It’s funny - I agree with Green Day in most ways politically, but stopped listening after American Idiot because so much of their music was blatantly political. That’s what they were going for, it is CLEAR and OBVIOUS to anyone listening to their music, where they stand. I am all for it, I would just rather be escaping the world’s issues while listening to music :)
Baby Shark is about the increasing rise of extended families as a “nuclear family” is a thing of the past. “What Does the Fox Say?” is pretty clear on what the fox has to say about interest rates:
Baby shark is an anthem against marriage equality, it was clearly pushing for a man an a woman when calling out momma shark and daddy shark. It is clearly in the bands constitution, they stand for traditional family values and will never accept the idea of marriage not being between an man and a woman. That’s the way it was for Grandma shark, and the way it will be for baby shark.
Don’t even get me started on how the sound of the fox represents the invisible hand of the Fed choosing who gets rich.
Since no one really responded with a serious answer I’ll go ahead and chime in.
The art itself my not carry a poignant message about our political world, but it exists in a political world and thus is political in nature.
It could be argued that everyone has an obligation to honestly and intellectually engage with the political nature of our world. And by not doing this an artist is choosing to ingore the political nature of their own reality
Choosing to “not be political” is itself a political stance. Regardless of whether or not it was a conscious one
(And yes, I know sometimes people just want to have fun. I’m not condemning fun. Just giving a serious response to the silly extreme example)
(Also, also there’s a whole 'nother can of worms if you want to talk about art as commodity)
It’s funny to me…I didn’t say they were bad, I didn’t say I didn’t like them, I didn’t say anything except for that they clearly took their music in a more in your face, political direction. That’s fine, I support them making that choice. I get that punk is inherently political, and that most music has hints of it. When I started listening, when 1039 came out - I was too young to understand what the music was about. Then came kerplunk and dookie. Dookie has many songs that are just about boredom, wasting time, or girls. Same thing for Insomniac and Nimrod. You cannot argue that EVERY song on those albums was political, it’s just not true. They became a pop-punk alternative band. That’s great, they still make great music, I just choose other styles and genres. Downvotes aren’t hurting me, but it seems excessive for sharing my thoughts.
For the record, I was a ride or die fan in the 90’s. 5 shows, one of them I waited by the outdoor stage for 3 hours to get a good spot. I had my art featured on the earliest version of their website, back in the AOL days. I still love the music I grew up with. Bands style, peoples preferences change…I just don’t want to think about the broken world when I listen to music anymore.
Politics? In my Green Day?
It’s more likely than you think.
It’s funny - I agree with Green Day in most ways politically, but stopped listening after American Idiot because so much of their music was blatantly political. That’s what they were going for, it is CLEAR and OBVIOUS to anyone listening to their music, where they stand. I am all for it, I would just rather be escaping the world’s issues while listening to music :)
Dude, they’re a punk band, or at least they were. That’s literally the point of the genre
I listen to punk because of the politics lol. Rage against the machine, green day, the offspring, etc. Love them all
Army of Zombies by Lars Frederickson and The Bastard.
I quit listening to Green Day because it was impossible to escape When September Ends. Couldn’t go out in public without hearing it somewhere.
I’ve never been more sure that someone wasn’t around in 1994.
Radio stations were practically airing Dookie on a loop.
I was in college. The mid-90s are a total blur to me.
Legit makes me cry each time I hear it. I’ll probably listen to it when I get home today.
Honestly, 21 Guns and Boulevard of Broken Dreams were their only good songs with some actual depth. Everything else I consider cringe today.
Maybe punk just isn’t your thing
It’s not anymore. You’re very correct.
All art is political
What was baby shark speaking to politically? “What does the fox say” about interest rates?
I get what you mean, it’s just funny to apply that to obvious nonsense music lol
Hey some nonsense songs have political undertones, for example chocolate rain.
Some stay dry while others feel the pain.
edit: Okay after reminding myself of the lyrics it’s actually a proletarian anthem and a banger
Baby Shark is about the increasing rise of extended families as a “nuclear family” is a thing of the past. “What Does the Fox Say?” is pretty clear on what the fox has to say about interest rates:
Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding! Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Baby shark is an anthem against marriage equality, it was clearly pushing for a man an a woman when calling out momma shark and daddy shark. It is clearly in the bands constitution, they stand for traditional family values and will never accept the idea of marriage not being between an man and a woman. That’s the way it was for Grandma shark, and the way it will be for baby shark.
Don’t even get me started on how the sound of the fox represents the invisible hand of the Fed choosing who gets rich.
/S, just in cass it wasn’t obvious.
Since no one really responded with a serious answer I’ll go ahead and chime in.
The art itself my not carry a poignant message about our political world, but it exists in a political world and thus is political in nature.
It could be argued that everyone has an obligation to honestly and intellectually engage with the political nature of our world. And by not doing this an artist is choosing to ingore the political nature of their own reality
Choosing to “not be political” is itself a political stance. Regardless of whether or not it was a conscious one
(And yes, I know sometimes people just want to have fun. I’m not condemning fun. Just giving a serious response to the silly extreme example)
(Also, also there’s a whole 'nother can of worms if you want to talk about art as commodity)
Those are no art
It’s funny to me…I didn’t say they were bad, I didn’t say I didn’t like them, I didn’t say anything except for that they clearly took their music in a more in your face, political direction. That’s fine, I support them making that choice. I get that punk is inherently political, and that most music has hints of it. When I started listening, when 1039 came out - I was too young to understand what the music was about. Then came kerplunk and dookie. Dookie has many songs that are just about boredom, wasting time, or girls. Same thing for Insomniac and Nimrod. You cannot argue that EVERY song on those albums was political, it’s just not true. They became a pop-punk alternative band. That’s great, they still make great music, I just choose other styles and genres. Downvotes aren’t hurting me, but it seems excessive for sharing my thoughts.
For the record, I was a ride or die fan in the 90’s. 5 shows, one of them I waited by the outdoor stage for 3 hours to get a good spot. I had my art featured on the earliest version of their website, back in the AOL days. I still love the music I grew up with. Bands style, peoples preferences change…I just don’t want to think about the broken world when I listen to music anymore.