Evolution of Music: Offensive to Women, Yet Acclaimed in Society
The Evolution of Music:
Offensive to Women, yet Acclaimed in Society
Victor Hugo, a well known French Romantic writer, once stated “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” Though this statement was made in the 19th century, it continues to stand true to this day. Through decades of evolution, music has constantly been a way for anyone to express themselves through melodies, timbre, dynamics, and lyrics. People around the world are composing, as well as listening to, all kinds of music, and this unifies nations in all countries and continents. Introduction to Literature is an anthology that consists of a variety of literary works – poems, short stories, and excerpts from novels – that discusses globalization. I believe that a chapter regarding the subject of music and its evolution should be included in the Introduction to Literature.
Music has continuously been changing ever since the first beat was tapped, the first piano was struck, the first violin was plucked, and the first horn was blown; however, in the last 150 years, the meaning of lyrics and the style of music has changed drastically. From Bing Crosby to Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Eminem, the artists and composers have altered the way music sounds on the radio, computer, and other musical devices. Every genre has artists, who have songs, which have lyrics that contain a story. Whether the story is from a memory, a dream, or an ambition, it becomes clear when it is being heard by billions of people. Music has become a basis for artists to exert their most inner emotions and thoughts into lyrics that others can relate to, live by, and act upon, as well as a means to degrade women in an approach that people don’t realize until the lyrics are sought out, the song is heard an abundance of times, or the video is seen.
This proposed chapter is about how music has become more degrading and demeaning towards women, but most importantly,
Offensive to Women, yet Acclaimed in Society
Victor Hugo, a well known French Romantic writer, once stated “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” Though this statement was made in the 19th century, it continues to stand true to this day. Through decades of evolution, music has constantly been a way for anyone to express themselves through melodies, timbre, dynamics, and lyrics. People around the world are composing, as well as listening to, all kinds of music, and this unifies nations in all countries and continents. Introduction to Literature is an anthology that consists of a variety of literary works – poems, short stories, and excerpts from novels – that discusses globalization. I believe that a chapter regarding the subject of music and its evolution should be included in the Introduction to Literature.
Music has continuously been changing ever since the first beat was tapped, the first piano was struck, the first violin was plucked, and the first horn was blown; however, in the last 150 years, the meaning of lyrics and the style of music has changed drastically. From Bing Crosby to Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Eminem, the artists and composers have altered the way music sounds on the radio, computer, and other musical devices. Every genre has artists, who have songs, which have lyrics that contain a story. Whether the story is from a memory, a dream, or an ambition, it becomes clear when it is being heard by billions of people. Music has become a basis for artists to exert their most inner emotions and thoughts into lyrics that others can relate to, live by, and act upon, as well as a means to degrade women in an approach that people don’t realize until the lyrics are sought out, the song is heard an abundance of times, or the video is seen.
This proposed chapter is about how music has become more degrading and demeaning towards women, but most importantly,
Cited: Crosby, Bing. “Beautiful Dreamer.” Greatest Hits: 1934-1943. CD. 1996. SongLyrics. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. Eminem. Lyrics. “My Name Is…(Radio/Video Edit).” The Slim Shady LP. CD. 1999. AZLyrics. Web. 30 Nov.2012. Gillespie, Kayley. “Portrayal of women perpetuates dangerous attitudes toward sexuality.” OUDaily.com. The Oklahoma Daily. 29 Mar. 2012. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. Hughes, Langston. “The Weary Blues.” The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. Ed. Arnold Rampersad. 1st ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc, 1994. 50. Print Jay-Z. “Excuse Me Miss ft. Pharrell.” The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse. The Neptunes, 2002. Music video. Dir. Little X. Feb 2003. Television. Leopold, Todd. Etta James. 1961. CNN Entertainment. CNN. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. Morgan, Joan. “From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hos.” Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin’s. 443-449. Print.