"The Bizarre Singer" with "Gangnam Style"

What musical artist currently holds six number one spots on the Billboard Music Charts (more spots held than any other artist on the charts)? That guy is PSY. For ten weeks, this South Korean rapper has been blowing speakers and minds with his techno rap melody and clippity-cloppity dance moves from the song, “Gangnam Style.”

("Gangnam Style" Music Video by PSY)

Though he has been storming America since “Gangnam Style” popped up on YouTube in July of 2012, PSY (who’s real name is Park Jae-sang) has been rapping and dancing for over a decade. After attending both Boston University and the Berklee College of Music, PSY debuted his first album (titled “PSY from PSYcho World!”) in Korea in 2001. That first album got him a fine from the Korean government because the lyrics were inappropriate for minors. Album number two, “Ssa” didn’t do any better. “Ssa” was all-out banned for its inappropriate content (minors and adults would find it offensive apparently). It was a song off his 6^th album “PSY 6 Part 1,” and video uploaded to YouTube, that propelled him to being recognized in the U.S.A. at such a level, that MTV had him make a surprise appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Now PSY is signed to Schoolboy Records, a division of Universal Republic and the “Gangnam Style” YouTube video has over 600,000,000 views. Many people only think about how hilarious the dance is and see the video as random. It isn’t though. Gangnam is actually a wealthy suburb in Seoul, South Korea spanning about 15 square miles. The area is home international companies Samsung, Hyundai, and LG (although funnily enough, the red car featured in the video is a Mercedes, not a Hyundai). PSY himself has said that the song is about the boys and girls that live in that area and to me that makes the video a lot less random. I can compare this video to other, American music videos that depict lavish lifestyles in some of the same ways: drinking, dancing, extravagance, and “sexy ladies.”

Gretchen Tristan, a writer for asquaredmag.com, wrote that PSY is a “Korean Ricky Martin,” but PSY identifies his music with rap and hip-hop. Even though I can’t understand the lyrics (sorry, I don’t speak Korean) I agree that “Gangnam Style” is a rap/hip-hop song. The lyrics don’t appear to rhyme frequently, and they flow freely without much control (which is what a rap song does). Compared to another one of his songs called “Entertainer” (also off the “PSY 6” Album) “Gangnam Style” is hard and edgy. “Entertainer” is still a rap song but there is a melodic chorus and big band brass instruments that could almost make it an R&B song. And yet another song, “Right Now” (off of album five titled “PSYfive”) gives me a sense of why his previous albums may have been considered offensive. Again, I don’t speak Korean but this song and music video give off a rebellious citizen vibe more conservative cultures’ governments (like cultures in Asia) may be put-off by. “Right Now” also has the same edgy, techno-vibe “Gangnam Style” has and the same apparent randomness of the video.

("Right Now" Music Video)

(PSY performing "Entertianer" at the Seoul Plaza in South Korea)

The Billboard music charts have PSY and “Gangnam Style” holding the number one spots in rap, digital songs, On-Demand Songs, ringtone songs, YouTube songs, and Billboard Canada’s Hot 100. On the Social 50 chart (which is a Billboard chart based off of social network activity/tweeting/friend and follower adding/etc.) PSY has been beating artists like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber for 12 weeks. By the end of September, “Gangnam Style” had become the number one downloaded song on iTunes and it is still holding that spot to date.


Aside from charted greatness, “Gangnam Style” has had an immense influence on American popular culture, with political parodies being inspired by it (see my previous post to watch a “Gangnam Style” Mitt Romney video) to people dressing up as PSY for Halloween (check out the screen-cap from a recently aired episode of South Park). Even here in my home state of Oregon, students at the University of Oregon want to show they've got "Gangnam Style" too.

Jimmy from South Park is "G-g-g-g-gangnam Style"

Compared to music from the early 1900s to the revolutionary music of the American 1960’s+, “Gangnam Style” might not be the best example of intricate, deeply thought-out music, but in today’s era of dubstep and techno driven beats, it hold its own. PSY and “Gangnam Style” aren’t trying to appeal to the type of person who listens to music for the arrangement of notes and visual imaging of lyrics (clearly: large portions of the people listening/watching probably don’t know what PSY is talking about). “Gangnam Style” and PSY’s music are meant to be fun and weird. Many people in the music industry have labeled PSY “The Bizarre Singer” and in Korea his music is referred to as “gwange-dea” (a genre associated with humorous, joking music). I see PSY making a mark and staying on the radar of American music because what he delivers isn’t being judged on the same level as most popular singers today. He’s different; he doesn’t try to play into the standards of the usual hip-hop, club type music. PSY is just there for people to listen to and enjoy.

After listening to songs off the “PSY 6” album and tracks from before that, I think I would call myself a PSY fan, and listeners who enjoy “Gangnam Style” shouldn't limit themselves to that song alone. Go enjoy the music this 34-year-old Southern Korean native offers, and maybe go see if any other “K-Pop” (Korean Pop Music) peaks your interest. The usual mix on the Billboard Top 100 doesn't always have to be song from the normal radio play list; experience the different sounds that are out there. 

SOURCES: 

- Coughlan, Maggie. "People." PEOPLE.com. People, 06 Sept. 2012. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. <http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20302940_20627446,00.html>.

- Kaufman, Gil, and James Dinh. "Who Was That VMA Surprise Guest Psy?" MTV.com. MTV, 6 Sept. 2012. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1693362/vma-2012-psy.jhtml>.

- Tristain, Gretchen. "The Evolution of Psy in America." Asquaredmag.com. A Squared Magazine, 13 Sept. 2012. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. <http://asquaredmag.com/the-evolution-of-psy-in-america/>.

- I DO NOT own any of the videos on this blog or the screencap from Comedy Central's "South Park." All videos are property of their respective owners and linked here via YouTube.com. 

Curse words, Candidates, and Culture (media blog #1)

Whether you support him or not, President Barrack Obama and his public relations team have been on the ball when it comes to advertising in the modern era. Social media is an ever-increasing trend that The Obama Campaign has used since the 2008 election. How? He uses websites like Facebook and Twitter to raise money, and sits down for Q & A sessions for Reddit users. All this has prompted many other politicians to do the same, although they may not do so with grace (for example: Hermain Cain’s ad featuring chief of staff Mark Block taking a drag from a cigarette. If you haven’t seen it, please check it out along with the other videos I've linked to at the end of this entry.). However, what may be inspiring than politicians using platforms of social media in an effort to win elections, are the citizens using it to voice their own opinions.

(Remember this?)

In September of 2012 a video supporting Barrack Obama came out called “Wake the F*** Up.” It starred well known actor Samuel L. Jackson. (please view at the bottom of the post if you haven't watched.) It is sweet and kind looking, which is surprising for a political ad. Gently ringing chimes are going off as the camera zooms over a book with the same title as the ad, and Samuel L. Jackson is narrating. 

Obviously, Samuel is playing up his celebrity status. However he isn’t actually the one backing the ad. It may be his message, but this ad was paid for by the Jewish Council for Education and Research (and they emphasize that no candidate has authorized the video). He’s also working with the popularity of “Go the F*** to Sleep” a book written by Adam Mansbach, which Mr. Jackson narrated in a popular video released in August of 2011. The next two and a half minutes of the video however, are very different from the book.

"Turn off the TV!"

The little girl jumps out of bed because she realizes last year, her family was involved in the Obama campaign (they were canvasing, donating money, making calls), and now they just sit there. She’s worried she’s the only one scared of what Mitt Romney will do if elected President. So she hops out of bed and starts lecturing her family on the risks of America under Romney. Of course they all ignore her, until Samuel L. Jackson sets them straight about their apathy. The little girl and Mr. Jackson explain to each family member how Mitt Romney getting elected will hurt them. Finally, as the little girl goes upstairs, Samuel L Jackson lectures the viewer on why they don’t feel this election is important, and the little girls yells at the whole town to “Wake the F*** Up!” and the ad ends.

This ad uses many techniques of advertising. There is a combination of band-wagon, fear, and the most prominent, famous-person testimonial. Samuel L. Jackson (a famous person) is endorsing Obama (the product being advertised). I think this famous person testimonial carries a bit more weight than others. When it comes to this ad, Samuel L. Jackson wanted to make it, he wasn’t being paid money by a company or being asked by a politician to endorse it (which is what happens with most famous person testimonials).

This ad also presents itself like a story, and uses the association principle to show the viewer that President Obama is good! There are multiple posters of Obama shown in the ad, with the word “hope” written under them. And during Samuel’s narration at the beginning and when the little girl is talking to her parents, they are talking about family togetherness and how everyone worked together. This ad is associating a vote for Obama with morals and sense of family togetherness that every America household should want! And it's associating Mitt Romney with issues that are splitting apart that family, and outcomes we wouldn't want to live with.

The message of the ad is pretty obvious. Samuel L. Jackson is urging citizens to metaphorically “Wake up!” (A.K.A. he is asking them to stop listening to what everyone else is saying and start thinking critically). He's also broadcasting that he personally does not support Mitt Romney, and there are definitely times in this video where he is bluntly telling people Romney is bad. I’m not a big fan of the candidate bashing though, so I prefer to examine the deeper meaning; the “wake the f*** up” meaning. I like to see this as a video telling people to think more before they make a decision, instead waiting to see what everyone else is doing or deciding to not worry about things. 

(Yup, "Frisky Old People")

I feel like this video is trying to appeal to any who has watched the original video, “Go the F*** to Sleep.” So there are many people of many different age groups who can watch it. And many people can relate to it because it’s chuck-a-buck full of stereotypes! The entire family  is a group of stereotypes (save for the little girl). There are the teenagers who feel like the election won’t affect them, an angsty  adolescent boy who thinks all politicians are the same, parents to worn out to watch the news, and frisky old people. These stereotypes aren't used in a bad way though. They attract viewers (as I already mentioned) and I think it helped get the "Wake up!" message across.

Playing off the popularity of “Go the F*** to Sleep” brought in millions of viewers (regardless of who they support in the election) and that is probably this videos greatest strength. It’s definitely memorable, the swear word in the title and Samuel L. Jackson guarantees that, but there are some major flaws too.

I think one of the biggest weakness of this video is how much it bashes Romney. As I wrote earlier, I try to see this as less of a prObama ad, and more as a video asking people to be critical thinkers and break away from the norm. I think that if Samuel L. Jackson had eased up on the “Romney is Bad” message, the other message would have been heard clearer.

This ad is what some people would call a “viral video.” It was put on the web so it could gain the most viewership possible, and its goal is to get people talking about it and keep them talking about it. Personally I think it’s a bit a too forward with one message, and not forward enough with another one, but that’s my opinion. So when I see a political ad that’s main focus is bashing the opponents, I usually don’t learn anything new, and my opinion certainly isn't swayed. Usually, my stance become defenses in fact, and my mind closes itself to other ideas. Satirical ads, pointing out flaws in a creative and often funny (but sometime crude) way, are much better at swaying opinions, or at least getting people to think more.
A video from collegehumor.com called “Mitt Romney Style” (a parody of the song “Gangnam Style” by PSY which can be viewed in my video section) doesn't ever say Mitt Romney is a bad candidate. In fact, it glorifies him! The key is, it's satirizing most of his political platforms and personal life. The message behind this video is as obvious as the messages in “Wake the F*** Up!" The difference is, the "Mitt Romney Style" creator choose to present his opinion in a much less forward manner.

So watch “Mitt Romney Style” and “Wake the F*** Up,” and decide which one gets the point across better. Better yet, decide which one you’d rather watch again. The more views the video gets, the more its message gets out there. And ultimately, that’s what will make one video more effective than another.

 Videos!

"Wake the Fuck Up!":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmG_J9bDlYo

Please follow this link to view "Mitt Romney Style" at collegehumor.com. I do not own this video, nor is it on youtube, so this blogger site can not publish it (apparently. I am new to this.). It was uploaded to collegehumor.com by CH STAFF (collegehumor staff) on October 2nd, 2012. 

"Mitt Romney Style" --->http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6830834/mitt-romney-style-gangnam-style-parody

Unfortunately, I have run into a similar problem posting the "Now is the time for action!" ad (or "Herman Cain smoking ad" as it's become known). However, in this case, embedding was disabled by the user. Please follow this link to view the "Time for Action/Herman Cain Smoking Ad" video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhm-22Q0PuM

Cheers!

*** I do not own any of the images or videos posted on this blog ***