Related Texts - Poems and Songs
Songs
Just because a song has a word like “world” in it, doesn’t mean it’s a good related text. You are better off thinking about the ideas behind songs you like than doing a word search for poems or songs. Looking at the video clips can also help you choose a song – look for important camera angles or the use of symbols.
For an outstanding example of the critical analysis of music look at the article Ervine, Janathon. (2008). Citizenship and Belonging in Suburban France: The music of Zebda” in ACME and international e journal for critical studies 7 (2) at http://www.acme-journal.org/vol7/JEr.pdf. It’s not an easy article, but if you skip straight to p.205, you can see an fantastic analysis of a song.
· Darkest of the Hillside Thickets (). “Big Robot Dinosaur”. [Listen online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoJB2mcnKwQ] A father and son nbond over their revenge on bullies. Analyse the way the childlike voice and clichéd metaphors characterise the protagonish and create the understated ending, as the way the robot is personified. In addition think about how the music contributes to the message through the style of music, the voice quality of the singer, the fade-out, and the voiceover at the beginning/end. Recommended for standard students.
· Sondheim, Steven. “Send in the Clowns” from A little Night Music. A hauntingly beaultiful but ironic comment on the impossibility of two lovers ever getting together because they’re always in different ‘worlds’ despite sitting together on the bed on stage. Discuss musical techniques such as instrumentation, melody and harmony as well as the lyrics. You can watch this song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfREHtsEtvk (Catherine Zeta Jones) or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7FMU7ynpM8 (Bernadette Peters) or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE3dLzIYKs8 (Judi Dench). It’s a good idea to look at different interpretations (in the context of the plot of A Little Night Music – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Little_Night_Music) and pick the one you think says most about into the world, because each performer sings it differently.
· Sting. (). “Moon over Bourbon Street” from A Dream of Blue Turtles. [Listen to it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd-F2rpXXZc ] If you’re a fan of novels like Twilight, Fallen or Hush, you’ll enjoy this ballad about a New Orleans werewolf. While the lyrics are simple, they are very moving and carry a tone of intense regret. Discuss juxtapositions such as “sinner” and “priest”, and the paradox of “I must love what I destroy and destroy the thing I love.” Link the instrumentation (jazz trumpet) to the setting. Don’t use the fans’ clips which show vampires (not a werewolf who’s monster only on nights with a full moon)!
· Ash. “A Life less Ordinary”. [Watch the video clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i10E7WKjlU] the thing that saves this from being just another love song is the imagery in the lyrics. Pay attention to the way the language becomes simpler as the song moves from metaphorical to literal, and link these changes to the harmony and instrumentation. If you’re writing about the video clip, think about what the cars may symbolise and discuss the clips that are cut between the car sequences. (Are they anything more than clichés? What pop culture references can you find?). Recommended for ESL or standard students.
· Pink “Stupid Girl”. [Watch it online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wSyhXCPh5M]This song critiques popular representations of the ‘stupid girl’ in the media and the video explicity criticises the media’s role in sexualising young girls and creating body image problems such as bulemia. It would work with this topic if you consider the dangerous "world" the girls are moving into. Discuss the juxtaposition of feminist ideas (eg “presendient”) with traditional ‘stupid girl’ roles (“dancing next to 50cent”), and the impact of casting Pink as both the ‘stupid’ girls with sexy moves and the intelligent feminist sining the song. Try to trace all the pop culture references in the video and discuss the way they are juxtaposed with the innocent girl in front of the television.
· Bernstein, Leonard and Sondheim, Steven. “Somewhere” from West Side Story. [Watch online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BQMgCy-n6U].This is the pivotal moment in the Romeo and Juliet romance of the musical West Side Story – the equivalent to the balcony scene. The words are simple but heart-wrenchingly emotive, especially if you have watched the film and know exactly what happens next! Discuss the use of close-ups, the colours used to divide the protagonists as well as musical features such as the fact that it is a duet where two singers harmonise together, the long lyrical phrases in the melody and the slight accelerandos (=speed up eg in “hold my hand and I’ll take you there”) that represent them looking forward to a future where they will belong together. You could also look at the way the meaning of the song changes when it’s given a political context such as the holocaust memorial video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZAHNH2FT90.
· Coolio (). “Gangsta’s Paradise” [Watch it online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFK6H_CcuX8] This is a gangster’s defence of his life, looking back with regrets for what he didn’t achieve and pride for how he protects his “ homies.” Discuss the biblical allusion at the beginning, the expert use of rhythm in the lyrics, the use of slang as an indicator of the “gangsta” "world" and the way the tone alternates between regretful and threatening. Match this to the choice of musical style, especially the alternation between recitative (spoken melody) and melodic/harmionic sections. If you’re writing about the video clip, discuss the props, costumes and settings, and pay attention to the way the story is told through closeups, cuts and fades into black – it’s a different story to the lyrics so you have to explain how they link together.
· Muttonbirds. (). “Anchor me”. [Watch the Muttonbirds version online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPIhhqM4b4s or the Greenpeace version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ99ouGxgkg]This song argues that a relationship can create a sense of "place" strong enough to “anchor” the persona against the pain and horror of a new world. Discuss the extended metaphor of the sea, the biblical and Shakespearean (The Tempest) allusions and the symbolism of the images in the video clip. This original video emphasises shifting blue light and floating images, but also literal images such as the boat, the shark, the car in the rain and people floating “up” and “down” while the Greepeace video uses clichéd symbols such as a dove and rainbow juxtaposed with symbols of industrial pollution to give the song a far less personal context. It your argument dicusses macro and micro experiences of transitions, you could discuss the way the videos reinterpret the context of the song.
Just because a song has a word like “world” in it, doesn’t mean it’s a good related text. You are better off thinking about the ideas behind songs you like than doing a word search for poems or songs. Looking at the video clips can also help you choose a song – look for important camera angles or the use of symbols.
For an outstanding example of the critical analysis of music look at the article Ervine, Janathon. (2008). Citizenship and Belonging in Suburban France: The music of Zebda” in ACME and international e journal for critical studies 7 (2) at http://www.acme-journal.org/vol7/JEr.pdf. It’s not an easy article, but if you skip straight to p.205, you can see an fantastic analysis of a song.
· Darkest of the Hillside Thickets (). “Big Robot Dinosaur”. [Listen online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoJB2mcnKwQ] A father and son nbond over their revenge on bullies. Analyse the way the childlike voice and clichéd metaphors characterise the protagonish and create the understated ending, as the way the robot is personified. In addition think about how the music contributes to the message through the style of music, the voice quality of the singer, the fade-out, and the voiceover at the beginning/end. Recommended for standard students.
· Sondheim, Steven. “Send in the Clowns” from A little Night Music. A hauntingly beaultiful but ironic comment on the impossibility of two lovers ever getting together because they’re always in different ‘worlds’ despite sitting together on the bed on stage. Discuss musical techniques such as instrumentation, melody and harmony as well as the lyrics. You can watch this song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfREHtsEtvk (Catherine Zeta Jones) or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7FMU7ynpM8 (Bernadette Peters) or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE3dLzIYKs8 (Judi Dench). It’s a good idea to look at different interpretations (in the context of the plot of A Little Night Music – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Little_Night_Music) and pick the one you think says most about into the world, because each performer sings it differently.
· Sting. (). “Moon over Bourbon Street” from A Dream of Blue Turtles. [Listen to it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd-F2rpXXZc ] If you’re a fan of novels like Twilight, Fallen or Hush, you’ll enjoy this ballad about a New Orleans werewolf. While the lyrics are simple, they are very moving and carry a tone of intense regret. Discuss juxtapositions such as “sinner” and “priest”, and the paradox of “I must love what I destroy and destroy the thing I love.” Link the instrumentation (jazz trumpet) to the setting. Don’t use the fans’ clips which show vampires (not a werewolf who’s monster only on nights with a full moon)!
· Ash. “A Life less Ordinary”. [Watch the video clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i10E7WKjlU] the thing that saves this from being just another love song is the imagery in the lyrics. Pay attention to the way the language becomes simpler as the song moves from metaphorical to literal, and link these changes to the harmony and instrumentation. If you’re writing about the video clip, think about what the cars may symbolise and discuss the clips that are cut between the car sequences. (Are they anything more than clichés? What pop culture references can you find?). Recommended for ESL or standard students.
· Pink “Stupid Girl”. [Watch it online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wSyhXCPh5M]This song critiques popular representations of the ‘stupid girl’ in the media and the video explicity criticises the media’s role in sexualising young girls and creating body image problems such as bulemia. It would work with this topic if you consider the dangerous "world" the girls are moving into. Discuss the juxtaposition of feminist ideas (eg “presendient”) with traditional ‘stupid girl’ roles (“dancing next to 50cent”), and the impact of casting Pink as both the ‘stupid’ girls with sexy moves and the intelligent feminist sining the song. Try to trace all the pop culture references in the video and discuss the way they are juxtaposed with the innocent girl in front of the television.
· Bernstein, Leonard and Sondheim, Steven. “Somewhere” from West Side Story. [Watch online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BQMgCy-n6U].This is the pivotal moment in the Romeo and Juliet romance of the musical West Side Story – the equivalent to the balcony scene. The words are simple but heart-wrenchingly emotive, especially if you have watched the film and know exactly what happens next! Discuss the use of close-ups, the colours used to divide the protagonists as well as musical features such as the fact that it is a duet where two singers harmonise together, the long lyrical phrases in the melody and the slight accelerandos (=speed up eg in “hold my hand and I’ll take you there”) that represent them looking forward to a future where they will belong together. You could also look at the way the meaning of the song changes when it’s given a political context such as the holocaust memorial video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZAHNH2FT90.
· Coolio (). “Gangsta’s Paradise” [Watch it online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFK6H_CcuX8] This is a gangster’s defence of his life, looking back with regrets for what he didn’t achieve and pride for how he protects his “ homies.” Discuss the biblical allusion at the beginning, the expert use of rhythm in the lyrics, the use of slang as an indicator of the “gangsta” "world" and the way the tone alternates between regretful and threatening. Match this to the choice of musical style, especially the alternation between recitative (spoken melody) and melodic/harmionic sections. If you’re writing about the video clip, discuss the props, costumes and settings, and pay attention to the way the story is told through closeups, cuts and fades into black – it’s a different story to the lyrics so you have to explain how they link together.
· Muttonbirds. (). “Anchor me”. [Watch the Muttonbirds version online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPIhhqM4b4s or the Greenpeace version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ99ouGxgkg]This song argues that a relationship can create a sense of "place" strong enough to “anchor” the persona against the pain and horror of a new world. Discuss the extended metaphor of the sea, the biblical and Shakespearean (The Tempest) allusions and the symbolism of the images in the video clip. This original video emphasises shifting blue light and floating images, but also literal images such as the boat, the shark, the car in the rain and people floating “up” and “down” while the Greepeace video uses clichéd symbols such as a dove and rainbow juxtaposed with symbols of industrial pollution to give the song a far less personal context. It your argument dicusses macro and micro experiences of transitions, you could discuss the way the videos reinterpret the context of the song.