Directions:
After reading Introduction and Caravan. The Last Waltz. 1976 from Greil Marcus
book When That Rough God Goes Riding: Listening to Van Morrison (printable from
Canvas), develop a further definition of yarragh based on Marcus writing about it.
Consider Marcus use of the term as a theory to explain how a particular moment in a
song has reached you in some way, or, as Greil Marcus puts it the moment when the
magic word, riff, note, or chord is found and everything is transformed (7).
Follow these steps to compose your response:
1). Summarize Marcus:
Begin your response by introducing Marcus text with a citation sandwich. Look closely at the Citation
Sandwich handout to see the essential moves. Along the way, be sure to summarize Marcus use of the
term yarragh, and try to come to an understanding about what it means and how/why Marcus is using it
as a theory to discuss Van Morrison.
2). Respond:
Offer your own thinking which connects to the idea you just introduced. To add your own thinking about
the yarragh, write about a particular moment in a specific song that sticks out in your mind; this can be
any song, by an artist of your choice, that can serve as an outside example for you to think further about
this idea of the yarragh.
3). Analyze Your Example:
As you write about your selected song, describe the moment in the song to your readers.
What is the one detail, musically or lyrically, that strikes you?
4). Answer So What?:
So what is it about this moment that strikes you? Is it strange, surprising, beyond expectation, unique in
some way?
5). Come Full Circle:
How can Marcus writing about Van Morrison help you think about why you like (or are interested in)
certain artists, songs or performances?
