nearly 100,000 fans of Dylan waited anxiously as he approached the stage for his performance. Bob Dylan plugged in his electric guitar, an action that would “alter the landscape of American popular music for generations to come.” (Righthand) He had entered a realm of music, rock 'n roll, that had been known as commercial and mainstream by his bohemian fans. They booed and cried for the old Dylan to return to the stage. By playing his new music from his new album Bringing It All Back Home, he lost Dylan unfortunately lost the support of fans who had come to love him while simultaneously paving the way and opening the floodgates to his career as a rock idle. At this performance, Dylan had only time to perform a few songs before he left the stage; he came back soon to play a few songs with his acoustic to please the crowd. The controversy was over a man named Pete Seeger, who was allegedly back stage, running around with an ax, attempting to cut the wires for the stage sound; However, all accusations were denied.

Myth and Legend #5: Research your own and choose your favorite

There is a legend that Keith Richards, a member of Rolling Stones, had his blood replaced. It is said that prior to a 1973 European tour, Keith Richards went to Switzerland to have his blood removed and have it replaced with a supply that was devoid of drugs and alcohol. However, there are sources proving this wrong. They cry that he did have a procedure to remove blood impurities, but it was far from a blood replacement. Richards does admit that he got tired of answering question and made up the story himself.

Myth and Legend #6: The mythology presented in the Sgt. Pepper cover

The album cover for the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album is simply unique. This was the first album that the bad recorded after McCartney's supposed demise. It was one of the most influential in music history. The cover showed all four band members dressed in band uniforms, gathered around the bass drum bearing the album's title, and there is crowd surrounding them of cut out people. The spectators resembled mourners at a funeral (presumably McCartney's), while the yellow flowers in front not only spelled out the name “The Beatles”, but also set of yellow hyacinths formed the shape of a left-handed bass guitar player, McCartney's instrument. Paul had a right hand over his head, symbolizing death in some cultures. The other band members bright, golden instruments and Paul held a clarinet, also a sign of mourning. A doll wore a Rolling Stone shirt and a model car was on her pants, presumably symbolizing the Aston Martin that McCartney had supposedly crashed. If held perpendicular to a mirror, the words “Lonely Hearts” gives a message: “I ONE IX HE ‡ DIE”. “I ONE IX”. The he is Paul and it refers to his death. The Sgt. Pepper uniforms they wore have clues as well and appear on the back cover. Paul's has OPD, standing for “Officially Pronounced Dead.” Finally, George's thumbs point to the song “She's Leaving Home”, which references the day of the accident. The three recognizable people are: Edgar Allan Poe, a writer, Marilyn Monroe, an actress, and Shirley Temple, child actress. The three unrecognizable are: Marlene Dietrich, Lenny Bruce, and Aldous Huxley.

Works Cited

1. Myth and Legend #1

Scotese, David W. Did Robert Johnson sell his soul at the crossroads? Mudcat Cafe, 1997. Web.

21, Mar. 2011.

2. Myth and Legend #2

Munson, Kyle. “Ozzy left his mark.” Des Moines Register, A Gannett Company. n.d. Web.

21, Mar. 2011.

3.Myth and Legend #3

Polidoro, Massimo. “A Myth that Rocks: The Premature Death of Paul McCartney.” Live Science,

Live Science. 2005. Web. 21, Mar. 2011.

4.Myth and Legend #4

Righthand, Jess. “Dylan Goes Electric at the Newport Folk Festival.” Around the Mall, The

Smithsonian. 2010. Web. 21, Mar. 2011.

5.Myth and Legend #5

White, Dave. “Top Ten Music Myths.” Classic Rock, About.com. 2010. Web. 21, Mar. 2011.

6.Myth and Legend #6

Polidoro, Massimo. “A Myth that Rocks: The Premature Death of Paul McCartney.” Live Science,

Live Science. 2005. Web. 21, Mar. 2011.

Song Analysis One Writing

          Southern music, mainly speaking in blues and rock, can be embodied with the image of a creature such as that of a blue devil. Characterized by saddness and melancholy, the blue devil brings about the fears and emotions of horrible, heartbreaking happenings, just as loss of love. A depressed mood surrounds this blue devil. Using creative storytelling and figuratve language, artists within this straightforward genre focus on strongly appealing to their audience's emotions. They paint pictures of heartbreak, sad stories, and deep feelings of despondence and meaning. The Allman Brothers Band sing lyrics that mean exactly as they appear. They have no underlying theme or tone; it is evident from the beginning what they intend to indugle in. But, they uniquely use poetic articulation to emphasize their diction and syntax. A particular song of theirs tells a story of a man who has been played by a woman whom he loved; she tore him down, made him feel so horrible he felt like he was being tied up and whipped. In the song “Whipping Post”, the Allman Brothers Band incorporates the use of a strong, metaphorical simile as the situational narrative's backbone and embellish it with evocative hyperboles and apostrophe to evoke the emotional and empathetic feelings behind unrequited love.

          The Allman Brothers Band writes songs that tell their audience a story. Their point in song writing is not to delve into the poetic aspect of music, but to get their audience to listen to a message or tale; it is all situational. But, the band's songwriting technique involves using particular devices to build a song around and give it more depth. The entirety of the song “Whipping Post” is a very straightforward, exemplary example of this such technique. This man, the narrator of the song, has been publicly humiliated by a woman, who has scrutinized, belittled, and cheated on him. The foundation of this song lies around the chorus of the song: “Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel/Like I been tied to the whipping post,/tied to the whipping,/tied to the whipping post,/Good Lord I feel like I'm dyin'.” (Stanza 2/Lines 6-10) This metaphoric simile ties into the title of the song. The whole idea is that this man feels as though he has been publicly humiliated and torn apart, as if he were on a whipping post which was used back in time as town punishment, similar to a guilotine. These lines are alluding to and insinuating intense emotions, which give the song depth and a concrete expression of abstract feelings and ideas. The use of comparison is more of an artistic likening and is done for a particular effect and emphasis on a particular desired point, which is exactly how it is utilized in this song. The similes are simple; he explains he feels like he's dying and tied to a whipping post; again, very straightforward. The metaphor is much more subtle, but it is still present. The whipping post, in the narrator's mind, represents somethings deeper than just a post; it is a compiled group of emotions that he is feeling right now and they are all tearing him apart with nothing more than pain. Although the point of the song is to focus on the story and the cascading emotions and not the poetic merit, the metaphoric simile by which the song is built is a powerful component to this song's making.

          With the use of hyperboles and apostrophe, the songwriters were able to embellish their song and tie the story together. Hyperboles deliberately exaggerate conditions for emphasis or effect, and in this case they represent both. It is carefully restricted, but has enough range to evoke emotion and to stick with the audience in order to build a message. To explain his feelings, the narrator says “drown myself in sorrow.” (Stanza3/Line13) He is so full of emotion and cannot get away from it; the only way out that he sees is to drown in despondency. While ejecting how the bad times stay the same he says “I can't run.” (Stanze 3/Line15) He wants to get away, he wants to move on and find happiness, but nothing for him is changing. Time is frozen and although he does not literally mean his legs do not properly work for him to run, he can not seem to get time to continue in order to refind something worth living and loving for. Apostrophe directly addresses a person or personified thing, either present or absent. The main purpose here is to give vent to and display intense emotion, which can no longer be held back. It gives the narrator's story more than just the words. In Stanze 3, the narator directly addresses his love, by calling her “baby” (Stanze3/Line 12) and saying “what you've done.” (Stanza3/Line13) He can not hold what he feels back anymore. He looks like a fool and by addressing this woman, it gives him some relief from his pain by telling her this is what she has done. It lets her know he knows what is going on and he is not letting her get away with it. But, on the flip side, he talks God when he says “Good lord, I feel like I'm dying” (Chorus/Line 5) The narrator is crying out in pain and he utilizes this phrase in two ways. One way, it is a phrase in which he expresses the level of his pain and at this point, he's at his peak. The second way is in which he calls out to God for help of some sort; he is letting God know he is coming, but is not ready and is looking for a light, anything now, to help bring him back.

          The Allman Brothers Band achieved an intense challenge with writing “Whipping Post.” They are notable for their situational narratives throughout their music and focus on evoking certain emotions in their audience. They structure their idea around one or two, maybe, poetic tools and decorate it with a few others. Also, creatively, the songwriters wrote this song in a very unique manner. Each stanza is exactly five lines long, no more and no less. Whether this has something to do with the story is a mystery. But, it does add an effect of awe and perplexity to the song. This song is about an unreturned love and its profound emotions that follow. Styllistically, the music that coexists with these lyrics also tells the story. There is a specific use of repetition and chord changes to create the mood depending on the part of the song that is being sung; it is quite different for each stanza. It has a pounding beat that pushes the emotions to a higher level of existence. And the dueling guitars are fighting with each other, metaphoric for a quarreling couple; however, there is never a winner, just a never-ending and exhausting push and shove dissension.The lyrics in correspondence with the musical aspect of the song create something worth remembering and leaves the audience with a lasting impression.