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canmom · 5 months ago

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music and narrative {[0]}

so. as part of the ongoing music researches, I've for a while wanted about the relation between music and narrative. that's going to be a long project! but to begin with I wanted to run down the examples I know, and maybe solicit a few more~

now, on some level, nearly any song has some degree of narrative. your basic love song introduces us to some characters - singer, object of their affection - and furnishes them with emotions and desires. moreover, music can play a role in a narrative without literally relating events - indeed, the art of soundtrack design is definitely a subject I want to look into at some point. even songs addressed directly at the real world, such as political songs, construct some kind of narrative.

however, for these purposes, I'm interested in songs that go a bit further in the direction of telling a fictional story, especially when those link together into whole albums (sometimes called a concept album, though this is a slightly broader concept). which can work in a lot of ways!

for example, Janelle Monae's The ArchAndroid tells a sweeping scifi story of an android fleeing an oppressive society and becoming an unintentional figurehead of revolution. it sketches out a wide-reaching set of influences in constructing a scifi world, but you'd be hard-pressed to boil it down into a simple series of events - it prefers to leave a lot to interpretation. by contrast something like Splendor & Misery by clipping. deals with kinda similar subject matter - a scifi story, an escaped slave, artificial intelligence - but with a different musical approach and perhaps a slightly clearer narrative arc; sometimes directly narrating the thoughts and actions of characters, or slipping into memory, but also drawing less direct musical parallels with e.g. gospel tracks and slave spirituals. both excellent albums - both solve the problems of conveying a story musically in different ways.

of course, the largest pool of examples here comes in the context of musical theatre, and further back opera. (the exact transition from one to the other is something I'm going to need to research). particularly interesting to me are sung-through musicals such as Les Misérables, in which there's no spoken sections in between the songs. this restriction means the songs (and staging etc.) have to do all the work of conveying the events of the story.

there's a lot to be said about the various traditions of musicals (for example). there's even more to be said about the history of opera - both the Western traditions and other musical traditions that have been given the label such as Chinese opera. but that will have to wait for later day in the project because otherwise this entire post would be a huge list of musicals, and I want to try and wander all over the shop.

what I'm most curious to find is music that tells a story all on its own - no actors or staging, but more similar to oral narration. of course, in the present era, music is often released along with videos, and these can tell quite elaborate stories that will become part of the overall 'message' communicated by the song, so the lines are a bit blurry! but since the aim of this series will be to look for ways to convey narrative using music, I'm looking for examples where the music does most of the heavy lifting.

music that tells stories is something with a looong tradition in folk music, pretty much the world over. in Europe, the ballad was a common form for it, a word that survives into the present. it seems that most cultures have had some kind of tradition of wandering itinerant musician-poets - for example, at various points in history, there were biwa hōshi in Japan (pictured) and griots in West Africa, medieval Europeans had minstrels, the Celts had bards, the Occitans had troubadors...

moreover, work and marching songs such as sea shanties would also have a certain degree of narrative to them, in addition to their main function of keeping a group moving in time.

in modern times, people will sometimes attempt to reconstruct how this kind of music and lyric poetry would have been performed. you can naturally only go so far with the archaeological evidence, but I'm fond of Peter Pringle's recordings of segments of the Epic of Gilgamesh, using period instruments if not necessarily a period musical style!

in the modern age of recorded music, these traditions have become much more niche, but there are still artists who use music as a vehicle to tell a fictional narrative. (fair warning: I'm a huge nerd, so most of the examples I know are like, supreme nerd shit. also about ten years ago I was given an assortment of metal from a friend which included a bunch of what I'm about to put below.)

to begin with I've naturally got to talk about my friend Maki Yamazaki (Dr Carmilla) and the band she founded but later left, The Mechanisms. They tell a story of a sprawling gothic scifi universe, with the band playing the role of travelling space pirates who observe the (invariably tragic) tales that unfold. The Mechanisms' music starts as folk song pastiche, but gradually gets more original, although narratively they keep the approach of crossing over mythology with genre storytelling (fairy tales as space opera, arthuriana as space western).

The Mechanisms got a significant measure of international fame washing back after their frontman Johnny Sims got really big on some podcast or something.

Maki's solo music as Dr Carmilla took things in (from a narrative sense) a more abstract direction, using elaborate production and an incredibly textured sound to tell a (so far!) fragmentary story of the tragic space vampire Dr Carmilla and her doomed relationship with another vampire Lorelei (for example). And I'm gonna have lots more to say about them all, in the future, but this is just an overview so let's not get ahead of ourselves!

In a related vein (though I'm much less familiar with them) comes indie band Decemberists, who often create narratively driven songs - for example, The Mariner's Revenge Song depicts a sailor's motivation for extracting bloody revenge on someone who wronged him, with the actual violence conveyed by an energetic instrumental break. A subject that reminds me of the Clockwork Quartet, now long gone, who managed to record just three of their songs from a larger project, yet stand out as way more interesting than most of the steampunk milieu - with for example The Clockmaker's Apprentice giving a very fun antihero-revenge narrative to the ticking beat of a clock, and The Doctor's Wife a compelling tragedy of desperate medical science.

There's definitely something in common with this type of storytelling and the subgenre termed rock opera, which has a pretty long history going back to the late 60s (SF Sorrow by Pretty Things and The Story of Simon Simopath by Nirvana, thanks wikipedia), with notable examples including some incredibly popular albums like Pink Floyd's The Wall (which was adapted into a partly animated film using animations by Gerard Scarfe, c.f AN86) and My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade. In many of these, the connection between songs and narrative is fairly abstract and metaphorical - most of the examples mentioned are about the psychological arc of one character.

Calling this a genre or subgenre is kind of a stretch recently - just in those four examples we see a pretty wide range of musical styles, so it's more like an approach to album writing. Still, for want of a better word, there's definite overlap between this 'genre' and musicals. For example, the history on wikipedia cites The Rocky Horror Picture Show as an example of rock opera, which in my head it's just a musical. (Anyway, exactly the taxonomy of regular opera/libretto, rock opera and musical theatre is not that important anyway, because we want to look at the techniques of all of them!)

A more direct narrative comes in the work of The Protomen, who have the 'no way that would work' premise of creating a huge, dramatic, emotional story based on the plot of the Mega Man games. By putting the focus on the tense relationships of the fought main characters (scientists Light and Wily and robot boys Proto Man and Mega Man), and their sense of rejection and betrayal by the broader society, they somehow pull it off.

Moving gradually in the direction of (progressive) metal, we encounter Ayreon, whose entire career has been telling psychedelic and occult stories of time travel, aliens, warnings projected into the past, out of body experiences, and the history and direction of humanity. I'm not sure if all of their albums fit together into one big story exactly, but certain ideas seem to keep coming up - for example, future societies or aliens sending warnings to humanity to fix our shit before it's too late. In some of their albums (e.g. The Electric Castle) they follow the device of having each member of the band play a character in an ensemble cast, bringing it a bit closer to something like a radio play.

Also in metal land we find the rather unique project Charlemagne: By The Sword and the Cross, best known for that time Christopher Lee shed the blood of the saxon men. This is using music as a vehicle for a (more or less) historical story, featuring an old Charlemagne (Lee) reminiscing on the various awful things he did over the course of his life. Apparently they made a sequel to this album, which I never realised!

As well as history, metal also likes to lean on literature and poetry. For example, Kamelot (classed, apparently, as 'Power Metal') have a rather fun adaptation of the story of Faust into two albums, Epica and The Black Halo. Iron Maiden famously took on the Rime of the Ancient Mariner in a 13 minute song. And that's not even to get into all the songs dealing with Tolkien.

Moving on from metal before we start listing a hundred songs about vikings, it's worth looking more broadly for music about history, since it's a pretty major overlap with fictional storytelling! For example, the Boney M song Rasputin tells an incredibly catchy account of the assassination of Grigori Rasputin. Another rather more charged example comes in Nakam by Daniel Kahn and the Painted Bird, about the unsuccessful paramilitary plot to poison six million Germans as revenge for the Holocaust.

If you go looking, you can find an impressively long list of historical songs compiled by 30 users of lyrics website Genius - though many of these I feel don't really count, since they were describing contemporary events when they were written.

Of course, there is a heavy overlap between this subject and political songs - in many cases the historical subjects are invoked to comment on the present. For example, Wernher von Braun by Tom Lehrer was written at a time when von Braun was leading the US space programme. In many cases, the songs simply invoke a historical event to express a feeling, assuming you already know what happened. Others may recount events more or less directly, before seguing into a verse or two at the end about why it matters now. Most of the songs in this list focus on recent (20th-century) history, sometimes they reach further back - mostly to talk about colonialism.

Historical songs can also be quite oblique. For example, Mili's song Salt, Pepper, Birds and the Thought Police is about the life of Korean poet Yoon Dong-ju, but you wouldn't necessarily know it from the content of the lyrics unless you were already familiar with Yoon's life. More on Mili in a moment - most of their songs are more fictional.

One thing I'm curious about is whether there are examples of more historical fiction in music, which tries to imagine the thoughts and feelings of historical characters... well obviously there's Hamilton, and perhaps that illustrates why there aren't a lot more songs about non-recent history, because the vibes can be off.

Storytelling is still a powerful mechanism even in a contemporary, political song. Take Construção by Chico Buarque - the story it tells is of the pointless death of a construction worker; with the lines ingeniously remixed over the course of the song, this turns into a wider illustration of the ruthlessness of the system that killed him. Its lyrics are absolutely fucking genius, even if you don't speak Portugese.

Speaking of language, most of the examples I've covered so far are in English, since well, that's my native language. It's naturally a little harder to access a story in a language you don't speak, but in these days of subtitles, we kinda can! So for example I can encounter projects like MILGRAM, something of a combination of music project and voting-driven story, in which we are introduced (by character song) to a number of characters facing execution - and then invited to vote on who should die. Heavily illustrated, it is somewhere vaguely in the space between album and straight-up anime.

I mentioned Mili already, but many of their other songs have a strong narrative arc to them, and sketch out the contours of a fictional setting. For example, one of their best-known songs is world.execute(me), which portrays the failure of a bdsm relationship between an AI girl and her creator. Which is relatively grounded by Mili standards - other songs depict for example the relationship of a jiangshi and a mad scientist cooking food, or a witch reanimating a knight with scientific methods to kill on her behalf.

And I think that will suffice for now. But we are of course only scratching the surface - this is by no means supposed to be an exhaustive list but I'm sure there's stuff that I'll be kicking myself for not mentioning. Mostly, however, this is a request for recommendations - particularly, of music from genres I haven't addressed in this post, and especially non-English languages, or that convey their stories in especially creative or unusual ways.

This project will likely be a long time in the works - it's something of a supplement to the Music Theory Notes (for science bitches) series - but my aim will be to pick out a few of these to examine how they go about conveying narrative through songs. Because I think that's kind of one of the big things I want to do with music.

ok canmom out i gotta go play some music. see you next time!

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lacharapita · 4 months ago

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JORGE MARAVILHA

Matias Recalt x leitora

??? - palavrões, smutizinho [sexo oral, sexo sem proteção (nem inventa), fingering...], pai da leitora não gosta de pobre, marijuanaaaa

N.A - você não goxta de mim, masss sua filha goxxxta. We love Chico Buarque. Leiam ouvindo Jorge Maravilha amém bençõe obrigada vsf tmj

— Matias que parecia querer ser pego pelo seu pai quando ia te visitar. — "É sério, Mati! 'Cê precisa ir agora. Se meu pai acordar e ver a gente ele me deporta p'ra casa do caralho." — Você dizia, as palavras em tom baixo saiam de seus lábios mas o olhar de Matias não saía de lá.

— "E nessa tal de "casa do caralho" eu vou poder te comer em paz?" — Seus olhos se arregalaram com o palavreado do argentino. Colocava as mãos sobre o peito dele e o empurrava pelo jardim da enorme casa em que morava.

— "Matias, rala!" — Você disse em alguns tons mais altos do que antes. Correu de volta para dentro da casa e sorriu observando o corpo magro de Matias pulando o muro coberto de folhas verdes de alguma planta cujo o nome não fazia ideia. Na ponta dos pés, caminhou até seu quarto e se jogou na cama macia, olhando o lustre logo acima de você e sorrindo boba lembrando da formiga que tinha arrumado para te incomodar.

— Matias que era um menino simples que você conheceu quando foi "dormir na casa de uma amiga" e acabaram parando em uma pista de skate rodeadas de maconha, bebidas duvidosas e outros garotos e garotas. Estava desesperadamente procurando por um banheiro, sentia a bexiga se contorcer, caminhando com as pernas cruzadas e rezando para que encontrasse logo o que tanto queria. Lembrou claramente de quando Matias apareceu na sua frente com um cigarro de palha entre os lábios e uma cerveja na mão.

— "Não tem banheiro aqui não, lindeza." — Ele sorriu enquanto olhava para seu rosto de desespero, quase sentiu lágrimas de formando em seus olhos quando ouviu as palavras dele. — "Tem um carro ali oh." — Ele apontou para o carro estacionado a poucos metros de distância de onde vocês estavam. — "Vai lá que eu fico de olho p'ra ninguém chegar perto." — O desespero e a dor em sua bexiga falaram mais alto, agarrou a mão do argentino de pequeno porte e o levou até que estivesse perto do carro, correu para traz do veículo e sem pensar muito puxou a calcinha pelas pernas, se agachou e suspirou alto quando finalmente pode aliviar a pressão terrível em seu ventre.

— "Puta que pariu." — Você praticamente gemeu enquanto arrumava a calcinha preta no lugar e caminhava até o argentino. — "Obrigada mesmo, eu 'tava morrendo já." — Ele acenou com a cabeça, sorrindo para a forma como você agradecia ele.

— "Relaxa, nena. Quer fumar um?" — Você fingiu pensar antes de responder um "sim" e seguir o moreno até um banco de pedra em que um skate estava apoiado.

— "É seu?" — Você perguntou enquanto se sentava na rocha fria e Matias tirava o baseado do bolso na bermuda comprida, logo se sentando ao seu lado.

— "É sim! Ele é novo, comprei não tem nem uma semana." — Ele riu, dando uma tragada enquanto admirava o brinquedo novo e te entregava o baseado.

— Matias que naquela noite, ali naquele banco, te deu o melhor beijo da sua vida. Te colocou sentada no colo dele e passava as mãos por todas as partes do seu corpo. Quando sua amiga te chamou, avisando que já estavam indo embora, Matias te passou o número dele e fez você jurar que mandaria mensagem para ele. Entretanto o maior problema era o seu pai, um homem rico, rígido e que odiava meninos como Matias. Fez questão de proibir você de ver o rapaz quando avistou vocês dois conversando na quadra de tênis do condomínio em que você morava. Sua maior sorte era que José Carlos, um dos porteiros, era um ótimo amigo e gostava muito de Matias, então nunca contou sobre as visitas que Matias fazia a você e fazia questão de te avisar que seu pai estava voltando quando o argentino estava contigo.

— Matias que sempre que tinha a chance provocava você sobre sua mudança de comportamento de quando estava com seu pai e de quando estava com ele. — "Tu padre não faz ideia da perrita que 'cê é hm? Gosta de levar pau até essa porra de bucetinha chorar." — O gemido que saiu de seus lábios foi abafado pela mão de Matias. Já era tarde da noite, seu pai provavelmente já estava no décimo terceiro sono e não acordava fácil, a chuva lá fora caía em gotas grossas e pesadas enquanto Matias se enterrava dentro de você devagar. — "Posso dentro?" — O argentino sussurrou no seu ouvido, as palavras sendo um bolo de letras para você.

— "Não. Goza na minha- porra Matias! Na minha boca." — O sorriso que ele te deu foi inacreditável, se retirou de dentro de você com um gemido baixo e observou seu corpo nu se ajoelhando no chão entre as pernas dele. Seu olhar bagunçado, bochechas coradas e sorriso convencido antes de abaixar a cabeça para que a ereção dolorida fizesse caminho para dentro da sua boca, fez o cérebro de Matias derreter. Jogou a cabeça para trás e apertou os olhos com força, deixou os lábios entre abertos mas nenhum som saia dali. Sentia sua garganta se contrair quando a pontinha dele chegava no fundinho da sua boca, os lábios macios se enrolavam perfeitamente na circunferência molhada. Tirava de sua boca apenas para deixar beijinhos convencidos na cabecinha latejante. A cena final para Matias foi ver você com a boca aberta, língua razoavelmente para fora e pedindo por porra com o olhar.

— "Boquinha gostosa 'cê tem hm? Porra!" — Palavras baixas que anteciparam as cordas do líquido viscoso e esbranquiçado que atingiram sua língua e bochechas quando o argentino gozou. Você riu enquanto arrastava a pontas dos dedos pelas bochechas e levava a porra dele direto para sua boca, deixando um pop suave enquanto erguia os joelhos e aproximava o rosto do de Matias. O beijo que ele te deu foi o suficiente para tudo, as mãos dele agarravam sua cintura com força e as suas se enroscavam nos fios de cabelo dele.

— Matias que achava uma graça o seu dengo excessivo. Invadia seu quarto durante a noite e dormia com você, de vez em quando você tinha sorte e ele te deixava ser a conchinha menor. Nesses dias de sorte os lábios dele escorriam beijos pelo seu pescoço doce, as mãos te apertavam contra o corpo magro e te aqueciam nas noites frias. Assistia filmes horríveis com você porque você gostava e então tecnicamente ele também teria que gostar. Quando seu pai viajava, aproveitavam para ficarem agarradinhos na rede que ficava no quintal da casa, abraçados, trocando carícias sinceras e na maioria das vezes acabava com ele socando os dedinhos magros dentro de você, tapando sua boca com a outra mão. — "Putinha escandalosa da porra! Assim aquele boludo do seu vizinho vai te ouvir, morena." —

— Matias que sempre fazia questão de juntar um dinheirinho suado para comprar alguma coisinha boba para você. Ele adorava ver suas bochechas coradas e seu rosto sem graça enquanto ele te entregava a caixa de bombons e o livro que você estava procurando. — "Poxa mati, não precisava vida." — Ele sorria olhando para você, parando em sua frente com o rosto tão próximo do seu que podia sentir o calor de suas bochechas.

— "Nena, se eu pudesse eu te daria até um pai menos otário." — você deixou um tapa no braço dele e riu. Matias deitou com a cabeça nas suas coxas, olhando para você fixamente antes de continuar falando — "Mas sério, só não te dou um planeta porque não tenho grana agora, mas quando eu tiver prometo que te dou qualquer um dos sete que tem em volta do sol." — Você se sentiu em pedaços com as palavras dele. Como podia uma alma ser tão boa e tão insuportável? A mordida que o argentino deixou na sua coxa te tirou dos teus devaneios, te fazendo gemer de dor e olhar para ele com repreensão.

— Matias que um dia, enquanto saia da sua casa escondido, ouviu seu pai gritando com você, falando as piores coisas possíveis para você e então resolveu acabar com a palhaçada toda. — "Ai coroa, não vale a pena ficar chorando e resmungando "não não não não"." — As palavras saíram em tom de choro, Matias claramente debochando da cara de seu pai. — "'Cê não gosta de mim mas tua filha gosta e 'tá tudo certo! Quem tem que gostar de mim é ela, não o senhor." — Matias disse firmemente. Seu pai não movia um único dedo, observando seu rosto de espanto que claramente segurava uma risada. — "Sou fodido mas não sou vagabundo não. Trato a filha do senhor muito melhor do que qualquer um desses pé de galinha que tem por aqui." — Dessa vez não se conteve e um pequeno riso escapou de você. — "E se me der licença, 'tô saindo. Beijo nena." — Matias deixou um beijo em sua testa, você sussurrou um "te vejo depois" e ele apenas acenou com a cabeça. De qualquer maneira, Chico Buarque já dizia: "Você não goxta de mim, mas sua filha goxta.".