*The Power of MuSiC*

Have you ever wondered what your life would sound like to music? Have you ever created the soundtrack to your life? You might have said, "This is the perfect moment for this song to be playing. The music is awesome and the words are perfect to explain this very moment." Or, maybe, you just hear a song and it reminds you of something in your past. No matter how you look at it, music is powerful and evokes emotions in us that we may have otherwise never had without it. It occurred to me recently that some of the readings throughout the semester involved lyrics to certain songs, or just listening to the songs themselves. I, personally, can not imagine life without music. Sometimes, it just explains things that we can not put into words ourselves.

For purposes of this BLOG entry, I have decided to peruse my favorite music and discover music that represents topics we have discussed in class throughout the semester. Specifically, the week we discussed rape, and how it is constructed after the fact, as well as what determines that rape has occurred. Sometimes I think we take for granted and underestimate the power of music and lyrics. The emotions attached to music are unavoidable, in my opinion.

The first song is: 'Boys Who Rape' by The Raveonettes

Boys who, (boys who) Rape should, (rape should)All be, (all be)Destroyed.
Boys who (boys who) Rape should (rape should)All be (all be)Destroyed.
Three-to-one girl How can you win One horrid ni-ight
You hope that it's a bad dream They rip you to shreds Make you feel useless
You'll never forget
Those fuckers stay in your head
Boys who, (boys who) Rape should, (rape should)All be, (all be)Destroyed
Boys who, (boys who) Rape should, (rape should)All be, (all be)Destroyed
They rip you to shreds Make you feel useless You'll never forget
Those fuckers stay in your head
Boys who, (boys who) Rape should, (rape should)All be, (all be)Destroyed
Boys who, (boys who) Rape should, (rape should)All be, (all be)Destroyed
Boys who, (boys who) Rape should, (rape should)All be, (all be)Destroyed
Boys who (boys who) Rape should (rape should)All be (all be)Destroyed
B-boys, b-boys who rape shouldB-be b-be be destroyed
B-boys, b-boys who rape shouldB-be b-be be destroyed
B-boys, b-boys who rape shouldB-be b-be destroyed
B-boys, b-boys who rape shouldB-be b-be be destroyed

**Now, if this song isn't direct, I don't know what song is. I remember the class when we discussed what rape looks like and what nonverbal cues are associated with it. We also discussed, by watching several movie clips, if the situation was indeed rape. Obviously, this song is loaded with anger and someone in this band, or someone they know, had to experience an awful event. I imagine that if someone listening to this song had a similar experience, it would bring up those memories instantly.

The next song is: 'Date Rape' by Sublime

"The next day she went to her drawer, looked up her local attorney at law, went to the phone and filed the police report and then she took the guy's ass to court. Well, the day he stood in front of the judge he screamed, " She lies that little slut!" The judge knew that he was full of shit and he gave him 25 years And now his heart is filled with tears. That night in jail it was getting late. He was butt-raped by a large inmate, and he screamed. But the guards paid no attention to his cries. That's when things got out of control. The moral of the date rape story, it does not pay to be drunk and horny. But that's the way it had to be. They locked him up and threw away the key. Well, I can't take pity on men of his kind, even though he now takes it in the behind."

**The song actually reads like a story. This is only the last half of the song. Most of Sublime's music is pretty fun to listen to, not typically slow or sad sounding. This song is no different, but it is very easy to hear the words accurately.
These are only 2 songs that address the issue of rape. I know there are TONS more out there. It is a very serious issue that, unfortunately, seems to linger in a gray area.
Below are the links to both music videos:

Sublime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeMeDihwyrg

The Raveonettes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DpulDH89IE