Category Fourth Listen

For this listen, I’d like you to consider the social critiques your song is making, both overt and subtle, and what, if any, solutions to the problems your songs offer.

In prior listen’s I’ve asked you to focus on the Context and there will undoubtedly be some overlap here. But, rather than just stating what the social issues are, I’d like you to discuss how the artist(s) offer critique through their lyrics. Those critiques can be overt through direct discussion of the issue(s), and they can be subtle or implied through subtextual discussions. Try to illuminate both and link to news stories or other documents that highlight the importance of the issues being discussed. Find sources you have yet to use.

Further, I’d like you to think about about how the genre the artist has chosen enables or detracts from the critique being made. And if you see a connection to their vocal delivery.

Finally, think about if the artist is actually offering concrete solutions to the problems they discuss. Yes, they may offer “love” or “kindness” as a solution, but that isn’t a concrete solution—it’s more like a idealistic and, perhaps, somewhat unrealistic. Rather, are there hard, policy-like, solutions that are offered?

Quote the lyrics throughout.