Music Discussions

In my endless search for music to which I have not been previously exposed, I have started watching Yahoo!’s recommended videos. These videos are based on the user’s individual preference settings and so, at least with mine I never know what I’ll end up seeing.

As my tastes are varied and eclectic to say the least, I may end up listening to Iron Maiden one minute and Run-D.M.C. the next. Or – as happened in this instance – Godsmack followed immediately by George Clinton.

Specifically, I was presented with “If Anybody Gets Funked Up (It’s Gonna Be You)” from George Clinton. I found this to be a remarkable video portraying a dystopian society in which the masses are subjugated and live a funkless life by the minority. However, an underground movement led by Dr. Funkenstein (portrayed by George Clinton) returns funk to society.

This is a not-so-subtle statement on the power that music can have on attitudes in society. Through history music – and all art forms – have reacted to current events and have helped to shape the future of the society that it was spawned it. I believe that this would be reading to much into the video, but it could be argued that the following two points are directly illustrated.

First, that bootleg tapes help spread music to people that would not have heard it otherwise. Evidence for this is in several instances. At the beginning of the video, a man knocks on a door and asks to be “hooked up”; it appears to be a drug deal, but the product in question turns out to be a cassette. The second instance is when the underground movement starts passing a video tape amongst themselves proceeding the society as a whole getting funky.

The video could also arguably be a discussion on censorship. Entities in many societies have tried suppressing ideas that they have felt would take power from them, or were against the morals of the censors. The first of these reasons is malice towards the the populace, while the second is an insult to the decision making abilities of individuals. Neither of these motives can be justified ethically.

I am unsure of how I have never seen this video as it apparently was released in 1996. Although, this was exactly the reason that I chose to have Yahoo! play random recommended videos for me in the first place.