Continued Exploration: Music and the Fictive Dream.
I really liked the previous blog assignment so I was eager to redo it with a different song. So I decided to choose a song from the Hunger Games movie trilogy. I'm sure everyone has heard the familiar beat or lyrics of Yellow Flicker Beat.
The song was written by Lorde and Joel Little and produced by Little and Paul Epworth. Lorde wanted to get inside the head of the main heroine in the movie. "When I was dreaming it up," said Lorde, "I wasn't thinking too hard about the story or a specific narrative, more a mood; a harsh, crackling heat."
"Yellow Flicker Beat is about Katniss realizing that things have crossed a line, about being pushed to the edge and right over it," she continued, "My character in this video, whether she's weaving her way through a decadent ballroom, hiding out in a grimy, neon-lit motel room (her hair ever-so-disheveled), or waiting in the night for her bus to come dressed in her whitest clothes, is a shapeshifter, full of intensity and impulse, kind of like Katniss. Whether she's in a small space or a cavernous one, she's fiery."
"I don't really know what I'm trying to explain to you here," Lorde concluded, "but don't read the video like a story, just let it take you somewhere." (Songfacts).
I really agree with that. When listening to this song, it's easy to just let your imagination take over.
Musical Elements:
"According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, the track is composed in the key of A minor and follows the chord progression Am-Dm-Am-E and in the common time signature. The song moves at a tempo of 96 beats per minute, and Lorde's vocals span a range of E♭3 to E♭5. "Yellow Flicker Beat" is an electropop and art pop song, with minimal synthesisers, drums, and vocal samplers in its production" (Wikipedia).
The musical effects, such as the pitch and vocals, along with the dynamics, help bring a feeling of unease and mystery. But it is the chorus that really brings out the message that the movie tried to portray.
"This is the start of how it all ever ends
They used to shout my name, now they whisper it
I'm speeding up and this is the
Red, orange, yellow flicker beat sparking up my heart
We rip the start, the colors disappear
I never watch the stars there's so much down here
So I just try to keep up with them
Red, orange, yellow beat sparking up my heart."
My personal opinion on the meaning of the songs chorus. I think it shows a slow spiral of the character, Katniss, as she tries to make sense of the lies and secrets around her. She's trying to survive and make it to the end, not realizing the cost that starts taking its toll on her. There's a fire inside her that won't let her give up easily and she plans on getting even with everyone who wronged her.Yellow, Flicker Beat really is key to the movie's whole feel. Without it, the Hunger Games wouldn't be able to show how everything takes its toll on the main character and how she deals with it. I believe music has a dramatic effect on the overall feeling of a movie or show. Picking the wrong genre, can confuse critics and dissuade people from watching. While picking the right one makes all the difference. People are more invested in the storyline and want to see it through to the end.
Hi Emily! I chose to do my continued exploration on music and the fictive dream as well. I found this assignment most interesting and it was the one I learned the most from. I really like the Hunger Games trilogy as well! I had kind of forgotten about this song though; great pick! I never knew Lorde was the artist behind this song. You did a great job explaining the musical elements and you sources present information very clearly. This song really does allow different emotions and allows imagination to take over. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Emily!
DeleteYou did a wonderful job of connecting the hunger games plot to this song. I used to be obsessed with the hunger games series so it is so engrossing to re visit this movie! Yellow flicker beat sung by Lorde, is such a fitting song to describe the social aspect of this movie. The haunting, eerie feel of the lyrics matches the daunting plot. The specific musical elements you pointed out are important for the delivery of this song. Another song from this movie that supports your topic is Lorde's cover of "everybody wants to rule the world." While Yellow flicker beat encapsulates Katniss' character, this song describes how hungry the capital is for total control over the districts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlm4QqNAPiE
I am absolutely OBSESSED with The Hunger Games trilogy. I have read each of the books at least five times and watched the movies seven times each. I was so excited to see that you wrote about a song from the trilogy. I love how you included Lorde's thought process with the song. She does an amazing job of translating Katniss's character into music. I love the lyric where she says "Red, orange, yellow flicker beat" because colors play a huge role in the movie whether it be with imagery or representation of the characters personalities, such as Peeta saying his favorite color is orange and Katniss's is green. I'm sorry I am such a nerd when it comes to this trilogy, but here is another song from the second Hunger Games movie: Catching Fire that I also really enjoy.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/YEfREpYqC6w
I haven't watched Hunger Games passed the first movie, but in this scene, I can see what you mean by bringing you into the movie feeling! It's expressing emotions through song in a way that gives you the feeling of being in the main character's shoes.
ReplyDeletewow, this post made me want to watch these movies again. My dad made me read all of the books before watching the movies. I was obsessed with this movie like most people were. This is such a beautiful though-out blog post! I really like your choice of song. It truly does do a great job showing the character Katniss. thank you for sharing.
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