Where is My Mind?

Although this scene doesn’t use the whole song, it was the first that came to mind. The song “Where is My Mind” by Pixies is perfect for the end scene of Fight Club. The entire movie came to its peak when our narrator (Edward Norton) discovered that Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) has been a figment of his imagination, a split personality of his own creation. This scene comes at the very end of the movie after Norton’s character shoots himself in the head and rids himself of Tyler. He is dressed in a nice shirt and boxers after running away from police who were in on Project Mayhem (which plotted to destroy all the major banks). This garb emphasizes the chaos of the end of this film. Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) was brought in by some of Tyler’s goons and expresses her concern for our narrator. The two then stand and watch as the explosives rigged by Tyler and his “space monkeys” blow up all of the major banking buildings in the area.

The guitar riffs sync up perfectly with the initial explosions, adding to the chaotic feeling of the scene. In contrast, the almost ghostly background cooing in the song adds to the mood of the scene with its dim lighting, and gives a strange sense of calmness despite the explosions. It also aligns with his reassurance that everything will be fine and him reaching out for her hand because it has that calming quality. Just as the movie ends and the credits begin the line “Where is my mind?” from the song plays, which sums up the movie nicely. It all came down to Norton realizing that he has something majorly wrong mentally, and dealing with that. When one discovers that they have a mental disorder “Where is my mind?” is a pretty solid question to ask.

Curiosity Enlightened the Cat

I chose the song “Safe & Sound” by Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars. The song originally posted was “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift for the guilty pleasure blog. I chose this song because I am not usually a huge fan of hers. I find most of her songs (at least recently) to sound almost identical to one another. I would agree with Lauren that she “sold out” on her country roots for a more pop style. I would also agree, however, that her songs are easy to sing along with. Lauren had mentioned in her original post that she found Taylor’s voice to be average and her lyrics dull. With most of her music I would agree, but this song highlights a much better side of hers.

The whole reason that I chose this particular song of hers is because it sounds completely different than her typical songs, straying more toward The Civil Wars’ folky sound. Taylor’s music is usually much more upbeat and features a more sassy timbre to her voice. They also feature infectious tempos created by the drums and guitar. In this song, on the other hand, her voice has this airy, melodic timbre that lulls me into a sense of contentment. John Paul White’s acoustic guitar creates this gentle rhythm that complements her voice and carries you through the song. The back up vocals from Joy Williams give this hauntingly beautiful feeling to the song. The lyrics feel sincere and protective like something a mother or older sister would sing to a child during times of war and hardship. (It was featured in The Hunger Games for just this reason I imagine).

Taylor’s catchy melodies and upbeat tempos lend her to be liked by a large audience, particularly young girls. Her music may not be enjoyed as much by those seeking more lyrical quality or people who are really into country music because they might feel that she “sold out.” This song, on the other hand, lends itself to those who enjoy a slower more folky sound. If you enjoy acoustic guitar and airy vocals then I would highly recommend this song. Some people may not like it because of its lullaby-esque timbre, but that is precisely what draws me in.

Guilty pleasure! (Blog Entry 4)

In contrast with our last post… strike that, reverse it. Guilty pleasure!

Don’t be shy… you can admit it. That one song that you LOVE, even though you perhaps feel that you shouldn’t (because… it’s overplayed, it’s corny, it breaks with your usual music taste, it’s a “bad” song, etc.).

As you’re finishing up our required reading (This is Your Brain on Music) this week on music and the brain, hopefully by now you’re getting to where Levitin discusses musical preference (Ch. 8). Keep these ideas in mind as you write!

Give the title and the artist, and explain why this song qualifies as a guilty pleasure for you. Help us understand what “rule” you’re breaking by liking this song!

Justify yourself–explain why you like the song. What are its redeeming qualities? Does it have sincere lyrics, or is the instrumentation surprising or impressive in some way? Or, what are the personal circumstances that allow you to adore this song unabashedly? Put us in your shoes, and hopefully we’ll end up seeing this song in a whole new way!

As you comment on your peers’ posts, consider both their choice (do you agree with them?) as well as their argument (can you understand where they’re coming from?). Have fun!

[Pure sentimentality makes me pick Backstreet Boys’ “I Want it That Way.” It’s a much longer story as to how anyone could be sentimental about this song, but mine has to do with highly sarcastic over-the-top karaoke and impromptu interpretive dance with friends I’ve had since childhood.]

Some nights I throw up… Blog Entry 3

“Some Nights” by Fun.

I hate everything about this song. It bothers me the way his voice sounds, the music bothers me, and the lyrics bother me. I have rewritten it in my head:

Some nights I throw up listening to this song.

Some nights I just turn it off.

Some nights I wish that my ears would light on fire.

Some nights I wish they’d just fall off.

But I still wake up, I still know this song.

Oh, Lord, I’m still not sure why they like it.

Whoa oh oh (Why do they like it?)

Whoa oh oh (Why do they like it?)

Most nights I don’t know anymore…

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh (vomiting sounds),

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh

This is it, boys, this is crap – what are we singing for?

Why don’t we burn the tape already?

I was never one to like this song

Save that for the people gone

I try twice as hard but this song still sucks,

But here they come again to play this song.

That’s (not) alright (that’s (not) alright)

I found a monster in my bed tonight

He sang this song and now I’m deaf, now I’m deaf, now I’m deaf.

Oh, who am I? Mmm… Mmm…

Well, some nights I wish that this song would end

‘Cause I could use some tunes for a change.

And some nights I’m scared I won’t forget this song

Some nights I hate this song, I hate this song…

But I still wake up, I still know this song.

Oh, Lord, I’m still not sure why they like it.

Whoa oh oh (Why do they like it?)

Whoa oh oh (Why do they like it?)

Most nights I don’t know anymore…

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh (vomiting sounds),

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh

So this is it. I lost my ears for this?

Turned on the radio for this?

I really have to listen to this?

(Come on)

No. When I see Fun., when I see, when I see Fun., I laugh at them

When I hear this song, it sounds like a whale, so come on.

Oh, come on. Oh, come on. Oh, come on!

Well, that is it guys, that is all – five minutes in and I’m bored again

Ten years of this, I’m not sure if anybody understands

This one is not for the folks who sing;

Sorry to leave, mom, I had to go

Who the fuck wants to listen to this song all whiny and awful?

My heart is breaking for my friends and the music that they called “good”

When I look into my own eyes…

Man, you wouldn’t believe the most awful things that can come from…

Some terrible songs… ah… vomiting sounds)

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh,

Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh (vomiting sounds)

The other night you wouldn’t believe the dream I just had about this song

I turned it on, and it was gone

It’s for the best you didn’t listen

It’s for the best we get our distance… Oh…

It’s for the best you didn’t listen

It’s for the best we get our distance… Oh…

I don’t mean any of this offensively at all. I just really do not like this song.

Post 2: You Da One

Recently, the song “You Da One” by Rihanna has been stuck in my head. On my short drives around town, to and from the dog park, with friends to the creek, or by myself leaving my boyfriend’s house, this song is my jam. As far as a summer vibe goes, I think this song embodies that well. With its pop and somewhat reggae feel, accompanied by light dubstep, its an upbeat, dance friendly song. The song is very Rihanna in that it begins with a slow, vocal-heavy rhythm and then transitions to a more pop-esque chorus, that makes you want to sing along. There is also a middle section in the song in which Rihanna unleashes her bad girl Riri side in a bit of rapping accompanied by some dubstep. With the chorus going:

“You the one that I dream about all day
You the one that I think about always
You are the one so I make sure I behave
My love is your love, your love is my love”

the song centers heavily around a happy romance, and the ay-ay-ay’s she annunciates in each short-a word create a consistent rhythm to focus around. For me, that sound she makes for each of those words, “day”, “always”, and “behave” is the most striking part of the song that sparks my interest and keeps it in my head all day.

Unsurprisingly, the music video is much more sexually-focused than the sound of the song connotates to me. I was kind of off-put by the provocative dance moves I saw in the music video, not because I don’t think that style has a time and place, but because the song is more light-hearted and innocent sounding, to me.

In response to the article “Implications of Music on the Brain”, i found the information about infants and music quite interesting. This summer, I have spent a large amount of time babysitting a 4 month old newborn. The idea that this tiny human that can’t comprehend language yet can be drawn to and respond to music is incredible. I myself have experienced this with this baby in that I’ve sung to it, at times, to try to calm it down and distract it, which did work incredibly well. It is weird that when I did this, and played some music from my phone, it immediately looked at me and was curious, however, when a pan is banged in the kitchen or adults are speaking over it, it hardly notices. The baby’s mother has told me repeatedly that it likes Opera music, something I think is quite surprising given the intensity of Opera, at times.

It also struck me as interesting the assertion that all humans are musical and can stand to benefit from being involved in music. I don’t think I had ever thought about it in this way, as something similar to language, that is innate in our brains and develops similarly. This makes me feel more strongly that music/art education should not be forgotten in our schools.

Blog Entry 2

1. “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqt8Z1k0oWQ

I chose this song because I woke up with it stuck in my head today, and while it is no musical masterpiece, it certainly is catchy. So enjoy! (Sorry if this gets stuck in your head too).

The tempo of this song starts of rather slowly and builds as the song goes on. There is not a clear rhythm until close to thirty seconds into the song when more background music is faded in. The sound of fingers snapping is what keeps the beat and also makes the tempo faster. Adding in the extra layer of music also gives the song more depth than its electronic introduction has. The song then builds lyrically to a peak, and the chorus changes tempo and rhythm again. The chorus of this song, and most of the song for that matter, has a fairly simple musical component. There are snaps, guitar, drums, and a bass line, but beyond that it is different than many electronic sounding music in that there is really very little besides the vocals in this song. The build to the chorus after each verse is very Michael Jackson-esque in the way that it peaks, and then drops, which is part of what makes this song so catchy. The third verse of the song has many more electronic components than the rest of the song does, and then the chorus returns in its wonderful simplicity.

As I said this song chose me more than I chose it, seeing as it was stuck in my head when I started this assignment. However, this song really is catchy in a way that appeals to me personally. Lyrically, the song means very little to me. I am, however, completely and entirely obsessed with Michael Jackson and have been since I was a little girl. He is probably to blame for my love of dance, and maybe music too. Perhaps the style of this song is appealing to me because it reminds me in some ways of some of his earlier, groovy, music. I love this song for working out, or easy listening, but it is not a song that has real musical value in my eyes.

2. The article that we read last week on music and the brain was very interesting to me. One thing that I found particularly interesting is the fact that music is a “species-specific trait of human kind”(18). I think that this is something that I have always known to be true, but have never really thought about. Music really is like another language. I also thought it was very interesting to read that our musical brain starts working at the time of birth and continues to work for our entire lives. Music has always been a huge part of my life, and after reading this article I am really thankful that I grew up in a musical family and played an instrument. I think that it is so important to make music a part of education, and this article really reinforced that notion.

Post 1: Swingin’ Into Things

Greetings fellow classmates! My name is Megan Ives and I am entering my junior year here at CU studying Physics and, recently added, Anthropology. Although these things have very little overlap in the world of existing careers, I am fascinated by their respective concepts of understanding what makes the physical world tick and what makes different groups of people tick. So here I am, going into my 3rd year at CU, trying to cram in enough credits to graduate on time, and this summer writing course seemed like a very foreign, but exciting idea to me. As far as my music tastes go, I can’t really pinpoint a specific genre that I am attracted to; I think I like music for the way it makes me feel. My Spotify playlists are across the board when it comes to genre. I am an open-minded listener, but am a very bubbly, upbeat person who is drawn to music that heightens those feelings. As a writer, I love to explore abstract concepts but often find myself struggling to express them in coherent ways to anyone other than myself. I am curious to gain some original insight from you all and to learn more about myself and music throughout this course!

In O’Steen’s article, I related well to the somewhat hypocritical idea that in the classroom, and social scenes more generally, some topics allow and encourage freedom in person taste whereas others discourage tastes outside of the perceived norm. O’Steen refers to this subjective determination of taste when he writes of the “superiority” some films have over others (25). I think most people can remember a time in their lives when they felt pressured to listen or watch what was thought of as cool by their peers.  However, it did surprise me that O’Steen was very hard-headed in his opinion that there is a “Paradise”, or specific taste in music that people should have (25). I understand that this article was written in 1939, but it was shocking since I think these opinions are slightly taboo now, and broader music tastes are accepted out of political correctness and open-mindedness.

One of the most applicable concepts to this class, I think, is the idea mentioned that music is nearly impossible to define. O’Steen describes how it is categorized as what is “pleasurable to normal human beings” with the idea of normalcy being a very fuzzy line (25). Thus, in this course, we must open our minds to the limits of what is considered music and start thinking about abstract questions like how we define music, how we categorize music, and what causes our personal tastes in music. This article forces us to examine our conceptions about music, which I think is partially the aim of this class.

Welcome! (Blog Entry #1)

Welcome! (Blog Entry #1)

Now that you’re set up as an author on our class site, it’s time to get to know everyone a little and start using this space for our primary purpose: as a public discussion forum where you can experiment with your informal writing style, draw on outside elements from the internet to enhance your writing, and engage with topics that scaffold into our course content and get you thinking rhetorically and musically.

In case you’re rusty on the concept of rhetoric, take a few minutes to refresh your memory on rhetoric, and the classic concepts of ethos, pathos and logos. We’ll be drawing on these ideas throughout the course as you make deliberate choices regarding the kairos, or appropriate context, of your work so that it’s most effective and engaging for your given audience.

Also take some time to read the short article “Swing in the Classroom” by Alton O’Steen, which is available in our course content in D2L under Unit 1.

Then write a 2-part blog entry (300-500+ words) in which you:

1. Introduce yourself to your classmates. Who are you, why are you taking this class, and what would you like us to know about you as a writer? As a listener of music?

2. Respond to O’Steen’s article. What surprised you in this piece? What did you find interesting? Why do you think I asked you to read this at the beginning of our course?

Be sure to click “save draft” frequently as you write! On the lefthand side of the page as you write your blog entry, give your work some appropriate tags, and write Blog Entry 1 as your category.

Then, be prepared to write three different comments (100-300+ words each) on three different posts by your peers.

Also, just so you know, I will pop in and write my own shorter comments occasionally as I see fit, but I think of the blog as primarily a student-centered space rather than a teacher-centered one, which means I’m mostly your reader. This is a place for you to talk to each other and explore your own voices! So be sure to adhere to the prompt at hand, but have fun, too.