'Chicago' covered by The Marcians, an indie band from Leicester

LES MIS LETTERS IN ADAPTATION - Louis Philippe, LM 4.1.3 (Les Miserables 1972)

The son of a father to whom history will accord certain attenuating circumstances, but also as worthy of esteem as that father had been of blame; possessing all private virtues and many public virtues; careful of his health, of his fortune, of his person, of his affairs, knowing the value of a minute and not always the value of a year; sober, serene, peaceable, patient; a good man and a good prince; sleeping with his wife, and having in his palace lackeys charged with the duty of showing the conjugal bed to the bourgeois, an ostentation of the regular sleeping-apartment which had become useful after the former illegitimate displays of the elder branch; knowing all the languages of Europe, and, what is more rare, all the languages of all interests, and speaking them; an admirable representative of the “middle class,” but outstripping it, and in every way greater than it; possessing excellent sense, while appreciating the blood from which he had sprung, counting most of all on his intrinsic worth, and, on the question of his race, very particular, declaring himself Orleans and not Bourbon; thoroughly the first Prince of the Blood Royal while he was still only a Serene Highness, but a frank bourgeois from the day he became king; diffuse in public, concise in private; reputed, but not proved to be a miser; at bottom, one of those economists who are readily prodigal at their own fancy or duty; lettered, but not very sensitive to letters; a gentleman, but not a chevalier; simple, calm, and strong; adored by his family and his household; a fascinating talker, an undeceived statesman, inwardly cold, dominated by immediate interest, always governing at the shortest range, incapable of rancor and of gratitude, making use without mercy of superiority on mediocrity, clever in getting parliamentary majorities to put in the wrong those mysterious unanimities which mutter dully under thrones; unreserved, sometimes imprudent in his lack of reserve, but with marvellous address in that imprudence; fertile in expedients, in countenances, in masks; making France fear Europe and Europe France!

Incontestably fond of his country, but preferring his family; assuming more domination than authority and more authority than dignity, a disposition which has this unfortunate property, that as it turns everything to success, it admits of ruse and does not absolutely repudiate baseness, but which has this valuable side, that it preserves politics from violent shocks, the state from fractures, and society from catastrophes; minute, correct, vigilant, attentive, sagacious, indefatigable; contradicting himself at times and giving himself the lie; bold against Austria at Ancona, obstinate against England in Spain, bombarding Antwerp, and paying off Pritchard; singing the Marseillaise with conviction, inaccessible to despondency, to lassitude, to the taste for the beautiful and the ideal, to daring generosity, to Utopia, to chimæras, to wrath, to vanity, to fear; possessing all the forms of personal intrepidity; a general at Valmy; a soldier at Jemappes; attacked eight times by regicides and always smiling. Brave as a grenadier, courageous as a thinker; uneasy only in the face of the chances of a European shaking up, and unfitted for great political adventures; always ready to risk his life, never his work; disguising his will in influence, in order that he might be obeyed as an intelligence rather than as a king; endowed with observation and not with divination; not very attentive to minds, but knowing men, that is to say requiring to see in order to judge; prompt and penetrating good sense, practical wisdom, easy speech, prodigious memory; drawing incessantly on this memory, his only point of resemblance with Cæsar, Alexander, and Napoleon; knowing deeds, facts, details, dates, proper names, ignorant of tendencies, passions, the diverse geniuses of the crowd, the interior aspirations, the hidden and obscure uprisings of souls, in a word, all that can be designated as the invisible currents of consciences; accepted by the surface, but little in accord with France lower down; extricating himself by dint of tact; governing too much and not enough; his own first minister; excellent at creating out of the pettiness of realities an obstacle to the immensity of ideas; mingling a genuine creative faculty of civilization, of order and organization, an indescribable spirit of proceedings and chicanery, the founder and lawyer of a dynasty; having something of Charlemagne and something of an attorney; in short, a lofty and original figure, a prince who understood how to create authority in spite of the uneasiness of France, and power in spite of the jealousy of Europe.

i wonder in that scene w/ antoinette in 1x03, is lestat just showboating for louis and wants to get a reaction out of him? it says at that point they're kinda not having sex anymore cause of the new diet but like why was he being so blatant about it unless he was hoping louis would do something.

as with most things in this show, i think there are a lot of factors in play at once. regarding his relationship with antoinette in general: i think lestat genuinely doesn't like monogamy--for himself, at least, although he expects louis to only be with him because he's a hypocrite. i think it feels less complicated for him to be with a white woman than with a black man because he doesn't want to acknowledge his own racism or think about the ways he will never be able to fully understand louis. i think he likes having a steady sexual partner on the side for whom he doesn't actually have feelings because, again, it's less complicated than what he has with louis. and although he says (and, i think, genuinely believes) that he loves louis for the ways he challenges him, i think he also likes having someone who defers to him on everything and reassures him of his own superiority.

regarding that specific scene: you're definitely onto something. on one level i think he saw antoinette and heard her sing and decided that he wanted her and didn't see any reason why he shouldn't have her. but Yes, i also think that drawing louis's attention is a factor. after all, the first time they had sex was a threesome-turned-twosome. maybe lestat's hoping to replicate that night and reignite their sex life, with the mindset that if it backfires he can just have sex with her instead. (<- a thought that makes me want to kick lestat in the shin if true btw.) he's constantly looking at louis and flirting with him while he's chatting antoinette up, just like they were looking at each other and talking telepathically when louis was with lily. but lestat forgets that 1) louis felt a certain level of safety with lily that he cannot feel with a white woman he just met 2) he's gay dumbass!!! he only ever wanted you in the first place dumbass!!! and 3) they weren't in an established relationship that night with lily, and since getting together they haven't (as far as we know) discussed their relationship being anything but monogamous. so obviously it doesn't work, all it does is hurt louis and increase the distance between them even more. and then i think when antoinette fails to get the reaction he wants out of louis, lestat keeps her around for all the reasons i mentioned above. and because she's useful for getting a different kind of reaction out of louis: jealousy.

the fact this happened after the him vs it discourse (widely spread on twt btw)

https://twitter.com/LOUIESTREAM/status/1702075734833987892?t=RZZZh3lmmWClFjgS19iCAQ&s=19

the face he did afterwards like is he annoyed to say "it" or is he annoyed about the forceful "him". Ngl, from the 2nd half of the NA leg until now, almost every crowd does say Love him so... what are your thoughts Jen?

anon 2: U gotta roll ur eyes - the people making a big deal ALL OVER THE INTERWEBZ of Louis supposedly singing “I love him” (as if Harry is the only him, ever btw) are now offended he made a point of singing (screaming?) the “it” today. Not really sure what they expected? Oh wait, I do (him to profess his undying love for a certain curly headed c- on stage) but not happening, not today, not next year, and actually I would put money on neverrr

I think their best bet is on any declarations is from Harry, but only under sad circumstances hopefully decades from now and nothing beyond a few sentences

----------------

I feel like "him" was the original lyric (much like running from the bullshit is the original--and far superior!--lyric on SOTT), so far all we know, cross-faded Louis Tomlinson is just out there, going with v1, but also? I feel like you reap what you sow, and he wants zero larry associations, so I'm sure he was like, oh shit, okay, whoops. But also also? Yeah, there's more than one him in this world, and there's a lot of yoyo action in his real life, so for all we know, that's a clue to a deeper situation than larr nation wants to venture into

Omg I am so excited to see back to you live but I *love* miss you and feel like its really made to be sung with thousands of people. And you're right about holding onto Heartache! I probably don't need to worry 😆.

I also love that's the way love goes but I know he probably won't play that live but fingers crossed for headline!!!!

I agree about WDBHG, I never really listened to much 1D and despite having watched videos/streams from tour I still can't remember any of the lyrics 😭 (I'm trying louis! I wanna be able to be excited! But I just don't enjoy it like all the others on the set!)

And yes omg guitar louis!!! For common people!!! Or a version of face the music like the demo!!!

Thank you so much for the lovely welcome!

You're very welcome 🥰❤️ i hope you have the best time in the fandom and at the show. Louis is just the best, as a person and as an artist. I could never be a stan of anyone else, he's just everything 😌. Coming back to the topic at hand, ngl i'm a back to you girlie (she was the reason i became a fan and i've seen her impact irl. Someone played the song at my uni and then suddenly everyone was playing it non stop for more than a year. Like the organic propagation of that song is just mindblowing . To think of what we could have if his music was given a tiny chance, just little efficient promo 😔) but omg you're so right miss you will be so good live. Imagine the fans yelling while he sings "WITH ALL OF MY PEOPLE and it couldn't get better they say". I really hope (and think) hoth is there to stay and i trust Louis not to do that to us like pls not hoth 😩 so don't worry about it. I love that's the way love goes too but now that Oli isn't single 🤭 (at least we got to hear it before tour 😭). Hope we get headline at least at that last show you're going to (pls Louis 🤲). And pls don't feel bad about not knowing the lyrics to that band's songs. I became a fan in 2019 when we only had the pre-walls singles and very few solo Louis content so i looked up the band's music and i still don't know the lyrics to their songs except for the iconic ones Louis wrote. From his current set, i only know the lyrics to his solo in night changes and the chorus (only bc it's such a popular song and that chorus is everywhere 😭). Idk any lyric in wdbhg and i won't bother. I won't subject myself to minutes of those men's voices just for a few seconds of Louis' angelic one. We don't have to do that anymore, we have his (much superior) solo discography for that 😁. Guitar Louis will k!ll us all when it happens like i'm not even kidding idk if i'll survive it 😭.

I know your show will be extra special and very emotional since it's the last Europe leg and it's in England so i hope it'll be full of nice surprises and that you'll have the time of your life 💙 🫂

That twitter thread you posted genuinely made me so mad oh my god…I’m SICK of these Louies hand holding a grown man who has been in the music industry for over 13 YEARS now. He is the ONLY artist that can get away with not being a good singer/performer even though he’s not a rookie, and it’s all because his fan base has the exact mindset in those tweets: That he’s a VICTIM. “He’s a poor baby who gets nervous and has a parasocial relationship with his fans, performing live isn’t about actually being talented it’s about doing something so scary for him!” Like wtf…I hope those people can open their eyes and see he’s actually a very privileged rich man and it is not acceptable for him to stand idle on stage, sing off tune, not memorize his own songs, etc. Once those people find other coping mechanisms and stop seeing him as a martyr, he hopefully won’t have many fans left

His fandom skews very young because so many of the older ones find musicians they prefer and abandon him. Yungblood, Arctic Monkeys and the Snuts have stolen quite a few Louies this year simply by being far superior artists.

Review of Interview with The Vampire episode 6:

I notice more and more that this show borrows from other vampire fictions, as if the show runner and his crew don’t really like the writing of Anne Rice and so seek out other vampires for inspiration.

The teenage Claudia concerned about still being a virgin is actually Jessica from True Blood.  Louis’s “Prescription” turn-of-the-century tinted sunglasses are clearly inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992 movie), and even, perhaps, the manga and anime, Hellsing. When Claudia wanted Charley to look up at her it was reminiscent of Dracula’s “See me.  See me now.” from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992 movie).  Even the name Charley for the teenage boy Claudia was attracted to. Charley doesn’t exist in Anne Rice’s novels but he is the name of the teenage boy protagonist of the 1985 vampire movie, Fright Night. When Lestat and Louis claim they sell incinerators to explain away why they have one- that’s how Dracula hastily explained his box of soil in The Dracula Tape, when his luggage was searched.  He claimed he was a “portable closet” salesman and was showing the “Closets” capacity.  Also an incinerator is how the vampires got rid of the bodies of their victims in Whitley Strieber’s The Hunger (never mind that the smell of the burning corpses should be unbearable to someone with heightened senses.)  Even Lestat composing a song and having it made into a music box for Nicki (now spelt “Nicky” in the subtitles for some reason) was “borrowed” from Barnabas Collins and the music box he had made for Josette from Dark Shadows (original 1960s series). 

Now in episode 6 of Interview with The Vampire we have Lestat singing a new version of “Come to me” to Louis.  The lyrics and melody might be different but “Come to me” is the vampire love song from Fright Night (1985).  It’s sung by a man in the first movie and sung by Deborah Holland in the sequel,  Fright Night: Part 2 (1988). Each representing the vampire antagonist of the story and the lyrics of the original 1980s versions of the song are very vampiric and honestly superior to what was written for this show.  I happen to very much like Deborah Holland’s version of Come to Me.    

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they would have a vampire write a song called “Come to me” when two popular 80s Vampire movies had “Come to me” as the vampire’s main love song.

 And now they reveal that Rashid is a vampire via flashback to the 1970s. Way ahead of you, show.  I already figured out it’s Armand. 

Lestat literally threatening that he would kill them if they leave him and hacking off the finger of his mortal lover really rubs me the wrong way but I’m getting more and more numb to this show.

The flashback to the 1970s was probably the most Anne Rice-esque the show actually got to be.  When they start repeatedly calling the power of flight “Cloud gift” I was reminded how much I dislike the later books and the terms Anne Rice coined in the late 90s to early 2000s to try again shift the vocabulary of vampire fiction. I never liked the term “cloud gift.” Cloud Gift, Mind gift, and fire gift, all later novel terms for basic things like fight, telepathy, and pyrokinesis. Though based on how the cloud gift is described the correct term would actually be transvection.   

There’s something very cynical and mean about this show and the way the showrunner laugh-talks when he says “When you take him back when you know you shouldn’t.”  The way this showrunner acts about domestic violence really bothers me.

I get the impression this show runner has no real love for things Gothic.  He talks like a cynic, a mean one at that.   He doesn’t have any sense of romance.  And I don’t mean romance as in “love story” I mean romance as in the exaggerated and emotional drama that is Gothic fiction.  He’s too jaded to really seem to “get it.”  

Anyway, that’s pretty much all I can say for episode 6.  

“they're different artists and to be fair, i don't think louis will ever be "harry" - because harry is harry. their music is different, their personalities are different. so it's not necessarily copying harry's success but more as you said…”

I got this off lesbianslovelouis post retweeted by a louie. I know she means Harry is superior but all I could think was that yes Louis is not Harry because no matter how badly he sings a song, Louis is not going to lip sync. He will practice and practice, he will skip parts, will sing in a lower key, he will be off key but won’t lip sync.

Louis will practice. He might arrange the song to sing in a manageable range. He might take it off a setlist. But Louis won’t lip sync, because he isn’t going to take credit for something he didn’t do. He won’t use dynamic pricing, because ethics isn’t something you trademark to sell more shit. That’s the difference between them.

I know! I hate the barking. It’s not cute snd it’s not funny and people might think it’s harmless but to do it so many times? If it happened once or even a couple of times, whatever, I wouldn’t do it but that’s a me thing. But to do it constantly is, to me, disrespectful. Louis is a human being doing his job, why be annoying? And it’s the whole larrie fallacy - they assume Louis knows this stuff because in their mind, he’s with Harry. The constant barking is embarrassing. Rather than bark, Louis would like it if you sang along, made noise to show your excitement and appreciation for the music. Louis loves music and he loves the feeling of connection he gets when he sings on a stage in front of his fans. Honestly, I would find it incredibly distracting and awkward if I was trying to do my job and people were barking at me. Obviously being a singer is different than most other jobs but Louis is up onstage trying to do his job. The “I love you” chants or ones about how beautiful he is were much cuter and Louis reacted all cutely to them. Latam crowds are superior in every way to usa crowds and I can get why Louis starts in the usa because it’s only up from there. I can’t imagine Latam or Asian crowds doing the barking, what was it, before every song or most songs? It’s way too much. Hopefully it stops in usa and won’t continue in Europe 🤞

Agree with everything you’ve said. We’ve seen how much he absolutely loves it when crowds chant their love for him, or his beauty (so wholesome) or even football chants! Why can’t these people do more of that? But I guess it’s just an established fact now that the US crowds are what you have to bear if you want to have the pleasure of experiencing latam crowds later. And you’re right about why he starts there too, so that the crowds progressively (majorly) keep getting better and he can ensure that both him and the fans have a good time.

Larries unwillingness to see (and do something about) the fact that they make fandom spaces uncomfortable for everyone around them is unbelievably rude. And also in direct opposition of the spirit of what Louis and his art stand for. Disrespectful, uncivil and ill-mannered people. Can only hope and pray that we’re rid of them some day.

Haa, ngl I find it funny how people even got to the point of comparing the Santiago KMM lights project to whatever the fuck I just saw happening in Harry's show. The clip from LTWT is no doubt superior. And to all the l/harries who complain about the lack of stage presence Louis has, please get your eyes and ears checked. That clip itself is a proof of how good Louis is at interacting with the crowd. He appreciates the fans as soon as he sees the light project and asks for them to sing the bridge louder for him. Anyone with proper working ears can tell how significantly loud they become after Louis asks them to be. Kudos to Santiago Louies for making this a thing for all Louies all around Latam and Asia too. It's definitely one of the highlights in every concert. And what even was that clip from Harry's show? It honestly took me while to realise what song he was singing (or lipsyncing, as I saw a few people talking about it). It was extremely bland. And if he is actually lip-syncing, I want to really send my condolences to the people who work with him in the studio. You literally can't hear any of the fans singing loud enough either to actually understand which song or what part of the song is playing. And no offence to harries, actually yes, all offence to harries, please let something be original for the person you're stanning. He does enough copying from other artists for y'all to start doing that too. Let at least his fandom have some originality left.

Yeah! That video from the first night of the latam tour in Chile will always be the best. Louis' little "eyyy" and the fans immediately singing louder than they already were.

And Louis tweeted about it the very next day

Harry's shows are... idk if it's just the clips I've seen that have been on my tl or dash because someone was making fun of it, but what the fuck is happening on that stage? It just looks like a pantomime.

HSLOT- MSG Night 6 Recap

This is going to sound extremely cheesy, but tonight is a night I will never forget. It was such a good show. He looked and sounded gorgeous. I’m in awe of him. Let’s get into it:

Best Song Ever was the first song to play after Blood Orange left the stage and the crowd was so LOUD!

After New York, New York, I expected Harry to be next (he was rolled in the box during this song) but there was a piano medley before he came on. It sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it.

When the band did come on and Harry rose from the middle of the stage and I saw his whole ass chest which I was NOT prepared for, I about died.

His energy level was unreal. Only person capable of matching it is Pauli during the best friends and kiwi dances

Little? Freak? LIVE?? A religious experience

The HORNS?? Excellent excellent choice. They should be a permanent addition to tour because they add another level to the show.

His fan interactions were hilarious. To the birthday girl, the feet pics, and the kisses/waves to the fans. All of it was precious.

While he did not sing medicine, he literally gave us his bare chest so I’m a happy gal

YMCA into Sushi? *chef’s kiss* amazing 10/10 please keep it

The one downer was that he didn’t grab a pride flag and there were a lot thrown especially during TPWK

when I first heard LOML, I thought it was about Louis, but I got the sense tonight that it’s about the fans

Also, he giggle?? during LOML?? I died. He’s so fucking precious I want to pinch his cheeks.

The kiwi intro remains superior

Idk about the rest of the venue, but I SCREAMED “leave america”

Harry puts on a fantastic show and he keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to see him again.

Louis is such a prick (affectionately) 😭😂 I have a roommate who hates everything popular too, if we’re watching like the Kardashian’s will complain the whole time but get mad if we watch an episode without her, complains about pop music but has been humming as it was since it came out lmao. They enjoy the superiority complex instead of letting themselves enjoy trendy things it’s so funny. So glad Louis got to have some not so secret sushi last night.

Also lol at the antis who made a point of Louis hating sushi and Harry singing about sushi, maybe he was choking down nigiri just to prove a point 😂

LOOOL!! please I llove that, I find it adorable when like they say they hate trendy stuff but also love it secretly, you complicated little shit. also its so funny when they say oh Louis hates sushi, Harry loves sushi they can't be together, or like Louis hates avocados, H dont, like? real world have you heard of it?

also while we're talking about niall and fool's gold (top tier) i am coming to your inbox with a potential unpopular opinion? but as much as louis has me whipped and thus it goes against all my instincts to say this (🤡) ..... niall's version of drag me down is The superior version imo 😭 it's just so good.... the arrangements.... niall looking so *** singing it.... the everything about it....

shhhhh i also think i agree (?) i dunno niall’s voice and personal flare make his 1D covers some of my favorites i just love the way he takes them on

Fix My Heart

by SchwarzwalderKirschtorte

Before anyone else in the room can respond, Louis speaks up. “He’s going to sing for Harry. He can do it - better than Harry can at the moment - and we can switch things up if we need to.” His tone brooks no argument and he anticipates the objections as if he’d thought it through in advance, though he shoots Harry an apologetic glance when he points out Zayn’s currently superior abilities. Harry shrugs, he can barely get through two lines without his voice cracking or giving out completely, so he quite literally can’t argue. Liam and Niall are chiming in, clearly onboard, when Louis plays his trump card. “The fans will go wild, and the press - Zayn Malik back for one show only.”

Watching Harry struggle through the 1D Live Lounge hurts my heart, so I fixed it.

Words: 6413, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: One Direction (Band)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Nick Grimshaw, Simon Cowell

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Additional Tags: Minor Zayn Malik/Liam Payne, If You Squint - Freeform, Fix-It, Sickfic, Sick Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson is Protective of Harry Styles, Zayn Malik & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Misunderstandings, Talking, First Kiss, Boys Kissing, Simon Cowell Being An Asshole, Louis Tomlinson Loves Harry Styles, Harry Styles Loves Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne Loves Zayn Malik, Maybe - Freeform, Niall Horan Ships Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Tea, rainbow socks, I Made Myself Cry, No Smut, I'm surprised too

via AO3 works tagged 'Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson' https://ift.tt/X2RBp90

I loved every moment you mentioned too! The greatest is so good, it was one of my immediate favourites on the album on first listen so hearing it as the opener was awesome. SIBWAWC delivered as expected!!! So good. It was just such a strong setlist! I agree about the 1D songs, I never really listened to 1D (other than how everyone my age did, in the sense that the music was everywhere so you picked stuff up) so I wasnt that familiar with WDBHG but Louis made it fun! I'd be fine with only one 1D cover (especially if it gave us headline, common people or TTWLG which im keeping my fingers crossed will get rotated in)

The production was really good, I'm a fairly new fan so haven't seen too much of Louis' last tour (mostly just clips) so it was really cool to see all the screens and lights. You can tell a lot of thought goes into making it feel cohesive.

I was soooo pleased to hear Copy, it's just SUCH a good song and he looked confident singing it.

Also back to you!!! I really didn't expect that, it was such a good version. And "Miss you" was one of the first Louis songs I discovered and really loved (very late discovery as this was like...last year? Haha) and I've always thought it would be SUCH a great song to experience live so that gives me a bit of hope that maybe we'll get a version of it at some point on this tour. (Whishful thinking maybe!)

Also got to mention going from saved by a stranger (Also so good) to WAOYF...the emotional whiplash!!!! It worked though!

Honestly, I could probably run through every song with something I liked (I've barely mentioned HOTH and Saturdays and silver Tongues!) but I've already ranted in your inbox enough but what a great first show!!!! So excited for the next one!!!

I'm glad to see the greatest appreciation, it was one of my favs at first listen too. Louis writes the best tour openers. He really did transport us to another world with sibwawc didn't he 😌 his mind is just superior. The production was mind blowing and a true step up from last tour (ltwt's production was still amazing though). Copy is a masterpiece no doubt about that the imagerie of the lyrics is insane. BTY in 2023? If someone told me that before the show i would never believe them but it made me so happy for many reasons. There is hope for miss you after all 😭 ( i think at some point he's going to replace bty with miss you and if it happens idk how i'll survive). There was so many surprises last night but honestly the biggest one for me was him singing saved by a stranger ❤️‍🩹(the bravery, the grace!!). Not only that he also made it kind of rock and followed it with waoyf (that fan in the live stream who was silent the whole time but felt the need to shout "can we pls go back to fucking" instead of " loving" didn't go unnoticed🔪🔪). Tbh, i always thought if he really had to perform a 1d song, night changes would be a good one (his solo is so angelic in it) and i enjoyed it when he performed it in the past. But this time, even i was surprised that the 1d covers didn't work for me. I think fitf is just a beast on a whole other level and performing 1d songs among such a brillant setlist emphasizes the quality differece between Louis' solo songs and the band's, sorry. Night changes followed by Chicago and wdbhg put between ooms and saturdays (and then silver tongues) was almost humilating for them if it weren't for Louis' perfect delivery and witt (and angelic voice). I can talk about the show forever and in detail about each and every song but i didn't want to make this any longer. Feel free to rant about Louis' music and performances in my inbox i love those kind of rants 🥰. The second show is today and i couldn't be more excited 💙

Analytical Application #6: Race and Representation

Cultural Hegemony

This term, as described by Stuart Hall, refers to the dominance of one cultural group over others, where the dominant culture's values, beliefs, and norms are accepted as the societal norm, shaping perspectives, behaviors, and institutions. Hall describes that cultural hegemony is about “shifting the balance of power in the relations of culture; it is always about changing the dispositions and the configurations of cultural power…” (1).

In the song “I Wan'na Be Like You" from The Jungle Book (1967), the character King Louie expresses his desire to emulate human behavior and gain access to their power and privileges. The lyrics reflect a longing to adopt the dominant culture's traits and characteristics, symbolized by the "man's red fire," which represents human technology and sophistication.

King Louie's aspiration to "be like you" (i.e., humans) can be equated to the allure and influence of the dominant culture over marginalized groups in our modern society. The song underscores the idea that the dominant culture's values and norms are not only accepted but desired by those on the margins. It reflects the power dynamics at play, where the dominant culture's traits are idealized and seen as a pathway to empowerment and inclusion.

Moreover, King Louie's character, voiced by a white actor (Louis Prima), singing a jazz-inspired song further highlights the appropriation of African American culture by mainstream entertainment. This appropriation perpetuates cultural hegemony by reinforcing stereotypes and erasing the contributions of marginalized groups while simultaneously elevating the dominant culture's influence.

The song's portrayal of King Louie's pursuit of human-like qualities mirrors the broader societal phenomenon described by Stuart Hall as the "shifting balance of power" in cultural relations. It illustrates how cultural hegemony operates not only through overt forms of control but also through the internalization and emulation of the dominant culture's values and behaviors by subordinate groups.

In essence, "I Wan'na Be Like You" serves as a poignant commentary on cultural hegemony, demonstrating how the dominant culture's influence permeates even the realms of fantasy and animation, shaping perspectives, behaviors, and aspirations.

Eurocentrism

Eurocentrism, as discussed by Shohat and Stam, is a worldview centering European experiences as superior (2), while marginalizing non-Western cultures. It prioritizes European perspectives, often distorting or erasing the histories, identities, and contributions of other cultures (3). This perpetuates a hierarchy favoring Euro-American traditions, while exoticizing or relegating non-European cultures to the periphery.

"Everybody Wants to be a Cat" from Disney's original Aristocats (1970) embodies Eurocentrism and cultural appropriation through its portrayal of cats as the epitome of high class and sophistication. The song celebrates the lifestyle and demeanor of the feline characters, who are dubbed as "aristocats," implying a connection between their elegance and European aristocracy.

The song's lyrics and animated scenes depict the cats engaging in leisurely activities such as playing music, dancing, and indulging in lavish feasts. These behaviors align with Eurocentric ideals of refinement and luxury, reinforcing the notion that European experiences are superior and aspirational. However, this song manages to highlight this eurocentric perspective while still appropriating Black culture, using rhythms and chord progressions pioneered by Black communities during blues/jazz movements like the Harlem Renaissance. This notion reinforces the everpresent cycle of the high class adoption of lower class activities making it “cool.”

Furthermore, the characterization of the cats as aristocrats reflects Eurocentric hierarchies, where social status and privilege are closely associated with European cultural norms. By idealizing the cats' lifestyle, the film marginalizes non-European cultures and reinforces the Eurocentric worldview that prioritizes European perspectives while erasing or exoticizing the contributions of other cultures.

The desire expressed in the song's title, "Everybody Wants to be a Cat," underscores the pervasive influence of Eurocentrism, as even non-feline characters aspire to embody the perceived sophistication and status associated with European ideals. This desire to emulate European culture further perpetuates the hierarchy that favors Euro-American traditions, while relegating non-European cultures to the periphery.

In essence, "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" shows how the celebration of European aesthetics and values can reinforce cultural hegemony and marginalize non-Western cultures.

The Orient

As explored by Edward Said, "the Orient" refers to a constructed and exoticized idea of the East, particularly in Western imagination (4). It encompasses a range of diverse cultures and societies from Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, but is often portrayed through Western lenses of stereotypes, prejudices, and fantasies (5).

The Siamese cat scene from Lady and the Tramp (1955) provides a poignant illustration of the Orientalist lens through which non-Western cultures, in this case, Asian cultures, are often portrayed in Western media. The Siamese cats, Si and Am, are depicted as mischievous, conniving, and inherently villainous characters, embodying a host of stereotypes associated with the Orient.

The scene reinforces Edward Said's concept of the Orient as a constructed and exoticized idea in Western imagination. Si and Am are portrayed with exaggerated features and mannerisms that align with Western stereotypes of Asian people, such as slanted eyes, exaggerated accents, and manipulative or conniving behavior. Their song, "We are Siamese," further perpetuates these stereotypes by employing Orientalist imagery and language, depicting the cats as inscrutable and deceitful, even using a racist voice to depict the characters as well.

Additionally, this scene/song reflects the Western tendency to homogenize and simplify diverse non-Western cultures under a single, monolithic category, as described in Said’s work. Despite the vast cultural diversity within Asia, Si and Am are portrayed as representative of all Asian cultures, reinforcing the Orientalist notion of the East as a homogeneous and exotic "other" to be feared or laughed at.

Furthermore, the scene exemplifies the power dynamics inherent in Orientalist representations, where Western perspectives and fantasies about the Orient are privileged over authentic depictions of non-Western cultures. By reducing Si and Am to caricatures and perpetuating harmful stereotypes, the scene serves to exoticize and marginalize Asian cultures while reinforcing Western cultural hegemony.

This scene exemplifies the Orientalist tendencies present in many representations of Asian cultures in Western media, where non-Western cultures are exoticized, stereotyped, and marginalized through a lens of Western superiority and fantasy.

Popular Culture

Drawing from various perspectives including Stuart Hall's work, popular culture encompasses cultural artifacts, practices, and expressions that emerge from and resonate with the general populace, often shaped by mass media, consumerism, and technology. Hall’s work specifically finds ties between Black culture and popular culture within the US related to tradition, music, and American interests and influence (6).

The song "When I See an Elephant Fly" from Dumbo (1941) encapsulates the essence of popular culture as a reflection of societal values, traditions, and entertainment preferences. The song, performed by a group of crows, embodies the intersection of popular culture with elements of African American traditions and music, echoing Stuart Hall's exploration of the ties between Black culture and mainstream popular culture.

The style of music used in the scene represents a significant aspect of popular culture at this time, infusing the film with elements of jazz and soulful singing which were integral to African American musical traditions. Moreover, the scene highlights the democratizing nature of popular culture, as it is accessible and relatable to a wide audience. The crows' banter, coupled with the catchy melody, appeal to both children and adults, demonstrating how popular culture and representation of this nature can have a lasting effect on viewers, conforming their understanding of different groups.

Additionally, the scene reflects the role of popular culture in falling under social norms and aligning with various stereotypes. These characters being depicted as crows was certainly no accident. In historical context, Dumbo’s release occurred during times of segregation in the US, specifically regarding Jim Crow laws. The stereotypical depiction of Black culture coupled with the caricature-like representation likely had detrimental effects on the overall depiction and understanding of Black people in the US and beyond.

Overall, "When I See an Elephant Fly" exemplifies how popular culture serves as a dynamic reflection of society, incorporating diverse cultural influences in an entertaining way while also often conforming to the symbolic order perpetuated by the ruling class.

Stereotype

As discussed by Ella Shohat and Robert Stam in their chapter about the very topic, a stereotype is essentially a simplified and often exaggerated representation or image of a particular group, based on fixed and oversimplified ideas or assumptions (7). Stereotypes can be pervasive in media, literature, and everyday discourse, shaping perceptions and attitudes towards individuals or communities. They often serve to reinforce existing power dynamics, perpetuate prejudice, and limit nuanced understandings of diverse identities and experiences (8).

"What Makes the Red Man Red" from Peter Pan (1953) exemplifies the harmful effects of stereotypes on Indigenous peoples through its simplistic and caricatured portrayal of Native American culture. The song perpetuates stereotypes by reducing Native Americans to one-dimensional characters defined by exaggerated physical features, primitive language, and simplistic behaviors.

The lyrics of the song, with lines like "What made the red man red?" and "Why does he ask you 'How'?", reinforce the stereotype of Native Americans as inherently primitive and mysterious, reinforcing the idea of them as the "other" in contrast to the presumed superiority of Western culture. These portrayals not only simplify and exoticize Indigenous cultures but also perpetuate harmful myths and misconceptions about their traditions and way of life.

Moreover, the song's characterization of Native Americans as comical and childlike further reinforces existing power dynamics, where Indigenous peoples are depicted as subordinate and inferior to Western society. By reducing them to caricatures for comedic effect, the song diminishes the complexity and diversity of Indigenous cultures, reinforcing stereotypes that have been used to justify discrimination and oppression throughout history.

Additionally, the song's portrayal of Native Americans as perpetually stuck in the past, with references to "big chief" and "how," ignores the contemporary realities and contributions of Indigenous peoples, further marginalizing their voices and experiences in mainstream media.

In conclusion, this scene serves as an example of how stereotypes perpetuate harmful misconceptions and prejudices about marginalized communities, reinforcing power imbalances and limiting opportunities for authentic representation and understanding.

(1) Hall, Stuart. "What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?" in Critical Dialogues in Cultural Studies, edited by David Morley and Kuan-Hsing Chen, London: Routledge, 1996, 471. (2) Shohat, Ella and Stam, Robert. "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation" in Unthinking Eurocentrism, London: Routledge, 1994, 194. (3) Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation," 200. (4) Said, Edward W.. "The Scope of Orientalism" in Orientalism, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1978, 9. (5) Said, Orientalism, 34. (6) Hall, "Black Popular Culture", 469-472. (7) Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation," 197, 210. (8) Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation," 183.