Critical Response 8

                                                    Medieval Gregorian chant. Performed by
                                                   Psallentes and composed by Etienne de Liege.
                     Gregorian Chant is one of the oldest froms of religious music. Given its name in around 590 after Pope Gregory the Great , This form of worship has been used for years. Gregorian Chant was extremly popular in the middle ages and was created in monasteries. Traditionally this form of music is learnt by ear or viva voce which takes many years to perfect. Despite the popular beliefe that Gregorian Chant was created by Pope Gregory I, in truth it was just dedicated to him. There have been traces of this music in Ancient Roman times which was then called Gallican Chant.


            When listening to this music I feel as if I should be in  church. Not at home Youtubing this genre. Knowing that this music is traditionally Christian (often Catholic) I feel closer to God (i'm Catholic), and this brings me a sence of calm. With this being a form of music performed in acapella style the performers have to place all their energy into making their voices rise and fall without the guide of an instrument. The Harmonies found in Gregorian Chant are breathtaking. the atb is fantastic. My favorite part is when the singers are all on different parts of the song (a round) and how even though the notes are different they seem to blend!

*Could not find the lyrics to this song

Critical Response 7

"Dans 150 Ans" cover by Sophie Vaillancourt.

"Dans 150 Ans" was written and performed by Raphael Haroche and was on his album Caravane.  This song is played on a piano which helps distract from the sad lyrics of the song (or hopeful, however the listener takes it)  and adds a sort of lightness and gentleness to it. The song is ultimatley how in 150 years no-one will remember what you look like, or the things that happened, and of our bad choices etc. This song is also played in 4/4 timing like most pop songs are. The song makes the listener feel delicate and make you think and is why i perticularly enjoy it.

Lyrics:

Et dans 150 ans, on s'en souviendra pas
De ta première ride, de nos mauvais choix,
De la vie qui nous baise, de tous ces marchands d'armes,
Des types qui votent les lois là bas au gouvernement,
De ce monde qui pousse, de ce monde qui crie,
Du temps qui avance, de la mélancolie,
La chaleur des baisers et cette pluie qui coule,
Et de l'amour blessé et de tout ce qu'on nous roule,
Alors souris...
Dans 150 ans, on s'en souviendra pas
De la vieillesse qui prend, de leurs signes de croix,
De l'enfant qui se meurt, des vallées du tiers monde,
Du salaud de chasseur qui descend la colombe,
De ce que t'étais belle, et des rives arrachées,
Des années sans sommeil, sans millions d'affamés
Des portes qui se referment de t'avoir vue pleurer,
De la cours solennelle qui condamne sans ciller,
Alors souris...
Et dans 150 ans, on n'y pensera même plus
A ce qu'on a aimé, à ce qu'on a perdu,
Allez vidons nos bières pour les voleurs des rues !
Finir tous dans la terre, mon dieu ! Quelle déconvenue...
Et regarde ces squelettes qui nous regardent de travers,
Et ne fais pas la tête, ne leur fais pas la guerre,
Il leur restera rien de nous, pas plus que d'eux,
J'en mettrais bien ma main à couper ou au feu,
Alors souris...
Et dans 150 ans, mon amour, toi et moi,
On sera doucement dansant, 2 oiseaux sur la croix,
Dans ce bal déclassé, encore je vois large,
P't'être qu'on sera repassés dans un très prochain naufrage,
Mais y a rien d'autre à dire, je veux rien te faire croire,
Mon amour, mon amour, j'aurai le mal de toi,
Mais y a rien d'autre à dire, je veux rien te faire croire,
Mon amour, mon amour, j'aurai le mal de toi,
Mais que veux-tu ?...

Critical Response 6

Cover of the song "Take it Off" by Ke$ha.

Original version of the song.

The song "Take it Off" was written by Kesha, Lukasz Gottwald, and Claude Kelly; though only Kesha is the performer of the song. The original version of this song is all sinthisized music, but the cover from above has no lyrics and is played on the piano. The piano adds some gentleness to the song that is originally very vulger. Ke$ha's music is most often performed in night clubs and over the radio and is often refered to mainstreem music or dance music. This soong like most is about very touchy subjects (dance, drinking, etc) but has a pleasant beat in both the cover and the original.

Lyrics:

There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

When the dark
Of the night comes around.
That's the time,
That the animal comes alive.
Looking for
Something wild.

And now we lookin' like pimps
In my gold Trans-Am.
Got a water bottle full of whiskey
In my handbag.
Got my drunk text on
I'll regret it in the mornin'
But tonight
I don't give a
I don't give a
I don't give a

There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

There's a place I know
If you're looking for a show.
Where they go hardcore
And there's glitter on the floor.

And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

Lose your mind.
Lose it now.
Lose your clothes
In the crowd.
We're delirious.
Tear it down
'Til the sun comes back around.

N-now we're getting so smashed.
Knocking over trash cans.
Eurbody breakin' bottles
It's a filthy hot mess.
Gonna get faded
I'm not the designated
Driver so
I don't give a
I don't give a
I don't give a

There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

There's a place I know
If you're looking for a show.
Where they go hardcore
And there's glitter on the floor.

And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

Oh, oh, oh!

EVERYBODY TAKE IT OFF!

Oh, Oh, Oh!

EVERYBODY TAKE IT OFF!

Right now! TAKE IT OFF!
Right now! TAKE IT OFF!
Right now! TAKE IT OFF!

Oooh.

Right now! TAKE IT OFF! [x3]

EVERYBODY TAKE IT OFF!

There's a place downtown,
Where the freaks all come around.
It's a hole in the wall.
It's a dirty free for all.

And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

There's a place I know
If you're looking for a show.
Where they go hardcore
And there's glitter on the floor.

And they turn me on.
When they Take It Off.
When they Take It Off.
Everybody Take It Off.

Critical Response 5

Critical response #4

 

Piece of music in 2/4 time signature (Mirliton Nutcracker Ballet)

Piece of music in 3/4 time signature (Vienna Blood Waltz Johanne Strauss)

Piece of music in 4/4 time signature (Moi+toi by Bregoir)

World Music

The song Habibi by Ali Hassan Kuban (sung and wrote song)

   The song Habibi was written and and sung by Ali Hassan Kuban. This type of music (nubian) is from South Africa. Ali Hassan Kuban himself is from Egypte. The song in my opinion is modernized to please to everyone. Ali kept some traditional parts of the music like the drums and tamborine but added other instruments to the mix like a trumpet. This song is played at a fast tempo with the time signature of 4/4. Habibi in middle eastern languges (spoken in Egypte) means my love, so from the name itself you understand that there is  love storry being presented in the lyrics of the song. The lyrics are bellow. 

Lyrics:

 

Habibi ya nour el-ain
Ya sakin khayali
A?ashek bakali sneen wala ghayrak bibali

Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain, aah
Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain
Ya sakin khayali

Agmal a?ouyoun filkone ana shiftaha ...
Allah a?alake allah a?la sihraha
A?oyonak maa?aya ...
A?oyonak kifaya ...
Tinawar layali
Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain, aah
Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain
Ya sakin khayali

Kalbak nadani wkal bithibini
Allah a?alake allah
Tamentini
Maa?ak elbidaya ...
Wkoul elhikaya ...
Maa?ak lilnihaya
Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain, aah
Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain, aah
Aah ... Habibi ... Habibi ... aah        









critical response #3: Pictures of You by The Last Goodnight

                                           Pictures of You by the Last Goodnight.

                          The song Pictures of You was written and produced by Jeff Blue and performed by The Last Goodnight. When listening to this song the lyrics tye up well with the emotions and and musical elements used. The song in my opinion (from what i could disipher) is about taking charge of your life. When the part about the pictures comes up in the song i believe that this is a metaphore. The pictures represent that you will always live with what you have and havent done: you will live with the dissapointment, sadness, happiness, and any other emotion felt in your life so you have to use it well. The song also talks about how most people just stand there and are used as pons in other peoples lives instead of making a change and doing what you would like to do. The instrumentation really goeas with the song to. The drums, and guitar are used very loudly with power during some parts of the song and i belive this is coming across as the frustration of the song, while the piana is shown and played as if its the clock ticking (in refrence to the lyrics). Unlike most songs the melody of this song is not masking the true meaning of the song, in this case its emphasizing it.

Lyrics to the song:

This is the clock up on the wall
This is the story of us all
This is the first sound
Of a new born child before he starts to crawl

This is the war that's never won
This is the soldier and his gun
This is the mother way to buy
The fall praying for her son

Pictures of you, pictures of me
Hung up on your wall for the world to see
Pictures of you, pictures of me
Remind us all of what we used to be

There is a drug that cures it all
Blocked by the governmental wall
We are the scientists inside the lab
Just waiting for the call

This earthquake weather has got me shaking
Inside I'm high up and dry

Pictures of you, pictures of me
Hung up on your wall for the world to see
Pictures of you, pictures of me
Remind us all of what we used to be

Confess to me every secret moment
Every stolen promise you believe
Confess to me, all that lies between us
All that lies between you and me

We are the boxers in the ring
We are the bells that never sing
There is a title we can't win
No matter how hard we must swing

Pictures of you, pictures of me
Hung up on your wall for the world to see
Pictures of you, pictures of me
Remind us all of what we could have been

Pictures of you, pictures of me
Hung up on your wall for the world to see
Pictures of you, pictures of me
Remind us all of what we could have been
Could have been, we could have been

Pictures of you, pictures of me
Remind us all of what we could have been
Could have been

critical response #2 Form to the song Good Life by One Republic

                                    Original version of the song the Good Life by One Republic.

Cover of the song by Megan Nicole and Alex Goot.

             The song Good Life was written in 2010 by a band called One Republic. This band is well known throughout North Amarica and various covers of there songs have been made; But today im going to talk about the cover to the song Good Life by Megan Nicole and Alex Goot. In their Youtube performance of the song Megan and Alex made it their own. Instead of using a regular drum set, guitar, bass, and whistling like in the original then used: a piano, maracas, guitar, a hollow box (made up for drums), a tamborine, and they used a zilophone instead of whistling. When listening to the song you/the listener gets a feeling like walking through the park. The lyrics to the song are upbeat and in the original and cover are set to an upbeat rhythme. Combining the words with the use of a zilophone I think created an even happier picture to the listener. The blending of all the instruments was also very succesfull. The instruments used and when combined with the voices gave of the feeling of one. Yes, you could disipher the single intruments in the song but the way they were all played together was like putting the piece of a puzzle together. They fit.

Lyrics to the song with form pattern:

A- Woke up in london yesterday
A- Found myself in a city near Piccadilly
A- Dont really know how i got here
A- I got some pictures on my phone

A- New names and numbers that i dont know
A- Adress to places like Abbey Road
A- Day turns to night, night turns to whatever we want
A- Were young enough to say

B- Oh, this is gotta be a good life
B- This has gotta be a good life
B- This could really be a good, good life

B- I say, oh, got this feeling that you cant fight
B- Like this city is on fire tonight
B- This could really be a good life, a good, good life

A1- To my friends in New York, i say hello
A1- My friends in L.A they dont know
A1- Where ive been for the past few years or so
A1- Paris to China to Colorado

A1- Sometimes theres airplanes i cant jump out
A1- Sometimes theres bullshit that dont work out
A1- We are God of stories, but please tell me
A1- What there is to complain about

C- When your happy like a fool, let it take you over
C- When everything is out you gotta take it in

B- Oh, this has gotta be the good life
B- This has gotta be the good life
B- This could really be the good life, good life

B- I say, oh, got htis feeling that you cant fight
B- Like this city is on fire tonight
B- This could really be the good life, a good, good life
B- Oh, a good, good life, yeah

D- Hopelessle
D- I feel like there might be something that i'll miss
D- Hopelessly
D- I feel like the window closes oh so quick

D- Hopelessly
D- Im taking a mental picture of you now
D- Cause hopelessly
D- The hope is we have so much to feel good about

B- Oh, this has gotta be the good life
B- This has gotta be the good life
B- This could really be the good life

B- I say, oh, got this feeling that you cant fight
B- Like this city is on fire tonight
B- This could really be a goodlife, a good, good life
B- Oh yeah, good, good life, oh, this is

A1- To my friends in New York, i say hello
A1- My friends in L.A they dont know
A1- Where ive been for the past few years or so
A1- Paris to China to Colorado

A1- Sometimes theres airplanes i cant jump out
A1- Sometimes theres bullshit that dont work out
A1- We are God of stories so please tell me
A1- What there is to complain about

Somebody i used to know

              The song "somebody i used to know" was originally written by Gotye. Gotye is a Belgian man from Australia. When i first listened to this song my first thought was " wow he really misses her!". When reading the lyrics though my thoughts changed. the man in question misses his ex but to a point of perversness. One of the lines in the song is " Have your friends collect your records and then change your number". This lead me to think that after she ended the relationship that he followed her. To put it bluntly he stalked her. This song is all about his heartache over her, describing how she "hurt him". The version of the song that i have decided to present above is by a group called the Pentatonix. The Pentatonix are a group made up of 5 people. The blonde man in the centre is the main singer. Then to his left and right are a man and a women. The women has a high alto voice and the male is a high tenor/ alto. The last 2 members of the group are 2 men. The Pentatonix made the desiscion of being an acapella group. The final two men of the group make up the instrumentation part of the group. The sounds that the 2 men make (with there voices) are the sounds of a drum and maracas. The sound of the group and the different timings make a pleasent but very intense melody. The Pentatonix cover of the song i find isnt as deep as the original. In Gotye's version he shows the hate in his voice and body and facial expressions during the song. Pentatonix  
i find has done an beautiful and breathtaking cover to the song " Somebody i used to know".

The song lyrics:
                           "Somebody That I Used To Know"(feat. Kimbra)

[Gotye:]
Now and then I think of when we were together
Like when you said you felt so happy you could die
Told myself that you were right for me
But felt so lonely in your company
But that was love and it's an ache I still remember

You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness
Like resignation to the end, always the end
So when we found that we could not make sense
Well you said that we would still be friends
But I'll admit that I was glad that it was over

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and now we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and I feel so rough
No you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[Kimbra:]
Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know

[Gotye:]
But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and now we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and I feel so rough
And you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

[x2]
Somebody
(I used to know)
Somebody
(Now you're just somebody that I used to know)

(I used to know)
(That I used to know)
(I used to know)
Somebody