Category: Song

About Monteverdi

Musical artists strive each day to come up with styles and genres that will capture the attention of the audiences. As such, it takes their sacrifice of time and funds to make sure that every composition is well received. Monteverdi is such an artist who went beyond the norms to compose his music. Monteverdi Claudio (Giovanni Antonio) started living on 15 may 1567^[1] in Cremona and passed on in Venice on 29^th November 1643 (PBS 2013). He was the son of a barber – surgeon and a doctor.

Throughout his life, he collected titles such as composer, gambist, and music prophet. He made the first debut into musical drama and perfected the art of opera while yet in his prime^[2] before retiring to church music. His specialty lay in madrigals, operas, and church or sacred music. As a youth, he apprenticed for an elaborately talented master and was a precocious pupil as evidenced by him publishing his first works in his teens, which took the form of madrigals^[3].

These were after the manner of his own master’s composition and were far from perfect but they set the young Monteverdi well on his way to musical success. With this brief overview, this paper provides details of his music composition style. It goes ahead to address his outstanding performances such as The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland. This performance, as it will be proved later in the paper, outstood the rest of his four operas.

Monteverdi’s Composition Style

Monteverdi is largely responsible for the shift in style from the Renaissance to the Baroque style of music^[4]. He technically applied the previous style giving his new-genre compositions a refined sound and this tactic proved to be impossible for any successors to duplicate without risking a redundant undertone in the outcome (McComb, Todd 2000, 1).

The novel style featured an epoch shaping of musical characters^[5]. It was characterized by the reduction of emphasis on simultaneous polyphony and counterpoint. The effect of this was that mainstream or traditional composition took a shift into melody and accompaniment^[6]. The critics of Monteverdi have since opined that the aggregate effect of this new style of composition was the infiltration of the musical arena with ambitious but talentless composer since all that is needed to compose is a tune and a rule book.

However, even the critics acknowledged Monteverdi’s genius in the application of a technical touch to the initial style of composition that could not be mimicked by upcoming upstarts in the musical realm. The very basic effect of this novel style embraced by Monte was the liberation of melody from harmony or in other words, the style extracted the text and emotion from the contraptual style.

In effect, this gave this text and emotion an independent life that existed despite the tune being tampered with at times as was the case more often than not in most of Monte’s compositions. To further spice the composition, Monteverdi applied musical virtuosity, demanding it of the singers. He also focused the audience’s attention on the sonority and the showmanship that accompanied the music.

Initially, all these foreign tactics produced horrendous results and it soon became apparent to Monteverdi that he would have to balance out the new and the old. So far, he had only slightly reduced the effects of the older style without regard to the imbalance in melody and showmanship. Subsequently, he focused on reducing the emphasis on the contraptual invention^[7].

When questioned about this new style that seemed to evoke negative thoughts and wild emotions, Monteverdi indicated that the notion of music being austere or illustrating only the positive modes of thinking needed to be challenged.

By releasing emotions that are likely to cause pandemonium and negative thinking, the initial idealistic inclination if many composers would come under attack and inspire change. Whereas these sentiments sound outlandish, it was interesting that most of the audiences liked this new style of composition^[8] that to an abstract observer seems to wreak havoc instead of harmony (Arnold Denis and Nigel Fortune 1985).

It was apparent that Monteverdi’s music caused abreaction or catharses among the audience as evidenced by the various press releases indicating audience reactions to performances composed by him. The music he created had the effect of trickling down to the heart and causing the subconscious to react or purge out emotion.

In psychology, and as per the Aristotelian theory, catharses is achieved by exposure to tragedy drama, which works to bring to consciousness the patient’s sub conscious emotional preoccupations especially pity or fear. In the end, it purges them of any pent up emotions that may be destabilizing the equilibrium of their emotional scale.

The use of negative emotion in music mirrors the return of Greek drama to Italian stages in the 1600s^[9]. Another explanation for his inclination to the dour may be the widespread and less concealed fascination with the occult that characterized this era. However, it is notable that Monteverdi’s music gave voice to the more tortured utterances of the soul, which at the time, resonated deeply with the audience^[10].

This is because in most cases, these were feelings that people often felt but did not express and so having the pleasure of watching an opera with musical characters that voiced out their tortured emotions was some sort of a balm and had the exhilarating effect of liberation through expression of pent up emotions.

Finally, it is interesting to note that with the preceding styles of music, recognition that a novel style had since emerged usually took the form of critics recognizing the difference in style from what was familiar or traditional. The only exception to this trend had occurred in the fourteenth century with the debut of the Ars nova (Arnold Dennis 1975).

However, in the case of Ars Nova, there arose so much controversy as to who had initiated the style, whether it was the critics or the originators of the song^[11]. In Monteverdi’s case, he came out openly and indicated that he had come up with a new style.

The new style included a standard of self conscious and aggressive expression as indispensable to prowess in musical composition. A confident air about this declaration may have discouraged critics from corrupting the music. The critics opined, as noted above, that Monteverdi’s music made the realm of musical composition accessible to any ambitious, albeit talentless musicians t compose so long as they had a tune and a rule book (Kamien Roger 2002).

Monteverdi countered this argument by indicating that his style was not that easy to mimic. This turned out to be true because in his composition, tune was not as important as the rights dosage of melody and accompaniment. Often he would ruin the tune to complete the musical parts required for a certain piece of music.

It soon became apparent that nobody could apply the technical style of old to this new version as much as he or she could until Beethoven came in (Cayne, Bernard 1990). Most of the other composers usually ended up with a superfluous composition in their bid to mimic Monteverdi’s style. This indicates that there was clearly more to his composition that simple tunes and / or rulebook instructions.

Moreover, Monteverdi continued to compose sacred music. He remained sacredly loyal to the traditional style of composition only deviating a few times to include humor in the mass music.

Monteverdi is clearly responsible for Western Music’s debut into an era of celebrity musicians or the soloist conception of musical performance. This is reflected in the dominance of personality in his compositions wherein the individualistic thoughts that could even be categorized as selfish become a common feature in the performances (Arnold, Denis 1967).

The most eminent successor in this element of style is Beethoven. However, it is noteworthy that although at times the self-conscious elements in musical composition may seem to reflect a soloist concept or to bare the musician as the persona in the piece, that effect is not the intended primary subject of the composer (Whenham and Wistreich 2007, 194).

It may well be that it is an intentional style aimed at drawing the audience’s attention to the musician’s individuality, but of primary importance to such a composer is usually the effect on the heart and soul of the audience. That is the primary subject of such tumultuous compositions.

The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland^[12]

In his life, Monteverdi produced four operas: L’Orfeo, L’Arianna^[13], Il Ritorno, and La Poppea (Marthaler, Benard 2003). The first two he produced at the beginning of 1600 (1606 – 1608) when he was an established court composer for the Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga in Mantua.

However, he had a falling out with the duke’s successor, Duke Francesca Gonzaga after he was passed over in the appointment of a Maestro di Capella (Director of Music) upon Wert’s death. Wert had been the former court composer and had a great influence on Monteverdi. Consequently, he moved to Venice in 1613^[14] where he was made the Maestro di Capella in the S. Marco Basilica. While he was there, he had a large team working with him and so he could compose for the court as well as take commission from outside of court.

He majored on sacred music and was very strict and diligent in his work. He was getting a good pay, which was regular and he seemed to be in a happy state. It was there that he composed the last two operas from 1639 onwards with Poppea^[15] being released shortly before his death.

L’Arianna has since been lost except for the libretto. It is apparent that Monteverdi took opera as the outlet via which he could vent his frustrations and emotions as was apparent when the prima donna in L’Arianna died during production and he subsequently did a musical piece on her death^[16]. With Il ritorno, he had already turned seventy and was seemingly unaware of the musical climate in Venice ( Paolo Fabbri 1994).

The Teatro San Cassioano was constructed in Venice in 1637 and it was the first theatre in the world that was primarily devoted purely to the production and performance of opera. The rich Tron folks subsidized this performance. Soon enough, other well-to-do folks including royalty began to sponsor musical houses and works, which is how Monteverdi ended up returning to the world of composition of operas.

Creation

Giacomo Badaoro (1602-1654) was a poet in the Venetian dialect and an esteemed member of the Academic degli Incogniti^[17]. He did the libretto for Il Ritorno, which was his first Libretto^[18].

His lack of expertise was apparent in “the faithful adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey Book 13-23 with the exception being that some of the characterizations had been altered” (Whenham, John 1986). It may that that part of Giacomo’s inspiration was drawn for the 1591 play of ‘Penelope’^[19]. However, what is clearly established was that the libretto was primarily established to entice Monteverdi’s return into the Venetian opera.

This was relevant because of the character of Ulysses in the opera, who was returning home from a long period away from it as was Monteverdi returning to the opera stage from a long absence^[20].The seduction bore fruit and Monteverdi accepted the commission (Whenham, John 1986). He was given the libretto either in 1639 or before them, since the opera was intended for performance in the 1639 -1641 carnival^[21].

Composition

The musical composition was made for a small band of five string players and various accompanying instruments although there is no actual recording of the specific instruments that were used at the initial performance.

The use of a small band is evidence of the economic dynamics of the time, specifically the economizing of the opera production where sponsorship depended on the artistic and commercial success. The score was discovered in the 19^th century at the National Library at Vienna. When Badaoro delivered the score to Monteverdi, it was raw.

It is recorded that when Monteverdi handed it back to Giacomo, the librettist could not recognize his own work because Monteverdi had made drastic, but masterful changes (Marthaler, Benard 2003). The note recorded in the preface that was addressed to Monteverdi, which is one of the evidences^[22] of the authenticity of the score as Monteverdi’s indicates, “I can firmly state that my Ulysses is more indebted to you than ever was the real Ulysses to ever – gracious Minerva.” (Redlich, 1949; Eng. trans. 1952, reprinted 1972)

The question of authenticity led to the reduction in performance of the opera throughout the 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th centuries. However, there has been since the 1950s an acknowledgment of the authenticity of the script^[23]. The basis of the questioning was the fact that the libretto was so different from the score. However, evidence indicates that the cause of this removal from the libretto is Monteverdi’s skill and prowess in writing, which had converted the piece into a masterpiece (Vogel, 1887).

Roles

The available 30 roles in the musical drama include angelic choirs, sirens and Phaecians (Whenham, John, and Wistreich, Richard 2007). However, these can be neatly stacked into fourteen singers by doubling the roles^[24]. What is necessary in terms of voices includes three sopranos, two mezzo-sopranos, one alto, six tenors and two basses (Schrade, 1979).

Synopsis

The opera or musical drama revolves in the scene around the Island of Ithaca ten years after the Trojan wars. The scene unfolds with the image of a man lying on the shores and of a stack of stones representing the ship that was turned to stone as well as its occupants when the gods disapproved of their aid to Ulysses.

The man on the ground is Ulysses and soon Minerva^[25], disguised as a herding boy appears and seeks to help him return to his throne, which has since been taken over but suitors importuning Penelope his wife. It is recorded that Penelope has maintained constancy in her chastity and would not accept any of the suitors as she still awaited his return.

To success in taking back his throne, he shall have to maintain his beggarly disguise to enter into Ithaca unidentified. Minerva takes him to Eumete^[26], who has since been banished off court by the suitors as she goes to fetch his son Telemaco, who should help him regain his throne. When Telemaco arrives, they are reunited in a robust display of power where Ulysses’ disguise is stripped off and Telemaco recognizes his father. Later, Ulysses has to return to his disguise and they enter the court.

Once there, the suitors challenge him to a game, which he wins and Penelope offers to marry anyone that would string Ulysses’ bow, they fail and the beggarly Ulysses’ offers to try after denouncing Penelope’s hand. He succeeds and summons the gods to vanquish the suitors with his bow. Finally, in Act 3, Iro^[27] commits suicide and Penelope is still disbelieving that Ulysses is returned. Minerva summons the gods again where his disguise is stripped of him and they unite in joyous celebration^[28].

The music in the opera is in Monteverdi’s style. An illustration of this is in the lament offered by Penelope as the opera begins, which is after the manner of both the lament in L’Arianna, and Orfeo’s Redentemi il mio ben. Additionally, the music representing the battle and the killing of suitors resembles the Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda^[29] (Sadie, Stanley 2001). The musical characters come out in the music that they are supposed to sing and this is an element of self-conscious.

Penelope and Ulysses sing in a manner best described by Ringer as “honest musical and declamation” whereas the suitors are made to appear abhorrent to the audience by making their music “exaggerated and ornamental” (Ringer, Mark 2006). Penelope’s lament begins with five E flats that depict a sense of emotional stagnation that was reflective of how she felt when the opera begins^[30] (Vogel, 1887).

Conclusion

Change is a difficult phenomenon to grasp, the cause of it or even the inspiration. However, Monteverdi is a unique historical character that seemed to have the courage to flaunt the rules of his day in order to create a new genre of music that has subsisted up to date as evidenced by celebrity style musicians.

It is true that in modern music some of the artists seem to have missed the point and sing only to exalt their individualistic thoughts, whereas Monteverdi used this style to relate to the personal self-conscious and emotions of the audience.

Bibliography

Arnold, Denis and Nigel Fortune. The New Monteverdi Companion. London: Faber and Faber, 1985.

Arnold, Dennis. Monteverdi. London: Faber and Faber, 1975.

Arnold, Denis. Monteverdi Madrigals. London: Billing and Sons Limited, 1967.

Cayne, Bernard. Encyclopedia Americana Deluxe Library Edition. Danbury: Grolier Incorporated, 1990.

Fabbri, Paolo. Monteverdi, translated from the Italian by Tim Carter . Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994.

Halsey, William. Collier’s Encyclopedia. Vol. 16. New York: MacMillan Educational Company , 1991.

Kamien, Roger. An Appreciation of Music, 4th brief edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2002.

Marthaler, Benard. New Catholic Encyclopedia 2nd ed. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2003.

McComb, Todd. Monteverdi, TMM Editorial index. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2000.

PBS. “Great Performances.” PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Last modified May 19, 2013. Web.

Redlich, Fiola. Claudio Monteverdi. London: Leben und Werk, 1949.

Ringer, Mark. Opera’s First Master: The Musical Dramas of Claudio Monteverdi. Canada: Amadeus Press, 2006.

Sadie, Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd ed. London: MacMillan Publishers Limited, 2001.

Schrade, Lizla. Monteverdi: Creator of Modern Music. London: MacMillan Publishers Limited, 1950.

Schrade, Leo. Monteverdi: Creator of Modern Music. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1950.

Vogel, Ellen. A Classical Study of Claudio Monteverdi. London: MacMillan Publishers Limited 1887.

Whenham, John. Claudio Monteverdi Orfeo. Cambridge: Cambrdige University Press, 1986.

Whenham, John, and Richard Wistreich. The Cambridge Companion to Monteverdi: Cambridge Companions to Music. London: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Footnotes

1. This was actually the year that he was baptized
2. While still in his forties, he did L’Orfeo and L’Arianna
3. In total he produced eight books of madrigals during his lifetime
4. The title music prophet stems from the fact that he made the debut into musical drama with roles such as Iro in Il Ritorno who was the first comical character in opera
5. In short, he would use his music to be the definition of the characters and so if he wanted to create a rude and brash character, the music would be fitting to the characterization.
6. This referred to the various instruments that would be applied in the musical performances, although in most instances, the original instruments used in performance cannot be traced.
7. De-emphasis of contraptual invention became a critical requirement for the attainment of balance upon his introduction of a new style of doing music.
8. The only explanation that has been rendered by analysts of that era is that perhaps the population was bored of comfortable and safe-living and found pandemonium and havoc to be a titillating recreational experience
9. It may be that what had in effect caused the dramas to be rejected was the very inspiration that Monteverdi drew on for his musical compositions
10. Opera was also the medium for expression of the human conditions in the 1600s
11. This controversy culminated in the dilution of the Ars Nova style over time so much so that by Monteverdi’s time, it was impossible to trace the origins of it
12. English for “IL Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria”
13. At the time of making this performance, his wife had just died and then his prima donna in L’arianna, a pupil of his late wife also passed died of small pox. He did a piece of work indicating his emotion at the time caused by the losses
14. Prior to this, Monteverdi had lost his wife and mother of his three children, one of whom had died in infancy and so he was depressed whenever he retired to his estates only to be summoned back by his employer to perform in the court. His depression can be felt in his work at this time.
15. The controversy over the authenticity of Il Ritorno’s score also partly stems from the magnificent work he did in his last opera (poppea) as critics imbibe that Il Ritorno was not good enough for Monteverdi’s standards
16. Monteverdi did a madrigal for his prima donna that captures his loneliness and frustration eloquently in the sixth book
17. This was a group of intellectuals that sought to promote musical theatre in Venice
18. Badaoro may also have had a personal financial interest in a certain theatre that the proceeds of this composition would help him acquire
19. This was a work of Giambattista Della Porte
20. After all, he had been away for thirty years
21. It is commonly agreed that the opening venue for the opera was the Teatro SS Giovanni e Paolo.
22. Among other evidence, there is the letter from a known librettist of le Noze d’Enea in Lavinia discussing Monte’s setting of Il Ritorno
23. Authenticity came as a result of the discovery of a variety of contemporary documents evidencing Monteverdi’s part in composition
24. The reduction in the number of required singers was in a bid to minimize costs of performance as the rich sponsors were often stingy and demanding of success
25. This is one of the gods
26. This was Penelope’s personal assistant who had been banished from the court by the importuned suitors and was relegated to a pastoral lifestyle
27. This traitor in Ithaca has sided with the importunate suitors seeking to overthrow Ulysses. He is also the first comical character in the history of opera
28. At this point Penelope and Ulysses sing to reflect their joy and a promise of happiness in their futures
29. This was a work that Monteverdi worked on back in 1607 while in the thick of opera composition
30. This use of music to create character is Monteverdi’s trademark in characterization during musical composition

Analyzing songs must be one of the least gratifying tasks, since it is always hard to figure out not only what idea the author tried to get across, but also whether the author’s idea is more important than the interpretation of the audience.

There are different schools of thought that provide various answers to the given question. Some say that the author’s intent is the only valid interpretation; others claim that, once the work is released, it is open to criticism and can be viewed through the prism of other people’s vision. Hence the ambiguity concerning the “Omie Wise” comes.

Although the issue raised by Anna Domino is not that big, it still offers an interesting introspective into the author’s universe. The very fact that the author chose writing a letter as the means to convey her message to the audience makes the story told in the song of the same name look unbelievably real and, therefore, very touching.

The author, therefore, raises a very peculiar question, asking her audience whether the leading character of a song should be viewed as a unique personality or a generic image^[1]. While the latter is easier to relate to, since it allows literally any listener to find a number of points of contact with the image in question, creating a unique character that has individual character traits and, therefore, can be seen as a compelling personality is doubtlessly a much more interesting and definitely more challenging task.

Although a generic character guarantees an instant success of a song, being very relatable, a unique character will help the audience evolve by posing a number of ethical questions and life choices to its audience. Offering a fresh look at the old character, the author of the article stresses the significance of a character that the audience can empathize with.

Another bit of information from The Rose and the Briar that was meant to leave an impression, the story behind “Pretty Polly” narrated by Rennie Sparks also deserves being mentioned as the issue that gives a lot of food for thoughts. As the author claims, the song does not have any motive whatsoever, which begs the question whether a song can exist outside the basic rules of songwriting, such as the need for a clear motive.

On the one hand, the given idea seems completely absurd – being one of the key elements of any song by definition, a motive sets the mood for the song, creates the atmosphere and invites the audience into its realm, not to mention the fact that a motive makes it possible for a band or a musician to play the song. “Pretty Polly,” however, proves the given rule wrong, as Sparks insists, telling about a song “cut from its original epic length to form a lean, mysterious and brutal folk song”^[2].

Described as a song without a motive by the author, it strangely creates an intriguing story canvas, dragging the audience into it and creating images in ones’ head; which is even more interesting, these images transform into pieces of a puzzle that fall into their places as the song unwinds.

The given admittedly unique phenomenon begs the question whether motive is that important for a song. Although traditionally, a motive is supposed to be the glue that holds a song together, in the world of modern music, other elements of a song can perform the given function. For instance, the author of a song can supposedly rely solely on music, leaving the story behind. Thus, the concept of popular music is stretched to reach out to the classical music, in which motive is as complicated as a novel plot.

Bibliography

Domino, Anna. “Naomi Wise, 1807.” In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus, 69–80, New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010.

Sparks, Rennie. “Pretty Polly.” In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus, 35–50, New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010.

Footnotes

1. .Anna Domino, “Naomi Wise, 1807,” In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010), 70.
2. . Rennie Sparks, “Pretty Polly,” in The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010): 35.

The Sugarhill Gang – Rappers Delight

The song Rappers Delight is clearly representative of what used to be the discursive essence of themes and motifs, explored by the early affiliates of the Hip-Hop musical genre. In it, the band members expound on the pleasures of enjoying life to its fullest, while implying that it is specifically one’s possession of a plenty of money, which allows the concerned individual to lead an independent and thoroughly delightful lifestyle: “I got bodyguards, I got two big cars… I got a Lincoln continental and a sunroof Cadillac”.

The song’s lyrics also explore the motif of sexuality – rappers make continual references to the fact that it is specifically their social status-related ‘coolness’, which allow them to have sex with as many women, as they can handle.

Even though that the earlier mentioned themes and motifs are clearly present in the modern rap-lyrics, the manner in which The Sugarhill Gang reflects upon them leaves only a few doubts, as to the fact that the song in question was composed in the late seventies. This is because; as opposed to what it is being the case with today’s rappers, the band members refrain from accentuating the aspects of their racial affiliation, as such naturally oppose them against the society.

In my opinion, this deprives the lyrics of Rappers Delight of a certain discursive depth and contributes to the fact that the discussed song can be well referred to, as such that promotes a highly stereotypical image of African-Americans, as people utterly alienated from the issues of a socio-political importance.

Africa Bambataa – Planet Rock

One’s exposure to the lyrics of Planet Rock, suggest that this song is being the least concerned with tackling any semantically identifiable issues. In essence, the song’s actual text consists of the lead-singer’s pleas for listeners to adopt a partying mood: “Party people, party people. Can y’all get funky?”. The most memorable aspect of how he does it is that there is an undeniable hype to these pleas, which in turn implies that the listeners’ likelihood to ‘get funky’ positively relates to their willingness to get high on alcohol or drugs.

Nevertheless, the song in question is not altogether deprived of a certain political sounding, because it subtly refers to the promoted activity, as being associated with the lifestyle of the self-proclaimed ‘Zulu Nation’ members.

In addition, the drumbeat, featured in the song’s melody, is clearly reminiscent of the drumbeat in African folk tunes. This subtly implies that the song’s semantic content (even though there is very little of it in the song) cannot be discussed outside of the band members’ clearly defined commitment to celebrate their ethno-cultural uniqueness.

Even though, as it was mentioned earlier, Planet Rock may not be praised on the account of its thematic richness; there is nevertheless a certain rationale in referring to it as being rather powerful, in the discursive sense of this word. This is because, it does prompt listeners to explore what happened to be their socially suppressed anxieties/desires – hence, empowering them to an extent, as individuals unaffected by the conventions of a perceptual euro-centricity.

Newcleus – Jam On It

This song is another good example of what hip-hop rapping used to be all about, during the course of the eighties. After all, the song’s most easily identifiable trademarks are: the ideological neutrality of its lyrics and the inclusion of electronic music, as the tool of emphasizing the melody’s rhythm. Briefly, the song’s lyrics glorify the lifestyle of intellectually liberated individuals, who strive to have fun, as the main purpose of their existence: “You gotta funk it up until it knocks you down”.

At the same time, however, some of the song’s lines do seem to sound rather politically charged, like the following: “Jammin… It’s what separates us from the rest”, “I’m down by law when it comes to rockin’ viciously, you see”. As these lines imply, there is indeed a qualitative difference between African-Americans (us) and the rest of Americans (them).

Moreover, the latter line subtly suggests that African-Americans are in no position to explore their music-related aesthetic tastes to the fullest, as it can be well deemed an ‘illegal’ activity.

Thus, Jam On It can well be referred to as a ‘transitional’ rap-song, which marked the process of Black rappers beginning to explore the issue of the Black people’s ‘otherness’, as such that defines their existential mode more than anything does, from the mid-eighties on. Therefore, this particular song can be recommended for listening by people who are interested in learning about the history of American hip-hop.

Kurtis Blow – The Breaks

In his song, Kurtis Blow enlightens listeners on the fact that one can never be in a full control of its life, as the life’s dynamics never cease being affected by a number of unforeseen developments – ‘breaks’: “Breaks to win and breaks to lose

But these here breaks will rock your shoes”. Nevertheless, even though Blow refers to these ‘breaks’, as being necessarily counter-beneficiary, there is an undeniable aura of optimism to the song.

Partially, this can be explained by the fact that, despite the song’s formal affiliation with the genre of hip-hop, it is heavily affected by the musical conventions of disco. This is also the reason why The Breaks can be well used, as the musical accompaniment to dancing. Because of that, there can be only a few doubts, as to the fact that the song in question was written in a time when the genre of hip-hop was through the early phase of its development.

Although The Breaks is a rather optimistic/’light’ song, there is a clearly defined philosophical sounding to it. This is because it does encourage listeners to contemplate on the sporadic nature of life-challenges. What it means is that, after having been exposed to this particular song, people would be much more like to adopt a proper stance, when it comes to anticipating and addressing these challenges.

Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five – The Message

In this song, Melle Mel and Duke Bootee reflect upon the actual realities of an urban living in America. According to them, while dealing with life-challenges, many people end up being pushed to the limits of their endurance, because their experiences, in this respect, often cause them to realize that they are in fact living in an ‘urban jungle’: “It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder.

How I keep from going under”. Hence, the song’s subtly conveyed message – it is specially the society, which should be blamed for the fact that many of its members fail at attaining a social prominence.

Unlike what it used to be the case with the semantic content of the hip-hop early compositions, the themes and motifs, featured in The Message, appear to be clearly socio-economic. After all, they emphasize the fact that is the very specifics of a post-industrial living in America, which cause many affected people to grow mentally unstable (Jenkins 9). This, of course, suggests that there are clearly political overtones to this song, as it tackles the issue of people’s exploitation in the intellectually honest manner.

Due to what has been pointed out earlier, I think that there is indeed a good rationale in referring to The Message, as a discursively powerful song. After all, this song can well be discussed, as such that indicts the country’s rich and powerful, on the account of the latter enjoying their lives, at the expense of denying the same opportunity to the society’s underprivileged members.

Run DMC – Sucker MCs

This particular song is concerned with the rapper (Jam Master Jay) expounding on the particulars of his lifestyle, as an individual who has what it takes to take a practical advantage of opportunities in life.

The song’s main theme is that it is specifically one’s financial well-being, which reflects the extent of the concerned individual’s happiness: “Champagne caviar, and bubble bath. But see ahh, ah that’s the life, ah that I lead”. The song also promotes the idea that the situation when many people fail, while striving to enrich themselves, is thoroughly natural, because it correlates with the objective laws of nature.

Even though that Sucker MCs can be best described as a rather apolitical song, it is nevertheless discursively progressive. This is because it encourages listeners to consciously realize something that the majority of people are being aware of on an unconscious level – the measure of just about any individual’s worth reflects the amount of money that he or she happened to have in the bank – pure and simple.

It is understood, of course, that many moralistically minded/religious people may disagree with the song’s foremost message. Yet, it does not make this message less valid. After all, the very notion of the ‘American Dream’ has traditionally been associated with the notion of a material prosperity. Therefore, it will not be much of an exaggeration to suggest that Sucker MCs is indeed an intellectually enlightening song.

UTFO – Roxanne Roxanne

Roxanne Roxanne is one of the most famous early hip-hop compositions. In it, the rappers (Shiller Shaun Fequiere and Jeffrey Campbell) tell the story of how they tried to win a favor with Roxane – a girl they met out on the street. As the song implies, it is specifically their ‘sophistication’, which each of the rappers believed was going to attract Roxanne: “She’ll (Roxanne) take to my rap, cause my rap’s the best. The educated rapper MD will never fess”. In the end, Roxanne agrees to go out on a date with one of the rappers.

Even though that Roxanne Roxanne if an ideologically neutral song, it nowadays would have been deemed politically incorrect. This is because, despite the fact that both rappers do express their admiration of Roxanne, they nevertheless appear fully aware that there is nothing truly special about her. In their eyes, she is nothing but one among the millions and millions of similarly minded ‘broads’ – pretty on the outside, but quite shallow on the inside: “I ain’t comitting suicide for no crab… calling her a crab is just a figure of speech”.

Thus, Roxanne Roxanne can be well referred to, as a song that accentuates the fact that men and women are different, in the psychological sense of this word. Yet, this is exactly what attracts them to each other – quite contrary to what the conventions of political correctness imply (Wouters 730).

Salt N Pepa – Tramp

In this song, the rap-singers (all female) go about warning women that they would be much better off exercising a caution in their relationships with men. This is because, according to these singers, men are obsessed with sex, which in turn causes them to treat women, as nothing short of prostitutes: “You know that kind (of men), excited all the time. With nothin’ but sex on the mind”. The song concludes with the band members suggesting that, due to their awareness of what accounts for men’s true agenda, they will not be easily victimized.

The earlier provided summary of this song leaves only a few doubts, as to the fact that feminists composed it. After all, the text implies that the singers’ foremost agenda in life was protecting their bodies from coming into a close contact with men – quite contrary to the fact that female bodies are being specifically ‘designed’ to be ‘penetrated’ by men for the purpose of ‘baby-making’.

Therefore, Tramp can be discussed, as such that reflects the singers might have been affected by the condition of a sexual frigidness, common among feministically minded women.

I personally do not think that there is much of a discursive value to the song Tramp. It is not only that it provides listeners with an utterly distorted view of male sexuality, but it also aims to stereotype all men, as sexual maniacs. Given the coarse sounding of the singers’ voices, we can speculate that the themes and motifs, contained in this song, are rather subliminal.

Sir Mix-a-Lot – Posse on Broadway

In this song, Anthony Ray raps about the road-trip that he and his friends undertook along the streets of Seattle: “In the Black Benz Limo, with the cellular phone. I’m callin’ up the posse, it’s time to get rippin’”. As they continue to drive around, the ‘posse’ is growing larger, while putting a strain of the car’s suspension. This, however, does not cause the rapper a great deal of worry. According to him, there can never be too high of a price for having fun.

What is especially noticeable about this particular song is that it emanates the strong spirit of solidarity – Ray and his friends appear to share the same existential values. In fact, this enables them to have fun, in the first place, as the sensation of unity, on their part, causes the crew members not only to feel quite safe, but also elevates them to a position of authority.

This is the reason why, while faced with the incident of some other man mistreating its girlfriend, one of Ray’s friends decides to give this person a lesson: “My homeboy P.L.B. co’ sprayed the boy with mace”.

Therefore, it will be appropriate to refer to Posse on Broadway, as such, that contains a clue, as to what accounts for the main difference between African-Americans, on the one hand, and Whites, on the other. This difference is concerned with the fact that, unlike what it is being usually the case with Whites, Black-Americans never hesitate to stick up for each other, when circumstances call for it.

LL Cool J – I Need Love

I Need Love is an essentially love-song, in which LL Cool J expounds on the fact that, having not had loved any woman for real, he could never make his life complete, and expresses his deep-seated desire to fall in love. The lines “I need love. I need love”, repeated over and over, throughout the song’s duration, emphasize the sheer genuineness of the rapper’s desire, in this respect.

One of the song’s most memorable aspects is the fact that it points out to love, as something can only be truly experienced within the context of men and women pursuing a heterosexual relationship with each other: “Warmth… is created by a girl and a boy; You’re as soft as a pillow and I’m as hard as steel”.

In its turn, this suggests that the author knew perfectly well that accounts for the actual mechanics of a loving relationship between the representatives of both sexes – namely the fact that, while on their own, men and women experience the sensation of a psychological incompleteness. This is why; it is in the nature of psychologically adequate men and women to long for each other.

This idea, clearly read between the song’s lines, cannot be deemed politically correct nowadays, when even the most grotesque sexual deviations are being discussed in terms of an ‘alternative sex-style’. Yet, this is exactly the reason why I Need Love should be recommended for listening.

MC Lyte – Paper Thin

Paper Thin is another song that belongs to the genre of the so-called ‘feminist hip-hop’. In it, MC Lyte positions herself as an emotionally (and probably sexually) frigid woman, incapable of entering into long-lasting relationships with men: “I’m not the kind of girl to try to play a man out.

I take the money and the gear and then break the hell out”. This, however, does not seem to worry the singer, whatsoever. Quite on the contrary – she takes pride in being deprived of any romantic illusions towards men, in general, and towards the person, she had just slept with, in particular.

Given the song’s actual content, mentioned earlier, it does not come as a particular surprise that it is being particularly popular with feminists. After all, its themes and motifs are indeed consistent with these women’s subliminal desire to grow out penises. This, however, is also the reason why Paper Thin may never appeal to the broader public – it is not only that it features a poorly rhymed text, but it also unappealing, in the aesthetic sense of this word.

As what has been said earlier implies, my personal reaction to this song is strongly negative. In all probability, while writing it, MC Lyte wanted to represent herself as a thoroughly progressive woman, aware of the world’s actual ways. Yet, she only succeeded in exposing the sheer extent of its own perceptual arrogance, as a cynically minded and simultaneously not very bright individual, who suffers from the deep-seated complex of being nothing less of a ‘man in a skirt’.

Ice-T – Squeeze the Trigger

Squeeze the Trigger is the good example of the so-called ‘gangsta rap’. In it, Ice-T raps about what he considers the actual truths of life – the fact that, despite the politically correct propaganda of ‘peace and tolerance’, the streets in American large cities are in fact war-zones, and the fact that hypocrisy is only the ‘talent’ that the American high-ranking politicians possess.

This is the reason why the people of color in the US have no option but to grow accustomed to violence – by doing it, they simply strive to increase the chances of their physical survival: “I rap about the life that the city streets gave me. Murder, intrigue, somebody must bleed”.

Even though that the song’s lyrics are indeed rather violent, Squeeze the Trigger is nevertheless a thoroughly progressive rap-composition. This is because it does not glorify violence, as a ‘thing in itself’, as much as it exposes the violence’s actual roots: “Homeless sleep on the city streets… While rich politicians soak their feet, in the pools at their ten million buck retreats”. This, of course, endows this particular song with a well-defined political sounding, which gives Ice-T an additional credit.

I think that Squeeze the Trigger does a good job, while encouraging listeners to face the reality, as it is – hence, making them more capable of adopting a proper stance, when it comes to addressing life-challenges.

Public Enemy – Rebel without a Pause

The lyrics of this particular songs are concerned with the singer’s understanding, as to what accounts for his existential self-identity, and with his willingness to celebrate it – even at the expense of being referred to as an ‘anti-social element’: “Hard – my calling card… Loud and proud kickin’ live next poet supreme”. This, of course, naturally causes the song in question to be perceived as utterly powerful, in the discursive sense of this word.

Just as it happened with the song, discussed earlier, Rebel without a Pause implies that those African-Americans that subscribe to the explored themes and motifs, no longer want to remain observant of the provisions of euro-centricity. The reason for this is simple – as opposed to what it happened to be the case with degenerate Whites, they have a plenty of vitality to them. In its turn, this naturally predisposes brothers to experience the sensation of being in control of the streets – in essence; this is what the discussed song is all about.

My opinion of this song is strongly favorable. Partially, this is because the song’s lyrics confirm the validity of my belief that there is no reason for one’s existential strength to seek any moral justification – being a strong individual is ‘good’ by definition, just as being weak is ‘evil’. Therefore, there can only be a few doubts, as to the song’s beneficiary effects upon those who listen to it.

Two Live Crew – Me So Horny

In this song, the band members rap about being horny to such an extent that they have no reservations, whatsoever, against discussing the subject matter in the extremely straightforward manner: “I’m like a dog in heat, a freak without warnin’. I have an appetite for sex, ’cause me so horny’”.

Even though that some people may find the song’s lyrics morally inappropriate, the rappers have to be given a credit on the account of their willingness to talk openly about what others only whisper.

This, of course, implies that Me So Horny can be referred to, as being an intellectually stimulating musical piece. After all, the song’s themes and motifs do imply that a sexual desire is one of the main driving forces in just about any person’s life (Treacy and Randle 20). In this respect, Me So Horny is perfectly consistent with the provisions of psychoanalysis.

Moreover, this song is also intellectually liberating – while exposed to it, listeners grow to be increasingly aware of the fact that there is nothing ‘shameful’ about the physiological workings of their bodies.

Therefore, it will only be logical to think of Me So Horny, as being educational to an extent. After all, people’s willingness to expose the sheer fallaciousness of a number of moralistic dogmas, concerned with ‘tabooing’ the sense of sexuality, is nowadays being deemed socially beneficial.

Boogie Down Productions – My Philosophy

In this song, the rapper (RS-One) talks about what he considers the qualitative aspects of his life-philosophy. The foremost of them happened to be his awareness of the fact that, in order to be able to emanate power, one should refrain from acting in the stereotypical manner: “I don’t… reinforce stereotypes of today. Like all my brothers eat chicken and watermelon”. Apparently, while promoting the earlier mentioned idea, the rapper wanted to empower Africa-Americans even further.

This, of course, provides us with a rational to refer to My Philosophy, as another example of how rap-music can be used to serve essentially educational purposes. After all, the song’s main philosophical premise is concerned with the realization of the fact that, in order to for people’s authority-claims to be legitimate, those who come with them must be thoroughly versatile individuals, capable of subjectualizing themselves within the surrounding reality: “It (life) is not about a salary it’s all about reality”.

The progressive sounding of this idea is quite clear, as it does prompt listeners to remain analytical, while trying to take a practical advantage of the opportunities that life periodically offers.

Therefore, I believe that My Philosophy does deserve to be recommended for listening, as a musical piece that is potentially capable of enlightening people on the true significance of a number of discursive issues.

NWA – Fuck the Police

In this song, the rappers talk about the fact that in today’s America, colored people continue to suffer from being exposed to the different forms of a racial discrimination. This is especially being the case when they deal with police: “(Police) searchin my car, lookin for the product.

Thinkin every nigga is sellin narcotics”. However, the rappers also express their belief that this situation will not last for much longer, due to the essence of the demographic dynamics in the U.S.: “Fuck the police and Ren said it with authority, because the niggaz on the street is a majority”. This statement, of course, can hardly be disagreed with (Jones and Jackson 77).

Therefore, I have no option but to refer to Fuck the Police, as another rap-song, the listening to which is capable to empower African-Americans rather substantially, in the psychological sense of this word. This is because it encourages them to believe that it is specifically brothers, and not the police, who represent the de facto authority out on the streets.

As such, Fuck the Police represents an undeniable discursive value, as a song that enlightens African-Americans on the sheer extent of their yet not fully realized existential potency.

Works Cited

Jenkins, Alan. “Inequality, Race, and Remedy.” American Prospect 18.5 (2007): 8-11. Print.

Jones, Nicholas and James Jackson. “The Demographic Profile of African Americans, 1970-2000.” Black Collegian 31.3 (2001): 72-79. Print.

Treacy, Vicky and Jacqueline Randle. “Breaking Sexuality Taboos.” Pediatric Nursing 16. 2 (2004): 19-22. Print.

Wouters, Cas. “Sexualization: Have Sexualization Processes Changed Direction?” Sexualities 13.6 (2010): 723-741. Print.

Introduction

This paper explores how the works of Dyalan, Wilentz, & Marcus have changed my idea of America. These authors narrate their experiences of America by explaining the existence of folk songs in American music and describing the nature of American folk music in general. Through their works, this paper highlights violence, favoritism, and consumerism as widespread tenets of the American society.

These issues rarely featured in my general understanding of the country. Broadly, an analysis of the above issues shows that America is an imperfect country. Furthermore, unlike popular opinion, America exudes more similarities than differences with other countries. Evidence also shows that the American society is a sharp contrast of its global image of a peace-loving nation.

These evidences present significant ironies regarding America’s stature as a beacon of peace, equal opportunities, and an epitome of authentic human values. Therefore, most of the evidences provided in this paper highlight a sharp contrast between the “real” image of America and its publicized image.

Consumerism

One issue that emerges from Dyalan’s work is the highly commercial nature of America’s social, economic, and political spaces.¹ A comparison of folk music in America especially highlights this fact because the current nature of America’s globalized society has little space for folk music.²

Understandably, music always contains commercial content to keep the industry viable. However, the highly commercialized nature of the American music industry has taken away the heart and soul of the art. This statement suffices with the understanding that most musicians (even musicians that produce folk songs) need to survive.

Similarly, underlying this statement is the understanding that some fortunes and losses exist in the music industry. However, money and big business should not be the only measures that characterize the American music industry today. Thus, based on an understanding of American folk songs and mainstream music, it is important to acknowledge that America has witnessed significant changes in its cultural direction.

Notably, there is a sense of misdirection in America’s cultural compass because mainstream music does not have a defined cultural direction that folk music had. During his trip to New York, Dyalan said most of the songs played in America were dull, cowardly, and flabby.

Almost as if to mock the kind of music played on radio, Dyalan said American music sounded like it would appeal to people who lacked a brain.³ To affirm the lack of content that most American music had, Dyalan also said that most of the content played in American music reflected only “milk and honey.” There was little evidence that such music reflected Jekyll and Hyde themes of folk songs.⁴

The shift in cultural focus of American music made Dyalan to fear producing folk songs. Indeed, after realizing mainstream American music was different from past folk songs, he identified commercialization as the main factor that distinguished his type of folk song with mainstream music.⁵

Thus, while mainstream music was mellow and easy-going, his folk songs were “rough” and lacked the commercial appeal that most types of mainstream music in America enjoyed.

Based on an analysis of the above factors, it is correct to say America subscribes to a popular and highly commercialized culture that limits the lens through which other types of music exist. This narrow lens of perceiving music scares away people who develop a different type of music (mostly music that does not have a commercial appeal).

To some people, the commercialized and mainstream culture that dominates the American society is lame and intolerable.⁶ Overall, the problem with the highly commercialized nature of American music is the creation of a narrow style of performance that most musicians try to abide by (so that their music appeals to the public).

Therefore, most American musicians follow a narrow lens of music production, simply because it is commercial. This situation is unfortunate because most artists who produce non-commercial music do not receive airplay.

The highly commercialized nature of the American music industry also explains the influence that powerful record companies have in defining the success of musicians. Indeed, because of their commercial power, music companies define what people listen. Thus, today, in America, the success of music largely depends on its commercial appeal, as opposed to the character, content, and the quality of music that most musicians produce.

Favoritism

Based on an analysis of Dyalan’s chronology, another issue that also stands out as a surprising feature of the American society is the “crony culture” that exists in the music industry. For a country that prides itself in the access to equal opportunity, the inequalities and preferential treatment accorded to some music groups erode this credibility.

It is however, naive to believe social networks do not help people to succeed. Nonetheless, the extents that these relations define group success are disturbing. Certainly, as observed by Dyalan, music groups in America succeed because of the power of social networks (that span across counties and local jurisdictions) in helping them get performances.⁷

The existence of these networks creates an uneven playing field for music groups to succeed because some groups get preferential treatment, while others struggle to get one show. If left unabated, this situation may create hopelessness and despair among people who do not enjoy the benefits of these networks.

For example, Dyalan says this situation left him feeling vulnerable and desperate, but according to the statement below, he was not going to allow this situation to affect him. He said,

“It went to the very root of things, gave unfair advantage to some people and left others squeezed out. How could somebody ever reach the world this way? It seemed like it was the law of life, but even if it was, I was not going to sulk about it or, like my grandmother said, take it personally. Family connections were legitimate; you could not blame anyone for them.”⁸

This conviction insulated Dyalan from the challenges of the music industry. In fact, he says, it reached a point when he was not surprised if he lost his band because of favoritism.

Dyalan also portrays a negative picture of some American educational institutions because he portrays them as extremist and intolerant. For example, he gives the example intolerance to diverse personality, as the main cause of his friend’s (Ray) expulsion from a Southern California military school.

Ray’s quest to pursue a new job at a tool and die factory, in Brooklyn, also shows another instance where America’s credibility comes into question because Ray equated his working conditions to the experiences of Jews in Nazi concentration camps.

This view is a sharp contrast from the commonly held belief that American workplaces are employee-friendly. His contempt for work prompted Ray to talk about the history of the Nazi concentration camps in Europe. This insight further brings to our attention the nature of Israel and America in the post-Nazi era.

Violence

Based on the story of Pretty Polly and her murder, Sean and Greil’s folk songs show that America has a culture of violence. This culture is historic because an excerpt from Sean and Greil’s article shows the existence of violence since the 1600s.⁹ Different people have documented this violence (including traditional folk songs that dramatized and animated the experiences of victims).

The existence of violence in these historical excerpts sheds light on a very dark component of American lifestyle – obsession with violence. Indeed, this analysis shows that the American society not only condones violence, but also uses it for entertainment. Some of the violence attributed to America’s history is horrific.

For example, in the colonial era, North American Indians tied their enemies’ legs to poles and pulled them apart, until they tore their bodies apart. Evidence of people burning alive, and women and children dying in cold blood also exist. This dark history is a sharp contrast from America’s peace-loving nature.

A deeper analysis into the above issue shows that America has many ironies. For example, although the nation is a global beacon of peace, the country has participated in some of the world’s deadliest and horrific conflicts. The Iraq war and the Japanese atomic bombings are a few examples of global conflicts that come to mind.

It is therefore unsurprising to see that a country, which prides itself as a peaceful nation, struggles with gun control concerns and rampant crime. Such national concerns show how deep-rooted America’s culture of violence is. Certainly, although America appears to be a peace-loving nation, it promotes violence at different levels of the society.

At the government level, America is involved in the global supply of arms. Some reports show that the nation controls about three-quarters of the global arms supply.¹⁰ This statistic alone paints a grim picture of America because it is beyond logic for a country that prides itself in promoting global peace to be at the forefront in producing some of the most sophisticated weapons.

Still, at the government level, it is crucial to point out that America harbors among the deadliest weapons. For example, America has among the world’s deadliest nuclear weapons. Again, ironically, for a country that dictates how other countries should use nuclear technology, it is surprising that America has nuclear weapons in the first place.

Dyalan says that he was born in the Second World War era where war ravaged the world.¹¹ Many countries had participated in this war, and America was a part of it.

The involvement of America in the global destruction of human societies in the Second World War era also changes the idea of America as a champion of peace and prosperity. Indeed, it is difficult to contemplate the extent that America contributed to one of the world’s deadliest conflicts, while it enjoys a global reputation as a peacemaker.

Like the folk songs narrated by Sean and Greil, America also appears to be among the biggest exporters of violence in the world.¹² Unapologetically, America exports physical and virtual violence to the rest of the world. Certainly, some of the “sickest” horror stories have come from America.

For example, Sean and Greil explain the Ted Bundy and Ed Gein stories as some of the most horrific serial killer stories to exist in the world. Mindfully, these serial killers and rapists hail from America. These examples offer an insight into why America also leads other countries in exporting violence through video games and films.

Particularly, American film and game developers tap into a “sick” mentality and obsession with violence that exists within the American society. Indeed, it is also unsurprising to see some of the best selling non-fiction works in America concern violence.

For example, “killing Kennedy” and “Killing Lincoln” are some of the best selling non-fiction works to exist in America. Although violence is essential to art, the extent and irony of violence that exists within the American society is a sharp contrast from the image it strives to maintain as a peace-loving country.

Conclusion

The contrasts of the American society highlighted in this paper paint an imperfect picture of the country. Such contrasts are somewhat surprising, especially because America enjoys the global reputation of being an oasis of hope and peace. While this reputation may be largely true, the evidence provided in this paper shows that America is a country of sharp contrasts.

For example, America enjoys the reputation of being a country of equal opportunities for all. However, the challenges experienced by Dyalan in penetrating the music industry show that some sections of the American society still exude favoritism and nepotism. This analysis contradicts my view of America, as an international student, because it distorts the idea that America is an equal-opportunity society.

Thus, through such an example, it is difficult to conceive the idea that America is different from countries that struggle with nepotism, tribalism, and such negative attributes of the society.

The extent of the similarities may vary, but unlike popular opinion, the evidence provided in this paper show that America is not an ideal state. While it is important to acknowledge that there is no perfect country, it is unavoidable to highlight the differences that exist between the real picture of America and its publicized image. One issue that has emerged as a special characteristic of America is the obsession with violence.

Although not widely acknowledged, the evidence provided in this paper show that the American society “adores” a culture of violence and aggression. This “obsession” manifests through international politics and art. The theme of murder that exists in Pretty Polly’s story also shows how violence dominates the American social life. Indeed, most the political, social, and economic successes of America stem from a history of violence.

Lastly, this paper identifies consumerism as a key tenet of the American lifestyle. It shows that the consumer culture has led to the death of folk music and instead birthed the problems witnessed by folk musicians in trying to penetrate the American music industry. Since the obsession with consumerism manifests in different aspects of the American society, there is a distortion of authentic American music.

Concisely, in the past, artistic creativity mostly defined music productions. However, because of consumerism, creativity now fits a narrow scope of mainstream culture. The society has accepted this eventuality as part of America’s culture. Overall, this paper highlights violence, favoritism, and consumerism as the most surprising elements that folk songs reveal about America’s culture.

References

Cantwell, Robert. When We Were Good: The Folk Revival. Harvard: Harvard University Press.

Dyalan, Bob. Chronicles. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Sante, Luc. Kill All Your Darlings: Pieces 1990-2005. New York: Verse Chorus Press.

Smith Ethel. “How Commercialization has Harmed the Music Industry.” Entertainment Scene. Web.

Thompson, Nicholas. “America’s Culture of Violence.” The New Yorker. Web.

Wilentz, Sean, & Marcus Greil. The Rose & the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005.

Footnotes

1. Bob, Dyalan, Chronicles (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), 2.
2. Robert Cantwell, When We Were Good: The Folk Revival (Harvard: Harvard University Press, 1996), 36-40.
3. Bob, Dyalan, Chronicles (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), 2.
4. Bob, Dyalan, Chronicles (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), 2.
5. Luc Sante, Kill All Your Darlings: Pieces 1990-2005 (New York: Verse Chorus Press, 2007), 154.
6. Ethel Smith, “How Commercialization has Harmed the Music Industry,” The New Yorker.
7. Bob, Dyalan, Chronicles (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), 2.
8. Bob, Dyalan, Chronicles (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004), 2.
9. Sean Wilentz & Greil Marcus, The Rose & the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad (New York: W.W. Norton, 2005), 37-41.
10. Nicholas Thompson, “America’s Culture of Violence,” The New Yorker.
11. Bob, Dyalan, Chronicles (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004).
12. Sean Wilentz & Greil Marcus, The Rose & the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad (New York: W. W. Norton, 2005), 37-41.

Joseph Brackett is the composer of the song Simple Gift. He wrote and composed it in 1848 in Maine. Brackett was born in 1797 and died at the age of 85 on the 4^th of July 1882. He spent his entire life in Maine where he was actively involved in writing, composing songs, and in religious activities of the Shakers community. His father supported the nuclear unit of Shakers by providing settlement for members of the sect.

His active involvement in the sect led him to be appointed an elder in the community. Brackett is widely known for his songs, particularly Simple Gifts, which are classified as dance songs, work songs, or hymns. The song Simple Gifts was only known within the Shakers community until 1944 when it was first performed at a ballet concert.

The melody was used in Appalachian Springs, a ballet performance by Martha Graham. In 1950, the song was used for the second time in an orchestra performance. Since 1950, the song has been used many times by different composers. They have either rearranged or adapted the song in different ways.

Brackett did not favor specific lyricists, song writers, or composers. He was only affiliated to the Shakers sect. It was through his strong involvement with the sect that he got inspired to write and compose his songs. He wrote dancing songs, the most famous being Simple Gifts.

He is known today because of the song which has been adapted several times. Both the adapted and original versions have an international audience. The most common adapted version is Lord of the Dance, a 1963 publication.

Brackett was active in a social and religious movement. He joined the Shakers sect at the age of 10 with his entire family. His father provided temporary settlement for the first ever nuclear group of the sect. After the death of his father, Brackett continued to rise in ranks, gaining the position of an elder.

He was appointed to lead members of the sect in Maine. By the time he became an elder the nuclear unit of the community had already expanded and occupied other areas within the south.

The song, Simple Gifts, was originally written as a dance song for the Shakers community. The song was performed during special religious events and celebrations. Members of the community used to compose songs and dances for their devotion services. According to the community, one could have several spiritual gifts. Music composition was considered among the spiritual gifts.

They composed and recorded musical inspirations as an exercise of their spiritual gifts. The composers and writers were mainly scribes and elders in the community. They did not have any formal training in music composition. However, they used a notation system called ‘letteral’ that used alphabetical letter with rhythmic notations. The dance songs were significant to the community because they formed part of their culture.

The song, Simple Gifts, has also formed part of popular culture today by being performed in movies, television series, and documentaries. An adopted version of the song was performed at the inauguration ceremony of President Obama in 2009.

Christian religious denominations have also adapted the tune into hymns sang during worship. The only difference is the name given to these hymns. However, the tune is the same. Essentially, the song has been part of larger musical performances.

Introduction

Musicians make use of words and instruments to convey certain messages through their songs. The listener is made to develop certain feelings about the situation that the song is addressing. Personally, I enjoy a variety of music from various artists. Three of my favorite songs are Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas, and People Help the People by Birdy. In this paper, I shall analyze these songs to determine how effective the artists are in communicating their messages through their respective songs.

Use of Lyrics in my Favorite Songs

The lyrics to the three songs talk about relationships of different kinds. In “Fast Car”, Tracy Chapman talks about the relationship among family members as well as between a man and a woman. She reveals that the relationship among family members is full of sacrifices as she herself is forced to sacrifice going to school so that she can provide for her father. Chapman also observes how relationships between men and women are based on assisting each other in some way.

The Black Eyed Peas talk about the relationship between human beings in general. They lament how people do not express love in their actions and treatment of one another. Instead of showing love, the world is full of violence and deceitfulness as people destroy and exploit each other. Birdy’s song states that relationships among human beings should be characterized by assisting each other. She asserts that people should lend a helping hand to the ones who are in need.

The artists in the three songs make use of certain words to express emotions. Corbin and Dawn (2009) observe that these emotive words help the communicating parties to convey emotions and evoke certain feelings in the listener. Chapman uses the words such as belonging, and wrapped to convey the feelings of love and care that she felt. By using these words, the listener is able to gain a better understanding of the events that Chapman describes in her song.

The Black Eyed Peas make use of emotive words such as irate, animosity, and colder to communicate emotions. These words help demonstrate how the world is devoid of love and how people have become selfish. The feeling of desolation that the artists are trying to convey is properly brought out to the listener through these words. Birdy makes use of words such as homesick, cold as a stone, and loneliness to express a number of emotional states and maintain powerful emotional states in the listener. The words are able to communicate the self-centeredness of some people in the world.

How Issues are Addressed in the Songs

My favorite songs address a number of issues that are of social significance. Fast Car by Tracy Chapman addresses the issues of gender and specifically gender roles. The song highlights how women are expected to play the traditional role of taking care of the children in the family. In the song, Chapman states that she is at home taking care of the children while the husband is out drinking late at the bar.

The listener is influenced to feel some empathy for Chapman’s anguish when she reveals that she had always hoped for a better life but it did not happen as she had hoped. Effective communication is aided by the use of a good cognitive schema by the artist (Corbin & Dawn, 2009). Chapman uses a script, which contains sequences of actions that are easy for the listener to follow and make a mental image of the events that are being described in the song. It is not hard for the listener to picture Chapman riding in the fast car or even working as a market checkout girl.

“Where is the love” by Black Eyed Peas addressed the issue of race and society’s values. The artists point out that racism is still alive in America. They contend that love for one’s race is the cause of discrimination and hatred in the society. Love is suggested as the solution to this problem and only through love can racism and its harmful effects be wiped out. The song also highlights how societal values have degenerated. Truthfulness has been replaced by lies and there is no fairness or equality.

The artists admonish people for being selfish and only being interested in making money. The message being communicated by the artists is very effective. The words of the artists provoke the listener to engage in relational listening, which requires a person to reflect on how the message affects him/her and his/her relationship with other people (Corbin & Dawn, 2009). By making the listener to pause and ask himself/herself some questions such as “what happened to the value of humanity?”, the artists engage the listener and make him an active part of the communication process as opposed to having him act as a passive receiver.

Birdy’s song “people help the people” focuses on society’s values. Specifically, the song talks about human goodwill and a spirit of compassion for others. The artist documents the misery and anguish that people sometimes go through. She then elaborates how assistance from other people makes sure that miserable person does not sink into despair. Even so, Birdy notes that there are selfish people who turn the needy away since their only concern is accumulating wealth.

The message presented in Birdy’s song is effective since it makes use of the perceptual set that people are used to (Corbin & Dawn, 2009). Typically, majority of the rich men are typecast as being concerned with making more money and supporting their rich lifestyle. Birdy’s depiction of the rich man as cold hearted is therefore easy for the listener to relate to based on his or her own experiences and understandings.

Role of Music in my Life

Music is an integral part of my life and from my childhood years, I have been exposed to various forms of music. Over the years, I have used music for various functions in my life. I listen to music for leisure purposes and whenever I am relaxing, I will have some music playing in the background. Music also helps me to create a nice ambience when I am reading a book or playing cards with my friends. Whenever I can help it, I do my work with music in the background.

This is especially the case when I am engaging in household chores such as laundry, dusting the house, or cleaning the utensils. Music also serves as a pleasant backdrop when I am driving the car to various destinations.

Music is a major part of my relationship with my friends. I share some music taste with my friends and we are able to better relate through this music since we sometimes use it to express what we are feeling. Music therefore serves as a tool to enhance our communication with each other.

The music I share with others is mostly characterized by lighthearted beats and catchy choruses. This music is easy to sing along to and mostly deals with commonplace themes such as love, money, and partying. Music also helps me to build rapport with strangers since we can begin by talking about our interests in music and therefore establish trust. This trust is essential for the formation of any future meaningful relationship with these new acquaintances.

When I am alone, I prefer listening to music that is calming, soothing, and enlightening. I also prefer music that contains a wide variety of instruments and therefore has a rich sound about it. If the music contains lyrics, I am impressed by lyrics that are presented in a poetic fashion or those that tell intricate stories. This is the kind of music that I enjoy on my own. Most of my friends would not appreciate this form of music since they prefer upbeat forms of music. I therefore listen to music that is more upbeat when I am with my friends and revert to the calming form of music when I am on my own.

There is music that carries special memories for me. For example, the old country songs that my parents used to play in our house while I was a child evoke in me nostalgic memories. This music reminds me of my childhood years, which were generally happy and carefree. There are also a number of RnB songs, which remind me of my grade school friends.

Conclusion

Music is a very potent tool of communication and it plays many roles in our lives. In this paper, I have analyzed my three favorite songs in order to highlight their messages and demonstrate that the artists put their messages across effectively. I have also discussed the role that music plays in my life and how I utilize it every day.

Reference

Corbin, C., & Dawn, W. (2009). Interpersonal Communication: A Cultural Approach. Nova Scotia: Cape Breton University Press.

Rapid development of the World Wide Web and telecommunications has introduced tangible shifts in communication. Nowadays people all over the world have much greater opportunities for exchanging information and sharing their opinions on political, cultural, and social situation.

Specific attention should be given to the transition from personal, face-to-face communication to interpersonal and open communication via online channels and by mobile communication systems.

With regard to the above discussion, the writers Balouris, Shriver, and Sisario dedicate their articles to discussing the impact of social media development on shaping new forms of communication.

Their claims are specifically premised on the currently released song Call Me, Maybe? by Carley Ray Jepsen. The song content relates to the changing patterns in social interaction.

Balouris (2012), representing the Leadership Academic Blog, focuses on the importance of interpersonal communication, as well as how it is impacted by the emergence of mobile communication and social media. In particular, the author refers to such issues as appearance of a new generation whose communication will be dominated by social media.

Although Balouris (2012) does not criticize social media development, the author still notes, “some many things – tone of voice, facial expression, body language – are lost when conversation happen through a computer screen or phone screen” (n. p.).

Despite the loss of traditional distribution channels of information, the innovative techniques integrated by social media still have a positive impact on communication. This is of particular concern to development of online networks connecting people all over the world.

To prove the evident benefits of social media, Balouris (2012) provides persuasive statistics on constantly increasing percentage of users on Facebook ad Twitter. The new communication channels, therefore, have “…incredible power to make and shape the news and public opinion” (Balouris, 2012).

Apart from social dimension, the newly emerged online channels contribute to the development of political thoughts that provide various political campaigns all over the world.

Similar to Balouris (2012), Shriver (2010) does not confine to the discussion of Jepsen’s popular song and refers to other interesting contexts associated with it. In particular, the writer connects the issue of telecommunication with successful techniques that can be used while speaking with clients by phone.

The major recommendations are associated with note taking, anticipating, and pleasing the client. Telephone communication, therefore, is a new branch of science introducing efficient techniques for obtaining, sharing, and exchanging information.

In this respect, note taking of telephone calls differs much from similar process applied during personal meetings. Communication by means of mobile phones is much more complicated because it is very hard to predict the recipient reaction. At the same time, the speaker can also be more prepared to the conversation due to the absence of face-to-face confrontation.

Shriver’s (2010) advice on better phone communication relates to a business sphere rather than to daily communication, which points’ to the rapid integration of new social media to all spheres of life. Pleasing the client, therefore, is another recommendation that should be applied to attract consumers’ attention.

Similar to traditional communication, telephone conversation should start with attention grabbing phrases that will compensate scarcity of non-verbal approaches. In particular, Shriver (2010) stresses, “conference calls are great in working with other businesses around the country and even across the globe however it is limiting” (n. p.).

Despite the shifts in interaction, nothing can replace such modes of nonverbal communication as a friendly smile or a handshake. Cultural aspects of conducting business are crucial for meeting the need of globalized community. Shriver (2010) steps far away from the topic introduced in Jepsen’s popular composition, but the writer’s advice is quite helpful.

Social media influence is also recognized by Sisario, the New York Times journalist who also discusses the new hit by Jepsen, Call Me, May Be? in context of new communication patterns. The author also deliberates on the overall influence of social media on the music industry, as well as on other spheres.

In particular, there are bright examples of how such famous online media as YouTube is employed to advertize songs and influence public opinion. Tweeter is also used by popular signers, such as Justin Bieber and Katy Perry, to advertise their songs.

More importantly, Sisario (2012) stresses that the emergence of YouTube has made radio a less important social media device because “nearly two-thirds of teenagers listen to music on YouTube, more than other medium” (Sisario, 2012).

Such a tendency, therefore, has a potent impact on cultural perception, as well as on the necessity of music producers to change their advertising and commercial techniques. Within this context, the writer also analyzes Jepsen’s attitude to the internet, particular to its incredible impact on the spread of music.

Serving as a driving force, the search engines are powerful tools for promoting musical compositions. This domain of advertising could be regarded as a step forward in promoting commercial projects.

Although the World Wide Web takes advantage over the other media platforms, the radio has not lost its positions. In this respect, the author explains “There’s not a million-seller out there that doesn’t have radio play…but its first million generally doesn’t come from radio” (n. p).

The song presents a bright example of how social media can be employed for marketing purposes. However, the success of the venture has little support in terms of theoretical approaches worked out to use online media as a new means of promoting products.

The Internet does not allow the producers to predict consumer behaviors accurately. Nevertheless, conventional means of advertizing are not less efficient because the product success depends on many other aspects, such as economic, social, and cultural tendencies.

In fact, the use of YouTube videos has captured the attention of million users all over the worlds, which minimizes the use of such media platforms as radio and television.

Introduction of new communication devices, including social networks, mobile communication, and online media platforms, have contributed greatly to all spheres of life.

Nevertheless, all the articles discussed above do not exclude the value conventional personal communication in all aspects of life, should it music industry, business, or daily interaction. This is of particular concern to nonverbal devices of sharing, exchanging, and storing information.

Analyzing the grounds of popularity of Jepsen’s song Call Me, May Be?, the writers have managed to cover such important topics as the influence of media culture on communication, challenges of interacting by means of wireless devices, and the use of the Internet as a powerful marketing tool.

New generation of users, therefore, can adjust to a new social environment to achieve successful communication and develop new techniques compensating the scarcity of nonverbal devices that could be produced online.

References

Balouris, M. C. (2012). Call Me, Maybe? Marielena’s Presidential Leadership Academy Blog. Web.

Shriver (2012). Call Me, Maybe? Intern. Web.

Sisario, B. (2012). The new rise of a summer hit: Tweet it maybe. The New York Times. Web.

You weren’t born to be a sufferer

Oh no my friend

And you don’t have to be a sufferer

Oh no my friend

Use your courage

Ambition and strength

And you can make it

Make it still be had

You weren’t born to be a poor pour

Oh no my friend

And you don’t have to be a loser

Oh no my friend

Keep on trying, Keep on trying my boy.

I know you’ll make it

Make it still be had

Oh no my friend

Oh no my friend

Keep on trying, Keep on trying my boy.

I know you’ll make it

Make it still be had

You weren’t born to be a sufferer

Oh no my friend

And you don’t have to be a sufferer

You don’t have to be a sufferer. That’s what The Tennors hoped to impart upon listeners when the song was released as a single in 1968. The song “Sufferer” was recorded in “Kingston, Jamaica at Studio One records” (Moskowitz 269). The Tennors formed this label to sponsor and finance their own endeavors, as well as the other aspirations of local artists. Reggae was a huge genre emerging in the Caribbean and America in the 1960s. The most famous composer was none other than Bob Marley and The Wailers.

In 1968, tragedy struck the group when Maurice Johnson was killed in an accident. The surviving members would continue on with their songwriting ambitions. Charismatic and incumbent front-man Ronnie Davis would file into the group soon after. The three would continue on to produce a plethora of Jamaican hits and memorable tracks. One of their most popular compositions is “Weather Report”, a piece that makes many illusions to Simon and Garfunkel’s “Only Boy in New York.” (Moskowitz 269) Simon and Garfunkel, like the Tennors both, focused on folk-style lyrics and rhythms. During 1968, Jamaica had seen a fair share of violence and dissent. “The much-talked-about ‘Rodney Riots’, aka ‘The October Riots’” (Hendricks) raged through the streets of Kingston. 1968 also marked the year that Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were both assassinated. Their deaths were difficult to bear worldwide, as the American civil rights movement became a pressing issue across the globe.

“You weren’t born to be a sufferer…oh no my friend.” (The Tennors). This lyric has a wide variety of connotations. From a literal sense, the singer hopes to impose upon his audience that this is never the case. However, beneath the simple bassline and matching drum rhythm could be so much more. Perhaps, this is a cultural reference to the outbreaks of violence and persecution stemming from the civil rights movement. This could be a call to ease the suffering of all and restore peace and unity among humanity. Finally, this could be an allusion to the passing of friend and former member Maurice Johnson. The bereavement could have been unbearable and this song served as a remedy to quell the sorrow.

“Use your courage, ambition and strength…and you can make it.” (The Tennors). The most beautiful motif featured in this song is wrapped in this verse. Courage, ambition and strength have always been the answer to adversity. You don’t have to remain imprisoned in sorrow and pain. These three liberators will lead you to happiness and freedom. While not all believe this, The Tennors emphatically do.

“I know you can make it.” (The Tennors) and “You don’t have to be a sufferer” (The Tennors) are repeated several times throughout the song. Perhaps, the true morale that Davis and Murphy wish to exude is that no matter what strife we are met with, we do not have to let it remain. The lack of specificity and the nebulous lyricism implies that this could be applied to any situation. No “you don’t have to be a sufferer, my friend” (The Tennors). You just need to believe you can rise above it. Whether you are suffering from: a mental illness, cultural persecution, physical ailment or simply a broken heart. The Tennors want to remind you, that everything can be okay if you truly want it to be.

Works Cited

Hendricks, Sharlene “Jamaica, 1968” Jamaica Observer 2012. Web.

Moskowitz, David V. Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Pg. 269. Greenwood Press, 2006. Print.

The Tennors. “Sufferer” Studio One, 1968. MP3.

Introduction

Music and songs have the greatest powers on earth. Music has the power to turn on the spirits of the strongest warriors and steal their thoughts for a moment. I chose this topic and this opera because of the interesting scenarios of a strong warrior depicting self-conscious, and crying uncontrollably whenever he listens to a self-conscious song. Despite his might and strength, Ulysses cannot hold his tears whenever the divine bard starts singing.

In this paper, I hope to convince the audiences that no matter their strength or their wickedness, a self-conscious song has the power to turn on their emotions and display their inner character. This paper discusses the various instances that a self-conscious song turns on the emotions of Ulysses, the strong warrior and king of Ithaca.

The Self-conscious Song during the Feast of the Strangers

After winning the Trojan War, the warriors prepare to return home. The king of the Phaeacians decides to hold a feast to give the warriors a warm send-off. A feast is set, and Ulysses and his warriors are to be entertained by a skilful bard. After feasting, the muse inspires the bard to sing and praise the heroes for their victory in the Trojan War. As the bard sang, Ulysses was impressed. The song dripped down his heart and rose his self-conscious. Tears flowed down Ulysses eyes, and he snatched his cloak and dragged it over his head to hide his tears. This was a clear indication of how insinuating the song was. Despite his might and strength, Ulysses shamelessly shed tears as the Phaeacians watched. Whenever the bard paused, he could grab his cloak, wipe his tears and make liberations to the gods.

The Self-conscious Song in the Sports Contest

Ulysses arrives in Ithaca looking like a beggar. Laodamas invites Ulysses to participate in a game challenge, but his mind is preoccupied with his return home. Without knowing that Ulysses is a king, Laodamas provokes him because of his cowardice. Laodamas hurting words sting Ulysses; he leaps to his feet and displays his superior skills in the game. Ulysses’ skills are received with ululations and the herald orders a dance and lyre for Ulysses. The bard and a group of dancers and singers sing and dance for Ulysses. Ulysses is overwhelmed and he laughs and yells at how the dancers flashed their feet and stroke the sacred dance floor. The self-conscious songs draw Ulysses’ mind out of his worries of his return home.

The self-conscious song on recovering the kingdom

Ulysses finds that the suitors had taken advantage of his absence, overruled the kingdom territory and wasted his wealth. They had courted and importuned his lovely queen, Penelope. Ulysses is inflicted with so much pain, and he shoots an arrow that strips off all the suitors. Ulysses, his lovely wife Penelope, their son Telemachus, and all the loyal retainers claim victory as they recover the kingdom. They dance and sing songs of victory. The self-conscious songs drive Ulysses mind to reflecting all the struggles he had undergone during the war and his journey back home, and he sheds tears of joy.

Conclusion

It is evident that the power of songs and music can turn on the conscious of the brave king. The self-conscious song of the skilled bard plays a critical role in the opera The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland. Generally, song lyrics play a critical role in laying out fictitious emotions and characters in human kind.

Introduction

Literature has been used for decades to educate, warn and entertain people on various issues. Various creative works have been presented to the audience in various forms including songs, poems, novels, plays and sonnets. This essay discusses how her latest hit ‘Brand New Me’ represents issues in modern societies.

Background

This song is about a girl that has endured painful experiences in the world and for a very long time has tried to break loose from the jaws of oppression. She has struggled to seek freedom of speech and movement that was denied from her by male chauvinism. It addresses the painful struggles and commitments the singer went through before achieving her dreams (Keys 2012). This includes limited freedom of speech that made her voiceless and this denied her the right to complain whenever bad things happened to her. However, she has finally managed to fight for her freedom and has the power to speak her heart out and let the world know what she wants and how she feels about the happenings around her (Keys 2012).

Appropriateness of the Song to Modern Societies

This song is an expression of how society is changing and becoming emancipated from male chauvinism. Traditional practices had hindered women from exploring their talents and developing their societies since they were considered to be weak. However, Alicia Keys is explaining to men that even though they have continued to dominate women and undermine their efforts to bring justice and equality the battle is already won (Keys 2012). Women will no longer beg men to grant them their rights; instead, everybody is equal and women have realized their abilities and utilized them to advance their lives. Secondly, the song explains that freedom does not come in a silver plate and people must work hard to achieve it.

This means that everything good must be fought for before people can sit and enjoy the fruits of their sweats. Therefore, women must not give up when things seem to be very painful and difficult to bear (Keys 2012). The singer explains that she went through terrible experiences before getting her freedom; therefore, people must always be prepared to face difficulties in their pursuit of happy lives. Thirdly, she explains that there is always hope for a better future even though there may be signs of succeeding. Her experiences never showed her that the war was almost over; instead, every time she fought hard it seemed like she was far from achieving her dreams (Keys 2012). This means that women should always look on the better side of events and avoid focusing on short-term gains. Lastly, she warns people gains to develop negative or poor personalities that prevent them from realizing their abilities and using them for beneficial purposes. She was never derailed by her ego from realizing her new status (Keys 2012). This means that people must accept to drop some behavior that hinders them from renewing their personalities and becoming important in society.

Conclusion

This song is an expression of the evils that dominate society and hinder people from developing positive personalities. The singer advises people that nothing good is achieved without struggles and encourages women to stand high and let their voices be heard. She paints a bright future for women who are ready to sacrifice a lot of short-term gains to develop their future.

Reference

Keys, A. (2012). Brand New Me (Video). California: EMI Records.