In this blog...
1.) Summarize your thoughts after your first listen.
--> Why do you think the "Hands and feet are all alike..." Part sounds happy compared to the rest of the tune?
--> Do you think the choice of instrumentation could have been better?
Ex: Should there have been a piano instead of an acoustic guitar; or more instruments in general.
2.) Lyrically speaking, each verse touches upon some main idea or underlying theme. What do you presume each verse is about?
--> Why do you think these examples were chosen?
3.) Are there any other songs about Freedom, or standing up for your rights slash beliefs; which you can provide examples of?
Feel free to add links and embeded YouTube videos. Holla!
Here is Rage Against the Machine - "Freedom"
make sure to check out these lyrics too.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
-Well, for DMB, it could have been worse. I think the part with "hands and feet" is more involved because that is the most important part of the song. It shows that no matter how we are raised or how we live, we really are all the same. I don't know if the part sounds any more happy, it just is more involved and Dave Matthews in more "into it" if you will. I think the instrumentation was just fine, it needed to be simple so people paid attention to the words. Although, that is hard to do when you can't understand what he is saying (Sorry any fans, but I couldn't understand half of the words he said).
- I heard that this song was about the South African Biko. So I think that each of the verses has to do with something relating either to Biko himself or the troubles that once occurred in South Africa, since Dave Matthews was originally from there.
-Ok, so I found this video on YouTube that I think, although really corny, has a good overall message... I apologize, it is a little long and you will have to follow the link because it won't let me embed it onto a comment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABKLirW24LE
I'm not a fan of DMB, and this song isn't an exception to my feelings. I can appreciate the message, but the style doesn't strike me the way a song with lyrical content like this should. I do think this would have sounded better with more accompaniment, but not the full band. But like Ellen, I had a hard time following the lyric sheet to the song; Dave needs to learn to pronounce words more clearly, otherwise the message is lost.
I'm looking through my music library for an example of a song about freedom; If I find one, I'll edit this or post another comment if editing isn't allowed.
Well i went on youtube and watched the song over a Vietnam War montage, which i think gave the song a different feel. If anything it the way the song mixed into video gave it a kind of a sad tone to it.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iFwbWHQ3iII
Listening to DMB has made me die a little more on the inside. I honestly think that this song is merely an attempt for him to try to sound deep like Dylan and Baez while maintain the style that his drunk college audience loves. The song's lyrical content has promise, but Matthews' terrible racing slur destroys the message.
I think a better song about freedom is Lennon's "Power to the People." The song has a chorus that begs to be sung along, an articulate message with abrupt social criticism. Here's a link
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Wos-dDxpJlQ
--I think the "hands and feet are all alike" part is the happiest because it is the most powerful point that illustrates the entire meaning of the song, that we are really not that different from each other at all.
--I like the instrumentation, I felt that it fit the mood and the overall effect by making it seem more personal. I agree with Ellen though, I had to make sure I was reading the words along with the song to be sure I understood everything.
--I'm sure that the song had a specific event in mind, but in general each verse describes the present and the future, what is and what could be. In particular, I liked the window and the mirror comparison, because I felt that the window stood for possibilities while the mirror showed what is real here and now.
--I can't think of any songs about freedom that are worth mentioning here, at least not right now.
~First thing, I think that when you look at a song like this, you should put aside whether you like the band or not. There is obviously a message that he was trying to get across, and he chose to use his music to make his point.
~There is a drive in the 'hands and feet are all alike' part that presses for change... It may sound happier becuase there is a glimse into the future and how things can be.
~The instrumentation sounds simple, but I think some of it could be arranged better. Simple is good in this case, just needed to be a little more polished.
~The 'hands and feet' part really struck me becuase it says that fear is what divides us. How true is that. When people don't understand something, they don't like it and don't want be any part of it. Fear keeps us from doing many things. It also keeps us from accepting others who are different, even when are not really that different.
andy, sorry that you died a little... I will have to remember to hum a Dave Matthews song next time I see you... hmmmmmm
DMB might not be the most talented band out there, I won't make that claim. But I enjoy this particular song on the message it portrays. Along with the some good instrumentation and lyrics that gives the audience room to make there own interpretations. I like the fact that Dave takes up a message, like that of Biko, as many people are unfamiliar with the topic.
Until now I dont knew the DMB, and this song is the first song, that I heard from this band, so I guess I can not judge this song really well, I just write on my first impressions: the part with the "Hands and feet are all alike ..." sounds happier, because this is the main gist of the song, also won the singer's Voice at this part on volume(high Point).In my opinion-the voice of D.M. in general is quite passive, perhaps this should be an allusion to the sadness and seriousness of the song, though the voice should be heard clearly, and most importan: it should be understandable. The voice goes on
'in the music', which sounds somewhat harmonious, but you have to understand something easy (especially as an no English-speaking). Because the music should sound sad, a piano would be better suitable as a acoustic guittar. by and large, the whole song is about equality, hope, activism and freedom. generally I find the song well, but the voice itself does not sound hopeful, and is not really a "CRY for freedom" (D.M.is whispering)
example would be perhaps: akon, freedom (his voice sounds beautiful and powerful motivating)
merve k. BBG
Well, I think the song cry freedom is very difficult to understand in particular for me.The part with:"hand and feet are all alike"
is the true conclusion of the songtext, because Dave Matthews want to say: All people are equal, no matter what there skin colors looks like or there family backrounds. He want to demonstrate, that it is blockheaded to arrange segregation (especial apartheid), when we are all the same.
But also I think, his real opinion is a bit unknownable because there are a muchness on music-instruments, and there are deflect me from his topic.
The beauty of this song is that it was origionally intended to be about the aparthied in South Africa, but it can also apply to everything. Especially in these times when our differences are so small yet pointed out so severely. The other message that this song, along with many other of DMB's songs, conveys is that now is the time to make everything right and do everything you can because the future one might plan to do something in may not exist. We coild go at any minute, and our lives will be a waste of discrimination and separation based on all the wrong things. I think this songs sayin were all alike regardless of race wealth or whatever it might be and that we must look past those things and see whats inside a person. Also when Daves sings "Let this flag burn to dust and a new a fair design be raised" i imagine he´s sayin that this counrty talks so much about freedom and equality but yet its still so far from it and i believe he´s talking about that we should learn to look past the outside apperence of a person and look at the inside of a person.
P.K. BBG
It really is a great song!
A lil too quirky maybe, but good all the same!! :)
Post a Comment