Emotion and Meaning in Music

Joy

"Floats My Boat" - Aer

The moment this song comes on I get a good vibe.  It's hard to explain the actual cause of the joyous feeling the song provides.  After the first few seconds I always find myself participating in a seemingly reflexive head bob.  This track by Aer has a very "summer-y" vibe, and who doesn't like summer?  Not everyone chooses to spend their down time the same was as Aer, nonetheless people enjoy relaxing all the same.  How one spends their down time truly is whatever floats their boat.  I could easily imagine kicking back on a nice comfortable beach chair while I listen to this song.

Sadness/Mourning

"Yesterday" - Atmosphere

It's difficult to listen to this song all the way through without getting goosebumps.  Atmosphere lays out this track beautifully, catching listeners off guard and delivering a powerful message.  The beat isn't slow and dark as one might expect from a sad song about mourning the loss of a loved one.  The fact is, everyone expresses themselves differently, and for Atmosphere, expression comes in the form of masterfully constructing lyrics from memories and thoughts he has in regards to his father.  Atmosphere pays his respect to his father in "Yesterday"in a reflective manner.  Various visual occurrences Atmosphere encounters act as indices, based on past experiences, that may inspire his train of thought.  I really like this song because it expresses sadness and mourning in a style unique to the artist.

Family 

"Soundtrack 2 My Life" - Kid Cudi

In Kid Cudi's, "Soundtrack 2 My Life," he reflects on growing up, and pays homage to his siblings and mother who helped him through some difficult years.  He especially thanks his mother for the childhood that she gave him.  He explains how he doesn't even know how she did it, which indicates just how hard she must have worked to provide for her family.  In his final verse, Cudi emphasizes the importance of love in ones life.  Love is what keeps families together, and I am lucky to have had an extremely loving family growing up.  This is something that I feel I have taken for granted when I was growing up, but now am incredibly grateful for.

Anger

"Guilty Conscience" - Eminem feat. Dr. Dre 

When asked to find anger in music, I immediately searched the name Eminem in my iTunes.  Eminem has a very distinct way of expressing himself through music.  He does not hold back in the least, and says exactly how he feels about a certain person or situation.  In a way, I admire him for that.  Eminem definitely gets his point across with every track he makes.  In "Guilty Conscience" Eminem acts as the demon on someones shoulder who opposes the angel on the opposite shoulder.  In my opinion the demon is a sort of icon for anger or rage.  Eminem angrily and violently advises some negative options to three different subjects.  Even by just listening to the beat and the flow of the two rappers, I equate the general emotional vibe of the song to anger.

Sexuality (What it means to be a man)

"Wings" - Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

On the surface, "Wings" by Macklemore seems like a song about shoes.  The reality is that the meaning is much deeper than that.  It is a song about growing up a boy.  Macklemore talks about how as a kid, he was just trying to fit in and be cool by purchasing and wearing the newest pair of "Jordans" on the market.  But Macklemore quickly evolves from boy to man when he is hit with some rough experiences, like his friend's brother being murdered.  This is when he realizes one does not need to conform to be cool; a common misconception among males in the modern generation.  Males tend to think life is a battle for dominance; who can be the coolest or the most admired.  Some realize that it is not important as they mature, but not all do.  Everyone is different, and I love that "Wings" tells the story of Macklemore learning that the stereotypes of the common male are not necessarily fact.