A song can be an effective tool to spread an advocacy. And promoting an advocacy through songs is easy too—people are often attracted to music and lyrics, especially if a big name artist is attached to a particular song. Many songs—present and past—tried to advocate certain issues by making people understand the rationale behind a particular cause through music and lyrics.
For instance, there are a number of songs that try to advocate respect. Of course, advocating respect may seem as important as advocating other more pressing issues, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, international tragedies, among other. Yet, looking at these issues, one can clearly see that respect is part of these causes. In order to fully support a cause, one needs to respect the differences that are present within different cultures and beliefs. The most obvious song that fits this description is Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.”
The lyrics of the song would seem to be pertaining to a particular domestic issue rather than advocating “respect.” Nonetheless, the lyrics hit on the root cause of it all. Respect is a universal concept, after all. The song implies that “respect” is giving someone his or her dues, especially if the person truly deserves it. The lyrics go: “I'm about to give you all of my money / And all I'm askin' in return, honey / Is to give me my profits.”
Meanwhile, European singer Mika often tackles topics that can be considered as taboo in other cultures. Although the lyrics of his songs do not exactly “advocate” these causes, the fact that he performed them, and the fact that the lyrics touched on these topics should be indications that Mika promotes respect more than what the lyrics of his songs show.
An example of this is his popular song “Hey Girl (You Are Beautiful).” The lyrics of this song state that plus-sized woman deserve more love than the typical skinny female. “You take your girl / And multiply her by four / Now a whole lot of woman / Needs a whole lot more,” Mika sings. And the lyrics of this song (which was altered and used as a promotional song for the second season of the ABC show Ugly Betty) is personal for Mika—in a n interview, Mika reveals that he saw how his mother, who was overweight, experienced discrimination because of her size.
Another Mika by Mika that could be considered as somewhat controversial is “Billy Brown.” The lyrics of this song go: “Oh Billy Brown had lived an ordinary life. / Two kids, a dog, and a precautionary wife. / While it was all going accordingly to plan / Then Billy Brown fell in love with another man.” A song about homosexuality, the lyrics of “Billy Brown” seems more like a straight narrative than a typical song.
Again, many suspect that this is because Mika is gay—something he neither denies nor confirms. But in any case, by writing lyrics that tackle these issues, these artists help people understand them. After all, nothing can catch the attention of people better than a catchy tune and witty lyrics.
By: Bei Maniago1
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