DRAKE & LIL WAYNE, TREY SONGZ, “Successful,” Rap , 2009
Pink Floyd, “Money,” Rock, 1973
DJ Khaled, “We Taking Over,” Rap, 2007
Jennifer Lopez, “Jenny From the Block”, Pop, 2002
Fat Joe featuring Lil Wayne, “Make it Rain” Rap, 2006
Liberation Songs:
Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Free Bird,” Classic Rock, 1975
Beyonce, “To the left,” Pop, 2006
The Clash, “Should I stay or should I go,” Rock, 1982
The Beatles, “Free as a Bird,” Classic Rock, 1995
Deborah Allen, “Break these chains,” Country, 1994
The two aims of Hinduism we are looking at here are success and liberation. Just like with the first two aims we looked at, which were pleasure and community service, one of these aims was by far easier to find music relating to it. This time that aim was success, which includes anything related to wealth, power, and fame. I cannot think of anyone who does not want to be successful at something during their lives so a lot of people sing songs relating to success. Oh the other hand, I had a lot of trouble finding songs related to liberation or being free from something. As I already stated the reason for this is because everyone want wealth, power, and/or fame.
In Hinduism worldly success is something that everyone attempts achieve at some point during their lives, which is basically the same in Western world. The major difference however, is that people in the Western world are willing to do almost anything to achieve their wealth and fame, legal or illegal. People who practice Hinduism will follow the laws of morality while trying to achieve their success. This aim is definitely the more important of the two to both Hindu’s and the people of the Western world. Just that fact that everyone achieves success and one point or another in their lives, but not everyone achieves liberation proves this. Achieving liberation or Moksha, is not something that people of Western culture usually concern themselves with. This is why songs regarding liberation are not nearly as popular as songs about success. The songs I did find regarding liberation or feeing oneself were not even concerned with freeing ones soul, but rather freeing themselves of some unwanted person or thing. In Hinduism Moksha is the ultimate goal, although everyone does not achieve Moksha everyone is striving to achieve it. Liberation in terms of American culture has nothing to do with freeing oneself from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
I found it interesting that we both chose the Drake song as our main song for success-I feel like he, as well as most of the other popular hip hop and r&b artists that are popular right now, build their success on writing songs about success. You make a good point about those who seek success in Hinduism strive to attain it in a moral fashion, while there is really no such emphasis in the Western culture on attaining success morally. Certain people may look down upon those who step on others to gain their own success, but I would say that the vast majority tends to overlook immoral behavior and just view the end result, power.
ReplyDeleteSeveral people chose Free Bird for one of their liberation songs which I found really neat, that other people had the same idea as me with an American version of the Hindu aim. I agree with you when saying that the Hindu aim of success and the Westernized version differ in the sense that Western people feel there are no limits. That they will, like you said, break the law to achieve their goal.
ReplyDeleteI love that you used Beyonce's "To The Left" for your liberation aim. When I was trying to think of songs for that particular aim, I had an incredibly difficult time coming up with something modern. It probably would have helped if I would have been thinking the same way as you! That is a great song for liberation - Beyonce is finally feeling liberated from her lying, cheating man. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI found your comments very insightful. You speak of Westerners being willing to do anything for success, be it illegal or legal, and that is a moral issue. I think that there is a difference between moral laws and man made laws. And not always is illegality immoral! Great post.
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