So, which song do you think best utilizes rap and hip hop in a happy way and why?
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Fun in the Gloom
Dang, that was a blast!
Some may argue that the sassiest people in this play are the women, specifically the Schuyler sisters; but let's be real: the sassiest members of the play are the men. For me, one of the most fun, sassy, and playful songs in this play is, 'A Winter's Ball.'
In this song, the men show off their more playful and naughty side. When it gets down to it, these young men are interested in one thing: getting the ladies. In this first reprisal of the song, "Alexander Hamilton", we get a glimpse at one of the few happy parts of this musical.
In this happy part of the musical, the men chase the ladies, and hope to catch a Schuyler sister, which is foreshadowing for the next songs, "Helpless" and "Satisfied". For me, the sassiest part of this song takes place at the end when the men show off their machoness by saying, "Hey" to the ladies, which is a very fun part of this song.
The men are trying to one up one another with their conquests. Perhaps the reason why this happiness and whimsy can happen in this overall sad and tragic play is because of the style that this musical is sang in. The rap and hip-hop style featured in this musical can lend itself well to both sadder songs as well as happy songs. This song, to me, is the best at using rap and hip hop music in a light and fun way. It captures the spirit of these young men on the verge of finding true love during their times of female conquests and one upping one another perfectly
So, which song do you think best utilizes rap and hip hop in a happy way and why?
So, which song do you think best utilizes rap and hip hop in a happy way and why?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I love your point here on the happiness of many of the songs in a darker context. One song that I think showcases this well is Philip's solo in the second act, "Blow Us All Away." It's proceeded by "The Reynolds Pamphlet" and "Burn," which discuss Hamilton's affair, and is followed by "Stay Alive (Reprise)" and "It's Quiet Uptown," which chronicle Philip's death and how his parents coped with it. Very sad, serious topics. "Blow Us All Away," on the other hand, is about Philip's life as a young adult, full of playful rapping and flirtatious lyrics. A very interesting choice for the tone of that part of the show.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed your point about how dark and sad topics in the play are sung in more joyful songs. I think this makes the audience more engaged in the topic if it's in a lighter tone and in a faster tempo. a song that I think helped show the happiness in a song even with a sad topic is the first song in the play "Alexander Hamilton." This song is a good example because it talks about Hamilton's childhood which is very depressing because his mother died, his father left, his cousin committed suicide and then he was sent off to live in New York. Even though this is a sad topic, the song is a in an upbeat form so it's really entertaining and keeps the audience engaged in the song.
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point of talking about the men in this blog. The men are the sassy people and do to mad sassiness and moodiness they create a war within the political system. I really liked how you explained the men in this post.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I think My Shot definitely uses the music in the best way, because it really shows how dedicated these four men were to their country which is awesome!! They were so ready to do anything to get America started and they were filled with so much zest for life it was awesome, and the song is really catchy which is really cool!
ReplyDelete