Wavin’ Flag Born in Somalia and raised in the midst of the Somali Civil war, Keenan Abdi Warsame (K'naan) became an international sensation because of his hit single “Wavin Flag.” He originally wrote this song for Somalia and the aspiration of freedom he wanted for his people and homeland. Waving’ Flag is symbolic in my life and has impacted millions of people worldwide. This song expresses empowerment, freedom, and the will to become stronger. These ideas and meanings are evident through the lyrics and beautiful melody. K’naan immigrated to Toronto from Mogadishu in 1991, with his mother and three siblings. As new refugees, they suffered hardship and pain leaving their war torn homeland to seek protection and new hope. Even though, his song …show more content…
He’s referring to the Somali government’s way of dehumanizing its citizens in order to brainwash them. However, K'naan writes, in the next few lines: “Try to control us/ they couldn’t hold us” “Cause we just move forward/ like buffalo soldiers” (29-30). This means the government can’t control its citizens and explains to listeners that the Somali people are stronger than its government and they refuse to listen and fight back strong like “buffalo soldiers”. This line can be universal to many countries that faced totalitarian government control and the resistance people had toward them. I probably would've been in survival mode all the time and face an inner battle with myself along with Somalia. The fact that freedom is so essential in life and how one person can prosper because of it is astounding. Freedom is something I want my people to have and I believe K'naan also wants this too. K'naan’s song makes me thankful for the freedom I have and aware of how most don’t appreciate the freedom we possess in the US. This is something people from other countries would die …show more content…
Most of his other songs reflect on his life as a refugee who left his homeland and allow others who aren’t in his position to feel like they can somehow relate to him regardless of their background. K’naan’s Wavin’ Flag has universal meanings and themes that affect most of the world today, like hunger, poverty, and war. In K’naan’s song, Wavin’ Flag, he writes “But we struggling/ fighting to eat” (31). During the civil war, the majority of Somalis were experiencing hunger, and even though there was aid and relief brought to them by world organizations, most of that food and aid ended up in the wrong hands (that of the government). This problem of foreign countries giving food to countries that are in famine and in need of help is not solved when the resources are mostly handed over to the wrong people. This is still current in several regions around the world today. K’naan uses his lyrics to reach out to millions and wants to educate them about what’s going on around the world
American singer-songwriter and folk musician Bob Dylan describes in his autobiography, as well as his life and music in general, the ambiguity of folk songs and their ability to be openly shared, interpreted, and even fabricated, and he believes that human nature is such that we are most comfortable with this opacity. The work of African American artist Kara Walker reinforces this belief, and applies it to history with the exploration of cultural ideas regarding race, sexuality, identity, gender roles, repression, and violence.
Joan Baez, a famous folk singer, sang her most famous song “Oh Freedom” during the civil rights movement. She expressed her want and need for equality and freedom f...
Popular artist began to record songs that reflected people’s disapproval overt the war and eventually became a new method of protest.
What is the value of nationality? And how important is a flag to that nationality? For some people the flag is extremely valuable to nationality and unity, for that reason many people have opposed flag desecration in recent history. Flag desecration is when a person or group of persons mistreat or burn a flag for various reasons. The most frequent being in protest of the government and their political or foreign decisions.
The song was written to motivate young men to join the army, idealizing soldiers as patriotic “son[s] of liberty” who would make their fathers, girlfriends, and country proud. The US soldiers are shown as the liberators of
Tragic events occur not only in the United States, but also all over the world. From these tragic events communities, families, and the government decide to place memorials for people that were lost and as a thank you for people protecting the citizens of the country. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall, in Washington D.C. is one of these cases. However, what exactly was the purpose of this memorial? The purpose of putting up the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was not only to thank the veterans for their bravery, but to remind future generations about happened during the Vietnam War. Also, the memorial is important to help people and the veterans to accept the fact that the war actually
Originating on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, 1918, the cessation of fighting at the end of World War I would come to be known as Veterans Day. This hallowed day, was thought to be the end to wars, and was reflected upon by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 as representative of the solemn pride to honor those who died in service of their country. (VA.gov)
Historically, protest songs are written and sung by performers to present a strong point of view regarding a political or social injustice. The Vietnam War was a one such political and social event that sparked many famous protest songs. Two of the most famous protest songs about the Vietnam War are “Fortunate Song” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen. While written at opposite ends of the war, both songs share a similar point of view and similar musical styles. However in the end I believe that only one of songs is truly a successful protest song that continues to make a lasting impact on American politics and society.
Bob Dylan was an artist that recorded protest music. He recorded “Times Are A-Changin” in 1963. The lines “There’s a battle outside and it’s ragin’. It’ll soon shake your windows, rattle your walls” are a reference to the Vietnam War. At first, you think he is trying to get the public to not try to understand the war. In all reality, he was talking about how confused and frustrated at how many parents sons’ and daughters were sent to war. Another song by him is “Blowin’ in the Wind” and it became an anthem for the civil rights era. “Chimes of Freedom” by Bob Dylan is another protest song. He uses imagery from wind, hurricanes, etc. to tell a bigger
The United States of America has a long history of trying to provide support and benefits for the men (and recently women) who have fought for the country dating back to the Colonial War time in 1636. The Pilgrims passed a law saying the colony would care for the disabled soldiers who fought against Native Americans (U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, 2015b). During this time, it was customary for veterans to receive pensions for their service during war-time. This effort was made to prevent desertions and to encourage more men to enlist. Another effort the U.S. government made was to offer public land free to men who fought in the war due to only 3,000 men drawing on the pensions offered during the Revolutionary
Political issues such as the war on terrorism is evoked as an issue throughout the song. American was divided “All across the alien nation” when troops were sent to Iraq to search for weapons of mass destruction. Metaphorical language was used to explore the issue. Audience positioning from techniques indorse concerns with a country divided and positions them to feel the need to cooperate and sort things out other than civil unrest and debate.
Tribal Voice by Yothu Yindi is a song which incorporates perspective about how aboriginals were treated badly and cast out and that they should all stand up to take back what is theirs . This song is an aboriginal perceptive that they were treated badly though they gave the people of Australia home, even though they get no rewards or thanks. This song represents the aboriginal thinking of colonised Australia saying it wasn’t fair to themselves and their children as they took care of the land and it was just taken away and they were cast out. The indigenous people are still dreaming for a day that they can be fully welcomed back into society, but they now are going to speak for themselves and do whatever it takes so that the future generation of aboriginal culture have a better future.
There is one universal language: the language of music. Music has a special quality and ability to bridge both social and cultural divides. A proposed theory by Dr. Gray, Founder and Director of National Musical Arts’ BioMusic Program; describes music has been around longer than human-beings have. Music is the one thing human beings from various backgrounds can relate to. Every living creature would agree. Music is heard everywhere not just among humans, but in nature as well, through the twitting of birds, winds blowing, the soft sound of raindrops against a windowpane, the ocean waves moving back and forth and the hum of the ocean rushing in a sea shell. There is no escaping it; music lives in and surrounds us steadily. While there are countless songs which confer social or cultural consciousness, this paper will analyze and address the dynamics of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes”, video. Stylistically, the paper will examine the artist point of view, the unique use of lyrical analysis and sound description in relation to its historical, social, political and/or cultural context. This essay will also trace the lyrical analysis and sound description of song and discuss how the elements (visually, sonically, and lyrically) interplay with the theme of immigration and/or violence.
The Vietnam War is one of the most controversial subjects in American politics. The US went to the war under the guise of the domino effect, as they believed that if Vietnam fell, the surrounding countries would fall as well. President Johnson said “If you let a bully come into your garden, the next day he’ll be on your porch, and the day after that he’ll rape your wife” One thing that is not controversial is that we lost the war. Lots of different factors contributed to the United States unsuccessful trip to Vietnam. Among many reasons, one of the two biggest factors in the lose of the war was America’s foreign policy how and how bad the US underestimated how important freedom and independence was to the people of Vietnam. On top of that the US used the wrong military strategy, instead of focusing on limiting collateral damage the US used heavy artillery that killed citizens and alienated would be supporters. There was political corruptness in South Vietnam governments, which meant that they could not build an alternative to the NLF. At home, the public opinion of the war was decreasing at a constant rate and demonstrations were at an all time high. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, and these problems all contributed to a Vietnam tour that went horribly wrong and an attitude among the American people that was growing ever doubt full of their government.
“Some folks are born to wave the flag, ooh, they’re red, white and blue.” Creedence Clearwater’s song “Fortunate Son” is commonly misinterpreted as a very patriotic, country glorifying song. However, it is in fact the opposite. Many people make this mistake because of the first two lines which evoke patriotism yet they fail to see the deeper message that lies within the rest of the song. Creedence Clearwater wrote this song in 1969 as a protest against America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Even though “Fortunate Son” is a protest song, the main issue addressed is the inequality between the social classes.