Describing the Jackson 5, “ABC” watch the video of the Jackson 5 singing ABC. write a 300–400 word musical description of the song Below are several questions that I would like you to answer briefly

Please write in full sentences and write more creatively than just providing simple answers. Begin the essay with an introductory sentence or paragraph and finish with a concluding sentence or paragraph.

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Melody

• Would you say the melody of this song uses conjunct or disjunct motion? Are there repeated notes in the melody? Do the verses and chorus have the same melody or different melodies?

Rhythm

• Tap your foot to the basic pulse (watch the way the Jackson’s move if you need help finding the pulse). Do the natural accents of this pulse follow patterns of 2 or 4 (duple rhythmic patterns) or patterns of 3 (triple rhythmic patterns)? Do you hear syncopation in the song?

Harmony

• Listen to the bass line and the harmonic pattern. Is the harmonic pattern the same for the chorus and the verses?

Texture

• Do you think the texture of the song is monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic? Using the descriptions in your textbook, explain your choice.

Dynamics

• Using the dynamics listed in your textbook, how would you classify the dynamics of the song? Do the dynamics change during the song or stay mostly constant?

Form

• How many verses and/or choruses are there in the recording?
• How are the terms repetition, contrast, and variation apparent in the song? (see p. 26 in your textbook)

Instrumentation

• What instruments are used for the performance? How many voices are singing?

History (this will require a tiny amount of research – please acknowledge your sources and please use something other than wikipedia. SongFacts.com is a good site to consider).

• When did this song first become popular?
• Who wrote the song?

Lyrics

• http://www.songlyrics.com/jackson–5/abc-lyrics/