Chapter 7 - Banning Music

This posting is in reference to Chapter 7 in Popular Music in Theory: an Introduction. I would like to start by stating my utter shock and disbelief in the regulation of music that occurred in Nazi Germany. I guess it seems understandable what with everything else the Nazis’ regulated, but we did not hear as much about the regulation of music as the physical and mental abuse the Jews endured. Within the text, it states that, “musicologists were…called upon to investigate and identify ‘Germanness’ in music” (203). If the components of music were in any sort of way related to a foreign country, it was banned and considered propaganda. This included instruments, composers, song artists, singers, and players. During ancient Greece, “Plato argued that the social effects of music often went unnoticed because it appeared to be a rather innocent aspect of ‘play.’ [He also] worried that music might generate lawlessness” (200). I think that Plato was on to something.

After looking at various parts of this chapter, I am compelled to think about music that has been banned or regulated in the United States. Immediately, I go in search for some of these songs or experiences, and this is a sample of what I found:

• In 1962, a catholic school forbid students to dance to “The Twist,” because it is associated moves are un-christian (P.A).
• Same year, “Bob Dylan refuses to perform on the Ed Sullivan Show…after producers tell him he cannot sing ‘Talking John Birch Paranoid Blues.’ Dylan is never invited to perform on the show again” (P.A).
• In 1990, “a Tennessee judge rules that 2 Live Crew's Nasty As They Wanna Be and N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton are obscene under state law. Anyone arrested for selling the records could face fines from $10,000 to $100,000, depending upon the involvement of minors in the offense” (P.A).
• In 2000, “A private school in San Antonio, Texas, suspends four students for attending a Backstreet Boys concert in March. The students are suspended for one day for violating a school policy forbidding "involvement in inappropriate music [or] dancing” (P.A).
• In 2001, “MTV decides to air the popular tune “Because I Got High”—but only in certain day parts because of its drug theme. The network says it will not air the video during its popular teen show, ‘Total Request Live’” (P.A).

Our society has seen its fair share of trying to regulate and/or ban some aspect of music – i.e. production, sales, airing of songs, concerts. I think that Plato was right in suggesting that music, whether it be the beat or message, can have a negative affect on society. However, I also think that U.S. citizens have the right to listen to any music they please (freedom of choice). I DO think it is advisable to have “warning” stickers on alum covers, as some music is not appropriate for younger children, much like PG-13 and R rated movies.

The thing is, a big chunk of America liked a lot of this music that has been banned or regulated over time. How does one draw the line between what is and is not appropriate for society? Who decides that? It is not that black and white. If singers / songwriters have a message they want to convey via music, it is their right to do so. However, I also think it is the right of the radio stations, music distribution centers, DJs, and television networks to decide whether they want to associate themselves with this song/album. Every type of art (painting, film, photograph, song) has a certain message the creator wishes to convey. But there are always multiple interpretations behind the meaning of the song and can lead many different directions (as mentioned in the beginning of this chapter); this makes it difficult to argue that a song is solely meant to create rebellion or some other form of negative response amongst society.

Works Cited

Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America

http://www.ericnuzum.com/banned/incidents/90s.html

Chapter 3 Response: Sound and Music Videos

This post is going to focus on the music video section in chapter 3 of Popular Music in Theory: An Introduction. The part that captivated me was the analysis of the relationship between sound and image, not only in video, but in song as well. Goodwin states that “the ‘image’ [of a song or album] was signified in the surrounding texts of popular music, such as album sleeves, newspaper and magazine articles, publicity photographs and descriptions of performers given on radio and even by the stereo ‘positioning’ of instruments. All contributed to how audiences were encouraged to ‘imagine’ the music. Video had not suddenly and simply added images to music…but built on visual codes that were already in circulation” (87). Here, Andrew Goodwin is arguing that even if a song lacks a music video, there is still an image suggested through the media and other resources available to the public.

This got me thinking about music/songs I have heard without seeing the videos and the types of images I constructed on my own. Within the text, it also states that with the music video, “the construction of an image had become more important than the production of sound and the ability of the listener to imagine their own images” (87). I concur with this idea to a certain extent. When I first heard the song, “White Flag,” by Dido, I imagined a woman very much in love with a man; it is obvious they were in a relationship at one time, and that it eventually reached its demise when she says, “I promise I’m not trying to make your life harder or return to where we were.” It seems as though the singer wants him back, but she knows their relationship and problems cannot be fixed. Therefore, she does not know what to do with her emotions. I was able to relate to this song greatly, for I was going through a breakup at the. I recently watched the video and it was slightly on target with my original image. However, the singer never actually confronts or talks to the man she loves. The video shows both the man and Dido carrying on with their everyday lives apart. In the end, the viewers see the man sitting on his bed, with a collage of pictures of Dido hanging up on his wall as he stares blankly ahead. The viewer is led to think that he is still in love with Dido, which is not evident in the lyrics. Now, every time I hear that song, all I can think of is the video. Other than the video, I had not seen any articles or album covers; therefore, the video is the only thing that affected my image.

After thinking about music videos, it provoked me to think about movie soundtracks and how greatly they affect the mood and interpretation of a scene. For example, in the movie Wedding Crashers, the two main characters decide to attend a myriad of weddings, solely to hook up with women and get intoxicated at receptions. This is portrayed through a montage, and the song “Shout” is playing while this occurs. I can think of two reasons why they chose this song: it is common wedding song and is also very upbeat and energetic. This allows the audience to find humor and entertainment in the scene. Had it been accompanied by a depressing song, such as “Take a Bow,” by Rihanna, the audience would have been more compelled to sympathize with all of the women the men hook up with. However, this is not the goal. This is one of my favorite scenes in the movie, and I know that if the song sent a different message, that scene would not have been as accepted by audiences.

With that being said, I think this suggests that music combines with videos or movies to convey a certain meaning and tone. By only looking at one, a viewer constructs an image in his/her head, based on either the lyrics or the scene, depending on whether they are listening to a song or watching a movie. We all have the capability of developing our own interpretation, and our interpretations are greatly affected by what WE bring to the song or scene. Combining the two makes the writer’s message that much clearer.