I was debating being really cynical in this post and saying how out of touch I feel with my peers that seem to have a constant need to be attached to a media outlet. Instead, I’m writing about something that came up in class when talking about one of my least favorite “musical” artists of all time, Bob Dylan.
I’m seemingly the only person I know that can’t stand Bob Dylan and his “I have a clothes pin on my nose and only know two chords” music. But what we talked about in class is his lyrics, which is usually the only thing that anyone can talk about. Dylan obviously is noted as a great poet, expressing unrest with politics and political action of the time. We were asked as a class why we don’t see these sort of super-politically charged lyrics anymore, and if we like these lyrics. I can’t answer for the class, but I can answer for me.
The answer is simple to why we don’t see the lyrics anymore: nobody wants to hear it, including myself. I listen to a very VERY broad range of music; anything from Grindcore to Jazz to Rap to Folk. The only genre that I still hear consistent political lyrics in is the highly unpopular punk sub-genre of Crust Punk. Crust punk bands spend months researching before they write lyrics, probably leading to their unpopular, fact-based leftist lyrics. Love songs in commercial are obviously still prominent, and always will be, because people can relate. Creative lyrics that leave the listener guessing what they are about have also become extremely popular in rock genres. In the hip hop and rap I listen to, its about their concern about where rap is going, their love for their music, and good times. In folk, its about love and love for nature.
The problem with politics, is that no one cares about them. I don’t care, and I don’t want to hear it in songs. I grew up listening to ultra political bands like the Dead Kennedys, but I’d much rather hear something more creative than an embellished form of “the government sucks.” I’ve heard that a thousand and a half times. Its boring, everyone has heard it, its no longer a surprise, we’ve grown accustomed and apathetic. For example, right now, as I write this, I am listening to an concept album by Dead Man’s Bones, about the supernatural and the process of death. Maybe a bit gloomy, but quite interesting. This is much more interesting to youth than people dying overseas. We hear that everyday on the news.
There is a possibility that I am wrong. I do not really keep up with mainstream music. But I do have 500 gigabytes of music, and I have listened to most of it. To show examples of groups that I have referenced but not mentioned in this post, I’ve made a short list below.
Crust: Aus Rotten, Antischism Folk: Sufjan Stevens, Orba Squara
Rap: People Under The Stairs, MF Doom Indie: Charolette Gainsbourg, Firey Furnaces
Jazz Influence: Blockhead, Free The Robots
Electronica: Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation
Punk: TSOL, Anti-Product
