Musicians on Google: from Kasabian and John Cale to Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/08/musicians-google-kasabian-nicki-minaj

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"There's cobras in the mosh pit, finally we lost it, everyday is brutal, now we're being watched by Google."

There are several lessons to be learned from the lyrics of Kasabian's new single 'eez-eh', including not venturing down the front at one of their gigs without a snake hook or trained mongoose to hand.

The suggestion that we're being watched by Google is unlikely to come as a startling revelation to anyone aware of the company's advertising-based business model. It's a relatively rare example of this being addressed in song.

However, Google isn't a stranger to popular music: whether it's backing up brags from rappers, turning up as an aid to modern romance, or directing fans to Verne Troyer's post-Austin-Powers post-clothed-on-camera career.

Here are some prominent examples of how musicians are addressing the internet giant:

The 'We Knew We Were Being Watched By Google Before You Did, Kasabian' Angle

M.I.A. got in early with 2010's The Message, with its nagging refrain of "Connected to the Google / Connected to the government", managing to foreshadow Edward Snowden's NSA revelations by three years.

As a bonus, blending it with the traditional "head bone connects to the neck bone" song offers potential for future digital privacy lessons in primary schools:

Veteran musician John Cale also took aim at Google over privacy issues in December Rains: "With Google getting on your nerves / And politics left and right / Kiss your private life goodbye / Lights out say goodnight":

Pincers widened the argument to include one of Google's biggest rivals in the technology industry, albeit like an online commenter switching sides midway through their thought: "Internet is the new Eden / Your thoughts are Apple's, your thoughts are Apple's / Google is your God, his hand the cursor":

The 'Google as Romantic / Stalking Aid' angle

Once upon a time, blind dates really were blind: until the person turned up, you'd have no idea what they were like. Nowadays, of course, you'd just search for them on Google and Facebook. Pop culture has taken notice of search technology's role in modern romance:

"I Google you / Late at night when I don't know what to do / And I'm pleased your name is practically unique / It's only you and a would-be pHD in Chesapeake" sang Neil Gaiman in I Google You, a song written with his other half Amanda Palmer (31.8m results in a Google search, if you're wondering):

On a more sexual-safety tip, Garfunkel and Oates (no, not that Garfunkel or that Oates – although that's quite a thought) suggested in their song Google that "Everybody Googles each other / Everybody does their Facebook research / It's how we get to know one another / To make sure that we don't get raped":

But Google can't answer everything on the romantic front, as noted by Mike Skinner in The Streets' bittersweet Puzzled by People track: "Puzzled by people / Loving isn't easy / You can't Google the solutions to people's feelings":

The 'Seriously, You Can Answer That Question Yourself With a Search Engine, Stop Bothering me' Angle

When someone asks you an easy question, the ideal passive-aggressive response is to send them a link to Let Me Google That For You. Or you can write a song, of course.

Perhaps not quite as rudely as Taryn Southern's Just Google That Shit, mind. "When you need to know something that you don't already know / Don't ask me for the answer just go / And Google that shit, yo! Google that shit / Google that shit, don't ask me bitch":

Although Taryn isn't the only musician driven to potty-mouthed rage at people's inability to use a simple search engine. "If you really want to know something you'll look it up," suggested The Acacia Strain in their song Cthulhu.

"If you really want to know something you'll do the fucking research / Google, Youtube, W dot something / The future is at your finger tips". And while the advice doesn't kick in until a minute into this video, you really won't want to miss the build-up:

The 'I'm Quite Famous, Look, You Can Even FIND ME ON A SEARCH ENGINE' Angle

From Ice Cube advising potential romantic conquests to "Google me bitch" in Urbanian to Method Man & Redman's "Ain't with the tomfoolery, Meth, if you don't know that / I'm a bet on what to do with me, yet, go ahead and Google me" on I'm Dope Nigga, there's a longstanding tradition of Google as reputation-prover.

Hats off to Kitty Pryde, too, for combining two Google services AND an inventive rhyme in Smiledog.jpg: "I'm the kitten kaboodle and now I'm all over Google / And I am very Youtubeable":

See also Ludacris' Last Of A Dying Breed ("YouTube or Google me, turn up and play it / Cause many people think it, I just had the balls to say it") And Wyclef Jean's Slumdog Millionaire ("This ain't a rap song, it's the truth / Google Wyclef Jean if you looking for the proof") for more examples.

Nicki Minaj had clearly been checking out Google Trends before contributing her verse to Big Sean's Dance, too. "Bitches ain't popping, Google my ass / Only time you on the net is when you Google my ass":

Dan-e-o's Google Me suggests Google as a handy gateaway to all his online presences, meanwhile. "Wanna holla then you might as well Google me / Need some music that be tight as hell? Google me / Trying to find my website email? Google me / No underscores, put them dashes in!":

Big Boi would rather you tag his music using an app before turning to Google, mind, on The Thickets. "So Shazam me and then you Google Dungeon Family / And when you do you will understand I'm buku out of my noodle":

The 'You Probably Shouldn't Google Yourself If You're Famous' Angle

If you're young, female and making music, there are plenty of trolls out there putting you down. Best not search for your own name, then.

“I get tired and upset / And I'm trying to care a little less / When I Google I only get depressed / I was taught to dodge those issues” explained Eliza Doolittle in Pack Up:

The 'I Know Google's Business Has Now Diversified Far Beyond Just A Search Engine' Angle

Rapper Hoodie Allen should know about Google's business: he worked for the company in its AdWords division before going full-time as a musician. He's still representing the old firm, though:

"I went from working at Google, to watching my Google alerts / Now, I got a buzz bigger than Google Earth," he explains in Top of the World:

Maps are on the minds of a number of musicians, albeit not just Google's. From David Guetta – "Where I wanna go ain't geographical / You can't Google Map, MapQuest it when I go loco" to The Lonely Island's comical Lazy Sunday:

"I prefer MapQuest, that's a good one too / Google Maps is the best, true that, double true / Yo, sixty eight to Broadway, step on it sucka":

Meanwhile, Soulja Boy is one of the few artists throwing his weight behind Google's social network, on his track Swisher Sweet Swag ("Google+ my dawg"), and XV's Instagrammin' gets ahead of the curve by focusing on Google's nascent superfast-broadband business:

"I'm spittin' through the wire, connect it like Google Fibe / Demand is met by suppliers, I'm setting up through the buyers":

The 'Crossing Of The Search Engine Streams' Angle

Silent Knight isn't scared of searching for rival brands on Google, nor is he scared of the rhyming challenges involved. "I Google Bing and I Bing Google / I've been doing my thing since boomerang drinking yoohoos / Now I'm be with the fews, cool, I'm McDoogle":

The 'There's Some Stuff On Google That You'll Wish You Hadn't Searched For' Angle

Thanks, Hedley, for Cha-Cing's advice: "Guess who's grinning living large / It's Mini Me, the porn star / Google it, I think you'll agree":

*Googles it, agrees, cries for days*

The Google, Baywatch, Zombies And Flutes... Together At Last!' Angle

Last, but certainly not least, comes Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, with a stream of tech / TV consciousness in his Enter The Uninvited song from earlier this year.

"Bubblegum and Google-bum, Facebook-frenzied social network / Apple Mac and iPhone app, Gibson, Fender sonic fretwork / Star Trek, Baywatch, Friends, Sopranos, West Wing, Madmen, Walking Dead / Officer Rick will turn the trick and banish zombies from our heads":

The meaning of "Google-bum" remains unclear, although it may well be something to do with Nicki Minaj...