Category: Uncategorized

Politics is a sticky subject, and one that seems to show up in every aspect of our lives in some way or another. Throughout all of American history, minority groups and underprivileged people have been systematically oppressed, and this oppression usually gives birth to many different forms of protests. When most people think of protests, they think of the images of Martin Luther King Jr. making a speech or staging a peaceful march, or of the many protesters holding up signs in a city street. What usually doesn’t come to mind, though, is protest music, and it is protest music that this post will focus on.

Protest music has been created throughout history by many different musicians from many different backgrounds, and it is one of the clearest examples of how politics can make its presence felt in every part of our life. There have been many examples of protest songs in America, from Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam”, to Edwin Starr’s “War”, to Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, protest music has been a part of American culture for a long time. Recently, with the introduction of social media into our daily lives, political tension is seemingly reaching greater and greater levels as people become more aware of the atrocities committed in America.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at perhaps the most provocative piece of protest music we’ve gotten in a long time: Childish Gambino’s 2018 song, “This Is America”. When Childish Gambino (real name Donald Glover) released this song and its accompanying music video, it went viral, and is currently sitting at 536 million views on Youtube. If you just listen to the song on its own, it doesn’t seem like such an overt piece of protest music, but it’s the music video that makes it so provocative. The video contains countless references – some subtle, some not so subtle – to issues that the black community faces in America.

The video is extremely clever in the way it symbolizes American culture. There are two things to pay attention to: what is happening in the foreground, and what is happening in the background, and how they relate to American society. The foreground happenings are all centered around Gambino. Gambino’s dances throughout the video are taken from many viral dances and videos around the internet. In between the dancing, there are two instances of gun violence shown; the first, where Gambino shoots a man tied to a chair with a bag over his head, and the second where Gambino shoots a singing and dancing chorus. At both of these points, the music switches from a cheery, gospel-like church chorus sound to a heavy, agitated rap verse, before slowly returning to the more cheery sound. In the background, the references are more subtle. People carry the guns off-screen carefully handled and wrapped in cloth while dragging away the dead body in the first instance, or running towards the chorus angrily in the second. A man (who looks to possibly be representing a police officer) forcibly pulls someone out of their car. Another man jumps from a high place in the rafters in what looks like a suicide attempt. Other younger people sit on their phones recording all of these events happening.

What happens in the foreground and background in the video is similar to what happens in the foreground and background of our lives. Gambino’s dancing seems to be a reference to how we as a society get easily distracted from these issues with viral trends, and when the terrible events do happen – the homocides and mass shootings that make national headlines – it doesn’t take long before they fade back into the background.

This video is a perfect example of how protest music can use a medium like music and video as a way to protest. A couple years before this video was released, Colin Kaepernick also used a new medium to protest; the medium of the National Anthem ceremony before football games. It just goes to show how many different ways there are to protest politics, and similarly, it shows how politics can make its presence known in so many different areas of our lives.

Billie Eilish is a rising American singer and songwriter. She’s only seventeen and has already accomplished way more than I ever will. I love her. Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell writes, produces and records all their songs. We grew up hearing thousands of different songs everywhere around us, and often underestimate how difficult it is to write a song, whether it be pop, classical or jazz, etc. But even coming up with a decent melody is actually very challenging. I have to compose a song for theory 202 by next week, and so far it literally sounds like garbage lmao

Billie Eilish’s debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, was released on March 29^th, 2019. The album title is a line from her song “bury a friend”, released on January 30^th, 2019. The accompanying music video plays a significant role in making ‘bury a friend’ so impactful. Eilish mentioned that she always knows exactly what she wants her music videos to be like, and is very involved with the filming and editing process. So it’s safe to presume that her songs and the music videos are closely related.

The video takes place in a dark, ominous, rundown apartment complex. There are three main settings that are interchanged throughout: a bedroom, empty hallways and a white room that resembles a lab. The music video opens with a man suddenly waking up from his sleep and then lying back down. He then mutters “Billie” and the camera pans down to reveal Eilish, with all-black eyes, lurking under his bed. She stumbles through flickering corridors then is grabbed and manhandled aggressively by gloved hands. When she sings the line “I wanna end me”, these gloved hands inject dozens of syringes filled with black liquid. This sequence of singing under/next to the guy’s bed, stumbling down the hallways, gloved hands pushing and pulling her then injecting needles on her back, repeats over the course of the video. One noticeable difference is that as the video progresses her body and face also progressively contort and transform unnaturally, looking more and more possessed and frightening. Towards the end of the song when she sings the lyrics:

“For the debt I owe, gotta sell my soul
‘Cause I can’t say no, no, I can’t say no
Then my limbs all froze and my eyes won’t close
And I can’t say no, I can’t say no”

The camera zooms into her face, and her eyes are completely black, and her face is completely unnatural and emotionless, making those lyrics more effective. This is just one example of many where the video amplifies its connection with the music.

The music video ends with the camera zooming out on the man’s bed but Eilish no longer present under his bed. The song and the video both ends but the beat keeps on going, and the beat actually transitions straight into the next track in her album – ‘ilomilo’.

The song itself already has a sinister, eerie undertone, with the almost monotone melody, her whispery voice, and the dark lyrics. But the music video really levels-up the horror movie vibe of the song. Once you’ve watched the video it’ll be very hard for you to make your mind not automatically conjure up the video next time you hear the song.

Here are some of people’s reactions to this creepy music video:

When I first heard the song on the radio, I thought the song was about suicide because the line “I wanna end me” is so prominent and repetitive. Then I watched the music video and read the entire lyrics and I guessed that the song and the video is about drug addiction. Billie stated in an interview that she wants the listener to ultimately decide what the meaning behind her songs is, but she did mention in an interview that the song is about sleep paralysis and written from the perspective of the “monster under the bed”. I think it’s interesting how she wants the audience to decide what her songs mean to them, and so chooses not to discuss too much about her interpretation of them. Reading Youtube comments is an easy way to read millions of opinions in a short period of time just by scrolling down. I usually never really read youtube comments because irrational hateful comments that some people leave usually annoy the heck out of me. But I didn’t find any bad comments on this video. In fact, it was really cool how so many people interpreted the song differently:

In conclusion, Billie Eilish is awesome and everyone should go listen to her songs if you somehow haven’t already

Bibliography:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_a_Friend
https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/02/song-of-the-week-billie-eilish-asks-the-big-questions-on-bury-a-friend/
https://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/billie-eilishs-bury-a-friend/
http://bcheights.com/2019/02/03/billie-eilish-spooks-in-haunting-bury-a-friend/
https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/02/song-of-the-week-billie-eilish-asks-the-big-questions-on-bury-a-friend/

There is no doubt that Youtube has changed the game for many aspiring musicians. As an user-friendly, free (for the most part), and incredibly accessible platform, Youtube has become a digital space for creators to showcase their talents to the world. Youtube is definitely a successful outlet, given the amount of superstars that got their starts on it.

I remember when I watched the music videos posted by my favorite youtube artists whenever I could. From Kina Grannis to Kurt Hugo Schneider to Megan Nicole, I must have spent countless hours on Youtube in high school (with VPN – thank you, China for blocking every social platform I used!) watching covers of my favorite pop songs produced by these aspiring musicians. 

One genre that I remember being particularly drawn to was the world of a capella. As a self-proclaimed Disney fanatic, I fangirled over Peter Hollens and Alex G’s Epic Disney Medley as a 16 year-old teenager.

I watched this video at least 20 times, and marveled over how amazing this video was; reading through the comments, a lot of people seem to agree:

Rewatching the video now as a senior in a music conservatory, I have to admit that I am not blown away. In fact, I don’t really understand why I loved it so much five years ago. One thing that I definitely noticed is the amount of attention and detail put into the production of the video. This raises several questions: What role do the visuals play in this video? How does the video complement the medley itself? How does sight affect one’s auditory perceptions on a piece of music?

1. “Yes, We are Actually Singing (A Capella Style)” 

One common characteristic that I frequently find across a lot of a cappella music videos are deliberate shots of the artist recording the different voice parts against a solid background all playing simultaneously. This music video is no exception.

I believe the intention of such videography is pretty clear: for viewers who are unfamiliar with a capella, these clips provide a visual representation of what a cappella is about. For viewers who are familiar with this style, these clips add another layer of professionalism and awe. Regardless, the music video is a confirmation that yes, Hollens and Alex G actually sang all the voice parts and this song is actually an a cappella piece. 

So Which Movie (And What Characters) Do My Costumes and Locations Remind You Of?”

As the medley unfolds all the different songs it is comprised of, the visuals transition from one set of costumes to another:  from Alex G’s flowing blue maxi skirt in a desert during A Whole New World to Peter’s bright red velvet shirt during Under the Sea (with Peter imitating Sebastian the Crab in a pool underwater), all the pieces of clothing are deliberately chosen to reflect the characters both singers are trying to portray at different points of the song. 

Changing the costumes is an incredibly smart move in terms of audience engagement and outreach. The producers know that not everybody on Youtube is a Disney fanatic: by providing clear visual elements, it allows audiences who aren’t as educated in Disney movies to easily identify which songs come from what movie. For viewers are Disney fanatics, the shots add a pop of excitement and (along with the songs themselves) nostalgia as the video rolls along. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Overall, the visuals themselves play a crucial role in the success of this song. Without the visual elements, I truly believe that the medley would lose the sense of magic and awe that the videography provides. Perhaps this is why so many a cappella videos on Youtube (or any music video, for that matter) take a long time to produce: from planning the video to hiring the best videographers, a lot of though goes behind these videos for maximum audience engagement. 

Want more a capella Disney covers? Check out this Epic Disney Villain Medley!

For thousands of years before Lieutenant James Cook “discovered” Australia, more than 500 Indigenous nations consisting of over 750,000 people had already been living harmoniously on the land. They believed that Human, Animal, Plant and land is part of one vast unchanging network of relationships that was established before they even existed. Unlike the Europeans, they believed that the land owns mankind, not the other way around. Sadly, on 22 August 1770, Lieutenant Cook stumbled across this land, stuck a flag on the ground and claimed it to be a part of the British Empire. Aboriginal people were stripped of their human and land rights and suffered from discrimination, and violence for hundreds of years.  

Despite the absolutely harrowing and irreversible pain they have inflicted on Aboriginal people, Australia remains the only commonwealth country to have never signed a treaty with its indigenous people. The lack of a treaty insinuates the lack of recognition of indigenous people’s history and prior occupation of the land, and the lack of a firm, functional relationship between Indigenous people and non-Indigenous Australians. In 1988, former Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, signed the Barunga statement proposed by the leaders of the Australian Indigenous community and promised that a treaty would be delivered by 1990. The Barunga statement called for the Australian Government to recognise Indigenous sovereignty, their basic human rights and respect for the Aboriginal identity and culture. However, despite Hawke’s promise, there were no signs of change, let alone a treaty. In 1991, the band Yothu Yindi collaborated with musician Paul Kelly to compose ‘Treaty’ to protest against the government’s broken promise and to raise public awareness about it.

Yothu Yindi were an Australian musical group that was a merger of a white rock group and an Aboriginal folk group from Yolngu homelands. The lyrics of ‘Treaty’ consist of both English and Yolngu Matha, the native language of the Yolngu. This is the lyrics to the song:

Well I heard it on the radio 
And I saw it on the television
Back in 1988, all those talking politicians

Words are easy, words are cheap
Much cheaper than our priceless land
But promises can disappear
Just like writing in the sand

Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now

Nhima djatpangarri nhima walangwalang (You dance djatpangarri, that’s better)
Nhe djatpayatpa nhima gaya’ nhe marrtjini yakarray (You’re dancing, you improvise, you keep going, wow)
Nhe djatpa nhe walang gumurrt jararrk gutjuk (You dance djatpangarri, that’s good my dear paternal grandson)

This land was never given up
This land was never bought and sold
The planting of the union jack
Never changed our law at all
Now two river run their course
Seperated for so long
I’m dreaming of a brighter day
When the waters will be one

Treaty yeah, treaty now (x2)

Nhima gayakaya nhe gaya’ nhe (You improvise, you improvise)
Nhe gaya’ nhe marrtjini walangwalang nhe ya (You improvise, you keep going, you’re better)
Nhima djatpa nhe walang (You dance djatpangarri, that’s good)
Gumurr-djararrk yawirriny’ (My dear young men)
Nhe gaya’ nhe marrtjini gaya’ nhe marrtjini (You improvise, you keep improvising, you keep going)
Gayakaya nhe gaya’ nhe marrtjini walangwalang (Improvise, you improvise, you keep going, that’s better)
Nhima djatpa nhe walang (You dance djatpangarri, that’s good)
Gumurr-djararrk nhe yå, e i, e i, e i i i, i i i, i i i, i i (You dear things)

Treaty ma’ (Treaty now)

Promises disappear – priceless land – destiny
Well I heard it on the radio
And I saw it on the television
But promises can be broken
Just like writing in the sand

Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now (x2)
Treaty yeah treaty ma treaty yeah treaty ma (x2)

What makes this song so unique and impactful is the combination of both aboriginal and balanda (non-Aboriginal) musical cultures. The lead singer, Mandawuy Yunupingu commented “Though it borrows from rock ‘n’ roll, the whole structure of ‘Treaty’ is driven by the beat of the djatpangarri that I’ve incorporated in it. It was an old recording of this historic djatpangarri that triggered the song’s composition.” The instrumentation used in this song includes both western instruments such as electric guitars, keyboard and drums, and traditional indigenous instruments such as yidaki (didgeridoo) and bilma (ironwood clapsticks). The song is composed with the western twelve-note chromatic scale, and so harmony is more controlled by electric guitar and keyboard. Traditional aboriginal instruments focus more on timbre rather than harmony, and adds a distinct, irreplaceable tone quality to the song.

The ‘Filthy Lucre’, Melbourne-based dance remixers, let out a remix of ‘Treaty’, and that led the song to gain international recognition. The remix peaked at No.11 on the Australian Recording Industry Association singles charts, and was the 29^th best-selling song in Australia in 1991. It was performed by Yothu Yindi at the Closing Ceremony of the Sydney Olympics on 1 October 2000.

‘Treaty’ is an upbeat song with mainly major tonality, despite the heavy issue that it addresses. Perhaps this is to express their hopefulness for a brighter future despite their current gloomy situation. Unfortunately, to this day there is still no treaty. Although on the surface it may seem like Aboriginal Australians are given equal rights as non-indigenous Australians, the social, educational and economic gap is huge but not much is being done to close it. A treaty is long, long overdue and it is absolutely necessary to the future of Australia’s relationship with its indigenous peoples. I hope “treaty yeah treaty now” happens in the very very near future.

link to the song:

Bibliography:

http://www.aboriginalart.com.au/culture/dreamtime2.html
https://aiatsis.gov.au/collections/collections-online/digitised-collections/treaty/barunga-statement

https://australianstogether.org.au/discover/the-wound/the-lack-of-treaty/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barunga,_Northern_Territory#The_Barunga_Statement

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/read-the-lyrics-of-yothu-yindi-song-treaty
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-40024622