Pleasure
"Happiness is a Warm Gun," The Beatles, Rock and Roll, 1968
Say Anything, "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too," Pop-punk/Emo, 2006
Minus the Bear, "White Mystery," Indie/Post-Rock, 2007
The Smiths, "This Charming Man," Alternative, 1984
The Planet Smashers, "Super Orgy Porno Party," Ska, 1999
Community Service
Billy Bragg, "The Milkman of Human Kindness," Folk Punk, 1983
Wyclef Jean, "President," Reggae/Hip-hop, 2004
The Riot Before, "5 to 9," Punk Rock, 2008
The Roots & John Legend (Originally by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes),"Wake Up Everybody," Hip-hop/Motown, 2010
Observations
As everyone will no doubt find, the aim that was more prevalent in American popular music was pleasure. I chose to do songs about sex (convenient, as my recent radio show had been themed similarly) and had no trouble finding many examples, even outside of Radio Ready Rock and Hip-Hop.
Community service is obviously less popular in music in general, because in America (and in most other places, I would assume, but I don't have a sufficient basis of knowledge to say definitively), music is consumed for enjoyment, and most popular music is upbeat and "fun," not addressing societal ills like poverty and corruption. Some segments of popular music have a wider focus, but the most consumed music in America pertains to sex, partying, drinking and general debauchery (source: Billboard Top 100).
What surprised me was how much less difficult it was for me to find community service-centric songs than I thought it would be. Within the punk and hip-hop/reggae genres, there is more vocal observations and calls to action regarding society's problems than most American music in general. Punk music has a reputation for being rife with politically charged songs, though I wouldn't consider all political songs or bands in support of community service in the hindu understanding.
The hindu aims of pleasure and community service are different from what is presented in the popular music like those listed above. For one, devotion to community service comes only after the desire for personal pleasure and worldly success has come and gone, while every band or singer is still trying to be successful and make money (more or less). None of these musicians dedicate all of their time to tending the poor, and many of them are younger (or were when writing the song) than what most Hindus would consider ole enough to be in the community service stage of life.
The pleasure extolled in the songs above, and much of popular music, is very similar to the Hindu notion of pleasure, excepting of course the Hindu admonition to seek pleasure intelligently and in moderation. An orgy; waking up drunk, only to go out drinking again; binge drinking continually as in Taio Cruz's "Bottoms Up" or LMFAO's "Shots;" none of these express a desire for intelligent seeking of pleasure.
Community service is obviously less popular in music in general, because in America (and in most other places, I would assume, but I don't have a sufficient basis of knowledge to say definitively), music is consumed for enjoyment, and most popular music is upbeat and "fun," not addressing societal ills like poverty and corruption. Some segments of popular music have a wider focus, but the most consumed music in America pertains to sex, partying, drinking and general debauchery (source: Billboard Top 100).
What surprised me was how much less difficult it was for me to find community service-centric songs than I thought it would be. Within the punk and hip-hop/reggae genres, there is more vocal observations and calls to action regarding society's problems than most American music in general. Punk music has a reputation for being rife with politically charged songs, though I wouldn't consider all political songs or bands in support of community service in the hindu understanding.
The hindu aims of pleasure and community service are different from what is presented in the popular music like those listed above. For one, devotion to community service comes only after the desire for personal pleasure and worldly success has come and gone, while every band or singer is still trying to be successful and make money (more or less). None of these musicians dedicate all of their time to tending the poor, and many of them are younger (or were when writing the song) than what most Hindus would consider ole enough to be in the community service stage of life.
The pleasure extolled in the songs above, and much of popular music, is very similar to the Hindu notion of pleasure, excepting of course the Hindu admonition to seek pleasure intelligently and in moderation. An orgy; waking up drunk, only to go out drinking again; binge drinking continually as in Taio Cruz's "Bottoms Up" or LMFAO's "Shots;" none of these express a desire for intelligent seeking of pleasure.
I really, really love your song choice for these two aims. "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" by Say Anything is one of the most entertaining, frank songs about pleasure and I'm so glad you chose it. Obviously, Say Anything is a pop-punk band that writes funny and outrageous music. I really like your approach to discussing particular aims of particular genres of music. I guess I've thought that particular genres focus heavily on certain aspects of life but I didn't take that much into consideration when I was composing my blog this week. The fact that you gave examples of punk and hip-hop/reggae genres focusing more on society's problems makes complete sense (ie- the Clash, Bob Marley, etc are just prominent bands in those genres). I realize that you can't state that all artists and musical groups focus on one particular aim, but I think you did a great job with your examples.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Hindu aims and the ideas presented in popular culture are different. The concept of moderation and doing things in an intelligent manner are completely neglected in most of our popular songs. I really enjoyed your song selection (both pleasure and community service) and think you did a great job representing the basic principles of both aims with a current American standpoint.