MUSIC: HOW THE WORLD IS SHAPED THROUGH MUSIC...THE MARRIAGE OF MUSIC AND CULTURE

Since time immemorial, musicians have provided a delicate insight into the state of our society. Their vivid lyrics and instrumental tones have been a window into what a generation has endured, overcome, created and experienced. From listening to a song, it’s relatively simple to deduce what era it came from, as the values and social practices of that generation played a hand in inspiring its creation.

Comparing today’s music to that of yesteryear is a startling revelation.

Arguably some of the most influential musicians of all time. 

In 1963 The Beatles released a single entitled “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” The boys from Liverpool were ecstatic at the prospect of merely holding the hands of the women they adored. It was a reflection of how relationships were viewed in their time. That’s a stark comparison to the current generation’s social practices where, as suggested by Nelly’s 2002 hit “Hot in Herre,” it would be more appropriate to dangle the keys to your luxury car in front of a woman to coax her onto the dance floor. Where it should then be common place, according to Nelly’s interpretation of modern culture, for her to take off all her clothes, of course that is dependant of the temperature in the room and whether it is ‘hot’ enough in there.

How many kids do you think this photo has influenced?

In 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival recorded a track called “Looking Out my Back Door.” The musical tone gave a jaunty, uplifting feeling and its lyrics described how an imagination could be sparked by simply sitting on the back porch. The conjuring of imagery such as ‘giants doing cartwheels’ and ‘flying spoons’ seemed so painless and natural. Now it would seem the fashionable way to evoke the imagination is to drink codeine laden cough syrup in the backseat of a car to emulate the sensation of “Flying Like a G6” jet. This, of course, is according to the Far East Movements 2010 release “Flying Like a G6.”

It’s often thought that musicians draw on their observations and experiences in life in order to compose their music, that their work is a reflection of the society they live in. Though there is definitely truth in that, I would go a step farther and suggest that their music also inspires culture, which puts them in a position of great responsibility.

This correlation is easiest explained in the context of war time, and anti-war protest songs.
In 1942 Dame Vera Lynn recorded the song “The White Cliffs of Dover.” Its intent was to boost the morale of the brave British soldiers and citizens that had endured arduous air battles and bombing raids from the German Luftwaffe. A song about the White Cliffs of Dover, being a symbol of British borders, could easily be seen as a galvanizing force for the peoples resolve and could have given them the courage to fight onward. Imagine an RAF pilot waiting in an aerodrome for his nights watch above the English Channel to start, and the last song he hears on the radio before heading to his spitfire is “The White Cliffs of Dover.” The mere act of hearing such an uplifting song before going into combat could have well been the difference in him coming back alive.

In the city of the Fortunate Sons, music helped spread the message. 

The Vietnam War has notoriously been seen, in retrospect, as one of the worst military engagements in US history. While support for the instigation of the war was acceptable, the later the years drew in, the more the support waned. Songs like “Blowin in the Wind” by Bob Dylan, “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and “Bring ‘em Home” by Pete Seeger put forth the opinions of the US’s participation in the Vietnam War. Also, who could forget Jimi Hendrix warped Woodstock rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” that gave the feeling of a country that was misfiring on its values and objectives. Again, I’d like you to imagine. Imagine during the time of the Vietnam War that you hear one of these songs on the radio, at a concert, or on the television and you immediately feel its impact, you hear its message. It stirs something in you, not a call to arms, but a call to bring arms, and the men that wield them home. It gives you the courage to join a protest, to stand up and have your voice heard. Your voice is joined by that of countless others, and together you become an anti-war movement that brings about the end of an era.

Now these songs may have been based upon already established feelings in the society, but musicians made sure their messages travelled farther than a single voice. They brought the concerns of a few and put them before the masses to be debated. It’s entirely possible that a song of such power can change the culture of a country.

So if music can influence change in society, politics, or culture, then what message is the music of today sending out? Are we becoming the people that rock bands, rappers and pop singers say we should be? Or if music is the merely the documentation of our social evolution, where is our civilization headed?

The popular music of today is often trite, formulated, with unintelligible lyrics, and it paints a grotesque picture of the modern world. Whether that is through musicians design or through their observation can never be decided.

Whichever side of the coin you look at, music is culture and culture is music. They dance together through various sounds and styles, but ultimately they are forever entwined.


Written By:  Phil McCarron

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Mind Your Language in Class

I would love to have the ability to speak fluently in many different languages. Ideally, I would be some sort of James Bond type who could not only speak many different languages fluently but also recognise the different regional variations as well. I would live for the day when I would be sitting at a cafe/bar in some foreign exotic country, when a waiter would make a cheeky remark about me and I would answer him not only perfectly in his own language but without the tell-tale school book foreign language foot prints.

HA!

In fact who am I kidding? I would settle for being able to communicate effectively with someone in a language other than my own without insulting them too much when I get things wrong.

Without effective communication it all goes to shit. Seriously. In every aspect of your life, for example, I constantly get the word for 'husband' and 'snake' mixed up when speaking Polish. I kid you not. Mąż pronounced 'mounje' means husband and wąż pronounced 'vounje' means snake.

So, yeah, that could definitely lead to a huge misunderstanding.

I could never squash anyone's desire to learn a language or anything about different cultures or societies, I think that the more that we can learn from different countries or even different areas of our own country the better the world could be.

So when I read about an American 7th grader in Wisconsin who was suspended for teaching a friend how to say 'hello' and 'I love you' in Menominee, which is her own Native American language.

Anyway, I can understand that some insecure teachers may be a bit paranoid if they heard a pupil speaking some random sounding different language. But lets be honest, loads of people, especially the younger generations (jeez I sound so very old) do tend to have a whole variety of new words every week.

The main problem I can see with the suspension of a student at the Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in Shawano, Wisconsin is that 60% of the pupils happen to be Native American. So, would you not think that the teachers should at least know a few words?

Personally I would be encouraging kids to learn different languages rather than chastising Miranda Washinawatok for teaching a friend who is interested some easy words.

The really ironic thing is that supposedly when you call the school, you can hear an answer message in English and Spanish......

Hmm, all sounds a bit cheeky to me.

If you are interested in Menominee, here is a website to kick of your search:
http://www.bigorrin.org/menominee_kids.htm

A Bodyguard Can't Save You From Yourself

I usually avoid blogging about the more popular items in news or current affairs. I like the quirky, small stories or the ones that make you think.

However, the death of Whitney Houston is compelling me to blog.

I won't go into her life, acting, singing, Bobby Brown, drugs etc cause that really isn't my business to judge. Whitney did what made her happy or allowed her to temporarily bury her demons or whatever.

Whitney Houston reminds me of my childhood, my innocence and my naive view that I would be someone who would make a difference in the world.

In 1985 some 22 year old singer was singing about a few stolen moments being all that she could get to share with some dude she was in love with. Meanwhile I was busy wishing I could have a few stolen moments with George Michael. (It wasn't until 1998 that I realised just how unlikely that was going to be.)

I remember the big hair, actually big should probably be in huge capital letters. The fluorescent clothing and fringe that denied gravity, the 'Insette Spiky' hair spray that went all bobbly when you washed your hair.

I remember Bobby Brown getting blamed for leading Whitney astray (maybe it was the other way around and he became the scapegoat).

Who can forget 'The Bodyguard'? Though certainly there were times when I wished I could as the song seemed to be played to death! 'I will Always Love You' must have made Dolly Parton even more cash than Dollywood.

The best tune I think is 'My Love is Your Love' the Wycliffe Jean one, though the one before that rocked a bit too. Each Whitney song that I sang loudly in the car while people tried to call the RSPCA to complain that someone was killing a cat makes me smile, it brings about past memories of a time when I thought I was invincible.


So, is it sad and tragic news regarding her death or is it sad and tragic the way we tend to view people with addiction issues?

It's very easy to be judgemental, you see someone with cigarettes, alcohol, drugs (prescription or otherwise), you hear someone throwing up in the toilet after they eat or do you see someone unable to cope with things in their life and looking for a crutch, an item that will always be there? Something they can control or something that will never let them down.

Part of me thinks that Whitney's death is no more tragic than Amy Whitehouse or every solider in Afghanistan killed for doing his job. All have contributed something to the world, which is more than I can say about myself. At least I can fight my demons with anonymity and know the world isnt staring & judging me.


Whitney famously said, 'The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy'. I think she was 100% correct 'cause I know that no one on this earth can judge me harder than I judge myself.

The Real Death Row Dogs

There are some times that we believe if we close our eyes to things then they will either go away or they will cease to exist.

I've had my eyes opened recently, so I think it's only fair that I enlighten you too. After all, if you tolerate this, your children will be next as the Manic Street Preachers said in 1998.

If I promise really hard not to be graphic or use shock tactics on you, will you promise to keep reading and not turn the page?

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

This is about the plight of the unwanted dog.

Here are some figures for you to get your head round first.

Do you know that according to the 2011 Dog's Trust survey, that there was approximately 126,176 stray dogs picked up between 1st April 2010 and 31st March 2011?

So, what happened to these dogs then?

Well, happily 48% were reunited with their owners, 6% of dogs were re-homed by the local authority, 25% were passed on to rescue/welfare organisations and approximately 7,121 dogs were destroyed.
So, that's about 20 stray dogs destroyed every day in the UK because, well inconvenient, not enough space, being of 'type', aggression etc.

Being of 'type' basically means that someone, somewhere thinks your dog may be a banned breed, or be part banned breed or look a bit like a pitbull, regardless of what DNA testing says or how nice you dog is. Anyway, THAT is a whole different conversation.

Now, I'm going to tell you that the RSPCA in certain centres have stopped accepting stray dogs. Great eh? They managed in 2009 to pay their chief executive £105,000 seriously! Yes people, that is where your money goes, well that and taking people to court.....

So then the homeless dog, let's call her Freya, ends up in a local council shelter, she has been there 7 days and hasn't been claimed. She must've belonged to someone. She will sit, give a paw, appears house trained. What happened?

I'm not here to judge why someone has thrown out a dog. I'm only wanting to make people aware of what happens to dogs like Freya now. This minute. In this country.

Freya has found herself on a list, not a santa paws' good dog list, but a PTS list. Yup, possibly the next time Freya sees the light of day it will be when someone takes her to end her life.

The chances are that Freya who is only known by a number will end her days with someone she doesn't know giving her jag to end her life, then if she's lucky she will be put in a bin liner for disposal.

Luckily for Freya she hasn't been one of the 20 killed today. She has been saved by a rescue, not the RSPCA or Battersea dogs home or the over worked Dog's Trust, but a privately run rescue in this case once loved dog rescue. Here Freya will be fostered by someone who will fully assess her.

There are many different rescue organisations that don't get the same level of publicity as the likes of RSPCA & Dogs Trust, this doesn't mean that they are any less deserving of donations or offers of help.

Dogpages.org.uk is usually a good starting point though, there you can at least look by region as well as by breed.
There are breed rescues for every breed of dog from Afghan Hounds to Yorkshire Terriers. So when you decide you want a dog consider them first.

You may ask why I say that rather than contacting your local breeder or Dog's Trust branch. Well, in the first instance your would be saving not just one life, but two. You save the life of the dog you have adopted and the one that can take its space.

These dogs have been fostered, neutered, vaccinated and have an ID chip for easy identification. They are living with foster carers in their homes, In some cases with dogs, cats, kids and the normal everyday coming and goings of people.

I'll tell you a bit about what happens when you contact a rescue and say for example you wanted Freya, the rescue would ask you to fill out a questionnaire. This really isn't anything to be worried about, remember these people care about the dogs they have rescued from death row!

The questionnaire basically asks about where you stay, when you are home, if you have kids or kids that visit, the reason for that isn't to be awkward, it's to help match a dog to you and your lifestyle. That may sound really harsh or judgemental, but surely if you can't walk a dog for 10 miles a day, they will find a dog to suit you.

Some people only want puppies, some only want bitches, so on and so forth.

The rescue will send someone out to visit you, this is to check where you stay and have a chat with you. Now I know that sounds real scary, when I got a home check I was petrified I would be told that I shouldn't ever have a dog & my house was a mess, my garden was a disaster and I had a child under the recommended age.

It all went well, I let the lovely lady see my garden, she met the dog I had at the time, had a cuppa, chatted with my son and told me that they would always be there for me. Should the dog have settling in problems or whatever I could call them, if I wanted help with anything, I could call them.

That in itself is worth more than anything. I also knew that should something happen that meant I would have to give up the dog, the rescue would take them back.

In return for this, all I had to do was give them a donation and sign some forms.

Help was there every step of the way making it so very easy to save a life. You don't get that from Gumtree and you most definitely don't get the full story. Remember people there could tell you anything in order to rid themselves of their dog. It's not like that with a rescue.

So if you decide one day that you are going to see a man about a dog, tell me now where you think you should you go?

If you wish to help save a dog like Freya, you can donate via PayPal staffyclub@live.co.uk or via the emergency boarding link on http://www.staffyclub.com/discussion/

Written with help from oncelovedrescue.org.uk staffieclub.com second-chances.org hularescue.org dogstrust.org.uk bulliesinneed.org.uk www.islaydogrescue.org.uk Wendy, Angi and Cathy

True Blood Back Again? Fangtastic

Excited much? Oh yes most definitely....

What am I talking about? Well Sunday 5th of February is when the new series of 'True Blood' starts in the UK on FX.

Now, it's not news that there are differences between the Charlaine Harris, 'The Southern Vampire Mysteries' books and the tv series.

In my opinion the 4th book, 'Dead to The World' was the best out of the Sookie Stackhouse novels to date. It provided me with stacks of entertainment much to the aggravation of my husband who was subjected to me laughing out loudly at some parts. Then, perhaps more annoyingly, reading the part out to him.......

I am fully aware of just how much of a pain in the arse this makes me, but I can't help it, sometimes the jokes and clever quips from Sookie combined with the smart answers from Eric's sidekick Pam and excellent storyline led me to want to share the book with the world, or certainly anyone that had no choice but to hear me.

So, what can we expect from Alan Ball as opposed to Charlaine Harris apart from some serious eye-candy for both sexes?

More witches will be making an appearance and fairies too in the shape of the Sherlock Holme's very own fr-enemy Irene Adler from the episode entitled 'A Scandal in Belgravia'. Though you may not recognise Lara Pulver with her clothes on! It goes without saying that obviously there will be more werewolves, were-panthers, shapeshifters and vampires all looking extremely overly gorgeous.


We left Season 4 with Bill Compton in a fight with the queen of Louisiana over Sookie. Jason had 'inherited' the town of Hotshot from Calvin Norris. Eric was so severley pissed off at having been buried in concrete by Bill, that he spilled the beans to Sookie about Bill being told to seduce Sookie for the Queen of Louisiana who basically wanted her fairy blood so she could become a daywalker.

Tara is confused as hell and to be honest who can really blame her? Being kidnapped by Franklin the mentally insane and psychopathic vampire (thankfully due to my other love Criminal Minds I know he wasn't a sociopath), then finding out your fuck-buddy can turn himself into any creature he wants would certainly mess with my head.

The fabulous character of Lafayette had just discovered his boyfriend Jesus is a witch. I'm not sure whether typing that one sentence I may end up with a religious organisation wanting to burn me at the stake! Anyway, at the same time, Lafayette is starting to 'see things' ooooooh spooky!

So, what will happen now that Sookie has been taken the hand of Claudine the fairy? Who will win the battle of the vampires and will Eric get his mobile phone back from Bill? Who knows?

A word to the wise, don't DARE disturb me on a Sunday night when True Blood is on, I may have to get Alcide to come over and sort you out!