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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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38
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 citys 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.
Ive 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 familys 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 Ive learned to retreat at the first sign of danger. I mean, why wait around, if its just to surrender?
An ambition, Ive 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
appropriate symbolic
offering. http:www.wisegeek.com
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 dont 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 cant admit When theyve 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 911 to end terrorism. After 911, 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 speechwriters pen, He knows he dont have to say it,
So it, it dont 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 ratings high,
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and so someones 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 tonights entertainment.
Were 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 Thats me Thats me
Take eye for an eye means revenge toward 911 attack. Afghanistan and Iraq are believed have any relation with the 911 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 theres nothing you could do that would ever change this.
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Im not angry. It happens. But you just cant 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. Lets 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
