Orthodox Judaism is the most rigorous type of Jewish worship. Those that decide to follow Orthodox Judaism follow a strict set of Laws that come from the Talmud. There are 613 laws that are to be followed and 13 principles of faith. Out of all of the religious worship in the world Orthodox Judaism is considered one of the strictest and consuming religions. It is not very often that one will here of an Orthodox Jew being a part of popular culture.
Matthew Paul Miller is an American born Jew that decided to conform to Orthodox Judaism around 2001. The thing that makes Matthew Paul Miller, also known as Matisyahu, so neat is that he is also a reggae musician. Starting in 2004 Matisyahu has been creating music that is fun to listen to but has religious themes throughout it. Matisyahu has been on tour with bands like 311 and Sting.
His song “Jerusalem” reads:
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
fire not gonna come from me tongue.
Jerusalem, if I forget you,
let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do.
(Above is the chorus)
In the ancient days, we will return with no delay
Picking up the bounty and the spoils on our way
We've been traveling from state to state
And them don't understand what they say
3,000 years with no place to be
And they want me to give up my milk and honey
Don't you see, it's not about the land or the sea
Not the country but the dwelling of his majesty
{chorus}
Rebuild the temple and the crown of glory
Years gone by, about sixty
Burn in the oven in this century
And the gas tried to choke, but it couldn't choke me
I will not lie down, I will not fall asleep
They come overseas, yes they're trying to be free
Erase the demons out of our memory
Change your name and your identity
Afraid of the truth and our dark history
Why is everybody always chasing we
Cut off the roots of your family tree
Don't you know that's not the way to be
{chorus}
Caught up in these ways, and the worlds gone craze
Don't you know it's just a phase
Case of the Simon says
If I forget the truth then my words won't penetrate
Babylon burning in the place, can't see through the haze
Chop down all of them dirty ways,
That's the price that you pay for selling lies to the youth
No way, not ok, oh no way, not ok, hey
Aint no one gonna break my stride
Aint no one gonna pull me down
Oh no, I got to keep on moving
Stay alive
{chorus}
This is a popular song that is widely known around the world that promotes a lot of the religious beliefs of the Jewish people. The song talks a lot about the opposition that the Jews have had to face in their history. Times like the first and second destruction of their temple, the blood libels, and the Holocaust. The Jewish people have had to endure many dark times and this song is sung in remembrance to all of the hardship that the Jewish people had to go through and still continue to go through. Not only is this song, and others that he sings, a remembrance of hard times but it also promotes ideas like the building of a third Jewish temple.
While this song is a great way to honor the men and women that have come before and suffered through hard times I wonder if it is all positive. Matisyahu is a popular singer all over the world and the music that he is singing is obviously going to be pro Israeli. Will individuals that are not highly educated in affairs going on in the Middle East listen to Matisyahu songs and be persuaded to one side of the Israeli Palestinian issues? Is music able to really have that much of an impact on what people think? Does the agenda setting theory work when discussing music and popular culture?
To find more out about Matisyahu:
http://www.matisyahuworld.com/home
To find more out about the Palestinian and Israeli conflict:
http://progress4israelpalestine.org/
I think you bring up an interesting question about the effects that lyrics can have in persuading people. Personally, I don't think lyrics to songs are all that persuasive. I have heard Matisyahu's "Jerusalem" song many times, but never has it made me think about the Middle Eastern conflict over the years or about the Jewish people. For me, I just listen to the song for the music. I hear the lyrics, but I rarely piece together what the song is saying as a whole.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your questions as to whether or not people who are uninformed about the Middle East are going to be influenced by this music, I would say no. If people at this point are uninvolved or uninterested in what is going on with the Israeli Palestine issues, I don't think the song is going to change their opinion.
I think this goes back to the discussion we had in class about religion and TV. People watch TV to be entertained, not to find religion or deep messages. Similarly, I think most people listen to music to be entertained, to relax, or to just forget about their troubles for a while. They are looking to hear an enjoyable song, but my guess is they probably don't study out or think much about what message is being sent through the song.
I have heard from a number of people that they like rap music for the beats, but not for the lyrics. Most songs will tell about terrible things, but if it has a catchy beat, people will still listen to it. Granted, I know that not everyone just glosses over what the lyrics in songs are actually saying, but I think it is safe to say that most people listen to music to be entertained, not to reinforce some religious or political belief.
I was actually able to study abroad in Jerusalem a couple of years ago during my freshman year. We all loved this song, and would listen to it over and over again on the bus. I think that it is a great song, with a catchy tune, and a "sing-along" chorus. The Jewish population truly have been through hard times in Jerusalem, and I think that this song is very informative of that, if one looks closely at the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteBut, I can honestly say that it never persuaded or changed my mind about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. i feel that people who do not currently know much about this conflict, will not automatically make an uneducated opinion about it after hearing this song. People who do not know the background of this conflict, most likely will not even get the real meaning of the song.
I don't think that Matisyahu is singing this song with an "agenda-setting" mind. I don't think he is trying to secretly persuade and manipulate his fans. I think that he is expressing himself and his beliefs through his talents, just like any other religious singer.
At first, I am reminded of the Psalms--ancient Jewish songs of religious expression--and I am inclined to agree with the first two comments on this post. I do not believe that the purpose of the Psalms is to generate any sort of social or political movement. Nor do I believe that most people who read the Psalms will be any more or less inclined to agree with the sentiments of the writer(s). The same seems to be true for the musical expressions of Matthew Paul Miller.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, what we get out of a piece of music is a reflection of what we bring to the listening experience. Jews may enjoy listening to Matisyahu because they connect with the feelings that the songs express. Others may listen to the same songs because they enjoy the beat. Still others may listen to Matisyahu and hate every single syllable; they may take offence, or they may feel that Matisyahu is trying to push some sort of world domination agenda. It is hard to believe that any sort of majority will be persuaded to change their opinions about these issues.
The other question that Matisyahu's music may raise is that of religious expression v. commercialization. Can Matisyahu remain popular if he continues only to express himself through music instead of focusing on what he knows people will want to consume? The answer may be 'yes' if the Jewish youth provide a larger enough niche audience. But another question is how do other orthodox Jews feel about Matisyahu engaging in such secular endeavors. Is this condoned? Or is Matisyahu actually condemning himself as he condemns the trends of the secular world?
i dont necessarily think he's trying to push an agenda. to me it seems that he is a deeply religious person who is expressing himself and whats on his mind in the best way he knows how- that is music. as far as persuading people towards or against the israeli conflict, i dont think thats in his "agenda" at all. but maybe it is- who's to say?
ReplyDeleteto me, music can have a powerful affect on people, but unless they really listen to and ponder about the lyrics i think for the most part they're lost in the beat. one of his other songs "king without a crown" has a great lyric i like: you want God but couldnt deflate your ego. thats a great statement but given the way he sings i didnt understand it until i heard it a couple times. generally, people tend to nod their head to the beat or sing along to the words without really thinking about what the lyrics mean.