Thursday, August 20, 2009



Major Blog Assignment: Who Am I?

Song: Mountain Music (listen here)
Oh, play me some mountain music
Like grandma and grandpa used to play
Then I'll float on down the river
To a Cajun hideaway

Drift away like Tom Sawyer
Ride a raft with ol' Huck Finn
Take a nap like Rip Van Winkle
Daze dreamin' again

Oh, play me some mountain music
Like grandma and grandpa used to play
Then I'll float on down the river
To a Cajun hideaway

Swim across the river
Just to prove that I'm a man
Spend the day bein' lazy
Just bein' nature's friend

Climb a long tall hick'ry
Bend it over, "skinnin' cats."
Playin' baseball with chert rocks
Usin' sawmill slabs for bats

Play some back-home, come-on music
That comes from the heart
Play something with lots of feelin'
'Cause that's where music has to start

Oh, play me some mountain music
Like grandma and grandpa used to play
Then I'll float on down the river
To a Cajun hideaway, hey hey

Oh play me mountain music
Oh play me mountain music
Oh play me mountain music
Oh play

Analysis of Song
"Mountain Music" by Alabama band best describes me as I love music, especially calm and countryside ones. Each verse of the song has four lines and the tune is catchy and lively, just like me.

The chorous, "Oh, play me some mountain music" expresses the singer's hopes, as well as mine, for music that is calm, which is represented by the word "mountain", which usually symbolises peacefulness. These are the songs that "grandma and grandpa used to play" describes how these songs have a background and impact on the singer as they were played by his grandparents. In my case, it is my parents who inspired and cultivated my love for music. "Then I'll float on down the river / to a Cajun hideaway" describes the singer's route to music and independence for me.

I being adventurous can be seen through the first verse where I would "drift away like Tom Sawyer / Ride a raft with ol' Huck Finn / Take a nap like Rip Van Winkle". This shows the exciting path to finding the singer's favourite mountain music. I personally support daydreaming as this widens our creativity (but not in class!) and is indirectly related to "daze dreamin' again". In the song, the singer uses this line to emphasise his dream to reach the music.

"Swim across the river / Just to prove that I'm a man" in the second verse states that the singer felt that it was important to prove oneself to be a worthy man. This however contradicts my beliefs. I believe that a true man is one that does not prove himself directly, but indirectly, for example, helping others. Proving oneself by "swimming across the river" does not actually show that one is a good man. I, too, am a fan of nature and love to "spend the day bein' lazy / Just bein' nature's friend". This verse shows that the singer led a carefree life.

In the third verse, "climb a long tall hick'ry" in my opinion is working hard to reach the top, which I believe is the key to success. Games like "playing baseball with chert rocks" and "usin' sawmill slabs for bats" shows that the singer would use anything possible to play games. This also describes my love for experimenting, which is somehow related to being adventurous.

In the fourth verse, the main theme on "music" returns. "Play some back-home, come-on music", typography with double hyphens hinting long and never-ending music. Music "that comes from the heart" is the best music, and on instruments like the piano, "play something with lots of feelin' / 'Cause that's where music has to start". I believe: "If there is no heart, the song has no soul." This might be the reason of the singer's love for mountain music and of me being "choosy" on the type of songs I hear.

Finally, there is repetition of "Oh play me mountain music" at the end of the song which emphasises the singer's and my love for music and with the incomplete last line, "Oh play", it describes our hopes for the music that will never end.

Poem Response
Must I reach out to the
Universe, and reach out for the
Star? So attractively
It shines, yet unreachable, oh how I want to
Cry.

But I must be brave to adventure,
and sail the seven seas.
A game of hockey or soccer,
in the nature filled with trees.

At last, we reach our destination,
our goal is just nearby.
Just stretch out by that little bit,
don't let the opportunity go by.

Yes, I've reached the mountains,
climbed all the way to the top.
And found the perfect piece for me,
the music that never stops.

Must I sing to the
Universe, and sing it to the
Stars? So naturally
It comes, yet unimaginable, which makes me want to
Cry.

Posted by 1A123 Yue Jun at 6:27 PM

Leave a comment? (2)