Have your cake and eat it too: A reflection on a couple of pop songs
Let's lose our minds and go crazy crazy-
like a moth to a flame
So don't get me wrong. I actually like both of these songs. But I'm still going to sort of "critique" them from a lyrical standpoint and challenge the current thematic elements of so many modern pop songs.
2 pop songs
The two songs are "Cake By The Ocean" by DNCE and the other is "Cautious" by Tyler Shaw. The first is from a few years back (2015) but the Tyler Shaw one is quite current and isn't exactly a massive hit song or anything but it is getting radio play.
My thesis
My basic thesis in blunt form is that the lyrical themes of modern pop almost seem to worship sex and "dangerous" romantic encounters where we are called to "give it all", even to a stranger - even if it's "dangerous" - just "let it all go", "go for it", it's worth the risk baby baby, let's do this. We take it for granted but I think it's worth calling this out for a moment as somewhat problematic. We will even see how in the DNCE tune the protagonist calls out his love interest for being "careful" and calls her to "start living dangerously."
It even struck me as almost propaganda when I was listening to this DNCE tune just a few minutes ago. These "anthems" can "help" prospective lovers just "go for it" even if their better judgment might feel resistant - and I think that is problematic. As it was so beautifully :/ stated in "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic: "I feel something so right doing the wrong thing." Um, someone should at least stop for a second and go: "I get what you're saying, but that's pretty messed up dude. It's ok to do the right thing."
Like a moth to a flame
Is it worth throwing caution to the wind to get burned for a few moments of pleasure, danger, thrill? Or should we question these values?
I give especially "Cautious" by Tyler Shaw credit (some lyrics will be provided but feel free to look them up or listen to the song) for really digging into a deep sentiment, a deep emotion and passion of love, perhaps lust, but more deeply these deeply carnivorous hungers not necessarily just for the passion of a sexual encounter- but more deeply something real and true... "I want to FEEL something," someone might say. We hunger for truth, peace, adventure, joy. Certainly it's impossible to deny the lyrical theme of lust, however I personally see something beyond just the mere superficiality of the obvious read of a man lusting after a very tempting women.
Pick your poison
I should know better / But you know how it goes
They say your kiss is deadly / But I still wanna know
I thought a very poignant line was:
See you're a gamble / I roll the dice
If I don't get you first / I flip the quarter twice
The song is contained within this dark, powerful sentiment of these sorts of lines and music.
Let's (not) lose our minds
Meanwhile, in the "Cake By The Ocean" song, some of the key lines are:
I'm going blind from this sweet sweet craving
Let's lose our minds and go f***ing crazy
You're moving so carefully, let's start living dangerously
I think there are times in life when you can live "dangerously." We are called to live with a foot in Order and a foot in Chaos to grow. But my point in this reflection is to give the girl some credit for being careful and to urge her to not necessarily listen to Joe Jonas even if he did write a catchy song about her (I don't think she can hear me anyway).
Girl, you are a real life fantasy... woah
As much of a fantasy as it sounds - as romantic as it can be - as often as this is portrayed in music and movies and TV and commercials AND and and... let's realize that "living dangerously" does have real consequences and not all of us can write hit songs and make lots of money based on those consequences.
like a moth to a flame
So don't get me wrong. I actually like both of these songs. But I'm still going to sort of "critique" them from a lyrical standpoint and challenge the current thematic elements of so many modern pop songs.
2 pop songs
The two songs are "Cake By The Ocean" by DNCE and the other is "Cautious" by Tyler Shaw. The first is from a few years back (2015) but the Tyler Shaw one is quite current and isn't exactly a massive hit song or anything but it is getting radio play.
My thesis
My basic thesis in blunt form is that the lyrical themes of modern pop almost seem to worship sex and "dangerous" romantic encounters where we are called to "give it all", even to a stranger - even if it's "dangerous" - just "let it all go", "go for it", it's worth the risk baby baby, let's do this. We take it for granted but I think it's worth calling this out for a moment as somewhat problematic. We will even see how in the DNCE tune the protagonist calls out his love interest for being "careful" and calls her to "start living dangerously."
It even struck me as almost propaganda when I was listening to this DNCE tune just a few minutes ago. These "anthems" can "help" prospective lovers just "go for it" even if their better judgment might feel resistant - and I think that is problematic. As it was so beautifully :/ stated in "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic: "I feel something so right doing the wrong thing." Um, someone should at least stop for a second and go: "I get what you're saying, but that's pretty messed up dude. It's ok to do the right thing."
Like a moth to a flame
Is it worth throwing caution to the wind to get burned for a few moments of pleasure, danger, thrill? Or should we question these values?
I give especially "Cautious" by Tyler Shaw credit (some lyrics will be provided but feel free to look them up or listen to the song) for really digging into a deep sentiment, a deep emotion and passion of love, perhaps lust, but more deeply these deeply carnivorous hungers not necessarily just for the passion of a sexual encounter- but more deeply something real and true... "I want to FEEL something," someone might say. We hunger for truth, peace, adventure, joy. Certainly it's impossible to deny the lyrical theme of lust, however I personally see something beyond just the mere superficiality of the obvious read of a man lusting after a very tempting women.
Pick your poison
I should know better / But you know how it goes
They say your kiss is deadly / But I still wanna know
I thought a very poignant line was:
See you're a gamble / I roll the dice
If I don't get you first / I flip the quarter twice
The song is contained within this dark, powerful sentiment of these sorts of lines and music.
Let's (not) lose our minds
Meanwhile, in the "Cake By The Ocean" song, some of the key lines are:
I'm going blind from this sweet sweet craving
Let's lose our minds and go f***ing crazy
You're moving so carefully, let's start living dangerously
I think there are times in life when you can live "dangerously." We are called to live with a foot in Order and a foot in Chaos to grow. But my point in this reflection is to give the girl some credit for being careful and to urge her to not necessarily listen to Joe Jonas even if he did write a catchy song about her (I don't think she can hear me anyway).
Girl, you are a real life fantasy... woah
As much of a fantasy as it sounds - as romantic as it can be - as often as this is portrayed in music and movies and TV and commercials AND and and... let's realize that "living dangerously" does have real consequences and not all of us can write hit songs and make lots of money based on those consequences.
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