Narrative Theory as an Analytical Tool in the Study of Popular Music Texts

Bibliographic Data

ID7929028
AuthorsDavid Nicholls (0000-0003-4041-274X, University of Southampton, corresponding author), D Nicholl
Year2007
Volume88
Issue2
Pages297-315
Publication date2007-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMusic and Letters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0027-4224 • E-ISSN: 1477-4631
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/ml/gcm006
OpenAlexW2004273420
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited3

Narrative theory and popular music are not the most obvious of bedfellows: the former lends itself primarily to the elaboration (or analysis) of extended narrative structures, while the latter tends to manifest itself in three- to four-minute songs describing essentially static cameos, vignettes, or states of mind. That popular music texts may nevertheless contain elements of narration is hardly in doubt, however, as is shown by such songs as The Beatles’ ‘Norwegian Wood’ (1968), Kate Bush's ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1978), or The Buggles’ ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ (1979). But narrative structures truly come into their own at the point where albums begin to function as significant units of music organization. Referring primarily to Genesis's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) and The Who's Quadrophenia (1973), this article explores the ways in which music, lyrics, prose, art work, and other elements can be used to create and describe both single and multiple narratives.

Art · Literature · Media studies · Music theory · Narrative · Narratology · Popular music · Sociology · Digital Humanities and Scholarship · Musicology and Musical Analysis · Narrative Theory and Analysis

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