MUSC-21600: The Art of Rock Music Prof. Freeze

Hold On (2012) Shakes

LISTEN FOR • Southern soul groove • Bluesy and distorted guitar sounds • Electronic noise of modern indie rock • Powerful vocals with vintage microphone • Song’s harmonic stasis animated by slow textural accumulation

CREATION Songwriters Zac Cockrell, Heath Fogg, Brittany Howard, Steve Johnson Album Boys and Girls Label ATO 0142 Musicians Brittany Howard (lead vocals, guitar), Heath Fogg (guitar, backing vocals), Zac Cockrell (bass guitar), Steve Johnson (drums, percussion, backing vocals) Producer , Adrija Tokic Recording 2011; stereo Charts Pop 93; Album 6

MUSIC Genre Alternative southern rock Form Compound AABA with partial reprise The song is based on consistent two-bar units throughout. There are few chord changes, which provides a static harmonic nature. Key C major Meter 4/4

MUSC-21600 Listening Guide Freeze “Hold On” (Alabama Shakes, 2012)

LISTENING GUIDE Time Form Lyric Cue Listen For 0:00 Intro (10) • Two measures of solo drums are followed by two repetitions of a persistent, four- measure guitar riff (with rhythm guitar and bass) that is used throughout the song under verse sections. 0:28 A1 Verse 1 (8) “Bless my heart” • The vocals enter and are affected slightly by a vintage microphone sound that gives them an old-fashioned type of distortion. 0:50 Chorus (8) “You got to hold on” • The guitar plays a new figure that also is used for subsequent chorus sections. 1:12 A2 Verse 2 (8) “So, bless my heart” • Notice how the intensity of the melody increases throughout each verse section. 1:33 Chorus (8) “You got to hold on” • As before. 1:54 B Bridge (8) “Yeah, you got to wait” • The sound field becomes very dense during the bridge, which allows for a dramatic return to the next verse section. 2:15 A3 Verse 3 (8) “So, bless my heart” • A piano is audible for the first time during this verse (2:27). 2:37 Chorus (8) “You got to hold on” • A new droning and distorted guitar is now present at the bottom of this chorus. 3:03 B Bridge (8) “You got to wait” • The distortion is now more audible as it explores higher registers. 3:18 A4 Chorus (12) “You got to hold on” • Only the guitar and bass remain, exposing the vocals and distortion, and releasing the tension that had built up. The tempo slows as the song comes to an end.

2 MUSC-21600 Listening Guide Freeze “Hold On” (Alabama Shakes, 2012)

LYRICS Bless my heart, bless my soul. So, bless my heart and bless my mind. Didn’t think I’d make it to 22 years old. I got so much to do, I ain’t got much time There must be someone up above sayin’, So, must be someone up above saying, “Come on, Brittany, you got to come on up. “Come on, girl! Yeah, you got to up!

You got to hold on... You got to hold on... Hey, you got to hold on...” Yeah, you got to hold on...”

So, bless my heart and bless yours too. “Yeah! You got to wait!” I don’t know where I’m gonna go I don’t wanna wait! Don’t know what I’m gonna do. But I don’t wanna wait! There must be somebody up above sayin’, No, I don’t wanna wait! “Come on, Brittany, you got to come on now! You got to hold on... You got to hold on... You got to hold on... Hey, you got to hold on...” You got to hold on... You got to hold on... “Yeah! You got to wait! Yeah! You got to wait!” But I don’t wanna wait! No, I don’t wanna wait...

SOURCES • John Covach and Andrew Flory, What’s That Sound, 4th ed. (New York: W. W. Norton, 2015), 569.

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