What is a song? By my definition, a song is a short piece of music usually consisting of vocals, and a menagerie of instruments, depending on the genre. The genres are endless: ska, punk, reggae, classical, opera, rock, techno, pop, hip hop, R&B, screamo, metal; the list goes on and on. Every larger genre also breaks up into many little sub-genres, until it gets so confusing and everything is over-categorized. Sometimes I almost just want to hear the music, without labels, titles or even track numbers, listen to it with out expectations, the way it was meant to be listened to.
Music can inspire many emotions, that may or may not have anything to do with what the song is supposed to be about. Even one specific song can have drastically different significance for different people. For example, a song from a musical may bring up wonderful memories for a former cast member, or disappointment and anger for someone who auditioned, but didn't even get a callback. Or the song, "Lips of an Angel", by Hinder, could be a sweet reminder of the first song a couple slowdanced to, or a painful reminder of an unwanted heartbreak.
One song can either cost 99 cents, or hundreds of dollars. Illegal downloading is done by hundreds of thousands of people, through programs like Bearshare, Limewire and BitTorrent, that are wreaking havoc on the music industry. If caught, one could be forced to pay fines from $200 to $20,000, or even more, depending on the amount of songs. Pirating songs is morally wrong; the artists, producers and record companies recieve no recognition or profit for their work.
An artist writes a song. A producer likes the song. A radio stations likes the song. A nation buys the song. That artist may have gone from a nobody to a rising star, because of some lyrics scribbled on a yellow notepad, a few repeating chord progressions, or a melody stuck in their head. One song could be a beginning, or a farewell. Some artists may not write their own songs, merely playing whatever is put in front of them, but I always have more respect for those that do; they always seem more honest and meaningful.
One song can mean so many different things: a career, fame, a wonderful or horrible memory. It's even possible for one song to be all of those things at the same time. The concept of a song was created from the human's love of music, and although not all people may have the same idea of what good music is, there's something out there for absolutely everyone.
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1 comment:
Jenna this is a great post! I really agree with what you're saying here. I think the beauty of music is that it can, and always is, viewed from 360 degrees. Artists write music hoping people will receive it well, but I personally think that any response, any emotion, is what they are looking for. To evoke emotions in someone without being face-to-face there is something very powerful.
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