I believe that the more prevalent aim of the two was definitely worldly success. I think so many songs are about money, in both modern and older songs. I don't think it was hard to come across more than enough songs about money, especially in the rap/hip hop department. However, liberation was a bit on the harder side..though the songs that I did find seemed to fit the category perfectly. One of my favorite lines in "Ten Years Gone" by Led Zeppelin is "then as it was, then again it will be." I think that lyric itself engulfs the Hindu belief in becoming part of the "glowing cosmic ocean" after liberation. Another surprising point that I came across while doing this assignment (more so while listening in class) is how much the beatles (especially George Harrison) songs were of Hindu sorts. Two of my liberation songs are from the Beatles and they basically outline what we've been talking about in class! In "Inner Light" by the Beatles, one of the lines is "Arrive without traveling, See all without looking, Do all without doing." Those lines definitely express the idea of looking within rather than what is around you to find liberation. I think the songs about success were a bit easier to spot, whereas the songs about liberation were a bit harder to look into. One of the songs I chose was by Bob Marley and the Wailers, called Concrete Jungle. What drew me to this song was when he said "no chains around my feet, but I'm not free." I believe that statement is so powerful and encompasses the idea of not being completely free until liberation after life. Though the times have changed and modern day music engulfs a different sense of success in comparison to the Hindus ideas about success, I think the songs about liberation seem to expedite the same idea about liberation.
The aim pleasure, in the Hindu religion, suggests anything material that clearly brings what could be short term happiness. Ranging from drugs, alcohol, or sex, pleasure has a range of many attributes. I believe the more prevalent aim was absolutely pleasure. It can be seen in almost anything, except for the bare essentials(water, shelter, and food...though they too find a way of advertising those to bring extreme pleasure also). Some may argue of what is actual for "pleasure", but close to many of the things we do are for pleasure, or to meet some standard that ultimately brings pleasure. In many modern day advertisements and most of the popular music, pleasure is the skeleton to most of the purposes. One example is attempting to convince the common driver to pull over to the nearest fast food restaurant through billboards that almost convince you that you "need" the experience. And I don't think you can listen to the radio without coming across a handful of songs that cover the topic of pleasure. That is why I think this aim was most prevalent, due to its constant exposure to the naked eye. Though community service is also quite popular, I think that pleasure overrides its popularity. To being with, this is my favorite love song (and I wanted to introduce pleasure!) My Sweet Lord, by George Harrison (who in fact was definitely interested in the Hindu religion)
While doing this assignment I was surprise at how many songs that I thought were about pleasure, but after reading the lyrics I quickly realized that they were not exactly what I was looking for. Also, I was also suprised to find the handful of songs that were about pleasure and community service (mostly coming from the 60s, 70s, and some modern day music). In fact, it was actually hard to decipher between all of the songs and pick the top best 5. This just goes to prove even more that pleasure is almost anywhere and everywhere that we look.
As the times have changed, the ideas that Hinduism had in mind with these aims are obviously different from our interpretation through modern day music. I believe the amount of material things that can produce pleasure have increased dramatically over the times with technology and the freedoms that we have received. American pop music definitely covers the aims, but in their own modern way. Perhaps, without even knowing that they had the hindu view in mind.
The songs that I have chosen for this are as follows:
Pleasure:
1. The Beatles, "Yes It Is" 1965
2. Led Zeppelin, "Thank You," 1969
3. Donovan, "Turquoise," 1965
4. The Platters, "My Prayer," 1954
and the one with the best video is!!.....
5. Bert Sommer, "Jennifer," 1969
