Blog Assignment #2 - Worldly Success and Liberation

Worldly Success

1) DJ Khaled, "All I Do Is Win", Hip Hop, 2010

2) B.o.B ft. Rivers Cuomo, "Magic", Alternative Hip Hop, 2010

3) Juelz Santana, "The Second Coming", Hip Hop, 2007

4) David Glen Eisley, "Sweet Victory", Rock and Roll, 2007

5) Trapt, "Headstrong", Alternative Metal, 2001

Liberation

1) Tupac, "Starin' Through My Rearview", Hip Hop, 2003

2) Eminem, "Lose Yourself", Rap, 2002

3) Far East Movement, "Rocketeer", Alternative Hip Hop, 2010

4) The Notorious B.I.G. ft. Bob Marley, "Hold Ya' Head", Rap, 2006

5) Metallica, "Fade to Black", Metal, 1984

     Of the two aims, worldly success and liberation, worldly success was far more prevalent. There were many more songs out there that addressed this aim. Our society has a strong focus on worldly success. Riches, fame, envy, and other related things are often sung about and flaunted in order to attract attention and generate respect for oneself. People in our society view liberation as freedom from debt, stress, and the drudgery of work, and is not really a realistic aim that someone would adopt, unless, of course, it's through the subjects highlighted under worldly success, namely freedom through fortune.

     Songs often speak of worldly success. Money, fame, fast cars, and women are easy to show off, and great ways to get attention and respect from those less fortunate. It endows people with aspirations to try to become like them. A particular observation I made is that worldly success was not entirely materialistic in many of the songs. For example, songs such as Trapt's “Headstrong” speak on the prowess required to push forward and attain success; to be the dominant alpha male in the course of your obstacles and face any challenge head-on. Also, I was surprised to find that songs of liberation were not entirely difficult to find. Many people share the epiphanies that they have come to realize through their songs and impart this wisdom onto others. Still, these songs were not as prevalent as songs about success.

     The Hindu understanding of these two aims differs in some respects, but also shares many similarities. For example, liberation in the Hindu sense could primarily refer to moksha, or freedom from the cycle of life, whereas liberation in many American pop songs referred to simply taking a step back and overcoming the current situation, rather than looking at things in a larger scale. An example of a similarity can be found in terms of worldly success, in that both Hinduism and these pop songs regard worldly success in having strong value and veneration from others. Though the approach may be different, such as the comparison of being a priest versus being a celebrity, the overlying message is still similar in nature. In conclusion, similar to the previous aims of the last assignment, while there is a contrast in the literal expressions of the aims, there are certainly similar premises that are easily notable.

Blog Assignment #1 - Pleasure and Community Service

Pleasure

1) Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell, "Wanna Love You Girl", Pop/R&B, 2005

2) Bang Camaro, "Pleasure (Pleasure)", Rock n' Roll, 2007

3) Avant, "Makin' Good Love", R&B, 2002

4) Akon ft. Eminem, "Smack That", Hip Hop/R&B, 2006

5) Bobby McFerrin, "Don't Worry, Be Happy", Jazz/A Cappella, 1988

Community Service

1) Tupac Shakur, "Changes", Rap, 1998

2) Ben Harper, "With My Own Two Hands", Reggae, 2002

3) Steve Angrisano, "Go Make a Difference", Christian R&R, 2004

4) Nickelback, "If Everyone Cared", Rock n' Roll, 2006

5) Michael Jackson, "Man in the Mirror", Pop, 1988

     Between the two goals, pleasure and community service, pleasure is outstandingly prevalent in the choices of music. While community service is seen as an emphasis in our society, the desire for sex and pleasure is paramount. The rich and famous are often seen telling stories of their hedonistic encounters, sparking a myriad of articles and visual reports in the media about them, as well as a strong impact upon the youth who wish to be like them. An overwhelming desensitization has lurked in the brains of Americans for much time, leading to the belief that the use of drugs, alcohol, and experiencing debauchery are idealizations that each individual, whether capricious or steadfast, should strive to indulge in. These ideas are no longer kept subtle. Songs openly preach seeking pleasure through drugs or sex or recount tales of immoral stories being told by the artist. After all, that's why they call it the mainstream.

     When I initially set out to look for songs regarding pleasure, it occurred to me that most of my findings would be sexual in some way. The lyrics, even the music videos, are explicit or suggestive in some way in most of these songs. There is a notable trend, in that, the later the songs are released, at least under the statute of pleasure, the more suggestive they are, either in language, concept, or visual content. An example of this is the 1980's song from Bobby McFerrin “Don't Worry, Be Happy” versus Akon's “Smack That” from 2006. Of course this is not to say that there are not any romantically docile songs that are still being made in the current time, but it is notable that the openness of songs have changed as society has, for better or for worse. There was not much that surprised me with the community service songs. They're fairly straightforward and outline their messages rather clearly, usually summing up to “help society, help yourself.”

     The Hindu understanding of these aims has a moderate clash with the American pop music understanding of them. While seeking pleasure is important in the Hindu description of the aims, they also establish that keeping your morals under considerable vigilance is necessary. That is to say, don't sacrifice your sense of right and wrong in order to get a pleasure fix. American pop music may not directly state against that, however they emphasize a tawdry and lavish approach to seeking pleasure. Flaunt what you have and go after that which appeals to you, with little regard for the consequences. All you need to do is “win” in the eyes of the public. It's the ticket to the top. In terms of community service, the ideas align a bit more. They both make prominent the need to better your surroundings and the importance of sacrifice. It seems that the American pop music standpoint seems to attack a corruption and seek to mend it, rather than asking people to wake up and grab a shovel to plant some trees. In conclusion, the differences are there, but the overlying principles are still similar in nature. The concepts of society and the interpretations of artists and gurus have given different approaches to adhering to or seeking out these principles, but their overall nature still parallels one another, even if it is just slightly.