Underdog Week: Day 1

     Mondays have been villainized for decades.  It seems to b a by-product of our industrialized society.  We've created the kind of societal norms that result in people striving to getting the week's end rather than enjoying the moment.  A large majority of people seem to struggle with being present in their physical location.  Our heads are constantly filled with thoughts of trips to distant lands, time spent with friends, or sleeping in for a couple extra hours.

     During Football season it is easy to find something I can look forward to on Monday.  During the off season I have to be creative, and now that I have a blog I've decided to attempt starting a weekly post revolving around music.  I have also decided to make things a little bit more interesting by making the first one last a week (really just five days).

     My preferred genre of music is rock.  I've described rock more than a few times as the music of my soul.  I am rather picky about what I listen to.  Far too often rock lyrics are poorly constructed, repetitive, and focused on sex and drinking.  I think the main reason I enjoy rock  is digging into the lyrics for a meaning.  Pop music largely tends to be about making a rhythm that people can dance to.  A lot of the country songs I have heard are telling you a story.  Most of the rock that I actually listen to needs to be deciphered and experienced to understand the meaning.  It's really all a personal preference, and to me the difference is quite noticeable.  For example the following is the chorus of a rather popular song:

Baby, baby, baby oh

I'm Like baby, baby, baby no

I'm Like baby, baby, baby oh

I thought you'd always be mine (mine)

Baby, baby, baby oh

I'm Like baby, baby, baby no

I'm like baby, baby, baby oh

I thought you'd always be mine (mine)

Now here is an example of a pre-chorus and chorus of a song that I  really like:

I am focused on what I am after

The key to the next open chapter

Cause I found a way to steal the sun from the sky

Long live that day that I decided to fly from the inside

I'm not here bashing other music.  I'm just expressing that what I desire from music is different than most popular music.  The first song's chorus has four words that have more than four letters.  Now if you look closely enough you'll see that it is really just two different words repeated twice.  To be fair there are a couple of repeated words in the second song too i.e. I, from, and to. In the end the thought I have about the music like the first song is:

     As I've experienced and deciphered my music I have noticed a recent theme that has stretched across five different bands who are within the same genre, and yet their style and sound are widely diverse.  The theme is an ode to the underdogs of our society. These bands are crying out for those who don't have a voice.  Without further ado or gilding of the lily I shall start underdog week with a song by the Jacksonville based band entitled Bully.

CD cover for Amaryllis

     This song is the first released single off of their newest CD Amaryllis. The CD comes out one month from today.  I am very excited to get my hands on it.  Shinedown hasn't released new music for a couple of years now.  Bully calls out the proverbial bully while also using chorus of voices to chant that the oppressed don't have to take the abuse. The surface theme seems to be specifically about school bullies with lyrics referring to the 8 o'clock school bell and the reference to sticks and stones breaking bones. The message certainly isn't limited to the school yard.  I can also see how it can be applied to any bullies that one might have to face during their lifetime.  Enjoy at your convenience the first helping of underdog week.

It's 8 AM, this Hell I'm in

Seems I've crossed the line again

For being nothing more than who I am

So break my bones and throw your stones

We all know that life ain't fair 

But there is more of us, we're everywhere

We don't have to take this, back against the wall

We don't have to take this, we can end it all

All you'll ever be is a fading memory of a bully

Make another joke while they hang another rope, so lonely

Push them to the dirt till the words don't hurt

Can you hear me?

No one's gonna cry on the very day you die

You're a bully

Think it through, you can't undo

Whenever I see black and blue

I feel the past, I share the bruise

With everyone who's come and gone

My head is clear, my voice is strong, now I'm right here to right the wrong

We don't have to take this, back against the wall

We don't have to take this, we can end it all

All you'll ever be is a fading memory of a bully

Make another joke while they hang another rope, so lonely

Push them to the dirt till the words don't hurt

Can you hear me?

No one's gonna cry on the very day you die

You're a bully

(Solo)

It's 8 AM, the Hell I'm in! 

Your voice is strong, now right the wrong! 

All you'll ever be is a fading memory of a bully

Make another joke while they hang another rope, so lonely

Push them to the dirt till the words don't hurt

Can you hear me?

No one's gonna cry on the very day you die

You're a bully

All you'll ever be is a fading memory of a bully

Make another joke while they hang another rope, so lonely

Push them to the dirt till the words don't hurt

Can you hear me?

No one's gonna cry on the very day you die

You're a bully

We don't have to take this, back against the wall

We don't have to take this, we can end it all (x4)