Open the skies over me
I am waiting patiently
I'll wait for a sign
As conspiracies unwind
will you slam shut or free your mind?
or stay hypnotized
When the Zetas fill the skies
will our leaders tell us why
fully loaded satellites
will conquer nothing but our minds
I am waiting patiently
I'll wait for the sign
Carried through the centuries
secrets locked up
and loaded on my back
and it weighs me down
When the Zetas fill the skies
it's just our leaders in disguise
fully loaded satellites
will conquer nothing but our minds
I am waiting patiently
I'll wait for the sign
The song I chose to analyze is called "Exo-Politics" by British alternative rock band Muse. This song comes from one of their albums called Black Holes and Revelations. Within the album are a few songs based on conspiracy theories and corrupt governments/govt leaders, due to lead singer Matt Bellamy's interest in such things. This song is one of those political songs, as implied by the very name. It talks about how "conspiracies unwind" and whether people will "slam shut or free [their] mind[s]" in response. This song targets political leaders as responsible for keeping "secrets locked up", also claiming that these leaders are "in disguise." The rhetorical intent of the lyrics is to influence how the listener percieves the truth behind their government and leaders. It causes the listener to question what is being kept under wraps and why.
This song poses the question "will you slam shut or free your mind? Or stay hypnotized?" as a rhetorical technique to appeal to the listener's stand on these supposed conspiracy theories. It has a relatively short amount of lyrics, so the actual music plays a role in grabbing and keeping the listener's attention-- another rhetorical device (it has a catchy guitar riff in my opinion). Finally, the line "secrets locked up and loaded on my back and it weighs me down" is an example of figurative language, which adds to the rhetorical aim of Exo-Politics.
I think it is interesting, as you said, that even though the lyrics are small, they say a lot; and the music has a lot to do with it too. I think sometimes we tend to not listen to the lyrics so much, but listen with our bodies to the beat. When a song says something with the beat, it's beneficial :)
ReplyDeleteEmily I like the point you bring up-that we listen to the music more with our bodies than to the lyrics. Very insightful. :)
ReplyDeleteWay insightful emily. I agree, we feel music almost more than we hear it. That's why lyrics are so powerful, the music syncs us up to the message they want to convey and the lyrics drive the point home.
ReplyDeletelove the song. I like how the lyrics include waiting, but also inviting a call to action. I think a lot of us just "wait" because of the feeling that we can't make a difference, whether it's concerning politics or not. While waiting is involved, so is action.
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