IMPORTANCE OF DIFFERENT MUSIC STRUCTURES IN OUR LIVES
Music structures act like poems in showing the importance of certain parts of a song. Song structures include strophic form, verse-chorus form, thirty-two-bar form, and twelve bar blues form. The song structures form an important part of the songwriting process. While listening to music, individuals get imbedded in different song structures and get carried away by them in such a way that the song structures form part of them. In life, song structures reflect part of what people undergo on their day to day activities. Life changes from one time to another and this aspect is shown in the political structures embedded in society which are expressed through music. Therefore, the importance of music in the way of life of an individual is very important. As Copland et. al. says, the relevancy of music goes further into the life of a person, much more that it describes the life of the person, and even into the leadership that one believes in. He says, “When you listen to music, what is my relation to it, what do I get? Music is amalgamation of myself listening to myself” (Copland et. al. 3). It is thus known that music can influence the decisions that people make, and political players are aware of this. This essay will look in how politics power influences the music we listen to.
Politics has an influence in the way of life we live in, even into the intricate parts of our lives. As such, it is important to note that this can have an influence into the type of music we listen to. Andy Bennett talks of how the youth have been able to use music to describe what they prospect and see as their way of life. Henry David Thoreau talks of how governance has a way of showing itself in society, saying “Governance is from the people, and civil mischief is represented in any form which society finds key to reach out, “(Thoreau 3). From music, the perception that the people have of the leadership is clearly painted. This form of art is a very expressive type, where the messages is taken primarily from the way of life that a person is able to be in. David J Hargreaves and Adrian C. North extrapolate on the power that the government has on the people, where the musical appeals that come about through music is expressed in what artists compose to suit the situation. They say, “Psychologically, music evolves from what we envision and aspire to express by can’t through mare words, but rather, grievances or appreciation of social structures are done, through music” (Hargreaves & North 42). An example that the authors use is during the 2008 elections, where President Barack Obama used music as a way to mascaraed voters into voting him in. The situation that had been presented to the people gained much force through incorporation of music into the way of life and there being readily acceptance of the new form of life governance that was coming to be.
Music and Our Lives
Understanding the impact politics has on our day to day living needs a reference on some genres that have been very expressive on the subject. Hip-hop is a genre that is known to be very expressive, as Thomas Turino says in his book on the subject of poetry (Turino 81). Turino says, “Hip-hop has defined society, especially the youth, with many using it to talk of subjects more profoundly” (Turino 93). Some few songs that have been put out have had direct attack on the political power with many of Hip-hop listeners concurring with some of the messages that have been put out by the artists. However, Andy Bennett notes that the people that listen to certain types of music have a certain relationship with the government. According to him, some music genres do not touch onto some subjects like governance and political power, and as such, people who listen to it do not have a relation directly through music to the governance or the government. He says, “Music diversity involves singing about different subjects, but the reach of the audience influences what content should be put by artists. As such, composition is based on what the listeners would love to hear. This makes there having more emotional connective subjects in music than relevant pressing issues in society,” (Bennett 64). In this view, music serves another purpose, one not holding any relevancy with music, but dwelling mainly on connecting with people, which means less issues on society being sang about.
Political Structures and Music
In conclusion, it is clearly seen that music and politics have a direct relation, however, dependent on the genre in which one listens to. Hip-hop among other genres is indeed popular, and there being relations to politics and the way of life it influences, music is important in the way of life we hold. Depending on the scope with which this expressive music goes, the need to hold its importance rises, and as such should not be taken for granted. As an art we interact with in our day-to-day life, knowing the messages that are put out there need to be taken more carefully, and develop it positively into something that can make our lives better.
Works Cited;
Thoreau, Henry David. Civil disobedience and other essays. Courier Corporation, 2012.
Hargreaves, David J., and Adrian C. North. "The functions of music in everyday life: Redefining the social in music psychology." Psychology of music 27.1 (1999): 71-83.
Copland, Aaron, Alan Rich, and Leonard Slatkin. How we Listen for in Music. , 2011. Print.
Turino, Thomas. Music as social life: The politics of participation. University of Chicago Press, 2008.
Bennett, Andy. Popular music and youth culture: music, identity and place. Macmillan Press Ltd., 2000.
