Music Research Seminar: Popular Songs and the Protean Poetics of Songwriters
- When?
- Wednesday 20 March 2013, 16:00
- Where?
- Seedpod (Nodus Building)
- Open to:
- Students, Staff
Song lyrics have been cited by sociologists when illustrating social changes and shifting beliefs, and musicologists when analyzing songs (often heard as secondary to melodies, rhythms, vocal performance and other musical qualities). Rarely has scholarly discussion of song lyrics focused on the creators of lyrics – the songwriters. Despite the apparent ‘death of the author’ which legitimates the critic’s independent interpretation, most discussions of songs, at some point, make reference to the person who created the words and music. In this talk I will focus on the poetic praxis of songwriters and the protean character of lyrics as a way of exploring how understandings of songs are shaped by the craft of songwriting.
Keith Negus, Professor of Musicology, Goldsmiths, University of London entered higher education as a mature student, having spent many years playing keyboards and guitar in a variety of bands. He completed a PhD study of the music industry and subsequently taught at the Universities of Leicester and Puerto Rico before moving to Goldsmiths. His books include Producing Pop (1992), Music Genres and Corporate Cultures (1999), and Bob Dylan (2008).