Joshua Guthrie
Joshua Guthrie

It seems that now a days many teens listen to songs simply because it has a good beat or you can dance to it. How often do you actually listen to the lyrics in the song?

I interviewed Joshua Guthrie, the music director at Foxcroft Academy, who has a background in recording and live performances. Joshua graduated from University of Maine in Orono with a degree in music education with a specialization in classical guitar. http://www.foxcroftacademy.org/foxcroft-staff/josh-guthrie/ When asked ” In your personal opinion, What is the difference between music now and music from the 80’s and 90’s?” Mr.Guthrie replied ” Commercial, background music to help sell liquor and to make lots and lots of money. It lacks creativity, most disappointingly, talent. Though there is some good music it can be hard to find.” and lyrics from current pop songs prove his point. In the song Sorry by Justin Bieber over half the song is ” Yeah, is it too late now to say sorry? Cause I’m missing more than just your body. Is it too late now to say sorry now? I’m sorry, yeah. Sorry, yeah. Sorry” this song alone proves the lack of creativity and talent in pop songs.

He was asked ” what do you typically find in pop songs on the radio today?” and his answer, ” They are usually fun dance songs avoiding all deep subjects. Auto tune and other computer developments dominate the sonic spectrum, there is little room for artistic expression. Lyrics, when not offensive, remain repetitive and often pointless. This is shown perfectly by Ex’s and Oh’s, sung by Elle King, when ” One, two, three, they gonna run back to me, ’cause I’m the best baby that they never gotta keep, one, two, three, they gonna run back to me, they always wanna come, but they never wanna leave,Ex’s and the oh, oh ,Oh’s they haunt me, like Ghosts they want me to make em all, they won’t let go, Ex’s and Oh’s” is sung three times in the song.

The last question asked was ” What is your favorite type of music an why?” His answer was shocking, ” out dated, dusty, forgotten, stuff that was about something, about real human experience.” There are two current songs that were found, that had a deeper meaning, one of them being Hello-by Adele. A song about reaching out to an old lover who she is still not over, she calls a thousand times to say she is sorry, and that they are running out of time to make things right. The other was a rock song by Evanescence titled, Call  Me When You’re Sober, a song about how drinking and drugs can affect a relationship. About how someone only wants the other when the are high or drunk, only calling when they aren’t in the right frame of mind. The drunk or high person is lying to the person who loves them and this person already knows. People rather listen about how Marvin Gaye gets it on, then real music. Music someone created to tell a story, music that shows real emotion.