Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Underdog Week: Day 3

     Ladies and gentleman welcome to day three of underdog week.  I have to start out with this: 


I'm not in the least bit a fan of Lady Gaga's music.  To be frank she creeps me out hardcore.  I did find her movement very interesting though. This is the first example that I have seen of this anti bullying theme outside of the rock genre.  In all honesty I haven't really been looking for it.  I've just started to notice it. The significant thing is that newer music seems to be gravitating to it.  It seems to me like society is clamoring for a change.  Wait a change from what? I haven't quite figured it out, but it seems to have a lot to do with peace.  Nowadays it is hard to trust our own government. I've been trying to pay attention to politics and it is an exhausting task trying to sift through all of the back biting and lies.  We are in a massive debt as a country and all our politicians seem to be giving is us frustration.  SOPA was a great example of the government trying to accomplish their own agenda, but the people spoke out as one saying, "We don't have to take this, back against the wall.  We don't have to take this.  We can end it all."   I wonder if the United States as a whole feels bullied.  I've heard the phrase life imitates art, and I would add art reflects life.  Right now people are expressing how discontented they are from their musical soapbox.  Granted these songs aren't talking about government, and I might be piecing it together wrong. I can see however the plausibility of it all.  The bottom line does seem to be these artist feel bullied or witness it and they won'd accept it anymore.  

    Now onto tonight's song.  This artist is one that I'm just now learning about.  They are called Redlight King.
I've just recently found out that the band was formed by Mark Kasprzyk.  He is a singer/songwriter who is known under his stage name, Kazzer.  He appears to have two albums that he made in the early 2000's.  He just recently formed the Redlight King group.  I'm assuming since he is their front man that he is the red light king.  I'm not sure what red light imagery he is going with. 

    I recently bought their CD Something for the Pain.  This album is loaded with themes of being an underdog and seeking redemption for past mistakes.  The CD has a rather religious tone in many of the songs.  The song that I feel epitomizes this week's underdog theme is entitled Comeback.

Many times I've walked the line
I've rolled the dice and questioned my life
Many times I sacrificed and dealt with the pain
I've been down this road before
Where the dead ends are
It rains and it pours
I've been down below and
It's the price that I paid

I know how it feels when you have to start again
Now there's no one to save me
I know how it feels when the world is gonna end
But they'll see

I'm gonna make a comeback
I'm gonna dig six feet up tonight
I'm gonna get it all back
I'm gonna make a comeback this time

Look into my eyes you'll see
A graveyard filled with dirt and defeat
Look into my eyes you'll see
The weight on my soul
Where the fallen angels sleep
The crooked hearts and the crossroads meet
Where the haters say my name
And carve it in stone

I know how it feels when I haven't got a friend
Even when they're standin' beside me
I know how it feels when the world is gonna end
But they'll see

I'm gonna make a comeback
I'm gonna dig six feet up tonight
I'm gonna get it all back
I'm gonna make a comeback this time

Risk it all, I'm gonna risk it all
I'm gonna break my back and risk it all
I'm gonna pick my spot, take my shot,
Swallow my pride and risk it all
I'm gonna risk it all
And I won't look back
I'm gonna pick my spot,
Take my shot, swallow my pride
And risk it all

The light's on, the last round
The dark horse keeps on fightin'

I'm gonna make a comeback
I'm gonna dig six feet up tonight
I'm gonna get it all back
I'm gonna make a comeback this time
I'm gonna make a comeback
I'm gonna dig six feet up tonight
I'm gonna get it all back
I'm gonna make a comeback this time

I'm gonna make a comeback this time
Yeah, a comeback, a comeback
I'm gonna make a comeback this time
I'm gonna comeback, I'm gonna comeback
I'm gonna comeback
I'm diggin' up six feet tonight

Comeback has a different flavor of underdog.  This is also a song of redemption.  The phrase "I'm diggin' up six feet tonight" is a powerful depiction of a second chance/life.  In many ways the song talks about fighting yourself.  The singer is saying "I've been down this road before", "Take my shot, swallow my pride and risk it all", and the idea of "diggin' six feet up" is built on the idea of doing himself because he buried himself.  When I am trying to make a comeback it usually is a result of my own short comings or doubts about myself.  It is in those moments that I become my own oppressor.  I can't accept anyone else's love until I love myself, or I can't be successful without having confidence in my own abilities.  This song in my opinion is a challenge to self, and it is also a proclamation to the world that I will be successful. There is also the dark horse imagery in this song just like last night's highlighted song.  This feels like an answer to the lack of confidence that others have or even self has in the attempted comeback.  "Look into my eyes and see a graveyard filled with dirt and defeat."  Life is hard and constantly failing especially because of myself is not an easy thing to overcome and fight against.  So there it is. Underdog week day three comes to an end.  Don't fret though I still have two songs left and...


1 comment:

  1. Dude, I need to listen to this group more. I've given them quick run-through moments and such but I think they deserve a deeper listen.

    ReplyDelete