The purpose of this blog is to create an outlet for SUU Communication graduate students engaged in the critical analysis of popular culture artifacts to post insightful contributions to our understanding of popular culture.
Music communicates. Music makes us feel strong emotions and we impart meaning from music, We choose to listen to music when we are happy, sad, excited, bored, angry. We experience so many emotions when we listen to music. Music makes us think about where we are, where we’ve been, and where we are going. According to the Illusion of Life theory, music gives us a virtual experience in which we experience a range of emotions, from the comic to the tragic. Essentially, music not only affects our moods, but it also represents our lives and experiences.
When I think about my favorite movies or television series, I also often think about the music. One of my favorite books and television series is Outlander. Each season of Outlander opens with the same song, but sung in different languages/cultures. The first season, it’s a traditional Scottish Gaelic song, and as each season progresses, the setting changes. By the fourth season, we are in North Carolina in the Appalachia mountains. I remember the first time I heard the opening credits for the fourth season.
(Fraser's Ridge, Outlander)
It was distinctly Appalachian (bluegrass) and I felt an immediate connection to the series. I grew up in the Appalachia mountains and there is very little positive media about the region. I grew up hating my heritage, embarrassed of my accent and of everything else that this region stood for, but hearing bluegrass music in one of my favorite shows made me think different about where I grew up.
Can you think of scores/soundtracks for any movie or television series that really stands out? Did the music make you feel more connected to the story?
P!nk's song, "Dear Mr. President", whether you agree
or disagree with her viewpoint, is a powerful and thought-provoking political
song that was released in 2006. Not only does the song contain lyrics that
express P!nk's disappointment and frustration with the political landscape of
the time and the actions of the government, but the beat and tune of the music
help to reinforce the message. According to Sellnow (p. 175-176), "A
congruent message is one where the emotional meanings of music and lyrics
reinforce one another, making the argument abundantly clear and poignant."
And this is exactly what "Dear Mr. President" achieves.
The song's political message is clear and direct, and it
reflects the frustration and anger felt by P!nk and many other people at the
time. P!nk uses her lyrics to call attention to the inequalities and injustices
in society, and to voice her support for marginalized communities. Through her
words, she encourages the President to take action and make changes that will
improve the lives of all people, regardless of their background or
circumstances.
The song covers a broad range of topics, from the war in
Iraq to poverty and civil rights, making it a powerful statement on the state
of the country, in P!nk’s eyes. The haunting melody and prominent beat of the
song help to reinforce the message and make it more memorable, as well as more
impactful. The emotional meanings of the music and lyrics work together to
create a congruent message, making the argument about the political issues she
addresses more poignant.
P!nk's powerful voice and passionate delivery bring the
lyrics to life, carrying the song’s message further into the hearts and minds
of listeners. Those hearing the song, tend to stop and listen to the lyrics and
the message because of her voice and delivery. The haunting melody and
prominent beat of the song enhance the emotional impact, making the message
more powerful. Her choice of song style, lyric placement, and sound all work
together to create the message she wanted to send. Each element of this song
works together to make her message more powerful and memorable. As you listen
to her song, what other elements do you notice she uses to reinforce her message?
Ben Folds Five released their best-known song, “Brick,” in 1997 with their album Whatever and Ever Amen. This song, which details his experience of taking his girlfriend to a clinic for an abortion when they were still high school students, was a song he tried to block from ever being included on the album. The song, regardless of whether or not Ben Folds likes it, is an outstanding representation of music that provides a virtual experience for the listener.
The lyrics of “Brick” convey Folds’ perspective of his experience as a young man taking his girlfriend to a clinic for an abortion. In the song he communicates how they went to the clinic in secret and, after experiencing the emotional aftermath of the decision, revealed the truth to their families. The lyrics are tragic lyrics as they identify with Folds’ sense of hopelessness as he copes with the consequences of his actions. The music that accompanies the lyrics primarily displays release patterns, such as long pauses and simple melodies on the piano with an accompanying bass line. These patterns are much slower than a typical song of the alternative rock genre. Considering the song has tragic lyrics with release musical patterns, “Brick” can be identified as a song that displays congruity. We could also identify that this song is a representation of poetic illusion as Folds is singing about an event that occurred in his past that has already been resolved and is reflecting upon his experience.
The bridge section of “Brick” is worthy of a unique analysis. In the Bridge, the rhythm shifts slightly towards intensity patterns and the lyrics shift in tandem. In this portion of the song, Folds explains through the lyrics how he was pressured to reveal the truth and that keeping the abortion a secret has worn on him. In the final musical phrase of the bridge, the music reverts to a release pattern right as the lyrics express Folds’ climactic peak of exhaustion, where he sings “‘[c]ause I was tired of lying.” The music concludes and resets, just like the lyrics express that Folds was finally able to get this dark secret off his chest and move on with his life.
Ben Folds was not in favor of this song making the album, but it turned out to be the most popular song that Ben Folds ever wrote or performed. He has commented on how the song was all about being honest: “I didn't really want to write this song from any kind of political standpoint, or make a statement. I just wanted to reflect what it feels like. So, anyone who's gone through that before, then you'll know what the song's about.”
The band and the label received some backlash for this song’s release as some felt it was promoting a pro-choice agenda. Without knowledge of the above quote, would you determine that this song is an example of strategic ambiguity?
Have you ever listened to a song that sounds very familiar, but you are positive that you haven't heard it? This has happened to me so many times--and it wasn't until I was talking to my friend who has produced music--and he informed me that I am indeed not crazy. For those of you who are like me--I am. here to inform you that you are not crazy. This is called "sampling" and it is when artists take parts of a song, either the words or the best, and adjust it for their song. According to wikipedia, "In sound and music, sampling is the reuse of a portion of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, sounds or entire bars of music, and may be layered, equalized, sped up or slowed down, repitched, looped, or otherwise manipulated."
Some consider sampling to be ethical because the pitch is usually taken up or down, creating a new sound. You would be surprised how many common songs have sampled features from old songs. I will list a few examples below:
Gold Digger by Kanye West samples I've Got a Woman by Ray Charles
Hard Knock Life by Jay-Z samples Annie the Musical
WAP by Cardi B samples Whores in this house by Frank Ski
In Bermingham's article about culture jamming, he discusses the Remixer's Manifesto--which has four main points. The first is that culture always builds on the past. The second is the past always tries to control the future. The third is that our future is becoming less free, and the fourth is that in order to build free societies, you must limit the control of the past. It can be a touchy subject when it comes to culture and sampling, because it is so controversial. Some say that is "builds culture" and can even be a "tribute" to the previous songs, while others frown upon it completely.
What is your view on this subject? Should sampling be allowed in the music world? Do you think it contributes to the progress of culture?
Sellnow describes congruent music as an “interaction where the emotional meanings of music and lyrics reinforce one another, making the argument abundantly clear and poignant.” (Sellnow 176).
Music is a powerful tool and has a big effect on listeners worldwide. There are many songs that have a popular appeal and by extension reach a lot of people. The ideas these songs present can greatly influence the general audiences that listen to them.
I Wonder, a song by Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation, showcases just how powerful a message in a song can become when it is a congruent interaction. He samples a song titled 'My Song' by Labi Siffre to great success.
The lyrics in the song are meant to inspire, as the song is about making your dreams come true. This is a simple idea, but one that audiences can relate to with ease. There is a line in particular that I find to be quite profound. Take a look:
Do you even remember what the issue is?
You just trying to find where the tissue is
You can still be who you wish you is
It ain't happen yet
And that's what the intuition is
The first few lines hint at sadness or problems holding people back, saying that people aren’t trying to solve the issue, rather they focus on the trauma they are currently going through. The song then reassures listeners that they can change and become the person they want to be if they take the initiative. These words are uplifting and generally inspiring, but what really elevates the song is the instrumental.
The music uses a piano as its heartbeat, which pulses throughout the duration of the song. A variety of other instruments come in to lend the song an uplifting mood, which directly synergizes with the meaning of the song.
There are reasons why songs like these attract people. Sellnow writes that “people who listen to congruent tragic release pattern songs regularly might be doing so because these songs represent inner feelings of despair and a desire to be heard and valued by others.” (Sellnow 177)
These songs, using a combination of lyrics and music, speak to listeners and help them deal with their emotions and problems.
What songs that use congruent interactions do you listen to? Do you think they can positively affect the lives of listeners?
*Heads up, the lyrics can get explicit so please watch at
your own discretion.*
As mentioned on the Illusion of Life Theory Slide 16, music
is described as functioning to be a “virtual experience” in a “tragic” or
“comic way”.
Bo Burnham released a song called “Welcome to the Internet” within
his 2021 Netflix special named “Inside”. Some background about this special, is
that Burnham produced it entirely in a strict self-imposed isolation during the
Covid lockdowns.
Thus, describing music as a “virtual experience” in this
case is a double meaning in that the special was largely produced, and consumed in the isolation during and following the Covid pandemic.
On top of this, even though the song features a mostly
upbeat pace with playful sounding instruments, it is best described as allowing
us to experience the tragic. His song delves into the most unsavory aspects of
the internet like the political misinformation available that is intermingled
with seemingly harmless things like “Which power rangers are you?” quizzes. Him
referring to different avenues of pop culture can be described as a lyrical ascription.
The unchanging tone he takes when he sings “Here’s a tip for
straining pasta, here’s a nine-year-old who died” reinforces the reoccurring lyric
of how “Apathy’s a tragedy, and boredom is a crime.” In which such exposure to bad news on a mass scale can make us numb to the suffering of others,
and how there is a sense that we are no longer allowed to be bored with the “world
in our hands”.
The lyrics finally hit a slow rate when he reveals that he
is directly addressing a younger audience. He recounts how the internet used to
be a few blogs and webpages scattered online. The tone is somber and he laments
how “Mommy let you use her iPad, you were barely 2.” He follows it up in a more
hopeful tone, “It was always the plan, to put the world in your hand.”
Then his pitch lowers villainously and he laughs. The beat
is slower, suddenly his previous repeated lyrics gain a more sinister tone. The
music keeps intensifying with the speed of its delivery, as though mirroring the at times overwhelming overstimulation the internet provides.
“Can I interest you in anything, all of the time?” “A little
bit of everything, all of the time.” “Apathy’s a tragedy, and boredom is a crime.”
What "resolution experienced in human living" would you compare to the release patterns of the song? Would you describe the intensity pattern "shock" in the middle of the song both in terms of how the music sounds and its plottwist?
Music as political statement is far from new, at least not in the United States--according to the First Amendment Museum, it dates back to the colonies and was often set to other popular tunes. For example, during the American Revolution, Dr. Joseph Warren wrote "Free Americay," (which is essentially exactly what it sounds like, a song instructing colonists to resist the British) set to the tune of "British Grenadiers," a British military marching song. In 1837, Henry Russell released "Woodman, Spare That Tree," widely regarded as the first known environmental protest song. And as the Library of Congress notes, spirituals were often used as coded messages to help African Americans escape slavery. While punk rock is difficult to frame as similarly historic, it, like a lot of more contemporaneous music (Woodstock and the protest anthems of the sixties also come to mind), has also had a role to play in advancing different social mores and outlooks.
The Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" is a particularly interesting punk anthem to revisit, given the recent less-than-flattering spotlight shining on the British monarchy with the publication of Prince Harry's Spare, and the upcoming coronation of King Charles III. While the title of the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" is taken directly from the U.K.'s national anthem, that's where any similarity ends--but the fact that the band borrowed the U.K.'s national anthem title for a decidedly unpatriotic punk song has interesting echos of earlier protest songs such as "Free Americay." Let's take a look at some of the lyrics:
God save the queen
The fascist regime
They made you a moron
A potential H bomb
God save the queen
She's not a human being
And there's no future
And England's dreaming
When the song was released in 1977 (during Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee, something the Sex Pistols claimed was unintentional), it caused quite a stir. The BBC and commercial radio in the UK banned it.
As Sellnow notes (p. 178), "...perhaps controversial messages that challenge dominant ideology couched in music serve as seeds for incremental persuasion over time." As a fan of punk rock, I'd like to think that the Sex Pistols had some influence in the steep decline of Britons who consider the monarchy "very" or "quite important" (86% in 1983 and 55% in 2021). As a pragmatist, I think it probably didn't have all that much impact--certainly not as much as other royal scandals. What influence do you think protest songs have had on overall shifts in societal values, if any?
Adorno says music should meet two demands. Music should catch the listener's attention while coming across as natural to the expected listener of the music genre. Pseudo-individualization allows listeners to be unaware that the music has been predigested in other pieces. Still, the predigestion is what makes the music come off as natural. The rate and pitch of music may distract listeners, so they do not have to put effort into the words themselves, but instead, they can escape reality while listening to words that may not hold much meaning until they listen to the lyrics closely.
Sublime is one band I have enjoyed listening to, specifically while working out, because it keeps me energized. Their music has a fast tempo, loud and ritardando, and involves many instruments (Sellnow). I have enjoyed working out with Sublime because many of their songs have the same rhythm and beat. I have enjoyed the overall musical aesthetics. Music, for me, has always been communication. When I need energy, I listen to high-intensity music, and when I need to calm down, I listen to slower and lower-pitched music. Lyrics are the why, and music is the how. Only some people want to understand the why, but the how allows listeners to relate emotionally to the music.
I had always enjoyed the beat and flow of Sublime songs, especially the song "April 29, 1992". After paying more attention to the lyrics, I realized that music reinforces distraction and inattention. The musical rhetoric of this Sublime song reinforced and challenged beliefs and behaviors seen during the 1992 Rodney King riots. Rhetorically, I did not agree with the words or behaviors of the song. Luckily, I'm afraid I have to disagree with anarchy, robbery, and any illegal activities. However, the intensity and release patterns of the music reminded me of the daily struggles some individuals face in our country. The lyrical ascription told a story, but the musical ascription of all Sublime songs overpowered this particular lyrical ascription. Are there any songs you can think of that the lyrical ascription dominated the lyrical ascription? In other words, are there any songs with lyrics opposite to your personality, but you enjoy the rhythm, pitch, tone, and emotions the music provides?
Disclaimer! This blog will consist of three “hot takes” for music in popular culture. I feel it’s fair to compare music to its time like Hadju said so gracefully, “perhaps the music to this shitty time should properly sound like it.” Speaking of shitty music, if you’d like you can skip this whole blog and go down to Maroon 5’s section towards the bottom. Now that we have started off on the wrong foot, let’s talk about pop music.
First of all, I am not a huge Taylor Swift fan, but I am familiar with some of her popular songs. Do you remember when she was a country artist? She stole the hearts of country listeners worldwide, but at the time I was NOT interested in country music in the slightest. I have grown to have a liking for the genre, but in all honesty, it’s been a tough hill to climb. “Taylor Swift switched genres because she felt pop was a more comfortable genre for her than her country roots. Although she had experimented with the genre in her fourth album, the fifth release was where she fully committed.” - Source. This type of experimental behavior is not unheard of for musical artists and can result in a great success, or an embarrassing flop…. My take on Taylor’s genre change is that it has proven to be very successful, and I find her newest hits to be more amusing than her country albums.
Another popular artist who drastically switched genres is Katy Perry. Originally Katy (Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson) began with gospel and church hymns, as nonreligious music was forbidden in her household. Her original songs were heavily influenced by her parents who were both born-again Christian ministers. Everything changed for Katy after her Christian record label performed poorly and she began to draw inspiration from artists like Freddie Mercury and Alanis Morissette - Source. Obviously, her fame and success took off once she began producing music driven by popular culture. My take: I’m sure that her musical gifts propelled her work as a gospel hymn artist, but that route might not have been the most successful in her line of work as opposed to sticking with what the masses like most.
I love Maroon 5, don’t get it twisted, but what is with their newer music? To me it feels like they are trying to make money off of popular simple tunes when in reality their original style of music was wayyyyy better. Not to be immature, but when I first heard “I Don’t Wanna Know,” I was quite unwell. What do you think about a band’s genre change? Does loss of integrity for an artist's original work to please the masses make you cringe or are you straight vibing with the change? Personally, I think a lot depends on the reasoning for the switch and if it truly does suit the artist better, but I would love to get a separate opinion on this topic. Please leave a comment below!
From the outside, a rhetorical analysis of music may seem more of an analysis of lyrics than the music itself. But have you ever heard a song that took you on a journey and never said a word? This may be because music, through rhythm, volume, pitch, and pauses, can be a representation of our experiences and our emotions. When you listen to the following song, what story can you tell?
For me, it is twofold. I remember being a child, lying on the floor in front of my father's tower speakers and imagining each movement representing a different part of a long battle. I imagined soldiers fighting on a battlefield during the intense movements, and then people coming out as the smoke clears in hope of having won during the lighter movements.
Music on its own can share a story, and even the same lyrics can have a different feeling depending on how an artist performs it. This is part of what we consider when we examine the rhetoric of music utilizing the Illusion of Life, as introduced by Sellnow, from Susanne Langer's explanations in Feeling and Form, and Philosophy in a New Key. She explains how "Essentially, music offers itself as an illusion of life by sounding the way feelings feel".
So according to this, it could be theorized that the same lyrics, performed by different artists, in differing genres, could feel very different to the listener. For example, we can listen to Disturbed's "Down With the Sickness" (EXPLICIT LYRICS)
Then we can listen to the same song by another artist, Richard Cheese, sounding completely different:
For even more variations in how the same song can feel so very different based upon its performance, watch this video by Anthony Vincent:
Aside from the entertainment value of these differences, each style can represent a different "feeling" from the song.
What songs have you heard that made you feel a particular way, and then when performed by another artist or in another style, made you feel differently? How do these differences impact the message you get from the music? Does it have to do with your own feelings and experiences with the subject matter, or with the artist, or even with where you were or what was happening when you heard the song? How do all of these different aspects impact your feelings about the song and the feelings which they bring up?
Cover songs have been a part of music for decades and there
are plenty of songs where the cover is far more popular than the original (ex. “I
Will Always Love you” is more famous and well known as sung by Whitney Houston
when the original was sung by Dolly Parton in 1974).So are these artists that do cover songs
simply lacking creative energy or are they taking something that is art and
building on it to create a beautiful homage to the original?
Bermingham (2008) noted that “artists will draw on what has
come before” and I think this shows strongly in the entertainment
business.Songs are covered by new
artists and even by up and coming artists hoping to make it big.Social media venues such as YouTube and
TikTok are becoming breeding grounds for talented people to share their version
and draw on past work.Films are also
being redone (some are exceptional and some are really poorly done) from past movies
or TV shows from the 60’s to 80’s.
Are we doing a disservice to the work of the past by
recreating it or are we honoring what has been done?Personally, I have found myself enjoying originals
over the remixes.Is it cheating or
dishonest to get ideas from previous work?I think in some ways, it is.There have been more examples lately of directors and movie producers
resting on big special effects and star-studded casts over actual quality
writing and storylines.It is fun to see
outrageous explosions and brutal battle scenes but its not always possible to
connect to characters or their journey in a film where its just loud and
colorful.
The same can be said about music.Many newer artists have several cover songs
on their albums.Not all of them are bad
and many have even changed the genre of the song by singing it in their own
voice with their own sound.Songs like “Hallelujah”
are usually sung by artists in the original style of Leonard Cohen but songs
like “I Love you Always Forever” sung originally by Donna Lewis have been
redone by artists like Betty Who, who did a very different electric twist on
the song.I happen to love both versions
but this begs the question… is it bringing attention to the original and giving
the proper nod, or is it a lack of creativity?What do you think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU (Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0bEZH6ZqG4 (Dolly Parton "I Will Always Love You")
Nondiscursive
symbols are all symbols beyond the realm of words and numbers that humans use
to create meaning. The dance helps illustrate this principle by showing a full
story along with the music it’s using. What is interesting is the virtual
experience (lyrics) to the song don't necessarily having anything to do with
the story that is told through the imagery, but the virtual time (music) itself
is what drives the story along.
You can see that many of the audience members
and judges are feeling an abundant number of emotions. That is where music as
communication comes in as it is the way individuals create a unique meaning to
be attached to a musical work.
Musical rhetoric refers to persuasive arguments
conveyed through music that reinforce or challenge a taken for granted belief
or behavior. This is shown by the video below, this video is from the TV show
Dance Moms where the dancers tell the story of a horrific car crash. As the
piece goes on, the music is able to put all audience members on edge and
worrying about the outcome of all the "passengers" in the dance/crash.
The
music that is being used shows musical ascription my imitating a musical sound;
this is shown through phone clicks to demonstrate texting, and the scream of
breaks for the crash to happen. Normally you wouldn't think of those sounds to
be placed in music, but they have the power of meaning that most people would
be able to recognize and easily identify.
When
was the last time you watched a show and listened to the music being used to
tell the story for the characters? Did the lyrics also match or was it just the
rhythm of the song that enforced the meaning?
The “Illusion
of Life” – A Personal Perspective
Rewind to January 19, 2021 – it was
my birthday. All my siblings, mom and sisters-in-law
were gathered round the room that I spent my childhood in. My dad was in his last days. He had stopped
being able to communicate and eat two days prior, his days were numbered. I was facing the harsh reality that I did not
know the time, but was blessed to know the place, as not everyone is so lucky. I felt fortunate, yet hopeless all the same. At that moment I seized the opportunity to
ask my family if I could play a song.
They said yes. For me, seemed like the natural thing to do as music is
my comfort, my calm, my lyrical blanket that envelops me when needed. I grabbed my cell phone, searched YouTube and
pressed play.
Daddy, I'm afraid, won't
you stay a little while? Keep me safe 'cause there's monsters right outside Daddy, please don't go, I don't wanna be alone 'Cause the second that you're gone they're gonna
know Before he went to bed, he grabbed my hand and said,
Just 'cause I'm leaving
It don't mean that I won't be right by your side
When you need me
And you can't see me in the middle of the night
Just close your eyes and say a prayer
It's okay, I know you're scared
When I'm not here, but I'll always be right there
Even though I'm leaving
I ain't going nowhere"
“Even Though I’m Leaving” by Luke Combs,
was a song I had heard countless times on the radio.If there ever was a song to provide an “Illusion
of Life,” by Sellnow – “a rhetorical perspective (that) provides a
framework for the analysis of the interdependent function of musical and
lyrical elements that communicate messages of both content and emotion”, (Church,
2017, para. 1), this was the one for me.
The
first verse starts with the perspective of a boy scared of monsters outside his
door and dad the ultimate protector for his son.This verse exudes rhetoric of a unified
thought of a dad protecting his child, even, from invisible night creatures of
a young imagination.Forming a lyrical
thought and belief of what a dad should represent.
Dad, we’ll be late and Uncle Sam don't like to
wait
He's got a big old plane that's gonna take me far away
I know I act tough but there's a churning in my gut
'Cause I just can't call you up when things get rough
Before I left, he hugged my neck and said
"Just 'cause you're leaving
It don't mean that I won't be right by your side
When you need me
And you can't see me in the middle of the night
Just close your eyes and say a prayer
It's okay, I know you're scared
I might be here, but I'll always be right there
Even though you're leaving
I ain't going nowhere"
Daddy, I'm afraid, won't you stay a little
while?
I never thought I'd see the day I had to say goodbye
Daddy, please don't go, I can't do this on my own
There's no way that I can walk this road alone
Daddy grabbed my hand and said,
"Just 'cause I'm leaving
It don't mean that I won't be right by your side
When you need me
And you can't see me in the middle of the night
Just close your eyes and say a prayer
It's okay, boy, I ain't scared
I won't be here
But I'll always be right there
Even though I'm leaving
I ain't going nowhere"
Rewind,
back to the beginning of this blog.This
song rhetorically represented a pivotal moment in time for me as if the actual
life experiences and emotions of the artist’s perspective were meant for me,
even though the message was intended for a much broader audience.Have you ever had a song represent an “Illusion
of Life” so personal, but it equally provided an experience on a grander scale to many
others?
Adorno makes a profound statement: "Popular music, which produces the stimuli we are here investigating, is usually characterized by its difference from serious music." Which then enters a serious breakdown of "good" and "bad" music. Adorno even makes this comment. "..in Beethoven and in good serious music in general-we are not concerned here with bad serious music which may be as rigid and mechanical as popular music...." Adorno's discussion on music creates a serious rift in what could become a debate of the century. According to Adorno, music has levels, and in some ways "popular music" is an illusion to the complexities of serious music. Closely reading Adorno's points, it does not seem like he is in favor of "popular music". But in a later statement there is a sense of hope and redemption. Adorno is explaining the needs and capabilities of the "emotional listener." To the effect where he uses words like "fulfilled" or the concepts of emotion. But the emotional influence is stated as, "The so-called releasing element of music is simply the opportunity to feel something."
So, in a modern world and even in an ancient world, isn't the whole point of music to feel something? Is there not a sense of connective tissue when it comes to music? Consider the latino and all the music of the heritage. Consider the country boy or country girl, don't they feel something with that southern draw? What about the historical rapper and their statements about their worldview, aren't they feeling something? Consider every powerful concert that you have attended or wish you could have been present? Why is it possible for Mozart or the performance of Nessun Dorma to be considered serious and powerful but not for Drake, Elvis, Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, or The Eagles?
Music is a powerful element of life and as Adorno proposes, creates an experience.
This experience Sellnow describes beautifully, "...music (with or without lyrics) communicates. If it didn't we wouldn't chose to listen to upbeat music when we're excited and mellow music when we're relaxing." So in a world with a tumult of opinions, where what you may consider good or bad music lives, the world would agree that music does move you. And hopefully that is the expression and the true meaning of the message behind music.
Sellnow mentions that "people who listen to congruent tragic release pattern songs regularly might be doing so because these songs represent inner feelings of despair and a desire to be heard and valued by others" (p. 177).
This particular passage in the readings has stuck with me throughout the week. I struggle with anxiety and depression and listen to quite frequently congruent tragic release songs. They do help me feel not so alone and that I am not a burden to those around me.
One song that also came to mind while pondering over this passage is R.I.P. Bon by The Amity Affliction.
The song talks about a friend who died by suicide and the impact it had on the living friend. The living friend even blames themselves for not doing enough to help out their now deceased friend.
The first verse goes
I was waiting for you man
Right down there by the sea
Where we used to meet
To share in our pain and decry misery
I waited, I waited, I waited, I swear
But when I got down to the ocean
Man, you were not f***ing there
I just wish that you spoke up
And held out your hand
Because you know I was there man
You know that I cared
The first verse has extremely strong intensity patterns as the living friend tries to bargain in any way to bring their friend back, and to let their friend know they did care for them.
The chorus has tragic release patterns and goes
I waited for you
But you never came
No you never came
And now that you're gone
I feel I'm to blame
Yeah, I feel I'm to blame
The chorus has the release patterns and tragic lyrics where the person in the song looks back reflecting on the resolved virtual past wishing they could have done more to stop their friend from dying by suicide. The person in the song even feels they are to blame for the death of their friend, that somehow they did not do enough.
This song really means a lot to me as I have had some dark days over my life and it always grounds me to know that a final decision might stop the pain and heartache for me, it won't stop that same pain and heartache for those that are in my life.
My question for those that are reading this is do you agree when Sellnow says "when the message is too depressing, its appeal may be short-lived if at all" (p. 177). Or do you think that a song that has a depressing message can play an important role for someone who might be struggling with their own mental health?
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