A Comparison of Micro and Macro Songs

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Recommended: Music as a culture and identity

Sociology, as a practice, can be applied to almost every human exchange. The realm of lyrical song is no different, offering numerous venues for sociological perspectives to be expressed by the artist(s) about the shared environment around them. For the purposes of exemplifying the possible connections which can be made in this context we chose two unique songs: “Prayer of the Refugee” by Rise Against and “The Dreaming Tree” by the Dave Matthews Band. In the following examination, both songs demonstrate the diverse principles of the sociological perspective on a macro and micro level, respectively.

In the song “Prayer of the Refugee” by Rise Against, the listener is given a conflict theory on a macro level basis with overarching themes of globalization and the struggle of two very different socioeconomic groups. The chorus reflects their repeated reference to industrialized western influence in third world countries: “Don't hold me up now/ I can stand my own ground/ I don't need your help now/ You will let me down, down, down (“Rise Against,” n.d.)!” This line is a depiction of what the workers in these circumstances feel towards the power elite who oppress them by having disproportionate control over the political and wealth system (Benokraitis, 2010). In response, the workers openly demand to retain their sense of esteem by refusing the assistance the system provides. This suggests that power hungry corporations do more harm than help in undeveloped nations, causing struggle and immense tension.

Furthermore, the voices of the underclass, or the foreign people incorporated into the lowest rung of the U.S. social ladder, define their acknowledged self in the following stanza, “We are the angry and the desperate/ The hungry, an...

... middle of paper ...

...ies our aging population (Benokraitis, 2010). The woman yearns to be young and beautiful again, back in the comfort of her father’s protection. Her father is clearly a significant other, which is someone important to her, and in this case a primary care giver (Benokraitis, 2010). He would also be a member of her reference group, which is a group of people who shape our values, behavior and attitudes (Benokraitis, 2010).

Works Cited

Benokraitis, N. V. (2010). Soc. Belmont, CA: Wadworth Cengage Learning.

Lyrics007: Dave Matthews band and Dave Matthews- the dreaming tree lyrics. (2010, June 3). Retrieved from http://www.lyrics007.com/Dave%20Matthews%20Band%20and%20Dave%20Matthews%20Lyrics/The%20Dreaming%20Tree%20Lyrics.

Rise Against lyrics: “prayer of the refugee.” (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/riseagainst/prayeroftherefugee.html

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