MUS 204 — Paul Simon and the Making of a Global Sound
Quarter: Fall
Instructor(s): Timothy Hampton
Date(s): Sep 30—Oct 28
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Tuition: $385
Refund Deadline: Oct 2
Unit(s): 1
Status: Registration opens Aug 17, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Fall
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 5 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Sep 30—Oct 28
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $385
Refund Deadline: Oct 2
Instructor(s): Timothy Hampton
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Aug 17, 8:30 am (PT)
Across a career of 65 years, Paul Simon has taken American popular music outside of its traditional confines and set it in dialogue with other musical traditions from around the world. In this course, we will study Simon’s work and development, beginning with his early “folk” music apprenticeship in England, through his interest in Caribbean music and jazz, to his famous collaborations with musicians from South Africa and Brazil. The focus will be on how Simon takes the conventions of American pop music and pushes them in new directions while remaining true to his own early interest in doo-wop and rock and roll. We will peek under the hood of some of Simon’s most famous songs, from “The Sound of Silence” to “Graceland,” and study in detail his lyrical genius and musical precision.
TIMOTHY HAMPTON
Aldo Scaglione and Marie M. Burns Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and French, UC Berkeley
Timothy Hampton is a professor of comparative literature and French at UC Berkeley, where he has been honored with the campus Distinguished Teaching Award. He has taught widely on poetry and popular song. His book Bob Dylan: How the Songs Work appeared in 2019. He is working on a book about Leonard Cohen.Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.