Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of Communication
First Advisor
Leslie A. Rill
Date of Publication
Fall 12-13-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication
Department
Communication
Language
English
Subjects
Alternative rock music -- Oregon -- Portland -- History and criticism, Popular music -- Oregon -- Portland -- History and criticism, Group identity -- Oregon -- Portland, Geographical perception -- Oregon -- Portland
DOI
10.15760/etd.1488
Physical Description
1 online resource (iii, 118 pages)
Abstract
This study looks at how place and local identity of Portland are described within music lyrics from Portland, Oregon popular indie-rock artists. Employing a constant comparative analysis on a set of 1,201 songs from 21 different popular Portland indie-rock artists, the themes of landscapes and climate were found to represent place, and themes of lifestyles and attitudes represented local identity. Reviewing the uncovered themes showed a strong connection between representations of place and local identity within lyrics and common stereotypes or understandings of the city of Portland and its indie-rock music scene. The results of this study illustrate how place and local identity are communicated through popular but locally-tied music lyrics and how these lyrics may describe cities.
Rights
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/10359
Recommended Citation
Kearney, Meghan Andrea, "Every Town Is All the Same When You've Left Your Heart in the Portland Rain: Representations of Portland Place and Local Identity in Portland Popular Lyrics" (2013). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 1489.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.1488