Music Video:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/JLMSNwPhbnc" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Live Performance w/ Beatboxing:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/7aaZUS4dDZ4" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
“Statement of Intent”
When I first heard that our final paper would be a music review I was very excited and all these songs began to play in my head at once. In order to pick a possible song for this “statement of intent” I brought up my iTunes library on the computer and just scrolled through the over seven hundred songs on my iPod. I narrowed my choices down to “Cry Me A River” by Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland, “Addicted” by Kelly Clarkson, and “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson because I thought there was several aspects of each song that I could dig deep into and do really good close readings on. After about two hours of deliberation by listening to the songs, reading the lyrics, and watching music videos and live performances on YouTube I finally chose “Cry Me A River” by Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland.
Although you [Prof. Kaufman] stated in the Paper #3 outline that this could not be a “gush fest” about how our song is “the best song ever”, that idea was at first the driving force for me to pick this song. However I read through the lyrics and listened to the music and realized I could do a music review with real analysis and criticism for “Cry Me A River”.
Firstly, this song has a morbid and angry feel to it because of how it starts with this depressing traditional music; moreover this traditional start is mixed with contemporary hip-hop beat. So, I plan on elaborating on the odd but effective collaboration between the two. The song also has metaphors like “You were my sun…You were my Earth” that I could analyze by talking about how one needs the Earth and the sun to live so how this girl (who has been thought to be Timberlake’s former girlfriend, Britney Spears) is that vital to him in his life. The song goes on to say how he was so in love with this girl who ended up cheating on him and how he was so hurt and shocked by it but now it is her turn to cry and feel pain. When he talks about his ex-girlfriend’s attempt to get him back he sings, “Now you tell me you need me…Girl I refuse you must have me confused with some other guy (I’m not like them baby).” I plan to explain how he stereotypes men as these dirty creatures who do not have real feelings for a woman and just uses them for sex and that he is the exception because he is not going back to her; he wants to be in love and in a relationship. Timbaland’s part in the song is “The damage is done, so I guess I be leavin,’” and I know I can explain that line very well.
In the five page music review I would to use and analyze his music video and a live performance of it. Am I allowed to? I feel like I can really elaborate on the use of the rain and dark lightening used in it and that I can talk about how he seeks revenge on his ex in the music video which connects with Timbaland’s lines. Also, in the live performance, the setting is still dark but he lightens the mood by breaking out into an epic beatbox and I feel that I could somehow analyze the addition of it.