TOPIC 3813001459

NICKELBACK LYRICS"Edge Of A Revolution"

Head high, protest line"Freedom" scribbled on your signHeadline, New York TimesStanding on the edge of a revolution

Hey, hey, just obey.Your secret's safe with the NSAIn God we trust or the CIA?Standing on the edge of a revolution

Yeah, we're standing on the edge of a revolutionRevolution, revolution, revolution

No, we won't give up, we won't go away'Cause we're not about to live in this mass delusionNo, we don't wanna hear another word you say'Cause we know they're all depending on mass confusionNo, we can't turn back, we can't turn away'Cause it's time we all relied on the last solutionNo, we won't lay down and accept this fate'Cause we're standing on the edge of a revolution

Wall Street, common thiefWhen they get caught they all go freeA brand new yacht and a finders feeStanding on the edge of a revolution

Same shit, different dayCan't keep fed if I can't get paidWe'll all be dead if the shit don't changeStanding on the edge of a revolution

Yeah, we're standing on the edge of a revolutionRevolution, revolution, revolution

No, we won't give up, we won't go away

'Cause we're not about to live in this mass delusionNo, we don't wanna hear another word you say'Cause we know they're all depending on mass confusionNo, we can't turn back, we can't turn away'Cause it's time we all relied on the last solutionNo, we won't lay down and accept this fate'Cause we're standing on the edge of a revolution

We'll all be dead if this shit don't changeHey hey hey hey

What do we want? We want the changeAnd how're we gonna get there? RevolutionWhat do we want? We want the changeStanding on the edge of a revolution

What do we want? We want the changeAnd how're we gonna get there? RevolutionWhat do we want? We want the changeStanding on the edge of a revolution

No, we won't give up, we won't go away'Cause we're not about to live in this mass delusionNo, we don't wanna hear another word you say'Cause we know they're all depending on mass confusionNo, we can't turn back, we can't turn away'Cause it's time we all relied on the last solutionNo, we won't lay down and accept this fate'Cause we're standing on the edge of a revolution

What do we want? We want the changeAnd how're we gonna get there? RevolutionWhat do we want? We want the changeStanding on the edge of a revolution

What do we want? We want the changeAnd how're we gonna get there? RevolutionWhat do we want? We want the changeStanding on the edge of a revolution

Critical theory can be defined as an individual’s ability to free themselves from

unpleasant situations and it is a systematic critique or analysis of social

experiences and systems of human beings to determine the visible and invisible

forces or structures which constrain, inhibit, encourage or enhance personal

freedom.

According to Ritzer, Smart (2001), “the term critical theory is generally

associated with the group of German social theorists affiliated with the Institute

for Social Research founded in Frankfurt in 1923, the Institute sought to conduct

social research that would examine the contradictions of modernity, interrogate

the limits of the present order and overcome the limitations of modern social and

philosophical thought.”

Critical theory was established as a school of thought primarily by the

Frankfurt School theorists: Herbert Marcuse, Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer,

Walter Benjamin and Erich Formm. Modern critical theory has additionally been

influenced by Gyorgy Lukas and Antonio Gramsci as well as Jurgen Habermas a

second generation Frankfurt School scholar.

The evaluation of critical theory can be divided into three eras, which are; the

first generation of Frankfurt philosophers who maintained a commitment to

Marxist ideology, the second generation who are those who reconstructed

Marxist ideology. The third era consisted of contemporary critical theorists who

mainly have turned their attention to media and other forms of entertainment in

their examination of modern culture.

The purpose of this essay is to present an analysis of how musicians use their

songs to express and challenge the prevailing structure and order of society which

if viewed along the lines of Marxist ideology can be seen as oppressive to the

majority and supportive of the elites. For this analysis the protest song “Edge of a

Revolution” by the band Nickleback is used. The premise of the song is that it is

highlighting all the ways in which members of American society are being taken

advantage of. Thus due to all these injustices being doled out by those in power

the singer encourages persons to make a stand in the form of a revolution.

Protest songs in general has an impact on society in one of two ways. Firstly

the song can make the masses aware of the fact that they are being exploited or

oppressed and they can take the steps necessary to overthrow their oppressors to

gain their freedom. Thus the veil is removed and they can see society how it truly

is.

However these protest songs can paradoxically reinforce the very social

structure they aim to criticize. This is where the term ‘culture industry’ becomes

relevant to this analysis. The term culture industry was coined by critical theorist

Adorno and Horkheimer (John,2003). Their proposition was that culture is similar

to a factory producing standardized cultural goods such as films, radio

programmes and music. These cultural goods are then used to manipulate mass

society into passivity.

This essentially means that although ‘Edge of a Revolution’ is a protest song it

will in fact not have the impact that one would expect. Although a small number

of the masses might become more aware of inequalities and injustices in society

there would be no revolution. This is due to the fact that the song will be looked

upon as an instance of individuality and free speech but the attention of the

masses will be quickly diverted since it is as Adorno and Horkheimer said culture

is a factory. Thus those in power allow protest songs such as the aforementioned

example to be made in order to lull the masses in to a false sense of freedom and

free speech.

Therefore as long as the majority of the masses believe that they have

power, freedom to make a change as exemplified in ‘Edge of a revolution’ there is

no need to actually carry out the revolution that they speak of.

Bibliography

Ritzer, George; Smart, Barry Handbook or Social Theory , SAGE Publications, 2001

Durham Peters, John. The Subtlety of Horkheimer and Adorno. Cambridge: Polity

Press, 2003

Scannell, Paddy (2007). Media and Communication. London: SAGE