Writing a paper about a Pearl Jam song

Tuolumne Mama

Gems and Rhinestones wrote:

Tuolumne Mama wrote:

I may be wrong but isn't bugs a Tom Waits song?

your wrong

Thanks. YOU'RE
correct.:-D

red mos

I like the daughter and rvm comparison, that's a good one. That could easily be a 3-4 page paper.
how about comparing Black and Parting ways? Both relationship songs but that's all I can think of at the moment.

Compare Jeremy and rival- both deal with Guns and suicide (though I don't think they really have a lengthy connection paper wise.

Or... Just thought of this one:

Wake up by mad season and 4/ 20/ 02 on lost dogs could be a good one about a friends battle with addiction even though Layne's outcome was that he died. Wake up also is the theme song that the Layne Stayley benefit uses every year. you could discuss that and how these two songs have lead to helping addicts recover. Mike and Layne were best friends or real close too. So there is a pretty deep connection between both songs there.
Hope my idea helps and isn't too dumb or something. Let us know what you decide. I loved doing papers like this with music influence in college.

pickupyourwill

Gems and Rhinestones wrote:

Stephen Flow wrote:

can you really write a lengthy paper about something like this?

dude you can write a lengthy paper on any topic in the world. i could write a 30 page essay on why poop stinks if i wanted to.

lol

pickupyourwill

You could do something with those Leatherman songs, if you can find copies and lyrics of them. Read the book The Old Leather Man. He said he was inspired by that true story to write those songs. or for that matter, you could use any of Ed's songs off of the Into the Wild soundtrack in relation to the movie and/or the true story that the movie is based on.

spnoone

love boat captain and all you need is love seems the most obvious to me. he comes right out and says it. "it's already been sung but it can't be said enough..."

Paul Andrews

I would have thought the paper would have needed to focus on and show how one piece of art inspires and influences another. Simiple similarities or 'samples' would show only a superficial understanding of this. For example, comparing Beastie Boys 'Fight For Your RIght To Party' with AC/DC becasue of the riff similarities doesn't really delve deeper into the motivations and influences of the artist. (Not saying these tunes/bands have anything in common).Discussing Given To Fly and Going To California because of similar riffs/chords, to me is problematical in that you are going to have to show a definate link between the two, when this has never been confirmed and the paper will almost be purely opinionative. As many people have said, there are only so many ways you can play chords.

You'd be better of examining Weird Al's parodies of the original songs and show how he uses this form to mock, endear or even criticise the original artist.

Just my 2c worth from someone who has written a pile of these things in my English degree. But remember, in an English and Literature degree, you are looking soley at the lyrics/words and their usage, manipulation and the positioning of the reader, not the music.

For the record I wrote and extensive (probably 5000) word essay on Pearl Jam, examining Alive, Rear View Mirror and Off He Goes.

Hammartime33

Writing papers will really get you prepared for the real word....
enjoy a life of shitty/non employment.

FrankieG

I cant believe that i am saying this but....

Im jealous that I don't have to write this essay.

This kind of essay would kick ass! All of my essay topics suck so much... :(

Do you have to compare song to song? or can it be like song to object or experience?

Paul Andrews

Hammartime33 wrote:

Writing papers will really get you prepared for the real word....
enjoy a life of shitty/non employment.

What a stupid comment. This just shows your ignorance. And I rarely flame anyone.

Encouraging deeper thinking and an understanding of issues deeper than the literal or practical is what drives innovation, lateral thinking and understanding. It is what allows us to grow and experience different perspectives and ways of thinking and doing. I'd much rather employ someone who has had to think deeply and widely than someone who disses education.

And for the record, I've never been unemployed and the only time I was in shitty employment was when I was employed by people with the above attitude.

Good luck with your paper, I hope you enjoy it and grow from the experience.

Hammartime33

Paul Andrews wrote:

Hammartime33 wrote:

Writing papers will really get you prepared for the real word....
enjoy a life of shitty/non employment.

What a stupid comment. This just shows your ignorance. And I rarely flame anyone.

Encouraging deeper thinking and an understanding of issues deeper than the literal or practical is what drives innovation, lateral thinking and understanding. It is what allows us to grow and experience different perspectives and ways of thinking and doing. I'd much rather employ someone who has had to think deeply and widely than someone who disses education.

And for the record, I've never been unemployed.

I guess it depends on the level of education that this class is being written for. In my experience, papers like this tended to to the ones that I got the least out of, they were extremely easy to BS and in the end weren't very relevent to my field of study. Topics like this always seemed like busy work.

I guess I was just overreacting, this just reminded me a lot of some classes which friends of mine have made a habit of taking at their respective schools. They earned degrees, but had very little to show for it afterwards.

Paul Andrews

Hammartime33 wrote:

Paul Andrews wrote:

Hammartime33 wrote:

Writing papers will really get you prepared for the real word....
enjoy a life of shitty/non employment.

What a stupid comment. This just shows your ignorance. And I rarely flame anyone.

Encouraging deeper thinking and an understanding of issues deeper than the literal or practical is what drives innovation, lateral thinking and understanding. It is what allows us to grow and experience different perspectives and ways of thinking and doing. I'd much rather employ someone who has had to think deeply and widely than someone who disses education.

And for the record, I've never been unemployed.

I guess it depends on the level of education that this class is being written for. In my experience, papers like this tended to to the ones that I got the least out of, they were extremely easy to BS and in the end weren't very relevent to my field of study. Topics like this always seemed like busy work.

I guess I was just overreacting, this just reminded me a lot of some classes which friends of mine have made a habit of taking at their respective schools. They earned degrees, but had very little to show for it afterwards.

I think papers are what you make of them. You can BS any topic and get a pass, and yep, I agree, you can treat them as busy work - and poor teachers often do. It used to shit me to tears to work my arse off on an essay for not reason, but that was when it was up to me to find a way to help that task continue my growth. This is why in one of my previous posts I thought it was superficial to mearly compare/contrast two similar sounding songs, going deeper into the lyrics and motivations, persuasive techniques, intertexualtiy etc is what earns you the distinction and makes it a valuable learning experience - no matter what the topic.

I do take you point however that some degrees do tend to leave you with little to show for your three or four years if you don't then take that education and turn it into something productive - and that all the education doesn't make you flip a burger any better. But I also believe that not everything learnt or attempted at school should be vocational, we need to grow the human being and well as the employee. School need to be places where compassion, understanding, philosophy and tolerance is promoted through learning, as well as vocationally orientated tasks.

Peace