Wow! I can't believe this is our final blog of the semester! :( I have really enjoyed learning how music connects cultures from all across the world. For the last blog I wanted to really tie it all in and choose some very fun but interesting songs, and that mean something to me in a way. Each of these songs comes from cultures that I have some sort of connection with—through people in my life, places I want to visit, or parts of my own story. Except one—which was mainly for fun but, I can't wait to share them, and I hope they are just as cool to you as they are to me!
For my first song, I wanted to go over to France, and explore the song "Dernière danse" by Indila. (Europe, Modern)
I chose a French song because number one: my roommate is from France, and I've been curious to hear what kind of music she listens to and number two: I have always wanted to go to France and I think the culture, music, and life there is so cool. This song, "Dernière danse", is a very emotional pop song, I like it because it mixes more modern sounds with that beautiful French lyrics. Even though I don't understand every word, it still has this great tone and vibe to it, you can truly feel the emotion just through her voice. For this song, I did some research and I found that it is about heartbreak and resilience, and I think that is a very relatable topic. I also learned that it is one of the most popular and best songs in France and within French culture. I loved this song, and I even put the lyrics in English next to the song, so I could get a real feel of the song and truly understand and it was great!
For the next song, I had do some more extensive research for this song, but it was SO worth it! This song is from Vietnam and it is called "Trông Cơm". The cover "Như Quỳnh - Trống Cơm ft. Thanh Trúc, Shayla" that I have attached is a great representation of how the song is traditionally performed. (Asia, Traditional)
I specifically chose Vietnam because my father visited Vietnam in 2020, and he has since then talked about how amazing the culture, food, and music were, so I wanted to explore that for myself more in depth. "Trông Cơm", is a traditional Vietnamese folk song and it is often played during festivals. They use traditional instruments like the đàn bầu, which is a one-string zither, and the trống cơm which is the drum that the song is named after. This song is extremely popular in Vietnamese culture and is enjoyed by many. While listening to this song, I found it cool how upbeat and playful it sounds—it honestly instantly made me happy while listening. I like that you can really tell how connected the community is with their music, and how they use it with celebration. I have always wanted to experience this culture and one day hope to go to the country of Vietnam to learn all about it!
This next pick was a little closer to home, the artist is Colombian and it is called "La Bicicleta" by Carlos Vives & Shakira. (South America, Modern)
I chose this song because I am currently taking Spanish, the culture is SO interesting to me and I hope to become fluent someday. I wanted to pick something from a Spanish speaking culture, and something that was popular as well, so this song was perfect. "La Bicicleta" is sung by the Colombian artist Carlos Vives and also Shakira, it is super popular across Latin America, and some parts in Mexico as well. This song has a great mix of modern pop feel and traditional Latin American lyrics. It is very upbeat, fun, and shows that we should celebrate everyday life. I've been learning a lot of new Spanish words in my class, some through music as well, so this song is super fun to try and depict what I know. The culture in Latin America is like no other, it truly brings music to life, through language and lyrics.
My last pick was a little more out of the box and my comfort zone, but I wanted to do something fun and different to end on a intriguing note. I found "I Love a Lassie," which is a traditional Scottish song and performed by Sir Harry Lauder. (Europe, Traditional)
This song immediately caught my attention, and I thought it was the neatest thing. The song is portrayed in a classic Scottish style and there is a strong accent. Throughout the song there is bagpipes, which truly give that iconic sound you recognize almost instantly. The song is very cheerful and a bit funny, it expresses love and interest for a girl named "Lassie". I like how it shows a very different side of tradition—a less serious side. Although it is old-fashioned, it was very neat to listen to and it actually made me smile hearing him sing about this girl he loved so much. This song was traditionally made to keep the country's charm and identity alive, with the bagpipes, the rhythm, and overall tone of the song.
Wow, this is incredibly sad to write my last conclusion for this class. Making this playlist has really helped me realize that music is one of the best ways to explore the world. Each song tells you a little story about where it came from, the culture, the people, the emotions, and so much more. Even though all of these different cultures are fairly fair apart, the music almost makes them feel close and connected. I truly hope to keep discovering new songs and learn more about lots of different cultures! I can't wait to read everyone's blogs this week, and learn about some new and interesting cultures and music!
