“Sweet Home Alabama”

“Sweet Home Alabama” by Eeheet Hayer 

I chose the song “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd as the topic for my second blog post. Nearly every American knows the song “Sweet Home Alabama” or at the very least has heard it once in their lifetime. This classic is known around the world, not just in the United States. Personally, I was fascinated by the story and controversy surrounding the song around the time when it was released. Originally, I was unaware of the negative stigma surrounding the song until I thoroughly researched the origin story of “Sweet Home Alabama”.

Released in 1974, the song “Sweet Home Alabama” was made public only a decade after the legislation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. In addition, the song was created in reference to the state of Alabama, a hub for civil rights activism during the 60’s and 70’s. Furthermore, the Birmingham campaign occurred in Alabama along with countless other protests and civil rights events. The Montgomery Bus protests commenced with Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat at the front of the bus in 1955, eventually resulting in a 13-month span of nonviolent protests in which black residents of Montgomery refused to ride buses. Later, these protests were followed by the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965. Alabama was indisputably one of the central locations of civil rights activism in America. As a result, the state of Alabama was the site in which the most violent events to take place during the occurred.

  The hit “Sweet Home Alabama” received extreme criticism and created controversy for a multitude of reasons -- the first being that the song was written in response to Neil Young’s “Alabama” and “Southern Man”, which were written as a description and attack against the south about their racist ideology.

  “Well I heard Mister Young sing about her

Well, I heard ol' Neil put her down

Well, I hope Neil Young will remember

A Southern man don't need him around, anyhow”

  Neil Young talked bad about “her”, personifying the state of Alabama. In the song “Sweet Home Alabama” by the band Lynrd Skynyrd, the band attempts to send a message that Alabama is not the terrible place Neil Young described it as.

  “In Birmingham they love the governor, (boo! boo! boo!) Now we all did what we could do Now Watergate does not bother me Does your conscience bother you? Tell the truth”

  In this verse in “Sweet Home Alabama” where Lynyrd Skynyrd indirectly name calls George Wallace, governor of Alabama well known for his racist ideology such as, “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever” at his inaugural address, and was against desegregation. He openly advocated for “Jim Crow” laws during the civil rights movement.

  A usual chord progression at the time was A major to C major to D major, however the intro riff of “Sweet Home Alabama” was written on this same A major to C major to D major but inverted. (D-C-A) The main riff of the song is slightly syncopated; however it isn’t a major part of the feel of the song. The song is in common time (4/4), typical to most of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s music. There is some melisma in the vocals, eg. When the word “Neil” comes up in the second verse. Other than that, this song is very typical to rock n’ roll music of the time..

      Works Cited

“Birmingham Campaign of 1963.” Encyclopedia of Alabama, www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1358.

  Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “George Wallace.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 9 Sept. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/George-C-Wallace.

  “Rosa Parks.” Encyclopedia of Alabama, www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1111.

     Mental illness and suicide has always been a big topic on the news. And in 2018, it becomes one of the most important and talked about topics through all social media outlets. The reason revolves around how people perceive the death of many celebrities who have taken their own lives or have a history of dealing with mental illness. Is death by suicide contagious? The millions fan of a celebrity, when they see their idol do it, they either spread the awareness or attempt to do the same thing. The fact is, for the fans who attempt, this wouldn’t be their first time. “There’s an even more palpable line between not speaking ill of a person who has just killed themselves, and actually lauding the act” (Sardar, 2017). Mental illness is a serious issue, and sometimes people might unintentionally glorify suicide. This is the main underlying theme on Twenty One Pilots’ new song ‘Neon Gravestones’.

     Rap, R&B are still the dominant types of music of the industry. ‘Neon Gravestones’ is a slow-burning piano-based rap song in B minor. The fact that it’s not a typical rap song makes it stand out in the album.

     Historically, fans connected with the band for its vulnerable lyrics and mental health messages. They break down in great detail how our society and the media glorify those that die by suicide, making their entire story about their death as opposed to their life. The “neon” is a fake light, distracting from the person and attracting all the attention towards the death itself. “Neon gravestones try to call for my bones”. Through the song, Tyler is saying that we have to change the conversation we are having about suicide, because right now it is viewed as a way to escape. We never touch the people they left behind, the unanswered questions, the guilt, the motive, the desperation that led to death. We’ve finally started to break down the stigma around depression, suicide, and mental health, but we’re taking it too far in the opposite direction and glorifying it instead of normalizing it. “I’m not disrespecting what was left behind / Just pleading that it does not get glorified,”. This is the line which is supposed to represent that the deaths of these victims should be opening a discussion, and respect, not glorification. “Glorifying death by suicide sends a wrong-headed message that it’s a sensible choice, not an irrational one. When famous people die, we should celebrate their lives, not the way their lives ended” (Picard, 2018).

     The song contains polysemy since listeners’ reaction may accuse Joseph of being massively insensitive to victims’ stories, “I’ll mourn for a kid / But won’t cry for a king” and the circumstances that brought them to those sad and tragic conclusions. Others may consider what he’s conveying with regards to solutions.

     To me, Tyler has successfully delivered his message to the listeners since most of the decoded understanding revolves around approaching suicide in a different way.

Citations: 

Sardar, Khursheed. “Please Stop Glorifying Suicide.” The Nation, The Nation, 25 July 2017, https://nation.com.pk/25-Jul-2017/please-stop-glorifying-suicide.

Picard, Andre. “The Timely and Tragic Lessons to Be Learned from Celebrity Suicides.” The Globe And Mail, The Globe And Mail, 8 June 2018, www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-the-timely-and-tragic-lessons-to-be-learned-from-celebrity-suicides/.

- Phung Pham 

Collin Sinnott

Landon Mcnamara “Loss for Words”

  Landon Mcnamara’s song, “Loss for Words”, is his calling for peace.  Shootings are becoming a normalized event throughout America. We act like we care for a few days, but then we brush it off and do nothing about it.  The Las Vegas shooting on October 1, 2017 killed 59 people and injured hundreds, yet America forgot about it. “Loss for Words” was released October 6th, 2017 and includes lyrics about the Vegas shooting.  Within those five days, Landon was able to construct a song about the terrorist attacks on our world. He wants “us to put down the guns and to stay focused on love” in order for these massacres to stop (Patience, Landon Mcnamara).  Since this song was released, the rates of terrorist attacks have not declined. November 7th, 2018, there was a shooting 15 miles away from my home in a Thousand Oaks Bar. Twelve people were shot and killed. This tragedy hitting so close to home makes this problem scarier than before.  Events like these do not just hurt the victims, but the families and friends too. This song is intended to bring together the broken families and anyone affected by these shootings in order to “inspire change that will eventually”  make it clear that these shootings need to stop (Patience, Landon Mcnamara).  Landon is fighting for all this madness to stop and to see peace prosper throughout the world.  All the “proceeds from this song went to the Las Vegas’s victims and families” (Valenzuela, Hawaii Artist’s).  Even though money and lyrics will not bring back the lost lives, his efforts are inspiring upon others.

The song “Loss for Words” demonstrates counter-hegemony.  American society and politics are still allowing guns to be purchased at the age of 18 with little to no background checks.  Guns were built and made for war, not massacres of the innocent. Landon’s song is an example of counter-hegemony because he is going up against the majority of America and the rigged government system to “put down the guns”.  If there are no guns, there will be no more mass shooting in America. Landon knows that this battle against America is difficult, but his goal is to raise awareness and to encourage people to take action instead of watching on the sidelines.

It also demonstrates cultural practice because Landon Mcnamara is singing what he believes in. He is trying to spread his ideas to the world in order to make our home a safer place.  He has attended “the March for Our lives and concert” in Hawaii to raise more awareness and to connect with supporters for his cause (Kayian, What is was like..). This song was a instant hit in the charts, but quickly faded away, just like most shooting in America. If we want a change we have to be persistent about our motives.   

  Work Cited

Kayian, Suzanne. “What It Was like to Be at the March For Our Lives Maui Rally and wwConcert.” Maui Time, 27 Mar. 2018, wwmauitime.com/news/politics/what-it-was-like-to-be-at-the-march-for-our-lives-maui-rally-anwwd-concert/.

  Takyuka, Patience. “Landon McNamara Will Leave You Lost for   Words.” Guestlist, 7 Dec. 2017, guestlist.net/article/92539/landon-mcnamara-will-leave-you-lost-for-words.

  Valenzuela, Christian. “Hawaii Artist's New Song Inspired by Las Vegas Tragedy Goes Viral.”

KHON, KHON, 6 Oct. 2017, www.khon2.com/news/local-news/hawaii-artists-new-song-inspired-by-las-vegas-tragedy-goes-viral/1012630859.

Nina Hurd

During the 21st century women have increasingly fought for equality, creating movements of empowerment. Women have found the courage to speak up on accounts of sexual harassment, as women supporting women has become a worldwide notion. In the music industry, artists have utilized their platforms to speak on matters of female sexuality such as the song “Doves in the Wind” from SZA’s debut studio album “Ctrl” released June 7, 2017. The song features Kendrick Lamar and is an ode to sex as it praises female anatomy, focusing on the role and power of sex in a relationship. The song comments about the hegemony in the feminist discourse, illuminating the struggle for women’s rights and equality. Feminists are trying to combat the hegemony of white middle class males in politics by promoting their beliefs. In 2017, during the time the song was written, women made breakthroughs in the fight for equality. In an article from “HarpersBazaar.com” titled “The 15 Best Moments for Women in 2017”, author Lauren Fisher writes “following Donald Trump's inauguration, an estimated four million-plus marchers peacefully hit the streets in over 600 marches across the country. . . Men, women, and children marched with feminist signs and symbolic pink pussy hats to send a message loud and proud across the world”. This march became the largest single-day protest in U.S. history, revealing how feminist movements are supported throughout the country as people come together to promote female empowerment. This was a time of change and progression for women to have control over their sexuality and gain equality. In Marianne Schnall’s article “2018 will be the year for women” from “CNN.com”, she writes how in 2017 “the survivors who have bravely come forward with their stories of sexual harassment and assault, to the millions participating in the #MeToo movement, it's become clear that women are not going to stay silent anymore”. 2017 was a year filled of women rising up, making their movement mainstream. With the predominance of women empowerment, it is fitting that artists such as SZA would create songs that comment on women’s sexuality. In the song, SZA sings “High key, your *beep* is weak buddy”. In this context, the “*beep*” SZA encodes refers to the slang word used for the male genital: dick. The word is bleeped over in order to enable the audience to decode how it is not socially acceptable for SZA, a woman, to use the word. This idea is juxtaposed as the word “pussy” is used frequently throughout the song. Kendrick Lamar, a male, uses both the words “pussy” and “dick” revealing the double standard that men are able to freely discuss sexuality without any social scrutiny, while women are silenced. SZA employs dominant codes, giving her lyrics the ability to be understood universally by her audience. As apart of the women’s movement, feminists are pushing to dissolve the separation between the social constructs for men and women that are intended to limit women’s freedom of speech.

Works Cited

Fisher, Lauren Alexis. “The 15 Best Moments for Women in 2017.” Harper's BAZAAR, Harper's BAZAAR, 20 Dec. 2017, www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/g14456966/best-moments-for-women-2017/.

Schnall, Marianne. “2018 Will Be the Year of Women.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 Dec. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/12/14/opinions/2018-will-be-the-year-of-women-schnall/index.html.

“SZA (Ft. Kendrick Lamar) – Doves in the Wind.” Genius, Genius Media Group Inc., 9 June 2017, genius.com/Sza-doves-in-the-wind-lyrics.

According to Google Trends, “Dreams and Nightmares” hit peak popularity in October 2012 when the album was released. It became relatively irrelevant until the February 2018 Superbowl when it was dubbed the unofficial anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles, the favored NFL team of the Philly native, when it rose in popularity. The song compares dreams and nightmares, Rolex watches and cuffs, and the hateful watch of those wishing to see him fall. I will be commenting on its relevance after the recent resurgence.

Ironically, the topic of his song is also related to the rise of his political presence. In 2008 Meek Mill was convicted on drug and gun charges but was released in 2009 after agreeing to a five year parole deal. After multiple parole violations for various reasons including unapproved travel and supposedly using water for a urine drug test his five year parole was increased to ten. He was sentenced 90 days house arrest in 2016. November 6, 2017 Meek Mill was sentenced to two to four years in prison for parole violations stemming from an October 2017 incident where he posted videos of him doing wheelies on a dirtbike in New York.

This sentencing quickly drew support from rapper and manager, Jay Z who said “The sentence handed down by the Judge — against the recommendation of the Assistant District Attorney and Probation Officer — is unjust and heavy handed,we will always stand by and support Meek Mill, both as he attempts to right this wrongful sentence and then in returning to his musical career"(Kreps). At this time and currently there a large interest in criminal justice reform and systemic racism in the hegemonic system, especially how it relates to abusively punishing young men of color.I am referencing hegemony in the content of the song and the life experiences of the author. Meek writes about a system that predominantly targets young Black men in attempts to limit their successes, and he is also a lifelong victim of this system which will forever limit his rights. NBA player JR Smith posted on Instagram “when you realize Meek got more jail time for riding a dirt bike then a cop would for shooting an unarmed African American…” Names such as Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Stephon Clark and Philando Castille and a lack of accountability have drawn national attention(Lee). The popularity and platform Meek Mill holds drew attention to the questionable sentencing which has plagued people of color in the US. While Mill was in prison, in the same city of Philadelphia, two young Black men were arrested for “trespassing” in Starbucks while having a business meeting(Chan). People do heroin in the Starbucks bathroom in my hometown, but the police cannot do anything, but being Black white sitting to discuss real estate endeavours before ordering will get you escorted out in handcuffs. These are just a few examples of the extremely relevant issues that exemplify what Meek Mill and “Dreams and Nightmares” embody.

 word count 499

Works Cited

Chan, Melissa. “How Meek Mill Became the Face of Criminal Justice Reform.” Time, Time, 27 Apr. 2018, time.com/5256757/meek-mill-symbol-prison/.

Kreps, Daniel. “Meek Mill Receives Up to Four Years in Prison for Violating Probation.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/meek-mill-receives-up-to-four-years-in-prison-for-violating-probation-123559/.

Lee, Jasmine C., and Haeyoun Park. “15 Black Lives Ended in Confrontations With Police. 3 Officers Convicted.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 18 May 2017, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/17/us/black-deaths-police.html.

Teamswish. Photo of Will Smith. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/BbVQLTRnEFt/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=tgraxewbtqpo

By Nolan Meredith

  “Maybe it's time” (Sung by Bradley Cooper) was released in 2018 in the movie “A Star is Born” and is the opening song to the first trailer that came out for this movie. It is the first song that Bradley Cooper has ever come out with for the charts. Bradley Cooper is not a music artist by regular standard, he’s an actor, and this showed his abilities to forward his entertainment persona. The writer of the song, Jason Isbell, was focusing on writing a song that correlates to how times are changing and he tried to make some of the lyrics special in a way that Bradley Cooper can get it’s message out in his own individual way. This song was the “warm up” to the most popular song in the movie “The Shallows” which is sang by Lady Gaga (which was her first acting fete  in a movie) and Bradley Cooper which is going to win many awards and be a “karaoke mainstay for 50 years to come”.

  Currently pop is the most popular type of music in America, so this song took a direction of country and a little pop style background sound to it. When listened too there's not a complete country sound to it like traditional country, it's more of a new modern sounding country to it to appeal to more of the modern era.

  Since this is a recent song, the state of this country economically is flourishing. Lots of money is being spent on entertainment so obviously the best chance for this song to get heard was from a movie and especially “A Star is Born” since it was projected to be as popular as it was. The U.S. GDP rate is up 2.6% and the unemployment rate is at 4.9% which are both very good.

  Politically are country is divided about how our president is going across his business and people are very involved in reacting on the decisions he makes.

  The encoding going on is how the words in the song are obvious in the sense that times are changing and what is the past can't keep up with what's going on in the present. Decoding is picking apart the lyrics “Nobody knows what awaits for the dead”; “some folks just believe in the things they heard and the things they read”; “It takes a lot to change a man, hell, it takes a lot to try”; “I'm glad I can't go back to where I came from / I'm glad those days are gone, gone for good”; most importantly, “maybe it’s time to let the old ways die” where it’s saying how the older generation gave us a lot but the people who are going to be affecting the future the most won’t be here long enough to see the change happen.

  “United States.” The Heritage Foundation, www.heritage.org/index/country/unitedstates.

Gordon, Jeremy. “Maybe It's Time for ‘Maybe It's Time’ to Become a 2020 Campaign Song.” The Outline, The Outline, 15 Oct. 2018, theoutline.com/post/6408/maybe-its-time-a-star-is-born-campaign-song?zd=1&zi=mjht5az5.

Following You Say Run, another of Hayashi’s works  addresses the appearance of the hero in “I am Here.” This title is mainly there to elicit the feeling of comfort knowing that a hero will always be there for you no matter what. The song itself, however, shows homage to the era golden age comics on the silver screen, and how All Might, the Symbol of Peace in My Hero Academia, creates his legacy.

What he is trying to capture is the historical influence of the Golden Age of Comics which gave rise to DC and Marvel legends like Superman, Captain America, and many more that came along with the advent of film and the aftermath of World War II. Journalist Trey Zenker of Tidal news briefly summarized a rich tradition of the evolution hero music underwent. From Neal Hefti’s wacky and wild “Batman Theme,” John Williams’ grand orchestral score for Superman, to a more modern, hip-hop and rap-centric accompaniments for Black Panther and Deadpool, superhero music serves to accompany the protagonist.

Thus, Hayashi emulates this practice in his composition of “I am Here” by emulating the Score from Williams’ Superman theme. Both share a bright and optimistic tone that manifests into the character themselves. Superman and All Might are the literal Symbols of Peace and Justice that were needed during times of strife. John Williams captures this sense of heroism and steadfast justice with strong dynamics with an opening march, to the fanfare, that ends with a theme of love. The intersectionality between the character and the music allows the author to develop the iconic ideologies these two heroes defend. That is why when Hayashi created “I am Here” to back All Might, he created the image of a tall, strong, and enduring hero who uplifts the hero community and civilians in the present and future.

In my personal experience, I watch and read more  cartoons than an average American. Thus, when I chose this song for class, I was astounded by the dichotomy that is placed in heroic and villainous music themes. A key example is a music that accompanies Superman and Lex Luthor by Hans Zimmerman. While Superman’s theme the dynamics and timbre are brought out by the brass instruments and represent enduring justice and truth, Luthor’s theme’s dynamics and timbre are heard through the strings and piano which decode a more calculating and cold villain that Superman is facing against. So All Lights’ music in his case will serve as the balance of hegemonies between the heroes and villains of the show. Thus, I was able to decode not only All Might’s music as the Symbol of Peace but also the adversaries’ accompaniment as a fight between good and evil.

In essence, the ideologies that I took away from listening to the track is a constant struggle between good and evil, an uplift in confidence in the hero community, and an homage to the composers of heroes that had influenced this song.

  Works Cited

“Deadpool.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt1431045/soundtrack.

Hayashi, Yuki. “Boku No Hero Academia OST - I'm Here!! (All Might Theme).” YouTube, YouTube, 8 July 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=--qumAkDiRo.

Madden, Sidney. “Kendrick Lamar Releases 'Black Panther' Tracklist, And It Doesn't Disappoint.” NPR, NPR, 31 Jan. 2018, www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/01/31/582185850/kendrick-lamar-releases-black-panther-tracklist-and-it-doesn-t-disappoint.

Richards, Mark. “John Williams' Superman Theme (Superman March).” Film Music Notes, 15 July 2015, www.filmmusicnotes.com/john-williams-superman-theme-superman-march/.

Williams, John. “Superman Theme • John Williams.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Oct. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=78N2SP6JFaI.

Zenker, Trey. “The Music Makes The Mask: A Brief History of Superhero Music.” TIDAL The Stories Behind the Music Billie Eilish on Why Fame Sucks and Family Matters Comments, read.tidal.com/article/the-music-makes-the-mask-a-brief-history-of-superhero-music.

Zimmerman, Hans. “DCEU | Lex Luthor's Theme Suite.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Oct. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBUxlYM1B-Q.   

Zimmerman, Hans. “Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel Theme.” YouTube, YouTube, 6 May 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EngKxF3Cqh4.

Ethan Amour

The time between 1965 and 1970 while the U.S. was involved in the Vietnam war was a period of cultural conflict. The growing unpopularity of the war was showcased palpably through direct and indirect means such as mass protest and music. Cultural hegemony was a popular topic in these protests with many people in the working class upset at the discriminatory military draft system. “Fortunate Son”, written by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969, is a good representation of how many people viewed the war, as evidenced by its climb to the third spot on Billboard Hot 100 chart. Rock songs were often popular during this time because they were seen as rebellious against many of the seeming injustices in society during this time, and this song is a good example of a symbol of the opposition to military involvement in Vietnam. It was not directly meant as an antiwar song, it was written in solidarity with the soldiers fighting the war and to draw attention to the injustice that came along with the war, particularly it “speaks to the unfairness of class” (Shmoop 2008). This quote describes how many working class people felt when it came to the draft, where the sons of many senators and congressmen where protected from direct combat through deferment or preferential treatment in the military, while the working class was slaughtered. Many people also felt that they did not really have a clear reason to be fighting the war. This was the motivation for John Fogerty, the lead singer of the band, to write the song when he found out he was going to be drafted (Songfacts 2018).  Much of this songs popularity came because people from many different subcultures agreed with it. It didn’t matter what region of the country people were from, or what your parents did, young working class men got drafted while politicians sons remained safe.

               Although the production of this song was not directly influenced by any other bands or songs, it was written at a time when there was a lot of anti-war sentiment in music which can be seen in songs by bands Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. This generation of music also influenced later musicians such as Bruce Springsteen who continued to talk about the class system that favored those born with a “silver spoon in hand” and how the working class was not given the same opportunities.

Citations:

“Fortunate Son Meaning.” Shmoop, Shmoop University, 11 Nov. 2008, www.shmoop.com/fortunate-son/meaning.html.

“Fortunate Son.” Song Meanings at Songfacts, Songfacts, www.songfacts.com/facts/creedence-clearwater-revival/fortunate-son.

Aljelyn Tarrosa—Blog Post 2

The song “Under Pressure” was a collaboration between the British glam-rock band Queen and the English singer, songwriter and actor David Bowie written in 1981. During the 1980’s, “The music industry was rescued from its economic crisis by the development in the 1980s of a new technology, digital recording” and rock was considered as “adult music.” Throughout the rock song we hear the lyrics “It's the terror of knowing what the world is about/Watching some good friends screaming/'Let me out'/Pray tomorrow gets me higher, high/Pressure on people, people on streets/.” This connects to the fact there are problems in the world and the people having to deal with the pressure. An example of one of the problems that was shown through the music video waas poverty/people living on the streets. According to Census Bureau Reports, “The survey concluded that there were 29.3 million people living in poverty in 1980, up from 26 million in 1979.” Because Freddie Mercury did most of the songwriting for this song, we see his perspective of the situation and lyrics “deal with how pressure can destroy lives, but love be the answer.” The music video had also included traffic jams, explosions, riots and cars being crushed—elucidating on the pressure mentality of a culture that is agreeable with the idea of a culture who will create war against political machines while having fun and loving at the same time. Because of the song being about the impact of pressure and forgetting to love, we can connect this to the idea of subjectification. While subjectification means to be under the control of power; person, thing, or idea that comes under external control, we see that the people are dominated by the idea of pressure and how it ruins lives. The people are under the subjectification of pressure, thus enlightening the listeners on the impact of pressure at the time—even until this day. Because of the subjectification, the listeners understand Freddie Mercury’s message and idea being under the control of pressure due to economic and political crisis and how important it is to snap out of it.

  Works Cited

Ap. “Census Bureau Reports 1980 Poverty Statistics.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 22 Aug. 1982, www.nytimes.com/1982/08/22/us/census-bureau-reports-1980-poverty-statistics.html.

  Frith, Simon. “Rock.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 9 Oct. 2018, www.britannica.com/art/rock-music/Rock-in-the-1980s-and-90s.

  “We Are Sorry...” Song Meanings at Songfacts, www.songfacts.com/facts/queen/under-pressure.

Kanye West’s Blood On the Leaves was released on June 18th 2013(Tate, Greg). At this point in his career Kanye is 36 years old and a superstar in mainstream hip hop. While he was leading the genre, the genre itself was leading popular music. According to a Rolling Stones article in 2013 other hip hop songs like Started From the Bottom by Drake were most popular at the time. With hip hop’s popularity, Kanye’s presentation of the various ideas probably affected and resonated with a widespread of listeners.

One of history's greatest revolutionaries that fought against racism was Martin Luther King Jr. The year of 2013 was the 50th anniversary of his march on Washington(Moore, John). Also, in a disappointing relation to MLK’s movement, the Supreme Court removed a key part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act in June 2013(Liptak, Adam). It would be reasonable to believe that Kanye West was inspired to include the sample of Nina Simone’s Strange Fruit in light of all of these events. At the least, these events show that Kanye West’s usage of Strange Fruit is a relevant reminder that racism is still alive in America. According to a USA Today article, the economy in 2013 was “on a general upswing”, in which unemployment decreased by 7.7%. While the economy was looking up for the country at the time, the riches that Kanye was accumulating was not necessarily a blessing for him. In the song Kanye says “and all I want is what I can’t buy now”. In 2007, Kanye West’s mother, Donda West, passed away after plastic surgery that Kanye paid for. With all of his money, he cannot buy back his mother’s life. He also can’t buy true love, as he talks of women that want him for the fame and his drug induced relationships(Duricy, Brian). So, Kanye reflects the historical conditions by making a rendition of musical elements, like the Simone sample, and social problems, like drug misuse and greed, that he deals with in his own life.

Some interesting encoded and decoded meanings come from the lines in his third verse, “I gotta bring it back to the ‘noila. Fuck them other niggas ‘cause I’m down with my niggas” (West 2013). Decoding these lines reveals their polysemic nature.  The first meaning can be derived from the Magnolia tree, which is a tree that was used in lynchings and mentioned by Simone when she says, “the scent of magnolia”. But the next line opens up a second, deeper meaning. The second line is actually a chorus from a song by the rapper C-Murda who lived in the Magnolia Projects in New Orleans. These projects were some of the most dangerous in the country(Duricy, Brian). Kanye deploys the power of polysemy in which multiple meanings can coexist for a word or phrase. Kanye has been applauded for having deeply profound lyrics, and these lines could be an example of his ability to encode the ideas of racism, crime, and institutionalism in a concise and undeniably catchy fashion.

Works Cited

Duricy, Brian. “Kanye West – Blood On the Leaves.” Genius, Genius Media Group Inc., 18 June 2013, genius.com/Kanye-west-blood-on-the-leaves-lyrics.

Jurgensen, John. “The Inside Story of Kanye West's 'Yeezus'.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 17 June 2013, blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/06/14/the-inside-story-of-kanye-wests-yeezus/.

Liptak, Adam. “Supreme Court Invalidates Key Part of Voting Rights Act.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 June 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/supreme-court-ruling.html.

Moore, John. “Poll Ranks Top 10 News Stories of 2012.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 21 Dec. 2012, www.usatoday.com/story/news/2012/12/20/year-top-news/1783303/.

Stone, Rolling. “100 Best Songs of 2013.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-best-songs-of-2013-38994/kanye-west-black-skinhead-221049/.

Tate, Greg. “Review: Kanye West, 'Yeezus'.” Spin, SPIN, 9 Feb. 2016, www.spin.com/2013/06/kanye-west-yeezus-roc-a-fella-def-jam/.

TV, Revolt. “A Timeline of Kanye West's 41 Years of Excellence.” REVOLT TV, REVOLT TV, 8 June 2018, revolt.tv/stories/2018/06/08/timeline-kanye-wests-40-years-excellence-07004cac65.

West, Kanye. “Blood On the Leaves”, ‎Roca-A-Fella, Def Jam Records, 2013, track 7. https://open.spotify.com/album/7D2NdGvBHIavgLhmcwhluK?si=MganAou5QlSdFRoSeYhRow

The best selling album, DAMN, was released on April 14, 2017 featuring the song DNA by Kendrick Lamar. His full name being Kendrick Lamar Duckworth and being raised in Compton, California to then move to Chicago, his music was inspired by the hate he saw towards his african american community, along with the intense gang scene. As mentioned in previous blog posts DNA reveals the struggles african americans face day to day because of their history. His lyrics reveal that people assume cruelty and evil is inside black’s DNA, even though this is a racist and false accusation.

The years prior to the song being released, was a full of racial tension in the USA due to Police Brutality, sparking movements such as Black Lives Matter. One of the early incidents that blew up was Trayvon Martin (2013) and other preceded like Michael Brown (2014) to Philando Castile (2016). In all these situations, police or authority figures shot these young men of color with no proper reasonings. In the Castle case the officer believed he was reaching over for a gun, when really he was just getting his license so officer Yanez shot him to death five times. Black Lives Matter was used to amplify anti-black racism that was occurring, and bring attention to the way black people were still be violated and framed as criminals. However the racial tension in America dates back to the civilization era, and the atlantic slave trade. Early America used blacks as slaves, and since then there continues to be a fight for equality. Even though rights exist for all colors and backgrounds for Americans, there is still lingering racism, and Lamar really explores that ideology in DNA very explicitly and implicitly through his lyrics.

According to the Billboard charts, another song “HUMBLE” was number four for top songs in 2017, and other pop artists/rappers were the top songs. Therefore, being recent times rap, r&b, and pop music is what was trending now and in 2017. Many rap and r&b artists are african american, and do include current issues in their lyrics. The audience listening to this music is teens and young adults across the world, which is the future generation of politicians one day, or those who can make a change.

In the Carby reading, in discusses how black woman discovered sexuality through blues music. Hegoneomy is leadership by one group or person over another social group. In this case men, were able to perform musical talent before woman, and to take it further white people were always in lead of the black people. Therefore if one had the opportunity to migrate north to a city and perform music, this dominance faded away, and woman gained independence. Lamar explores this idea of hegemony of whites and police figures having a dominance over innocent black people in America. But, his energetic beat, and forceful lyrics show that much more that criminals is apart of his DNA, and one can be just as successful as himself and rise to defeat such leadership.

Carby, Hazel v. “It Jus Be’s Dat Way Sometime: The Sexual Politics of Women’s Blues* .” The Jazz Cadence of American Culture, by Robert C. O'Meally, Columbia University Press, 2007, pp. 471–482.

“Kendrick Lamar.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 30 July 2018, www.biography.com/people/kendrick-lamar-21349281.

Yan, Holly. “'Black Lives Matter' Cases: What Ended up Happening after Police Killings.” CNN, Cable News Network, 27 June 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/06/26/us/black-lives-matter-deaths-outcomes/index.html.

Blog Post 2 

Rachel Simons

The song “We shall not be moved” originated from Biblical verses that dated back to the slavery era. The song is categorized as of blue genre and American folk song. It is considered by many generations as a hallmark for civil movements’ songs because of its flexibility to adapt to various causes. In particular, the lyrics has been modified by different group to fit the purpose of the current social/political movements. “Labor and civil rights activists, Spanish and Chilean anti-fascists, and South African freedom fighters share the song” (Honey, 2017). Moreover, the structure of the song is simplistic enough for mass demonstration, similar to many other blue songs, the first two lines are repeated. Even though the meaning of the song has changed over time, its ultimate purpose has not. Its core purpose is to demonstrate the will of the minorities and the oppressed, to stand up to social hegemony, to challenge the status quo, to strive for more equal status. For instance, West Virginia Miners Union (WVMU) in 1931 and students at Howard University in 2017 both used the song to demonstrate their stands. In March 1931, WVMU membership  decreased to “less than 600 members” (Powell, 2015) because of the Federal tighten control over miner unions. A new independent union was formed soon after to rebel against Federal regulations. Originally, “We shall not be moved” contained verses that starts with "Jesus is my savior" because of its biblical background. However, the miners changed it to "the union is behind us" when they demonstrated in West Virginia. In this context, the song underlined the social/economic inequality in America. On the other hand, Howard University students broke into a rendition ofthe song as former FBI director James Comey took the stage to deliver a convocation address. Given that Howard is historically a black university, the chant is meant to denounce Comey's career as his controversial decision to release Clinton's email before the election partially contributed to low democratic turnout. Unlike the West Virginia miners’ case, the song carried a racial/political message that reprimanded decisions that ultimately led to Trump’s victory. To both the miners and students, reciting the song is a sub-cultural practice that exists not only as an easy and memorable way to deliver message, it also acts an extension of lineage between the current movement to the previous ones.

Reference:

Michael. “We Shall Not Be Moved/No Nos Moverán: Biography of a Song of Struggle.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 1 Sept. 2017, academic.oup.com/jah/article/104/2/553/4095543.

Millstein, Seth. “Students At Howard University Tried To Drive James Comey From Their College With This Protest Song.” Bustle, Bustle, 13 Nov. 2018, www.bustle.com/p/what-does-we-will-not-be-moved-mean-howard-university-used-it-to-protest-james-comey-2434791.

Powell, Bob. “March 19, 1931: West Virginia United Mine Workers Union Founded.” West Virginia Public Broadcasting, www.wvpublic.org/post/march-19-1931-west-virginia-united-mine-workers-union-founded.

Released in May 2018, “This is America” went viral in the US for its commentary on gun violence and race. The music’s tone is cheerful as a man strums a guitar before turning aggressive when the man is shot in the head. There have been over 1,000 mass shootings in America since 2013 and the imagery in the video repeatedly emphasizes this issue. In one scene, Gambino shoots 9 black choir singers with an AK-47, referencing the 2015 Charleston, South Carolina church shooting by white supremacist Dylann Roof (Insider). The gun is then carefully wrapped in a red cloth while the dead bodies are dragged away; this represents how the “US prioritizes the protection of guns over the protection of black bodies” (Insider). Perhaps the most chilling aspect is how fluidly Gambino transitions between violent acts, highlighting how desensitized Americans have become to mass shootings.

While dancing, Gambino and the schoolchildren perform hip hop and African dance moves like the Gwara Gwara. This exemplifies how cultural practices “lose their specificity over time as they become more ubiquitous” for they blend into the dominant culture (Time). The smiling kids dancing in clean school uniforms in the foreground juxtaposes with the cars on fire and police chasing people in the background. This symbolizes how entertainment by black celebrities is used to distract from the mistreatment of black citizens. Gambino challenges this norm with his video which forces viewers to face the culture of violence in America.

Gambino’s music video supports Dick Hebdige’s argument that “subcultures take up the objects, spaces, and signs available to them within the larger system...to turn such objects against the system.” Gambino uses his role within the dominant culture of American music as a famous rapper to create a trap song that conveys a counter-hegemonic message. The forward commentary on the damage gun violence causes in America goes against the tendency of Americans to only send thoughts and prayers then forget about the issue until the next shooting. An example of an object used against the system is how Gambino’s pants resemble those worn by Confederate soldiers (Insider). This object is a reminder of the historical violence inflicted upon African Americans while also used to highlight the current violence inflicted upon African Americans. The video is packed with complex visuals which are balanced by the simple, repetitive lyrics and consonance of the song.

The song subtly reflects the historical conditions that led to current conditions. At the beginning, Gambino strikes a pose resembling Jim Crow: “the fictional, racist character that characterized African-Americans as ‘lazy, stupid, and inherently less human’” (Insider). Similar to how minstrel performers did the cakewalk, Gambino strikes a minstrel pose. In both cases, African Americans take important signs of their ancestors’ abuse to highlight current abuses. At the end, Gambino runs from the police reflecting how a “black person running for his or her life has just been a part of American culture dating back to slavery” (Time).

Citations

Shamsian, Jacob. “24 Things You May Have Missed in Childish Gambino's 'This Is America' Music Video.” INSIDER, INSIDER, 9 May 2018, www.thisisinsider.com/this-is-america-music-video-meaning-references-childish-gambino-donald-glover-2018-5.

Gajanan, Mahita. “An Expert's Take on the Symbolism in Childish Gambino's Viral 'This Is America' Video.” Time, Time, 7 May 2018, http://time.com/5267890/childish-gambino-this-is-america-meaning/.

During, Simon. “Dick Hebdige: From culture to hegemony.” The Cultural Studies Reader, 1993, p. 357.

Zach Jones

The hit song “Killing Me Softly,” performed by the group The Fugees, was released in 1996, during the height of the ninety’s hip-hop era. Artists like Tupac Shakur, the Notorious B.I.G., Nas, the N.W.A., Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, Eazy-E, A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast, and many others were releasing several songs that filled the tops of many Billboard Hip-Hop Top 100 and R&B Top 100 charts of the day. The Fugees had their share of the limelight, dropping songs like “Ready or Not,” “Fu-Gee-La,” and this song, “Killing Me Softly.” During this time, the economy was on a slight upswing, Bill Clinton was in office and re-elected for a second time, Space Jam and Independence Day were still in theaters, and hip hop was lyrical and usually told a story, unlike a lot of the hip-hop that is popular today. The genre used rhyme and a beat to supplement an artist’s poetry, rather than just making catchy tunes that could get popular easily. The R&B song uses the songs of another artist to communicate what is supposed to be Lauryn Hill’s feelings, and how when she hears this song she can relate to it in a way that is deep and personal. The lyrics of the song could be referring to when she listens to some of the music by Tupac and/or Notorious B.I.G., who both were killed in a tragic shooting that happened during the same year that this song was released.

The Sex Pistols- God Save the Queen

Upamanyu Kashyap

God Save the Queen – Sex Pistols In 1977, the English punk rock band, “The Sex Pistols,” released one of the most controversial songs of the 20th century. The song was titled “God Save the Queen,” and released to coincide with the Queen of England’s silver jubilee. The song shares the title of the United Kingdom’s national anthem. This song became a definitive watershed for the evolution of punk rock, and a critical point in the rise of a youth subculture across the globe.

In the 1970s, the world saw an explosion of youth culture. Around this time, post-war prosperity led a massive rise in the population of young people. [1] [2] Desperate to break away from the previously conservative generations, subcultures like Hippies, Skinheads, Teddy Boys and Punk were born.

The Sex Pistols were founded in 1975, and are regarded as pioneers in punk culture. This controversial single was censored all over the UK, with top charts even being rigged to not show this massive single as #1 on the charts. Counter-hegemony was being stoked around the world at this time. Americans losing trust in the government because of Watergate, and in the UK, the political climate took a profound shift in 1951, with the conservatives defeating labour. The slogan for the campaign was “Set the People Free.” The very fact that anti-parochial and morally disconnected shows that a massive cultural shift was occurring. In this sense, the rise in popularity of these subcultures gave the growing youth population an outlet for expression like they’ve never had before.

This is nearly the same scenario that occurred 50 years prior, in which black people used the blues as their outlet for expression. Like we’ve seen in readings like Hazel V. Carby’s “It Jus Be’s Dat Way Sometime,” these counter hegemonic tendencies come from groups being marginalized and excluded from public progressive discourse. The parallel between this and the youth marginalization in the mid to late 1970s is unmistakable.

The musical formal elements that are displayed in this song are in line with most of what was common at the time for punk and rock n' roll music. There is virtually no syncopation, as the song is in a "straight" 4/4 feel. Only at the beginning are there some off-beat strums on power chords in the intro riff. There are very subtle instances of melisma where the line "God Save the Queen" comes up in the chorus. Dynamics are fairly unchanging as well, as the song intends to be loud and "In-your-face."

The Sex Pistols make profound use of subject formation. By directly mentioning the Queen, it allows the song to speak directly to both the population of England and to the listeners at the same time. Overall, even though the band was very short-lived, they will be forever recognized as innovators of punk rock and the group that opened up a brand new culture in the audience which they spoke to.

[1]“Population Pyramid of the United Kingdom, 1950.” Population Pyramid, www.populationpyramid.net/united-kingdom/1950/.

[2]“Population Pyramid of the United Kingdom, 1970.” Population Pyramid, www.populationpyramid.net/united-kingdom/1970/. “The

[3]History of the Sex Pistols – An Evolution of Punk.” The Circular, 31 Mar. 2016, thecircular.org/history-punk-music/.

[4]“Welcome to University Of Brighton, Designing Britain Learning Module.” Countryside, University of Brighton, vads.ac.uk/learning/designingbritain/html/crd_cultrev.html.

[5]Carby, Hazel V. It Jus Be's Dat Way Sometime. Columbia University Press.

Bodys, off of Car Seat Headrest’s 2011 album, Twin Fantasy, represents a continuation of the prevalence of dance music being released during that year. While this album (and by extension this song) never received popular recognition, Bodys was explicitly written to be the album’s “dance track” and its intended purpose mirrored the goals of other popular dance songs at that time [1]. Songs released during that year such as LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” and Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” sought to make listeners dance and move with their hard-hitting beats and synth lines [2]. Car Seat Headrest aimed to do the same but in a manner more characteristic of the album’s lo-fi aesthetic: full of compressed guitars, barely comprehensible lyrics, and heavy use of overdubbed vocals.

  Despite the difference in execution, songs like “Bodys” and “Party Rock Anthem” both may have functioned as an escape for the listener from the societal and economic problems present at that time. The advent of Occupy Wall Street [3] and high unemployment [4] epitomize the social unrest that the 2007 economic crisis had left on the American public. Dance music of the time could have represented one outlet that anxious Americans would turn too to relieve themselves of some the stress brought on by these difficulties.

  The song itself could be decoded to represent an attempt by the anxious and introverted singer (And I know that I don't talk a lot; But I know that you don't care a lot) to dance and enjoy themselves with their partner (Those are you got some nice shoulders; I'd like to put my hands around them). The “you” in this song is never explicitly stated, but given that the entire album centers around a relationship that the writer had had, it can be inferred that it is the writer’s romantic interest. The writer himself states that “bodys is probably the vaguest song on the album - it’s the least specific ‘you’ and more about a fantasy”, a feature that allows listeners of the danceable, catchy song to set themselves as the subject (or singer) of the song.

  [1] Car Seat Headrest - Even When I Dream of You: Q&a with Peyton Thomas - Even When I Dream of You: Q&a with Peyton Thomas.

http://carseatheadrest.tumblr.com/post/169661113586/even-when-i-dream-of-you-qa-with-peyton-thomas. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.

  [2] “Hot 100 Songs - Year-End.” Billboard, https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/hot-100-songs. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.

  [3] About Us | OccupyWallSt.Org. http://occupywallst.org/about/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.

    [4] Report for Selected Countries and Subjects. https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=98&pr.y=12&sy=1980&ey=2023&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=111&s=NGDP_RPCH,NGDPD,NGDPDPC,PCPIPCH,LUR,GGXONLB_NGDP,GGXWDG_NGDP,BCA_NGDPD&grp=0&a=. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.

Blog Post 2- Esmerallie Aldaco

Word Count 412

This song was written and performed in 2015, during the campaigns for the presidential election of 2016. It was a direct response from a popular band called Los Tigres del Norte to Donald Trump’s comments about calling Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists. The band released this song along with a boycott of Trump’s companies in effort to protest the discrimination inflicted on Mexicans. Along with urging Latinos to vote against him. This is a band that often writes songs about historic events and the struggles that Mexican immigrants go through. The song “Somos mas Americanos”, is a song speculating how Mexicans are hard-working and more American because they were already living in the areas that the United States took away and turned into states. Thus the lyrics, “yo no cruce la frontera, la frontera me cruzo” which means in English, “I didn’t cross the border, the border crossed me.” As a Mexican-American myself, I was born here and I grew up listening to Tigres del Norte because of my parents who came here a long time ago. The song is encoded with a sort of patriotic tone for Mexicans who live in the United States, it is received/decoded to make the audience that is being attacked by Trump's remarks feel American, and if not more American as the title suggests. It is encoded with a political statement that Mexicans are not invaders and that those who do live in the United States are hardworking and American because they work to live as American citizens. The song I chose is a corrido which means ballad. Corridos are a music genre that often have an old-fashioned style. It is a cultural practice to listen to these ballads often as they are very popular and are rooted in Mexican music culture. In a way this song is an example of uplift ideology, taking pride in one’s cultural background and the experiences of the Mexican immigrant as hardworking people. The song uses its traditional tone and instruments to further the political statement by using cultural style music. It is also a resistance to white power. America is a dominant country in which many Mexicans are subordinate to being non-whites and minorities. The song is a reflection of Mexican immigrant ideology and how they challenge hegemony in a way that shows that they are not treated equally by those who rule them so they demand respect in return for trying to assimilate and live as Americans.

Citations:

“Giants of Mexican Music Take on Trump.” Public Radio International, PRI, www.pri.org/stories/2015-08-07/giants-mexican-music-take-trump.

“Los Tigres Del Norte Propose Boycott against Donald Trump.” The Yucatan Times, 6 Aug. 2015, www.theyucatantimes.com/2015/08/los-tigres-del-norte-propose-boycott-against-donald-trump/.

“Los Tigres Del Norte Joins People For the American Way to Urge Virginia Latinos to Vote Against Trump.” People For the American Way, www.pfaw.org/press-releases/los-tigres-del-norte-joins-people-for-the-american-way-to-urge-virginia-latinos-to-vote-against-trump/.