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Leandra Adcock

Boudreau
ENC 2135
10 September 2016
Different Opinions, Not So Different Genres
[Three friends plan to meet in a local coffee shop, the location in which they hope to settle an age
old debate once and for all. You see, these friends are agreeable in almost every subject except
for one: music. Once this hot topic creeps into their conversations, there is no turning back,
arguments never fail to ignite. The trio cant seem to accept any other type of music than the one
they listen to personally, but theyve agreed to debate one last time in hopes that this will be the
last colloquy. The first to walk through the door is Trevor, a sweet southern boy who loves
country music and his mama, followed by Stacy who thinks all mainstream pop music is a bore
and that Alternative is the only genre that is noteworthy. Lastly, Cierra, a sassy girl who loves to
pop, lock, jam, and break1 struts in listening to her favorite kind of music: hip hop.]
(They sit down at a nearby table. Cierra takes off her headphones just as Stacy begins to speak.)
STACY
Im not really sure why this is a still a discussion after so many years of arguing but I think that
the best way to end this entire discourse is to go head to head.
TREVOR
What, like a contest or something?
STACY
Yes, exactly! It will be a battle of the genres. Well each pick our favorite song and explain why
we like that specific one and what significance it has for us or our genre.
TREVOR
*shrugs* Sounds fine to me.
CIERRA
Fair enough but no judging! We all know how opinionated you can get, Stacy. So lets just
keep our cool and hear each other out.
STACY
Alright, tell me how you really feel!
(Cierra rolls her eyes)
1

High School Musical reference

STACY (continues)
ANYWAY, I will just go ahead and start it out then. As you both already know, I listen to
Alternative music. My favorite song is Car Radio by Twenty One Pilots, and actually I think Ill
just go ahead and play it out loud so you guys can get the whole mood and tone of the song.
(Car Radio begins to play; Tyler Josephs voice fills the void in the empty cafe)
So this song has so many relatable lyrics in it that are so uplifting. Listening to a song that means
something to you and to others who endure the same struggles is such a powerful thing. Wait,
this is my favorite part!

Im forced to deal with what I feel


There is no distraction to mask what is real
I could pull the steering wheel.

This has such a strong message that can be interpreted in two different ways. On the surface it
seems like he is referring to the literal absence of noise (because as he said earlier someone
stole his car radio) that is leading him to think and ponder on present predicaments. On this
thread, it is music that is what keeps you sane. It can make you feel something that no other thing
can, it is an indescribable experience. However, he also could be talking about the distractions of
living such as going out or working, but once you go home alone at the end of the day its hard to
avoid thinking about all of your inner demons. Tyler alludes to suicide and depression in many
of his songs, topics that not many songwriters are able to successfully integrate into song lyrics
as masterfully as he has. He does it in such a way so that the issues are addressed but without
making it sound so dismal. Songs like these are meaningful, focusing on real world problems
that everyone faces rather than something meaningless like pick-up trucks. This can be said
about every song by this band and for the Alternative music genre as a whole.
Cause somebody stole my car radio
And now I just sit in silence.
(The song ends.)
TREVOR
Okay hold up, just because you probably think most country songs are about taking long drives
down dirt roads in pick-up trucks does not mean that there arent messages in them too!

CIERRA
Told you she was too opinionated for her own good!
STACY
Okay chill out! Im sorry Trevor, go ahead.
TREVOR
Country music may not mean much to you but it means a whole lot to me. I grew up listening to
it with my dad. He would play guitar and we would sing songs written by George Strait, Willie
Nelson, and all the greats. My all-time favorite song is Live Like You Were Dying by Tim
McGraw. This song talks about living life to the fullest, which is what we all need to do
sometimes. Kick back and enjoy life before it passes you by.
CIERRA
Okay, finally it is my turn! Hip-hop is my passion, as you know. My favorite song is hands down
Views by Drake. Ill just have to play it for you, I promise youll love it.
(A woman begins to sing soulfully)
STACY
I thought this was supposed to be Drake?
CIERRA
UGH it is, if you would wait 20 whole seconds he starts rapping after the intro.
(They listen.)
This song is just so great because Drake always keeps it original. He talks about his life and
preaches about all of the messed up things in this world. In this song specifically, he highlights
just how far hes gotten in his life and career.
I dropped out right before I graduate
Six credits left, my mama had her saddest day
Its only up from here, I promise, you just gotta wait
And she took my word for it, thats all I had to say
Even though he didnt graduate, he promised his mom hed be successful and look at him now!
This song is proof that you can overcome any obstacles before you if you have the right amount
of determination. Through it all Drake is very humble and doesnt let haters get him down, which
is a good way to be.

If I was you, I wouldnt like me either.


(The song ends.)
(The barista that works at the caf, overhearing the entire debate walks over to partake in the
discussion)
DALE
Hey guys, so I dont mean to intrude but I overheard you talking and was wondering if its cool
if I put in my two cents on the matter.
CIERRA
Why not?
STACY
Sure, go ahead.
DAN
Thats cool.
DALE
Well let me just start off by saying Im a music major and have always been interested in music
and the debates it sparks. For starters, I just wanted to outline the general instrumental
differences between each genre. Country musics instrumentation centers on guitar as well as
banjo, fiddle and harmonica; so Trevor was right about that. Hip Hop on the other hand is
focused on a beat, so drum machines, synthesizers and turntables are all common but live
instrumentation is also used when desired. For example, Drakes album views features harp and
cello. Alternative music is a kind of catch-all term for music that does not exactly follow the
rules. Because this genre is so broad, it is difficult to pinpoint the instrumentation, but a basic
example would include drums, an electric guitar, and a bass. In the case of Twenty One Pilots,
they use drums, piano and sometimes ukulele.
TREVOR
Okay but you have to admit that country music has the best song layout. The melody in a country
song beats everything else!
DALE
Actually the song structures of most popular songs are very similar. Verses lead into prechoruses, pre-choruses lead into choruses, choruses lead into the next verse and onto the bridge.
This layout is called the Verse/Chorus structure and is very common and easy to fit song ideas
and lyrics into, which is why it is so widely used. Ultimately it is left up to the artist to decide

how they want the song set up. A chorus could be at the beginning of the song if they choose to
do so. Another example is the AABA structure in which section A provides a basic musical
theme that is repeated (often with different words) and then separated by Section B which
provides a musical and lyrical contrast to the theme from section A. Both of these are types of
Sectional Forms. In Hip Hop, there will sometimes be no chorus, just a constant rap to deliver a
straightforward message to listeners. This is called the AAA structure, because there are three
parts of a song that are played consecutively, all sounding alike.
STACY
Well what about the messages of songs? Dont you think alternative music is more meaningful?
DALE
I think all music has a message. Thats the fundamental foundation of music itself. Whether it is
conveying a feeling or explicitly sending a message to the listener, it is all very meaningful. Let
me ask you a question. Why are all of you so close minded about music genres? What makes
these genres so different to each of you?

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