THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN UGS 302 Songwriting: Following in the Footsteps of Texas Legends Fall 2013 POLICY STATEMENT AND SYLLABUS Instruction Professor Moore [email protected] Office: ETC 5.140 (512)471-4478 Office hours: Thursday 10:30 – 1:30 or by appointment Teaching Assistant Sarah Kobetis [email protected] Office: Sutton Graduate Student Lounge Office hours: Monday 2 -- 4 Song is an art form that engages the mind, body, and creative spirit of listeners as well as musicians. Texas songwriters such as Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Nanci Griffith have written songs on their own terms rather than shape their art to fit the demands of Nashville, New York, or Los Angeles. Outside the mainstream of country or popular music, this unique community of artists is a wellspring of originality and creativity. This course allows you not only to study that group, but also to join it as songwriters yourselves. The course will follow two primary tracks. The first will involve analysis and study of songs by Texas songwriters. The second track will work like a creative writing workshop with students writing songs and critiquing each other's songs. The objectives of the class are to • analyze and do close readings of songs; • find and use credible sources for academic research; • learn the tools that songwriters use to craft songs; and • write and revise two original songs. Texts Required: Pattison, Pat. (2009) Writing Better Lyrics. Writers Digest Books: Cincinnati, OH. (You need to order this book on Amazon.com.) Recommended: Strunk, W., Jr. (1999). The Elements of Style. (Original work published 1918) Retrieved from http://www.bartleby.com/141/. Other readings will be handed out in class or posted on Blackboard. Listening List 1. Townes Van Zandt Live at the Old Quarter 2. Selected songs compiled by instructor (see attached list). You will be able to listen to the songs on Spotify, but you can also try to find them on YouTube and may benefit from finding different performances of the same song. You are responsible for listening to each song and reading the lyrics which are posted on Blackboard. 1 ATTENDANCE Attendance is required. If you miss more than 3 classes without a medical excuse, your grade in the class may be lowered. OUTSIDE EVENTS University Lectures All Signature Course students are required to attend a lecture on campus. This requirement gives first-year students an opportunity to interact with leading members of our institution — scholars, scientists, artists, and civic leaders who are nationally and internationally renowned. To fulfill this requirement we will attend the following lecture in Hogg Auditorium on Wednesday, October 2 at 7 p.m. as a class: In the Creative Mind, Dean Young, Tom Staley, Mike Starbird, Gems of the University The University of Texas has a wide array of world-class resources, such as the Harry Ransom Center and the Blanton Museum, available to students. One goal of the Signature Course program is to introduce first-year students to the wealth of resources available to them. In this course we will tour the Blanton Museum. In addition you are required to attend a musical performance on campus. I recommend attending a performance at the Cactus Café (http://cactuscafe.org/) which is one of the most valuable gems the University has to offer and has provided a stage for the best songwriters in the state. Communication Assignments The course will include the writing assignments described below: 1. Homework/in-class exercises/informal assignments/peer critiques/reading tests. 2. Essay analyzing a song on the listening list. 3. A research analysis of a trend, movement, or genre in Texas music and significant songs within that trend, movement, or genre. 4. Song portfolio. The portfolio will include the following two original songs. Each song will be submitted (this means performing or playing a recording and posting lyric sheets) while it's in process to the class for feedback and will then be revised. The second of these will be co-written with another student in the class. The portfolio, which will include pre- writing exercises, the first draft, revisions, and a recording of each song, will be graded on the basis of how seriously students have taken the task of revising their songs and how much they have improved. GRADING Your course grade will be based on an average of your grades on written assignments and oral presentations. To pass the course, you must submit all major assignments before semester's end. I will not give any incompletes. Final course grades will be weighted as follows: Homework/Exercises/Peer Critiques/Reading Tests 20% Essay Analyzing Song 25% Research Analysis 20% Songwriting Portfolio 35% 2 CELL PHONES AND COMPUTERS Two rules concerning the technology enriches our lives: 1. Turn your cell phones off in class. 2. Turn the computer off if you are not using it to take notes or use it for a specific in-class assignment. I know it’s tempting to check your email, do a little social networking, and just keep up your multi-tasking skills, but please turn the computers off unless we’re doing a writing or research activity involving computers. PLAGIARISM In all academic work you must acknowledge any source you quote, paraphrase, or summarize, and any work you do on an assignment must be your own or your team’s. In songwriting, the legal issues are even thornier. Plagiarism can result in a failing grade for the course and a report to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. For more on UT’s policy on scholastic dishonesty, please see http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis.php. SPECIAL NOTE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The University of Texas provides upon request appropriate academic adjustments for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471- 4641 TDD or the College of Engineering Director of Students with Disabilities at 471-4321. RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS If you observe a religious holy day that conflicts with class, you will be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence. It is the policy of The University of Texas at Austin that you must notify each of your instructors at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates you will be absent to observe a religious holy day. CONFERENCES I will hold office hours every week. If the scheduled times are inconvenient, please ask me for an appointment. You should make time to meet with me to discuss any concerns you have about the course in general or about a particular assignment. 3 UGS 302 Songwriting: Listening List 1. Blue Yodel (T for Texas) Jimmie Rogers 2. Waiting for a Train Jimmie Rogers 3. Texas, 1947 Guy Clark 4. Georgia on a Fast Train Billy Joe Shaver 5. Desperados Waiting for a Train Guy Clark 6. Boxcars Butch Hancock 7. Cotton Lightnin Hopkins 8. Jesus Was Our Savior Billy Joe Shaver 9. Baby, Please Don’t Go Lightnin Hopkins 10. Texas Trilogy: Bosque County Romance Steve Fromholtz 11. Love at the Five and Dime Nanci Griffith 12. San Antonio Rose Bob Wills 13. Dallas Jimmie Dale Gilmore 14. Levelland James McMurtry 15. Wide Open Spaces Susan Gibson 16. Corpus Christi Bay Robert Earl Keen 17. Gallo del Cielo Tom Russell 18. The West Side of Town Tish Hinojosa 19. El Coyote Noel McKay/Guy Clark 20. London Homesick Blues Gary P Nunn 21. The Road Goes On Forever Robert Earl Keen 22. If I Had A Pony Lyle Lovett 23. Mr. Bojangles Jerry Jeff Walker 24. Heal Yourself Ruthie Foster 25. Feeling Good Again Robert Earl Keen 26. Oh, Pretty Woman Roy Orbison 27. Love Me Like a Song Kimmie Rhodes 28. I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal Billy Joe Shaver 29. Chantilly Lace J.P. Richardson 30. Daddy Said Nanci Griffith 31. Mama Said Ruthie Foster 32. Company of Friends Danny Schmidt 33. If I Were the Man You Wanted Lyle Lovett 34. She's About a Mover Doug Sahm 35. That'll Be the Day Buddy Holly 36. Just a Wave Not the Water Butch Hancock 37. Crazy Willie Nelson 38. You Don't Know Me Cindy Walker 39. The Box Brennen Leigh 40. Hello Walls Willie Nelson 41. The Other Texas David Rodriguez 42. When I Heard Gypsy Davy Sing Carrie Rodriguez 43. Somedays You Write the Song Guy Clark 44. Beat the Devil Kris Kristofferson 45. Live Forever Billy Joe Shaver 4 SCHEDULE Day Focus Prepare for class Assignments due 1 WED Introductions Major assignment due dates are listed 8/28 below. Some homework assignments and exercises are listed. Others will be announced as the semester goes on. 2 MON Labor Day No Class 9/2 WED Analyzing songs: Listen to TVanZandt “Live at the Old HW due:1-pg analysis of song that 9/4 criteria of evaluation Quarter” (TVZ). had a powerful effect on you. Post lyrics to your song on BB by 5 p.m. Sun., 9/1. Before Wed. review songs posted by other students. Posting and reading lyrics is required. 3 MON Analyzing songs Read Didion “Why I Write” HW: Listen to Pancho and Lefty and 9/9 Read handout on song structure. read lyrics. Write a 1-page response *Listen to and read lyrics of songs to the song. 1 - 20 from the song list. WED Analyzing songs: Listen to and read lyrics of songs 21 - Reading quiz over songlist and TVZ 9/11 Structure and Rhyme 45 from the song list. “Live at the Old Quarter” 4 MON Analyzing songs: Read Ch 1 – 3 Writing Better Lyrics HW: Choose 2 songs from the list 9/16 Metaphors and (WBL) and fill out structure worksheet on Imagery each one.