Help on essay about music! [Archive]

jmannequin<3

10/14/08, 07:33 PM

So I hope this is the appropriate place to ask but I'm writing an essay for my 4U English class (I guess it's equivalent to AP English?), and I want to write about how music is a huge influence in many people's lives (yeah, I know, stupid topic but it's slightly easy to write about and the topics I was given weren't very interesting). I'm just having a little trouble coming up with my main points.

I already have music therapy and how it affects mental/physical health, but I think my other two points might be viewed as the same. The two points are that music artists/bands can be a major influence on one's art/music/life, and that certain songs have a way of sending out a positive/meaningful message. I don't know, but those two points are really similar, right? The only other point I can make is that many organizations have come out of music, but yeah, I don't really know how I can elaborate on that.

So basically, what else can I write about music's influence (and there must be some solid proof~ of it so I can cite it)? And, if I do write about an artist's influence/a song's influence, anyone have any ideas on who/what I can mention?

El_Jeffe

10/15/08, 02:05 AM

not a silly topic at all, certain artists come to define the times in which they appeared, as they proved to be the catalyst for the transformation of the cultural & political landscape. if i were you i'd start with the prime example that is bob marley

bob was obviously reggae's most transcendent & iconic figure, he introduced the music of his small nation to the far reaching corners of the globe. marley's music gave voice to the every day struggles of the jamaican people, vividly capturing, not only the troubles of the country's impoverished & oppressed, but also the spirituality that remains their source of strength. his songs of faith, with a voice singing of revolution, revelation & romance created a legacy that continues to live on not only through his own music, but also through generations of artists the world over that were touched by his brilliance

he gave a voice to the “third world”, those suffering first hand the real & unimaginable cruelties of poverty, apartheid, social & political discrimination & inequalities. the power of his music goes above & beyond the face value, it became a deep-seated sound of hope that radiated throughout the lands & impacted on everyone's life, whether for mere enjoyment, on a spiritual level, or as the backdrop & drive for social change

those impacts of his music & message has been felt everywhere, even in situations that have next to no association to music. preaching peace & love, he gave the world hope. from the poverty lines to the materialistically rich, artists from all genres, people from all cultures, all countries. his music covered all concepts & was something everyone could relate too, music that has transcended through to today so well

while bob's songs were often written about his real life experiences, often in a jamaican/african setting, his songs always assumed a greater meaning. unfortunately bob experienced a time when a man of african decent was still fighting for a place in society. that's why his lyrics call for deeper assessment of human relations that move so far beyond his charismatic rhythms & melodic harmonies. whether he realized it at the time or not, his thoughts were being echoed around the world. for example, britain during the late 70's reggae & punk music came to unite under the banner of "rock against racism" to play concerts to demonstrate cultural solidarity against white supremacist groups. this encouraged a sense of respecting cultures, respecting ideas, looking into & understanding political views, looking into where the real issues are throughout the world & what could/should be done. this movement reflected the growing human aspiration for racial harmony.

marley's impact shouldn’t be underestimated. he turned his beliefs into a movement of universal force reaching out to all ethnic societies. while his work for race relations may not be on par with the likes of martin luther king or the great nelson mandela, etc, you simply cannot understate the power music has to reach people who largely don't pay attention to politics/news, etc. bob may not have led the poor out from poverty, but he lent a sense of dignity & humanity to the struggles of these populations. his music brought the sound, the suffering, & the joys of some of the world's poorest places to the attention of people of all backgrounds & economic means. he achieved this through writing & playing music that made us groove & think

his music even had an impact upon the (then) leaders of jamaican political parties. in '78 was the infamous "one love" peace concert, where marley performed a set to a transfixed audience, where he even bought the two party leaders out on stage & joined their hands. this may not sound like much, but these two leaders were almost at an underground civil war status at the time. he helped bring rest to a country suffering from political turmoil

in much of today's popular music, romance is dying, politics is hit or miss & spirituality & freedom are on the way out. yet marley covered it all. he took jamaica's complicated history, many unrelated social concepts, rasta philosophy, garveyism, rebellion, & his peoples homeland.. trench town, & bought new life to it, focused complex music that was concerned with reality, but weaved through with magic that transfixed not just his nation... but the world. he captured the essence of the "third world" & echoed it worldwide. many responded & many will never forget

i spoke of bob, because i think he's a primary example of just how music has impacted upon people on a greater level than the music’s (entertainment) face value, & also because i'm familiar with his body of work. my thoughts aren't presented as "facts", but i'm an enthusiastic fan & can offer insight. hit me up if you want to know more or would like an interpretive break-down of some of his songs? but a lot could be said for a many artists, ie. bob dylan, etc