Hi friend!
Elvis, right? He doesn't quite need an introduction. Growing up, Elvis wasn't someone I particularly sought to listen to.
My gramps listened to him often, so Elvis absolutely brings a nostalgic, comforting feeling to me.
This song was featured in the 1960 film, G.I. Blues starring Elvis himself.
When I heard this dreamy song for the first time, it was all over for me.
I was in love.
"I don't worry
Whenever skies are gray above
Got a pocketful of rainbows
Got a heart full of love."
Check out Pocketful of Rainbows for yourself below!
Pocketful of Rainbows remains the same dynamic level throughout the song at a moderately quiet level (mezzo-piano). Elvis does take advantage of using accents throughout this song while hitting some notes harder for emphasis. I think the steadiness of this song is what makes it so sweet and really takes advantage of Elvis' dynamic abilities.
Timbre:
This song gives you a super laid back feeling throughout, almost like a daydream. Elvis is known for his deep, baritone-tenor vocal range. Elvis also uses a lot of vocal vibrato in this song that warms it up. Elvis' voice provides such a strong feeling that you feel smitten with him while listening.
Rhythm:
This song, from what I believe to be, is in a quadruple meter that you can follow a bit in the sheet music provided above. The tempo remains steady through the entire song (andante). The bass in the back uses the strong, weak, medium, weak pulse. In the beginning you can hear quite a bit of "syncopation," which is an off the beat accent which carries throughout the song and provides a bit of drama to the simple song. It creates a whimsical feeling.
Melody:
The melody of Pocketful of Rainbows is conjunct as it is described as smooth sounding. This song was also done in a minor scale. Elvis' voice goes through many different tones throughout the song, I'm not sure if that is considered a chromatic tone scale, but it sounds a lot like it.
Harmony:
This song provides consonant chords that has a smooth-sounding harmonic combination. Elvis voice, piano, bass, percussion and harmonica all come together to really satisfy that walk in the park feel... or if you're feeling sappy, like he's holding you in his arms, ha.
Watch this video of the G.I. Blues film version of the song starring Elvis Presley and Juliet Prowse in a cable car in 1960.
Fun fact! Juliet Prowse didn't sing along with Elvis in this song, she lip-synched to Loulie Jean Norman's voice.
Sources:
Pocketful of Rainbows - Elvis Presley - 1960, USA
Tinson, David and Beagley, Piers. "G.I. Blues - Vol. 1." Elvis Information Network, https://www.elvisinfonet.com/ftd_review_GI_Blues_Volume1.html. Accessed 9 February 2021.
"Elvis's Music: The Foundation of his Iconic Role in Pop Culture." Elvis History Blog, http://www.elvis-history-blog.com/elvis-music.html. Accessed 9 February 2021.
Thank you, thank you very much.
- Megan
Hi Megan, great song choice. Elvis reminds me of my Aana in law. I agree with you when you say the song provides constant chords that has a smooth-sounding harmonic combination. Another song that I love that I think you might like of his is, One Night. Anyways, great song choice and you did a lovely job of presenting your music analysis. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI honestly never thought I would listen to Elvis in my life! Thank you for bringing this song into my life! The opening lyrics to this song are amazing. How Elvis changing his voice throughout the song is quite amazing. Also ascetically pleasing to listen to. Definitely one of my favorite classic songs now and will start to look into more of Elvis's music. Since he is one of the greatest to ever grab a mic!
ReplyDeleteHello Megan! Elvis also known as the "king" has always been one of my favorites. Excellent song choice. Crazy how smooth Elvis' voice is in this piece. Well done on the analysis! This blog post is laid out perfectly in my opinion with elaborate information! Looking forward to reading more of your work!
ReplyDelete-Trenton Woods