“Song of Myself” is a poem that was written by Walt Whitman and published in 1855 as a part of his book Leaves of the Grass. Interestingly, the first version of the poem did not have any sections and was formatted as a single entity. However, it was later divided into fifty-two sections of different length (LeMaster and Kummings 275). The poem explores the philosophical world of the human life, focusing on the concepts of life, death, and understanding of self. In fact, the connection between an individual and the surrounding world can be seen in many elements of the author’s work. The following paper aims to analyze the poem “Song of Myself” by Whitman and see whether its title, structure, and tone correspond with the idea that a human being is a part and a parcel of the overall existence connected with the universe via his immortal soul.
Title and Structure
The title of the poem is directly connected to the content. Whitman writes about one’s perception of the world, describes the world within and outside a person, and it becomes evident that the author uses the first person not as an attempt to write about himself but as a way to help the reader to connect with the described persona. Thus, the “Song of Myself” becomes an interpretation of an individual’s connection to the universe. Lemaster and Kummings discuss this idea and note that the concepts of a person being separate from the universe but equal to its every part can be seen in Whitman’s work (13). The very first part of the poem can point one to this notion, as the poet states “what I assume you shall assume / for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you” (Whitman 1). Therefore, the title is linked to the idea of the poem being about one’s life experience rather than a personal journey.
The structure of this massive poem is not strict or consistent. The work was divided into fifty-two sections only in 1867. Each segment does not have a fixed number of stanzas or lines, and the parts themselves may be rather different in their structure. Such a choice could be viewed as an attempt by the author to present his work as a collection of short poems bound together by one narrator and theme (Lemaster and Kummings 527). Alternatively, it was done to make the poem easier to read.
Tone and Imagery
The tone of the narration is critical and centered on one undefined identity. While some may argue that this poem reveals the author as consumed by his own person, it is possible to prove that the author creates a persona which embodies every human that has similar experiences. Many lines show the unity of people. As was mentioned before, the beginning of the poem sets a tone of self-exploration. According to Swensson, this poem can also be interpreted as an attempt to speak about the author’s American identity as he discusses the topics in which an “average American” would be interested (36). For example, the idea of democracy in the line “whoever degrades another degrades me” is an excellent example of the self-revealing tone of the narration disclosing the real values of the American society (Whitman 24). The ideas of equality can be seen throughout the poem as well.
Whitman relies on metaphorical descriptions of nature in his poem as he answers the questions posed by those who talk with the narrator. For instance, one of the sections talks about grass, calling it “the handkerchief of the Lord / a scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropt” and “a child, the produced babe of the / vegetation” (Whitman 6). These words can also be interpreted as symbolic as the author continues to compare grass to various objects and ideas, making the answer less transparent and more philosophical. Warren notes that such exploration of the natural world through symbols and concepts is not accidental (152). Whitman pays attention to the details in nature and identifies them as a part of the universe’s existence.
While describing different people and professions in one of the sections, the poet is not afraid to paint a rather unpleasant picture, using words that are both mundane and disturbing, contrasting the lives of people and their experiences. For instance, the lines “the lunatic is carried at last to the asylum a confirm’d case … the jour printer … works at his / case” use the same word at the end of the clause, while referring to its completely different meanings (Whitman 15). Such a use of antithesis is present throughout the section as the author highlights the plethora of human experiences.
Devices of Sound and Rhythm
Whitman uses lexical repetition extensively. A vivid example is an anaphora in section number two:
You shall possess the good of the earth and sun …
You shall no longer take things at second or third hand …
You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things …
You shall listen to all sides and filter them from your self. (Whitman 2)
Here, the repetition of “you shall” at the beginning of each line is used to structure the thoughts of the narrator. Another similar example of anaphora is present in the second section. The questions that start with the words “have you reckon’d” present a number of questions for the reader and create a sense of intimacy and interaction. The connection of the words with the device of lexical repetition makes this form of address somewhat invasive and persistent. In this part, the borderline between the poet and the reader is getting transparent and, in the end, vanishes altogether.
Whitman uses epiphora as well, ending multiple clauses with the word “perfume” in the second section. Multiple repetitions can also be found in the third section, where the author uses the word “urge” to create tension. Different types of repetition also function on the level of perception influencing the reader with words and sounds and making him or her experience the same feelings that the narrator is describing. Greene points out that Whitman has a peculiar sense of sequence, stating that the poet often structures the poem in a way that its events feel simultaneous and omnipresent to the reader (137). The flow of the poem resembles an internal monologue.
The devices of sound contribute a lot to the coherence and cohesion of the phonetic form of the poem. The author uses alliteration – “the smallest sprout shows…” and assonance – “my tongue, every atom of my blood” throughout the poem (Whitman 6; Whitman 1). The poem belongs to the blank verse type and does not reveal any rhyming scheme. The syllabic division and meter are not expressed on a regular basis. The use of rhyme is occasional and can easily go unnoticed for some readers.
Theme
The poem by Whitman is wholly devoted to human life in the background of nature and society. By celebrating himself through the narrator, the poet celebrates the universe and the identity of his peers and humans in general. Thus, the theme of the poem is a lifelong journey of human existence based on one’s personal, social and cultural traits. Gaillard also notes the ideas of human body and soul in the poem, arguing that these concepts are united in Whitman’s work (par. 14). The union of the narrator and the audience enables the reader to perceive the poem from the inside of the author’s thinking process, rather than from an outsider’s point of view. This creative collaboration between the poet and the reader makes the first line of the poem not arrogant but empathetic.
Critique
The poem “Song of Myself” has been a subject of diverse criticism. For instance, Abid et al. see the poem as “a joyous celebration of the human self in its most expanded, spontaneous, self-sufficient, and allembracing state,” noting that the themes of democracy, self-identification, and spirituality are prevalent in Whitman’s work (113). This critique explores the symbols present in the poet’s writing and states that the effect of nature on the human body and soul is nurturing and soothing as the authors see a positive depiction of different ages and periods of human life in the poem.
The second example comes from Feder, who discusses the personality that the poet creates in his work. The critic argues that the use of long lines and descriptions, which are prevalent in the poem, are excessive and unnecessary. Feder states that “the spillage of line upon line, the seeming trillions” complicates the narration, makes the main point of the poem vague, and confuses the reader (199). However, the author points out the theme of infinity and discusses Whitman’s use of literary devices to support the idea of time progression.
Works Cited
Abid, Maratab, et al. “Critical Analysis of Walt Whitman and Philip Larkin as Modern Poets.” Language in India, vol. 16, no. 9, 2016, pp. 106-116.
Feder, Rachel. “Practicing Infinity.” Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, vol. 34, no. 2, 2016, pp. 195-200.
Gaillard, Hélène. “Singing and Painting the Body: Walt Whitman and Thomas Eakins’ Approach to Corporeality.” Miranda, vol. 15, 2017, Web.
Greene, Roland. Post-Petrarchism: Origins and Innovations of the Western Lyric Sequence. Princeton University Press, 2014.
LeMaster, J. R., and Donald D. Kummings, editors. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Walt Whitman. Routledge, 2013.
Swensson, Eleanor S. “One Nation, Two Voices: Whitman, Dickinson and the Combined Call of American Poet and Prophet.” Articulāte, vol. 16, 2017, pp. 33-42.
Warren, James Perrin. “Gerhardt, Christine, A Place for Humility: Whitman, Dickinson, and the Natural World.” Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, vol. 32, no. 3, 2015, pp. 151-153.
Whitman, Walt. “Song of Myself.” University of Illinois, Web.
Toni Morrison was born Chloe Anthony on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio (Ciabattari 1). She was a prominent editor and writer of her time. The Song of Solomon, published in 1977 is Toni Morrison’s third novel. It proved to be hugely popular with both critics and readers alike. The novel revolves around the ultimate quest for self and its realization. It tells the story of the quest for cultural identity by its hero, Macon (Milkman) Dead III. In so doing, the novel reflects Morrison’s desire to preserve African-American folklore, art, music, and literature (Chastain 779). The relationship between love for an individual and love for an ideology is explored well in the novel through the love of Macon for Hagar and the love of finding justice for African Americans. Hagar’s and Guitar’s expressions of love are different. The book itself is a swooping flight of imagination. It won both the National Book Critics Circle Award and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1977 (Haskins and Haskins 40). Morrison, as a novelist has always explored the definition of love from a philosophical viewpoint. She is known for creating characters whose love is interwoven with violence, destruction, or death (Bak 279). In the book, “The Song of Solomon” such an obsessive love is found in the passionate desire of Hagar and the friendly love of Guitar.
The novel begins with the scene of Robert Smith, an insurance agent leaping off the roof of Mercy Hospital wearing blue silk wings hoping that he will fly to the opposite shore of Lake Superior. He instead falls to his death. The next day, the first black child is born in Mercy Hospital, Milkman Dead to Ruth Foster Dead. Knowing that he cannot fly, Milkman grows up a very disinterested young man though he enjoys the love and care of his mother, aunt Pilate, and his sisters First Corinthians and Magdalene (called Lena). Milkman is not capable of reciprocating the love and kindness of the women around him and grows up bored and lacking compassion. In this emotional desert, Milkman forms two initially sustaining relationships, one with a schoolmate, Guitar, and one with Pilate’s granddaughter, Hagar.
In his ruthless pursuit of gold, Milkman, at the age of thirty-two, with the help of his friend Guitar Bains attempts to rob Pilate. But instead of gold he just finds some rocks and a human skeleton. He needed the funds to participate in the mission planned by the Seven Days, a secret society that tries to kill innocent white civilians to take revenge on the atrocities committed against the African-Americans. Searching for material prosperity, Milkman rejects the love of Hagar, who is driven mad by the rejection and tries to kill Milkman many times in her frustration at not being able to get his love. Later Milkman side-tracks and embarks on a voyage tracing family history. By the time he returns, Hagar is dead of a broken heart. Guitar, his companion on the journey in the quest for gold feels that Milkman might have cheated him of his share of gold and tries to kill him. Thus we find that both Hagar and Guitar try to kill him despite being very close and loving to him. Despite the similarity in trying to kill Macon, both of them differ in their styles of expressing their love.
Hagar’s passion often turns into murderous attempts against the Milkman. According to Hans Bak, while these weird representations of love seem to have psychological depth and sociological implications, Morrison is challenging her readers “to think beyond conventional categories of intention and behavior – to entertain the paradox of murderous or incestuous love” (Bak 281). Hans Bak holds that Morrison seems to be proposing through social marginals such as Circe and Pilate that love and creativity can be found in unlikely places if we are willing to break free from the normal socially acceptable way of seeing and judging things and see things independently. In the last scene in Song of Solomon, Aunt Pilates takes the bullet that Guitar intends for Milkman.
As she lies dying in Milkman’s arms, she says that “I wish I’d a knew more people. I would have loved ’em all. If I’d known more, I woulda loved more” (Morrison 336). Milkman on reaching maturity realizes that the only people who have truly loved him were “both women, both black, both old” (Morrison 331). He refers to the love of his mother and Pilate who had fought for his life. He also takes responsibility for Hagar’s loving him to death by accepting a box of her hair from Pilate. However, the most significant symbol of his manhood is his acceptance of the paradox represented by his best friend Guitar’s love. Milkman thinks to himself “perhaps that’s what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? Or would you take it?” (Morrison 334) Only – “Guitar was exceptional. To both questions he would answer yes” (Morrison 331). The paradox represented by Guitar is that good and evil, love and hate, life and death, ultimately end up being difficult to distinguish (Bak 283).
At age twelve, Milkman and his cousin, Hagar, get sexually involved. Hagar becomes emotionally dependent on Milkman as a result of this affair. But he chooses to break off their relationship one Christmas day by sending her money and a thank-you note. This sent Hagar “spinning into a bright blue place where the air was thin and it was silent all the time, and where people spoke in whispers or did not make sounds at all, and where everything was frozen except for an occasional burst of fire in her chest” (Morrison 99). Hagar almost has a parasitic love for Milkman and can only love herself in the reflected light of his false love. When Milkman breaks up with Hagar, she feels lost and her world is shattered. Her love is transformed into a potent rage that provokes her to kill Milkman. When Milkman leaves, Hagar turns the attention onto herself and eventually dies of heartbreak when she realizes that Milkman is,”…never going to like my hair.” (Morrison 316)
“How can he not love your hair?… It’s his hair too. He got to love it.” “He don’t love it at all. He hates it.” (Morrison 315). This last comment is uttered by a dangerously mentally ill Hagar Dead to her mother Reba and her grandmother Pilate. In the passage, grandmother, mother, and daughter discuss whether Milkman, the novel’s central character, “likes” Hagar’s hair. Pilates asks how it can be possible for Milkman to love himself and hate Hagar’s hair. But Hagar is certain that Milkman is only attracted to women with distinctly European features and insists, with deadly finality that he is never going to approve of her hair. African-Americans have a distinct type of hair that does not blend with the European or white ideal of beauty. According to Angela M. Neal and Midge L. Wilson (328): “Compared to black males, black females have been more profoundly affected by the prejudicial fallout surrounding issues of skin color, facial features, and hair”. In the context of Hagar, Morrison engages the black female’s struggle between her hairstyle preferences and the female hairstyle preferences of the black male. Shortly after Milkman writes Hagar a “thank you” note ending their relationship, Hagar decides to murder him. The “thank you” hurt Hagar, but she only becomes murderous when she spots Milkman sitting in Mary’s, smiling at and talking to a woman whose “silky copper-colored hair cascaded over the sleeve of his coat” (127).
Later, when she finds that she can’t bring herself to kill Milkman, she decides to become the woman with the copper-colored hair, reasoning that the copper-colored ideal is what Milkman wants in a woman. “‘No wonder. No wonder,’” Hagar reasons as she attempts to determine the reason that Milkman won’t love her. “‘I look like a ground hog. Where’s the comb?’” (308-09). After a frantic search for the comb, along with her first bath in days and a trip to the beauty shop, Hagar is intent on winning Milkman back by dressing in stylish clothes and making her hair attractive to him. She’s certainly attempting to let her hair work its magic on him, but it is also obvious that she’s submitting to the power males have over women and their hair.
Michael Awkward argues that Hagar reflects more of society’s views on women. This acceptance is reflected partially in her wholehearted adoption of its ideas of female beauty. (493) – the “silky hair,” the “penny-colored hair,” the “lemon-colored skin,” and the “gray-blue eyes”. Hagar is trapped between her African physical features and the white-female ideal of beauty. She is perfectly aware of the priority men like Janie’s first two husbands and the man who was observed stroking Janie’s hair in the store place on female hair, and Hagar is also well aware that she doesn’t quite measure up. That awareness, among other things, leads to her death (Ashe 579). Through Hagar, Morrison explores the theme of passionate love and the mixed ideology of beauty and grace.
Another relationship that is used to explore love and ideology is the special friendship that develops between Guitar and Milkman. The guitar is more of a guide and mentor to Milkman and he is also a friend show is wise and kind and fearless. Above all, Guitar also seems to fill in the place of Milkman’s father as Milkman declares Guitar to be the only sane and constant person in his life. He spends a lot of time with Guitar and finds him to be a willing listener and an understanding friend. The guitar is sensitive to the feelings of Milkman when he tells him, “Looks like everybody’s going in the wrong direction but you, don’t it?”. He encourages Milkman to assume responsibility for his own life. “You got a life? Live it!” he tells him. However, Guitar is also dangerous because of his links with Seven Days, a vigilante group. He does not have the spirit of forgiveness and the love of humanity.
He has a deep hatred of whites as a result of his father’s brutal death at the hands of whites. He is also very deeply insecure and paranoid and is not able to trust anyone including his best friend. When Macon evicts Guitar for back rent, he holds Milkman responsible and considers it a breach of their friendship. When he accompanies Milkman to search for the lost gold, he does not trust him bust says “I’m nervous. Real Nervous.” Convinced that Milkman has betrayed him, he decides to kill him and paradoxically, he reveals his intention to kill Milkman. When Milkman asks why he has chosen to tell him, Guitar responds, “You’re my friend. It’s the least I could do for a friend.” Thus Guitar seems to be torn between commitment to his friendship and his membership in the Seven Days. Through his predicament, Morrison explores love in a different dimension and ideology of racism.
Morrison uses Milkman’s relationship with Hagar to illustrate the detrimental effects of male/female relationships that result when in romantic love one willingly loses the true self in the name of love. Initially, Milkman is shown as the aggressor, and Hagar the reluctant prize. However, Milkman soon becomes very important to Hagar. She tells Ruth that Milkman is “my home in this world”. She opens herself to him and by the twelfth year, Milkman has grown bored with her accessibility: “He didn’t even have to pay for it. It was so free, so abundant, it had lost its fervor. There was no excitement, no galloping blood in his neck or his heart at the thought of her”; In the eyes of Milkman, Hagar meant nothing: “She was the third beer. Not the first one, which the throat receives with almost tearful gratitude; nor the second, that confirms and extends the pleasure of the first. But the third, the one you drink because it’s there, because it can’t hurt, and because what difference does it make” (Morrison 320). Hagar had confused love with possession and desired to own him even if it meant killing him. Similarly, Guitar confuses friendship with black militancy.
The guitar is older than Milkman and street-smart and he protects Milkman. The main feature of Guitar is that he hated the whites in the name of love of black people: “What I’m doing ain’t about hating white people,” Guitar tells his friend, “It’s about loving us. About loving you. My whole life is love.” Thus Guitar is a man who is confused between the very concepts of love and hate. In pledging his “whole life” to the universal love of all black people, Guitar is unable to claim a more personal love of Milkman. The secrecy of his work isolates him and precludes intimacy. The guitar is forced to cross the boundaries of morality and rationality in his pursuit of gold and street justice (Bloom 65).
Hagar expresses her love for Milkman through her focus on looks. “Look at how I look. I look awful. No wonder he didn’t want me. I look terrible” (Morrison 312). Hagar has a black urban, northern working-class look with a strong attachment to the rural south. Her boyfriend on the other hand is the progeny of the urban black middle class. When Milkman rejects her Hagar decides that to hold on to him, she must make herself into a less black woman. What Hagar does not understand is that Milkman’s indifferent attitude is an expression of his primary sexism as well as “his internalized acceptance of the larger society’s racist measure of blacks in terms of how closely an individual’s skin and hair approximates the white model” (Willis 114).
Hagar thus accepts her rejection as a personal affront and tries to solve it through consumerism. Hagar appears before her mother and grandmother decked in new clothes and cosmetics she has hauled home through a driving rainstorm: her “wet ripped hose, the soiled white dress, the sticky, lumpy face powder, the streaked rouge, and the wild wet shoals of hair” (Morrison 318). If Hagar succeeded in acquiring the look she strived to get, she would look like a black mimicry of a white cultural model. However, looking grotesque and pitiful, Hagar is the “sublime manifestation of the contradiction between the ideology of consumer society that would have everyone believe that we all trade equally in commodities and the reality of all marginalized people for whom translation into the dominant white model is impossible” (Willis 115).
The theme of love helps in accelerating the story of Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. Hagar expresses her love for Milkman through her focus on physical aspects such as hairstyle, cosmetics, and dresses. But negates the positive aspects of love through her aggressively possessive nature. Guitar, as a friend, expresses his love for Milkman through his wise words of advice and consolation. However, he too negates the positive aspects of the friendship by ultimately getting ready to kill him. Both Hagar and Guitar are similar in their inner levels of insecurity. It is their insecurity that makes them behave so violently. Both of them are not able to trust Milkman. For ideology, the black feminist stereotype versus the white model ideology disturbed Hagar whereas the ideology of taking revenge by hating whites disturbed Guitar. Hagar dies of a broken heart whereas Guitar aims Milkman to kill him. It is Milkman who can empathize with both Hagar and also with Guitar and forgive their transgressions. “You want my life?” Milkman calls out to Guitar in the aftermath of the shooting. “You want it? Here.” Milkman’s tearful offer of himself demonstrates how much he valued love. In the case of Hagar, by accepting the box containing her hair, he shows he values her love for him as well. Thus both, Hagar and Guitar can be considered as successful in making Milkman feel their love, though it’s a destructive one.
Works Cited
Ashe, D. Bertram (1995). Why Don’t He like My Hair?”: Constructing African-American Standards of Beauty in Toni Morrison’s ‘Song of Solomon’ and Zora Neale Hurston’s ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God.’. African American Review. Volume: 29. Issue: 4. 1995. Page 579+.
Awkward, Michael (1990). “‘Unruly and let loose’: Myth, Ideology, and Gender in Song of Solomon.” Cited Callaloo 13 (1990): 482-98
Bak, Hans (2004). Uneasy Alliance: Twentieth-Century American. Rodopi Publishers.
Bloom, Harold (1999). Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. Chelsea House Publishers. Philadelphia. 1999.
Chastain, Emma (2004). Literature. Spark Educational Publishing. 2004.
Ciabattari, A. Nancy (1996). Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. Research and Education Association: Toni Morrison. 1996.
Haskins, James and Haskins, Jim (2001). Toni Morrison: Magic of Words. Millbrook Press. 2001.
Morrison, Toni (1977). Song of Solomon. Knopf Publishers. New York.
Neal, Angela M., and Midge L. Wilson. “The Role of Skin Color and Features in the Black Community: Implications for Black Women and Therapy.” Clinical Psychology Review 9 (1989): 323-33.
Willis, Susan (1991). A Primer for Daily Life. Routledge Publishers. New York.
China has a long and rich history involving many dynasties, political and military periods, and cultural events. Out of all the dynasties that ever ruled in China, the Song dynasty is known for its impact on the changes in governmental and military approaches to ruling the country. There was a variety of reasons why the war had a great impact on this dynasty.
Through the analysis of war evolution, strategic culture, and the interaction between wen and wu, the paper demonstrates how the Song dynasty developed and how it changed its strategies of government under the effect of war. The central argument of the paper is the tensions between civil and military officials. The thesis of the paper is that the importance of the military increased greatly due to security threats faced by the dynasty. The main question raised in the thesis is answered through the analysis of civil officials’ response to such a state of affairs.
The Role of War in the Formation of the Song Dynasty
The formation of the Song dynasty was greatly impacted by the synergy of politics and war.1 Thus, the role of war in this dynasty’s development cannot be overestimated. Not only did politics and war frame the government structure and territory of the empire but they also had a strong effect on the dynasty’s culture and character.2 Whereas these two sources of power were “virtually inseparable” for the first emperor, Song Taizu, they were separated overtime under the reign of the second emperor, Song Taizong.3 Finally, in the reign of the third emperor, Song Zhenzong, they were almost completely detached from one another. This process has been known as the upsurge of civil power over military power.
Still, it is not possible to say that such a shift occurred due to a “prescriptive imperial plan” that was determined to give priority to civil values over military ones.4 There were some explicit historical arguments for the change. Even though political power was changed to “government bureaucrats,” the irony of the situation was that the civil-dominated government that appeared at the beginning of the eleventh century was known for its politics and led wars for nearly five decades.5
At the end of the tenth century, civil officials were entitled to power in the government bureaucracy since they had none outside of the central government. At first, the imperial government of Kaifeng did not have much power itself. Political and military control belonged to the emperor whose authority was created by his military accomplishments and personal ties with the generals who were in charge of the central armies.6
Such personal connections made it possible for Song Taizu to concentrate the military power of the dynasty on conquest instead of fighting. Further, each consequent military achievement allowed the emperor to focus the military power on political consolidation. Eventually, the dynasty was disconnected from the person of the emperor. Due to the success of wars of conquest, the power was obtained by the government.7
When the central government in which bureaucrats served secured authority, they gained power. At the same time, military concerns became close to external matters even though they were still supporting an “enormous bureaucratic apparatus” in the central government.8 Military men used to serve the court and to be paid by it. Moreover, they governed imperial armies instead of supporting their forces in the defended areas. All of these changes were caused by military success and developed by political struggles. In the directions of the Song dynasty’s early history, there was nothing “natural or inevitable.”9
At the end of the tech century, the Song government was composed of city officials and military men who had no advanced degrees but occupied authoritative positions. Therefore, it is possible to say that the tenth-century culture prepared the ground for the prospering civil culture of the eleventh century. However, it was not equivalent to the eleventh-century “civil dominated, politically driven” culture.10 Starting with the eleventh century, the development of the Song dynasty was associated with demilitarization, submission of military men to civil control, and the termination of a lengthy period of the domination of violence in Chinese politics.11
The Evolution of War and Song Dynasty’s Place in It
At the beginning of the Song rule, this dynasty was considered to have the power to unite China. However, it broke down in the twelfth-thirteenth centuries.12 Two forces are believed to have “trapped” the Eurasian “lucky latitudes” in a cycle of productive and counterproductive wars.13 Productive wars helped to create safer, larger, and healthier societies. Counterproductive wars broke large societies into smaller ones and took away wealth and prosperity.
The first of these forces was related to the geographical position of the country. Agrarian empires did not realize the danger posed by not numerous but extremely mobile forces coming from the steppes. Even the most military skillful dynasties such as Tang could not manage to govern the “shifting alliances on the steppes” for longer than several generations.14 The second force was the problem of scale that the empires failed to solve.
They had to provide for large cavalry forces on remote frontiers and pay for them by taxes collected in rich provinces. Thus, there was no variety of strategies employed to manage military difficulties. According to Morris, it was impossible to find a solution to these two issues in the ancient and medieval periods.15 By the eleventh century, Morris compares the level of development in the Song dynasty to that of the ancient Roman empire, saying that it reached the highest possible level of development for an agrarian society.16 Thus, in the evolution of war, the Song dynasty belonged to the period of counterproductive war that covered the period of 1-1415 CE.
The next major period in war evolution was the revival of productive war (1415-2012 CE). This period was most known for two significant inventions: oceangoing ships and guns.17 Such changes impacted dynasties’ government choices greatly since they entitled them with more possibilities and allowed them to develop a variety of strategies. With the evolution of war, traditional kinds of productive war gradually became “unthinkable.”18
Ancient Military Texts: The Seven Military Classics
Among other aspects closely related to the role of war in the Song dynasty are the ancient military texts that explained the strategic approaches to civil and military control. The most well-known of such texts is The Seven Military Classics created in the eleventh century. This text was “a manual of military thought” written by a civil bureaucracy for the dynasty that could not hope for any territorial gains but had stability and prosperity.19
In 1040, the Song court started to gather strategic advice from old military texts.20 The major reason for deciding to make a compilation of military texts was associated with the growth of violence on northern borders, which led to the problem of better border security.21 Thus, in 1040 the emperor gave an order to find ancient texts on military strategy and combine them in one text to gain a set of practical guidelines on the organization, tactics, and strategy of war.
The encyclopedic work that appeared as a result of the combination was completed in 1044, and it was greatly affected by the military classics.22 As a result of gathering The Seven Military Classics, the Song dynasty initiated opening the first military school in 1072 where military officials could obtain the necessary training. The candidates were supposed to pass military examinations later. The required materials involved the texts that were included in The Seven Military Classics. The main function of these texts was military education. However, Johnston remarks that they raised a problem that they failed to solve: “the transmission of strategic culture from its formative period across time.”23
Despite the consistency of strategic approaches mentioned in the ancient military texts, these precepts were transmitted through the military-education system and other factors such as the emperor’s education and training of his advisers.24 Therefore, the dynasties that followed Songs had to make changes to their methods to make the most appropriate to the conditions.
Therefore, The Seven Military Classics may be considered differently when defining their role in the history of China. Undoubtedly, the Song dynasty made a great contribution to the development of military and civil strategic education. However, the drawbacks of using the texts for many decades were concerned with their unchanging nature whereas the world was constantly altering, and new approaches were needed to meet the new needs.
Strategic Culture in Song Dynasty
In the period of ancient and medieval China, there were two opposite approaches to strategic culture: moralism and realism.25 Cultural moralism considered the emperor as the supreme level of morality and virtue. The emperor was a symbol of stability and harmony within the system of political arrangements. His moral conduct was identified with his personality. Thus, the virtue of the emperor was acknowledged beyond the boundaries of the country. The recognition of the emperor’s authority was a crucial cause of the lack of need in war.26
Song dynasty is viewed under a different angle – that of moral realism. Under this approach, the core paradigm of Chinese strategic culture incorporates three essential elements. The first one is related to the belief that it is necessary to criticize and avoid war. The second premise is that it is necessary to cultivate the enemy. The third issue is that the force should be used only if all other measures were not sufficient to reach an agreement.27 It was considered that the armed force was to be employed with a defensive aim. Therefore, scholars remark that force was not considered as an effective measure and it was opposite to the virtuous and moral premises of the political system in the empire.
Zurndorfer mentions that the strategic culture of the Song dynasty depended greatly on the fact that its founder, Song Taizu, had been a general.28 Therefore, he was well aware of the threats that were presented to the government’s stability by the military. Song Taizu’s unification of China put an end to conflicts existing between regional armies that had lasted for almost two centuries.29 Learning lessons from the predecessors, the Tang dynasty, the Songs transformed military and political power to a local level.
The emperor took measures to decrease the adverse outcomes of a series of brief regimes that had been ruled by bandits and rebels. He brought the empire together by gaining the greatest advantage from the warlords owning the southern and central regions known as the Ten Kingdoms.30 To prevent uprisings of the new military men, the emperor gave his generals generous pensions when they retired. Song Taizu’s follower on the throne, his brother Song Taizong, finished the process of unification and arranged the merger of Song political authority with the inauguration of civil supremacy at all government levels.31
Song Taizu and Song Taizong both destroyed the structure of big provincial military organizations that had been the basis of militarists’ power. They filled provincial posts with the officials who qualified for work through the civil examination system, which led to the revolution of the equity between civil and military affairs in the government.32 Also, these emperors put the Bureau of Military Affairs under the jurisdiction of civilian bureaucrats, which also helped in the transformation process. Some scholars consider this “new equilibrium” as the defamation of the significance of military establishment.33Still, research also indicates that such an approach enabled the establishment of a new level of relations between civil and military elites not only during the rule of the Song dynasty but also in later epochs.
The Tensions Between Civil and Military Officials
The war had a particularly adverse impact on the Song dynasty because it constituted a significant strategic disadvantage for them. Even before the foundation of the Northern Song, the Khitan people had taken the paths to the north and were able to attack the North China Plain if they wished. As a result, Songs were forced to sign humiliating treaties aimed at trying to buy peace.34 Singing such treaties was called an accommodationist strategy.
Meanwhile, the dynasty was simultaneously forced to support a massive army in case the Khitans broke the agreement and attacked China. The Jurchens, who replaced Khitans, were even more fierce and dangerous, and they soon invaded North China forcing the Song people to move south. Later, Mongols came along, which again made the state of the dynasty worse and urged Songs to reinforce the army due to the increasing significance of the military men.
The role of each emperor in the political and military creation of the empire was different, depending on his military assets, his temperament, and his predecessor’s legacy. However, all actions of the emperor as well as his officials were merged in a unified definition of how and why the Song dynasty obtained the form it had.35 On a large scale, the most important feature of the Song was the supremacy of its government bureaucracy by civil officials. 36
Also, the majority of historians agree that the civil culture and civil values were equally dominant in the period of the Song dynasty’s rule. According to Lorge, the Songs were able to obtain control not only over the martial but also over the civil aspects of Chinese society.37 Such an increase of power became possible due to the emperor’s centralization of his political authority. As a result, Songs became able of reaching a balance between the two facets of power.
In his analysis of the tensions between the civil and military officials during the Song dynasty’s rule, Lorge remarks that the initial causes of the development of such a state of affairs were to be found back during the Tang dynasty.38 With the development of Chinese society, there appeared a natural and constantly growing need in moving too much greater specialization in people’s professions. Such a movement to specialization first became noticeable during the Tang dynasty.
The most pronounced expression of such innovation was the ritual attempt to enunciate not only the martial ethos concentrated on the military temple (wuxia) but also on the circumstantial process of creating the civil temple (wenmiao).39 It was impossible to say that the change was taking place only in the civil─military division of the ritual practice or in the functional features of the government. The whole Chinese society was altering, leading to the materialistic development of social and political transformations among the elites. According to Lorge, such changes were grounded in economic enhancements that later became more vividly represented during the rule of the Song dynasty.40
Wen-Wu Interaction in Song Dynasty’s Military Culture
It is a commonly accepted fact that one of the most important features of the Song dynasty was the “dominance of government bureaucracy by civil officials.”41 However, despite a general belief that civil culture and beliefs were dominating in Song culture, there is also an opinion that those were not the most important creatures of that period. According to Lorge, there had occurred a significant change between the Tang and Song dynasties concerning the relationship between wu (martial) and wen (civil).42 However, scholars consider this change more than merely “the rise of the city over the martial.”43
The balance and unification of wu and wen under the rule of the Song dynasty occurred in the persons of government officials. They deprived generals of martial duties to extort legitimacy and power and restricted the possibility of field commanders to become prime ministers.44 Such a state of affairs became possible due to productive reconfiguration and redefinition of the qualities of martial and civil skills.
During the rule of the Tang dynasty, Songs’ predecessor, martial achievement demanded actual service with the army “in the field in battle and on the campaign.”45 Martial accomplishments were considered as a dominant feature when applying for high government service, and the martial performance had a “non-Chinese flavor.”46 In the Song dynasty, the balance between wu and wen was treated rather differently. Everything had a Chinese character, all soldiers were professionals, and the aristocracy was basic.
All professions were separated, and no close connection between military and civil jobs was allowed. Because of such a strict division of duties, each group had a more precise set of skills.47 Under new regulations, it was not enough to have basic education to gain the possibility of working in the government. Only an extremely high level of education enabled people to work there.
The significance of wen-wu interaction during the Song dynasty is also emphasized by Zurndorfer who mentions that the Chinese state was militarily threatened by a series of ruling systems of powerful steppe peoples, and these threats were possible to mitigate with wen-wu relationships.48 The scholar notes that the Song era was noted both for its military affairs and cultural development. What concerns culture, the Song dynasty is known for its industrial and agricultural production, artistic innovation, technological progress, and philosophical renewal. What concerns military conflicts, the era is remembered for “a series of humiliating defeats” in fights against Inner Asian armies.49 The most probable reason for the dynasty’s failure to defend itself against inferior enemies is the complexity of wen-wu interaction.50
Conclusion
Although the Song dynasty aimed at solving all conflicts in a non-military way, its decisions were mostly governed by military actions. Therefore, it is possible to say that the role of war in the formation of the Song dynasty was a crucial one. Among the most significant impacts on the dynasty’s development, there was the interaction between wen (civil) and wu (martial). Because of setting a strict division between these two oppositions, only those who dedicated much time to education could try to find occupation on the government. Scholars consider these tactics of the Song dynasty to be a decisive factor in its ability to defend itself against the enemy.
The dynasty is also known for its endeavors to set up new patterns of military and civil strategy as well as cultural strategy. The strategic culture opted by the Song dynasty was cultural realism. Such a tendency is related to the fact that the first Song emperor had been a general and realized the threats posed by the government by the military. Taking into consideration the analyzed aspects of the Song dynasty’s rule, it should be concluded that war played a significant role in its formation, development, and, eventually, its fall.
Bibliography
Godehardt, Nadine. “The Chinese Meaning of Just War and Its Impact on the Foreign Policy of the People’s Republic of China.” SSRN Electronic Journal 88 (2008): 6-37.
Johnston, Alastair I. Cultural Realism: Strategic Culture and Grand Strategy in Chinese History. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995.
Lorge, Peter. “Discovering War in Chinese History.” Extrěme-Orient Extrěme-Occident 38 (2014): 21-46.
—. “The Rise of the Martial: Rebalancing Wen and Wu in Song Dynasty Culture.” In Civil-Military Relations in Chinese History, edited by Kai Filipiak, 134-143. New York: Routledge, 2015.
—. The Reunification of China: Peace Through War Under the Song Dynasty. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.
Morris, Ian. “The Evolution of War.” Cliodynamics: the Journal of Theoretical and Mathematical History 3, no. 1 (2012): 9-37.
Zurndorfer, Harriet T. “What is the Meaning of War in the Age of Cultural Efflorescence? Another Look at the Role of War in Song Dynasty China (960-1279).” In War in Works: Transformation of War from Antiquity to Clausewitz, edited by Marco Formisano and Hartmut Böhme, 89-112. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., 2011.
Footnotes
Peter Lorge, The Reunification of China: Peace Through War Under the Song Dynasty (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015), 1.
Lorge, The Reunification of China, 1.
Ibid., 1.
Peter Lorge, The Reunification of China: Peace Through War Under the Song Dynasty (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015), 1.
Lorge, The Reunification of China, 1.
Ibid., 1.
Ibid., 1.
Ibid., 1-2.
Peter Lorge, The Reunification of China: Peace Through War Under the Song Dynasty (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015), 2.
Lorge, The Reunification of China, 2.
Ibid., 1-2.
Ian Morris, “The Evolution of War,” Cliodynamics: the Journal of Theoretical and Mathematical History 3, no. 1 (2012), 25.
Ian Morris, “The Evolution of War,” Cliodynamics: the Journal of Theoretical and Mathematical History 3, no. 1 (2012), 25.
Morris, “The Evolution of War,” 26.
Ibid., 26.
Ibid., 26.
Ibid., 29.
Ian Morris, “The Evolution of War,” Cliodynamics: the Journal of Theoretical and Mathematical History 3, no. 1 (2012), 31.
Peter Lorge, “Discovering War in Chinese History,” Extrěme-Orient Extrěme-Occident 38 (2014), 33.
Alastair I. Johnston, Cultural Realism: Strategic Culture and Grand Strategy in Chinese History (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995), 46.
Johnston, Cultural Realism, 46.
Ibid., 46.
Alastair I. Johnston, Cultural Realism: Strategic Culture and Grand Strategy in Chinese History (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995), 46.
Johnston, Cultural Realism, 46.
Nadine Godehardt, “The Chinese Meaning of Just War and Its Impact on the Foreign Policy of the People’s Republic of China,” SSRN Electronic Journal 88 (2008), 9-15.
Nadine Godehardt, “The Chinese Meaning of Just War and Its Impact on the Foreign Policy of the People’s Republic of China,” SSRN Electronic Journal 88 (2008), 10.
Godehardt, “The Chinese Meaning of Just War,” 12.
Harriet T. Zurndorfer, “What is the Meaning of War in the Age of Cultural Efflorescence? Another Look at the Role of War in Song Dynasty China (960-1279),” in War in Works: Transformation of War from Antiquity to Clausewitz, ed. Marco Formisano and Hartmut Böhme (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., 2011), 91.
Zurndorfer, “What is the Meaning of War,” 91.
Harriet T. Zurndorfer, “What is the Meaning of War in the Age of Cultural Efflorescence? Another Look at the Role of War in Song Dynasty China (960-1279),” in War in Works: Transformation of War from Antiquity to Clausewitz, ed. Marco Formisano and Hartmut Böhme (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., 2011), 92.
Zurndorfer, “What is the Meaning of War,” 92.
Ibid., 92.
Ibid., 92.
Peter Lorge, The Reunification of China: Peace Through War Under the Song Dynasty (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015), 5-7.
Lorge, The Reunification of China, 6.
Peter Lorge, “The Rise of the Martial: Rebalancing Wen and Wu in Song Dynasty Culture,” in Civil-Military Relations in Chinese History, ed. Kai Filipiak (New York: Routledge, 2015), 134.
Peter Lorge, “The Rise of the Martial: Rebalancing Wen and Wu in Song Dynasty Culture,” in Civil-Military Relations in Chinese History, ed. Kai Filipiak (New York: Routledge, 2015), 134.
Lorge, “The Rise of the Martial,” 134.
Ibid., 134.
Ibid., 134.
Peter Lorge, “The Rise of the Martial: Rebalancing Wen and Wu in Song Dynasty Culture,” in Civil-Military Relations in Chinese History, ed. Kai Filipiak (New York: Routledge, 2015), 134.
Lorge, “The Rise of the Martial,” 134.
Ibid., 134.
Ibid., 142.
Ibid., 142.
Ibid., 142.
Peter Lorge, “The Rise of the Martial: Rebalancing Wen and Wu in Song Dynasty Culture,” in Civil-Military Relations in Chinese History, ed. Kai Filipiak (New York: Routledge, 2015), 142.
Harriet T. Zurndorfer, “What is the Meaning of War in the Age of Cultural Efflorescence? Another Look at the Role of War in Song Dynasty China (960-1279),” in War in Works: Transformation of War from Antiquity to Clausewitz, ed. Marco Formisano and Hartmut Böhme (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., 2011), 91.
The Song dynasty is credited with a majority of the critical technological advancements of ancient China. Most individuals who contributed to the technological developments were gifted statesmen. The government used imperial examinations to identify talented people. Granet (2013) posits, “The ingenuity of advanced mechanical engineering had a long tradition in China” (p. 40).
Engineers from the Song dynasty borrowed ideas from the developments made by ancient inventors and astronomers. The knowledge acquired from woodblock printing enabled them to develop the first movable type. Besides, the Song dynasty invented gunpowder that marked the commencement of the production of sophisticated weapons. Other notable technological advancements that had significant impacts on human civilization were in the fields of metallurgy and nautics. This paper will discuss the technological advancements of the Song dynasty and their influences on human civilization.
The Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty existed between 960 and1279, which is about 319 years ago (Von Glahn, 2011). The regime is credited with the invention of some of the most critical technologies that are useful today. However, a majority of the techniques were not refined during the time of the dynasty. The Chinese used the technologies in their crude form. Over time, people improved their techniques and applied them to enhance their life. Some technologies that the Song dynasty invented included the movable type and gunpowder among others.
Printing via Movable Type Machine
The Song dynasty is associated with the development of mass printing that is still in use to date. The regime invented movable type that facilitated the mass production of books (Deng & Zheng, 2015). A study of the genesis of books indicates that even though writing had existed for a long time, it was concentrated around a few intellectuals. Most of the population was illiterate because reading and writing were preserves of the elite (Granet, 2013).
The invention of movable type led to many people developing an interest in studies. Parents started encouraging their children to learn how to read and write. The production of books meant that people could access intellectual materials. Eventually, a lot of Chinese enrolled in studies leading to an increase in the number of scholars (Granet, 2013). Von Glahn (2011) argues that the invention of movable type resulted in the development of money. The Song dynasty could print money and use it for trade.
Nautics
According to Schirokauer and Brown (2012), the Song dynasty had experienced sailors who traveled to different parts of the world. They made sure that their ships were well-equipped to facilitate the voyage. The desire of sailors to explore the world led to the development of the directional compass. Later, the Song dynasty invented the magnetic compass that made navigation easy. For a long time, sailors had relied on the position of the moon and the sun to determine the bearing.
Additionally, they depended on the polestar for direction. It became hard for sailors to travel at night, particularly when they could not see the stars or the moon. The magnetic compass made it easy for people to find the way, therefore enhancing trade between the Song dynasty and other empires. Additionally, it facilitated navigation, enabling people to explore new worlds.
The Song dynasty mastered the art of building ships that could carry a lot of goods and individuals. Sun (2015) wrote, “The new technologies enhanced the maritime culture in the Song dynasty and across the globe” (p. 56). The government started using ships to offer transport services. Besides, people began to make private shipping vessels. The experience in maritime that engineers from the Song dynasty had enabled them to build efficient vessels dubbed paddle-wheel ships.
The construction of the ships helped to reinforce the military in times of war. For instance, the Song dynasty used paddle-wheel ships in the Battle of Tango. Sun (2015) claims that the development of paddle-wheel ships marked the onset of the production of warships. Besides, the Chinese had other uses for the ships. Schirokauer and Brown (2012) allege that they were used as tugboats. According to Deng and Zheng (2015), the construction of paddle-wheel ships paved the way for the development of modern vessels.
The invention of the Gunpowder
The Song dynasty invented gunpowder in the twelfth century. The regime wanted to come up with protective measures to guard it against aggressive neighbors. The Song people developed explosive bombs which they used to attack ships of their enemies. The invention of gunpowder led to the development of guns. The dynasties that had guns were superior and feared by their enemies. Deng and Zheng (2015) maintain that the invention of gunpowder was a turning point in the art of war. The Song dynasty used the powder to overcome the Mongols who used to attack China. After defeating the Mongols, the Chinese came up with numerous gunpowder-based weapons including grenades and cannons.
Culp (2016) argues that gunpowder was a coveted product across the globe. Its demand led to the rise of trade between China and European countries. In the mid-15th century, the first handgun was made resulting in the surfacing of a new class of soldiers. Today, gunpowder is used to make a majority of modern weapons. The invention of gunpowder ushered in new developments. Culp (2016) argues that the development of the car engine was a result of the invention of gunpowder.
Metallurgy
The Song dynasty borrowed the art of metallurgy from other empires such as the Han administration. They perfected the art and introduced new methods that aided the production of inhomogeneous steel (Culp, 2016). The modern processes that are used to create steel can be traced back to the Song dynasty. The regime needed to reinforce its military. Besides, the demand for steel was high in the global market.
Thus, they had to come up with novel ways to boost the production of steel. The invention of the art of metallurgy led to the growth in agriculture. The dynasty manufactured many agricultural tools that enhanced farming. Besides, metallurgy resulted in the production of various cooking utensils that are in use today. Culp (2016) claims that the manufacture of steel promoted the industrial revolution. Steel was used to build machines that fueled industrial growth. Today, steel is among the most significant building materials. The contemporary civilization uses it to construct buildings. Besides, it is used to make industrial machines as well as ships.
Inventions in Medicine and Agriculture
The Song dynasty conducted numerous researches in the medical field that helped to determine the causes of various illnesses and their treatment. Deng and Zheng (2015) allege that the dynasty established various learning institutions that facilitated research.
The Song emperors encouraged scholars to carry out research within the precinct of the palace. Besides, individuals who showed interest in studying medicine were invited to specialize in disciplines such as pediatrics, dentistry, ophthalmology, and acupuncture among others (Von Glahn, 2011). The modern society uses some of the medical advancements made by the Song dynasty to treat diseases. For instance, doctors use acupuncture to assist patients who suffer from agonizing pain.
The Song dynasty invented many farming methods that helped to boost food production. In Southern China, the Song people practiced crop rotation. Von Glahn (2011) maintains that crop rotation contributed to preserving soil fertility, thus guaranteeing a bumper harvest. The Song people came up with methods of propagating seedlings. The seedbed used to raise seedlings these day was an invention of the Song dynasty.
The Song people invented different methods of tilling the land and domesticated many varieties of fruits and vegetables. Numerous scholars wrote books about fruit and tree planting. The books were helpful in cultivating fruits and trees like oranges and pine respectively. The Song dynasty developed agricultural practices that ensured food security. Besides, they came up with different varieties of rice that were drought-resistant (Culp, 2016, p. 23).
Conclusion
The Song dynasty played a significant role in technological advancement. Numerous developments achieved during the regime helped to shape human civilization. The manufacture of the movable type contributed to the publishing of books. In return, many people enrolled in schools leading to the rise in the number of intellectuals. Advancements in nautics opened the oceans making it easy for people to navigate and explore different continents. Additionally, the development of paddle-wheel ships facilitated trade. Later, engineers borrowed knowledge from the vessel which was vital in the elaboration of contemporary ships.
he invention of gunpowder revolutionized the art of war. It also facilitated the development of the car engine. The art of metallurgy played a significant role in the industrial revolution. The Song dynasty made numerous advancements in the medical field that promoted the treatment of different diseases. Knowledge acquired during the regime helped to revolutionize the medical field. Besides, the Song people domesticated numerous varieties of crops. They came up with types of plants that were drought-resistant, thus guaranteeing food security.
References
Culp, J. (2016). Ancient Chinese technology series: Spotlight on the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. New York, NY: Rosen Publishing Group.
Deng, K., & Zheng, L. (2015). Economic restructuring and demographic growth: Demystifying growth and development in Northern Song China, 960-1127. Economic History Review, 68(4), 1107-1131.
Granet, M. (2013). Chinese civilization. New York, NY: Routledge.
Schirokauer, C., & Brown, M. (2012). A brief history of Chinese civilization. London, UK: Cengage Learning.
Sun, X. (2015). Chinese calendar and mathematical astronomy: Handbook of archaeoastronomy and ethnoastronomy. New York, NY: Springer.
Von Glahn, R. (2011). The Song transformation: Song China (960-1279). Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, 54(1), 773-780.
For many years, music has been associated with positive impacts on human beings vis-a-vis reducing stress levels. Specifically, many studies have established that music could be utilised to alleviate anxiety and reduce heart rate in contexts that are exemplified by clinical laboratory events (Brattico et al. 2003; Sokhadze 2007).
Nowadays, clinicians use songs to help patients to cope with pain that is associated with some medical procedures. Some studies have also correlated the use of melodies with elimination of clinical symptoms that typify some disorders, for example, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease (Nilsson 2008; Sokhadze 2007). However, some scientists are controversial with regard to the health benefits of songs, such as stress reduction.
Due to the controversy, some studies have been conducted to evaluate the benefits of melodies in relation to helping patients with dementia. It is worth noting that several methodological weaknesses have been identified (Sokhadze 2007).
It is evident that better research designs would be required to help scholars to evaluate and decipher the effects of songs on human behaviour. In fact, such studies would focus on understanding both physiological and psychological impacts of music (Brattico et al. 2003).
Many researchers have attempted to correlate physiological effects with melodies. For example, it is known that “affective visual and auditory stimulation could be linked to music” (Sokhadze 2007, p. 37). Stimuli that are intended to result in visual and audio effects have been shown to cause changes that are detectable by CNS and ANS.
However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate physiological changes that exemplify both CNS and ANS when both audio and visual mechanisms of the body are initiated. On the contrary, many scholars have concentrated on understanding either ANS or CNS mechanisms with regard to music (Sokhadze 2007).
That notwithstanding, it is essential to note that emotional reactions that are linked to the functions of affective pictures have been studied widely. Generally, specific physiological measures, such as brain activity parameters, and duo dimensions of feelings have been correlated (Sokhadze 2007).
Inconsistent results have also been reported in relation to cardiovascular responses to melodies. In fact, it could be concluded that most of the inconsistencies could be caused by methodological variations that happen during music selection. For example, Knight and Richard (2001) note that blood pressure could be reduced when people listen to sedative music.
The relationship between melodies and the activities of the cortical region of the brain has been reported (Brattico et al. 2003). Brattico and colleagues (2003) argue that songs can cause calming and stimulating effects on the brain, which results from the extent to which the cortical region is activated by music stimuli.
A study Sokhadze (2007) showed that music could have negative and/or positive, which could result in modulatory impacts on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. However, it was demonstrated that the impacts of pleasant songs showed a high level of variability in relation to parameters such as heart rate and peripheral blood flow.
References
Brattico, E, Jacobsen, T, Baene, W, Nakai, N, & Tervaniemi, M, 2003, ‘Electrical brain responses to descriptive versus evaluative judgments of music’, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 999, no. 1, pp. 155-157.
Knight, WE, & Rickard, NS, 2001, ‘Relaxing music prevents stress-induced increases in subjective anxiety, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate in healthy males and females’, Journal of music therapy, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 254-272.
Nilsson, U, 2008, ‘The anxiety-and pain-reducing effects of music interventions: a systematic review’, AORN journal, vol. 87, no. 4, pp. 780-807.
Sokhadze, EM, 2007, ‘Effects of music on the recovery of autonomic and electrocortical activity after stress induced by aversive visual stimuli’, Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 31-50.
As one author quoted, “Music cleanses the understanding; inspires it and lifts it into a realm which it would not reach if it were left to itself” (Henry Ward Beecher). He couldn’t have been more right. Protest songs are considered to have span over the centuries, continents and race.
They are songs that majorly address issues that range from social injustices like racism and slavery to political matters like wars. They either inspire crowds for mass actions or simply just create awareness of the problem. Protest songs are, however, known to be associated with peaceful social movements.
In the 1960’s, the prevalent issues then were the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. This article explores the many artists/musicians who were actively involved during this time and the protest songs that they sung that meticulously addressed the then current issues.
Protest Songs
Protest songs stem from the folk music (Protest Song 1) that was present in the early 19th century. The folk music of that period addressed matters of social injustices and folk music eventually transitioned to protest songs in the1960s as a result of the dissatisfaction of the public and their current political and social environment especially after the end of World War 2 (Hurry et al. 162).
Folk songs were generally characterized by their simplicity and repetitive choruses (Hurry et al. 162). These songs were also appropriate alternatives to the other genres especially jazz (Gonipraw 4).
Protest songs however transitioned from the “acoustic-oriented folk styling to rock-based rhythms” (Protest Music 1) although this entirely depended on the musician. Gonipraw attributes this transition to “artistic decisions, record company involvement and a growing disillusionment among young people” (Gonipraw 5).
The then artists/musicians were known to contribute greatly to protests that sought to address the civil rights concerns and the Vietnam War (Gonipraw 4). Gonipraw has argued that: “when the needs and goals of the people were sung together by the people, a force was created, capable of defeating alienation” (Gonipraw 4). Peter Seeger who was a known musician in the 1960s summarized it rightly.
Artists/Musicians involved and their messages
Some of the popular artists and groups of this time were: “Woody Guthrie, Peter Seeger, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Joe Hill, The Weavers, Leedbelly, Joan Baez, Neil Young, The Doors, Country Joe and the Fish, Jefferson Airplane among others” (Cogan et al. 126). Peter, Paul and Mary were also another famous trio during this time (Protest Music 1).
Woody Guthrie and Peter Seeger were very vigorous in their approach since they traversed their country and actively became involved with the political events of that time (Gonipraw 3).
For the Vietnam War, songs that were composed had messages that basically advocated the end of the war or showed its ineffectiveness. “Where have all the flowers gone?” (Perone 20) is one such a song written by Peter Seeger, and it even had the privilege to be sung in Vietnam by the soldiers.
The song’s story is about “young girls picking flowers that eventually end on the graves of their dead soldier husbands” (Ruehl 1). Another song by Peter Seeger “Last train to Nuremberg” (Perone 61) is seen to directly point accusing fingers to the President Nixon and others as to blame for the blood shed in Vietnam.
Barry McGuire is also one such artist whose song “Eve of Destruction” in 1965 had a stern message against the war in Vietnam (Protest Music 1). Bob Dylan is also a famous artist whose music mostly addressed “world problems” (Cogan et al. 128). His lyrics unlike other musicians were not as direct but were “deliberately trying to obscure the meaning of his politics in a political context” (Cogan et al. 129).
He is considered to have been the best of them all since “he redefined what protest music said and what it sounded like” and he is also know to have mentored many others (Gonipraw 7). Some of his songs that were really popular include “Blowin in the wind” and “Master of War”.
During the Civil Rights Movement, the African Americans really made use of song as a way to “send hope, calm sorrows and heal” themselves even as they struggled to find freedom (Freeman 2).
The songs they sang had been used in the slave era and were changed to work for them during their other struggles: for instance “Oh Freedom” sang by Joan Baez was initially “written about freedom in heaven…” (Freeman 2) but it was adapted to describe “the harsh realities of segregation that included shootings, burning and bombing of churches” (Freeman 2).
The protests were to fight for equality with other Americans and they were sang “almost nightly in the churches from the South” (Freeman 5). The fact that these musicians even stood by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. is very remarkable, since it signifies that it was not just about African American civil rights struggle but it was more of a joint effort from leaders and musicians alike.
In about 1968, the vitality of protests song was on the decline and this could be attributed to many things: President Nixon’s administration may have had a hand in it (Protest Music 1). Nevertheless, John Lennon’s song “Give Peace a Chance” in 1969 seems to have brought a good closure of the protest songs to more of peaceful songs (Ruehl 1).
Its message was just simply summarized in its title and its popularity did not stop then but continued throughout time especially where there was any “peace movement involved”. Not only did the songs lose their power, but time also saw some very influential musician like Phil Ochs who started out very well, lose ground as a musician (Gonipraw 6).
The question however is, did the songs achieve the purpose for which they were composed? They did. Simply because protest songs were a part and parcel of the movements in 1960 and the two went in hand in hand (Gonipraw 6). The popularity was more on the musicians as compared to politicians since they had much more impact than the latter (Gonipraw 6).
Conclusion
Songs and music definitely have a very great impact be it in mobilizing masses or passing a message across from time immemorial. The protest songs in their time are known to have had a great influence on the leaders, the Vietnamese soldiers and even unifying many from all races during the Civil Rights movement.
Their popularity in the 1960s fully served their purpose and some of the songs are even sung to date and they even persisted through the 1970s. Though not as popular, there are songs which are sung presently that could fall in the category of protest songs.
Works Cited
Cogan et al. Encyclopedia of Politics, the Media and Popular Culture. Santa Barbra CA, 2009. Print.
Freeman, Tracy. Spiritual and Freedom Songs. Coded Communication, n.d. Web.
Goniprow, Dan. Where have all the Protest Songs Gone? Senior Honors Projects, 2007. Web.
It was 1961, and the world desperately needed their Stevie Wonder. Not that people already realized that it was Stevie’s voice that could fill the gap between the counterculture movement that was only starting to get a momentum, and the melancholy for the simpler and more heart-felt era of jazz that the 20ies and the 40ies were was growing. Blind and genial, Stevie gave the audience what they wanted, a touching child prodigy story and a bunch of even more moving songs.
Unlike one might have predicted, by the end of the 60ies and the beginning of the 1970s, the novelty of Stevie Wonder’s songs had not worn off; on the contrary, as Ribovsky remarked, “for the soul aficionado, the real sorcery of Stevie Wonder arose in and endures from the 1970ies, a decade he owned” (Ribovsky 3).
Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder’s album that was inspired by Peaked Higher than the sky and the title of which was “chosen as a canon and guidepost” (Ribovsky 261), is a perfect specimen of the singer’s oeuvre. With the help of the power of his singer and songwriter’s talent, Stevie Wonder managed to express the concern for the problems of the 1970s.
Songs in the Key of Life Album
Love’s in Need of Love Today and As
It comes as a big surprise that this is not another interpretation of I Just Called… Despite the similar beat and the same soothing melody, the song actually managed to hit the chord between a protest, a reproach and an encouragement for a change. The contrast between the soothing melody and a vision of a collapsing world is rather thought-provoking. Compared to this song, As offers a more romantic interpretation of longing for love, yet conveys the same idea.
Have a Talk with God
Making a connection to his previous message, Stevie Wonder suggests the way to right the wrongs of the world by having a talk with God. Rather naïve, yet also a very touching song, it does sound a little preachy, yet for the time slot which it was intended for, it works perfectly well.
Village Ghetto Land, Isn’t She Lovely?, Black Man and Ebony Eyes
Of course, it would not be a Stevie Wonder album if it did not tell about the problem of peace from the point of the people who have been affected it most. Despite the mellow tone of the song and Wonder’s soft voice, the song actually came out as an eye-opener, shedding some light on the life of African Americans in a typical American Black ghetto.
Even though some messages were too on-the-nose, like “Families buying dog food now”, the song is still a solid message about the key problems of the America of the 70ies. Conveying a similar idea, Ebony Eyes and Isn’t She Lovely? tell about the beauty that shines even through the mess of a ghetto, while Black Man considers the issue from a man’s perspective.
Contusion
Another message about the world peace, Confusion pins down the true reasons for all the world’s major troubles, and makes it obvious that the root of all people’s problems, both personal and political, is misunderstanding. It seems that at the time when the USA was in the confrontation with the USSR and Asia, the message concerning the importance of a compromise was more than relevant.
Sir Duke
A tribute to Duke Ellington, a famous jazz musician, Sir Duke seems to be a slight departure from the key theme of the album. In contrast to the previous songs, Sir Duke celebrates the pioneers in the American jazz music. At first sight, the song seems hardly related to the context of the entire album; in a retrospective, though, one will see that Sir Duke conveys the message that music can be the force uniting nations and solving conflicts.
I Wish
While Songs in the Key of Life are great for the most part, there is one problem about them, and this problem is the target audience. Despite being rather mellow and soft, the songs are mostly intended for the adults – and not just for adults, but for the ones who actually have some kind of power to change the existing political situation for better.
However, every rule has its exception, and here is the one for the Songs in the Key of Life. Though I Wish is not technically about children or for children, it makes the grown-ups travel back in time and remember themselves as kids. Therefore, the message of peace that the entire album is shot through becomes even more powerful.
Knocks Me off My Feet
Just when people thought that for once, they will get a strong album from one of the greatest performers in the soul, pop genre period, about social and political issues and the idea of humanity shooting the entire album through, a touch clichéd, but generally good chunk of music, there comes Knocks Me Off My Feet – a love song that seems completely out of place here.
It can be considered a part of the grand scheme of spreading love all over the world, but that seems too big a stretch. Perhaps, Stevie wanted to enthral the audience with a kind of a personal story that any person can easily relate to, but in the context of the socially charged song of the album, this one seems a bit out of place.
Pastime Paradise
When considering The Songs in the Key of Life, one will find it quite intriguing that the album is structured in a very specific way. The compositions that were supposed to come out as big hits did not come as a whole – there were quite a lot of lyrical fillers that allowed more meaningful artworks to breathe.
After a relaxing Knocks Me off My Feet,Pastime Paradise becomes even more meaningful and innovative. While the use of synthesizer made the song sound like a full-string section, which was a great innovation at the time, the lyrics sound much like a direct reproach, which is quite unusual for Stevie’s oeuvre.
Making it clear that the 1970s world lives in the realm of its own imaginary heaven, the singer warns that the price for this delusion is going to be very high. With Joy Inside My Tears concerning the revelation of peace as a close follow-up, Pastime Paradise becomes all the more meaningful. Hence, the political situation of the 70ies shaped the album a lot (Perone).
Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing
One of the many questions that this song raises is why putting a Zulu word, a Spanish phrase and an English sentence, with each of three meaning completely different things. However, if diving into the song’s meaning, one will realize that this is another message about the necessity to stop fighting and become a single entity. Hence comes the title, which symbolizes the reconciliation of all nations.
If It’s Magic
With the world’s political leaders’ futile attempts at changing the situation for the better and using more peaceful means to solve the conflicts, If It’s Magic sounds like a reproach, asking people why they seek for brutal ways to confront their opponents.
Another Star and Saturn
Those two come as a whole, for they are based on the same social issue. While talking about living in a different reality, they hint at the issue of immigration, which was huge in the 60ies and 70ies.
All Day Sucker
All Day Sucker is another common call for love and peace. While offering nothing as remarkable as I am Singing, it is still a decent song.
Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call)
The last, but definitely not the least song in the album, Easy Goin’ Evening allows to make the politically seasoned message more subtle and end the album on a light-hearted and whimsically romantic note.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that the present-day music industry seems to take over the original ideas of musicians and produce the processed music which is very easy to digest and which yet gives as little food for thought as little it says about the personality of the artist, Stevie Wonder’s legacy lives on, and the artist still manages to produce relatively solid artworks.
Though the present-day Stevie Wonder does not match the Stevie of the 1970ies – there is no I Just Called to Say I Love You there – it seems that the singer still retains the original style which was coined in 1973 as Songs in the Key of Life was released.
Managing to stay tuned into the tendencies of the modern R&B, pop and funk, Stevie still produces the music that has the charm of the 1973’s Songs in the Key of Life, and this is what the audience adores him for. After all, the melancholy for the simpler and more heartfelt era of funk that the 70ies were is growing.
Works Cited
Perone, James E. The Sound of Stevie Wonder: His Words and Music. Westport, CN: Greenwood Publishing Group. 2006. Print.
Ribovsky, Mark. Signed, Sealed, and Delivered: The Soulful Journey of Stevie Wonder. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. 2010. Print.
Metallica is a rock band consisting of four main members although it had other members who left the band to form their own bands. It was formed in 1981in Los Angeles. The band is considered to be one of the initiators of hard rock as a type of rock music. They included aggressiveness and instrumentals in their music and coupled it with quick tempo. This made them to be recognized for their hard metallic rock style of music.
This article details on how the group Metallica fits into the history of rock. It also highlights on their inspirations and influences during the moments that they became a hit. Besides this, this article also highlights on some of the aspects of the song ‘enter sandman’ by the group with respect to historical traces of style and musical ingredient.
Rock music has over the past years been changing to a different style and after sometimes it reinvents itself and moves back to the old style. Rock music dates back to 1940s with the introduction of electric guitars. It became a modification of the style that existed then. The group Metallica began during the 1980s where mainstream rock music had lost its ground on and started to sound stale. This paved the way for new ideas such as post punk and metal rock.
They used more electric instrumentations with a mode of songwriting that was quite different. Among the groups that were active during this period included the Metallic. Its first album in 1983, displayed this new entry of rock music and it got popularity among rock fans. Gradually they managed to pull four albums by the end of 1980s. All these albums were relevant to the mode of the rock music of that time.
Metallica has been very influential in the music of rock. They are among the rock bands that are attributed to the founding of the trash rock. This is their legacy and their biggest contribution to the history of rock. They have sold millions of copies of their music globally with the US being the largest consumer of their music.
This has made it to be referred to as the most influential band that existed in the 80s. Their style of music and handling of the electric guitar, made so many other band to want to emulate them. Some of their songs have been featured in many albums belonging to other rock bands that were inspired by Metallica. The music channel MTV placed the group as the third best metal rock band of all time. Their main big influences included bands that played heavy metal in the past.
The song enter sandman, was a big hit in its time winning several awards. It incorporated aspects of styles that were used during the early times of rock music. For instance it uses fast tempos, a style that was earlier used by groups such as the scorpion that sang heavy metal.
This same style was equally used by hard rock groups and punk rock. Another aspect of the song stylistic devise is the use of harmonized leads, something very common with earlier rock music such as punk and heavy metal. The song was recorded to target the mainstream market that was looking promising then. It managed to attract a very huge crowd and liking. It won several awards and sold millions of copies to the entire world.
In the middle of the past century, in the United States arose the African-American Civil Rights Movement. A protest song We Shall Overcome became an anthem of this movement. Analyzing a book of T. V. Reed, we can notice that the possible criteria for what makes the protest music powerful are its not profitable nature and interest of the common goods.
Reed says that music, playing the strategic and tactical role, help paralyzing the fears (28). As the songs were the organizing tool helped African-Americans to form their communities, in XX century, people used this instrument in order to get their civil rights.
Obviously, the ideas that can be hardly said that can be easily sung by thousands of people. Music is a helpful tool that absolutely corresponded to the tactic of non-violence protest. For African-Americans, music had always been a part of religion, the most helpful tool to express the feelings and emotions.
Therefore, they used this instrument of engagement in order to connect people, unite them for the common good and to claim the resentment and hopes. A specific of this music proclaims the dominant position of the common interest over the commercial benefits. As a united element, the protest music helps people realize their identity and use their voices as an instrument of resistance.
Reed cites the line from the song We Shall Overcome: “Deep in my heart I do believe, we shall overcome some day” in order to show how the individualized statement of the beginning transforms, getting the collective sense (32-33). Another important criterion of Reed’s analysis is a freedom as the basic idea of the protest songs. The line “we shall all be free” is a confirmation of this statement. It is the tradition has its roots in a history of the United States and the relationships between white and black populations.
Using the word freedom instead of equality, the protestors indicate not the legal aspect, but rather the moral attitude. Freedom songs had been a popular way of time spending, pleasure and recreation during the centuries. In the XX century, they transformed into a peaceful weapon. Read emphasizes that “music is not the only force in shaping movement identities, but it clearly was among the most powerful” (33).
We Shall Overcome has a long story of transformation and people’s development. More than hundred years ago, Charles Albert Tindley wrote I’ll Overcome Someday. As an opening and closing melody, Tindley used the song No More Auction Block for Me which is dated to before the Civil War. In 1930s, tobacco works changed it into I Shall Overcome, using this song as a material for teaching the new activists of the labor movement.
During the decades, this song was an example of the non-violence resistance that taught young African-Americans to protect their rights in a peaceful but effective way. In 1960-s, this song became an anthem of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. We Shall Overcome demonstrates that one song can serve as a tool of forming the identity and collectivity. Although music is pleasurable, it is also an important weapon in the movement for the civil rights.
Analyzing the history of the protest music, it is important to indicate that the power of this kind of arts lays in its not profitable nature and interest in the common goods. For instance, the successful example of the We Shall Overcome demonstrates that, being a pleasant time-spending, the particular song can bring people together in order to get the civil rights, integrate them in a one community.
Works Cited
Reed, T. V. The Art of Protest: Culture and Activism from the Civil Rights Movement to the Streets of Seattle, 1st ed. US: University of Minnesota Press, 2005. Print.
This project seeks to undertake a musical review through evaluation of composition, lyrics, content, diction, execution, delivery and instrumentation in the music produced. It is mainly based on emotional appeal and seeks to highlight one of the key leading singers in their performances.
The themes addressed in these songs are clear and include an emotional reflection and discovery of an inner meaning of the songs. In my research, I considered three songs written by acclaimed songwriters and musicians. The choice of these songs was influenced by the message which is accompanied by the sweet music. (Scott 17).
This criticism is based on a number of factors, For example, my preferences of music styles. As for me, I am accustomed to several genres of music. Thus, the opinion on the quality of music is subjective as it depends on someones’ musical taste. Seldom will one find two people with similar musical tastes.
Overview of choice of songs
The first song, which I consider very inspiring, is by a Christian contemporary band, Six Pence None the Richer called ‘Don’t Dream it’s Over’. The last two are by British nationals, Adele, for her spectacular song ‘Rolling in the Deep’, and James Blunt, the author and performer of the song ‘Wise men’.
Six Pence None the Richer is a band which leading singer has an enviable vocal prowess and instrumentalists understand their instruments very well. Adele and James Blunt, both solo artists, are respected for uniqueness of their voices and their richness in composition of lyrics.
‘Don’t Dream it’s Over’ by Six Pence None the Richer
The first song by Six Pence None the Richer, ‘Don’t dream it’s over’ is from their album Divine Discontent. The theme of the song pertains to renewed relief and rejuvenation. It serves as a reminder that there is hope no matter in what situation one finds himself.
It elaborately brings out the idea that there are brighter days to come. Personally it gives me a reason to ‘come alive’ and push on through the obstacles of life as it gives a renewed purpose for life. The lyrical content or message is rich and relates to any audience. It is a form of soft rock that is music to the soul.
The execution of the song is spectacular bringing in a voice that is husky yet expressive. The instrumentation brings out a harmony and rhythm that adds musical flow to the song. The lead vocalist, Leigh Nash, has one of the rarest voices. Layered with variations, Leigh has a distinguished voice that makes one believe in the lyrics she sings out. Leigh Nash has been acclaimed on international media for her sterling voice that adds vibrance and pomp to all performances by the band.
The instrumentation layers the performance of the song in a manner that displays solid mastery of the instruments in the creation of melody. Nash draws inspiration from her Christian life and country artists who have previously done well including Tanya Tucker and Loretta Lynn. Leigh Nash started singing country music and learning the guitar at a tender age of twelve. She is also a songwriter.
Nash spent her childhood in Southern Texas in the town of Braunfels where she sang in local cafes. Despite growing in the country side, she never developed an accent. The band lead guitarist is Matt Slocum while T.J Behling is the bassist. Dale Baker serves as the drummer.
The composer of this song must have taken into perspective the general hassles of life that may make one let go of their dreams. It serves as an encouragement to push on despite all the signs showing one has reached a dead end. The song is enriched mostly by the acoustic guitar and drums that are outstanding in the execution of the song. Use of lower registers of voice and tempo adds style (Sloboda 361).
In the song ‘Don’t dream it’s over’, the structure of the song is polyphonic involving blend of voice and instrumentation. The song has a lot of repetition but I believe emphasis of the lyrics is important for the message to be passed along to the listener.
‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele
The song ’Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele is a song of heartbreak and brings out the theme that relationships can be sour. Adele reminds us of the simple nature of relationships which are a major component of everyones’ life. The song mimics everyday relationships by unfolding the harsh reality of how bad things can turn out to be.
In my opinion, Adele has a very expressive voice, simple yet complex. She does not disappoint with a stellar execution of the song which displays versatility beyond lyrics. The content is deep as it sends a strong message on anger expressed over a guy a girl must have seriously loved and now she is left heartbroken and lonely (Tate 2008).
The song has flow and perfect harmony as her voice brings out the tempo with style. The video is equally captivating with an unusual concept of glasses filled with water and a room that depicts a deserted house. This expresses how the girl feels, alone, yet she can rise above hurt and pull the small pieces of her life together. Adele’s instrumentation is simple adding harmonization to melodies.
The song depicts a unique flow and harmony of voice, instruments and tonal variations to blend them. Adele is a rare diamond acclaimed world over and the highlight of the uniqueness of her voice was revealed in Sky fall, the James Bond movie, signature song.
A background check on Adele reveals that she is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the keyboard, bass guitar and percussion instruments. She is a songwriter, composer and arranger with distinguished contributions to adult contemporary pop music.
In the 2009 Grammy Awards, Adele received awards for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Female Pop Vocal Performance’. Adele was born in Tottenham, North London and she attributes her love and passion for music to the ‘Spice Girls’. Her vocals are well developed and she is well known for soul genres touching on relationships and heartbreaks.
Adele showcases a melody that is initially slow but rises steadily and gets faster with the drum beats to the climax of the song. Evidently, the dynamics of the song merge as the instruments match the increasingly aggressive voice of Adele. The tempo of the song is enhanced by the distinct drum beats making the melody of the song catchy and indicating a level of dynamism.
The depth of this song cannot be underestimated. Adele has proven to have arguably one of the deepest lyrical prowesses. Adele has not only displayed success in her British hometown, but equally earned acclamation around the world for her songs hitting the charts. I believe many people relate with the lyrics of this song.
Music by Adele and Six Pence None the Richer are therapeutic giving listeners a sense of hope in the midst of life’s wild storms. They both break through the clutter and give a sense of meaning to life by assuring that things will get better. This is one of the themes that truly inspire me as a listener. These two pieces undoubtedly add flavor to life.
‘Wise men’ by James Blunt
James Blunt production of ‘Wise men’ is a form of pop rock. The quality of sound adds to the richness of the overall composition. His voice evokes feelings of triumph in breakups and the lyrics touches on housewives undergoing turbulent marriages. The song is an allegory to the Biblical three wise men. In my opinion, the song shows original talent and the execution is superb. The diction is equally appropriate making James Blunt a compelling artist. The texture of the song is even as the guitar plays a lead role in the instrumentation.
James Blunt writes his own music hence gaining respect in lyrical composition. He has won two British awards and has previously been nominated for the Grammy awards five times. James Blunt quit the army in 2002 and unleashed his debut album ‘Back to Bedlam’. The song which catapulted him to fame, ‘You’re Beautiful’, earned him worldwide recognition (Griffins 1).
James Blunt carries a self-conscious demeanor and elicits an attitude of ‘not afraid to be different’. He is a talented songwriter with well crafted songs that exude style and earn charisma. Stage presence is convincing accompanied by his favorite instrument, the electric guitar, and in fact he has the ability of moving an audience to tears of joy.
His name, Blunt, is considered in the English language as somewhat ‘boring’. However, James has risen above this stereotype and numerous criticisms to conquer hearts and souls of men by moving audiences and receiving acclamation in the music fraternity. James Blunt, no doubt has an admirable gift for Music (Moore par.2).
However, James Blunt recently announced that he is leaving the music fraternity. I believe that through his music, many will remember his distinguished voice and cleverly mastered lyrics.
These three artists have served as a great influence in my life and changed my perception of music in so many different ways. My selection of these three pieces, not only highlights diversification as an individual, but equally displays that music from different genres make one connected to other cultures and styles from around the world. Content is key in music pieces, but execution in terms of instrumental accompaniment and charisma, distinguishes good music as extraordinary and unique (Kramer 51).
Two words for my all my favorite musicians, rock on!
Summary of choice of songs
Song : Don’t Dream it’s Over Composer: Six Pence None the Richer Album: Divine Discontent
Song: Rolling in the Deep Composer: Adele Album: 21
Song: Wise Men Composer: James Blunt Album: Back to Bedlam