Thursday, November 14, 2019
A Philosophical Discussion in Contemporary Music: Janes Addiction and Bush :: Music Musical Jane Addiction Bush Essays
A Philosophical Discussion in Contemporary Music: Jane's Addiction and Bush The purpose of this paper is to examine philosophical and theological themes in the work of two modern musical groups. The alternative rock bands Janeââ¬â¢s Addiction and Bush will be the focus of this study. I have chosen these two artists since I have observed what I believe to be contrasting ideas in their work. Perry Farrell was the songwriter for Janeââ¬â¢s Addiction. His bandââ¬â¢s release in 1988, titled Nothingââ¬â¢s Shocking contains views on God, manââ¬â¢s place in the world, and instruction on living a life that adheres to Zen philosophical views. Songs on the album include ââ¬Å"Ocean Size," a memoir about how life should be lived; ââ¬Å"Had A Dad," Perry Farrellââ¬â¢s beliefs about God; and ââ¬Å"Ted, Just Admit It...", that will be discussed in more detail below. Bushââ¬â¢s lyrics, written by Gavin Rossdale on the album Sixteen Stone, argue directly with the ideas contained on Nothingââ¬â¢s Shocking. I believe that his song ââ¬Å"Everything Z enâ⬠is a response to Perry Farrellââ¬â¢s beliefs. I will first attempt to fit the ideas of Perry Farrell into a philosophical Zen framework. A good starting point is the song ââ¬Å"Ocean Sizeâ⬠that points to the Zen theme of a oneness with nature. The speaker in the song seeks to get beyond his thinking self, and become like the ocean. The almost interminable suffering of human existence is described by Farrell as, ââ¬Å"Like a tooth aching a jawboneâ⬠(2:6). He writes of his own human weaknesses, ââ¬Å"I was made with a heart of stone/ to be broken/ with one hard blow." (2:7-9). His frailty contrasts with the strength of nature, ââ¬Å"Weââ¬â¢ve seen the ocean/ brake on the shore/ come together with no harm done" (2:10-12). The songââ¬â¢s verse states, ââ¬Å"It ainââ¬â¢t easy living.../ I want to be/ as deep/ as the ocean/ mother ocean" (2:13-17). He calls upon the common theme that words fail to convey the true meanings in Zen with, ââ¬Å"I want to be like the ocean/ no talking/ all action" (2:21-23). In t he words of Lao-tzu ââ¬Å"Those who know do not speak; Those who speak do not knowâ⬠(Watts xii-xiii). Only through an escape from his thinking, talking self can the author can stop experiencing the suffering of being human. Zen themes may be familiar to a student of religion, since they arise from Buddhism. The Buddha, Sidhartha Gautama, is said to have achieved his four noble truths about the nature of existence through meditation.
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