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Blog 9 Matute
The presentation I found intriguing is Music and Breakups. This topic itself discusses relationships in the stage of grief when everything has come to an end. Breakups are usually really upsetting, which is why many artists use music to express their emotions. Music and breakups also envoke feelings that both the listener and the writer understand, providing support and comfort for anyone going through a similar situation. As for the songs presented, it gives us a connection between how music and breakups have been relevant for a long time. The music usually associated with the topic is usually real which adds to the personal feeling and vulnerability that people can relate too.
If I had written about this topic, one of the songs I would have chosen would be, “Triggered (freestyle)”. In this song Aiko is reflecting on her past relationships and expressing her emotions that have been bottled up for a long time. The lyrics express a lot of anger which many people fell after they have been wronged in a relationship. Breakups not only involve waves of sadness but also anger and anxiety which is shown in the lyrics written, “Who am I kiddin’? Knew from the beginning. / You’d ruin everything, you do it every time. / You are my enemy, you are no friend of mind, muhfucker” The song’s biggest impact comes from the lyrics along with the tempo that is at a slow-paced, helping convey the pain and frustrations she is going through.
The second song I would have chosen is “I’m a Survivor” by Destiny”s Child. The song is considered an anthem for women, it describes being able to survive any situation given in life. This song relates to breakups because the person always reaches an epitome in which they realize they will be fine without the other person. In this stage of a breakup the person becomes stronger and prospers which is exactly what the song describes. The faster tempo of this song and the high pitches make the listener feel empowered which reflects how you feel once you start to heal from a breakup.
Blog 9, Lema
The presentation I chose to read about was Music and Breakups. The two songs chosen for this topic was “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley and “Mittens” by Frank Turner. For the song “Heartbreak Hotel”, it is connected to the topic by the context of the song. This song was written by Presley after a Heartbreak so it is able to show his raw emotion to such a thing also showing how in the 50’s dating life was like. In this we are able to see how as breakup is turned into art. In the next song, “ Mittens” the lyrics can display a type of breakup, more specifically one sided love, and the emotions that come out when it is over.
The two song choices I chose to write about is “Thank you, Next” by Ariana Grande and “Godspeed” by Frank ocean. For “Thank you, Next”, the social context surrounding it really shows the topic of Music and Breakups. The song was written after breaking off her engagement to ex-fiancé Pete Davidson. However in the song instead of taking the sad route she thanks all her exes for the experiences she had with them. In the song she also says “Plus I met someone else…cause’ her name is Ari…she taught me love,” showing how through this breakup she is still content with just herself. This shows how breakups can be hard but how some people make the best out of it.
The next song chosen is “Godspeed” by Frank Ocean. The songs lyrics is what makes the connection because in contrast to Ariana’s song it has a similar message but different approach. This can be based on how after a breakup or first love stated, “I will always love you…I let go my claim on you…you’ll have this place to call home.” This stating how although things are over and it is time to move on, you’ll always have a place i my heart. So they seeming to be moving on but has a harder time coping with it.
Blog 9, Yi
I chose to write about the presentation on Music and Romance. Romance is shown in the first music entry “All of Me” by John Legend from the lyrics. The lyrics show John Legend’s love towards his wife and how it feels to be in love with another person. The topic of romance is also shown from the emotional expressions that John Legend makes as well as the feelings of love that come out from the song. Romance is also shown in the second music entry “Bed” by Jacques from the expressive lyrics that show how he felt towards the girl that he liked during that moment. From both these songs, listeners including myself can feel that romance is felt through so many other things than just through love.
If I wrote about this topic instead of my own, the two songs that I would choose to write about are “Merry Christmas Darling” by The Carpenters and “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt. The topic I chose to do my presentation on was Christmas. Although Christmas songs are for the holiday season, there are many romantic songs that relate to Christmas. The first piece of music “Merry Christmas Darling” by The Carpenters relates to Christmas from its lyrics that show the festive season from the tone as well as a sense of romance about wanting to be with the person they love. This song also includes a soft melody that is pleasant to the ears that is a feature in Christmas songs. The second piece of music I chose, “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt includes lyrics based on Santa, a fictional person who is known to fulfil the wishes and desires of people while also talking about what she wants to do with the person she loves. This song also has instruments and voices in the background that give the song Christmas vibes.
Blog 9 Felorian
Two music entries were connected to Music and Childhood. The first piece was “Do-Re-Mi” by Julie Andrews. In the middle of the song Julie Andrews sings, “Once we have these notes in our heads, we can sing a million different tunes”. This is beneficial for a child because throughout one’s life they will hear a variety of songs, and this is the base for any song. This piece is usually introduced to kids when they first go to school. So the time and place of the social context is well interlocked with this song. In the video one can also see a woman leading the song that the kids are listening to, similar to a classroom environment. I agree in the song there was a clear and consistent pitch. This relates to a constant harmony that is heard in the chorus of the song. The second entry was “7 Years” by Lukas Graham. One line from this song is “I only see my goals, I don’t believe in failure”. As kids grow up, they will notice they are not perfect. This is an important lesson for them to learn, because the time will come where they will feel not good enough and instead of giving up they have to continue pursuing their dreams. The social context of this song is interesting since it mentions a majority of ages that people can relate to personally. Not only does it talk about the past, but it also talks about the future. From the age of seven to sixty one, a lot of social values are met and talking about drugs and family help discuss the social context. I think tempo is a great musical characteristic to bring up, because from the beginning of the song to the end there was a steady beat that did not change paste. The time units in the beats were in proportion.
If this was my topic, I would pick two songs similar to the genre. The first song I would add is “Brave” by Sara Bareilles. Although teachers may not play this song for kids at school, a handful of girls stumble upon this song during their childhood. The social context relates to my topic Music and Femininity, because in the past and currently in 2020, too often girls are told they need to be put together and that their worth is not even a comparison to males. However, Sara Bareilles includes lyrics that make girls think otherwise: “Say what you wanna say, and let the words fall out”. This song encourages girls to find their voices and start speaking up when they feel something is not right. Another song girls may run into at a young age is “Fight Song” by Rachel Plattern. One line that stood out to me is, “I might only have one match but I can make an explosion”. This is a significant meaning to reveal, because girls are because girls can be put down and be told they are not good enough by boys, making them feel small. This song helps prove anyone that believes that wrong. Girls have the strength to fight any barriers in their way. One musical characteristic that relates to both of these songs is the rhythm. They actually follow the same beat, and carry a steady rhythmic pulse. Quite a few of my own entries had a well timed rhythm as well.
Youtube Link for “Brave”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4
Youtube Link for “Fight Song”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo1VInw-SKc
Prompt for Blog 9
Below, I’ve included links/downloads for the Music and… Playlist presentations that I’ve received so far. Browse through the presentations and pick one that has a topic you find interesting. Please avoid topics that are very close to your own–choose something new! If some presentations are inaccessible due to technology issues, you can notify me and/or select a presentation that you are able to view. Discuss the following points:
- In your own words, summarize the connection between the topic and the two music entries discussed in the presentation. Lyrics? Social context? Musical characteristic?
- If you wrote about this topic instead of your own, what kind of music would you pick? Pick two songs/pieces that the author didn’t discuss in their presentation. How would you connect these songs/pieces to your topic? Lyrics? Social context? Musical characteristic?
If you like, you can include links to your song choices on Youtube or Spotify. This blog is due on Thursday May 21 at 11:59pm. Don’t forget to leave a comment on a classmate’s post.
Presentations:
Music and Romance in Storytelling
Blog 8, Yi
“This Land Is Your Land” written and sung by Woody Guthri was created as a response to the song “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin to show that that song was unrealistic. It was written to protest against the unrealistic things mentioned that normal people living could not achieve during the Great Depression and the reality of the poor people. Some listeners thought that the song was a Marxist response to “God Bless America”, while others thought it was just another national anthem. “This Land Is Your Land” is a piece under folk music. Folk music itself is not political, however, it played an influential and significant part in political issues.
Some parts of the lyrics that are relevant to the political message of the music are “There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me. The sign was painted, said: ‘Private Property.’ But on the backside, it didn’t say nothing. This land was made for you and me.” and “One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple, by the relief office I saw my people; as they stood there hungry, I stood there wondering if God blessed America for me?” The first part of the lyrics is like an exposure of the rich and how America is made up more of wealthy people with private property and land rather than normally living people. The second part of the lyrics is showing how poor people are to the point where they do not have enough food to eat and depend on the government for help. Woody Guthri’s lyrics are showing the realistic sides of how America actually is that he believed were not seen in “God Bless America”.
One musical characteristic of the piece that makes it a useful tool for political protest is the melody. Listening to the melody, one would not think of this song to be of political protest. The melody is surprisingly calm and nice to the ears to listen to. That unexpected melody is useful for political protest because it is something people would not expect, so that could lead them to listen to it more.
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