So, I became enlightened with a thought. Why not make a biweekly post about something interesting and fun that will engage student interest and at the same time have educational meaning? :)
Today's Topic: Pick a singer or a band that you like or admire who is/was very influential in shaping American ideals. How about a singer or a band that speaks out against or for a certain cause. You can provide a couple lines of a particular song, pictures, etc. Try not to pick the same artist as someone else. (When responding, do NOT turn this into a heated online debate about opinions, & beliefs. Please stick to the prompt.)SYSTEM OF A DOWN - "B.Y.O.B"
One of my favorite bands from a couple of years ago is System Of A Down. One of their most mainstream songs is called "B.Y.O.B" which like Omar said, sounds like a woman screaming while pulling her hair out. However, if you analyze the lyrics closely, you can find the true meaning of the song. The theme of the song revolves around war, most notably Operation Iraqi Freedom. My interpretation of this song is that it is anti-war and speaking out against the government that engages us in war but doesn't fight in it. The line "Why don't presidents fight the war, Why do they always send the poor" conveys that message. System Of A Down also touches on the influences of the media and advertisements that promote and encourage young men and women going off to war. "Marching forward hypocritic & hypnotic computers" portrays these young men and women as being hypnotized or brainwashed by the idea of war and what it means to "fight for your country" or "fight for your freedom". Neverthless, the song goes on by saying that "You depend on our protection, Yet you feed us lies from the table cloth", once again stating how the government depends on the sacrifice that these men and women are making, yet they are "feeding" lies to them about their motive for fighting.
That is a REALLY good song to analyze, Lesly. It seems like most musicians nowadays know something about our Government and the Nation we live in... especially the ulterior motives when it comes to things like War.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Bob Dylan has always struck a chord within the Conformist ideals of America since the 1960's... and one of his songs that drastically affected the Counterculture movement and also the music industry is "Times they are a'changing". Now, if you are like me, Bob Dylan does not catch my attention for the cacophony of his voice because... let's face it, Mr. Dylan's "golden pipes" sound like a scratched up vinyl record (I know... that was mean but hey! It's the truth in most cases). Now, I'm digressing. Back to the point. There are certain lines that stick out to me in this specific song. One being this one:
"Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall...
There's a battle outside ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'."
-Now, Dylan is basically stating to the Government to join the change that is drastically overtaking the United States... or else they will be blamed for "stalling" the rapturous change outside the Capitol building.
"Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command...
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'."
-There, Dylan is calling out the "youth" from the 40's and 50's when Conformity was rampant. Their children are the ones leading the movement, therefore the "old road" of their parents does not apply to the new generation.
Although this song was the anthem for the counterculture youth of the 60's and 70's... Dylan's influence is still abound throughout tons of musicians of modern times; Like Bruce Springsteen and Pete Yorn. It's message still resonates because the times really are changing these days... and we either go with the flow and embrace the change, or stick to the old ways and drown.
Some of these lines could be great attention getters for your essays, especially quoting Dylan, since he is an icon.
ReplyDelete:) Perfect! I think Bob Dylan is a perfect embodiment of the sentiments of the youth during the Counterculture Movement. Dylan didn't have the BEST voice, but he HAD a voice that thundered above all and spoke out for what it believed. Good job Leenie!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, his voice was lacking in perfect pitch, but man... the lyrics WERE powerful! They still are! I do not really know how I will be able to implement any lines from Dylan's song in my essay... but it is a good thought :)
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ReplyDeleteIf you whatched the music video that was made for the song, you would have seen system of down themselves as being brainwashed at the end, which could mean that even though they know this fact that goverment lies to its poeple they must accept the terms that they see and become just as the others.
ReplyDeleteYes, Vincent, that is a very interesting interpretation because they are seen wearing those masks that everyone else was wearing, BUT, I think we are getting a little bit off topic. Why don't you share with us an artist or a singer that you think has been influential in shaping American ideals? :)
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