Favorite Song Means What? How Interpretation Of Our Favorite Music May Change Over Time.
74What Does This Song Mean?
Still A Good Tune
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I Got It, I Don't Got It!
Have you ever wondered to yourself. Why you have a favorite song? Or why your favorite song suddenly seems to mean something else entirely. What happened? How did our Interpretation of that song can change over time?
How come I have known this favorite song of mine, for so many years and yet I have never heard those lyrics "like that" or really "got it" that way before?
Or you suddenly understood your favorite song in a completely different way?
A good example is the song by The Police. Every breath you take.
For many years I listened to this song, sang along to it.
Even learned to play it on the guitar.
It is/was a beautiful song and in my view tells of a very deep and abiding love.
Then a few years ago I watched a TV interview with Sting (Gordan Sumner) where he was talking about his work and how some people had interpreted this particular song.
Now before I go on any further.
If you haven't heard it before maybe you would like to hear it.
For those of you who have heard it just remind yourself of the song.
Uploaded by ThePoliceVEVO on Feb 23, 2010
Music video by The Police performing Every Breath You Take (Black and White Version). (C) 1983 A&M Records Ltd.
Boy Are We In Trouble Now?
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If Music Be The Food Of Love, Rock On.
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Political Correctness Gone Mad
I was astonished by what he said, that, and I'm paraphrasing here.
Many years after he had written the song.
A women's activist group had condemned the song as the musings of a stalker! and that it encouraged this type of behavior.
Sting went on to say that:
When he wrote the song he did not have stalking in mind.
NB When he wrote the song, stalking as a term used in relation to human beings wasn't even in the language.
The hunting fraternity of course used it when doing their thing. Deer, Bear not sure if you stalk fish.
More importantly, that he could not be held responsible for the way that certain people had interpreted it.
We all know the way that we can be easily misunderstood. Especially if you have been involved in the tourism business. Where certain words mean different things in other countries.
This may seem like a cavalier attitude but he makes an important point.
It's just a song, people read into it what they think it means. He made no apology for it and quite rightly so.
The song wasn't the problem, it was a problem of interpretation. Or was it?
Sting is no fool and I am sure he has the understanding of how to create and manipulate ambiguity.
Looking back on the video gives us a clue as to how it could be misinterpreted. Thats why I said to watch it.
It is rather dark and who is that guy in shadow wearing the hat at the end of the video?
Enter Facetime.
Isn't this always going to be an issue, especially in these times of mass instant communication.
How many times have you sent an innocent SMS text message or email to someone and they have completely misinterpreted your intentions.
This unfortunately is one of the vagaries of language.
In fact many business people now prefer to only talk face to face (Face-time!) with someone so that these errors of interpretation do not occur or are at least minimized.
Ambiguous language, videos, blogs or whatever can and will continue to be misinterpreted and muddy the waters.
Clarity in communication is the key.
Classic Gold Records...Sandy. She Got Dirty Down In The Sand.
You Know What I Mean?
You Decide What Is Right For You.
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Grease The Movie
Wow hold on there. What?
Don't tell me there is a problem with Grease and with the equally squeaky clean John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.
if you are a person of a certain age and you watched it as a young person many years ago you probable wasn't really paying that much attention to the details.
You just enjoyed the songs, the dancing and the scant story line, such as it is.
Now don't get me wrong it's still a great movie but we are talking about interpretation here.
As we mature we all see things in a slightly different way.
Hopefully we become wiser, more understanding and see the world as it is.
Not as we thought it was or even wish it to be.
Try watching it with your son, daughter or even worse your grandchildren.
It is just cringe worthy and full of dubious behavior and basically reflects what teenagers get up to.
And always have and probable always will.
Don't even get me going on Saturday night fever!
The next time you hear an old favorite song just pay a little more attention to the lyrics.
It is incredible what you can find. It may be that you were in a particularly happy place or some trauma was going on.
Although you may not have been consciously aware of the lyrics at the time, somewhere in your subconscious mind you heard those lyrics and they gave you some comfort, hope or joy and that is why you loved them.
Personally I still think Sting is a brilliant artiste and Grease is still a great movie. It's just a question of taste and interpretation. Have music in your life. Where would we be without it?.
Take pleasure in your songs, movies, books, blogs or whatever and remember your interpretation is as valid as anyone's.
Favorite Song Means What? How Our Interpretation Can Change Over Time.
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Over To You
Do Songs Change For You Over Time?
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Thanks Tammy,
I know exactly what you mean too lol.
What were we thinking!
Thanks barbergirl28,
It is amazing sometimes when w really listen to our favorite songs how our perceptions can change.
I think you are right, as we get older we change too. And so do our interpretations.
This is an amazing platform to deliver a message that everything around us including us matures with time! We danced to Humpty Dumpty when we were kids... Now we see our kids dance and smile... as things do.. meanings also mature!
My all time favorite music piece is Sicilian Pastorale from the godfather by Nino Rota... It helps me think from when I have started hearing it and I believe it will not change for me...
BTW.. awesome hub... up shared and awesome!
This is a very cool concept and a great hub. I liked a lot of songs when I was a child and as an adult I say.. what was I thinking??? Awesome!
Interesting thoughts. I know for me I am a big fan of music and a wide variety. Listening to my Ipod I notice how it goes from easy listening to rap to comedy. It is funny because all of the songs have some sort of memory. Listening to the song by Sting, I have always thought it was kind of creepy, but not to the point that I didn't like it. I guess I never interpreted it as a bad thing... just art... same thing with movies. However as we get older or maybe as we pay attention a little closer, or views can easily change. But that is what I like about music. When you really lay it down... what does the artist mean... and do we really know! Interesting hub!
well, or something...
Thanks justin,
It's all about the nudging.lol
well, I'm a bout nudging. I hope this one helps too :-)
Ha ha better late than never. Thanks Justin.
Glad you popped in here, it needed a little nudge.
you too!
Happy New Year Justin.
hmm. confused
Favorite Song Means What? How Our Interpretation Can Change Over Time
It's Justins wife isn't it...lol Sorry ha ha
Ha ha we are...whats the word I am looking for Justin?
SHE READS AND WRITES ON THE HUB ACTUALLY :-)
Hi MT,
Yep It got a lot of women's groups all riled up and I can understand why.
Sting is no fool and it may well have been the plan to be deliberately ambiguous.
It is weird that we hear what we want to hear sometimes.
I have to say that song was creepy to me when I first heard it until he said "you belong to me" and then I understood that he just loved her deeply, so it was all right. But I do understand what you mean about meanings that change, and when we pay more attention to what is actually said. Communication is certainly complex.
Don't worry Justin,
Your secret is safe with me and I won't tell your wife either lol.
Er! does your wife read hubpages? Dooh! sorry lol
molo- don't tell my wife. she thinks I do ;-)
Hiya phdast7,
I totally agree. I have books, movies and music and it never ceases to amaze me that I learn something new about them all the time.
I often re-read books from years ago and am struck by how they just keep giving fresh insights and ideas.
Pure joy.
Thanks for your great comments.
Loved this Hub. How diminished our life would be without music and how subjective out interpretation and understanding of lyrics often is. But that it what makes art, culture, music, and being human so interesting.
Hi PDXKaraokeGuy.
I'm shocked, you don't know everything?;)
I don't believe it:)
I thnk he married Trudi in the mid 80's, before that I thihnk he was married before, but I could be wrong. I don't know everything ;-)
Hi PDXKaraokeGuy,
Thats interesting, the video is a little spooky looking back on it.
I thought he was married to Trudi Styler up until recently.
Was he married before then, the plot thickens?
any more details?
I'd heard Sting say that he wrote that song when he was going through a divorce. Makes sense if you read the lyrics
psychicdog.net your welcome.
The price of freedom is vigilance.
Couldn't have put it better MM! Cheers
Hi psychicdog,
I think you are correct in your assessment, that many people feel brow beaten.
Not wanting to say anything for fear of upsetting someone somewhere.
It has created a form of paralysis of thought and inaction.
I am of the opinion that we should all make a stand for sanity.
Luckily we live in countries where we have in theory the right to free speech, but everywhere we see that freedom under threat.
From gagging orders about some celebrity footballer to not wanting to offend some obscure mollusc liberation group in the outer end of who knows where.
If we want to keep our freedoms we must fight this creeping disease.
I'll leave the last word to someone who knew all about these issue's.
"Publish and be damned!"
Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, Attributed; when the courtesan Harriette Wilson threatened to publish her memoirs and his letters
May 1769 – 14 September 1852
Great hub Malometer - our world has been very much into interpretation and finding victims - an era where intention is derided or is seen as fallacy - everything is about whether someone else is taking offense or not - I think this is a kind of madness we have entered into and creates victims and enemies everywhere, departments looking for offenders and victims and a society of inwardly cringing people with stunted emotions - very sad.
Always,
I am on it already Cave man coming at ya! soon.
Yes, that would be great. Thank you, but first i want the caveman's dialect...Cheers
Hi always, Hmm! caveman's life OK consider it done lol.
HMS Pinafore is a must see.
Maybe I'll put a hub together for you with the video in it. would you like that?
HaHa, You could do a hub on the caveman's life. It would be hilarious. I hanen't heard of HMS Pinafore. I would love to see it... Cheers
Hi Always,
I too cannot imagine a world without music and movies. As we grow and develop we obviously seem to know more maybe and understand more also.
I don't know how they coped in caveman days lol
You can imagine the scene at:
Cave No 4, The Swamp, Neolithic Period
Caveman 1. "hey honey, whats on the rock tonight?"
Cave-woman 1. " Er. an ant, a spider or some moss, what do you want to watch?"
Groan!
If you like musicals. Have you ever heard of HMS Pinafore? that is hysterical.
Thanks for coming over Always.
I can't imagine life without music, and i've noticed as i age, some song lyrics have changed,( phychologically ) I love good movies. I wish we had more good musicals like Grease. I enjoyed your article. Thank you....
Hello Linda and thank you for being the most wonderful dance partner a man could wish for.
I love being in La La Land with you and:
"if music be the food of love, play on"
I can move like Jagger too love it
Thanks for your lovely comments.
Can you put the kettle on we'll all have tea? lol Mwah!
Hubertsvoice you got it buddy.
When I was getting my "Travolta on" in the 70's/
I couldn't have cared less what the lyrics were, as long as I could dance to it all night, it was OK to me.
We should get on the dance floor and get our groove on right now lol
I loved this, because I love movies & music put the two together what a combination, for losing yourself if only for a little while in la la land...I think we should all be very grateful, that we can still move to the music when the mood takes us. Say again love Sting but at this moment in time really enjoy Maroon 5 with Christina. I've got the moves like Jagger. loved this molometer.
When I went to see movies as a kid , I paid no attention to storyline. Most movies had little or none, some great storylines. As far as music goes, I didn't know then and don't know now what most song lyrics were. All that concerned me was the beat. If it made me move I liked. Let's dance, kinda like Arlene, just dance. Great article.
Justateacher.
No you are not Miss. You are fundamental to the survival of the human race.
Without teachers where would we be? (I am a teacher)
You did make me laugh though.
I have seen many school productions of Grease, its very popular but O my word.
We did laugh, and the kids love it still it.
It taps into something they all "get" doesn't it.
Thanks for coming by for a visit.
O My Word Arlene The ink isn't even dry on this hub and you love it already. My life is complete.
I have visions in my mind of you dancing around and I must say it makes my day.
We should all dance more and have a ball because as you quite rightly say "life is grand" and we should celebrate everyday we wake up and we are still here.
I vote up your comments and I invite you to the dance. Thank you for making this such a joy.
It is all in how you interpret songs. As for Grease, for my 8th grade graduation we sang every song from the movie. Not until I was an adult did I understand all of the lyrics!
Right now the only songs running through my head are from my grandson's CD...Itsy Bitsy Spider and Row, Row Row your Boat.....lol
I'm 53, Michael, and I am old enough to be someone's grandma. These days, I'll watch television or a movie and forget about the storyline/plot. If the male actors happen to be good lookin'(doesn't matter what age), I'll watch. And if a song from my past comes on, I will dance to it. I've been known to dance in the middle of the sidewalk, in the mall, and in the grocery store. I will even dance around the house and in my front yard. Yes, life is grand, isn't it? Voted up, useful, interesting, and AWESOME for the thoughts.
molometer Hub Author 4 weeks ago
Hi rahul0324,
Thanks for reading and leaving a very thoughtful comment. I love the Godfather music as well.
It is a timeless piece of music.