Music Monday

Keeping with the theme I'm going to talk about music on Mondays. I absolutely love music. It's probably one of the best things in the world. I probably love it so much because I've been around since I was born. I've been going to the World's Largest Music Festival, Summerfest, since I was six months old and have been in love with music ever since. It helps to tell stories, evoke emotion, and get people to just have a good time.

I listen to any and every kind of music, yes now that even includes (some, very limited) country, but ranges from heavy metal to pop rock to rap and hip-hop and in an ever changing world of music there are always new bands and new music emerging. Though lately I've been in a Kanye West kind of mood. I don't really know why. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, his most recent solo album was absolutely incredible. Genius lyrics, catchy samples, and great beats, it's an album I can listen to on repeat.

But since then I decided to go back and listen to all his other music and rediscovered his first album, 2004s The College Dropout. I forgot how good his lyrics are on this album, one of my favorites coming from "All Falls Down": 'She couldn't afford a car so she named her daughter Alexis.' It's lyrics like those that make this album such a fun one to listen to. His various pop culture references throughout the album are another one of my favorite things about College Dropout.

It's also a great album to listen to because of the way he taunts everyone who thought he wouldn't make it, from record labels, producers, teachers, even his boss at the Gap. And the prevalent themes, ranging from organized religion to personal struggles to self-consciousness he touches on something that can fit into anyone's life. And though I may not be religious and am not a big fan of when people try and force their beliefs upon you, I have to say "Jesus Walks" is a great song, acting as commentary on the hip-hop scene in general. Lyrics like:

"They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus

That means guns, sex, lies, video tapes

But if I talk about God my record won't get played Huh?"

Show how the "gangsta" persona of hip-hop (still prevalent from the time the album was first being written, in 1999), is changing the norms in music and not necessarily for the better. Not only that, but West goes on to force this record to be played on the radio and gets a rap song about Jesus played quite a bit on the radio. Just another taunt to those who said he couldn't do it.

If you like smart lyrics and catchy hooks go back and give this album another listen, or maybe even a first listen. Bring back some memories or make some new ones. You'll notice different lyrics now that it's eight years later.


And if you're waiting on some new Kanye, he released a track last week first titled "Theraflu" after the cold medicine, but retitled it to "Way Too Cold."


Listen to it and read more about it here:
http://www.kanyewest.org/2012/04/14/news-kanye-changes-name-of-theraflu-track/