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Readers recommend: songs with a warning Readers recommend: songs with a warning
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“History is a vast early warning system,” said American liberal writer and peace campaigner Norman Cousins. If so, it is a system constantly ignored, as the human race, like the masked robber who knocked himself on the bank’s front door, stumbles like an amnesiac into tragedy, farce, conflict, or voting in the same useless government yet again.“History is a vast early warning system,” said American liberal writer and peace campaigner Norman Cousins. If so, it is a system constantly ignored, as the human race, like the masked robber who knocked himself on the bank’s front door, stumbles like an amnesiac into tragedy, farce, conflict, or voting in the same useless government yet again.
Evolution has also given us a physical early warning system - pain. This was originally pointed out by Charles Darwin, and later Richard Dawkins, who said the the simple message is: “If you burn yourself, you’re never going to pick up a live coal again.” Unfortunately we often do, as the many recipients of the so-called Darwin awards illustrate, including, for example, the Australian kung-fu fighter who decided to take on a lion in a scrap. Guess who won?Evolution has also given us a physical early warning system - pain. This was originally pointed out by Charles Darwin, and later Richard Dawkins, who said the the simple message is: “If you burn yourself, you’re never going to pick up a live coal again.” Unfortunately we often do, as the many recipients of the so-called Darwin awards illustrate, including, for example, the Australian kung-fu fighter who decided to take on a lion in a scrap. Guess who won?
In 2000, urban legend has it that Iraqi terrorist Khay Rahnajet posted a letter bomb. However, he didn’t put enough stamps on it, so it was returned to sender. When it arrived back through his letterbox, he was delighted to receive some mail for a change, and eagerly opened it. His career in terrorism rather suddenly went up in smoke. A more recent, if less fatal example, is a not so successful aspiring car thief, who picked up, not hot a piece of coal, but a brick, and knocked himself out with it. Maybe there’s a warning here too – don’t act on the rebound.In 2000, urban legend has it that Iraqi terrorist Khay Rahnajet posted a letter bomb. However, he didn’t put enough stamps on it, so it was returned to sender. When it arrived back through his letterbox, he was delighted to receive some mail for a change, and eagerly opened it. His career in terrorism rather suddenly went up in smoke. A more recent, if less fatal example, is a not so successful aspiring car thief, who picked up, not hot a piece of coal, but a brick, and knocked himself out with it. Maybe there’s a warning here too – don’t act on the rebound.
But how do warnings come in the world of song? You may look out for lyrics with phrases such as don’t cross me, beware, I’m telling you now, or I/you should have known. Or, more directly - Watch out! Look out! Danger! The tone might be angry, melancholic, aggressive, excited, braggadocio, sinister or wary. But more implicit warnings may be expressed in descriptions of behaviour, of how somebody changed, of signs that love could, is about to, or has gone wrong. Alternatively a song’s narrative may reveal the consequences of taking the wrong path. A sense of warning, uncertainty or foreboding could be enhanced by the music itself, in pauses, sudden changes of pace, volume or key. But how do warnings come in the world of song? You may look out for lyrics with phrases such as don’t cross me, beware, I’m telling you now, or I/you should have known. Or, more directly - Watch out! Look out! Danger! The tone might be angry, melancholic, aggressive, excited, braggadocio, sinister or insecure or wary. But more implicit warnings may be expressed in descriptions of behaviour, of how somebody changed, of signs that love could, is about to, or has gone wrong. Alternatively a song’s narrative may reveal the consequences of taking the wrong path. A sense of warning, uncertainty or foreboding could be enhanced by the music itself, in pauses, sudden changes of pace, volume or key.
But above all, what is more powerful drive in songwriting more than our tendency to repeatedly put our hands in the emotional fire of relationships, despite the warning of the pain it can bring, and the afterburn of bitter experience? Warning signs flash, but passion compels us to ignore them. But above all, what is more powerful a drive in songwriting than our tendency to repeatedly put our hands in the emotional fire of relationships, despite the warning of the pain it can bring, and the afterburn of bitter experience? Warning signs flash, but passion compels us to ignore them.
Warning signals are all around us, from weather warnings to company profit warnings, even down to the noise that comes of trucks when they are reversing. On Peter Kay’s fabulous TV series Phoenix Nights, for example, doorman Maxwell ‘Max’ Bygraves, fits his car with a special alarm …Warning signals are all around us, from weather warnings to company profit warnings, even down to the noise that comes of trucks when they are reversing. On Peter Kay’s fabulous TV series Phoenix Nights, for example, doorman Maxwell ‘Max’ Bygraves, fits his car with a special alarm …
Many warnings, however, are not verbal. Beware a horse with its ears pinned - it is sure to be angry or agitated. Or when cats tails swish their tails. They are not certainly not wagging them like a happy dog. An even more important warning comes with bright colours of the poison dart frog. We’re are hardwired to notice behavioural warning signals in animals and in each other, but the increasingly asinine world of consumer labelling, in an insurance-based society of litigious paranoia and a nanny state culture brings constant warnings not to be stupid, but ends up making society even more so. Many warnings, however, are not verbal. Beware a horse with its ears pinned - it is sure to be angry or agitated. Or when cats tails swish their tails. They are not certainly not wagging them like a happy dog. An even more important warning comes with the bright colours of the poison dart frog. We’re hardwired to notice behavioural warning signals in animals and in each other, but the increasingly asinine world of consumer labelling, not helped by an insurance-based society of litigious paranoia and a nanny state culture, brings constant warnings not to be stupid, but ends up making society even more so.
“Caution! Hot beverage is hot!” “Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.” A bottle of dog pills includes the houndingly comical instruction: “Use care when operating a car.” Or we are told: “Do not hold the wrong end of a chainsaw.” Or “Do not put any person in this washer”. Or the rather extraordinary “6PCS Precision screwdriver is not to be inserted into penis.” Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s a good job they told us that, because I was just about to jam a set of Philips into my privates. “Caution! Hot beverage is hot!” “Shin pads cannot protect any part of the body they do not cover.” A bottle of dog pills includes the houndingly comical instruction: “Use care when operating a car.” Or we are told: “Do not hold the wrong end of a chainsaw.” Or “Do not put any person in this washer”. Or the rather extraordinary “6PCS Precision screwdriver is not to be inserted into penis.” Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s a good job they told us that, because I was just about to jam a set of Philips right into my privates.
Warnings can also be expressed, sometimes unwittingly, in cultural differences. Opinions can differ wildly on whether certain lyrics should have warning labels on album covers, and what puts certain films in age categories. The same hand signals, whether friendly or otherwise, can differ radically. What can be seen as normal gesturing and pointing is often considered offensive and aggressive in Asian countries. If you see an apparent friendly thumbs-up in Sardinia or Greece, it may actually be the equivalent of the middle finger gesture.Warnings can also be expressed, sometimes unwittingly, in cultural differences. Opinions can differ wildly on whether certain lyrics should have warning labels on album covers, and what puts certain films in age categories. The same hand signals, whether friendly or otherwise, can differ radically. What can be seen as normal gesturing and pointing is often considered offensive and aggressive in Asian countries. If you see an apparent friendly thumbs-up in Sardinia or Greece, it may actually be the equivalent of the middle finger gesture.
Many news organisations, including the Guardian, issue warnings about videos that may show scenes of violence or nudity, but in different kinds publications, or media organisations in other countries they can be deemed allowable. This week, in a case that’s sadly not quite as amusing as it sounds, a group of western trekkers were arrested in Malaysia for having stripped off for photographs on top of Mount Kinabalu after a public outcry spread the belief that the naked flesh exposure made the spirits of mountain angry and caused a fatal earthquake a few days later. The warning may always be: respect the mountain or risk ending up rock bottom. Many news organisations, including the Guardian, issue warnings about videos that may show scenes of violence or nudity, but in different kinds publications, or media in other countries they can be deemed allowable. This week, in a case that’s sadly not quite as amusing as it sounds, a group of western trekkers were arrested in Malaysia for having stripped off for photographs on top of Mount Kinabalu after a public outcry spread the belief that the naked flesh exposure made the spirits of mountain angry and caused a fatal earthquake a few days later. The warning may always be: respect the mountain or risk ending up rock bottom.
So then, be warned. Put your songs on this subject in comments below or … this week’s fabulous guru, Fintan28, will not be able to produce an A-list. Deadline? Last orders (11pm BST) this Monday 15 June for the published results on Thursday 18 June. I won’t say it again, y’know ...So then, be warned. Put your songs on this subject in comments below or … this week’s fabulous guru, Fintan28, will not be able to produce an A-list. Deadline? Last orders (11pm BST) this Monday 15 June for the published results on Thursday 18 June. I won’t say it again, y’know ...
To increase the likelihood of your nomination being considered, please:To increase the likelihood of your nomination being considered, please:
• Tell us why it’s a worthy contender.• Quote lyrics if helpful, but for copyright reasons no more than a third of a song’s words.• Provide a link to the song. We prefer Muzu or YouTube, but Spotify, SoundCloud or Grooveshark are fine.• Listen to others people’s suggestions and add yours to a collaborative Spotify playlist.• If you have a good theme for Readers recommend, or if you’d like to volunteer to compile a playlist, please email peter.kimpton@theguardian.com• There’s a wealth of data on RR, including the songs that are “zedded”, at the Marconium. It also tells you the meaning of “zedded”, “donds” and other strange words used by RR regulars.• Many RR regulars also congregate at the ‘Spill blog.• Tell us why it’s a worthy contender.• Quote lyrics if helpful, but for copyright reasons no more than a third of a song’s words.• Provide a link to the song. We prefer Muzu or YouTube, but Spotify, SoundCloud or Grooveshark are fine.• Listen to others people’s suggestions and add yours to a collaborative Spotify playlist.• If you have a good theme for Readers recommend, or if you’d like to volunteer to compile a playlist, please email peter.kimpton@theguardian.com• There’s a wealth of data on RR, including the songs that are “zedded”, at the Marconium. It also tells you the meaning of “zedded”, “donds” and other strange words used by RR regulars.• Many RR regulars also congregate at the ‘Spill blog.