Max+K+popular+music

=Bernard Fanning=

Biography
Bernard Fanning was born on the 15th of August, 1969 in Toowong, Brisbane. He grew up in Toowong and was raised in a strong catholic family. He was taught piano by his mother at an early age. Fanning began writing his own songs at the age of 15. He had two brothers and one sister but one of the brothers died of cancer in 2002 and later his dad died in 2011. He was influenced by David Bowie and The Beatles. Fanning studied journalism for a while at university and met Ian Haug. Haug invited him to join the band Powderfinger. He was singer for the band after Ian Haug gave up because Fanning had more vocal abilities. The band started playing in pubs and bars at there home town, Brisbane, mainly doing covers while also creating their own originals. Powderfinger released their debut album "Parables for Wooden Ears" in 1994. 1996's "Double Allergic" was where the band gained a big following around their homeland. The album was much more original than Parables' material and the band had promising singles on the disc, something their first album din't have. Powderfinger wrote a song about Fanning's brother's death, "Since You've Been Gone." In 2004 Fanning left the band to follow a solo venture. He released a debut solo album "Tea and Sympathy" on 31, October, 2005. The Debut album was ranked at NO.1 on the Australian charts and spent 58 weeks in the top 50. He was inspired by his brothers death and started writing songs about him. Fanning soon returned to Powderfinger in 2006 and began a tour with Silverchair in Australia and New Zealand in 2007. He left Powderfinger again and continued his solo venture and has been solo ever since.

Songbird Lyrics
I wish I knew which button to push Then I'd know how to please you It's sad but true

So I'll just listen in down the line While you're busy mixing grape with grain To sedate your pain

Songbird you got tales to tell How many times can you describe your living hell?

The sweeping gesture creates a farce It's only useful when receiving praise Relieving no-ones pain

If you'd let somebody love you just enough You'd have everything you'd need to break Free from all your pain

Songbird you got tales to tell How many times can you describe your living hell?

I wish I knew which button to push Then I'd know how to please you It's sad but true

If you'd let somebody love you just enough Let somebody love you just enough Let somebody love you just enough Let somebody love you just enough

media type="youtube" key="raxsAFOxRTE" width="560" height="315"
The structure of the song is: Intro, Verse 1, Verse 2, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Verse 1, Outro. Throughout the song many instruments are playing such as: Guitar, Male Vocals and Backups, Drums, Violin, Egg Shaker. The guitar and drums play through the whole song and the violin plays in the chorus and solo. There aren’t any effects on any of the instruments. The violin is the main part of the solo and the guitar, egg shaker, and drums are just shadows of the solo. The guitar plays the same chords basically throughout the whole song, but it is a bit different in the chorus. Bernard Fanning has a very soft and beautiful voice that can be noticed on the radio if you don't know the song. The Backup singers sing in the chorus. The tempo is a medium pace (108–120 BPM) and it doesn't change throughout the piece and the dynamics is soft at the start and it gradually gets faster throughout the piece. There are 4 beats per bar and is a very happy sounding song. The song reaches its high point in the solo because that is the thickest bit of the song and it is happy sounding.

Wish You Well Analysis
media type="youtube" key="JYlyghmTSIU" width="420" height="315" The structure of the song is: Intro, Verse 1, Verse 2, Pre Chorus, Chorus, Verse 1, Pre Chorus, Chorus, Outro. Instruments that are playing in this song are guitars (Both Acoustic and Electric), a male vocalist backups and drums. This song is a very happy sounding song so it is major. The tempo is a medium pace (108–120 BPM) and it stays like that all the way the way through. The acoustic guitar basically plays the same pattern and so do the drums. The song is soft at the start and then it builds up. There are 4 beats per bar and the song is thin at the start and it gets thicker when it gets further into the song. The electric guitar plays in the solo and the drums and acoustic guitar are backups and in the solo the electric guitar has an effect. The guitar and drums play the whole way through the song and backups sing end of the verses and chorus. The chorus is the high point of the song because it has the most layers and is the happiest part.

Style and Characteristics
Bernard Fanning's music is predominantly alternative and country-folk style. Songs that are alternative and country-folk style have acoustic guitars and a medium tempo (108–120 BPM) and usually stay like that throughout the whole song. It is normally in 4/4 and the texture is not too thick or thin it is in the middle. This style is also mainly upbeat and happy sounding. Daniel Glen Timms' song "Lover of Herself" is a good example of alternative and country folk style because it is lively. His whole album "Life's an Illusion" is all of that style. Almost every song Bernard Fanning plays is really beautiful. Bernard Fanning was in the band "Powderfinger" and there style of music is alternative and country-folk. Songs that are alternative and country-folk are soft sounding songs and it is in major. They usually have riffs and a strumming acoustic guitar backed up by drums plays that. The songs structure is mainly: Verse 1, Verse 2, Pre Chorus, Chorus, Verse 1, Pre Chorus, Chorus, Outro. In this style of music the instruments that are played are: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Drums, Backups and lead Vocals. There are solos that are mainly played by string instruments and the drums normally play with them. The vocalist voice is very smooth and even.

Contemporaries and Influences
When Bernard Fanning was around he was really popular. The band "John Butler Trio” was also very popular around the time of Bernard Fanning. The "John Butler Trio" is an Australian band whose style of music, similar to Fanning’s, is also alternative and country-folk. Both artists were in the top 50 charts for a while at one stage during their music career and wrote many songs. The band "Green Day" was also around during Fanning’s peak. Green Day, an American punk rock band, also had many songs in the top 50 and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” made top 2 in 2005, which proves they were successful.