CAP 400 "Sex, Drugs, & Lyrics": Book Catalog

Part of your lyric analysis project will require you to consider the historical and cultural contexts of both the story in the film and the time period in which the film was made.  It will likely be easier starting in the book catalog for these questions than in the databases, as books and ebooks tend to offer deeper background and cover more topics than a scholarly article, which is usually more focused on one topic or question, might provide.

"Research the history surrounding the song.  When was it written/released? Why was it written? What was happening with the writer and in the world when the song was written/released (or re-released)? What is the connection it makes to what’s going on now? You are going to need outside sources here (a balance of reputable popular press and scholarly)."

• Encyclopedias can provide helpful introductions or overviews to a topic and are an excellent source for confirming quick facts.  They can often give you ideas or keywords to use in future searches.
• Biographies are an excellent reference for learning about a particular artist or performer's life and history.
• Dictionaries are a useful resource for navigating the subject's unique terminology, such as analysis or production terms.
• Discographies provide lists of sound recordings with information such as artists involved, where and when it was recorded, release dates, chart positions, and sales figures.