adminmelodies at the right level of sound.
Words have power to give us an insight into what they mean. According to the Bible “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it”. There is also a Shona proverb which says “Mashoko evakuru haawiri pasi” literally put – words spoken will come to pass.
Such is the power of music to both young and old.
I see you with your palms in pants
But me see me, I got the world in my hands
I make it spin on my finger,
I’m a critical thinker,
I’m a hell of a smoker, but a bit of a drinker
This singer talks of how he can control the world as he owns it and of how he thinks, drinks and smokes. What really is the message of this song? As we listen to these songs do we take time to see what kind of effect they bring or we just sing along for fun?
In as much as we all listen to the rumours about illuminati artistes and how they initiate each other, these lyrics carry messages that are connected to how we end up acting. Being cool and stylist is not a problem, the problem comes when we want to imitate these artistes and their lifestyle. What is most cool and full of swagga is being you.
What we listen to and what we watch constantly becomes our teachers in life and the more we do so the more we are established in those teachings. Songs in most cases portray the lifestyle of the musician. No wonder weird events like burning oneself in sacrificial rituals are happening in this day and age.
Swearing, cursing, violence and sex is what we hear of mostly in these songs. These words have power to control how we live. They may have been sung by Snoop Lion or Lady Gaga but participation comes when we sing along, confirming them over our lives.
Growing up, I got to an extent whereby every situation I got myself into, I had a song to sing along and that is how addictive music can be.
Some say “Music is Life” a statement which to a greater perception is true. Just try to imagine a world without music, how boring it would be. Lucifer, the devil was a worship angel who sang to God and had the most beautiful voice before being laid low by pride and arrogance.
Music is great, even God wants to hear it. It is the words that make the music bad.
If two teenagers listen to a song about sex, what effect is there going to be between them other than ending up having such thoughts even acts.
Music is more powerful a tool than television as images face away while lyrics can keep on repeating and be rerun in the mind.
Music can be some form of motivation for an individual or group, it only depends how one takes the message contained in the song.
Between a beat and the lyrics is where people are found. There are those who have a tendency of listening to the beat only but eventually
grow and get used to the lyrics while others listen to the lyrics and are quickly influenced by them.
Vox Juvenis: Voice of the Youth states that music can have very negative effects. Recent studies from the University of South Carolina have shown that children, teens and young adults are the most affected by the negative messages given off by today’s music. Songs such as “Smack – That” by Akon and “Hoes and Ladies” by T-Pain portray messages that women should be treated as personal belongings.
On the other hand some music type is influential to crimes and drug abuse glorification among youths. Jamaican singer Vybz Kartel is a typical example of direct clarification of the University of Carolina’s researches.
What happened to encouraging songs such as “Lean On Me” by Michael Bolton or “All for Love” by Rod Stewart or our own Oliver Mtukudzi.
One wonders where we are headed to with these stereotyping kind of music and how long it will take us to realise that it is destroying who we truly are. It is us the young generation that has to put our foot down and stand for what we believe in.
Online Reporter