Final Blog Assignment
Music for Emotions and Political Movements
Music is almost like a superpower, it brings people together, but it can also tear them apart. I grew up in a home where music was played continuously either through the radio or T.V. I still remember being a little girl and hearing such angry music coming from my older cousins room. My cousin enjoyed Music from a group called N.W.A; I remember hearing their music, and I felt like their anger was my anger. It connected to me on an emotional level. It didn't matter that I had no idea what they were saying, their excitement was palpable.
Now being a young adult, I believe that music connects people emotionally. Its meant to invoke emotion whether it be sadness or happiness. One of the most influential songs I think in history is Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," from the album Uprising. It's about freedom and coming together as one people. Bob Marley was known for his reggae music, but do people understand him when they hear his music?
Bob Marley died of cancer in 1981; not many artists could say they left the world to their own devices, also leaving behind a legacy that is dripping with American History and a means of peace. One of my favorite verses in the song is "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, None but ourselves can free our minds." Which I interpreted as "free yourself from your mental prison." Years after Bob Marley passed, he was able to touch many hearts including mine. There was something about his music that just made me feel happy and his "Redemption song" made me feel free. It was a way to look inside myself to pull my strengths as many before I have done.
Bob Marley sang the song in an acoustic version much different from his reggae style. It's easier and more precise to hear him as he sings. The tempo is smooth to understand better what he is trying to say, through both his music and his lyrics. It has more meaning him to be using a slower pace. While it may be slow and moving, its actually 116 BPM.
Another song that I found interesting was the hit single "Respect," on the album I will never loved a man the Way I love you by Aretha Franklin. The song is very catchy and its hard not to sing along with it. I feel that people so not hear the word, but because of its upbeat nature, people like singing along to it. The history behind the song is during the 1960's; women were not viewed as strong and independent beings. Instead, they were told to be meek and shy. Aretha Franklin broke that barrier with her song about how she is a strong independent woman who her man loves. Franklin sing about wanting respect from her man.
Franklin was an R&B artist with a soulful voice that causes her songs to be both catchy but also with hidden meanings. I have heard this song, and I enjoyed listening to it. Its appealing and her style of singing made it so upbeat that one can't help but tap their feet to it. "Respect" has a BPM of 115, one point down from "redemption" by Bob Marley.
Being in this class helped me understand music. Not just that it sounds pretty, but also it can help in political movements along with calming a nation. When I first started the semester, I was wary of having to do blogs, I love writing, but I don't like people reading them. Now with the end of the semester here, I learned that music could be written by a DJ, who doesn't have a college degree, or a singer found working in a grocery store. Having taken this class, it made me think of;"what is music? What makes it music? and why are there different forms of elements that I just now learned about?." I enjoyed growing my knowledge in this class, and the very supportive classmates I had.
Written By Jim Beviglia // February 6, 2014. “Behind The Song: Bob Marley, "Redemption Song" « American Songwriter.” American Songwriter, 7 Feb. 2014, americansongwriter.com/2014/02/behind-song-bob-marley-redemption-song/.
“Respect (Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respect_(song).
Bob Marley and The Wailers. Redemption song, Island Records, Oct. 1980. "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery."
Music is almost like a superpower, it brings people together, but it can also tear them apart. I grew up in a home where music was played continuously either through the radio or T.V. I still remember being a little girl and hearing such angry music coming from my older cousins room. My cousin enjoyed Music from a group called N.W.A; I remember hearing their music, and I felt like their anger was my anger. It connected to me on an emotional level. It didn't matter that I had no idea what they were saying, their excitement was palpable.
Now being a young adult, I believe that music connects people emotionally. Its meant to invoke emotion whether it be sadness or happiness. One of the most influential songs I think in history is Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," from the album Uprising. It's about freedom and coming together as one people. Bob Marley was known for his reggae music, but do people understand him when they hear his music?
Bob Marley died of cancer in 1981; not many artists could say they left the world to their own devices, also leaving behind a legacy that is dripping with American History and a means of peace. One of my favorite verses in the song is "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, None but ourselves can free our minds." Which I interpreted as "free yourself from your mental prison." Years after Bob Marley passed, he was able to touch many hearts including mine. There was something about his music that just made me feel happy and his "Redemption song" made me feel free. It was a way to look inside myself to pull my strengths as many before I have done.
Bob Marley sang the song in an acoustic version much different from his reggae style. It's easier and more precise to hear him as he sings. The tempo is smooth to understand better what he is trying to say, through both his music and his lyrics. It has more meaning him to be using a slower pace. While it may be slow and moving, its actually 116 BPM.
Another song that I found interesting was the hit single "Respect," on the album I will never loved a man the Way I love you by Aretha Franklin. The song is very catchy and its hard not to sing along with it. I feel that people so not hear the word, but because of its upbeat nature, people like singing along to it. The history behind the song is during the 1960's; women were not viewed as strong and independent beings. Instead, they were told to be meek and shy. Aretha Franklin broke that barrier with her song about how she is a strong independent woman who her man loves. Franklin sing about wanting respect from her man.
Franklin was an R&B artist with a soulful voice that causes her songs to be both catchy but also with hidden meanings. I have heard this song, and I enjoyed listening to it. Its appealing and her style of singing made it so upbeat that one can't help but tap their feet to it. "Respect" has a BPM of 115, one point down from "redemption" by Bob Marley.
Being in this class helped me understand music. Not just that it sounds pretty, but also it can help in political movements along with calming a nation. When I first started the semester, I was wary of having to do blogs, I love writing, but I don't like people reading them. Now with the end of the semester here, I learned that music could be written by a DJ, who doesn't have a college degree, or a singer found working in a grocery store. Having taken this class, it made me think of;"what is music? What makes it music? and why are there different forms of elements that I just now learned about?." I enjoyed growing my knowledge in this class, and the very supportive classmates I had.
Written By Jim Beviglia // February 6, 2014. “Behind The Song: Bob Marley, "Redemption Song" « American Songwriter.” American Songwriter, 7 Feb. 2014, americansongwriter.com/2014/02/behind-song-bob-marley-redemption-song/.
“Respect (Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respect_(song).
Bob Marley and The Wailers. Redemption song, Island Records, Oct. 1980. "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery."
Through out history music has fueled many changes that we have seen in society. Bob Marley is a great example of an artist who used music to spark change. Many of the cultural revolutions have been lead by music with new styles being introduced. This article I found goes into detail the impact Bob Marley's music had on our world. http://forthdistrict.com/bob-marley-changed-world/
ReplyDeleteGrowing up I certainly connected with the metal genre of music. I was a big fan of Of Mice & Men and Slip Knot. As I grew towards the end of my high school career I certinaly found a connection with Bob Marley. The aesthic vibe correlating to freeing ones mind, body, and soul and just being themselves seemed so pure. I think you would enjoy listening to Janis Joplin. Joplin was very famous and well known during the Woodstock era which unfortunately was one of the last festivals she had performed at before her death. Nonetheless, I think you would appreciate the free flowing vibes and welcoming tones relating to Joplin’s music. Here go check out https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eihw2hu65S0 to view the song More Over by Janis Joplin. The positive vibes and vibrant melody captures my vibes.
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