week 8

Although I've come to like an eclectic range of music, there are always a select few that hold their positions as the "favorites". One of these songs is "Where is the Love?" by the Black Eyed Peas. Over recent years, the Black Eyed Peas have emerged as chart-toppers with their catchy tunes and underlying messages about society. They rap about topics beyond the scope of common rap subjects--money, girls, sex, drugs. Instead, many of their songs have underlying messages that depict current situations in society and obstacles in which many people can relate.

The song "Where is the Love?" focuses on the world's injustice, hypocrisy, and brutality. Although this song has a pessimistic outlook, the true meaning of the song summons a call to action and a call for change. It outlines the wrongs that are occurring in our home country, and pleads for the "father" to come help out mankind in general.

The song can be divided into two parts: the rapping in the verses and the singing in the chorus. The rapping has a more a harsh, blunt, and raspy tone, perhaps depicting the harsh, very real situations in which he speaks. From his tone of voice, a listener can tell that Will.I.am takes these issues very seriously and the hint of anger that surfaces in his voice evinces his disapproval and repugnance. One verse states: "I think the whole world's addicted to the drama/ Only attracted to the things that'll bring the drama/ Overseas yeah we tryin' to stop terrorism/ But we still got terrorists here livinin the U.S.A, the big C.I.A, the Bloods & the Crips, and the KKK." The underlying message is very clear--the current situation is unacceptable. We brood in hypocracy; the US is adamant about eliminating potential terrorists in the Middle East, yet we have our own unresolved problems that we have yet to attend to. These ironies can easily go unnoticed, yet these blunt and insightful lyrics bring up points that elicit further thought and realization.

In contrast to the seemingly up-front and raw sound of the rapping, Justin Timberlake sings the chorus and adds a soothing sound to the song. The singing possesses a slow, and soft timbre, which matches the lyrics that resonate. The lyrics, "Father father father, help us/ Need some guidance from above/ These people got me got me questioning...where is the love?" plead for a higher figure to stop the brutality and the cycle of hurt. While the verses provide a side that is angry with the world, the chorus calls for change. The song slows down for a bit, allowing the listener to absorb the previous lyrics, and contemplate what can be done in response.

Lastly, the minimal amount of instrumentation as well as the simple melody contribute the effectiveness of the song's message. In the song, there are three main instruments: two different drum and a chordophone that sounds like an electric violin. By using fewer instruments, there is less background music that can distract the listener from the message the song is trying to convey. Furthermore, the simple melody allows the audience to catch onto the harmony, ensuring that they won't be caught up trying to familiarize themselves with the melody. Thus, knowing what notes to expect, we can focus more on the words.