Faculty First Year Seminars 191MUS9 - Taylor Swift, Songwriter

From pickup trucks to getaway cars, banjos to synthesizers, singer-songwriter to billion-dollar global brand, Taylor Swift has continuously transformed her music and public persona. In this 13-week course students will learn about basic elements of songwriting such as rhythm and meter, harmony, timbre, melody, lyrics, and form through the close listening to Swift?s music. Together we will also think critically about recurring themes that emerge in her lyrics and explore issues such as identity, well-being, celebrity, social media, and fandom. Each week students will be expected to listen to and think critically about popular music, complete readings and response papers, and sing along. This class assumes no previous musical knowledge or experience and welcomes fans and skeptics, players and haters alike.

First-year (R1ST)