Blue Yodel No. 2

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 I chose to analyze "Blue Yodel No. 2", performed by Jimmie Rodgers, this week. This song is a hillbilly or country song that is evidently influenced by the blues. This makes the song's tone and sound slightly sad. But for me, this type of a sound is nostalgic because my favorite teacher in high school would sing and play songs like this one on the guitar for us sometimes. All of the songs he sang and played were similar to "Blue Yodel No. 2". I think that the 'hillbilly' style of music was one of my teacher's favorites. It's one of my favorites too because most songs like this are ballads, or in other words, they tell stories. Another aspect of 'hillbilly' music that I love is the way the sound of the guitar and banjo accompany the singer who is telling a story. To me, this really helps establish the tone and helps frame the story the singer is singing. 

With that said, "Blue Yodel No. 2" is sung from the perspective of someone sitting inside a jail cell and reflecting on his misfortunes. To me, the guitar playing helps create the impression that he is down on his luck and trying to make the best out of his situation by singing.

Comments

  1. Alena AverettFebruary 10, 2021 at 12:03 PM

    I liked that you didn't just say it was a ballad and leave it there, but you sort of went into the story that was being told. I also really liked how you made a personal connection with this song/ style of music, which is something that I love doing with the songs I enjoy listing to.

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