AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC AS PROTEST MUSIC IN CONOR

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AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC AS PROTEST MUSIC
IN CONOR OBERST’S SONGS
THESIS
Submitted as a Partial Fulfillment of Requirement
For the Sarjana Sastra Degree of the English Department
Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts
Sebelas Maret University
by:
Ferrial Pondrafi
C0306030
English Department
Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts
Sebelas Maret University
Surakarta
2012
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PRONOUNCEMENT
Name
Number
: Ferrial Pondrafi
: C0306030
I certify that this thesis entitled American Folk Music as Protest Music In
Conor Oberst’s Songs is not plagiarism nor written by others. Any materials and
theories used as references are written in direct quotation or in paraphrase. I am
fully responsible for the pronouncement. If this is proven to be wrong, I am willing
to take any responsible actions given by Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts, Sebelas
Maret University, including the withdrawal of the degree.
Surakarta, January 02, 2012
The researcher
Ferrial Pondrafi
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MOTTOS
“Music is part of God’s universe”
(Yusuf Islam)
“Where words fail, music speaks”
(Hans Christian Anderson)
“When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am
related to the earliest times, and to the latest“
(Henry David Thoreau)
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DEDICATION
This thesis is dedicated to:
My Self
My BelovedFamily
My Friends
And Everyone Who Believes in the Power of Music
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Alhamdulillahi rabbil 'alamin, finally this thesis is finish already. First of
all, I express my gratitude for the Holy God, Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala, for the
gracious mercy, chance, and time, so I can finish this thesis. Though this is a long
journey, but this journey is worth to travel. I would like to thank also to people and
friends who have amazing role in my own life. Without the help from these
amazing people, I will never finish (or even start) my thesis during my study in
English Department.
Firstly, I would like to thank Drs. Riyadi Santosa, M.Ed., Ph.D, the Dean
of Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts, and Prof. Dr. Djatmika, M.A., the Head of
English Department for giving me permission to conduct this research and topic. I
want to thank to all lectures of English Department for giving me a lot of
knowledge from the first to the last semester.
Secondly, my gratitude I also express to my thesis supervisor,
Dra. Susilorini, M.A., who has helped and supported me during finishing my
thesis. I feel honored being supervised by bu Rini, since the early semester till the
last semester. Her sincerity, patience, and intelligence inspire me to use my
intelligence wisely. Thanks also to Ms. Karunia Purna K., S.S., M.Si. for lending
me the sources of musical theory.
Thank you very much for family: my beloved mother and father, mbak
Meilisa Andri Rizkiana, and mas Tommy Chandra Sasmita. Thank you very much
for being there as my family. I am pretty sure that the best gift ever gifted in my
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life is my family. Thanks also for my uncle and his family living in Jakarta.
Thanks for asking me about my thesis more than my family did.
I would like to thank to all my friends in English Department 2006: Fajar
Rizky and Hermanto for their wisdom and motivation, Susi Anjasari, Endah
Becka, for their warm friendship, and Aji Dwi, Letizia Hanum, Chinditya, Dila,
Novendra, Vadilla Ulfa, Anita Rusjayanti, Intan Widya and the other friends that I
cannot mention one by one. If you all were song, I believe you were the most
memorable song playing on my mind.
My companion of American Studies class of 2006: Akhmad Arifin, for
accepting me as a friend whatever I am, Rizqi Arifudin for being such a brilliant
classmate who always helped us on academic assignment, Rena Aprilia for sharing
amazing and priceless music to me, Arwan Wisnu for teaching us the meaning of
true love, Astaria Purwanigrum for being very kind friend, Tri Setyarini for
helping me on a group assignment, Suci Aryani, for teaching us about religion, and
Wulandari Sidjabat (Rest In Peace) for giving me the precious lesson about ‘the
very meaning of life’. I wish all the best things for you.
I would also express my gratitude to senior classmate; sist. Puspa
Hanandhita (05), sist. Novia Chandra (05), bro. Sonny Hendrawan (05), sist. Rizky
Adi (05), sist. Betty Setyasih (03) and sist. Nur Amalia (03) for being such great
seniors until now. Thanks also to my English Department bandmates: Novika
Trisky (06) and bro. Itok Nugroho (04) for a moment we spent as VIP, my lovely
brother and sister: Danar Abdurachman (08) and Liberty Minggus (08) for
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motivating me to play music and sharing nice experience on 2010. And the other
musician Ezrava Kusuma (08), thanks also for your help.
My blogger friends and junior classmate: Ibnu Nurkholis (08), Rizal Fikry
(08), Cassandra Aleksia (08), Shofi Mahmudah (07). Amstud family of 07: Makna
Sinatria (cannot wait to read your interesting Hexa-Heiwa novel), Saftri Bonea,
Vista Sandy, Daniel Nugroho, Syaiful Danang, and Chandra La Luna, Edwi
Mardiyoko. My illustrator friend Dita Ikasari (10) for reminding me of my inner
talent as an graphic designer and my best friend Chrisna Canis Cara (Administrasi
Negara, 06) for being such a best friend since high school. My beautiful last.fm
friends across country: Fernanda Valdebenito (Chile), Fernanda Paes (Brazil),
Carolina Boani (Brazil), Minna Lehto (Finland), and Julia So (Germany) for
supporting and asking what my thesis is talking about.
Finally, thanks to anybody from the class of 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 who
knows and ever talks to me during my study in English Department, and anyone
who come on my thesis examination to support me. Though this thesis is still far
from perfect, but may this thesis will bring some benefits for you
Surakarta, January 02, 2012
Ferrial Pondrafi
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER ...............................................................................................................
i
APPROVAL BY THESIS CONSULTANT ......................................................
ii
APPROVAL BY BOARD OF EXAMINERS ................................................... iii
PRONOUNCEMENT ......................................................................................... iv
MOTTO ............................................................................................................... v
DEDICATION …………………………………………………………………. vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ...................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... x
ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………..... xii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION …..................................................................... 1
A. Research Background .................................................................................. 1
B. Scope of Study ............................................................................................. 5
C. Research Questions ...................................................................................... 6
D. Objectives of the Study ................................................................................ 6
E. Research Significances.................................................................................. 6
F. Research Methodology ................................................................................. 7
G. Theoretical Approach ................................................................................... 9
H. Thesis Organization ............................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW …………………………………….… 12
A. The Biography of Conor Oberst …………………………………………. 12
B. George W. Bush War Policy ……………………………………………... 18
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C. Socio Cultural Background ………………………………………………. 24
D. Folk Music as Protest Music ……………………………………………... 27
D. Music Basic Theory ……………………………………………………… 31
E. Semiotic …………………………………………………………………... 34
CHAPTER III: ANALYSIS ………………………………………………….... 38
A. Let’s Not Shit to Ourselves :
The Expression of Protest and Disappointment …………………………39
B. No One Would Riot for Less:
The Expression of Protest toward Middle East War …………………… 60
C. When The President Talks to God:
Protest toward George W. Bush Policies ………………………………. 77
CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ……………… 84
A. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………… 84
B. Recommendation ……………………………………………………….. 87
BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………… 88
APPENDICES
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ABSTRACT
Ferrial Pondrafi. C0306030. American Folk Music as Protest Music In Conor
Oberst Songs. Undergraduate Thesis. Faculty of Letters and Fine Arts.
Sebelas Maret University.
The popularity of folk music as protest music declines in the 21 st century.
However, the ideology of protest music is still preserved by folk musician
although it is not popular anymore. This research is conducted to explain the social
protest songs written and played by Conor Oberst as the new generation of folk
musician.
This research is conducted in American Studies framework, thus, this
research incorporates various theories and approaches to analyze the song. Those
are semiotic approach which is applied to know the secondary meaning on the
lyric, music basic theory to know the emotion of the song that support the lyric,
and socio-cultural approach which is used to know the social condition reflected
on the song. These theories and approaches are applied to answer the research
question and fulfill the research objective which is to know how Conor Oberst
expresses the social protest theme through his songs. This research is a descriptive
qualitative research that takes the songs from Conor Oberst as the source of data.
The primary data consists of word choices and musical elements from the songs. It
is supported with secondary data consisted of journal articles, books, and other
related references.
After conducting this research, it is found that the ideology of folk music as
protest music is still preserved, although the style of folk music itself has changed.
The ideology of folk music as the medium to express anger, fear, and hope still
can be found from Conor Oberst’s works. Moreover, folk music as the medium to
mourn certain issues and change public opinion through the lyric is preserved very
well also. This is the ideology that was used by senior folk musicians on their
generation. This similarity indicates that the ideology of folk music as protest
music is still alive until now although the popularity of folk music has declined.
Keywords: folk music, protest music, twenty first century, Conor Oberst
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Research Background
Music has been an integral element of human culture as far as it can be
traced. Through the ages it has figured prominently in a wide range of human
activities: in rituals, religions, ceremonies, and entertainment. Music is not
essential for life, but yet life without music is unimaginable. (Dallin, 1993, p. 1)
The function of music is not only as art and entertainment, but it can be a
medium for self expression and emotional release. According to Landauer (2001),
music, which is composed of seven distinct tunes, is a powerful medium to express
emotion. Furthermore, studies believe that music can reduce stress, increase
optimism, and help to socialize. (Chaudari, 2010, para. 9)
The functions of music are applied really well by musicians on their works
for making protest music. They believe that through music, people will reduce
their stress, gain self optimism, and help them to socialize with other people who
have the same feeling. Music offers less sarcastic words to speak up and is able
easily to deliver message for wider society, because at the same time music gives
entertainment and leisure. In other words, music is able to be a medium to share
feelings, to reduce disappointment, and to send message to the listener.
America has so many musicians who write protest song to express their
dissatisfaction of their surroundings. These musicians come from any races and
gender; from the minority groups like Black and Hispanic, female, to the majority
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group, or white American, who wants to express their disappointment. The best
example has ever happened in 60s decade, the decade of turbulence for America.
The decade welcomed many protest music as the reaction of protest movement
protesting issues of the day: civil rights movement of minority group, unnecessary
Vietnam war, women rights movement, and the awareness of environment. At the
same decade, post-war baby grew up as teenagers and adult. With their young
spirit and ideology, they dominated the nation and held changes in every aspect of
culture. Goodwin and Bradley once stated:
The sixties were the age of youth. As 70th million children from postwar boom became teenagers and young adults. The movement away
from the conservative fifties continued and eventually resulted in
revolutionary ways of thinking and real change in cultural fabric of
American life… young people wanted change, and the changes
affected education, values, lifestyles, laws, and entertainment.
(Goodwin, 1999, para. 1)
Youngster use music as the protest media considering that music is familiar to
them. They wrote song and played it in a concert, festival, or along with marching
protester on the street in order to attract people attention. Protest music became
daily soundtrack of protest movement.
Protest music was boundless to any genre, from rock n roll, to black
American jazz, however the notable and legendary protest music at the 60s decade
came from folk music genre. This genre thrived prosperously and vocalized the
social issue of the day. This occurrence was also known as folk music revival, in
which folk music was revived by young folk artists. Young folk artist wrote and
played songs about the theme of civil rights movement, peace, war, female rights,
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and environmental consciousness. Some of the greatest songs to emerge from the
60s folk revival were songs commenting on the issues of the day. (Ruehl, n.d.,
para. 12)
Some folk artists were also become iconic protest and civil rights
movement figures of the 60s decade. Some of them were Bob Dylan with his
poetic and story-telling like folk music, and Joan Baez with her captivating vocal
and minority struggling theme folk music.
“with the emergence, in the 1960s, of the civil rights movement in the
U.S., Folk music was there. The raw and rasping of Bob Dylan singing
out a need to find answers in the wind, for all to have the right to
freedom, cannot be forgotten …. Joan Baez, representing her Mexican
heritage, sang of the plight of minority groups. In fact, there was a
burst of folk singers at this time crying out for social justice.”
(Wiseman, 2007, para. 3)
These folk artists wrote and shaped American history through their music. It
showed that folk music as protest music has a great power, role, and impact toward
the country and society.
The emergence of folk artists kept moving on the decades afterward. The
decade of seventies was noted by the wave of folk-pop singer-songwriters, such as
James Taylor, Cat Stevens, and Joni Mitchell with their introspective, personal,
and confessional songs. The eighties and Nineties was dominated by female folk
musicians, such as Suzanne Vega, Ani Difranco, and Tracy Chapman, with their
feminism themes songs
It cannot be avoided that folk music becomes an integral part of American
history, since it is not only daily consumable music for American but it is the
symbol of American protest and rights movement. Rather than offering shallow
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and soapy lyrics, this music gives ideological and political theme to evoke
awareness of listeners about certain issues happening on their nation.
Folk music as protest music is no longer popular on the music scene of
2000s. It is because there are other genres that take its position as protest music.
Some genre like rap and hip hop from Black American, punk with its Anarchism
which emerged in the 70s, Metal, and alternative rock are more dominating rather
than folk.
“these days, bands from most genres like punk (Propagandhi, NOFX),
metal (Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down), hip-op
(Spearhead, KRS-One), and turtablism (DJ Shadow, Cut Chemistry)
combine politics with music. but for the first part of the twentieth
century political music, music with a message, was pretty much limited
to the folk music scene.” (Gibson, 2004, para. 2)
All of these genres get more attention by society and media. The young generation
is also more familiar to this music rather than folk.
However the remnants of folk music as protest music are still existed and
preserved. The revival and spirit of folk music still lives on though folk music is
under the radar, less aired by the media, and its popularity declines. Some folk
artists are still writing and playing protest songs commenting and pointing out the
certain issues of the day.
One of the folk musicians is Conor Oberst, a Nebraska born singersongwriter and the frontman of indie folk/rock band, Bright Eyes. He modifies
protest music aimed to the government of George W. Bush presidency. He also
modifies the old and typical folk music into the new one, so young generation will
get, enjoy, and accept the genre easily. He mixes his music with emo genre, a
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popular genre in 2000s that is closely related to hard guitar distortion, screaming
voice, and themes such as lamentation and desperation. (Vendawish, n.d. para. 1)
With his own musical style, he convinces that folk music as protest music
still exists in the year 2000s. He captures the important moment and illustrates it
into songs. Although his protest music is unable to invite massive protester to
march on the street like the decade of 60s, but his works has strong lyric that
provoke the listeners and criticize the government. Because of what he does, he is
also labeled by Rolling Stones magazines as the next Bob Dylan of 2000s. It gives
an important role toward him, since the label is not easily attained by every folk
musician.
It is interesting to know more about the protest songs written by Conor
Oberst. It is because, although folk music itself is no longer popular, but there is
still musician who writes folk music as the medium to protest. Moreover, as an
Indie artist, his musical works are not commodified by the major labels or the
mainstream media. It gives a positive role toward him since his music and lyric are
not “decided” by the market, but it is purely written and composed based on his
thought. Thus understanding the music from Conor Oberst will give a chance to
know the current issues from the perspective of non-commercial music. In this
thesis, I would like to know more how folk music as protest music is played and
preserved by Conor Oberst as the folk musician in 21st century. What kind of
elements he puts onto the songs, so his music is still relevant to be called as protest
music. Therefore in this thesis, I will have a research about folk music brought by
young generation singer-songwriter, Conor Oberst.
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B. Scope of Study
In order to get the answers of the research questions, it is important to put
boundaries so the research will not go far from the main purpose. This research
will focus on Conor Oberst’s songs only (lyrics and music) that present protest
theme. Thus, other elements except lyrics and music will not be considered; for
instances music video, appearances, and official website or blog. Moreover, the
songs that will be analyzed are the songs that contain protest theme only. Besides,
the impact of the artist toward society will not be considered as well in this
research
C. Research Questions
From the research background above, there will be question concerning toward the
issue. The following question is:
How does Conor Oberst express the social protest theme through his songs?
D. Objectives of Study
The objective of this study is to point out how Conor Oberst as the iconic artist of
today folk music expresses the social protest theme through his songs.
E. Research Significances
By researching Conor Oberst’s songs, it can be known the thoughts of Conor
Oberts in relation with protest music in today generation. Moreover, it can be
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found also the major events happened in 2000s. Besides, there are other substances
of conducting this research. The substances will be:
1. Giving knowledge and the evidences concerned toward the research
question.
2. Giving further information of Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes as American
folk music of today generation in relation with the protest music.
3. Giving information about the current issues from the non-commercial
music perspective.
F. Research Methodology
1. Type of Research
This thesis is a descriptive qualitative research which is conducted through
the employment of library exploration. According to Moleong (2000):
On descriptive method, the data collected are data in the form of
words or images, instead of numbers, so that the report of the
research will contain of citations to give description of the report. (p.
7)
Thus in this research, books, articles, references, and other written texts are
highly needed for the source of data. In addition articles, references, and written
text will not only be found from printed media, but also electronic media or
internet.
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2. Data and Source of Data
The Source of Main Data
The important thing before starting research is collecting the data which is
divided into main and supporting data. Without data research cannot be committed
and finished well. Because this research is qualitative research, so the data will be
qualitative data. Qualitative data could be more than just words or text.
Photographs, videos, sound recordings and so on, can be considered qualitative
data. (Trochmin, 2006, para. 1)
The source of data includes the songs entitled Let’s Not Shit Ourselves (to
Love or to Be Loved), from the album Lifted or The Story is In The Soil So Keep
Your Ears to the Ground, No One Would Riot for Less from the album Cassadaga,
and When The President Talks to God from the album Motion Sickness.
Meanwhile, the data are word choices of the lyric and musical elements, such as
tempo (fast/slow), dynamic (loud/soft), harmony (third dimensions of the song:
cheerful/sad), musical instruments.
The Source of Supporting Data
It will take some necessary articles, journals, references, and information
for the source of supporting data. These articles, journals, references, and
information will be taken from internet and books which relate to the discussion of
the thesis. Articles, journals, references, and information become the proofs for
supporting the arguments.
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3. Method of Analyzing Data
The first step of collecting data is comprehensive reading that requires
reading and listening to source of data frequently. The analysis will focus on the
lyrics and the music of the songs, considering that lyric and music cannot be
separated in a song. The second, after the main data is analyzed, then the data
shall be correlated to the object of this research. The object here is to know the
protest theme that is presented by Conor Oberst through his songs. The last step is
drawing conclusion. The thorough analysis will lead to the conclusion of this
research.
G. Theoretical approach
Because this research is under American Studies, then interdisciplinary
studies are needed. Interdisciplinary studies require more than just one studies or
point of view to view the problems, so that it will be clear explanation of the
research. According to Klein and Newell (1997):
Interdisciplinary studies is a process of answering a question, solving
a problem, or addressing a topic that is too broad or complex to be
dealt with adequately by a single discipline or profession . . . and
draws on disciplinary perspectives and integrates their insights
through construction of a more comprehensive perspective. (pp. 393–
394)
It needs more than just one point of view or approach to hold the research and to
relate the topic and the data. The use of interdisciplinary approaches is important
to draw logical reason from the source of data so that it can generate suitable and
expected conclusion at the end.
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In order to get the deeper meaning of the song, approach that is applied in
this research will be semiotic approach, musical basic theory, and socio cultural
approach. Semiotic approach will be used to analyze the lyrics of the songs,
musical basic theory will be used to analyze the music elements, and socio cultural
approach will be used to analyze the cultural background of the song.
Semiotic is study of sign and symbol. It investigates the sign and symbol to
convey feelings, thoughts, ideas, and ideologies of human being. (Ryder, 2004,
para. 1) Song lyric is considered as sign and symbol. This approach will help
interpreting the words of the lyric in relation with the singer feelings, thoughts,
and ideas. Furthermore, by knowing these things, the researcher will know what
the lyric of the songs are talking about. Then finally the theme of the songs and the
ideology contained in the songs can be found.
However, researching the musical elements is important as well,
considering that music is the soul of the song. Song cannot be separated from
music, because song combines two musical elements – melody and human voice
(music and lyric). (Machlis, 1955, p. 7) Musical basic theory will cover the
musical instruments played in the songs, and other elements such as melody,
tempo, and the way singer sing a song. By knowing both song lyric and musical
elements, then the deeper meaning and understanding of the song can be found
Song is the reflection of culture and society. Socio cultural approach is
needed to give the knowledge about the society and culture where the song was
writtten. According to John-Steiner and Mahn, socio cultural approaches
emphasize the interdependence between social processes and individual. (para. 1)
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Because socio-cultural emphasizes the relation between social and individual, thus
this approach will be used to give explanation of the society and social condition
where the singer has an interaction with. By knowing the society or the social
condition, it can be known as well the reason that makes the singer writes the
song.
H. Thesis Organization
1. Chapter I: Introduction, which consists of Background of the Study,
Problem Statement, Scope of the Study, Objective of the Study,
Significance of the Study, Research Methodology, Theoretical Approach,
and Thesis Organizations.
2. Chapter II: Literature Review, which consists of Biography of Conor
Oberts, George W. Bush’s War Policies, American Socio Cultural
Background, Folk Music as Protest Music, Music Basic Theory, Semiotic
3. Chapter III: Analysis, which consists of
A. Let’s Not Shit to Ourselves (To Love Or To Be Loved): The Expression
of Protest and Disappointment:
B. No One Would Riot for Less: Protest toward Middle East War
C. When the President Talks to God: Protest toward George W. Bush
Policies
4. Chapter IV: Conclusion and Recommendation.
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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter will discuss the information and theories that will be applied
on the thesis analysis. The discussion will cover the information about Conor
Oberst and the theory which is applied on this research.
A. Biography of Conor Oberst
Bright Eyes is an indie folk rock band coming from Omaha, Nebraska.
When talking about Bright Eyes, it cannot be separated from the initiator and the
man behind the band; Conor Oberst. Bright Eyes was initiated by a young
Nebraskan named Conor Oberst. It is fronted by Conor Oberst himself as a front
man, guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist and producer Mike Mogis,
trumpeter and piano player Nate Walcott, and a rotating lineup of collaborators
drawn primarily from Omaha's indie music scene. (Oberst, 2005) The band was
formed in 1997, right after Oberst’s previous band Commander Venus disbanded.
The name of Bright Eyes comes from 1934 Shirley Temple film that Oberst
watched on Turner Classic Movies. In that film, the protagonist calls his love
“Bright Eyes” as a term of endearment.
Conor Mullen Oberst, the man behind Bright Eyes, was born in 1980 to
Matthew, a mutual of Omaha information manager, and Nancy Oberst, an innercity elementary school principal. He grew up with two older brothers, Justin
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Oberst, a lawyer, and Matthew Oberst, Jr., a musician best known for his band
Sorry About Dresden
Conor Oberst musical influence was coming from his father and brother’s
record. He listened to his father’s record collection, such as Neil Young, Bob
Dylan, and Joni Mitchell, and also his older brother Matt’s collection, like Sonic
Youth, Replacements, The Smiths, R.E.M., Fugazi, and The Cure. He has cited
The Cure’s first singles collection, Staring at the Sea, as the first record he ever
bought, as well as being one of his favorites. "It must have been third grade...I
bought the cassette at a local record store chain called Homer's in Omaha. I just
loved
the
sound
of
Robert
Smith's
voice.
It
just
sounded
good."
(RollingStone.com) Later on, The Cure fashionable style will influence the style of
Conor Oberst vocal and musical lyric.
Furthermore, he was also greatly influenced by the work of Elliot Smith.
Elliot Smith (August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003) is an American singersongwriter from Omaha, Nebraska. He is notably known for his sad, satirical,
depression theme, and acoustic music work. “Sometimes when you’re not feeling
good, you have to listen to really sad music like Elliot Smith’s and Smith wrote the
sweetest, saddest, most gentle songs”. Oberst also said that he like to listen Elliot
Smith’s songs when he could not find anyone to talk on the phone and thought that
it was sad that, “through his music, Smith had the ability to answer feelings in
others that he was unable to answer in himself”. Later on, Elliot Smith’s works
greatly influence the works of Conor Oberst in his writing and musical works.
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When Conor Oberst was thirteen years old, he started recording his self
album entitled Water in 1993 on Lumberjack Record, the very indie label that
would soon become Saddle Creek. This album comprises 9 tracks talking about
life and angst of Conor Oberst life as teenager. Following year later, Conor Oberst
released his second solo album entitled Here’s to Special Treatment (1994, Sing
Eunuchs!) Not so quite different with his previous album, this album comprises 11
tracks which are merely talking about teenage self-conflict, problems, and anger.
The album was followed by 1996’s The Soundtrack to My Life (1996, Sing
Eunuchs!), a cassette only released in Omaha, Nebraska, and a split 7’ vinyl with
Bill Hover, Kill the Monster Before It Eats Baby (1996, Sing Eunuchs!).
At the age of fourteen, Oberst and his friends, Tim Kasher (later on in
Cursive and The Good Life), Rob Nansel, and Tod Baechle (Later on in The
Faint), formed Commander Venus and recorded several albums, including 2 LPs.
After Commander Venus broke up in 1998, Oberst began turning his focus to his
new project; Bright Eyes, band that later on becomes Conor Oberst main band.
Under the name Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst released his first debut; Letting
off the Happiness (Saddle Creek, 1998). Comprising 10 tracks, this album reflects
more about the angst and emotion of Conor Oberst. Some songs like If Winter
Ends and The City Has Sex compose emotional lyric, screaming voice, and rough
guitar distortion. These songs have common with hardcore genre rather than the
folk one. However the simple acoustic guitar and simple spoken-like voice of June
in the West Coast gives ‘folksy’ touch the album.
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The second album, Fevers and Mirrors (Sadlle Creek, 2000), sounds
maturer than the debut. This album is musically more successful than their
previous, at least in its range of melodies, moods, and sounds. The album reveals
more about the darkest side of Conor Oberst and the way he sees the world as a
whole. Some songs entitled A Spindle a Darkness a Fever and a Necklace, A Scale
A Mirrors and Those Indifferent Clocks, The Calendar hung Itself, and also
Arienette reflects the world of Conor Oberst that is seen in the darker way; rather
than in the brighter way. Later on, Conor Oberst released an EP (Extended Play)
entitled Every Day and Every Night (2000, Saddle Creek), before starting a new
side project a year later.
In 2003, Bright Eyes release his third and successfully acclaimed album,
entitled Lifted or the Story Is in the Soil So Put Your Ears to the Ground (2002,
Saddle Creek). Comprising 13 tracks, this third album offers the listener with
variety of musical colours (timbres). Conor Oberts adopted sumptuous
arrangements (horns and strings) and aimed for the grand pop melody. The pace is
majestic, as in the old fashioned country ballads, but the soundscapes is a waterfall
of timbres. (Scaruffi, 1999) Folk music elements were sounding much more rather
than his previous albums. For examples are songs entitled Nothing Gets Crossed
Out, and Bowl of Oranges.
His political view is not only reflected from his songs, but also from his
action. Conor Oberst joined Bruce Springsteen and REM on an arena tour of swing
states during the campaign of 2004 elections. Hoping to push voters to check the
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box next to John Kerry, Oberst instead captured the attention of the indie ignorant.
(Autumn, 2005, para. 3) He earned a significant reputation after that.
One year afterward, Bright Eyes released two albums at the same time in
2005. First album is I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (2005, Saddle Creek), and the
second album is Digital Ash in the Digital Urns (2005, Saddle Creek). Both the
albums are completely different each other. I’m Wide Awake its Morning is an
acoustic, folksy, and (little bit) bit country album, while Digital Ash in the Digital
Urns sounds more electronic. These albums are quite different but each
complements the other.
On the same year, Conor Oberst released the live album entitled Motion
Sickness: Live Recordings (2005, Team Love). This album comprises Conor
Oberst’s songs from his previous albums, and some cover songs from other folks
artists such as Mushaboom by Leslie Feist and The Biggest Lie by Elliot Smith. In
this album Conor Oberst also sang his critically brilliant protest song; When the
President Talks to God. Before he sang the song, he notes the song to the
incompetent president of America, George W. Bush; and it is followed by
applause of audience. Besides, Bright Eyes also performs the same song, When the
President Talks to God in television show, Tonight Show with Jay Leno. This
performance spotted attentions and become most viewed video on youtube for its
overtone political theme.
In 2007 Bright Eyes released another studio album namely Cassadaga
(2007, Saddle Creek). This album tried to capitalize all the experiments of the
previous albums; from orchestral ballad like Clairaudients, Make a Plan to Love
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Me, No One Would Riot for Less, to Bob Dylan roots-rock like Four Winds, Soul
Singer in a Session Band, and I Must Belong Somewhere.
By the time Oberst was 22 years old, he had been dubbed as the Bob Dylan
of the Ritalin generation (Leaheay, 2003). American rock music critics stated that
Conor Oberst was “the next Bob Dylan!". This label suggested to the world that
Conor Oberst was a notable folk singer-songwriter of today generation.
On February 16 th, 2011, Conor Oberst released his new Bright Eyes’ album
entitled The People’s Key (2011, Saddle Creek). Comprising 10 tracks this album
was much mature than all his works. The songs are not merely about selflamentation, anger, depression, or introspection. However, the various theme of
the album is ranging from life, love, peace, hope, and scientific themes such as
space and future.
Overall, Conor Oberst with his band Bright Eyes has already released 35
albums, including the singles/EP (extended play), and LP (length play) albums;
eleven LP albums and twenty five singles/EP albums. The official LP albums are:
1. A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997 (released
January, 1998)
2. Letting Off the Happiness (released November 2, 1998)
3. Fevers and Mirrors (released May 29, 2000)
4. Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
(released August 13, 2002)
5. A Christmas Album (released 2002)
6. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (released January 25, 2005)
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7. Digital Ash in a Digital Urn (released January 25, 2005)
8. Motion Sickness: Live Recordings (LIVE) (released November 15,
2005 )
9. Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998-2005) (released October 24, 2006)
10. Cassadaga (released April 10, 2007)
11. The People’s Key (released February 15, 2011)
Every generation has its iconic folk artist, and Conor Oberst is the folk
artist for today generation. His pained adolescent poetry of his early records
earned Oberst a crowd of loyal fans, and his doe-eyed, fashionably shaggy look
made him a heartthrob of the indie rock set. He does not only sing for himself, but
his songs speak to the others. He can express his inner feeling toward music and he
can also protest and give social commentary through music. Gerard Way, singer
from emo band My Chemical Romance, stated in buzznet interview that Conor
Oberst is important to the future of music, “His lyrics are phenomenal. I think he
speaks for our generation. Conor Oberst and his band Bright Eyes has become an
important
figure
in
music
scene
of
today
generation.
(http://www.monstersandcritics.com)
B. George W. Bush’s War Policies
George W. Bush was born in July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut,
United States. He was the oldest of six children of George Bush Sr. who served as
the 41st President of U.S., and Barbara Bush. Bush was a faithful with his religion.
Shortly after his 40th birthday, Bush gave up drinking alcohol. “I realized”, he later
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explained, “that alcohol was beginning to crowd out my energies and could crowd,
eventually, my affections for other people.” His decision was partly the result of a
self-described spiritual awakening and a strengthening of his Christian faith that
had begun the previous year. (Duignan, n.d., p. 2)
Bush formally announced his candidacy for Republican presidential
nomination in June 1999. He described his political philosophy as “compassionate
conservatism”, a view that combined traditional Republican economic policies
with concern of underprivileged. He won the Republican nomination, taking a
strong lead in public opinion polls over Vice President, Al Gore, the Democratic
Party nominee, Ralph Noder, the Green Party candidate, and political journalist
Patrick Buchanon, the nominee of Reform party. Republican George W. Bush was
elected as the 43rd President of United States in November 2000; replacing Bill
Clinton as the previous president. Before became a president, Bush was a
businessman and served as governor of Texas.
He occupied the office for 2 tenures; from 2001 until 2009. His presidency
brought a new era for United States History. It was noted by enormous challenges
for several years ahead such as terrorist attack in September 9 th, American
controversial war and invasion, and economic hardship.
His presidency was opened by terrorist attack in September 11th, 2001. At
08:46 a.m., clear Manhattan skyline, New York, was shocked by hijacked
American Airlines Flight crashing the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
Minutes later, at 09:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower of
World Trade Center. The Two buildings collapsed, killing 2.800 American inside
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and around the buildings; including firefighters, and police officers. (Adamski,
n.d., para. 28) Thirty minutes after two planes hitting The World Trade Center,
another airplanes crash the US military base, Pentagon, Arlington County,
Virginia. It was American Flight 77 departed from Dulles International Airport
and bound for Los Angeles. The Boeing 77 was hijacked and crashed, loaded with
10.000 gallons of fuel, at 345 mph into the west side of the Pentagon, (Roberts,
2006, para. 1)
Immediately after the September 11 attacks, domestic security and the
threat of terrorism became the chief focus of Bush administration at the top
priority of government at every level. Declaring a global “war on terrorism”, Bush
announced that the country would not rest until “every terrorist group of global
reach has been found, stopped, and defeated.” (primary source: Declaration of War
on Terrorism) (Duignan, n.d., p. 5)
Bush administration found the 19 suspects of terrorist attacks come from
Muslim world. Bush claimed the one must be responsible to the attacks was AlQaeda, an anti-America Organization. Later on Bush attacked Afghanistan; it is
because Bush believed that Al-Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden was hiding in
Afghanistan.
“The Bush administration accused radical Islamist Osama bin Laden
and his terrorist network, Al-Qaeda (Arabic: The Base) of
responsibility for the attacks and charged the Taliban, government of
Afghanistan with harboring bin Laden and his followers (in a videotape
in 2004, bin Laden acknowledge that he was responsible). After
assembling an international military coalition, bush ordered a massive
bombing campaign against Afghanistan, which began on October 7,
2001. (Duignan, n.d., p. 4)
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Besides Afghanistan, Bush also attacked Iraq. In March 2003, George W.
Bush administration declared war against Iraq. They accused Iraq President,
Sadam Hussein, has any relation with the terrorist attack of 9/11. However, this
war became controversial, considering that there was no suggestion that Iraq
President had any relation toward the attack.
At that time no suggestion was made that Iraq was in way connected
with the September 11th attacks. But in September 2002 a US
government and US media disinformation campaign was launched to
persuade the American people that it was really Iraq which was behind
these attacks. (http://www.serendipity.li, para. 3)
In his pre-inaugural speech at Republican National Convention, the
President said "we have a calling from beyond the stars to stand for freedom".
(Peters, 2004, p. 5) Bush Administration justified the war—and the American
public accepted that justification—on the grounds that Iraq posed a terrorist threat
to the United States. These justifications included:
1. Potential connections between Al Qaeda, the author of the 9/11 terrorist
attacks, and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
2. The possibility that Hussein was manufacturing weapons of mass
destruction that might fall into the hands of terrorists.
3. The safe haven Hussein gave to some terrorist organizations, such as that
of Abu Nidal, who died in mysterious circumstances in Baghdad, in 2002.
Over time, it has become clear that none of these justifications were quite true
when the war started. (Zalman, n.d. para. 6)
To convince people that Iraq was behind 9/11 attacks, Bush administration
used media to propaganda. Major media like Fox news propagandized public to
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believe that Iraq was responsible for the attacks. According to Hal, such media
like Fox news is a media controlled by government. It’s a media for the sake of
government. “And Fox is not what it seems to be” He said, “It’s not a news
service, certainly nor even the sincere voice of low-rest nationalism. It’s a
calculated fraud” (Crowther, 2003, para. 4)
Government-media successfully propagandized American to believe that
Iraq (Sadam Hussein) was the one behind 9/11 attacks
“…about 50 percents of the population now believes that Iraq was
responsible for the attack of the World Trade Center. This has
happened since September 2002. In fact, after the September 11 attack,
the figure was about 3 per cent. Government-media propaganda has
managed to raise that to about 5o per cent. Now if people genuinely
believe that Iraq has carried out major terrorist attacks against US and
is planning to do so again, well, in that case people will support the
war.” (Chomsky. 2003. Para. 29)
Other reason that made George W. Bush administration invaded Iraq was
their belief that Iraq possesed ‘weapon of mass destruction’ - lethal weapon that is
threatening for humankind and America. The President felt that America needed
to destroy the weapon of mass destruction before Iraq used it to destroy America.
However, in September 2003, there were no evidences stating that Sadam
Hussein was connected to 9/11 attacks. What Bush believed that Iraq attacked
World Trade Center and Pentagon and Iraq was a threat for America was totally
unproven. The existence of weapon of mass destruction is unproven as well. After
scouring Iraq for several months, the United Nations inspector had found no
evidence of the “weapons of mass destruction” existence. (http://www.serendipity.li,
para. 10)
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These notions gave evidence that Bush administration told big lies to the
public. Iraq was attacked and invaded not because to establish democracy, to cut
off terrorist, or even to destroy weapon of mass destruction. However, the
intention invading Iraq was for the sake of American profit. According to
Kaminski (2004), this war is a way for America to invade Iraq and rob its valuable
resource. American did not go to war against Iraq to overthrow a tyrant. They
invaded Iraq just because they wanted to steel Iraq’ precious resource. (para. 15)
Furthermore, Kaminski explain more about the Bush administration’s intention to
invade Iraq.
“Bush neocons and apologists lied to us about the Bush
administration’s real ambitions and intentions. Their plan to invade
Iraq was never about exporting democracy. Nor was it about
conquering Al-Qaeda, or finding weapon of mass destruction, or to
cure imminent thread. There were gigantic lies to cover for their real
intentions.” (Zimmerman, 2004, para. 3)
All of these lies lead people of America to protest George W. Bush
administration; especially their policy related to war and invasion. “On this
occasion, however, there was a massive protest before the war was launched
officially and once again on the day it was launched – with no counterdemonstrators” (Chomsky, 2003, para. 59),
Beside terrorist attack, war, and invasion, Bush administration was also
noted by economical hardships. "Despite the Bush administration's rhetoric that an
economic recovery is underway, there are abundant signs that for most working
families their situations are no better—and in many cases are far worse." (Vives,
2004, para. 1) In his presidency, for about, 7.796.000 American losses their jobs
and there was no significant economic
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giveaways to the rich to stimulate economic growth. However, according to
American for Responsible Taxes (p. 1), Bush tax giveaways did not create jobs,
did not create economic growth, and put American into debt to give the wealthiest
American a break at the expense of the middle class. (para. 1)
Most of the jobless were women. Women workers have lost over
300.000 jobs between the start of the recession in March, 2001
through the March, 2004, report. According to the Institute for
Women’s Policy Research, the proportion of single mothers who
are employed fell in 2003 and the unemployment rate rose
markedly among single mothers, from an already-high 9.5 percent
to a desperate 10.2 percent. (Shiozaki, 2004, para. 4)
In Bush presidency, poverty aroused. Lower middle class families were slowly
slipping below the poverty line and the poorest were becoming even more
destitute; and most of these families are headed by women. (para. 5)
Women faced their economic hardships in Bush administration era. Child
care was no longer subsidized by government. For many poor families, child care
may cost 20 percent or more of their annual income. The Bush administration had
cut funding for programs such as child care, which were essential to single parent
households, in favor of expanded unproven programs such as marriage promotion.
(para. 9) This policy inflicted single parent, especially women, and cut off their
annual income.
C. American Socio Cultural Background
Lead by George W. Bush as the President, American people had to face
difficult times in the early decade of 2000s. The condition at that time was far
from better than the previous era which was lead by Bill Clinton as the President.
American People was overshadowed
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President. Yet the difficult conditions at that time were noted by economical
difficulties, fewer job opportunities, unemployment, high-price necessities, lower
wage income, and less affordable housing. There was no significant economic
growth during Bush presidency. Moreover, for about 7.000.000 American people
lost their job. "Despite the bush administration's rhetoric that an economic
recovery is underway, there are abundant signs that for most working families,
their situations are no better-and in many cases are far worse. (Vives, 2004, para.
1)
One of the examples of his policies was tax giveaways to the rich. It was
intended to stimulate economical growth. However, according to American for
Responsible taxes, Bush tax giveaways did not create jobs, did not create
economic growth, but put American into debt (n.d., para. 1). It was undeniable
truth that job losses and poverty finally aroused during Bush presidency.
Moreover, tax giveaways also have widened the income gap between millionaires
and middle-class workers.
Women were the one who suffered at that time. Most of the jobless were
headed by women. Women workers have lost over 300.000 jobs between the start
of the recession in March 2001 through the March 2004, report. According to the
Institute for Women's Policy Research, the proportion of single mother who are
employed fell in 2003 and the unemployment rate rose markedly among single
mothers, from an already-high 9.5 percent to a desperate 10.2 percent (Shiozaki,
2004, para. 4)
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In addition, child care was no longer subsidized by government. On the
contrary, this program was replaced by unproven program that is known as
marriage promotion. (para. 9). For single mother and poor families, child care is
important. It may cost 20 percent or more of their annual income. Without doubt,
the omission of this policy inflicted single parent, especially women, and poor
families.
Middle-class families also had to face less affordable and less secure life
under Bush presidency. Because of his fiscal incompetence and mismanagement,
the lower wages and skyrocketing costs for basic necessities like gas, health care,
and college tuition were unavoidable. Gas price have doubled, health care
premium have increased by over 80 percent, and the cost of a college education is
rising faster than family income. Tuition, fees, room, and board charges at fouryear public colleges grew more rapidly. Unfortunately, instead of producing
solutions to the problems facing the middle class, Bush Republicans have ignored
them and pushed for policies that would make matters even worse.
(http://dpc.senate.gov, 2008, para. 1-6) It is a fact that finally job losses,
homelessness, and skyrocketing costs were daily view in America during Bush
Presidency.
Ignorance was closely related to George W. Bush as well. He did not only
undermine the fiscal condition of the Nation, but he also allowed other problems
such as environmental problem, health care, and disaster response. Rather than
made better condition for his Nation, George W. Bush made his condition worse
than before. His concern toward war outside America made him neglect the
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condition inside his Nation. Instead of financing his Country, the government was
more concerned in funding the war. The money was spent much to the war started
by the government and consequently it affects the financial problems toward
America itself.
The difficult time during Bush presidency caught the attention of musicians
to speak up their mind to protest the government. Some protest songs aroused
during his presidency. War was not the only thing that inspired the songwriter in
writing their protest song. Some broader themes such as President’s ignorance and
electoral fraud were captured as well in their works. Artists from any genre took
part in protesting the government through their musical works; Dixie Chicks with
their country tune song Travellin’ Soldier, Green Day with their pop-punk
American Idiot, Kanye West with his rap Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People,
and Bright Eyes with his Dylan-like folk music When the President Talks to God.
In addition, pop music, represented by Madonna, also sang about protest in her
American Life. These phenomenon shows that the condition during Bush regime
were very critical because it could attract numerous protest from any genre artists.
D. Folk Music as Protest Music
From the name itself, folk music is music of for folk or common people.
The definition of folk music has changed considerably over time. Folk music, in
the strictest definition, is a traditional style of music that is performed and passed
on from one generation to the next. The content was more of local tradition;
customs, history, folklore, lesson oriented, the occasional slightly glamorized story
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of a larger than life local character, and later protest music. In this sense folk
music has been around as long as people have inhabited the planet. (Bluse, n.d.,
para. 1)
Every culture or country has their own folk music. This music considerably
has different form in each culture or country. These differences are characterized
by their musical instruments, and musical patterns. However, the same thing
between all these differences is: the theme. The themes of folk music usually are
talking about daily life and hardships.
America is a place where folk music thrives as well. Long before pop
music took over American charts and billboards, folk music had already existed in
the country. There is no certain account when American folk music came to
America. However, it is believed that American folk music was brought by Irish
immigrant when the day was very young. This notion can be traced by similarities
between the songs of American folk artist and Irish folk artist. Most of the
songwriters at that time wrote songs about their work, relationship, war, and
spiritual issues. American settlers started with nothing in the 1600s and had to
work hard to start the country. Singing song while working helped them to be
though and to soothe their nerve. The strong rhythms of American folk work songs
made the work of chopping woods, hoeing the garden, and other such examples of
physical labor seem to be easier for those who chose or were sentenced to physical
labor. (Stark-Humprey, 2010, para. 5)
Rather than to gain profit, folk music is written to express people’s feeling.
Gene Shay, co-founder and host of the Philadelphia Folk Festival, defined folk
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music in an April 2003 interview by saying: "In the strictest sense, it is music that
is rarely written for profit. It is music that has endured and been passed down by
oral tradition. Also, what distinguishes folk music is that it is participatory—you
don't have to be a great musician to be a folk singer. And finally, it brings a sense
of community. It is the people's music." (in Bluse, n.d., para. 2)
American folk music is defined with some characteristics: such as simple
musical instruments, plaintive melodies which mean that the melodies are sung
repeatedly, strong rhythms, and steady beats. Rather than using glamour musical
instruments, folk music usually uses simple instruments, for instance is guitar.
These simple characteristics have been recognized for a long time in the music
scene as the characteristics of folk music. In modern time, the instruments use are
more various, such as piano, violin, and even drums. The plaintive melodies were
means that the melody is simple or sometimes the whole songs are just sung
repeatedly.
This music usually talks about war, work, civil rights, and economic
hardship to nonsense, satire, and love song. Folk music is identical with protest
music, because the lyric always relates to protest of social condition. It also
became the media to protest the government or society; since 19th century to 20th
century. Moreover, it has power to provoke society to make social change and to
be aware of their surroundings. This music had also accompanied historical major
events in America, for examples: slave emancipation, women’s suffrage, labor
movement, civil rights, the anti-war movement, the feminist movement, and the
environmental movement.
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Folk music revival happened in 1930s-1940s. Some folk musicians,
including Charles Seeger, John and Alan Lomax employed folk music to address
social, moral, and political issues. Conservatives of the era called this the "leftwing folk song conspiracy." Moreover, Unions began using folk songs in their
rallies. The music was so powerful as a left-wing tool in the mid to late 1930s.
In 1940s, folk music began got more attention by musicians. Woody
Guthrie was the figure who played important role in popularizing folk music as
protest music in America. American music would never be the same after he
played music and started writing songs. In 1942, this political-minded author and
newspaper columnist started writing songs after influenced by Little Red
Songbook. Little Red Songbook is a book that was written to inform working
masses about unionism and socialism. (Gibson, 2004, para. 4) He wrote and sang
heartfelt songs from social change to working class audiences. By the end of his
career, he had written thousands of socialist folk-protest songs. Although his songs
did not call for an action, but his songs revealed about the truth of something he
saw.
Beside Guthrie, Bob Dylan was the notable folk musician as well.
Influenced by Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan has similar characteristics with Woody
Guthrie: straightforward and talking like singing style. However, Dylan had
something Guthrie did not. While Guthrie sang about philosophical topics related
to unionism and socialism, Dylan sang about American current issues of 60s
decade; such as Civil Rights Movement to Vietnam War. His down-to-earth
honesty and his straight-talking style gained critical acclaimed. Moreover, his
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political protest songs caught the attention of media. This achievement made bob
Dylan
become
iconic
figure
of
folk
music
related
to
the
60s
(http://people.eku.edu/nelsonl/mus273/folk.html)
According to R. Serge Denisoff (1976), a professor in sociology, the
medium of protest music is usually folk music. Because folk music allows a focus
to be given to the words of a song, while the music took a secondary supportive
role. Thus, this music becomes an effective medium to express social and political
ideological concepts. Denisoff also states the five primary goals of protest music:
1. Pointing to some problems in society, usually in emotional terms.
2. Presenting a solution to that problem in terms of action and a desired
goal
3. reinforcing the value structure of individuals involved with the
movement
4. attempting to recruit individuals by arousing outside sympathy and
support
5. creating moral unity and uniqueness in its world view
According to the characteristics above, protest music has an aim to provoke their
listeners in order to do something. In other words this music has a role to be
propaganda media.
E. Music Basic Theory
Music according to Miller is the art, the craft, and the science of organizing
sound and silence in the framework of time. (2005) It is because music deals with
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sound, silence, and framework of time, thus there must be elements that arrange
sound, silence, and time into work of music.
Song is the work of music, therefore, in order to know the very meaning of
songs, musical basic theory is required. Basic musical theory will shows the
meaning of musical elements playing on the songs. Those basic elements include
pitch, dynamics, tone colour, rhythm, melody, and harmony.
1. Pitch: highness and Loudness
Pitch is the relative highness and loudness in a sound. Pitch of a sound is
created and determined by the frequency of its vibrator.
2. Dynamics: Loudness and Softness of Sound
Dynamic is the degree of loudness and softness of a sound. If string is
plucked hard, it makes loud sound and if it is plucked softly, it makes soft
sound. A lullaby or love song moves in another dynamic range than a
triumphal march. (Machlis, 2005, p. 60) Folk music usually applies soft
dynamic, however modern folk music applies loudness dynamic as well. It
depends on the singer who plays the song.
3. Timbre: Tone Color
Timbre or Tone Color is the color of musical instruments. The same tone
will sound differently when they are produced by a trumpet or a violin. The
difference lies in the characteristic color, or timbre, of each instrument. It is
because those two musical instruments have different tone color. (Machlis,
p. 34) By the way in which the composer chooses his timbres, blending and
contrasting them, he creates the particular sound-world. The timbre or
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music color of folk music is mostly dominated by acoustic sounds, such as
acoustic guitar, piano, and violin.
4. Rhythm: Musical Time
Rhythm comes from Greek word means ‘flow’. Rhythm has been called as
the heartbeat of music. Rhythm denotes the orderly movement of music in
time. It is the principle of organization and design that controls the duration
of the tones.
5. Tempo: tempo is the element of rhythm. Tempo is the rate of speed, the pace
of music, which determines the speed of the measures; the duration in
actual time. Tempo carries emotional implication. People hurries their
speech in moments of agitation. Their bodies press forward in eagerness,
hold back in lassitude. However vigor and gayety are associated with a
brisk gait as surely as despair demands a slow one. Folk music can range in
any tempo. Sometimes the tempo is slow, and on the other hand it can be
fast.
6. Melody: Musical Line
Melody is that element of music which makes the widest and most direct
appeal. It is called the soul of music. A melody is a succession of tones
perceived by the mind as an entity. (p. 14)
7. Harmony: Musical Space
Harmony denotes the overall organization of tones in a musical work in
such ways as to achieve order and unity. To the movement of melody,
harmony adds third dimension – depth. It imparts richness and color to the
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melodic line, weight and body to the musical tissue. It introduces the
impression of musical space. It clarifies direction and creates meaning. (p.
21) Different with rock music or orchestra which gives richness in
harmony, folk music usually serves simplistic harmony. It is because folk
music applies few and simple instruments.
F. Semiotic
Besides music, lyric is an important element of a song. Lyric contains
message and ideas of the songwriter to be delivered to the listener. However, the
meaning of the lyric sometimes cannot be understood by reading it constructed
words only. It needs further signification to interpret the deeper meaning of the
lyric. It is because the lyric has a strong cultural relation with the culture where the
songwriter live in. lyric of a song does not only have denotative meaning, but it
has connotative meaning as well.
The mean to interpret the meaning of the lyric is by Semiotic. Semiotic
deals with sign. Sign, in broadest, sense is anything which produces meanings.
(Thwaites, 1994, p. 7) it can be in the form of sound or voices, written form, and
virtual image. An obvious thing a sign can do is a sign refers to something. It does
not just convey meanings only, but produces them. Considering that anything
which produces meaning is a sign, thus lyric can be included also as a sign because
it produces meanings and signifies something. Ferdinand de Saussure in Course de
Linguistic General (1916) states:
“A science that studies the life of signs within society is
conceivable; it would be apart of social psychology and
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consequently of general psychology, I shall call it semiology (from
the Greek Semeion ‘Sign’). Semiology would show what
constitutes signs, what laws govern them. Since the science does
not exist, no one can say what it would be, but it has a right to
existence, a place staked out in advance. Linguistics is only a part
of the general science or semiology. The laws discovered by
semiology will be applicable to linguistics, and the latter will be
circumscribe a well-defined area within the mas of atropological
facts.” (in Kurniawan, 2001. p. 14)
Semiotic concept of Roland Barthes’ refers to Saussurean concept of signs,
which investigates the relationship between signifier and signified. The signifier is
the mental impression of the sign. It is the mental image of marks on the page, or
of sounds in the air. While, the signified is the general concept the sign invokes. In
other words, the aspect of the sign does the signifying, the other aspect is what
signified. Furthermore, the relationship between signifier and signified, the way in
which a sound impression ‘points to’ or invokes an abstract concept is called
signification. (Thwaites, 1994, p. 27)
He gives an example of this relationship from “a bunch of roses to signify
passion”. A bunch of roses here is the signifier while the passion is the signified.
The relationship of both ‘a bunch of roses’ and ‘passion’ produces the third term, a
bunch of roses as a sign. Thus both of them conclude that a bunch of roses is a
sign. A bunch of roses here does not have any relation to a bunch of rose in a form
of a plant, but to an abstract thing called ‘Passion’.
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At the first level of signification, there are “signifier”. “signified”, and
“sign”. The first level of signification system is called language object, the
signifier is the acoustic image, the signified is the concept and the sign is the
relation between image and concept. The meaning of the first level of signification
system is based on the meaning of word or the language and the construction of it.
While the second level of signification system is not based on the meaning of the
understanding of word or the language construction. It is based on the global signs
which are apart or has no correlation with the language constructions. This is
where myth can be found. The first level of signification is called as denotation
and the second level is called as connotation. The sign of the first level of
signification system becomes the signifier of the second level of signification
system.
The object of signification can be in any forms, such as writing forms,
sound or audio forms, and even visual or image forms. All of them have deep
meanings that it needs deep interpretation to reveal the meanings of the object.
There are more than one interpretation to find the fixed meaning of the object; or
in other words, Barthes called it as polysemic signs.
The fixed meaning depends on the knowledge of cultural and social of the
object readers. For example: the term “pig” in the English Language context has a
denotative meaning as a kind of animals. But the term “pig” in a Britain culture
has connotative meanings as police officers. People who do not live in Britain or
who do not have any knowledge about Britain Culture will not know the meaning
of the term based on Britain culture context. As the result, the readers of the
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signification object has to know the cultural context related to certain language or
social group in which a signification objects belongs to. “Thus the interpretation of
texts depends on reader’s cultural repertoire and knowledge of social codes”
(Baker, 2000, p. 94)
By applying semiotic of Barthes, the lyric of Conor Oberst songs will be
put as the second order semiological system to find the cultural meaning. Using
semiotic, the lyric will be analyzed to get deeper understanding. In other words,
semiotic will be applied in order to transform linguistic code of the song lyric as
the first order semiological system into cultural code as the second semiological
system.
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CHAPTER III
ANALYSIS
Twenty First centuries, or the new millennium, is the new era for America.
George W. Bush took office in the beginning of century and brought a lot of
changes to the Nation. His presidency was noted with crises and controversies,
including terrorist attack on World Trade Center, Invasion toward Middle East
countries, media propaganda, economical hardships, and job losses. These crises
and controversies brought pessimism toward American people. Skeptical and
pessimism of the Nation arose during Bush Presidency, in which half of the
country did not know where their country is going to. When asked if “things in
your country are generally going in the right direction today or… have pretty
seriously gotten off on the wrong track, 52% of American say wrong track, 32%
right direction, and 16% do not know (Cengage Learning, 2008, para. 3).
Folk music as one of American musical genre which is closely related to
protest theme grasped this moment as well. It captured first quarter of 2000s
zeitgeist, such as Middle East War and Bush Presidency. Conor Oberst, a
Nebraskan born musician, also takes part in writing protest music in the form of
folk music. Folk music becomes an effective medium to protest. It is because folk
music allows a focus to be given to the words. There are five primary goals of
protest music such as:
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1. Pointing to some problems,
2. Presenting a solution to that problem in terms of action and a
desired goal
3. Reinforcing the value structure of individuals by arousing outside
sympathy and support
4. Attempting to recruit individuals by arousing outside sympathy and
support
5. Creating moral unity and uniqueness in its world view.
As a folk singer, Conor Oberst applies primary goals of protest songs on
his works. As a new generation of folk artist, he combines folk music with new
musical elements. He experiments with non-folk music characteristics on his songs
to make them unique and different from his predecessor. This kind of song can be
found on the first analyzed song Let’s Not Shit to Ourselves (To Love or To Be
Loved).
A. Let’s Not Shit to Ourselves (To Love or To Be Loved):
The Expression of Protest and Disappointment
The song is different from the typical of folk music, at least on the musical
instrument. This song is played in various kind musical instruments; from electric
guitar, drum, bass, to brass instruments. This various kind of instruments which
produce various timbres also gives an atmosphere of epic orchestra. Meanwhile,
the steadily played drums give an impression of marching orchestra. Marching
orchestra produces energetic, positive, and attentive feeling toward the song.
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Besides, this marching orchestra music is associated to epicness and seriousness.
Thus the background music attempts to show that this song is a serious song. This
seriousness emphasizes that the song provides serious problem that needs to be
noticed.
Some notable musical instruments played in this song are banjo, keyboard,
and brass instruments. Banjo is an element of American root music. This
instrument tries gives the nuance of folk music into this song. On the other hand,
keyboard gives an impression of modern song. It tries to differentiate the song
from the old folk song which had less keyboard play. The other element is brass
instruments. This instrument plays important role toward the song. It gives feeling
of marching orchestra and epicness toward the song.
Harmony adds third dimension of the music. The harmony of the song
gives cheerful feeling. This cheerful feeling gives an impression that this song is a
positive song. Because it is a positive song, moreover the singer tries to transfer
positive energy toward the listener.
Consequently, the listeners will get the
message from this song in a positive way.
The playing of electric guitar indicates that this song accommodates rock
element as well. Rock is associated with anger and rebellion, thus rock element
made by electric guitar tries to give angry and rebellious atmosphere toward the
song. These elements will support the protest theme of the song. Moreover, the
song is played in fast tempo. This tempo emphasized the feeling of agitation. This
agitation feeling supports the protest theme presented on the song.
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This song itself tells about Conor Oberst experience in facing the messed
up condition. The singer points out some problems he meets around him. The
expression of his feeling and the condition will be accommodated in the form of
anger, fear, and hope.
According to Callow, Folk music has been a way for people to
express their anger, hope, and fear from the days when slaves sang
in the fields to bring rhythm to the work, to the great depression
and Vietnam War. (Callow, n.d., para. 3)
These three elements have been closely related to the work of folk music
since its revival in the 60s. These three elements can be found also in Conor
Oberst song Let’s Not Shit to Ourselves (To Love or To Be Loved). Moreover, this
analysis will find more about protest themes in the form of anger, hope, and fear,
that is pointed out from the song Let’s Not Shit to Ourselves (To Love or To Be
Loved).
The song Let’s Not Shit to Ourselves (To Love or to be Loved) is an epic
folk rock song that has long duration, that is 10 minutes and 07 seconds. It is taken
from the fourth LP album Lifted or the Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ears to the
Ground, which is released in August 13, 2002 under the label Saddle Creek record.
The song starts with the voice of the singer saying with a noise check
sounding music as the background.
Here we go, can I get a godamn timpani roll.
Just start this godamn song
Tonight… it’s a godamn song
for you godamn people
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From the beginning, the singer has already expressed his anger, through the use of
harsh words. His anger is supported as well by the noise background music. The
last words, for you godamn people, indicate that this song reveals an anger that is
targeted to the people.
After the introduction, the intro music plays. After the intro music plays,
the singer sings the first stanza. The first stanza illustrates the anger directed
toward the messed up condition around the singer. This messed up condition
makes the singer feels so tired to face the condition around him.
Well, the animals laugh from the dark of the wilderness.
A baby cries hard in an apartment complex,
as I pass in a car buried under the influence.
The city's driving me out of my mind.
Human should have higher level than the animal. However, on the first line
of the first stanza, the singer says that sometimes human can have lower level than
the animal. The singer illustrates it by saying: the animals laugh from the dark of
wilderness. What the singer tries to tell from this stanza is that some human have
done something bad, so the animals laugh to them. They are felt as having lower
degree than the animal.
Something bad here is associated with the messed up condition made by
human, in this case is government, during George W. Bush era. Some of biggest
crimes were conducted by human, or the government. Their crimes include
fraudulent of presidential vote, unilaterally attack of Middle East country, tax cuts
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for wealthiest that cause great inflation on his era, and other policies that cause
negative effect to society
The crimes made by the government cause difficulties in America as well.
The next line states a baby cries hard in the apartment complex. A baby cries in
this line refers to a cry of children that feels the difficulties in life. American
economy becomes more difficult during the presidency of George W. Bush, and
children have also to feel the impact of the difficulties. Job losses, great inflation,
and low payment salary can be found almost anywhere in America at that time.
The first line and the second line of the song describe the condition around
the singer; the animals laugh from the dark of the wilderness / and the baby cries
hard in apartment complex. All of these conditions indicate a messy situation.
Both laugh and cries produce a loud sound, therefore the two words indicate that
everything around him seem so hectic. Moreover, the singer says that the city’s
driving him out of my mind. It indicates that the condition around him is messed up
so he can be tired of. It is the same like wilderness or even worse.
On the following stanza, the singer talks more about his pessimism seeing
the problems in relation with the messed up condition he experience. This
pessimism can be considered as the act of fear to face the truth and being failed.
I've seen a child is caught in the sad trap of gravity.
He falls from the lowest branch of the apple tree
and lands in the grass and weeps for his dignity.
Next time he will not aim so high.
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Yeah, next time, neither will I.
On the first line, the singer recites his own experience seeing kid falling off
from the apple tree: He falls from the lowest branch of the apple tree / and lands in
the grass and weeps for his dignity / next time he will not aim so high. This stanza
tells that the kid is easy to give up. He will not aim so high after falling from the
lowest branch. He knows that if he falls from higher branch, he will get more pain
than before.
The term lower branch used in this stanza symbolizes the lowest level.
Giving up after failing on the lowest level means that human is effortless in
reaching their aim. This is the reflection of pessimism in seeing life. The singer
does not want to aim so high also because he realizes that if he fails to reach it, he
will be disappointed and hurt. He states it on the last line: yeah next time neither
will I. This pessimism can be considered as a fear, which is fear of facing the truth
and being failed.
Besides, apple tree also symbolizes youth, beauty, and happiness. (Karlsen,
2005, para. 5) These three elements are the elements that are always fought by
people in life. These elements also relate to ‘grace’. Moreover, falling from the
apple tree also suggest the ‘fall of men’ from grace. They become disgraced,
which is similar to the animal or even worse. The singer feels afraid to lose his
‘grace’ if he fails to reach his high aim.
The stanza above tries to illustrate the condition on that time. It tries
illustrating that human is effortless. Rather than trying to get what they want, they
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seems effortless and easily to give up in reaching their aim. This pessimism and
difficulties were caused by difficult and not supporting. This condition made them
become more pessimistic in living their life. The difficulty happened because of
some policies made by President Bush and his administrations were not effective.
His policies caused some problem that made the condition of his country difficult.
The next stanzas will talk about difficult condition mentioned by the singer
on the previous stanza. In this stanza, the problems refer to some ineffective
policies during George W. Bush presidency. One of the difficult conditions during
George W. Bush policies is reflected on the following lines.
Now a mother takes loans out, sends her kids off to colleges
Her family's reduced to names on a shopping list
The two lines of this stanza are reciting financial problems during George
W. Bush era. This financial problem included the skyrocketing cost for living and
college tuition. The singer illustrates it by saying that mother takes loans out /
sends her kids off to colleges / her family’s reduced to names on a shopping list.
The mother takes loans out because the costs for daily necessities were getting
higher but she only got lower income. Her family had to reduce their daily needs
(which are mentioned as names on a shopping list) because the prices were less
affordable. The mother also had to send off her kids from colleges. It is because
the cost of college education is rising as well. Tuition, fees, room, and board
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charges at four-year public colleges grew more rapidly. Thus it is difficult to send
her kids to college while her income is not sufficient to fulfill their daily needs.
On the next stanza, the singer once again expresses his pessimism. His
pessimism is caused by the difficult condition under Bush presidency.
And so I've learned to retreat at the first sign of danger.
I mean, why wait around, if it's just to surrender?
An ambition, I've found, can lead only to failure.
The singer retreat at the first sign of danger, because he is too afraid to move on.
Danger in this line can mean a problem, considering that problem relates to risk
and danger. The singer feels safe by retreating or running away from the problem,
rather than moving and solving it. The next line, the singer states why wait around,
if it’s just to surrender? This line means that why he should try so hard when at
the end he will surrender, or fail reaching what he intends. It indicates how
pessimistic the singer is. He tends to be passive rather than active. Furthermore,
there are two words related to a giving up or pessimism, the first one is ‘surrender’
and the second one is ‘failure’.
The next line on the same stanza shows his pessimism clearly; an ambition,
I’ve found, can lead only to failure. The singer finds that his ambition is useless. It
does not bring him into success but only bring him into failure. The singer feels
that the city around him seems offering failure. Moreover, he feels that there is no
way out to fix that messed up condition. As George W. Bush took office, the
Country’s problems were getting more complicated, and then pessimism rose up.
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The causes were coming from the policies made by the government that causes
difficult situation toward American people. Some of the policies harm public and
have consequences for their disappointment. The singer feels that he and his
generation will not get what he intends to because of the condition around him that
is not supporting. He feels that it is difficult to live his life on that difficult
situation, thus it is easy to give up and run away rather than solving the problems.
The next stanza once again illustrates the difficult time that were
experienced by the singer. This condition was related to the financial problem and
unemployment.
Well, I stood dropping a coin into the pit of a well
And I would throw my whole billfold if I thought it would help
With all these wishes I make, I should buy something real
At least a telephone to call home
The singer stood dropping a coin into the pit of a well. He did that to get a
granted wish, although he knew that it did not work. Pit of well is similar to a
wishing well; a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was
thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea of throwing a coin into a
wishing well is ancient.
A wishing well grant the desires for someone who stands over the well
and either speaks the wish aloud, or concentrates on it while drinking
the water of the well. The gods however are unlikely to give away
something for nothing, and therefore most wishers left offerings, which
frequently took the form of food left next to the wishing well, although
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money
was
also
an
(http://www.wisegeek.com)
appropriate
symbolic
offering.
The singer felt that if the wishing well could grant him a wish from a single
coin, then he would throw his own billfold so he could get a lot of granted
wishes. With all those wishes, he then could buy something worthwhile for his
life. Something worthwhile here may refer to daily necessities, which the
prices are getting higher. Meanwhile, the word home on the telephone call
home refers to the home where he grew up. If he could get a telephone, he
would make a call to his parents. So then he could go back to his parents’
house and share his difficulties. Moreover, the phrase also implicates the
loneliness. The singer felt so lonely to face the difficulties by himself. This
illustration is the depiction of the singer’s pessimism in experiencing the
difficult time during Bush presidency.
On the next line, the singer felt that his education did not help him to
face the real life and this difficult condition.
Well, my teachers, they built this retaining wall of memory
All those multiple choices I answered so quickly
And got my grades back, and forgot just as easily
But at least I got an A
And so I don't have them to blame
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The singer felt that he got nothing from school. His school did not give him skill to
face the life itself. It only gave multiple choices (questions) that he could answer
quickly. After he graduated, what he learned from school did no help him facing
the real life. He just forgot the multiple choices easily and got no benefits from
them. This is another reflection of singer’s pessimism.
Moreover, this stanza also criticizes the scholastic system of American
school. Scholastic system is a system that rewards one for simply memorizing
facts and not understanding the theory or events surround those facts. (McDowell,
2003, para. 3) He criticizes this school system that only teaches them to answer
questions, but far from learning technical things that is important to face the real
life.
However, the singer felt that it was not necessary to blame his teacher. At
least he got an A and could pass the school; but at least I got an A / and so I don’t
have them to blame. If there was the one to blame, then the singer felt that
government should be the one. It is because government had made the condition in
his country became worse than before. On the next stanza, the singer pointed out
the government as the problems maker.
The following stanzas protest the President’s policy in declaring war. War
was felt as one of the causes of the messed up condition in America. Because of
war policy, the budget for the Nation was reduced to pay the wars.
Well I should stop pointing fingers;
Reserve my judgment of all those public action figures,
The cowboy president.
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So loud behind the bullhorn, so proud they can't admit
When they've made a mistake.
Those public action figures refer to government, while the cowboy president refers
to George W. Bush. American President, George W. Bush is labeled as cowboy
President due to the result of his ‘cowboy style’ speech after 9/11 to end terrorism.
After 9/11, Bush clarified his desire to kill Osama bin Laden by
stating there is an old poster out West that I recall that said wanted,
dead or alive. … As a national Cattlemen’s Beef Association
meeting in February 2002, Bush told the crowd, “Either you’re with
us, or you’re against us”. After the Senate approved the War
Powers Resolution in October of 2002, Bush thanked members of
Congress and said, the days of Iraq acting as an outlaw stare are
coming to end. The statements to the Cattlemen’s association and to
congress were somewhat veiled allusions to the Cowboy, but by
late 2002, Bush clearly embraced the cowboy myth.” (Dodwell,
2004, p. 17)
His speech style raises various interpretations from media; one of them
associates his speech style with the cowboy image.
However, President Bush cowboy image is associated with a bad
cowboy rather than a good one. Dodwell adds that many columnists and
public figure outside and within America used the cowboy myth to create
very negative image of George W. Bush as a blood thirsty, trigger-happy
loner. His cowboy style was reflected when the President declared war
toward Middle East. In a cowboy-like manner, the President declared war
and attacked the countries which are not related to terrorism. Though the
reason that motivated Bush in declaring war was unreasonable and
unproven but the President did not admit his wrong action in declaring war.
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The next lines criticize this situation; so loud behind a bullhorn, so proud
they can’t admit / when they made a mistake. What the singer states as a
mistake here refers to the unproven reason of the war. So proudly the
President declares war and attacks Afghanistan and Iraq. But when his
motives are unproven, he does not admit his mistakes. This is the proof of
President Bush.
The following line illustrates the President’s speech and statement
that are far from the truth.
While poison ink spews from a speechwriter's pen,
He knows he don't have to say it,
So it, it don't bother him.
The word poison in this line relates to something dangerous. It means that
what the speechwriter writes is far from the truth. It is dangerous because it
deceives the public to know the truth. Public are deceived by the statement of the
President and the government. Government as the powerful institution tries to blur
the fact about the war they start. Moreover, the media also takes part in covering
the crime. The next part of the song will criticize and protest the mainstream
media during Bush presidency. Media has an aim to propagandize the public
opinion of the war. The media tries to control the public opinion to believe what
the President says and so they can accept that the war is justifiable.
"Honesty", "Accuracy" is just "Popular Opinion."
And the approval rating's high,
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and so someone's gonna die.
The singer starts screaming when singing the words ‘Honesty’, Accuracy’.
The screaming expresses his anger and disappointment toward the non-existed of
‘honesty’ and ‘accuracy’ presented by media. In fact, the media does not provide
‘honesty’ and ‘accuracy’ on their news. There are truths that are covered and
edited before they are published to the public. The media do this to cover the truth
about the government error and to get the higher approval rating. This is the crime
made by the media during Bush Presidency.
The impact of this public lies is greater than what is expected. The media
will control the public opinion to believe what the media says, no matter how fake
the news is. The media only tells the good news, while the bad news is eliminated.
Truth above all, is redundant. There is only ‘good news’ or ‘no news’. (Pilger,
2008, para. 11) The singer says that someone’s gonna die on the next line, which
means that the death caused of War is covered by the media as well. As in Iraq, the
uncensored evidence of America’s killing was not shown on TV but covered up.
The media does not provide the truth about the war, and it makes the victim of war
greater each day. (para. 6)
The following stanza pointy protests the mainstream media.
Well ABC, NBC, CBS: Bullshit.
They give us fact or fiction? I guess an even split.
And each new act of war is tonight's entertainment.
We're still the pawns in their game.
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ABC, NBC, and CBS are the big three television networks in America.
Once again, the screaming voice of the singer on the word ‘bullshit’ expresses
anger and dissatisfaction toward those mainstream media. These mainstream
media are believed as unreliable media in publishing news. What they give to the
public is more like a nonsense rather that a fact. One of the examples of the
nonsense is news about war. The media propagandize and control the public
opinion to think that the war is accepted and justifiable. The singer believes that
these media do not give fact to the public, but they put also a fiction on the news
they publish to the public; they give us fact or fiction? I guess even spilt. The
media is manipulated in all manners, for example through professional public
relation (PR), and covert and overt the government propaganda which
disseminates propaganda as news. What are often deemed as credible news
sources can often knowingly or unknowingly be pushing political agendas and
propaganda. (Shah, 2006)
New act of war is tonight’s entertainment means that news about war
becomes a prime time entertainment. The media has edited the act of war into an
entertainment that anyone can watch. People who watch the news then will not
feel pity of the war, but oppositely, they will be entertained of the war show. Once
again, media try to control public opinion to think that the war is acceptable and
justifiable. On the next line, the singer illustrates people as a pawn; we’re still the
pawns in their game. Pawn represents ordinary people, while their game
represents to the scenario made by the government and media to cover the truth
and deceive public. People living in the city only become a pawn for the
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government. Government has an authority to control media, and then use it to
control public opinion to believe what the government says.
The expression of the singer anger toward this condition is reflected on the
next stanza.
As they take eye for an eye until no one can see,
We must stumble blindly forward, repeating history.
Well, I guess we all fit into your slogan
On the fast food marquee:
Red blooded, White skinned oh and the Blues.
Oh and the Blues, I got the Blues! That's me! That's me!
Take eye for an eye means revenge toward 9/11 attack. Afghanistan and Iraq are
believed have any relation with the 9/11 attack, thus one of the reasons why
government attacks both countries is for revenge. However, this unreasonable
revenge brings thousand of innocents and American soldiers to death, and the
number continues to grow up into massive number. That is why the singer ends the
line by saying until no one can see that means extinction.
We must stumble blindly forward, repeating history. This line means that
America will make blind mistakes after all. This mistake will be the same with the
previous mistake before; Vietnam War. Vietnam War was believed as unnecessary
war ever conducted by America. It did not bring a victory to America, and it killed
innocents and American people in a massive number as well. Just like Vietnam
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War, Middle East war brings no victory to America. It only kills Innocents and
American soldiers.
The next line states Well, I guess we all fit to your slogan on the fast food
marquee. We on this line refer to America and your slogan refers to President’s
slogan. America refers not only to a single person, or a government, but it refers to
the people as well. Thus the singer use the word we to refer America as a Nation
including American people. The slogan is written on the fast food marquee. Fast
food is identical to something far from good. It is because fast food industry
exposes allegedly poor sanitary conditions, unhealthy food products, related
environmental problems, and unfair working conditions. Whether it warrants the
attention or not, the fast-food industry is still regularly cited for exploiting young
workers, polluting, and contributing to obesity and other serious health problems
among American consumers. (http://www.answers.com) Fast food marquee
emphasizes that the slogan is far from something good. On a surface, the slogan
tries to express nationalism; however on the deeper meaning the slogan contains
bad intention.
The slogan says Red blooded, White skinned oh and the Blues. Red blooded
refers to a vigorous and spirited person. So here on this lyric, red blooded means
an American that passionate with his American-ness. (http://answers.google.com)
White skinned refers to the majority of American, and the Blues refers to
aristocracy. All of these words relate to the superiority of America. America feels
that they are superior, so they can do anything what they want in the world.
America has shown its superiority and done something criminal by invading and
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attacking other countries, which is causing destruction and death among innocents
and American soldiers as well. This superiority fits to the President’s slogan that
says Red Blooded, White Skinned, and the Blues. The singer is screaming while
saying and the blues, I got the blues! That’s me, that’s me! because he as the part
of American people feel so tired and angry with that kind of superiority. His
screaming emphasizes his anger toward the condition he points out on the lyric.
Instrumental melody takes part on the song bridge before entering the next
stanza. This music has a function to separate the theme from the previous stanzas
and the last stanza. The previous stanza talks about protest theme, while the next
stanza talks about the resolution.
On the resolution stanza, the singer ends the song by reciting his own
experience after waking up from a hospital bed. On this stanza, the singer finally
realizes that there is still a hope for his fear and anger he mentions on the previous
stanzas before. This hope is also applicable also for the world he lives in. The
stanza starts like this: well I awoke in a relief. / My sheets and tubes were all
tangled weak from whiskey and pills, in a Chicago hospital. These lines illustrate
how the singer woke up from unconsciousness in a hospital. What happened to
the singer is not recited on these lines, but from these lines it can be known that he
had already got something serious, that made him unconscious.
And my father was there, in a chair, by the window, staring so far away.
I tried talking, just whispered, "...so sorry...so selfish..."
He stopped me and said, "Child I love you regardless
and there's nothing you could do that would ever change this.
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I'm not angry. It happens. But you just can't do it again."
When the singer woke up he found his father was there, sitting in a chair,
by the window, staring so far away. The singer tries to talk whisperingly to his
father “..so sorry.. so selfish”. He apologized for his selfishness and recklessness
that send him to the hospital. His father does not mind with what happened with
him and what have he done. He then answered; “Child I love you regardless / and
there’s nothing you could do that would ever change this / I’m not angry. It
happens. / But you just can’t do it again”. His father answers wisely that he
forgives his son and will not angry with him. He still loves his child just like
before, though his father has already made a mistake. His love to his child will
never change.
The conversation between the singer and the father illustrates
unconditional love of a father to his son. This unconditional love can make the
father loves his son regardless, even when his son made a big mistakes. This
illustration also symbolizes the unconditional love of God and His creature. God’s
love will not fade to human even when they made mistakes. The father also says
on the last line, “but you just can’t do it again”. This also relates to the repentance.
God surely forgives human If they repent and do not made the same mistakes
again. This symbolization illustrates that in the end, love is a hope to make the
world condition better.
On the last stanza, the singer concludes his resolution.
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But where was it when I first heard a sweet sound of humility?
It came to my ears in the goddamn loveliest melody.
How grateful I was then to be part of the mystery,
to love and to be loved. Let's just hope that is enough.
There are two phrases that have positive meaning on the first and second line;
sweet sound and loveliest melody. These two words indicate that there are still
positive things that can be found in life besides mess up condition caused by
government. Both sweet sound of humility and loveliest melody represent a
beautiful sound that soothes the singer’s feeling, something that can bring
peacefulness toward the singer. What the singer means of those things is love. The
singer tries to tell that love is enough to be the answer of the previous problems.
He believes that love is able to reduce fear of being alone, pessimism, and anger.
Although love does not waste the messed up condition away, but at least love will
make someone feel accepted, contented, and cared. That is why love is enough to
be a hope. The screaming voice on the first two lines emphasizes his expression of
being grateful toward positive things may happen to him. He feels grateful because
there is still love in the world that he finds.
The singer feels grateful because he still has love and still be loved How
grateful I was then to be part of the mystery / to love and to be loved. He knows
that love will not make the condition fixed up, but love makes people united, and
cared to each other, as big family. By loving each other and be loved, he will never
feel alone, and there is someone that will care to him.
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The first song expresses the feeling and the emotion of the singer toward
the condition around him. Through this song, the singer tries to show the listeners
about the messed up condition in America. Just like the function of folk music
itself that accommodates people to express their anger, hope, and fear, this
function is applied very well on this song. The singer also presents a solution on
that problem, by stating that love can be a hope. To love or to be loved is enough
to make someone feel better and feel fine with their own self, although they live in
a messed up condition. Consequently, they will be united as big family of
America. Some characteristics of protest music are preserved on this song. For
instances, painting to some problems, reinforcing the singer value, and presenting
solution.
B. No One Would Riot for Less:
The Expression of Protest toward Middle East War
The first song to analyze, No One Would Riot for Less, is taken from Bright
Eyes’ 8th album Cassadaga (2007, Saddle Creek Record). The song is played in
melancholic tunes and has 6 stanzas for 05 minutes and 12 seconds long. The song
is played in a slow tempo. This slow tempo gives a feeling of sadness and
grievance toward the song. Besides, the way the singer sings emphasizes his
innermost emotion of sadness and grievance as well.
There are also two musical parts of the song. The first part is the serene
part which consists of guitar instruments and strings instruments, and the second
part is the epic part which consists of full musical instruments. The serene part
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captivates the sad and grieving feeling toward the song, while the epic part tries to
boost up the listener’s emotion to be more aware with the issues stated on the
song. The combination of music, the way the singer sings, and lyric attempts to
recruit individuals by arousing their sympathy and support.
The song points out the crucial problem during George W. Bush
presidency. The song itself was composed during the political situation in which
the President, George W. Bush, declared war toward Middle East country. The
title, No One Would Riot for Less has a meaning that no one would go for war
(riot) to fight for something useless. The war began as the reaction of terrorist
attack in World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 9th. Claiming as ‘holy
war’, the President attacked Afghanistan and Iraq which were believed as the
mastermind of 9/11. Joined by British military forces, the United States invaded
central Asian country of Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, in what was tagged
Operation Enduring Freedom. On March 17, 2003, again in concert with British
forces, the US military invaded Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Hamm, 2005, p.
47)
The President believed that those countries were responsible for 9/11
attack. The President also believed that one of the countries, Iraq, possessed the
Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) that could be a threat for America. This
becomes the strong reason why the President attacked Iraq. However, the belief of
President that Iraq was a threat to America is unproven. The Iraq war seems
unjustifiable and brings nothing except death. Iraq President was never a threat to
United States. His “Weapons of Mass Destruction” remain invisible, his terrorist
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connections remain unproven, and he had absolutely nothing to do with the
destruction of the World Trade Center. (Crowther, 2003, para. 6)
The fact raises controversy, considering that the reasons behind declaring
Middle East war are not proven. The war which is believed as the holy war does
not bring any victory but only death and miseries. The first line of the first stanza
tells that the war declared by George W. Bush is only madness, not a holy war like
what the President states to the public.
death may Come Invisible or in a holy war of fire
in the breath between the marker on some black I-80 mile
from the madness of the government to the vengeance of the sea
everything is eclipsed by the shape of destiny
Holy is associated with God or religion. It is related to something good,
right, and having a divine quality. (Merriam, 1990, p. 576) Meanwhile, fire relates
to something destructive and evil, which also can be the symbol of danger. Fire is
a threat to humans, animals and nature. It can destroy acres in a matter of minutes
and it's not a thing that we can compete with. (O’Looney, 2001) According to the
definitions of holy and fire, there is paradoxical meaning of those two things. Holy
relates to something good while fire relates to something evil. Thus, the holy wall
of fire on the first line symbolizes the holy war. This fire refers to the destructive
fire that is believed as something good and acceptable to God. It is a fire which is
soaring tall like a wall which is caused by heavy artilleries on the.
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War on Terrorism declared by George W. Bush is considered by Bush
Administration as a ‘holy war’ because the president believed that the war is based
on God’s will. This guy (Bush) already thinks (and occasionally tells foreign
leaders) that he gets his order from God. (Welch, 2003, para. 3) Ironically enough,
George W. Bush identifies with the light and imagines that he is divinely inspired.
He then believes that any action he desires is justified in the name of God, as he
can rationalize it as being God’s will. Unable to self-reflect, he is convinced of the
rightness of his viewpoint, which he considers non-negotiable. (Levy, 2004, para.
9) All the words suggest that the holy wall of fire in this lyric is associated with
the holy war declared by George W. Bush.
Though Middle East war is declared as the Holy War to counter terrorism,
but war is still a war. It kills people and brings sorrow to the victims. Terrorism or
not, there is no doubt that the vast majority of people in the region and in the
world, believe that the war was entirely unjustifiable. (Whitney, 2005, para. 5)
American feels tired with the war declared by their government: since the Vietnam
War in 1960s till the latest Iraq war. They realize that war only hurts humanity and
brings death to innocent people and American soldiers. Government is the one that
should be responsible for the massacre and madness. “Ultimately the Bush
administration bears the responsibility for the death of every American killed in
Iraq just as if they had lined them up against a wall and shot them one by one.
Their blood is on the administration’s hands not those of the Iraqi insurgency”
(para. 1)
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The third line of the first stanza also states ‘the madness of government’.
The madness refers to this situation, while the government refers to the Bush
Administration. The singer says the government as madness because rather than
destroying terrorism from the world like the promise before, Bush’s policy on war
of terrorism has killed hundred thousand people and made the situation worse than
ever. Paul Levy in his article, states that
George W. Bush action seemed so arrogant, so full of hubris. Different
with his promises on his campaign, his policies in dealing with
terrorism (which is the realization of ‘war on terrorism’) are actually
fueling the fire. Al Gore says also about Bush’s policies on terrorism
and his pre-emptive invasion of Iraq: ‘Instead of making it better, he
has made it infinitely worse. We are less safe because of his policies.
The unpleasant truth is that President Bush’s utter incompetence has
made the world a far more dangerous place and dramatically increased
the threat of terrorism against the United States.” (Levy, 2004, para. 5)
Moreover, his policy in declaring war also raised protest from the world
and American whose families become soldiers on the war. They insist that this
useless war should be stopped before it gets more victims. “While our soldiers die
in ever-increasing numbers in Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting to complete an illdefined mission based on nothing more than Bush lies.” (Zimmerman, 2004, para.
1)
The government just gives an order to fight the war and then send them to
death, while the intention or the reason behind the war is still questionable. The
President says that this is to end the terrorism and to destroy the Weapon of Mass
Destruction. However, the Weapon of Mass Destruction was never found, and the
relation between terrorism of 9/11 and Iraq remained unproven. This truth leads
public to think that the President has another hidden reason to attack Iraq. John
Kaminski states that America did not go to war against Iraq to overthrow a tyrant.
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They invaded Iraq because they wanted to steal a Country’s precious resources.
Because, America, in the blatant hubris of their soulless blindness believe that they
can steal for any reason (2004, para. 14). It means that the soldiers fight and send
themselves to death to fight something that is still questionable. They die for the
government lies and uncertain reason. This is a kind of madness of government
depicted by the singer.
War is identical to death, and the last line of the first stanza the singer uses
metaphorical words to illustrate the death; well everything is eclipsed / by the
shape of destiny. Eclipse makes the world dark because the light coming from the
sun or the moon is hindered by the moon or the world itself. Because eclipse
makes everything darker, thus the singer uses this word to give connotation about
death. Death is identical to darkness; it is because when someone dies, they cannot
see anything. Besides, the dead will be buried on the underground, which is
closely related to darkness as well. The word eclipse gives mysterious impression
also; just like the death itself which is mysterious. The singer put this as
connotation to emphasize that everything will be closer to death on the war zone.
War will kill everyone without an exception; from man, woman, children, old
people, and even other living things such as animal and plants. It is the same with
an eclipse that makes everything darker without any exception
There are so many ways to die just like what are mentioned by the singer
of the first stanza, but war is the worst way of death. War kills civilians, innocents,
and soldiers brutally in a mass number. Furthermore, war happens because of
political error of the government. The Middle East, Afghanistan and Iraq war is
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the example of the unnecessary war caused by the political error of the
government. Operation Iraqi Freedom is a dishonorable, murder-laden, failure.
The Bush course is an endless minefield that yields nothing but the death, maiming
and torture of innocents, in sum nothing but catastrophic human suffering.”
(Zimmerman, 2004) This is what the singer is trying to protest; the unnecessary
war that only brings death, destruction, miseries, and sorrow.
The musical background played on the first stanza also reveals the feeling
of the song. The singer plays the guitar by plucking it rather than strumming to
bring the feeling of calmness. In addition, he also plays it with acoustic guitar
rather than electric guitar to bring the feeling of serenity. The intro is started by the
minor keys to bring the feeling of sadness. Music based on minor scales tends to
sound serious or melancholy. Minor chord sounds darker than major chord.
(Kamien, 2000, p. 67) Right before the vocal enters; synthesizer-string instruments
fill the music and give the second dimension. This synthesizer-string section gives
deeper feeling of grievance toward the song. This synthesizer-string also gives the
sense of modernity. Moreover, the implication of the musical elements on the intro
is giving the image upon the song about sadness and grievance caused by the
product of modernity which is war technologies and artilleries. Finally, the song is
trying to evoke the listener by attracting them to feel the sadness felt by the
victims of war.
The second and the fourth stanzas illustrate the cry of soldier on the war
zone. On those two stanzas, the point of view shifts to the soldier’s. It can be
known from the use of word my on the first line and me on the third line.
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So love me now
Hell is coming
Kiss my mouth
Hell is here
There are two words stating hell on the second stanza. The word hell
creates the images of catastrophic, horrible, apocalyptic situation on the war. War
is correlated to hell because it destroys everything in casualties. It also brings
death, miseries, sorrow, immorality, sadness, and other sinful acts. This is what
happens in Iraq war. Thousand Iraqis and innocent people lose their life for this
unnecessary war.
Conservatives estimates that nearly 80.000 Iraqi civilians have died,
but a study published in 2006, which included those who have died
of disease and other issues related to the war, indicated that 650.000
Iraqis had perished In addition, about 4.000 American soldiers have
died since the baseless invasion of Iraq, and the Department of
Veterans Affairs is overwhelmed by the sheer volume and dire
condition of wounded soldiers who manage to return alive. (Seattle
Post-Intelligencer Editorial Board, 2008, para. 2).
The statistic indicates that the war is the same with massive victims
murdering. Besides, the war in Iraq war veteran, Private Brandon Hughey, who
moves to the Canada to avoid the war duty declare: ‘I don’t care what people in
the States would call me. Raping prisoners, shooting ambulance, bombing
civilians, and burning cities is not my idea of honorable. (as cited in Stephenson,
2011, para. 10) his statement indicates that the war also creates immorality. That is
why this war is condemned by American society and people of the world. All of
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the actions on the war zone are closely related to something sinful. That is why the
singer says it as hell is coming.
kiss my mouth
hell is here
he says help me out
hell is coming
This line still has the same story with the previous; which is depicting the
soldier who needs love and affection before he meets death. It is something fearful
to lose life because of death. Thus they need much more love and affection to save
them or at least to release their pain and fear before they leave their life forever.
Kiss is the symbol of affection and love. It is the way how lover expresses
their feeling of love. Kiss in this lyric does not only mean literally kissing from
someone, but kiss also refers to love and warm affection. Kiss my mouth in this
line shows that the soldier who fight on the war needs affection and love by their
lover because hell is coming to them. He feels afraid of what they face on the war
zone, thus they need affection and love to encourage him.
The fourth stanza has the same melody with the second stanza. But on the
fourth stanza, there is a sound of a man laughing at the back when the singer sings
hell is coming. The man laughs devilishly and obscurely. This laughing man voice
emphasizes the word hell and gives an illustration of hell which is eerie and full of
tormented. It also gives an eerie feeling toward the song as well.
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There is an angelic background choir when the singer sings on both two
stanzas. The angelic background choir depicts the soothing angel voice. Angel is
believed as a compassionate figure bringing joy, peace, and serenity to cure and
ease miseries. This angelic voice brings the sense of joy toward the song. This
choir also justifies the word ‘love’ on the lyric which is correlated to joy. Love is a
feeling full of joy and caress and this kind of feeling cannot found in ‘hell’ which
is related to miseries and torture.
When the singer sings hell is coming, there is female voice as a backing
vocal. Female is related to tenderness and affection, thus the female backing vocal
gives a sense of tenderness and affection of the song. This sense of tenderness and
affection is paradoxical with the word ‘hell’ itself which is related to sorrow and
miseries. But this is the way how the singer makes this part more meaningful.
Because ‘hell’ is miserable, thus the female vocal on the background is trying to
give tenderness feeling and especially to ease the sorrow and miserable feeling.
This is to emphasize how suffering and sinful the soldier on the war zone. They
fight a war in horrible situation with a big chance of death anytime.
This line illustrates how fearful the war zone is. The war brings no victory
but only brings miseries, sadness, and sin. The soldier feels afraid to face the
catastrophic and horrible situation on the war zone, and he feels afraid also of the
death for his sins. This is the way how the singer evokes the listener to feel what
the soldier feel on the war zone. This second and the fourth verses are trying to
evoke the listener to feel pity for the soldier who fought on the battle line. They
fought for the order of the government without any certainty to stay alive or not.
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There is a shift on point of view from the second to the third stanza. Here,
the point of view shifts to the singer’s. In this part, the synthesizer-string musical
instrument enters to emphasize the grievance and sorrowful feeling of the song.
This stanza illustrates another dreadful and horrible situation on the war zone.
There are brutalities and casualties on the war. The singer says that war is
something that has no heart. Heart is always associated with kindness and love. So
this phrase means that war has no kindness and love.
Little soldier, little insect, you know war it has no heart
It will kill you in the sunshine or happily in the dark
Where kindness is a card game or a bent up cigarette
In the trenches, in the hard rain, with a bullet and a bet
War is not living being, it surely has no heart. But the singer puts the word
‘heart’ to justify that war has no kindness. It is cruel and only brings evil toward
humanity. War kills and destroys everything in brutalities and casualties.
“a seven-year-old Iraqi boy caught in a gunfight and hit in the
abdomen. A two-year-old girl from Kalsu, south of Baghdad, with a
bullet in her brain who survived, a 62-year-old Sunni elder from
Doura, south Baghdad, with at least five bullet holes in his back. An
Iraqi gunner whose Humvee had hit an improvised explosive edvice
(IED) was admitted with shrapnel wounds to his head and a
fractured skull. Another young Iraqi boy named Mustafa, 8, had
been shot In the head when his family’s car was waved through one
end of a check-point just as a US convoy was entering the other.
One of the convoy’s gunners opened fire. Mustafa will be braindamaged for life” (http://www.timesonline.co.uk)
This exposure indicates that war surely has no heart. The Iraqi civilians are the one
who suffered most because of the war.
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The second line of the stanza, It will kill you in the sunshine or happily in
the dark, illustrates that whatever may happen because of war, it brings nothing
except misery. In this line, there are two paradoxical words “sunshine” and “dark”.
Sunshine relates to happiness, while dark relates to sadness. War will kill you in
sunshine means that war still kills someone even when they are in a good
condition. While happily in the dark means that although war does not kill them,
but war will leave them in a lonsome condition. All this words suggest that the
result of war is always worst. War does not give something beneficial to anyone,
but it only brings sadness and sorrow. Killing hundred people does not mean a
victory, but it just only another tragedy. That is why war has no heart and it is
cruel.
On the third line, the singer writes where kindness is a card game or a bent
up cigarette to emphasize that it is difficult to find kindness in a war. Kindness can
be found on the things which are not related to war, sometimes on small things like
playing card and smoking cigarette. Card game in this line also symbolizes that the
war is a game. There is no oil crisis. There were no terrorist attacks. There is no
war on terrorism. We (America) are chasing a ghost. It is all a game.
(http://askville.amazon.com)
cigarette also symbolizes the difficult time and
stressful condition on the war zone. It is because smoking helps relieving
boredom, relaxing or staying awake for long nights for the soldiers. It keeps their
sanity on the stressful war zone. (Jura, n.d.)
The next line illustrates the worse condition on the war zone: ‘in the
trenches, in the hard rain / with a bullet and a bet’. Trenches is a long cut in the
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ground (ditch), especially used for military defense. (Merriam, 1990, p. 1258) It is
a place for soldiers to hide themselves from the attacks on the war zone. This line
actually gives an illustration of the worst condition of the soldiers. Trenches is an
uncomfortable place to stay in, besides hard rain pours down on them. It makes the
condition and situation on the trenches worse than ever.
The different musical instruments enter on the fifth verse. The sound of
timpani drum produces a steadily and jungle drum sound like to rise up the
emotion and the feeling of the song itself. In this part, the singer points out clearly
the consequences of war to the listeners: sterile soil, poisoned sky, yellowed water,
and then the death itself. The singer asks the listener to be aware of the war
consequences. This can be known from the word ‘see’ which indicates an
imperative word. Thus the word ‘see’ ask the listener to see or to be aware of the
consequences of war.
The music on the background works well with the lyric by changing the
musical elements. It changes from serene acoustic guitar to intense and steady beat
drum. The way the singer sings the song changes as well; from monotonous
melody into raising melody to attract the attention of the listeners. The music
elements play an important role to tell the listeners that the mood or feeling of the
song is shifting from the gloomy feeling to the attentive feeling.
See the sterile soil
Poisoned sky
Yellowed water
Final scraps of life
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Bringing new tears
The lyric of the fifth verse is trying to show the condition because of war.
This situation can be found also on Iraq war. The environment of Iraq became
degraded because of military attack. The first line shows the impact of war toward
the soil. He states the sterile soil, which means that the soil become sterile. The
soil is no longer fertile because of war, and no living things can survive because of
war. Military movements and weapon application result in land degradation. The
destruction of military and industrial machinery releases heavy metals and other
harmful substances. The inorganic substances caused by heavy machines, bombs,
and artilleries pollute the soil. This pollution makes the organic substance on the
soil die, so then when the organic substance of the soil dies, the soil becomes
sterile. The sterile soil also means that no one, especially civilians, survive and
stay alive on their town or city. The houses burn down, people move away from
the city, and if they are not move away then they will stay on the city as death
bodies.
The other effect of war for the environment is poisoned sky. The line gives
depictions that war also cause the air pollution. The cause of air pollution can be
happened in any form. Oil trenches are burning, resulting in air pollution. In
Northern Iraq, a sulphur plant burned for one month, contributing to air pollution.
Besides, war also causes pollution toward the water. It is depicted on the third line
of the stanza: yellowed water. Damage to sanitation structures by frequent
bombing, and damage to sewage treatment systems by power blackouts cause
pollutions of the River Tigris. (Ezler, 2006, p. 7)
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All of these three conditions illustrate the worst condition because of war
in Iraq. It does not only kill people, but it surely brings pollution to the soil, to the
air, and to the water. The environment were toxicated and destroyed, thus it is no
longer safe as before. Soil, sky, and water are the important elements of the world.
These are the elements that preserve the life of human being on earth. When these
three elements are destroyed, so then the life of human being is threatened as well.
This is what the singer wants to tell the listener.
The singer emphasizes death once again on the last line of the fifth verse;
final scraps of life / bringing new tears. These illustrate that final scraps of life
will bring new tears. There are two paradoxical words here, which are ‘final’ and
‘new’. Final means the end, while new is the beginning. This line suggests that the
end of the life is the new beginning of tears. The death of civilians, families, and
the soldiers brings the new tears (cries) to the family who lose them. This is what
happened in Iraq war. Hundred people died as the consequence of the war. This
tragic war brings the tears for those who lose their family.
Before entering the sixth stanza, the musical instruments emerge and
become more varied. The various musical instruments enrich the musical color
which is previously dominated by calm plucked acoustic guitar. This instruments
boost up the feeling of this song which is sad, sorrow, and grieving into more
heroic and attentive.
On the next stanza, the singer ends the song with dramatic lyric about the
story of civilian on the war zone. The last stanza of the song illustrates the
innocent people who have to leave his house before he gets killed. This situation is
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the portrait of the condition on the war zone which can be found also on the Iraq
war.
Wake, baby, wake leave that blanket cos nowhere else as safe
I’m leaving this place but there is nothing I’m planning to take
The word baby on the first line is the metaphor for the innocent people. Blanket
can mean literally blanket or the protection. This latest part provides the story of
someone who asks his lover to leave from the place where they stay in while they
are still sleeping. They have to leave as soon as possible to find another safer place
to save themselves from catastrophic situation on a war zone.
The line I’m leaving this place but there is nothing I’m planning to take
illustrates that someone wants to leave the place and find the safer place without
bringing belonging unless his love. This line gives dramatic effect toward the
song. It evokes the listener to sympathize the life of the innocents on the war zone.
At the ending of the song, the singer says just you three times and
whisperingly.
Just You
Just You
Just You
The word you in this line refer to the loved person whom he saves. The
voice fades gradually till the third line to illustrate that the man of the story has run
and move away from that catastrophic place. The smoothly fading singing part
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also makes such a resolution effect. The background music fades slowly along
with the voices as well. This background music emphasizes the resolution on the
lyric. The resolution tries to give by the singer is, though the houses and all
belongings are burn down because of war, but still the family, lover, or children is
the precious one to save.
In catastrophic condition like the war, everyone can be the victim; not only
the soldiers but also the innocent people also. If they are lucky, they can escape
and find a safer place, but if they are not then they will lose their life and family.
Through this song, the singer reinforces his moral value concerning Middle East
War. The singer feels that the war is immoral, unnecessary, and bring nothing
except death. The singer feels that the war is immoral, unnecessary; and bring
nothing except death.
Through this song, the singer protests the government by depicting the war
and its consequences. His song becomes the medium to grieve unnecessary war
declared by the President. It tries to arouse sympathy and support from the listener.
The song written by Conor Oberst suits well with the statement of Marcus Brooks
that states folk music embodied human emotion, nature, and spirit Folk music
made people cry. Folk music mourned when someone had died. (Brooke, 2007,
para. 6) Conor can implement the function of folk music through this song. This
song No One Would Riot for Less reflects the saddest part of human life. It is used
to mourn the victim of war and tell about the physical and emotional pain because
of war. The singer can mix really well the lyric and the music into sad song that
can provoke the listener.
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C. When The President Talks to God:
Protest toward George W. Bush Policies
The third song to analyze is When the President Talks to God which is
taken from the EP album First Day of My Life (Saddle Creek, 2005). This song is
composed in 6 stanzas without any refrain and repetition. The song takes 2
minutes 36 second and it is played in strumming acoustic guitar only. The less
melodies and monotonic vocal makes the song plain and straight forward. The way
the singer sings, which is more like talking rather than singing, and the single
musical instrument emphasizes the power of the song relies on the lyric rather than
the music. The use of simple musical instrument, combined with monotonous
singing indicates the typical of folk music. It shows that Conor Oberst still
preserves the musical element of folk on his works. Moreover, the fast tempo
expresses agitation, anger, and protest toward the issues uttered on the song.
The title, When the President Talks to God, shows an illustration of what
will happen if the President talks to God to ask for solution in solving his
country’s problems. From this song title, the President is described as a faithful
person who believes in God and believes the divine power of God. This song is
trying to criticize George W. Bush’s policy in legitimating his action in the name
of God on declaring war. The President believed that the war he declared is a part
of God will. As the president said in the closing lines of his acceptance speech at
the Republican convention, “we have a calling from beyond the stars”. (Raban,
2004, para. 2) His statement raises controversy, considering that his action seems
paradoxical with the principles of his Christianity faith. Through this song, the
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singer protests the President controversial statement in relation with his faith, his
war policies, and other policies.
The song is played also in Bright Eyes’ live album ‘Motion Sickness’
(Team Love, 2005). He starts the song by dedicating it to the incompetence and
arrogant President of America, George W. Bush. His dedication is followed by
applause from the audiences. The applause indicates that the audiences agree with
the singer statement.
The analysis of the song relies much on the lyric rather than music,
considering that the lyric plays an important role toward the song. The lyric has an
aim to express the protest words, while the music was played plaintively. The
singer starts the song by hard strumming guitar and sings the first stanza in
‘talking-like’ way and trembling voice. The way the singer sings express a
curiosity of the singer toward the President, the curiosity of what will happen if the
President talks to God for asking recommendation. The first verse contains 6 lines.
Each line correlates to the other lines and creates a rhetorical question.
When the president talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women’s rights?
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike?
When the president talks to God?
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On the first part of the song, the singer is questioning technically the
conversation happened between the President and God: whether the conversation
is brief or long. The words brief and long on the second line refers to the
seriousness of the conversation. The long conversation tends to be a serious, while
brief conversation tends to be less serious. It questions whether the President has a
serious conversation, or just an unimportant and not serious conversation.
On the next part, the singer states Does he ask to rape our women’s rights?
He in this line refers to the President. The singer questions whether the President
asks permission to God for raping American women’s rights or not, considering
that his policy seems hurting American women. This line refers to George W.
Bush economic policies related to women employment. The word ‘rape’ in this
line is a harsh metaphor for ‘abusing’ women’s right. Rape in this line is not
explicitly refers to an action of ‘raping’ or ‘abusing’ physically, but it is the
metaphor for abusing women’s rights. The women’s rights are rights for better life,
getting proper job, and getting proper salary. Meanwhile, President’s policy seems
not offering those things. His policy has made some women, especially single
mother, lose their job and make their life become more difficult. The policy is
cutting funding for child care, which are essential to single parent households.
Women, especially single mothers who have to raise their children, must
experience the impact of that policy. According to the institute of Women’s Policy
Research, the proportion of single mother who are employed fell in 2003 and the
unemployment rate rose markedly among single mothers, from an already high 9.5
percent to a desperate 10.2 percent. (Shiozaki, 2004, para. 4)
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The next line states or sends poor farm kid off to die. This line still talks
about economical failure during the administration of George W. Bush. Poverty
rises up and lots of Americans lose their jobs. Shiozaki argues that during Bush
presidency poverty is on the rise, healthcare coverage is on the decline, and the
country is faced with the largest national deficit in history (para. 5) This line
criticizes harshly the incapability of the President in handling National economy.
The singer chooses the word ‘off to die’ to emphasize that American economy is
on the crisis and the lowest point. According to Shaft, children also experience the
impact of economical hardships which cause ‘food insecure’, a term for those
people facing hunger and malnutrition. America’s Second Harvest states that 35
million Americans are now considered ‘food insecure’ and more than 13 million
children are now considered ‘food insecure’. (as cited in Hamm, 2005, p. 158)
The next line states does God suggest an oil hike / when the President talks
to God? This line criticizes George W. Bush’s hiking oil price policy, one of the
policies that caused bad effect during his administration. The cause of oil hike is
fear of disruption in global oil supplies. Although there are several reasons for the
surge in prices, analysts agree that one is a “fear factor” of potential shortage.
(http://www.nytimes.com/) The Bush Administration is grappling with an
unwanted side effect of its policies. Moreover the side effect of oil price brings no
wealth to American Society, but it makes the condition of poor family far from
better.
Not only does the singer criticize Bush’s policies, he also criticizes Bush’s
action in solving his Nation’s problems and racial issues
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Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Is he resolute all down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God says ever change his mind?
Is he resolute all down the line? This line is questioning the President’s
seriousness in solving his country problems, whether the President will solve
seriously the problems until it is done or not. While black or white on is every
issue black or white represents the dualism of ‘right and wrong’. President Bush is
considered as the President that sees things in black and white. Things are black
and white, with few shades of gray. "i don't do nuance", George W. Bush told the
reporters. (McAdams, 2011, p. 40) This line criticizes his attitude in seeing all
things in black and white, even in Middle East war. If he does not see good things,
then he associates it with something bad or evil. He feels that what is not going
along with America is considered as evil, and this kind of view can be threatening
for the world and America itself.
Besides, black or white also suggests racial issue in America. Racial issue
is a long-lasting issue in America. It usually happens between Black American as
the minority, and the White American as the majority. This issue is what the song
is trying to question. The racial issue also relates to the 4th stanza which is talking
about Black American issues as well.
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I wonder which one plays the better cop
We should find some jobs. The ghetto’s broke
No, they're lazy, George, I say we don't
Just give 'em more liquor stores and dirty coke
That's what God recommends
The word ‘I’ on this stanza refers to the singer. Here the singer is
wondering which one plays the better cop, whether the Bush himself or God. Cop
is a police officer, whose job is to keep public order, prevent, and solve crime. The
singer is questioning which one is better in preventing and solving crime, and
keeping public order. This line satirizes the action of George W. Bush that should
become a Cop for his Country. In fact, the President seems far from being a good
cop for his country and his action is more like doing crime rather than preventing
or solving crimes.
The next line states We shall find some jobs / The ghetto’s broke. The word
‘We’ in this line refers to God and the President. It can be known from the
following stanza No they’re Lazy George, I Say We Don’t. George refers to the
President George W. Bush while “I” refers to God. In this stanza, God recommend
the President not to find some jobs to the Black American, even though their
ghetto has broken as well. Ghetto is a quarter of a city in which members of a
minority group live, esp. because of social, legal, or economic pressure (Merriam,
1990, p. 516). The ghetto refers to New Jersey, a city where the majority is Black
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American. The “ghetto’s broke” relates to broken town of New Jersey caused by
disaster Hurricane Katrina striking on 2005. This disaster cause Black Americans
lose their settlement, family, and job. Even though they need more job after their
lost because of disaster Hurricane Katrina, but God recommend to ignore them.
Because God is the one that the President will obey, so the President will surely do
what God suggest. This part is criticizing the ignorance of George W. Bush
toward the Black American.
George W. Bush allowed all the death and misery after Katrina to
go down the way it did. He was fine with the people trapped in the
city, he was fine with the bodies floating in the water, and he was
fine with masses of poor and working people--in their great
majority Black--forced into truly desperate and traumatic
conditions. (http://revcom.us/)
This ignorance raises questions whether the President really cares to minority,
especially Black American or not.
Other
Black
American
problems
during
Bush’s presidency are
unemployment and poverty. The number of unemployment and poverty of Black
American is higher than White American during the era of George W. Bush.
Unemployment today for young Black Men aged 16 to 91 tops out at more than 30
percent; double that of young white men in the same age category. In spite of that
appalling statistics, Bush announced that he will cut funds for urban job training
programs by 70 percent, from $225 million to $45 million (Taylor, 2003, p. 3)
On the last line of the stanza, the singer says just give ‘em more liquor
stores and dirty coke. Liquor is an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than
fermented, while coke is carbonated soft drink which usually relates to unhealthy
drink. The word ‘dirty’ also emphasizes
as something negative. Both liquor
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and dirty coke are something closer with an alcoholic drink. Alcoholic drink is
prohibited in religion, considering that it can cause social crimes. Many Crimes are
taken place for alcoholic people. It causes physical problems including mental
illness, short term memory loss, and performance reduces. In fact, alcohol has
been one of the world's greatest destroyers. It is terrible violent consequences are
felt all over the world. In addition, the prohibition of alcohol is stated also on
Bible: ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived
thereby is not wise’. (Proverbs 20:1) (http://www.writearticles.org)
That’s what God recommends; this last line says that those things are
God’s recommendation for the President to solve Black American problems.
However, God’s recommendation in giving Black American more liquor stores
and dirty coke seems irresponsible. God solutions are ungodly and it shows what
President believes as God is fake. It is not a real God, but only his own thought.
The President only uses the name of God to legitimate his ignorance and wrong
action in solving Black American problems.
The next stanza exposes other things which are criticized by the singer.
These things are considered as the crimes made by the President, George W. Bush;
Killing the convicts, building and filling the prisons, and concealing voter frauds.
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed?
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On this stanza, the singer ends the last line by screaming. The screaming
voice expresses an angry emotion toward the song. This anger is expressed on this
stanza because this stanza is exposing the crimes made by the President.
Killing convicts and building and filling prisons relate to his policy in
establishing prisons for Afghanistan and Iraq detainees. On 2002, a prison namely
Guantanamo was built on Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. This prison was built to
hold detainees from the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. The prisons should be built
in this line refers to the establishment of Guantanamo prison, while ‘filled’ in this
line has the meaning that the prisons should be filled by the terrorist and the
suspect terrorist coming from Afghanistan and Iraq. Though there is no evidence
that the prisoner is guilty, they were still put them inside the prisoner. “any
individual believed to be affiliated in any way with terrorists can be imprisoned
indefinitely without any showing of evidence, and providing no opportunity to the
detainee to argue his or her innocence” (Parker, 2005, p. 103) furthermore, the
reason of keeping the innocent is not tolerable.
“George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld covered up
that hundreds of innocent men were sent to Guantanamo Bay prison
camp because they feared that releasing them would harm the push
for war in Iraq and the broader War on Terror. (Reid, 2010, para. 1)
The prison raised controversy because the investigation found out that there were
torture and torment toward detainees inside Guantanamo. The use of Guantanamo
Bay as a military prison has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and
others, who cite reports that detainees have been tortured or otherwise poorly
treated. The international Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been allowed to
visit detainees, but the ICRC’s confidential operating methods prevent it from
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reporting publicly on conditions of detention. Even s, in October the ICRC said
that it has noted “a worrying deterioration in the psychological health of a large
number” of the detainees attributed to the uncertainty of their fate. Thirty-two
detainees have attempted suicide. (Parker, 2005, p. 103)
The next last line of the stanza deals with the third crime of the President:
voting fraudulent. Voter must be concealed means concealing the truth. And
concealing the truth is a form of crime as well. The winning of President Bush on
election is believed as the result of fraudulent. Bush victory over Gore in the 2000
election depended upon a number of fraudulent techniques in Florida (which he
officially won by 537 voters), without which Gore would have won by ten of
thousands of voters. Bush was aided by the fact that his brother Jeb was Florida
Governor, his campaign co-choir Katherine Harris was the top Florida electionsupervising official (secretary of state), and 4 of the 9 members of the US Supreme
Court has been appointed by Bush’s father (or when Bush senior was Vice
President). (http://rangevoting.org/) stealing the vote is considered as crime. It
covers the truth and brings large effect for the Nation itself. Furthermore, the
policies made by George W. Bush, as the elected President, do not make the
Nation better, but it makes the condition worse than before.
The following stanza talks about the invasion toward Muslim Country
Do they drink near beer and go play golf
While they pick which countries to invade
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
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I guess God just calls a spade a spade
The first and the second line of the fifth verse illustrate how the President
and God talk to each other. Drink near beer means drinking some beers on a bar.
In politics, beer relates to something dirty and far from holy act. Sometimes a beer
is just a beer—except in politics, where beer may signify any old thing we want it
to. It is the most abused of all alcoholic beverages. (Dickerson, 2009, para.1) On
the other hand, golf refers to the game of an elite and upper class society. This line
illustrates how the President can get the right resolution for the lower class society
if they discuss the resolution by playing upper class game. It will make the
resolution become ineffective and perfunctory. This line indicates how less serious
the President makes a decision.
The next line ‘pick which countries to invade, which Muslim souls still can
be saved? / Guess God just calls a spade a spade’. A spade a spade is an idiom to
speak honestly and directly about a topic, specifically topics that others may avoid
speaking
about
due
to
their
sensitivity
or
embarrassing
nature.
(http://dictionary.sensagent.com) These two lines criticize the policies of George
W. Bush on attacking Muslim countries (Afghanistan and Iraq) that caused
massive death among the Muslims on both countries. This is the most unpopular
and controversial policy made by President George W. Bush during his
presidency. This line shows once again that the President only legitimates his
wrong action in the name of God. All of his action seems paradoxical with his
faith.
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On the last verse of the song, the singer gives resolution for the questions
before.
Does he ever think that maybe He's not?
That the voice is just inside his head
When he kneels next to the presidential bed
Does he ever smell his own bullshit?
The first and the second line says when the President talks to God, Does he
ever think that maybe He’s not. The singer says that what the President talks to is
not a God, but it is only his own thought. The singer emphasizes the word by
screaming. It expresses the singer’s feeling which is tired and angry with
President’s hypocrisy.
The followed line that the voice is just inside his head gives more
explanation of it. The President thinks that he talks to God and asks Him
recommendation in solving problems. However, what he talks to is not God, but
just a voice or an imagination inside his head. It shows that the President does not
get an order from God, but only from his mind. It also suggests that the policies
believed as God order are just the policies made by the President himself. The
President only legitimates his action in the name of God.
On the next line, Does he ever smell his own bullshit?, the singer uses
harsh metaphor (bullshit) to refer the nonsense things stated by the President. The
singer emphasizes that the President’s nonsense (bullshit) seems like something
really bad.
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I doubt it
I doubt it
The singer ends the song by saying, I doubt it, I doubt it. It illustrates how
the singer is not sure that the President realizes his own fault. What the President
talks to is not a real God or something that he called as the One beyond the star,
but only his thought. The depiction of God which is far from godly act in resolving
every issue reflects the President's ambition. This ambition led the President to
make some policies during his presidency, which are mostly raised controversy
and protest. In addition, some of his policies bring the nation into the lowest point.
The singer illustrates the conversation of Bush and God to criticize Bush
hypocrisy. Through the singer arguments, he shows that George W. Bush as the
President of America is a hypocrite. The President says that he is enlightened by
the holy God above, but his action seems ungodly and betraying his faith. The war
declared by George W. Bush is one of the examples. He believes that the war is a
holy war to destroy terrorism from the world. However, the result of the war is far
from something holy. The reason of the war is questionable and it only kills a lot
of people and innocents. The war declared by the President is considered as a
failure and useless war, considering that it brings not victory but only causes
miseries. Moreover, the war does not cut off the terrorism from the world, but it
only makes hatred toward America itself.
This song applies the characteristic of protest-propaganda song as
‘rhetoric’. According to R. Serge Denisoff, rhetoric song is pointing to some
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problem in society without offering a solution. Even though it does not offer
solution, but it attempts to change the public opinion about the certain subject in
society. (Denisoff, 1976) The singer points out some problems related to George
W. Bush policies in declaring war in the name of God, and values it as
inappropriate.
This song provokes the listener not to believe President’s statement which
says that he gets an order from God to declare a war. In addition, the fact that the
President brings less benefit to American people will also prove that the President
is not enlightened by God but only uses the name of God to fulfill his ambition and
legitimate his action. This song finally can change public opinion toward the
President action and his policies. Moreover, this song can create moral unity
among the listeners who disagree with The President policies and his action in
declaring war.
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CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
A. Conclusion
The popularity of folk music declines on the 21st century. The cause of this
decline is the emergence of other genres that were also talking about protest
theme. These genres, such as Alternative rock, Metal, and Rap get more attention
by the media rather than folk. However, it does not turn out the spirit of folk music
as protest music. Rather than producing songs in a major label, the artists produce
their songs independently. After all, folk music as protest music is still alive and
adapts with the condition of 21st century.
One of the folk artists of the 21st century is Conor Oberst. With his indie
folk band Bright Eyes, Conor writes protest music protesting American
government under George W. Bush as the President. Through his songs, Conor
Oberst criticizes the unnecessary Middle East war declared by George W. Bush
and his policies. Although his songs do not attract massive listeners like the decade
of 60s, his songs have taken part in changing the public opinion toward certain
issues at that time.
Through the lyric and music, Conor presents some problems on his
country. Through the lyric and music as well, Conor expresses his protest. The
word choices of the lyric propagandize public to believe what the singer says. It
tries to change public opinion toward the issues he points out. The music played
on this song also works really well with the lyric. It supports the lyric and puts
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emotion into it. The musical elements can express the emotions of anger, hope,
fear, and sadness. Furthermore, the mix of lyric and musical elements can provoke
the listener to feel what the singer intends and arouse their sympathy toward the
issues.
The songs written by Conor Oberst are analyzed to show how Conor
Oberst expresses his protest music and preserves folk music. The first song is Let’s
Not Shit to Ourselves (to Love or to be Loved). This song points out some
problems in society, especially during George W. Bush Era. It illustrates the
messed up condition happened at that time. The singer expresses his anger,
emotion, and skeptical point of view toward the condition of his country and its
government. The characteristic is the same with the characteristic of folk music
which is used as medium to express anger, hope, and fear of the singer. However,
the musical instruments are different with folk music as typical. It consists of
various musical instruments, from guitar electric to brass instruments. Those
instruments create music that support those three emotions; anger, hope, and fear.
The way the singer which is added by screaming also makes this folk music
different. On the other hand the melody of the song is a typical of folk music,
monotonous and no refrain.
The second song is No One Would Riot for Less. It protests the Middle East
war that is believed as the unnecessary war declared by the government. Played in
slow tempo and serene music, this song cries over the victim of that war. This
song expresses the singer value in seeing apocalyptical war in Middle East. The
war is felt unnecessary. It does not bring any victory, but only sorrow and death
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toward the innocent people and American soldier. The combination of musical
elements, the way the singer sings, and the lyric attempt to arouse sympathy from
the listener. Furthermore, this song attracts the listeners to believe that the war is
useless and bring nothing except death and miseries.
The third protest song is When the President talks to God. This song
illustrates the President George W. Bush who legitimates his wrong action in the
name of God. The song attacks and criticizes President action in solving his
country problems through his policies. Through this song, the singer
propagandizes the listeners to believe that George W. Bush as a president has done
unacceptable mistakes that bring the country to the lowest level. The song is
played in talk-like singing and one single acoustic guitar. It indicates that Conor
Oberst plays the typical of folk music. The simple instrument also indicates that
the lyric plays important role on the song rather than the music itself. The protest
is clearly expressed from the lyrics and once again tries to change public opinion
toward the issues. Moreover, this song can create moral unity among the listeners
who disagree with The President’s policies and his action in declaring war.
These three songs from Conor Oberst show that folk music as protest
music has not died yet. It is still alive and continues until today. These songs can
express the singer’s thoughts and experience, and then make them as protest
medium. These protest songs tries to change public opinion toward certain issues
at that time. Moreover, although the mainstream media does not put the protest
music in a spot light but the tradition of folk music as protest music is preserved as
well. With different style of singing and playing, folk music composed by Conor
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Oberst can adapt with the condition of 21 st century and make it enjoyable for
young generation.
B. Recommendation
Music as the medium for self-expression is interesting to analyze. Folk
music as one of the form of music accommodates serious topic rather than pop
music, such as human rights, equality, and politic. This music has a power on
society to speak up, criticize, and say something.
This kind of music has a role in society, and later on it can be the part of
history. It is because folk music contains messages to give enlightenment toward
society about certain issues; which is especially related to the government error. It
criticizes the government and tells the truth that is covered by government and
major media.
Due to the lack of music as the medium for political purpose analysis, thus
it is recommended for other American Studies student, who is interest in music, to
research other music genre, especially from non-mainstream genre, that has a
power in accommodating political topic. By knowing those things, student can see
the other perspective of certain issues in society, which is different from major
media. However, if student still want to write about folk music, they can find
other aspect brought by folk music, for example religion, family value, or
American dreams. The analysis will give more information about music with a
message. It can help to sharpen the perception that music is not only used as the
entertainment, but it can be used also for more serious purpose.
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AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC AS PROTEST MUSIC IN CONOR

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