Okay guys. I'm writing about three songs this time [insert excitement for the first music lines review post]. Two of the songs were chosen through friends that I asked for a random song, and the other is random through my iTunes.
The first one is called "Alcohol" by Barenaked Ladies:
Okay, this is one of the two that a friend recommended. The first thing that went through my mind when I heard the opening lines "Alcohol, my permanent accessory/Alcohol, a party-time necessity" was "What the hell?" All I could think about was college students getting drunk. As the song progressed, that's the direction my mind went in. Each line sent me deeper and deeper into the thought processes of people getting drunk here at college. The entire song was talking about using alcohol for random purposes. Then, when I went back and re-read the lyrics, I thought for a moment, taking myself out of the drunken-stupor thoughts that I considered. I realized that, while it may not be true, it was entirely possible that the song was talking about loving a person more and more. Then, the last few lines, "Would you please ignore that you/Found me on the floor/Trying on your camisole?/O, alcohol, would you please forgive me?...Would you please forgive me?/Would you please forgive me?" really struck the spike home. My mind began to race with the possiblities about all the hidden meanings in this song, and other lines, "I love you more than the week before/I discovered alcohol" made me believe that I was right. Other lines, like "Forget the caffe latte, screw the raspberry iced tea/A malibu and coke for you, a g&t for me/Alcohol, your songs resolve like/My life never will/When someone else is picking up the bill" kind of shot down my theories. Of course, I'm sure that there are ways to link those lines back to a person, but i'm not sure how to do that.
The next song that I've got is "The Remedy" by Jason Mraz, another song recommended by a friend:
So many thoughts went through my head as I listened to the song and read the lyrics. Some of the thoughts included patriotism for 9/11, a literal remedy, and just general laid back attitudes questioning today's popular thoughts. The lyrics ring very close to patriotism, as it talks about how he can't block out the fireworks and how something on the surface stings someone or something born on the Fourth of July (Independence Day), which is what made me think of 9/11. Also, it mentions curing a dirty old disease, which could possibly be terrorism, which would then link to today's war on terror agains saddam hussein who people believe should have been killed the first time we fought him. It's just one of those songs that have so many images in them that it could fit so many topics. Of course, it could also pertain to an everyday remedy, as it again talks about curing an old disease. Again, it's hard to tell because of the many images. "Curing the old disease", "Stabbing the brother in the be right back after this", and "...turn off the sun but I'm still going to shine" just to name a few.
The last one for the night/morning is "Everybody's Broken" by Bon Jovi. Obviously this is the one that got chosen through my iTunes:
As I read the lyrics and listened, I decided that it was a very uplifting song. It's a very welcoming song to people that feel like they don't belong anywhere; that the people around them are just so perfect while they're worthless and full of imperfections. The line "It's okay, to be a little broken" is one of the strongest lines in the song. It dissuades the fear that almost all teenagers have about not fitting in. That fear is perhaps a teenagers deepest, darkest fear that will stop them from realizing that they're perfect the way they are. It's a song that carries an extremely positive message, and I couldn't find a way to turn it into a negative song at all. It's even possible that it's about Heaven, a place where everyone is equal, no matter who they were during their lifetime.
Okay people! That's the first review/response thing I've got, so let me know what you think! Tell me what you want to see me do for the songs, how I did, what you want changed, etc. Also, give me songs you want me to respond to. I promise I won't bite your head off no matter what you request (though I may become reluctant if every song requested is rap...). Catch you later!
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Thank so much for linking to my blog in your last post, and I'm really glad my Jank inspired you! So I take it you're focusing just on the lyrics, and not on the sound of the music itself. I think that's a hugely important part of it, though it's pretty difficult to talk about if you don't have a strong music theory background I guess. Besides addressing how the piece actually sounds, you could post the actual songs in your blog. You can get links to listen to just about any song on Songza.com, or you can embed actual audio from skreemr.com.
ReplyDeleteCould you analyze Interpol, "No I in Threesome?" It's on their latest album, Pioneer to the Falls. I have no idea what it means! A lot of Interpol songs are like that. You can listen to it here: http://songza.com/z/rb2f2s
PS, I'm so taking this idea for a blog sometime in the near future.
ReplyDeleteNo problem, and go right ahead. It's a great idea for a blog, and I shouldn't be the only one allowed to use it. Besides, you'd do a better job at it than I would since you're more music oriented than I am. I've never had a music theory class, so I'm not good at listening to the music in a song and breaking it down and analyzing the parts. The best that I can do is to state whether or not there is a certain mood to the music and the singing, and whether or not it fits the lyrics. Other than that, there's not much that I can do without accidentally sounding ridiculous. By the way, imbedding the music into the blog like you recommended made my blog so much better. With the music in the blog itself, my readers (if and when I get some) can listen to the songs while they read what I wrote with minimal effort. Thank you for all the wonderful ideas, and I hope my analysis of the Interpol song is satisfactory!
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