Friday, November 13, 2009


Over the coarse of musical history, there have been many examples of musical plagarism in song. One clear example of musical plagerism is the Red Hot Chili Pepper's song "Dani California" and the song it was stolen from was Tom Petty's hit "Mary Jane's Last Dance. This is clearly musical plagerism because the beat of the song is very similar and the way the song is wrote clearly a copy of Tom Petty's far superior song. One example of unintentional plagerism is a much more famous case in George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and The Chiffon's "He's So Fine". George Harrison was sued by the Chiffon's for plagarism and ended up winning the suit. The songs were similar in the beat and the way they were wrote, but the idea that such a musical genious in George Harrison could steal from the far less talented Chiffon's is just absurd and falicious. Musical Plagarism in song happens all the time, butalot of the time it is unintentional so law suits shouldn't be needed and some other means of musical justice should be reached in a different manner. Overall, Mussical plagarism, intentional or not, is here to stay and will be with us as long as music is.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Chris White
Per. B P.O.S.
10/27/09
Subliminal messages

Subliminal messages have been used in music for years. Whether it’s purposeful like back masking, or it’s just examples of reverse speech which happens naturally. It could just be an example of your ears hearing what they want to hear and creating controversy about songs when the so called “subliminal message” isn’t purposeful, and in fact, is nothing but a load of hogwash. Whether its purposeful or not, these strange anomalies of music deserve to be explored and an answer needs to be found.
In "Imagine" by John Lennon there is a supposed subliminal message in the line "Imagine all the people", it is said that John Lennon is saying "The people war beside me". I believe this is a load of hogwash, there was the Viet Nam war going on at the time that this song was made and people were looking for someone to be the role model of the generation to put a stop to the unjust war. It is more of a case of the ear hearing what it wants to hear then an actual backmasking message. In the song "I'm So tired" there is a subliminal message in a load of gibberish if you listen to it backwards which supposedly says "Paul is dead man, miss him, miss him, miss him". I believe that this is an example of intentional backmasking because after the Beatles stopped touring around 1967, there record sales started to slightly decline, in order to pull the record sales around they put intentional subliminal messages in their songs to get new listeners and new people interested in their music. In the song "Kiss, Kiss, Kiss" there is supposedly a subliminal message when you play the line "Anata, daiteyo" backwards which most subliminal message experts say it says "I shot John Lennon". This is a bunch of hogwash, not only do I not believe this says this, but it sounds like indistinguishable gibberish. After John Lennon's death, the death of a world-wide superstar, people were looking for answers, they started to go back and listen to his old songs, again this seems like another case of ears and mind working together to find and listen to things that aren't actually there.


In the song "My Name is" by rapping sensation "Eminem", There is a subliminal message along the lines of: "Hi! My name is.. (what?) My name is.. (who?) My name is.. {scratches Slim Shady Hi! My name is.. (huh?) My name is.. (what?) My name is.. {scratches Slim Shady"; when played backwards it clearly says: "It is Slim, it's Eminem, it's Eminem, it's Eminem, It is Slim, it's Eminem, it's Eminem, it's Eminem". This is clearly a great example of intentional backmasking because he is saying what his name is backwards which is clever and clearly intentional. In the Pokemon theme song there are famous lyrics that go like: "Gotta catch em all, gotta catch em all (yo), gotta catch em all, gotta catch em all (yeah)"; backwards it is said that it goes like "I love satan, I love satan, I love satan, I love satan". This is clearly a load of hogwash and nothing more. It is an example of people trying to find evil things where they are not to either get attention or scare people into doing what they want, which in this case, is to have people stop letting their children watch popular tv shows like Pokemon. In the song "Empty spaces" by Pink Floyd there is a clear subliminal message in a part of the song where it seems to be indistinguishable gibberish; when played backwards it clearly says "Congratulations. You have just discovered the secret message. Please send your message to old pink, care of the funny farm, Chalfont". This is clearly an example of backmasking because when played backwards it is almost as if he is talking forward and you can make out every single word clearly. This is done by Pink Floyd, almost as a joke and making fun of subliminal messaging because it tells you in the message that that's exactly what it is, a subliminal message. In the song "... Baby One more time" by Britney spears there is a supposed subliminal message in the line " With you I lose my mind, give me a si"; when played backwards this supposedly says " Sleep with me, I'm not to young". I believe this is an example of reverse speech in that Britney Spears did not intend to say this, but subconsciously she did intend to because this is what she really thought which in correlation is an example of reverse speech.
In the song "Nature Trail to Hell" by Weird Al Yankovich there is an example of clear backmasking in, what seems to be gibberish, the subliminal message is " Satan eats cheez whiz". This is clearly an example of intentional backmasking because that is Weird Al's form of humor, although it is not funny, and is a great example of backmasking. In the famous song "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen there is a supposed example of a subliminal message in the lines "Another one bites the dust, Another one bites the dust" which played backwards supposedly says "It's fun to smoke marijuana, It's fun to smoke marijuana''. This is a great example of hogwash. This is hogwash because it doesn't even clearly say that line and besides that, "biting the dust" is a common phrase that many people use for people who die so they didn't make up those lines which means, in fact, they did not make that subliminal message. So although the subliminal message is what Queen might have believed, it is just another great example of hogwash. In the song "Hotel California" by The Eagles there is a sublimial message in the lines "In the middle of the night, just hear them say" which listened to backwards appears to say "Satan he hears this. He had me believe". This is another great example of hogwash. The, so called, subliminal message doesn't even remotely sound like that and is just people who like to ruin a masterpiece of a song by putting in devil worshipping messages that aren't there.

Overall, there are thousands of examples of subliminal messages in music. Some intentional, some done subconsciously with no intent and some are just examples of people who like to stir up controversey. No matter what it is, subliminal messages is a big part of modern, music and is hear to stay. I my opinion, most are just hogwash, but what keeps people looking for them are those select few that are unexplainable. We as music listeners have to realize that subliminal messages are a part of music, intentional or not, and are here to stay.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009



Chris White


Per. B P.O.S.


10/20/09


Song anaylsis




"Till I Collapse"(feat. Nate Dogg)[Intro:]'Cause sometimes you feel tired,feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strengthand just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give upand not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.[B/W Intro:]Yo left, yo left, yo left right leftYo left, yo left, yo left right leftYo left, yo left, yo left right leftYo left, yo left, yo left right left[Verse #1:]Till I collapse I’m spilling these raps long as you feel emTill the day that I drop you'll never say that I'm not killing themCause when I am not then I am stop pinning themAnd I am not hip-hop and I’m just not Eminem.Subliminal thoughts when I'm stop sending them women are caught in webs spin and hauk venomAdrenaline shots of penicillin could not get the illing to stop.Amoxacilin is just not real enough.The criminal cop killing hip-hop filling minimal swap to cop millions of Pac listeners.Your coming with me, feel it or not you’re gonna fear it like I showed you the spirit of god lives in us.You hear it a lot, lyrics the shock is it a miracle or am I just a product of pop fizzing up.For shizzle my whizzle this is the plot listen up you bizzles forgot slizzle does not give a fuck.[Chorus - NateDogg]Till the roof comes off, till the lights go outTill my legs give out, can’t shut my mouth.Till the smoke clears out - am I high? PerhapsI'ma rip this shit till my bone collapse.Till the roof comes off, till the lights go outTill my legs give out, can’t shut my mouth.Till the smoke clears out and my high burn outI'ma rip this shit till my bone collapse.[Verse #2:]Music is like magic there’s a certain feeling you get when your realand you spit and people are feeling your shit.This is your moment and every single minute you spend trying to hold onto itcause you may never get it again.So while you’re in it try to get as much shit as you canand when your run is over just admit when its at its end.Cause I'm at the end of my wits with half this shit that gets in.I got a list here's the order of my list that it's in.It goes, Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie, Andre from Outcast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me.But in this industry I'm the cause of a lot of envy, so when I’m not put on this list the shit does not offend me.That's why you see me walk around like nothing's bothering me.Even though half you people got a fucking problem with me.You hate it but you know respect you’ve got to give meThe press's wet dream like Bobby and Whitney. Nate hit me.[Chorus - NateDogg][Verse #3:]Soon as a verse starts I eat it at MC’s heartwhat is he thinking? How not to go against me? Smart.And its absurd how people hang on every word.I’ll probably never get the props I feel I ever deserveBut I’ll never be served my spot is forever reservedIf I ever leave earth that would be the death of me first.Cause in my heart of hearts I know nothing could ever be worse.That’s why I’m clever when I put together every verseMy thoughts are sporadic, I act like I’m an addictI rap like I’m addicted to smack like I’m Kim Mathers.But I don’t want to go forth and back in constant battlesThe fact is I would rather sit back and bomb some rappers.So this is like a full blown attack I’m launching at themThe track is on some battling raps who want some staticCause I don’t really think that the fact that I’m Slim mattersA plaque of platinum status is whack if I'm not the baddest.[Chorus - NateDogg][Outro:][Eminem & Natedogg Echo:]Until the roofThe roof comes offUntil my legsgive out from underneath me[Eminem:]I will not fall,I will stand tall,Feels like no one could beat me.




Anaylsis:


In lines 2 and 3 of the Intro: "feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up. But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength" is an example of cliche. Line 4 in verse # 1: "And I am not hip-hop and I’m just not Eminem" is an example of allusion. Line 5 in verse # 1: "Subliminal thoughts when I'm stop sending them women are caught in webs spin and hauk venom" is an example of imagery because it makes you think of women caught in spider webs shooting venom out of their mouths. Line 7 in Verse # 1: "The criminal cop killing hip-hop filling minimal swap to cop millions of Pac listeners." is an example of word play because when it says cop it could be referring to a law enforcement agent or its a shortened vresion of the word copy. Line 9 in verse # 1: "You hear it a lot, lyrics the shock is it a miracle or am I just a product of pop fizzing up." is an example of word play because pop fizzing up could either mean soda pop fizzing or pop music coming to a boiling point.


Line 2 in verse # 2: "and you spit and people are feeling your shit." is an example of imagery. Line 3 and 4 in verse # 2: "This is your moment and every single minute you spend trying to hold onto itcause you may never get it again." is a cliche because it is a situation which is common and expected and is referred to in many other works of music. Line 12 in verse # 2: "That's why you see me walk around like nothing's bothering me." is an example of imagery because it makes you imagine Eminem walking around with a calm look on his face. Line 15 in verse # 2: "The press's wet dream like Bobby and Whitney. Nate hit me." is also a good example of imagery.


Line 1 in verse # 3: "Soon as a verse starts I eat it at MC’s heart" projects imagery because it makes you picture eminem eating a DJ's heart which is a very disturbing image. Line 9 in verse # 3: "My thoughts are sporadic, I act like I’m an addict" is an example of characterization because it tells and describes the main character in the song; the writer and creator, Eminem. Line 12 in verse # 3: "The fact is I would rather sit back and bomb some rappers." is an example of imagery because it makes you think of someone dropping bombs and exploding other rappers. Line 16 in verse # 3: "A plaque of platinum status is whack if I'm not the baddest." is allusion because he is basically stating that it doesn't matter how much recognition he gets because he would rather be respected than popular.


Thursday, October 8, 2009

Chris White
Per.B Poetry of Song
10/8/09
Billboard top songs

The top songs of today help define our modern culture and effect how we will be looked back upon by future generations. Choosing three songs to look at in the top 50 list from “Billboard” will give an insightful look into today’s culture. The three songs chosen are: “Run This Town” by Jay-Z ft. Rihanna and Kanye West, “Obsessed” by Mariah Carey, and “Best I Ever Had” by Drake. These three songs are currently located at 3, 6 and 14 on Billboard’s top list and will provide a helpful perspective into today’s modern culture.
The first song being examined is a rap/hip-hop song called “Run This town” by Jay-Z ft. Rihanna and Kanye West. The subject matter of this song is basically who is going to take over as “top dog” and how if you’re not man enough to do it then get out before you’re too far in to turn around. It is also about two men who think they’re ready for the job and give reasons why they would be good and why they desire the leadership position so badly. One line that contains poetic merit is “Who’s going to run this town tonight?” which is basically asking, who is going to take over as “alpha male”. The second song being examined is "Obsessed" by Mariah Carey. The subject matter in the song is dissing a fellow song writer/rapper Eminem, basically saying that the supposed relationship they had never really happened. The song is also saying that even if he was the last man on earth he wouldn't love him. "Tellin' the world how much missed me, But we never were so why you trippin' "? Which is basically stating that everthing that Eminem told the media about their relationship was false and they were never together.

The third song being examined is "Best I Ever Had" by Drake. The subject matter of this song is blatent in that it is talking about all the women Drake had ever been with and how he told them all that they were his favorite. In a sence it is about how men tend to lie to women to exploit them. One line with poetic merit is "Never pay attention to them rumors and what they assume" because he is disclaiming that the rumor about him and all the women isn't true and are blown way out of proportion.



These songs as a whole say alot about our modern American culture. One thing it says is that our needs are now selfish and we have a culture that is completely about themselves and are not worried about what other people think of them. What this says about our us as a whole is that people aren't as interested in poetic devices and lyrical value anymore, but instead love a good beat and a good rhyme scheme. Males are represented as womanizing where as women are represented as strong and independent. Success isn't measured in hard work anymore, but is measured in payroll, amount of women and popularity. This shows alot about our our culture and the direction we are headed in, whether it is good or bad for us as a nation.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I Am The Walrus


I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly.I'm crying.Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come.Corporation tee-shirt, stupid bloody tuesday.Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long.I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob.Mister city policeman sittingPretty little policemen in a row.See how they fly like lucy in the sky, see how they run.I'm crying, i'm crying.I'm crying, i'm crying.Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye.Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess,Boy, you been a naughty girl you let your knickers down.I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob.Sitting in an english garden waiting for the sun.If the sun don't come, you get a tanFrom standing in the english rain.I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob.Expert textpert choking smokers,Don't you thing the joker laughs at you?See how they smile like pigs in a sty,See how they snied.I'm crying.Semolina pilchard, climbing up the eiffel tower.Elementary penguin singing hari krishna.Man, you should have seen them kicking edgar allan poe.I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob.Goo goo g'joob g'goo goo g'joob g'goo.


analysis:

In the first line of “I Am the Walrus” there is alliteration. The second line is a simile because it is comparing two different things by using the words like or as. The first line of the second verse is imagery because it creates a picture in your head of John Lennon sitting on a cornflake waiting for a van. The fourth line in the second verse is an example of humor because it says random things about being the eggman which does not exist. The second line in the third verse is a play on words because you do not truly know if he is calling the policeman pretty, or he is saying that he is pretty little.
The first line in the fourth verse is imagery because it gives you an image in your head of a dog with yellow goo dripping from his eye. In the second line of the fourth verse is a paradox because usually priestesses are not in to pornographic material. In the first, second and third line in the fifth verse there is another paradox because you get a tan from standing in the sun, not standing in the rain which hardly exposes you to the sun at all. In the first, second and third line of the seventh verse there is all imagery because it all gives you images in your head of exactly what they are describing in the song. Those are all the litery devices in the Beatles smash hit”I Am the Walrus”.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Kurt Cobain


Facts
1.) Kurt Cobain was born February 20, 1967.
2.) He was a talented singer at the age of 2.
3.) He was a talented wrestler when he was a child.
4.) Kurt Cobain was arrested several times as a youth for spray painting and tagging.
5.) In a 1993 interview, Kurt Cobain said he could be bisexual.
6.) Kut Cobain dropped out of high school 2 weeks before graduation
7.) Living got so hard at one point that he lived under a bridge over the Wishkah river.
8.) The first two songs he learned how to play on the guitar were “Back in black” and “My Best Friend’s girl”.
9.) Cobain had a band before “Nirvana” called “Fecal Matter”.
10.) Kurt Cobain committed suicide on April 5, 1994

Timeline

February 20, 1967- Kurt Cobain was born.
1975- Kurt Cobain’s parents divorce which has a great impact on his life.
February 20, 1981- Kurt Cobain gets his first guitar.
1985- Kurt Cobain drops out of high school.
1987- Nirvana is formed.
June 15, 1989- Recorded album “Bleach’ for sub pop records.
May, 1991- Cobain and Courtney Love are formally introduced.
September 24, 1991- First major album debut in “Nevermind”.
February 24, 1992- Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love get married.
August 18, 1992- Cobain and love’s daughter is born.
Early 1992- Kurt Cobain enters rehab.
1992- Nirvana plays at gay rights benefit.
April 5, 1994- Kurt Cobain commits suicide by shooting himself in the head.

Video

Video url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXO3OMGKPpw








Song

Smells Like Teen Spirit
Verse 1- Load up on guns Bring your friends It's fun to lose and to pretend She's overborne and self-assured Oh no, I know a dirty word Chorus- Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello ,hello With the Lights out it's less dangerous Here we are now entertain us I feel stupid and contagious Here we are now entertain us A mullato an albino A mosquito my libido yay Verse 2- I'm worse at what I do best And for this gift I feel blessed Our little group has always been And always will until the end Chorus- Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello With the Lights out it's less dangerous Here we are now entertain us I feel stupid and contagious Here we are now entertain us A mullato an albino A mosquito my libido yay Bridge- Verse 3- And I forget just why I taste Oh yeah I guess it makes me smile I found it hard it's hard to find Oh well whatever nevermind Chorus- Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low? Hello, hello, hello, hello With the Lights out it's less dangerous Here we are now entertain us I feel stupid and contagious Here we are now entertain us A mullato an albino A mosquito my libido A denial




Song analysis


The song I have decided to analyze is Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. There are many poetic devices in this song. There is a paradox in the first verse where it says “It's fun to lose and to pretend” because it isn’t fun to lose it is in fact the opposite. There is also alliteration in the first verse where it says “Oh no, I know a dirty word” because no and I know is an alliteration.
There is alliteration in the line “Hello, hello, hello, hello, how low?” because the hello, hello sound is repetitive. There is a paradox in the chorus where it says “With the Lights out it's less dangerous” because it is commonly known that it is usually safer with the lights on. There is another paradox in verse 2 where it says “I'm worse at what I do best” because you should be best at what you do best which completely contradicts what he says in the song. There is a play on words when it says “I found it hard it's hard to find” because it plays with the order of the words find and hard. Those are all the poetic devices in the song “Smells Like Teen spirit”.







Contributions to song writing

Kurt Cobain has had many contributions to the art of song writing. He wrote many songs and most of them have been extremely popular and considered brilliant. His songs contain many poetic devices and are considered by many to be works of genius. Kurt Cobain is credited with the invention of grudge music which means that he is one of the most influential artists of all time because a whole style of music is named in his honor. Since his death in the mid 90’s his songs have become classics and will forever be remembered as a cornerstone in music history. Since his death his songs are as popular as ever and his imprint the left on music will never be forgotten.