American Folk Music As Protest Music In Conor Oberst’s Songs ferial

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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

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I certify that this thesis entitled ! ! "!" ! #

$ !"%!&'!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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() ** )+

“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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,-,./01 .2 3

This thesis is dedicated to:

My Self My Beloved Family

My Friends

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456 78

WLEDGEMENT

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

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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

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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 21st _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 post-war 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 singer-songwriter 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

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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 inner-city 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 singer-songwriter 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 16th, 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 self-lamentation, 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)

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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 9th, 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 Al-Qaeda, 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 counter-demonstrators” (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 growth. One of his policies was tax

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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 by the ineffective policies made by the

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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 four-year 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 "left-wing 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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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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