I'd like you to conduct research on an individual who was considered to be a musician who was believed to be a "corrupter of youth". I'd like you explore if this individual followed the path of leaving the cave, presenting some new truth or philosophy to the world through his/her art. If you're having trouble thinking of an example, consider names like Elvis, Frank Zappa, Kathleen Hanna, and Jello Biafra. Feel free to use your own examples as well! Conduct a little research, post a song, and join in the conversation.
Lady Gaga is one of the musicians who has been considered to corrupt the youth. She was going to perform in Indonesia where her concert was sold out. However, her concert was cancelled by Islamic hardliners and conservative lawmakers and politicians, who considered her corrupting the youth. In the Philippines Christian hardliners and conservative politicians and lawmakers tried to cancel her shows, because they too thought she corrupts the youth. They however, did not succeed.
ReplyDeleteLady Gaga is know for her unique lyrics, outfits, and dance moves. Some people support her and all she does while others do not. She left the cave of the status quo and came back with crazy outfits like a meat dress, or a bubble dress, or heels she can't walk in. She left the cave and came back with new ideas about topics that contradict what others currently believe. For example in her song Judas, Lady Gaga sings:
Jesus is my virtue
And Judas is the demon I cling to, I cling to
Just a holy fool, oh baby it's so cruel
But I'm still in love with Judas, baby
This goes against Christian beliefs who think of Judas as a horrible person for what he did to Christ. However, in a way Lady Gaga could just be singing about how there is good and evil in everyone.
Also in her song: Born this Way she sings:
No matter gay, straight or bi
Lesbian, transgendered life
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born to survive
However, some religious people do not agree with those types of standings as being acceptable in society. In a way Lady Gaga could just be saying to accept everyone.
The reason she seems to be considered to corrupt the youth is because there are different ways to interpret the information she brought back into the cave.
My Chemical Romance is labeled as a "post-hardcore, emo, punk rock," and many of their song lyrics do make one think that, seeing how they can sing about death so lightly. British tabloid The Sun had accused My Chemical Romance of causing a suicide of a 13-year old girl in the UK, who lived an "emo lifestyle." They don't have the best of reputations.
ReplyDelete(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Chemical_Romance#UK_tabloid_incident)
In this song, "Na Na Na" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egG7fiE89IU) the comical animal masks, vibrantly colored costumes, and fast-paced beat make this song seem different from the rest of their songs. From watching the video you can see there is a child who joins the band in fighting another group of people dressed in white.
But if you read the lyrics,
"Drugs, gimme drugs, gimme drugs, I don't need it
But I'll sell what you got, take the cash and I'll keep it
Eight legs to the wall, hit the gas, kill them all
And we crawl and we crawl and we crawl, you be my detonator
Love, gimme love, gimme love, I don't need it
But I'll take what I want from your heart and I'll keep it
In a bag, in a box , put an X on the floor
Gimme more, gimme more, gimme more, shut up and sing it with me
...
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
(Let's blow an artery)
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
(Get plastic surgery)
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
(Keep your apology)
Give us more detonation"
The band seems to be promoting whats "bad": "drugs, sex, plastic surgery," and the last line, "violence."
Later on in the song, they sing:
"And right here, right now
All the way in Battery City
The little children raise their open, filthy palms
Like tiny daggers up to heaven
And all the JuV halls and the Ritalin rats
Ask angels made from neon
And fucking garbage scream out "What will save us?"
And the sky opened up..."
This may be opposed by Christians, or anyone who believes in heaven and angels.
There is an idea that god saves people, relieving them of their suffering. The line " 'What will save us?' " suggests that there isn't a god, or at least one who will help people.
But if you go deeper into the song, they sing:
"Everybody wants to change the world
Everybody wants to change the world
But no one, no one
Wants to die
Wanna try, wanna try, wanna try
Wanna try, wanna try, now, I'll be your detonator"
What I interpreted this to mean, is the band is ridiculing how people want change, but don't want to be the ones to do it. "I'll be your detonator" is saying that the band will be our inspiration, pushing to change the world.
"(I'd rather go to hell)
Than be in a purgatory
Cut my hair, gag and bore me
Pull this pin, let this world explode"
The singer is saying he would rather die than to sit waiting for something to happen.
Earlier, the singer says, "I'll be your detonator." We, the audience, are the bomb, and now "let this world explode." Which can be interpreted as, "Let us start changing the world."
I believe My Chemical Romance is taking us out of the cave. Despite the "negatives" of this song, they tell us to start acting and to change the world, instead of sitting around, waiting for a revolutionist to come around. We are the prisoners inside Plato's cave. We choose to see the shadows, and embrace them as the truth. To look at the sun is to attempt to change the world, and its hard to do so at first unless we really try and continue on.
Pretty much all of the heavy metal bands in the 80's were believed to be corruptors of youth. People saw this type of music as too loud and simple. Ronnie James Dio says that misconceptions about heavy metal are made because they're afraid of it. People were frightened by Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution" because it deals with the subject of death, even though the song is actually anti-suicide. The song was even blamed by someone’s parents to be the cause of their child’s suicide. Dave Mustaine says that heavy metal is supposed to be about going against society and speaking out about stuff that most people don't have to balls to sing about.
ReplyDeleteIron Maiden left the cave when they released The Number of the Beast, and Black Sabbath left it with their first album, which was self-titled. Many people thought that these bands were satanic, because they were singing about the devil. They didn’t want to look at the blinding light to actually know more about it. People just heard the word “devil” and assume that the bands worshipped Satan.
Also, another way that musicians left the cave is when they started using feedback from distorted guitars to their advantage. People like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton are now considered great musicians, but they were one of the first people to want to have feedback in their sound.
Eddie Van Halen was another musician that left the cave. He never had guitar lessons, and doesn't like the idea of doing things by the book, because then you can't do anything outside the book.
Documentary on Heavy Metal- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHnVCHgE6r8
Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3c3gsjgdXA
The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsmcDLDw9iw
Suicide Solution by Ozzy Osbourne- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIPgdd4dBvw
During the American Folk Revival, Bob Dylan wrote such classics as 'Blowin' in the Wind' and 'The Times They Are a-Changin', which are now considered to be the quintessential protest songs. Never before had anyone released music with such lyrical intensity to inspire a new thought-process in Americans: the art of protesting. The popularity of his songs led him to preform at the 'March on Washington', which is better known for Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech. However, a large amount of people, many of which were fans, believed the strong influence Dylan possessed had a negative influence on the youth at the time, as his songs would inspire them to join radical protests. This only displays how groundbreaking his work was at the time, considering the music world was filled with generic Pop ballads which had no depth whatsoever. His most prominent song to escape out this depth-less 'cave' of music would most likely be the six-minute-long 'Like a Rolling Stone'. Ignoring the influence of Beatlemania at the time, Dylan delivered the song as a mocking of all the pompous high-life hipsters around him, which went on for six minutes, instead of the common three minute boy-meets-girl scenario that the Beatles had made a music standard. 'Like a Rolling Stone' defied all that was considered music at the time of its release, and famously influenced young artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello.
ReplyDeleteBlowin' in the Wind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWwgrjjIMXA
The Times They Are a-Changin': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2sYIIjS-cQ
Like a Rolling Stone: http://videobam.com/qHlZo
Won't the real Slim Shady please stand up, please stand up please stand up? --- Marshal Mathers, aka eminem, aka slim shady, was born on October 17 1972. When he was young his father left him, he barely knew who the man was, and eminem's mother was left to take care of him. This event is said to have caused a change in the boy's lifestyle as he kept to himself and was viewed as an outcast. He remembers
ReplyDelete"Beat up in the bathroom, beat up in the hallways, shoved into lockers".
Eminem did not do well in high school, yet his career as a rapper was set,
"I always was good at English ... I just felt like I wanna be able to have all of these words at my disposal, in my vocabulary. "
He made his first personal album in 1996.
Eminem is a revolutionary. A rapper, white, blond hair, blue eyes, almost a living oxymoron. He didn't let this stop his career however, and was able to successfully compete against and work with the multiple others rappers at the time, dr. dre being one.
But why a corrupter? His lyrics. In his songs he curses, a lot, and talks about subjects no body would ever dare talk about in public. THIS IS FROM HIS SONG - THE REAL SLIM SHADY
"I'm like a head trip to listen to, cause i'm only givin you
Things you joke about with your friends inside your living room
The only difference is I got the balls to say it
In front of y'all and i dont gotta be false or sugarcoated at all."
Eminem doesnt care what you have to think. Yet you will still listen to his music.
From BAD INFLUENCE
"People say that I'm a bad influence
I say the world's already fucked, I'm just addin to it"
ONE MORE FROM --THE REAL SLIM SHADY
"And every single person is a Slim Shady lurkin
He could be workin at Burger King, spittin on your onion rings
[*HACH*] Or in the parkin lot, circling
Screaming "I don't give a fuck!"
with his windows down and his system up"
In one of his songs his lyrics involved shooting kids in school, this being just one year after the Columbine Shooting which left 12 kids dead.
Is he a corruptor? I really dont think so, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LISTENING TO THE WHOLE SLIM SHADY SONG, WITH LYRICS!!!!!
Nobody is perfect, except Mr. Ferencz. Eminem, is not perfect, but he isn't scared to speak his mind.
Eminem's lyrics speak for themselves.
LINKS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX-PA_0C5go <<<Slim Shady
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH-RjRU32Dc <<<Bad Influence
In 1967, amidst the rise of a mass American counter-culture, Jim Morrison and his band the Doors were highly memorable as being even more radical and expansive. Rockstars such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Pink Floyd were popular acts that all referenced in their music, and engaged in, serious drug use, sexual promiscuity, and all around "youth corrupting" activities - but the Doors went a step further. The aforementioned bands generally kept to musical conventions while weaving in these (what were percieved as) highly offensive, un-Christian lyrics and behavoirs; what really distinguished Morrison's band was his usage of spoken word. The singer recited radical (but great), offensive poetry while his band backed him up with music (or often just sounds). Here's an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUsDYuTZUmw
ReplyDeleteThey were out of the cave. The Doors made it out, and when they came back the first reaction of many people was to fully reject them. The tragedy (fulfilling of Plato's Allegory) of Morisson's death at 27 is horrible shame as it also killed the truly revolutionary possibility of freedom from the cave: where could this man, this band have taken us?
Another fabulous tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUm15jxuMvM
In 1996, Christian groups began to believe that The Beatles were corrupting the youth. They were accused of being part of the Illuminati.
ReplyDeleteA promotional photograph for the Yellow Submarine album shows John Lennon flashing the devil horns. Paul McCartney makes a '666'/EYE OF HORUS hand sign.
The front cover of the With The Beatles album shows their faces half in shadow. This is the 'One Eye of Horus' that is epidemic in the music industry today. The black/ white duality is the Masonic doctrine to balance good and evil.
A Beatles album was released in 1988 titled 'Past Masters'. Past Master is a Masonic term used to describe the former Worshipful Master of a Masonic Lodge. The album contains exactly 33 songs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE BY THE BEATLES
Words are flowing out like
Endless rain into a paper cup
They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe.
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
Are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me.
Jai Guru Deva. Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Images of broken light, which
Dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on across the universe.
Thoughts meander like a
Restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe.
Jai Guru Deva. Om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Sounds of laughter, shades of life
Are ringing through my opened ears
Inciting and inviting me.
Limitless undying love, which
Shines around me like a million suns,
It calls me on and on across the universe
Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Jai Guru Deva.
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The track 'Across The Universe' is about demon possession. John Lennon sings 'jai guru deva' (all hail to the devas). In Theosophy, a deva is a spiritual entity, i.e. demon, which exists behind the scenes manipulating and directing human behavior. Luciferians believe they are possessed by these entities when they rape, torture and kill innocent victims.
The Beatles explored different kinds of religions when writing their music in an effort to have people understand and be introduced to more than what they already know. Trying to understand the new religions and making references to them is when The Beatles left the cave. When they performed their songs, this was them bringing their new ideas back to the people in the cave. This caused much controversy because while the youth enjoyed their music and aspired to be more like them, the more traditional people of the culture felt as if The Beatles were supporters of Satan and part of the Illuminati and for that reason they were thought to be corrupting the youth.
I am a big fan of the Beatles and I can understand why strongly religious people were against them but I think that the Beatles just tried to "open people's eyes" and help them see the faiths that are out there that they were never exposed to before.
LINKS(anti-christ songs)
across the universe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3rvJEvfow8
sexy sadie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ0DZRl0VyM
John Lennon was also Atheist and made a remark that he is "more popular than Jesus".
The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie, grew up in a neighborhood in Brooklyn. His father left his family when he was 2 and he began to sell drugs when he was 12. Later on in life, Biggie became a renowned rapper but faced several arrests due to assault and drug possession.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Biggie has always been a smart person. He won several awards due to proficiency in English and performed well in school.
In his song, Suicidal Thoughts, one can misinterpret his lyrics by believing that he is intentionally going against God's will.
----------------------------------------
When I die, fuck it I wanna go to hell
Cause I'm a piece of shit, it ain't hard to fuckin' tell
It don't make sense, goin' to heaven wit the goodie-goodies
Dressed in white, I like black Tims and black hoodies
God will probably have me on some real strict shit
No sleepin' all day, no gettin my dick licked
Hangin' with the goodie-goodies loungin' in paradise
Fuck that shit, I wanna tote guns and shoot dice
All my life I been considered as the worst
Lyin' to my mother, even stealin' out her purse
Crime after crime, from drugs to extortion
I know my mother wished she got a fuckin' abortion
She don't even love me like she did when I was younger
Suckin' on her chest just to stop my fuckin' hunger
I wonder if I died, would tears come to her eyes?
Forgive me for my disrespect, forgive me for my lies
My babies' mothers 8 months, her little sister's 2
Who's to blame for both of them (naw nigga, not you)
I swear to God I just want to slit my wrists and end this bullshit
Throw the Magnum to my head, threaten to pull shit
And squeeze, until the bed's, completely red
I'm glad I'm dead, a worthless fuckin' buddah head
The stress is buildin' up, I can't,
I can't believe suicide's on my fuckin' mind
I want to leave, I swear to God I feel like death is fuckin' callin' me
Naw you wouldn't understand (nigga, talk to me please)
You see its kinda like the crack did to Pookie, in New Jack
Except when I cross over, there ain't no comin' back
Should I die on the train track, like Remo in Beatstreet
People at the funeral frontin' like they miss me
My baby momma kissed me but she glad I'm gone
She knew me and her sista had somethin' goin' on
I reach my peak, I can't speak,
call my nigga Chic, tell him that my will is weak.
I'm sick of niggas lyin', I'm sick of bitches hawkin',
matter of fact, I'm sick of talkin'.
----------------------------------------------------
These lyrics can be perceived as insulting to the Church, because of its use of derogatory terms and the lyrics deal with topics such as abortion, the ideas of heaven and hell, and adultery. This song gives the audience some insight as to how he views his life. But if you delve deeper into the lyrics, you will notice that he feels remorse for his actions. Rap, in modern times, can be viewed as nothing more than curses and derogatory terms. What many people do not understand, is that rap can sum up the experiences of the rapper and have a greater meaning beneath it.
He helps the listener understand that you can’t live a perfect life. As a successful rapper, he has the money and the fame, but happiness is not instantaneously acquired. He is aware that he has made mistakes such as not being a good son and getting his wife’s sister pregnant. Biggie wants us to learn from his mistakes and thus, lead on happier lives.
Biggie is exiting the cave when he realizes he was wrong. In these lyrics, when he admits these errors, he comes to the understanding that you can’t be right about everything. But some people did not like him because of how grave his errors were in comparison to errors they themselves made in their own lives.
Tool, an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, has won three Grammy Awards and performed numerous worldwide tours. Tool also many songs that offend God and question Jesus Christ. One example of a song that questions God is "Opiate."
ReplyDelete_____________________________________________
Choices always were a problem for you.
What you need is someone strong to guide you.
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow,
what you need is someone strong to use you..
like me, like me.
If you want to get your soul to heaven,
trust in me .
Don't judge or question.
You are broken now ,
but faith can heal you.
Just do everything I tell you to do.
Deaf and blind and dumb and born to follow.
Let me lay my holy hand upon you.
My Gods will
becomes me.
When he speaks out,
he speaks through me.
He has needs
like I do.
We both want
to rape you.
Jesus Christ, why don't you come save my life.
Open my eyes and blind me with your light
and your lies.
_________________________________________________
The lyrics of this song are just awful and offensive in so many ways. First, the lyrics state that God speaks through someone and God is someone in our every day lives. Then, the lyrics state the God wants to rape someone. This completely changes the mindset of many people because God is thought as someone who is the perfect figure and created the world. God is perfect and doesn't commit any mistakes. Yet in the lyrics, a totally different point of view is taken and God is denounced by the disgraceful action mentioned in the lyrics. Moreover, on the last stanza of the lyrics, Jesus Christ is denounced, too. The lyrics say, "Open my eyes and blind me with your light and your lies." Jesus Christ is supposed to be someone who guides you along. He is not supposed to be someone who lies and tricks other people. After listening to this song, people may change their minds about God and Jesus Christ and may potentially leave their cave and side with completely different views.
David Bowie was a pioneer of the glam rock music movement, which produced meaningful music by flamboyantly clad rockers. It was not just his erratic and openly gay behavior that concerned parents whose kids had an affinity for his tunes, he was very openly fond of drugs. One of his albums, Major Tom included a song named after the album. It which was meant to seem like a song about the space war on the surface, but was symbolically about drugs. In Major Tom he sings "Ashes to Ashes, funk to funky, we all know Major Toms a junkee", and goes on to explain his hospital visit, which implies an overdose.
ReplyDeleteHe was a heretic who denounced the music of other musical heretics of his time. In his song "All The Young Dudes" he denounces The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, whose legacy is being the creator of rock and Roll condescendingly saying "We never got it off on all that revolution stuff"