Tag Archives: anne danielsen

In this text I will analyse James Brown's introduction of 'The One' (or downbeat) into popular music as a revolution. Etymologically, ‘revolution’ not only designates a radical change but also a return. Neither one of these movements, however, is more important to the other. The return does not reduce the change to a mere surface effect, nor does the radical nature of the change relativizes the return. In a revolution, both movements are of equal importance. However, the stress alternates; sometimes the change is accentuated, sometimes the return. Together, these two movements do not constitute a full cycle, but a rhythm. Revolutions are neither visual nor acoustic, they are rhythmical.