CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Review of Related Studies
Music is not only for entertainment, but also a means to communicate. As a contemporary popular art, music is always accompanied by song lyrics. It is an
artistic expression and reference to convey ideas, thought, and emotional feelings. In this way song can be considered as oral verbal arts. In every song, the lyrics
and music coexist harmoniously. The literary aspects of song lyrics can be studied closely as in poetry and prose. A representation to explain how popular music gets
into literary study is conducted by Steinholt.
1
In his article, Steinholt proposed a new approach to song lyrics through literary study using Peter Stockwells
cognitive poetic. Cognitive poetic in his sense is to engage in close analysis of the text, but also recognize that context has an important role in the creation of
meaning. Popular music is a multidisciplinary domain. A literary analysis of song lyrics can be embedded in the musical, performative and social context of the
popular music. Cognitive poetic is an entry point that can help improve the analysis. Furthermore, he explained about how listeners identify the texts by
imagining bodies that inhabit them, be it in a written poem or a song lyrics. The task of literature science in popular music study is therefore to shed light on the
interrelationship between the body constructed in the lyrics and its surrounding environment.
Steinholt argues that lyrics are an integral part of the musical experience,
1
Steinholt, Yngvar B. Cognitive Poetics in the analysis of Popular Music: A new approach to song lyric? Bergen University. Web. 12 December. 2013. http:www.hum.uit.noasteinholtcog_poe.pdf.
and they enhance the possibilities for the listener to be identified with the song. As listeners, we identify texts musical and lyrical by imagining bodies inhabiting
them. However a text might be abstract, therefore in order to negotiate meaning in a text we also project certain sides of ourselves onto an outer body, which we are
prepared to send negotiations with the imagined body in the text. This successful negotiation and dialogue between default body and imagined one will bring new
experiences, new insights and can activate new thoughts and emotions. It can be said that in cognitive poetics nature there is a synergy between readers, text and
context to gain a better understanding over an explicit and implicit body of a poem or a song. In popular music studies, the primary object of study for the
science of literature can center on the body or bodies which reside in the lyrics. This body does not exist in isolation from any other bodies involved.
While there are several studies done on Bob Marley, only one study is thus far found on The Black Brothers by Sonfor Wambrauw.
2
Most studies on Bob Marley focus on sociological and pedagogical values of his music and songs like
what have been studied by Edward Skopal,
3
Manisha Nordine,
4
and Mervin Stoddart.
5
One example that is closely related to literary analysis and this present
2
Wambrauw, Sonfor W. An Analysis of Theme and Tone in Six Selected Songs of Black Brothers Balada Pramuria, Cinta dan Pramuria, Kisah Seorang Pramuria, Pramuria Tapi Biarawati, Untukmu Pramuria, and
Doa Pramuria, unpublished undergraduate thesis, Manokwari: State University of Papua, 2014.
3
Skopal, W. Edward, Jr. Hear Dem Cryin Rastafari and Framing Processes in Reggae Music, postgraduate thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2005. Web. January 18. 2014.
http:scholar.lib.vt.eduthesesavailableetd-06142005-091954unrestricted03edskopal_ThesisBody.pdf.
4
Nordine, Manisha. Jammin with Resistant Music and Popular Culture in Bob Marleys Jah-Public, a dissertation, University of Minnesota, 2007. Web. January 18. 2014.
http:books.google.co.idbooks?id=7A5R1UUCzsCprintsec=frontcoverdq=traditional+song+as+resistan cehl=ensa=Xei=bgUaUdmeNMitiAe544DABAredir_esc=yv=onepageq=traditional20song20a
s20resistancef=false.
5
Stoddart, Mervin. Bob Marleys Lyrics: Understanding and Explaining Their Pedagogical Value, a dissertation, Capella University, 2007. Web. 18 January. 2014.
http:books.google.co.idbooks?id=_N4fvbkPYL0Cprintsec=frontcoverdq=analisis+lirik+bob+marley hl=enredir_esc=yv=onepageqf=false.
study is research conducted by David Steven Worth.
6
In his study, Worth focused on analyzing metaphors used in Bob Marleys lyrics. The conceptual base for the
study is to treat music as communication. To start with the only work on The Black Brothers, Sonfor analyses the
tone and theme in The Black Brothers selected songs about pramuria prostitute.
7
Sonfor considers The Black Brothers song as oral poetry based on the assumption by Flanagan that poetry is a literary work, written or orally used to
express the thought and feeling of the author. Using structuralism approach he then divides and interpretatively analyzes the theme based on Waluyos
categorization humanity, social justice, sovereignty, and divinity. Next, he analyzes the tone based on Meyers categorization sad, serious, public,
affectionate, bitter, and optimist. Although Sonfors study on The Black Brothers is useful, the treatment of
song exactly as a poem needs to be reconsidered. His analysis structurally divides, translates, and analyzes the song per stanza and line. Changing the structure of the
song would raise a contradiction, given that a song has its own characteristics and structure.
Worth’s research provides a good basic understanding in analyzing Bob Marley’s lyrics. He is using Lackoff and Johnson’s theory which states that the
actual structure of the human conceptual system is metaphorical. Analyzing the songs in the eight albums of Bob Marley, Worth assumes that a great deal of the
lyrics in those songs are often misunderstood by most people, especially
6
Worth, David Steven. Rastaman Vibration: The Rhetoric of Bob Marley, Unpublished Thesis: Texas Tech University, 1995, p. 3. Web. 18 January. 2014.
https:repositories.tdl.orgttu-irbitstreamhandle23461839231295009462697.pdf?sequence=1.
7
Wambrauw, Sonfor W. An Analysis of Theme and Tone in Six Selected Songs of Black Brothers Balada Pramuria, Cinta dan Pramuria, Kisah Seorang Pramuria, Pramuria Tapi Biarawati, Untukmu Pramuria, and
Doa Pramuria, unpublished undergraduate thesis, Manokwari: State University of Papua, 2014.
non-Jamaican, not only due to their pronunciation but also because of the metaphors which are mostly related to Jamaica and Rastafari in particular.
Jamaican language is an extension of Jamaican Creole or Patois, that is a language which has consciously developed based on philosophical reasons. Jamaican
language, says Worth is not a mere means of communication but more than that, it is a holy tool which has inherent power to evoke and to be the thing meant.
8
It means that words are the source of power for the Rasta, which can change and
adapt accordingly to their philosophy and goals. Bob Marley uses and infuses this kind of language into most of his songs, therefore without a proper knowledge,
Worth claims that many of the lyrics would seem meaningless, or be severely misunderstood. He makes a clear division of patterns in relation to the structures
of Bob Marleys metaphorical expression which he views as a form of Bob Marleys rhetorics in addressing protest and critics.
Worths study reveals several trends in Bob Marleys metaphorical usage based on his spiritual beliefs of Rastafarianism, Jamaican rural and urban proverbs
or wisdoms. There are eight metaphoric categories being discussed: lightdark, updown, nature, journey, Babylon, freeslave, poverty, and metaphors from
Rastafarian language.
9
His discussion is quite helpful since it provides the basic explanation on language and expression commonly found in Bob Marleys songs
which many times create confusion among his audience. A more in-depth analysis on Bob Marley’s metaphorical language can be
found in the books of Dawes Lyrical Genius and Moskowitz The Words and Music of Bob Marley. Dawes analyzes all songs in Bob Marleys nine albums
8
Worth, D.S. Rastaman Vibration: The Rhetoric of Bob Marley, p. 27.
9
Ibid, p. 67.
produced or co-produced by Island Records. His work is also quite helpful since Dawes, as a Jamaican writer, puts light onto Bob Marley’s works through the
perspective of Jamaican context. Social, political, and cultural nuance of Jamaica and Rasta are strongly embedded in Bob Marleys songs. The writer could see that
these two books are complementary to each other. Dawes discusses in details of every Bob Marley’s songs album started from the first “Catch a fire” to
posthumous release of “Confrontation.” He addresses Bob Marley’s genius through metaphorical expression, witty pun and euphemism to juxtapose social
and political realms with musical creativity. Just like what Dawes did, Moskowitz also reveals the story behind Bob Marley’s songs and biographical review starting
from the early beginnings of the birth of Bob Marley until after his death. It is a biography as well as discography completed with stories behind almost every
song and event. Unlike the previous studies above, which mainly focus on each artist this
present study would attempt to investigate the works of Marley and the Black Brothers in figuring the possible link between the two artists that their songs
possess elements of hidden transcript as a form of resistance against hegemony and oppression by the power domination toward their respective social groups.
This study also would attempt to link the disciplines of popular music study and literary study through the analysis of lyrics as a text. Despite of these facts, this
study would be in debt for those previous studies on related topic especially like what has been done by Worth. He lays the ground as the stepping stone for this
present study. His metaphoric categories of Bob Marley’s songs open the way for this present study. The writer uses his works as the blue print or guidance in doing
the analysis. However, if there is any unjust of this present study, the writer would open to any criticism that will encourage further study of Bob Marleys and The
Black Brothers works.
2. Review of Jamaica and Papua Socio Political History
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