Someone Like You

 It is one of the most played, heard, known, liked, song on the radio lately, it's Someone Like You, by Adele and it is also one of the most painfully heartbreaking songs I've ever heard in my entire life. Throughout the entire thing she is talking about how this guy broke her heart and yet, she is still managing to wish him well and also hoping for the best for herself. The romantic is constructed in this example by the way we all wish for happiness after a terrible break-up. We're all hoping that this isn't the last person we ever fall in love with, that this isn't the last person we will ever be able to have. 

In the beginning of the song when she says "I heard that you're settled down, that you, found a girl and you're married now... I heard that you're dreams came true, guess she gave you things, I didn't give to you" it brings you into her feelings. She realizes that she just wasn't good enough for him and that may just be the most relateable part of the song because we all feel that way at some point in our lives. We're always going to encounter that one activity  that we will never be 'good enough' at, or we're always going to fall for that one person that we will never be 'good enough' for. It's frustrating, and it sucks, but that's life and I think this song makes everyone realize we're all feeling the same pain at one point or another. We're all suffering and yet we want to find something very soon after to heal the wounds. 

This song is basically telling everyone that Yes, you're going to have you're heartbroken,and it's going to hurt, but there may be an upside to it. You might find yourself through the hurt and pain, or something better will come along. It also suggests that this last person might be out there somewhere else just in a different person's body. The main line in the song "Nevermind I'll find someone like you," It's true there is always someone else. And then we remember "Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead." That's what all of us hopeless romantics are fighting for. A love that lasts. Even though we all know that hurting is a distinct possibility. That's the chance you take in life and I think that's the main message of this song. Adele is telling us that it hurts like hell when someone leaves you, and you're going to cry and be pissed off for awhile, but there's always a chance you'll find something different and better. 

http://youtu.be/NAc83CF8Ejk

The Love of Adventure

I was watching the first 3 indiana jones movies over the weekend, and I think they fit quite well into the subject matter we are working on now. The movies can arouse a variety of emotions such as excitement, fright, sadness and suspense among others. I wondered why I felt these emotions while watching the movie even though I knew it was everything would turn out in Dr. Jones' favor. This movie keep true to the ideology that "the good guys always win". Why do the bad guys (the nazi's mainly...) try to kill him constantly, but then take him prisoner later so he can escape again? Why don't they just kill him when they capture him like they were trying to do earlier? This is because deep inside, we all want the good guy to win, always. I don't know anyone who will root for the villain when watching a movie. Society tells us that if you're a good person, good things will generally happen to you. Idiana definitely isn't a completely good person but when compared to the evil of his opponents, he seems like one. The nazi's are the main opposing force in the movies, and all the history as well as hatred built up against them through the years makes them the perfect enemy. If it were the soviet army wanting to collect powerful artifacts to spread communism, they wouldn't evoke as much emotion in the watcher as the nazi's. In most people's minds, when they think of the nazi's they envision hitler, concentration camps, and the biggest genocide of a people in history. These emotions of good vs evil can be evoked in everyone because it appeals to their humanity.

This movie also appeals to everyone's sense of adventure. There isn't anybody in the world who wouldn't like to go on exotic adventures and live out their fantasies of grandeur. Indiana Jones' represents this with his predictable yet exciting adventures based off of myths we are all familiar with. Most people are familiar with the fables the movie explores, because those stories have been romanticized themselves. Speaking of lost treasures that grant abilities any human would want. All these things combine together to give the movie an appeal that can enthrall any watcher. We all want excitement in our lives, so why not watch Indy do what we cannot?

Zion National Park

Here are a couple pictures from my most recent trip to Zion National Park in Utah. I went with my boyfriend over the summer and we loved it so much we hope to move to Utah someday.

Zion is truly a romantic park with the Virgin River flowing through the dense foliage to the rolling mountains you get the chance to climb to high heights in the midst of the sun. Being at Zion is like being in another world - different from the urban lifestyle we're used to living. There is not a building or a McDonald's in sight for hundreds of miles letting us know we REALLY are out in the middle of nowhere, and although being without all of our so-called 'necessities,' it really is still pure bliss. You feel free, no one can tell you what to do, and you lose all your cares in the world. To me, this is romance. There is nothing else to worry about besides what's in front of you and what's ahead of you deep in the mountains. Climbing thousands of feet into the air gives me this romantic thrill that nothing has ever compared to, making this number one on my romantic venture list. It's almost as if taking risks brings more excitement to your romantic adventure and not knowing what lies ahead keeps you yearning for more - almost like love does. The mountains are so simplistic as well, allowing one to let go of their stress and worries on their mind, and letting love set in. Ideologically, Zion brings a sense of freedom and mystery that I have longed for for years. I remember being a child and feeling free and how new things were such a mystery to me; Zion brings these feelings to my palette once again, and it gives me a special rush. All in all, being at Zion conveys the message of freedom. You don't have to worry about work, school, and finances. All you have to worry about is balancing on the rocks ahead of you so you don't fall and about what lies ahead of your path to the top of the mountain, should it be a sheep, rattlesnake or just a family of elk. Exploring new things together as a couple is romantic on a new level. Leave the rest behind, and your romance will shine brighter than it has in years.

Adele's Make You Feel My Love

“When the rain
Is blowing in your face
And the whole world
Is on your case
I could offer you
A warm embrace
To make you feel my love”

Love songs can reach the hearts of any listener, whether or not that individual is currently in love, lost their love, or have yet to experience first love. This song reaches a larger audience than some other love songs because it not only increases feelings of love but also instills feelings of longing in those who wish to have a person similar to the singer in their life. Romance is constructed within “To Make You Fell my Love” as something not needing flash or material goods. It is constructed as simple and steadfast, true and pure. These emotions communicate better than more situation-specific ones. This concept of love has carried on through the centuries, and it is extremely prevalent in this piece. This version of the song is a cover, it was originally recorded by a male singer, but I feel Adele’s version really highlights the theme and emotions of the song.

“I know you
Haven't made
Your mind up yet
But I would never
Do you wrong
I've known it
From the moment
That we met
No doubt in my mind
Where you belong”

The musical arrangement of “Make You Feel My Love” reaches out and grabs hearts of listeners almost as much as the lyrics. Simple piano accompaniment with direct singing (without those annoying Christina Aguilera scales) puts a focus on the emotions Adele shows. Such simplicity really touches me and makes me look back on relationships I had and one I hope to have in the future. I know what techniques she is using to create a specific mood, yet that doesn’t really seem to matter. Adele sounds so honest in this song, whether she is or not. The lyrics are styled similar to the simple, romantic poetry Wordsworth prized. The imagery is simple yet effective in its emphasis on situations the narrator is willing to go through for the person they love.

The song makes no cultural or historical references. There is no storytelling, no metaphors, and no symbolism. The cultural exploration of this song is its supposed lack of modern cultural influence. “Make You Feel My Love” is as timeless as love itself (see, it’s making me all sappy and clichéd). The intertextuality of songwriting usually pulls in familiar references or ideas to bring us closer to the song, but this one focuses purely on the singer’s devotion to their loved one. I tried to find some political beliefs or viewpoints within the song but found none. The ideology is purely of the importance of loved ones in life. It is in human nature to want to love and be loved, and Adele’s message in “Make You Feel My Love” is a simple one. She explores unyielding devotion within deep love to communicate romantic ideals.  

I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends
Of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love, To make you feel my love

Why Grow Up?

"I've been accused of some things, I'm not sure what they've meant - Peter Pan syndrome, and arrested development."

Art Brut's 'DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshakes' is a song romanticizing the inner child in all of us. Throughout the song, the lyrics are easy to understand. The artist describes himself as someone who is never able to get over being a kid and all the great things that came with it. For those of us who enjoyed DC Comics and chocolate milkshakes as a kid, it brings us back to the lazy afternoons, when we could kick back with a favorite magazine and sip on a nice chocolate treat. I believe that the song advances the ideology that we should embrace our inner child.

The artist also argues that we should never forget what it's like to be a child. Although the artist may be excessively childish, he sticks to what he has always loved, and is happy no matter how hard life can get.

As we make the transition into college and beyond, we slowly start to lose touch with our inner child. Money is saved for tuition instead of comics. A portion of each paycheck gets dumped into our gas tanks instead of our bellies. As we start to consider ourselves 'adults,' we are compelled to romanticize the good 'ol days when the only things we cared about were our Pog collections and Pokemon cards.

When we reach the age at which we have to take care of ourselves, we are reminded by the song to never forget the sweet taste of chocolate milkshakes. It is a clear romantic view of the innocent and carefree attitude of children compared adults.

Here is the link to the song on Youtube. Musically, it isn't the greatest, but I find it to be lyrically enjoyable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhelBTjRYcE

Hidden Optimism.

In a film I recently watched, the main character was a closeted artist, and this was one of his drawings he had stashed away in his hideout. I, of course, immediately fell in love with it, which was no surprise. I feel the context of the film plays a lot into the image as well, so I'll give you a little insight. It centers around your classic tough Brooklyn guy, loving the life of bars and baseball, yet secretly wants nothing more than to attend an art school. None of his family members or friends know about his interest, or his getaway for that matter, except for a girl that he's infatuated with. He has a strained relationship with his older brother, but viewers get the feeling they once had perfect 'brother' moments. We get to witness flashbacks to his childhood, and how his brother would always comfort him when it was storming outside by setting up a tent in their bedroom and camping out in it, clearly being represented by this drawing.

When thinking of exactly what parts of 'the romantic' this drawing symbolizes, I believe it is easily being operated through a good chunk of them. The most obvious of them being the fact that it's a piece of art, making it personable to that person. Like I said earlier, the story takes place in Brooklyn- not exactly the most rural spot you could find yourself in, yet the artwork depicts exactly the opposite. It's solitary. It links back to our emotional side. If I found myself in that tent, I guarantee I'd be scared out of my mind thinking of all of the things that creep through those trees at night. It's not until you find yourself outside, staring at what's in front of you, that the glowing canvas seems to provides something much more than temporary shelter. It brings back the innocence of it all, allowing a connection to be made between a little boy's terror and the hardships presented to him in his adult life, and the ease that comes along with the both of them. The fact that these drawings have been shown to only one other person allows for the moments to seem very intimate and private, contributing to the romanticism of it all as well. All of the aspects combined allow for a message that's romantic just in itself. Hope. The drawing, and the evidence provided with it, argue that that four letter word seems to be found anywhere, by anyone, now matter what point in life you find yourself. It shows there's difficult things everywhere you go. You can't escape them, according to the drawing, but everyone has the tools to build themselves something to get through it.

Chuck, A Win For Average People Everywhere

My favorite show of all time is Chuck. Chuck is a more lighthearted show that that always seems to leave me smiling. One of the overall storylines that have progressed throughout every season is how the main character, Chuck, falls in love with his super spy of a coworker, Sarah Walker. Sarah Walker is incredibly attractive, and smart, and a super spy. Chuck is an average guy without incredible skills or any spy work. I feel that that is one of his best attributes in the earlier seasons. The main appeal to the overall romance of chuck is that an average guy can win the heart of a super special girl.

Everybody loves an underdog, a feel good story, a happy ending. Being an average guy, Chuck is very relatable to the average people who watch TV and this leads to this romance seeming very unlikely. Chuck is a feel good show and ends with Sarah and Chuck being together. It might not quite be star-crossed lovers, but I feel this is more believable and more relatable to the average person and thus more romantic. The overall idea of being average is enough to do great things is a great message for everyone especially when it comes to romance. It leads to people believing that they are good enough for great things. This overall self-confidence message is important when today’s media portrays people as “perfect”. Especially this time of year with the “perfect situation” diamond jewelry commercials people need to know that ordinary people can be romantic too. Overall the show Chuck is a win for the little people in the world showing that they can be romantic and win the heart of amazing people.

Love Story- Taylor Swift

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg3vE8Ie_E&ob=av2n

Its a love story, baby just say yes...
Love story by Taylor Swift is a classical example of romantic in action. The music video is a typical portrayal of a teenage girl in high school wishing for her own "love story" and "romeo" to take her hand, and run away with her. This is a dream almost every teenage girl has due to all the romantic movies and songs like Taylor Swifts, Love Story, that portrays it happening to another teenage girl and boy. They also use the cliche example of romeo and juliet in the lyrics, and the typical protective father not wanting his daughter to be with the boy she loves. This, ultimately resulting in the daughter wanting to run away with the boy. This is something most naive teenage girls also experience, of falling for the bad boy their father doesnt like, and then rebelling and being with him despite what their father says.
I remember when this song/music video first came out when i was in high school, and every teenage girl i knew fell in love with it. Every one of my friends found someway to relate to the song, and had that special boy who came to mind everytime we heard it. A lot to do with this is probably because I and all of my friends were yearning for that "love story" to happen to us. There was an everyday occurence of me and my friends belting our hearts out to the song in the car for weeks after the song came out.
When my mom listened to this song she related back to her teenage years also, but when it came to present day it was obviously not a song she could still relate to. This is probably due to the fact that Taylor Swift (who is a teenager) writes her own songs, and a teenager typically wouldn't write a song an adult could better relate to than someone like herself. Most adult women aren't looking to run away with a man, but settle and have a family. Also, having their father dissapprove of a man isn't typically an issue adult women are faced with. My mom actually stated Taylor Swift sings songs that teenage girls can relate to, just like Shania Twain sings songs older women can easily relate to like Honey I'm Home. This is a perfect example of the differance between of the romantic structure of feeling between teenage girls, and grown adult women.

Sunsets, Rainbows and Flowers, Oh My!

What in the world is romance? I mean it is very different depending on who you ask. One may think romance is a date to the opera after a candlelit dinner. Another may say a day walking in the woods with the one they love. In search of an image to represent romance, I pulled out the handy dandy Google Images search.

When searching the term romance, I came across a series of images that were all very similar. They depicted a couples embrace on the sandy beach in front of a brilliantly beautiful sunset. the fact is, this image triggers emotion in all of us. Something about the familiar embrace, the setting, and the colors displayed in this image make many of us label it as romantic, but why? What exactly does this image do to make some people feel so warm and fuzzy inside?

An embrace has to be one of the most intimate gestures between the living. It allows one to be close with another. To embrace is to accept and to love. This is why to many, this image represents romance. It suggests that romance is the embrace. An embrace filled with warmth, love, and acceptance.

The beach scene adds to the whole ambiance of the whole photograph. When remembering times at the beach, one may think of building sand castles or burying their feet in the warm, soft sand. When many think of the beach, they perhaps conjure up ideas of warmth, laughter, fun. All of these are components of a wonderful romance. The beach carries this very positive connotation for many and gives people a delightful feeling inside.

The last key component in this photograph, and many others alike, is the sunset. Sunsets have been described as "truly magical" and "beautifully spectacular." It is the marking of the end of the day, bringing life to the night. Sunsets are, to me and many others, gorgeous. The many different colors brought to the sky are simply magnificent. The rich golds, vibrant pinks, and soft purples all work together to create a mood. A mood of beauty and allure. For many, this beauty transfixes.

All of the components of this photograph 'argue' us into a certain structure of feeling. For many, the feeling drawn from this is one of romance and love. The intimacy of an embrace, the warmth of a beach, and the beauty of a sunset all work together to make countless viewers feel the warmth, the beauty, and the love. All combined remind us of one special thing: Romance.

The Fairy tale

The fairy tale:

This is a Chinese love song. In the MTV, it talked about a sad but beautiful love story. In the MTV, the boy and the girl are very good friend, than they fell in love. The boy wrote a song for the girl, and he will have a concert, and he wanted to perform the song to the girl. However, before the concert, the girl was diagnosed with end stage lung cancer. When the day that the boys concert was come, the girl was already in the hospital, and she couldn't attend the boys concert, and heard the song that the boy wrote for her. Then the boy decided to perform it over the phone and to show the love of his to the girl.

Here is the general meaning of the song:

Don't remember how long ago, you stopped to tell me your favorite fairy tales.

I was confused , and worried about if I did something wrong.

You told me in tears, fairy tales are not true. And I'm not your prince

However, maybe won't understand, when you told me you love me, my fairy tale became reality.

I'm willing to become the angle in your fairy tales, and use my love to guard you.

You should believe, believe we will like the prince and princesses in the fairy tale, be together forever.

This is one of my favorite Chinese love song. I like it because it is very romantic. The boy loves the girl no matter what, even he knows the girl is dying, but he still believe they will be together forever. I showed the MTV to one of my American friend. He didn't think this is romantic, he think is very sad. I think this is because the "structure of feeling" of us is different. We talked about in class, out feelings is structured by our view of the world. This was depended on our history and political stats. In China, we have so many love stories that was sad, so we see sadness and romantic together as normal. Just like Romeo and Juliet, is sad, but romantic. That's why I think this song is romantic, but my American friend doesn't agree with me.

The Killers Do "Romeo and Juliet"

Music is one of the few things in my life that can control my mood without much effort. I can listen to a happy song and be singing along and smiling, and then a sad love song can show up on shuffle and I’m suddenly sappy and sad. I have to have make playlists by mood for that reason specifically. Why does music have such a definite and profound impact on how I’m feeling? Why do I hate reading poetry but love to listen to song lyrics? What’s the difference?

As a case study, I’ve chosen the song “Romeo and Juliet,” which The Killers have covered here, but was originally recorded by Dire Straits. This song is simply fantastic. It is five minutes of indulgent love song. I love every second of it. (View the lyrics here.)

This song uses a ton of conventions to achieve the final product. They literally use the chords C, G, F and A minor in a predictable pattern for the entire song. This is an extremely basic song; they use the same verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus/verse/chorus pattern that everyone else in songwriting has ever made. He’s literally singing a song to “Juliet” which is one of the most clichéd and overdone characters in literature anywhere, ever. This is a cover of someone else’s song! There is literally nothing original here! Why do I want to cry and go hug someone when I listen to this song?!

The structure of feeling in this song is ever present. The conventions that they use are tried and true. The flowing piano with the strings in the background. The way the music picks up intensity at the chorus when he’s singing Juliet’s name. The shadowy setup in this youtube video. These are all examples of the sappy love song in action. The intertextuality of songwriting is interesting to examine. When a song pulls in references to other cultural texts, they become more meaningful to us. Since everyone has read Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” we all understand how we should feel when we hear a song about Romeo and Juliet. We know that these star-crossed lovers were meant to be, but tragedy hit.

The reason this song influences me is that, while I find the star-crossed lovers thing to be romantic, I also find it to be terrifying! I thought that finding love was the hard part, but apparently falling love is just the start. This song is essentially saying that even if you find your perfect match, sometimes it’s just that the time is wrong, and it doesn’t work out. We live in a society where marriage is expected, and oftentimes, so is divorce. In the song, it’s clear that the narrator loves Juliet. Why don’t they get to be together forever? It’s not fair!

“All I do is miss you, and the way we used to be. All I do is keep the beat, the bad company. All I do is kiss you, through the bars of Orion. Juliet, I’d do the stars with you anytime.” He loves her as big as the stars. He loves her until the day he dies. “Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start, and I bet that you exploded in my heart.” This kind of imagery, it hits my soft spot. I can’t come up with a hard-and-fast list for all of the reasons that this song, and this genre, make me want to weep. Honestly, listen to this song, tell me what you feel.

Thank you, pop culture-- for carving my romantic side

So, my example of the Romantic was indefinitely influenced from 90's pop culture, which was horrible, but what's a kid to do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fndeDfaWCg&ob=av2e --- BSB I Want It That Way

You are my fire
The one desire
Believe when I say
I want it that way

But we are two worlds apart
Can't reach to your heart
When you say
That I want it that way

[Chorus:]
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way

Am I your fire
Your one desire
Yes I know it's too late
But I want it that way

[Chorus]

Now I can see that we're falling apart
From the way that it used to be, yeah
No matter the distance
I want you to know
That deep down inside of me...

You are my fire
The one desire
You are
You are, you are, you are

Don't wanna hear you say
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
(Don't wanna hear you say)
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way

Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
(Don't wanna hear you say it)
I want it that way

I'm sure half of the people reading this are probably dying inside, while the other half are secretly admiring me while they reminisce about their pasts and have the same nostalgic feeling I did when I was brainstorming possible examples.

As corny and horrible as lines like "I want you to know that deep down inside of me, you are my fire, the one desire" are, I can't help but allow my heart to melt. What female wouldn't want their significant other to tell her how much she means to them? In this song, the guy(s) is/are essentially trying their best to keep the relationship going, reminding the girl who much she means to him. He actually wants to know why she's having these feelings and is willing to listen, which is contradictory to what the "typical guy" would want to do.

The Romantic in this piece is constructed through the argument of feelings or emotions over reason or fact. This song reinforces the fake idea that there is only one soul mate for us. Having heard the idea be preached over and over to me when I was young, I can't help but default to that idea and then forcing my gears to change from believing that idea to the fact that it isn't true at all. Those who have been in love and had their heart broken probably have gone through both feelings.

Not only does the song reinforce that fake idea of the soul mate, but like in "The Bridges of Madison County" when Meryl Streep has the affair with Clint Eastwood, her "soul mate", but stays married, we're inclined to believe that although the one soul mate exists for each of us, we can't expect to be able to have him/her and we have to settle with what we have.

Although this song has already begun losing its allure and will probably be forever lost in history in a decade or two, the structure of feeling created through that "innate" idea of there only being one soul mate for each person seems like it will always find its way through culture.

The Columbia Ice Fields in Banff, Canada

Last Spring, my boyfriend and I did a road trip up to Banff, Canada for a week. We wanted to have a classic road trip out West, and to camp in a tent in Banff. In many ways this displays our romantic notions of the Good- Ol’ American Road Trip, something we both have enjoyed since our childhoods. We both grew up in similar Midwestern families that, instead of flying to the Caribbean for vacations, would go camping, or take road trips to National Parks. In this way, our nostalgia for the freedom and escape of a road trip is due mostly to the environments in which we were raised.

There is one place we went to in Banff that I think deserves some extra cultural studies examination. The Columbia Ice fields is a glacier region in northern Banff National Park that has become a popular tourist destination. For a fee of $50 per person, you can board a huge Ice Explorer mobile (somewhere between a military tank and a moon-moblie) and ride out onto the famous Athabasca Glacier. The Ice Explorer rides over extremely rough terrain that not even a Hummer can handle. During the ride, the bus driver tells you all the facts about this fantastic vehicle, and about the beautiful glacier that surrounds you.

The Explorer rides out onto the glacier, and then lets the passengers off to walk around the Glacier in a designated area. The glacier itself is actually very dangerous and unstable and many people have died there over the years by falling into cracks in the ice. However, the Columbia Ice fields staff test the glacier and find specific safe zones that are stable enough for tourists to stand on.They even encourage tourists to bring water bottles along to fill up with fresh and pure glacier water.

What is interesting about this is that we came to Banff to “get away from it all” and to be surrounded by the mountains and nature. Yet, even here, there is a tourist attraction that you can pay lots of money to go and see. On the other hand, we would never have been able to say we stood on a glacier if it was not for this company. Despite the paradox of a tourist attraction in such a wild natural place, this turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip.

The Columbia Ice Fields gets millions of tourists each year that come from all over the world to stand on the Athabasca Glacier. I think what draws so many people to this place is that it mimics the romantic idea of an Explorer conquering the wild terrain. By paying to ride the Ice mobile, you get to conquer a glacier and tame mother nature, all without too much physical exertion. The message of this National Park is that you should enjoy nature, feel “at one” with it, and go out and explore it. They really go out of their way to make it easy for people to do so. The romantic idea of escaping into nature is indeed very attractive to lots of people, including myself. I loved Banff and loved the Columbia Icefields. Like many other visitors to Banff, I was eager and willing to pay my fifty bucks in order to stand on an amazing and somewhat terrifying glacier, drink the glacier water, and snap a few pictures.