ABSTRACT
The intention of this chapter is three-fold: it analyses differentiators and assesses their affect in song. It highlights the process of discovering achieved through covering and demonstrates an inter-song thematic process through paralinguistic voice qualities. These are re-evaluated in a broader context of the contribution of paralanguage and tensegrity to narrativity and personae. Not only do The Beatles demonstrate imitation and counter-imitation, they also excel through innovation. Their testing of vocal styles gives prominence to contemporary influences such as Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys. The reoccurrence of expressive tropes, developed from The Beatles’ emulation of 1950s American popular songs, conveys a series of sound terms, which they embody in performance to enhance or contradict a song’s narrative. Select examples are re-evaluated in the wider context of the contribution of paralanguage and tensegrity to narrativity. This is the first analysis of paralinguistic personae in popular song. Paralinguistic personae, given through a combination of paralinguistic voice qualities, are understood as a series of overlapping music and vocal features that contribute to tensegrity. In each instance, one can use a different set of points (frequency, pitch, time) to identify an expressive trope.
