There are many ways to express concerns regarding climate change, whether it’s through a movie like Al Gore’s “The Inconvenient Truth”, through published books such as “Climate Wars” by Gwynne Dyer. This week, I want to talk about one of my favourite ways of expressing, through my favourite form of art – music.
Celebrities have the power to influence their fans, whatever message they contain in their songs will be spread to the fans. For example, many people may be inspired by expressive artists who really try hard to get their message through, a recent example would be Lady GaGa’s “Born This Way”, her way of expressing the message of “you are who you are, do not be ashamed of who you are because we are all beautiful.” Powerful messages within music can be delivered to a lot of people!
Now here’s an example of an artist talking about global issues, and most of us heard his music, from the summer hit “Nothin’ On You” to “Just the Way You Are”, Bruno Mars recently collaborated with rapper Big Lou on a song titled “We Are Fighters”, talking about global issues. With Bruno Mars singing on the chorus: “In this life, we are fighters / And the world they try to divide us / Time is running out / We don’t have forever / Unless we break down / This war, stand together…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1SxGn4LGXY
And of course, from one of the most powerful artists ever lived, Michael Jackson, who sung about our problems on Planet Earth through “Earth Song”. The powerful video definitely reached out to many people.
Last year, during the 2010 Grammy Awards, artists such as Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson, Celine Dion, and Usher performed this song as a tribute to the star, may he rest in peace. Events that usually gather a lot of attention from people, and using these events to spread these messages is the perfect way to educate people on issues such as climate change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxb548Jpck0
Even movies that reach out to a younger audience can spread these messages, for example the Disney/Pixar animated feature “WALL-E”, featuring the song “Down to Earth” by Peter Gabriel, a cute robot and an amazing story is all you need to spread the message of “If we keep up what we are doing the planet, we will eventually destroy our own planet”
Of course, who can forget the classic hit of “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell? Later covered by The Counting Crows and Vanessa Carlton? The amazing line of “They paved paradise / and put up a parking lot / They took all the trees / And put ’em in a tree museum / And they charged the people / a dollar and a half to see ’em”
Artists have the power to influence people with just a song, if more artists from all different kinds of genre of music can make songs about climate change or ANY global issue for that matter for their fans, the messages will be spread. Eventually, this is a way of spreading the word, so that we won’t “wait on the world to change”
Interesting blog. Music is definetly a great medium to get the message acorss!:)
Vivaldi – Four Seasons – Storm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n-fPRhLO20
Stravinsky’s Adoration of the Earth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phIRRINOF-M
Gynt introduces us to exponential growth in
The Hall of the Mountain King
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf2aIVKp1OY
Finally, Apocalyptica reminds us that Nothing Else Matters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbTozgoj9OQ
cool blogpost !!!! thanks for sharing 🙂
I believe this is very true. Celebrities, musicians, and many other famous individuals have incredible influence over people, at the very least their supporters….fans….so it would definitly help to reduce global warming if more of them attempted to express how serious climate change could get in the near future.
The French guitarist Patrick Rondat made an entire album entitled “Rape of the Earth”; here is the title song (it’s instrumental).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_LQtDRTuN4
And since it has been mentioned, here is his tribute to Vivaldi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm8c4PAy_9U
This is a really great post. Big Yellow Taxi is a song I really love, because the lyrics really leave an impression on you.
There’s also this “Save Energy, Save Earth”, sung by a Korean group called Super Junior. While it’s not exactly the same calibre as the songs you listed above, it’s more of a short but catchy PSA for how people need to change their lifestyles and be more concious of the planet.
Here is a translation:
“Save Energy, Save Energy
Save Energy, Save Earth
Try and follow me, save e-ner-gy
Don’t act like you don’t know anymore
It’s hurtful Save Earth, Save Earth
Start with the little things
(One!) Don’t leave your unused computer on
Energy is leaking
(Two!)Use public transportation when going out
Think about our Earth
Try and follow me, save e-ner-gy
Don’t act like you don’t know anymore
It’s hurtful Save Earth, Save Earth
Save energy starting now”
(from this site here .)
A very interesting blog post! Michael Jackson really had a big influence of peace and love on the global scale.
Here’s my favourite:
Season’s End, by Marillion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYxzOIojerA
Getting close to seasons end
I heard somebody say
That it might never snow again
In England
Snow flakes in a new-born fist
Sledging on a hill
Are these things we’ll never see
In England
We’ll tell our children’s children why
We grew so tall and reached so high
We left our footprints in the earth
And punched a hole right through the sky
We’ll tell them how we changed the world
And how we tamed the sea
And seasons they will never know
In England
So watch the old world melt away
A loss regrets could never mend
You never miss it till it’s gone
So say goodbye, say goodbye
We’ll tell our children’s children why
We grew so tall and reached so high
You never miss it till it’s gone
So say goodbye, say goodbye
To seasons end
Andre – thanks for the Rondat link.
Way back in the day, Vangelis linked science and music through electronica.
I often think of ‘Albedo 0.39’ while coding.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL1oU6fH25w