SA2 Lyrics+ Analysis

          In the music world, many artists are known for taking advantage of music to send a message about a world problem. One of the most well known band to do such a thing is The Legendary Roots Crew, also known as The Roots. In every single album made by The Roots, the topic of racism has come up more often than not. However, The Roots have also addressed world problems such as poverty, lies by the government, genocides in African, etc. Being a band known for addressing world problems, The Legendary Roots Crew continues to address the continuous problems of black difficulties and Global Warming in their song “Rising Down” typically through the use of personification, alliteration, and allusions.
          A problem that The Roots confront in “Rising Down” is the topic of Global Warming. The topic of Global Warming has become to the attention of many people, especially scientists, in the recent years. Blackthought’s first few lines in the song deal with Global Warming. In the first line of this verse, Blackthought brings up the topic of Global Warmning: “Between the greenhouse gases and earth spinnin off its axis.” (Line 31, verse 3). Blackthought immediately brings up the topic of Global Warming by explaining what contributes to Global Warming through the use of personification. By saying that Earth is spinning off its axis, Blackthought is giving the earth a human-like feature. Also, the line is an example of hyperbole, as Earth spinning of its axis is an exaggeration to say that Global Warming is causing havoc. In the next line, Blackthought introduces another problem related to Global Warming in relation to the first line of the verse: “got mother nature doin back flips”. (Line 32, verse 3). The fact that Mother Nature is doing back flips is an example of personification, as Mother Nature is only a mere character and performing back flips are a human-like characteristic. Blackthought again addresses the Global Warming problem in the next line: “Its like 80 degrees in Alaska you in trouble if you not an Onasis”. (Line 33, verse 3). Blackthought is addressing how Global Warming is increasing the temperature in Alaska, a state belonging to the United States that is generally very cold. However, the main part of the line exists where Blackthought alludes to Aristotle Sokratis Onasis, a very rich man that was married to Jackie Kennedy, the widow of the late John F. Kennedy. Although Onasis has passed away, Blackthought alluded to Onasis to explain that if a person is not rich, that person will not be able the terrifying events Global Warming could bring. However, Global Warming is only one of the problems within the song “Rising Down”.

           The main problem that is encountered by The Roots in the song “Rising Down” is the topic of the difficulties that blacks encounter in the world. Racism and discrimination has always been one of the biggest problems The Roots have addressed in their works. In verse five, Styles P addresses the topic of racism: “Am I ni**a or a n**gero? I’m an African American.” (Line 58, verse 5). The question asked by Styles P is an example of alliteration as both words begin with “ni”. The question asked by Styles P refers to the names African Americans are called today. Styles P proceeds to answer his own question by explaining that the correct term to call a black man is an African American. Mos Def alluded to another problem that Africans in Sierra Leone were facing: “Identities in crisis and conflict diamonds” (Line 12, verse 1). The term “conflict diamonds” alludes to the situation in Sierra Leone where there was a civil war over areas that were rich in diamonds. Since the civil war, any diamond from Sierra Leone has been labeled as a “blood diamond” or “conflict diamond” due to death and horrific events that led up prior to the diamond’s finding. In the song “Rising Down” The Roots adequately address several problems Africans (Americans) face throughout the world.

            The Legendary Roots Crew, in their song “Rising Down”, addresses world problems through the use of allusions, alliteration, and personification. Blackthought, the lead singer of The Roots, is not human being who is anxious expressing his thoughts about current world problems. The Roots continue express their thoughts on world problems to this day, particularly in their most recent album How I Got Over.

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"Rising Down"(feat. Dice Raw, Mos Def, Styles P)


Hello hello hello hello...
Hello hello hello hello...
Hello hello hello hello...
Hello hello hello hello...


[Mos Def]
Every anywhere heights plains peaks or valleys
Entrances exits vestibules and alleys
Winding roads that test the firm nerve
Fortune or fatal behind the blind curve
The engine oil purr, lights flash to a blur
Speed work through the earth make your motor go scurrr
Tonight at noon watch a bad moon rising
Identities in crisis and conflict diamonds
Blinding staring at lights 'til they cryin'
Bone gristle popping from continuous grindin
Grapes of wrath in a shapely glass
Ingredients influential on your ways and acts
Zero tolerance to raise the tax
It don't matter how your gates is latched
You ain't safe from the danger jack
Made it way before they made the map
Or a GPS this is DEF leader


[Dice Raw]
I know where I'm goin even when it's dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello...
you don't see that somethings wrong earth's spinnin outta control
Hello hello hello hello...
Everything's for sale even souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello...
Northside ni**a Southside
Hello hello hello hello...
Sh**s poppin off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello...


[Black Thought]
Between the greenhouse gases and earth spinnin off its axis
Got mother nature doin back flips
The natural disasters
It's like 80 degrees in Alaska
You in trouble if you not an Onasis
It ain't hard to tell that the conditions is drastic
Just turn on the telly check for the news flashin
How you want it bagged, paper or plastic?
Lost in translation or just lost in traffic?
Yo I don't wanna floss I done lost my passion
And I ant trying to climb, Yo I lost my traction
They makin' me break, my contents under pressure
Do not shake, I'm workin while the boss relaxin
Here come Mr. tax man, he leavin a fraction, give me back some
Matter fact next pay check it's like that son
I'll f**k around and have to hurt a few men
They probably chalk it up as a disturbing new trend, Hello


[Dice Raw]
I know where I'm goin even when it's dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello...
you don't see that somethings wrong earth's spinnin outta control
Hello hello hello hello...
Everything's for sale even the souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello...
Northside ni**a Southside
Hello hello hello hello...
sh**s poppin off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello...


[Styles P]
Should I say hello or should I say that hell is low
Am I ni**a or a ni**ero? I'm an African American
They sell drugs in the hood but the man, he move the medicine
He'll prescribe you all-med for everything
A little stuffy nose tell you get some Claritin
You know I'm hip to it and its hard to claim the land
When my great great great grands were shipped to it
look at technology they call it downloading
I call it downsizing somebody follow me
Does a computer chip have an astrology
And when it f**k up could it give you an apology (Could it?)
Should it say hello or should it say goodbye
Try to understand how smart and how hood am I
It don't matter though
Until we learn that the world don't turn right
We all oughta the scatter though


[Dice Raw]
I know where I'm goin even when it's dark and being led down that road
Hello hello hello hello...
you don't see that somethings wrong earth's spinnin outta control
Hello hello hello hello...
Everything's for sale even souls someone get God on the phone
Hello hello hello hello...
Northside ni**a Southside
Hello hello hello hello...
sh**s poppin off Worldwide
Hello hello hello hello...

Legends & Myths

Robert Johnson sells his soul to the Devil

            Many critics would agree that Robert Johnson is, indeed, the king of the blues. The story behind that title is somewhat sophisticated. The legend is Robert Johnson met a man with a dog, which would not stop howling, at a crossroad. At this crossroad, the man offered Johnson, or rather the devil, a chance to become the King of the Delta Blues. Robert Johnson quickly took the offer. However, as a result of taking the offer, Johnson was forced to give up his soul to the man. Despite having all of the whiskey and women and talent one could ask for, Johnson would not be able to live a good life due to selling his soul.

Robert Johnson Sold His Soul to the Devil in Rosedale, Mississippi :: Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog." :: Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.vagablogging.net/robert-johnson-sold-his-soul-to-the-devil-in-rosedale-mississippi.html>.

Ozzy Osbourne’s taste for doves and bats

            Ozzy Osbourne has always been known for his controversial acts, whether they are severe or not. Osbourne also had a reputation for throwing pig livers and cow intestines into the crowd. In his show in Des Moines, California, a fan of Ozzy threw a live bat onto the stage.  According to Ozzy, he believed that the bat was a toy. This was not Ozzy’s first encounter with a live animal. Nearly a year before the show, Ozzy had beheaded two doves, again using his teeth to do so. Ozzy’s excuse for biting off the heads of two doves? He claimed that he was drunk after drinking a bottle of brandy.

"The Urban Legend of Ozzy Osbourne and the Bat." Performing Songwriter. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://performingsongwriter.com/ozzys-urban-legend/>.

            The mythology surrounding the Abbey Road cover

The cover of Abbey Road by The Beatles sparked a large controversy. Theories upon theories were constructed due to the cover’s distinct characteristics. The biggest theory that rose after the cover was released was that Paul McCartney was dead. The legend said that Paul McCartney died due to a car accident and an imposter portrays the “Paul McCartney” in the cover. There were several reasons for this theory. On the cover, McCartney is seen holding a cigarette with his right hand when he is, in fact, left-handed. Also, an Australian version of the album cover there is a bloodstain visible, which is supposed to resemble the blood on the ground after McCartney got killed in the car accident. Another symbol that is found is the image of the Grim Reaper. According to the legend, an image of the Grim Reaper is visible of when the back cover is turned forty-five degrees counter clockwise. Of course, these are just several of the symbols that are proposed by theorists.

"Pictured: The Beatles Album Cover That Started a Decades-long Conspiracy Theory | Mail Online." Home | Mail Online. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205310/Pictured-The-Beatles-album-cover-started-decades-long-conspiracy-theory.html>.

Bob Dylan goes electric

            Bob Dylan is known in the music industry as one of the best in the folk music genre. However, when Dylan changed from acoustic to electric, his audience did not approve of it. Performing in the Newport Folk Festival on July 25, 1965, Dylan changed from acoustic to electric. At first, there were mixed reactions amongst the crowd as he played “Maggie’s farm”. However, as he began to play other songs, more and more of the audience began to dislike Dylan’s transformation.

"Dylan Goes Electric at the Newport Folk Festival — History.com This Day in History — 7/25/1965." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dylan-goes-electric-at-the-newport-folk-festival>.

Controversy of Tupac’s death

            Tupac was major influence on the rap community in not only in California, but the rest of the world as well. On September 7, 1996, Tupac was apparently shot and later died due to his wounds. One of the most known theories is that Tupac feigned his death to fool his enemies and make higher revenue. However, many believe that Tupac is still, indeed, alive and there was some evidence to prove it. Prior to his death, Tupac changed his emcee name to Makaveli after Nicolo Machiavelli, who was an Italian war strategist who was known for writing books that described faking a death to fool his/her enemies. Also, Tupac was apparently cremated the day after his death with no autopsy done. Even after his death, the deceased Tupac released two movies and three LP’s, and of course his revenues skyrocketed. There are many other subtle facts that help prove Tupac could still be alive. Although, the main facts are the ones that have been listed.

Katzenstein, Jeff. "Tupac Shakur Raps and Acts Even after His Own Death - Focus." The Johns Hopkins News-Letter. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. <http://media.www.jhunewsletter.com/media/storage/paper932/news/2002/03/08/Focus/Tupac.Shakur.Raps.And.Acts.Even.After.His.Own.Death-2248164.shtml>.

Sgt. Pepper Cover

            On the Sgt. Pepper cover, the three people I recognize are Edgar Allen Poe, Bob Dylan, and Marilyn Monroe.  Edgar Allen Poe was an author who dealt with alcoholism. Bob Dylan is one of the greatest folk songwriters in history. Marilyn Monroe is a famous actress who was a model and died due to an overdose. Three people who I do not recognize are Albert Stubbins, Karl Marx, and Sonny Liston. Marx was known for being a sociologist, a philosopher, and a political theorist. Sonny Liston was a famous professional boxer and was an ex-convict and won the world heavy weight championship in 1962. Albert Stubbins was an English soccer player and played the center forward position.

Song Analysis 1

Panos Nikolos

3/7/11

Poetry of Song D

Song Analysis 1

               The world of music has always been known as a place where artists openly express their opinions. Whether these opinions relate to politics, world problems, or life in general, they frequently contain an important message. Zach de la Rocha, the vocalist of Rage Against the Machine and One Day as a Lion, frequently uses music has a way to express his opinion towards war, politics, racism, etc.  "Wild International is a song" where de la Rocha expresses his opinion towards the war in Iraq and world problems. In the song, “Wild International”, by One Day as a Lion, Zach de la Rocha expresses his disgust with America’s intervention in the Middle East through the use of allusions and vivid imagery.
               Zach de la Rocha is notoriously known for his views on world problems. Whether it is racism or a war, de la Rocha has fearlessly voiced his opinions on a consistent basis throughout his career. Using allusions in “Wild International”, de la Rocha is not only able to defend his argument, but he is also able to set up an image of what the scene at Afghanistan and Iraq look like. In the climax of the song, de la Rocha compares the air space to the ninth ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina: “Air war was flooded like the 9^th ward/ On the AM, on the AM” (Lines 43-44, verse 3). Zach de la Rocha’s refers to the flooding of the 9^th ward in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina to compare how the air space in the Middle East is like. The flooding of air space refers to the planes, jets, and helicopters of the United States military that preoccupy the air space in the Middle East. De la Rocha could not have made the use of the simile to compare these two occurrences any clearer. De la Rocha also uses allusion in the very beginning of the song: “They say that in war that truth/Be the first casualty.” (Lines 1-3, verse 1). Aeschylus, a Greek tragic dramatist, first said the first two lines said by and alluded to by de la Rocha: “In war, truth is the first casualty.” In terms of what how the phrase relates to today, de la Rocha explains how the government does not inform the people of America of what is happening in the Middle East and the reasons behind why America is actually in the war. Although the U.S. is in war due to what Americans seem as the reason (9/11 attacks, terrorism), de la Rocha believes that there are unspecific reasons as to why America actually went to war. Therefore, truth is the first “casualty” of war because the government will lie about war details. Not only is the phrase a cliché, but it is also an example of personification, as truth is a non-human object. However, the song “Wild International” is also filled with several examples of flamboyant imagery.

            Despite using allusions, de la Rocha also uses vivid imagery in the song “Wild International”. In the first verse, de la Rocha creates an image of a tongue dipped in arsenic (a poison): “Fly my s**t sever your neck/Wider than ever/With my tongue dipped in funk arsenic/Burn this illusion, this lie.” (Lines 5-8, verse 1).  The image of a tongue dipped in arsenic is very clear, and it is also expressed by to de la Rocha to explain that the arsenic will kill the lies that the government says. De la Rocha views himself as the person who exposes the false information spread by the government, using the arsenic, or the microphone in de la Rocha’s case, to expose these lies.  De la Rocha also uses imagery in the chorus: “Muhammad and Christ would life/Your body down/To a tune so wild international/In the desert full of bullets/Let your body rot.” (Lines 28-34, verse 2). In the chorus, de la Rocha describes an image depicting a battle, with bullets flying everywhere and dead bodies on the ground, rotting. This is a very intense picture due to depth in content and description.  As previously stated, de la Rocha’s comparison of air war and the flooding of the 9^th ward is also an example of imagery: “Air war was flooded like the 9^th ward/ On the AM, on the AM” (Lines 43-44, verse 3). Instantly, one can imagine a picture of airplanes and jets and helicopters in the air that are grouped together in large masses. De la Rocha uses imagery to his advantage to send out an image of not only the gruesome consequences of war, but also what is occurring in the Middle East as well.

            In the song “Wild International”, Zach de la Rocha of One Day as a Lion expresses his disgust with the American government and their actions in the Middle East mainly with the use of allusions and imagery. De la Rocha is an artist known for fearlessly expressing his opinion on world problems. In “Wild International”, de la Rocha does not miss a beat when it comes to exposing the government and expressing his opinion on the wars in the Middle East.