We analyzed three songs. We looked at the speaker of the song, the conflict, the message the song sends, the way the music affects the mood, and the feel of the song.
On Wednesday, we focused on one song in particular, Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke, and looked at how the song could be interpreted in two different ways. In one of our interpretations, we tried to look at the song in a positive light and said that we believed the speaker is trying to liberate the woman he is speaking to from the double standards women have to deal with when it comes to sex. He is asking her to go with her inner sexual nature and to know that he won't think less of her if she goes home with him. She will still be "a good girl."
In the other interpretation, we explored how the speaker's persistence completely disregards the desires of the woman whom he is chasing. He is refusing to take no for an answer. He is a cocky and arrogant and is more concerned with having power over this woman and claiming her as a conquest than he is in actually fulfilling any of her needs and desires.
For each interpretation, we often used the same lines to defend both arguments, for example, the lines, "Just let me liberate you/that man is not your maker." On the positive side, we said that the speaker is letting the girl know that she has the right to make her own decisions and if "that man" who we believed could be an actual man/significant other or could be "The Man" has no right to make them for her. On the negative side, we talked about how the speaker is basically asking the woman to transfer the power over her sexuality from one man to another and that it is arrogant of the speaker to believe that this woman needs him to liberate her.
Neither interpretation is completely right or completely wrong. This is the great thing about art. Everyone sees it differently. For this unit, we're examining why we see things certain ways. It is important for you to look at different aspects of the pieces you are analyzing and ask yourself: Why did the writer say this? What does it mean it to me? Why does it mean that way to me? Could it possibly mean something else? Why do I find myself believing in one interpretation over another?
Right now the primary sources for our analysis's is the piece itself.
Homework
- Write a 500-word analysis of a song of your choice.
When will the readings for Friday's paper be available?
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