How many times do we see people picking a song without paying attention to the meaning of the words? Do songs that address social/political issues manage to convey the message? How does the audience perceive the lyrics?
A few examples will help us get to the answer. Let’s take the song “Wind of Change” by the Scorpions, which was in the Top 10 for severals months in Greece. There are still people who believe that this is a love song! A song that talks about the fall of the iron curtain and how the people of Eastern Europe fought for their freedom… Undoubtedly the language could be an obstacle as it is not always easy for non-English speaking listeners to grasp the meaning of a song with English lyrics. This, however is not absolute. Even in the English speaking part of the world, I came across conservative people listening for example the “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson not realizing that the song is about social and moral changes, singing it out loud like any up-beat song but not taking in a word of the lyrics. Or people with nationalistic views listening to “Imagine” by John Lennon… Several times I have met people with conservative ideas being fans of AC/DC while accusing the band’s lifestyle and the meaning of their songs but focused in the technical aspects of their performance. This is understandable but half learning is not positive is any way.
Why does this happen? Does it have to do with profit?
Naturally the record companies try to adapt in the current social climate. For example during the 80s, we saw huge social changes in the US and Europe (therefore and the rest of the world), so the record companies promoted artists who were singing about these changes (e.g. the Twisted Sisters, The Sex Pistols). So, yes, profit and mass production results in making a song widely available, even to those who would never agree with the “revolutionary” meaning.
As explained in previous posts, the commercialization and the arts are not necessarily rivals, but the arts would be better off if they were not directed by profit. Neither profit is against the anti-establishment art; it is just the policies of the record companies to invest in anything that could give them financial success. Of course there are music styles (e.g. goth) that are considered revolutionary but, made as they are by the music market and not by social circumstances, are short-lived and bands frequently replace one another.
It could be considered offensive when people listen to a kind of music they don’t agree with. It is not the record companies fault; they just look for profit investing in the people’s indifference or poor spirit.
But sometimes we have to deal with something worse than profit, and this is the lack of knowledge. Not only in the contemporary music but also in the Romantic Classical or Baroque music we have similar examples. People who listen to Mozart without realizing or knowning that Mozart was a Freemason and used masonic references in his themes and music, something that many listeners would disapprove of. Students learning a piece by Albeniz without knowing anything about the life of the composer, even worse, nothing about the reason the composition was made for.
Yes, music should not carry labels and should not be directed by trends and lifestyles. But if the people are so distracted and are unable to get the message, then there is something wrong. The mass music production is partly to be blamed for it but on the other hand it is the people’s duty to be open-minded towards new ideas and take more seriously messages that are displayed in the arts. Perhaps this means, appreciate more the artists. Life is not only a time for temporary enjoyment but the real meaning of it is evolution. Being conservative, inactive, apathetic looking only for temporary pleasure does not contribute to the human development.
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Official "The Fox"
September 5th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Hi..I learned something new today…Those songs that you have mentioned I know them…But it never dawned to me that they mean differently…Very insteresting…