CC Gov Joyner Unit 1 Music videos

This cover's the in-class discussion of the Music Videos. You do NOT need to know who performed which songs, just what they covered.

What are the main things to remember from “Only in America?”

• Equality of opportunities for EVERYONE regardless of gender, race… etc.

• The ‘chords for the people’ are here

• Equal opportunities DOES NOT mean equal outcomes, it just means everyone has the chance to try

• Even if you don’t achieve the American Dream, you can always go home and build a normal life there

What are the ‘chords for the people’ as played in “Only In America"?”

meaning this is a song for everyone because the guitar chords are simple and can be played by everyone

What are the main things to remember from “Empire State Of Mind?”

• Alicia Keys, the singer, is a manifestation of the American dream she is portraying in the song

• America is not a PERFECT place, it is a hodge-podge of good and bad

• New York is a physical representation of the American Dream for many immigrants (so is Hollywood for actors, Nashville for country singers)

• This song wouldn’t seem inherently political BUT American political rhetoric is subconsciously instilled within Americans

What are the main things to remember from “Pink Houses?”

• Pink Houses= "the not-so-glorious’ homes of America

• Written about a poor Black man’s home as seen by singer John Mellencamp

• Interstate expansion was primarily running through low-income Black neighborhoods

• The remnants of a society once segregated

• American Dream VS American Reality

• The dreams were are fed are a lie for many

• Ironic and sarcastic tone

• Not happy about the rich taking advantage of everyone else

What are the main things to remember from “Talkin Bout A Revolution?”

• Looking for a Liberal/active government approach

• America was never ONCE explicitly named BUT welfare lines and Salvation Army are uniquely American phenomena (as described in class NOT by me because the wording feels strange there)

• The disadvantaged can only be complacent for so long

• People are entitled to basic rights

• People feel they are waiting for something that won’t come (Ex: stagnant wages vs. inflation)

What are the main things to remember from “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)?”

• A direct response to 9/11

• America is the world’s savior that fights for freedom!!!

• We sacrifice for freedom

• AMERICAN response to horrible tragedy= who did it and how do we get them back

• America has the #1 military! (this is a remnant of COLD WAR MENTALITY)

• America’s Spider-man Complex: “The Indispensable Nation” - Bill Clinton (meaning we save everyone and they turn to us for help)

• Singing to rile up Military people (and they enjoy this in the video)

What are the main things to remember from “Born In The USA?”

• Bruce Springsteen (the singer) was a big-time critic of the Vietnam war

• This song follows the story of a depressed and disadvantaged Vietnam veteran

• Ironic feel to being born in the US

What are the main things to remember from “Politically Uncorrect?”

• the use of Uncorrect over Incorrect emphasizes the ‘I do it my OWN way’ vibes she conveys throughout the song

• Conservative/Traditional views are going out of fashion and being replaced with ‘liberal’ ideology

• She wants progress to coincide with the founding fathers original ideas

• Conservatives are for everyone regardless of class (ties into the whole Trumpism turbine about ruling Democrats looking down on regular Republicans)

• Framers are important to the nation, but their ideas of our nation were NEVER meant to be set in stone (outside of the basic founding principles)

What are the main things to remember from “We Americans?”

• Two things can be true at once

• America is both a place of hope AND ruin (the land we live on is covered in blood and we can still grow things from the soil)

• Hopeful ending to this song expresses hope towards a better future

• We can’t abandon our bloody past but we can take accountability and still move forward