#spoken wordplay

[spokenwordplaypodcastcommunity]

(via https://youtube.com/watch?v=VWYL1SfezDY&si=P0ebY3PI0OZrjfNX)

[partywithponies]

People who manage to be funny in languages that aren't their first language are more powerful than god and should be respected.

[garden-of-thoughts-fruit-of-lips]

Embrace the truth, a place of radiant light, casting out the darkness of lies, just as the sun banishes the night.

[yourworldiseternallycomplete]

i need to do some research (catchphrase of mine) but im having thoughts and feelings about how a lot of white people's exposure to rap in the mainstream comes in the form of comedy, and the way in which that delegitimizes rap as an art form...... so people whose introduction to the genre was epic rap battles of history or some snl slop understand it as essentially unserious ugh anyway im sure someone has written about this in much more depth

[mars-ipan]

why is will wood so good at writing music

[shirahchante]

No Shame

There’s no shame in my game Shame on them Shame on the witches That witchcraft him Shame on the child molesters Shame on the freaks Shame on the people Who prey on the weak Shame to one Shame to all Shame to you Shame to y’all Oh you wanna ball Take the fall Slip down You go nice Landing Slide I know you don’t think I’m going to do What you want me to do Then you know…

[thoughtofadumbteenprotagonist]

My hot literature take is that all the shit insta poetry you see would actually make great slam poetry the authors are just cowards

[ancientgoddessofegypt]

Astro notes : Short N Sweet <3 Mercurial Design.

Mercury in the 1st - Comical. Socially abundant. Can be very quiet or loud. No in between. I love them actually. Would love someone that can match their flow, however most can never keep up with their every flowing wave. Their like the wind in human form. Their mind is a capsule of all the memories and experiences they've accumilated with time. Very interesting beings and could show you everything and nothing at the same time.

Mercury in the 2nd - This group has common sense enough to figure things out in such a small period of time that they can do almost anything to get what they want. They have issues with exploring things at first hand (taurus is the original ruler of the 2nd) so they can be a little stubborn but over time they quickly learn for new things to come to them from time to time. Very deep thinkers. Can be very open minded when they WANT to be.

Mercury in the 3rd - Intriguing personalities and are the gift that keeps giving. Soft spoken and has a mind thats free to any and everything. Really reluctant on having new friends but can become the bestest of friends later. they can really shy at times. There most open to conversations with strangers, it seems as they can let their whole world out from their mind and open a door to someone who is willing to listen. Beautiful spirits.

Mercury in the 4th - Sweet childlike personalities and honestly their mystique is one of a kind. Going into their world is like walking into a magical novel filled with fantasy, and coming out and it all disappears. Like a spell. Very captivating artists, and most keep the good stuff in a treasure chest, only the real ones will get a chance to open up whats inside.

Mercury in the 5th - Playful. Soft spoken. Interesting. Knowledgeable. Carefree. Those are the 5 things that is most prominent about their character. They will speak to you through song, writing, or even through and instrument. They work real well with their hands, if you can catch what I mean ;) Smooth charmers and could be a mini casanova so watch out for them. Very seductive.

Mercury in 6th - Talkaholics. Chatty Patties. You get my drift lol. Their caring to the ones they love and are advocates for everyone or everything such as animals and plants or even homeless people. You cannot get away with being mean to someone if they catch they are going to say some lol. Can be very mean spirited to the ones who deserve it. Overall, very practical and humane about things that need most of our attention. They aren't boring, their routines can switch up a lot depending on their mood so be easy on them.

Mercury in 7th - Charming individuals whose seductive prowess come out like a lightning bolt. Everybody likes them. Children come up to them the most tho. They have an angelic presence to their personalities and can get anyone to be on their side. Charismatic. Be careful, because the same way they can use this gift for good, they can switch and you know... do some damage ;)

Mercury in the 8th - Something about their wordplay is very special and potent. They have a gift with words that can transform the way you feel, think, breathe, etc. They have knowledge and insight about the world that most will never accept to be the truth. So they guard these secrets with their life, holding on until the ashes fall away connecting back with the wind. And allowing the circle of life to continue. The mind transforms a lot and they become a new person every once and a while. Be easy on them, their brain can take them to many stages psychologically.

Mercury in the 9th - Have a wit and charm to them that keeps the energy going. They aren't use to having people wanting to be around them or being attracted to them a lot however this happens more often than not. People love what they have to say, and want to hear more of how they view things from time to time. They are really interesting to say the least. Like what all do you know?

Mercury in the 10th - The audience admires these beings. Naturally charismatic and people love to see them on the big screen. They literally have a tv personality and can go viral at some point in their life. Gotta watch out for the people who always have their hands out, their naturally giving and love to share their time and energy freely.. a little too much. Keep your circle small.

Mercury in the 11th - Have a natural knack with entertaining all sorts of groups. Can commit to a cause like no other and get as many people on board. Very persuasive and social skills are through the roof. The social awkward become to most popular. The loner because the one everyone knows. These individuals are great with turning something that was 'lame' into someone fun and cool. Very different from the crowd, which what allows people to see them for their soul and not their flesh.

Mercury in the 12th - Spiritually inclined to feel the waves of the universe. Captivating the stars in the night and then going home to serve the divine with a painted canvas. A gifted creator who's only purpose is to live and die. To create and conquer the mind. The brain is the place of peace, when it wants to be. And when its not, they transmute that energy into something no other than. Something creative. Something special. The universe uses them as the vessel to give a message to the audience who desires to hear the words of God. You will never get another one of them in your life if you ever meet them.

[0-lcb-sinner]

personal headcanons on the sinners' taste in music (with some wild projection)

yi sang: neoclassical instrumentals, maybe a bit of spoken word

faust: when asked about music, says "Faust knows everything about music theory". if you prompt her to talk about her favorite genre she completely blanks on that

don quixote: vgm and anime openings. I just know it

ryoshu: she's going to listen to harsh noise on full volume, say it's art, and kill people for asking her to turn it down

meursault: hard to say (owing to him not showing much personality), but considering his penchant for wordplay in 3.5 I'm going to start extrapolating and say he enjoys rap for lyrical complexity

hong lu: he's a hyperpop girlie. look at him and tell me otherwise

heathcliff: rock/metal and edgy amv shit. I mean have you heard his theme. hello

ishmael: knows every shanty because after a while at sea lake you start running out of ways to keep your sanity and songs keep morale up

rodion: говнарь with some hints of chanson on the side. gets a little too invested into singing along to songs about how life sucks. do not introduce her to post-punk or she'll become even more depressed

dante: doesn't remember what they like so decides to give everything a chance (for now)

sinclair: awkwardly says whatever popular thing pops into his mind. is actually into some extremely unlistenable shit. ryoshu naturally encourages this

outis: whatever the manager says. when the manager says they aren't sure what they like, claims to listen to everything. goes back on that after ryoshu overhears her

gregor: the mythical guy who listens to whatever comes up on radio and is happy with it. he's relentlessly bullied for that

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

[For the Trein event, this is a manga anthology reference.] I've heard that Lucius likes to tell jokes in cat language during class. Are there any that are particularly funny or hard not to laugh at? And does he ever get a reaction out of the students who are proficient in animal languages?

In case you're wondering why I mention Trey in this interaction, it's because Trey's VA actually also does Lucius's voice 🤡 I thought this would be a cute Easter Egg!

A Storied Past.

"Ah, yes." Trein smiled warmly. "I have Lucius assist me in Animal Language classes by providing spoken exemplars and then having students interpret or respond back. For more upper-level sections, we consider figurative language, advanced vocabulary, and varied social contexts.

"Lucius has quite the arsenal of jokes--though of course they no longer faze me, as I've become more than accustomed to his brand of humor. Much of it involves clever wordplay. It tends to confuse the newer and less prepared students.”

Suddenly, Trein’s expression faltered, as if he had just been hit with a sharp pang of an unpleasant odor.

“Bucchi is particularly well-versed in Animal Languages. I thought that, of all my pupils, it would be he who could best appreciate Lucius’s humor. During yesterday’s class, Bucchi was able to perfectly translate ‘How am I feeling today?’/‘I’m feline fine, but I would purr-fer to catnap in the Botanical Garden right about now.’ Then do you know what this young man turned to me and said? ‘Lucius-san’s got nothing but middle-aged dad jokes.’ Can you believe his temerity?!”

“Oh…” you muttered, slapping a hand over your mouth. Thankfully, you moved quickly even to hide a growing smile. “I guess Ruggie wasn’t a fan? But there must be other students that are.”

Trein sighed deeply. “I’ve yet to come upon one. Clover is the closest approximation to it, but he only seems to catch bits and pieces of what is said. It doesn’t quite feel like true appreciation for the art—and furthermore, Bucchi remarked that the only reason why Clover ‘tolerates’ Lucius’s jokes is because he and Lucius share the same sense of ‘dad humor’.

You clamped your hand down harder. A half-erupted giggled was crammed back into your throat. “I-I see…!”

“Honestly…” Trein shook his head. “I am beginning to think that none of my students have any respect for the classics.”

“Don’t worry, Professor Trein,” you tried to reassure him. “I’m sure that someone out there loves Lucius’s jokes!

He sniffed—doubtful. “A man can only dream!”

[noneorother]

The secret timeline inside of Good Omens season 2 revealed, *part1*

Part 1 l Part 2

If you’ve ever watched a ballet or an opera, you know how the rhythm in the music is used throughout to determine not only the movements of the dancers, but also when lines are sung or spoken. This is almost unheard of in television, but what if I told you it was hidden in season 2 of Good Omens? If one were to, say, meticulously cut together only the scenes set in the present day into one big timeline, you would get one long video that is exactly 2 hours 22 minutes 00 seconds and 00 frames long. An ineffable cut that is so perfect it defies all logic. (I’ve burnt a timecode into this ineffable edit to help pick up the rhythm.)

Even though there are large swathes of the second season with no music, there is a constant tempo weaving its way through the show: What if the seconds ticking by in the runtime itself was the music? Here’s an example of what I found. Behold a supercut of every single time Shax shows up, or Hell is mentioned in series 2 in the ineffable edit. They always arrive on a 6 in the time stamp (ex: 00:XX:X6).

(SOUND ON is an absolute must here, otherwise you won't hear any of the triggers)

Shax rings Crowley on a XX:X6. Shax miracles herself into the car on a XX:X6. Shax knocks on windows on a XX:X6. Shax’s big scary moment at the bookshop happens at 66 minutes exactly (lol). Crowley calls out for Shax on a XX:X6. Beelzebub starts spewing flies on a 6. People mention hell and it’s always on XX:X6 etc. etc…(Bonus: I also left in Maggie flipping the damned the double-bird on a XX:X6) I’ve also left in the only appearance of Shax or hell at all in the whole series that isn’t tied to a six: the park bench scene with Crowley. Shax seems to be off by one line, showing up on a XX:10, then back to XX:X6 on her second reply: “Bills, mostly”. I can only theorise that this scene, while technically in season 2, is not supposed to *be* in season 2 (even just judging by the trees, sun and the overcoats, it’s not summer like in the rest of the season). And it’s not only sixes! Every time I go through I find more and more little beats that line up exactly with ineffable timings. I can only do one video per post, so I’ll have to cut it up into sections, but Gabriel, doors, car horns, bird calls, Aziraphale, food, drinks, Angels, dialogue, Maggie, Nina, jokes, clocks, bells… The list goes on and on. 

Neil called this season “The bridge”

Because we all know how much Neil loves double meanings and wordplay, I just have to ponder the idea that when Neil said this season was “the bridge” between seasons 1 and 3, he meant it double-literally. First, as in the bridge Aziraphale and Crowley have to cross in order to get them into position for the second coming. We even see the physical manifestation of this bridge leading everyone in the background of the opening credits. But this season is also a bridge in the sense that it’s a musical section that introduces new ideas or material in the middle of a song. This whole season is the music that deviates from the familiar, and re-contextualizes the chorus and the verses so we can appreciate them in a new way. 

Let’s not forget that 2:22 is also exactly the same timing as this (and only this) track from the good omens s2 album (read all about the soundtrack here):

Why is this so bonkers? I think GOS2 might be the first ever “Total” series of television.

Having everything in the series timed and choreographed would actually make it a very faithful adaptation of the Powell & Pressburger film The Tales of Hoffmann (read about the movie and it’s effect on all of s2 here). If you watch the tales of Hoffman, you will realize that the entire film is actually done more like animation, with the music and vocals all performed in a studio, mixed and edited first, and then the actors came back to act out their choreographed and lip-synched parts for the cameras afterwards. The result is "Total film": a movie that feels more like a ballet, with every movement, action, and line happening in time with the music. As far as I can tell, very few films have ever attempted this, with The Tales of Hoffmann and Playtime being the only two “complete” films I could find in this style. (The Red shoes has one section, and An American In Paris has a few)

“Why would ambitious filmmakers simply film an opera? Many admirers of the work of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger have assumed that their decision to make The Tales of Hoffmann (…) was in some way an admission(…) that they couldn’t go on making their edgy, over-the-top melodramas after the rejection and interference they’d suffered, (but) there’s a case for considering The Tales of Hoffmann as one of the finest and boldest works that Powell and Pressburger produced, so far ahead of its time as a wholly “composed” film... Late in his life, Powell himself said that he thought it was one of the best films that he and Pressburger had made.” - Criterion review, Tales of Hoffmann

Here’s a simple example from An American in Paris

If season 2 *is* scripted and choreographed to line up with specific timings, I’m pretty sure that would make this the first ever “total” or “composed” season of television ever attempted. Not only does this take an ASTOUNDING amount of planning, scripting and editing finesse, not to mention a completely controlled set, it takes a real understanding of how to perform as an actor using rhythm and metre, which would go a long way to explain why all of the main actors coming back for season 2, with the exception of John Hamm, are well regarded theatre performers, (especially of Shakespeare).

I’ll leave you with one last surprise I found in the discovery of the ineffable edit: remember Aziraphale’s smile at the very end if the credits? It happens on 02:23:03, as the first step off the bridge, and into season 3.

I will have much more in the next ineffable timeline post. Stay tuned…

__________________________________________

Thanks for reading all the way to the end. It’s taken me a solid month to get this perfect. There are so many hidden cuts and jumps to take into account, and I had a frame rate issue that kept exporting to 29fps instead of 25fps, but I’ve finally nailed the ineffable timeline enough that I am confident sharing in it.

Credits to @thebluestgreen and @embracing-the-ineffable for all the support and help with editing and just general good vibes. 

[dramatic-dolphin]

Okay, I'll bite. What's the folk tale about why doves are so bad at building nests?

it's a sweet little short story but it kind of hinges on spoken wordplay a bit. well whatever, i guess it's getting translator's notes then. :D

So, one time the wild dove went to ask the magpie to teach her how to build a nest, since the magpie's nests were always so lovely. So, she asked "Please, dear magpie, show me how to make a nest just like yours!"

"I'd be happy to help," said the magpie, and gathered a bunch of branches. Putting one over the other, she kept explaining; "csak így, csak úgy." [translator's note: "like this, like that", but you gotta say it so it sounds similar to a magpie's call]

The dove didn't understand, but she was too ashamed to say so, so she only replied; "túúdom, túúdom." [note: "i knoooow, i knoooow", but again it sounds like the dove's call.] But all the repetition made the magpie angrier, until she could not take it anymore, and snapped, "Well, if you know it so well, finish it yourself!" And she flew away.

And so the wild dove never did learn how to build a nest.

[victoria-vd]

Everything

OFFSCREEN POST

// flash warning

Not even the warmth in Victoria's cheeks could combat the Mesagoza winter chill tonight.

The girls had fled the ball to a secluded little plaza off the eastern outskirts of the city. Looking above a lower section of the town, the fenced overlook provided a nice view of the city and everything beyond. Off into the distance, the eastern waterfall ceaselessly roared from afar, nothing more than a whisper from where they sat. Small outdoor tables and chairs adorned the outer edges of the courtyard, and a ring of lanterns illuminated the stone pathway around the miniature park, bathing the circular plaza in an unobtrusive orange glow.

Victoria crossed her arms and shivered in her seat. She'd offered Esper her jacket earlier— it was the chivalrous thing to do, after all— but she couldn't help but wish she had something better to face the January breeze than a white undershirt. But it is better for her to suffer the chill than Esper in her beautiful gown. And yes, "beautiful" was not a word that Victoria often used to describe anything, but she felt there was no better sense of the word than the girl seated across from her. She hadn't even needed to cast so much as a glance in her direction to know that the sparkling gold of her dress captured the lanterns' underglow perfectly, radiating a warmth like the sun even in the dark of night. She didn't need to check to see how her hair glistened in the moonlight like brilliant diamonds or how her eyes sparkled like iridescent pearls. She already knew.

And yet she looked anyway. Because Victoria never grew tired of the sight.

Esper pulled the jacket tighter around her, her cheeks a rosy pink. She caught Victoria's eye and nervously glanced away with a small smile.

The girl couldn't help but smile back at her. The moon and the stars above were the only company to witness their presence. Victoria couldn't help but wonder if her celestial friends felt a sense of deja vu at the scene.  "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.

Her friend turned her gaze towards the sky with a hum. "It is, ya. I quite like waning gibbous... it's nice." Tori kind of reminds me of a waning gibbous.

The moon reminded her of...? Victoria snorted to herself in amusement. Of course Esp would think that. Some of her wanted to pry for her reasoning, but would it be too intrusive to respond to her thoughts rather than her spoken words? With careful consideration for wordplay, she decided to respond to both. "Any particular reason why?"

"Mmmm, no reason, really. I just think it's nice," Esper gently rocked her foot back and forth, giving no indication that she heard Victoria's snort. The bright part is Tori's face, the craters her freckles, and the shadow is like her bang, Esper thought to herself as she mentally traced the moon in her mind.

The girl gazed up at the sky, twirling the long bang of her hair around her finger as her cheeks grew warmer. She'd never considered that before, but now that Esper had mentally pointed it out… she couldn't see anything but. There truly was never a dull moment with her, was there? Esper always made her consider the world from a different perspective. With each and every thought in her mind, Victoria saw the world anew. She'd gladly discover it all again from Esper's eyes.

Her friend turned to her with a playful twinkle in her eye, "Well, since you now know my favorite moon phase, do you have a favorite?"

Victoria pondered it for a moment. She hadn't thought of having a favorite moon phase until this point. It'd never been a concern of hers. With a thoughtful hum, she mulled over the options, weighing the pros and cons of each phase. But she knew that trying to come up with an answer based on objective reasoning was futile— what Esper was looking for was heart. And in her heart, Victoria felt... "The new moon," she said, meeting her gaze. "A new moon symbolizes rebirth and renewal. It is the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one. And in the absence of its light—" Victoria gestured to the sky, "—the stars dominate the night."

Esper nodded along, her eyes following Victoria's hand to look up at the stars. "The new moon is good. And it is nice that the stars get to shine brighter. It's like they're letting their friend rest and letting the moon know that they'll light up the night sky while it does so," the girl smiled warmly. The end and the beginning are always easier with help from those you love."

"So it is," the fool nodded. "So it is."

"And the sun helps the moon during all the other nights too..." Her friend sighed wistfully. "I like to think the moon is well loved... I hope it knows that too."

"I like to think it does," Victoria breathed. Looking up at her celestial mirror in the sky, she added, "Does the sun know it loves it back?"

Esper hummed in response, her hands absentmindedly drifting to pull Victoria's jacket tighter around her shoulders, "I'd like to think it does... during the quiet moments of dawn and dusk where they get to see each other for a few moments before the other dips beneath the earth... I think it does. Or at the very least it likes to think so."

Victoria's gaze fell back to her friend, and her breath caught in her throat. A quiet warmth seemed to hum in her chest, and her spirit rose like a song. The feeling danced in her heart and soul, and the thought dawned upon her: this was the Moment, wasn't it? When the time was right? Nothing had fundamentally changed, but she knew nonetheless. Her heart was filled with a mix of nervousness, anticipation, and a deep longing to express her feelings.

With the moon and the stars as her witness, Victoria would tell her Everything.

She took a deep breath, swallowing back the dread trying to claw her voice back into her throat. "Esper," she nearly croaked out, her heart pounding in her chest. "There's something that— that I'd like to confess." The air was thick with anticipation, and the moon and stars seemed to hold their breath, waiting for her words.

The girl in question turned her gaze to Victoria, her eyes full of curiosity, "Oh? What is it?"

"It's— It's about..." A sudden tightness seized the air in her lungs. "It's about you."

Esper blinked, her head tilting as she spoke, "Go on...?"

"Well, it's—" A growing sense of fear crept into Victoria's chest. The words tried to claw their way past her throat, but her teeth tried to silence her tongue. "It's more about me, but—" Her mouth felt dry and her jaw tense. "But it— It is in relation to you."

"It's okay," Esper tried to reassure her with a warm smile. Take your time." What could possibly have made her so nervous, the girl wondered to herself.

Everything, Victoria internally surmised. She shook her head, struggling to find the courage to speak. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to start with, "These past few weeks I—" but her lips sealed shut and a chill ran up her spine— a deep, primal instinct to retreat.

Her friend tilted her head at her sudden silence, patiently waiting for her to continue.

Swallowing back the nerves in her chest, Victoria tried to pry herself open once again. But every fiber of her being screamed for her to pull back. The individual ribs that guarded her heart threatened to snap shut like the fangs of a scared animal. Every muscle in her body shivered and tensed, desperate to flee. To fight. To freeze.

Her body refused to let itself bleed.

Esper furrowed her brows in worry, her voice soft as she spoke, "Hey, hey, if it's too much for you right now then you can try telling me another time...? Would that help....?"

Victoria shot out of her chair and slammed her hands on the table, shaking her head violently. No! It has to be today! She tried to open her mouth and force the words from her throat, but silence was the only thing to escape from her tongue. The corners of her eyes stung as she tried desperately to claw her way through the walls she had so carefully built around her heart. She had constructed them too well.

Frustrated, she gripped her hands into her hair and lowered her head. How was she supposed to say the words when they felt like knives in her throat? When she couldn't even bring herself to utter them in the confines of her own mind? When she felt as if she were taking talons to the flesh of her torso to expose the bleeding, beating heart within?

"Tori…?"

The girl peeked a pathetic glance at her friend from between the gap in her fingers. Esper deserved to hear the words. She deserved to know the full extent of her feelings. She deserved to know the Everything in her heart as much as words could describe.

Victoria didn't have the words for Everything.

But perhaps... she didn't need them.

Victoria slowly raised her head with a deep, long breath, finally gazing at Esper again. She wordlessly beckoned her friend to stand with her, holding out her hands to ask for hers.

And her friend listened, standing as she took Victoria's bare hands into her own with a confused smile.

A calm warmth flowed through her hands as skin met skin— there was Something on the other side. Something tranquil and familiar like sitting by the hearth on a cold winter night. Something fierce and powerful like a passionately raging wildfire. Something bittersweet like a nostalgic sepia memory, faded and burnt around the edges yet cherished all the same. Something impossibly bright like the sun in the sky, beaming down its heavenly divine light upon a land of white snow. Something beautifully paradoxical yet natural in its existence. There was a taste of Something.

Victoria's eyes met Esper's, a silent question behind them.

Esper simply nodded, her words quiet as she reassured Victoria, "Go on. I'm ready."

Victoria leaned her head forwards, pressed her forehead into hers....

When Victoria pulled back, the first thing she noticed was that tears were in Esper's eyes, threatening to spill down her crimson-red cheeks. Her friend was silent. Fear immediately gripped her heart. She ruined it. It was too much. Her vision began to blur, and she started to back away. She ruined everything. She was too much.

A tear rolled down Esper's face as a lopsided grin forced its way onto her lips. With breathless words, she said, "I love you."

Oh.

All Victoria could do was choke on a sob and nod. Even now, the words refused to escape her. So, instead, she gave Esper's hands three small squeezes.

Her friend's grin grew wider as she spoke, her voice shaking with something akin to warmth, "And you love me too..."

Swallowing her heart back into her throat, Victoria drew their hands closer to her and squeezed them again, giving her a slight, tentative nod.

"Can I... can I give you a hug?"

Victoria finally found enough of her voice to respond, "You— You may."

Esper wrapped her arms around Victoria, holding onto her tightly as she let out a giddy giggle. She then moved back and resumed holding Victoria's hands, a small nervous smile on her face, "Um– Well, uh, now what...?"

"I..." The girl looked down at their hands for a moment, then back up to look at Esper. "I don't... know..."

"Oh! Well! Uh– We... we could..." Esper glanced away from Victoria, her face growing impossibly red as she stuttered out, "We could try... being together... like... like dating..... maybe...... if you want.........."

Victoria couldn't stop the corners of her lips from turning upwards, nor the way her heart soared in her chest. "I'd— I wouldn't mind that."

"I wouldn't mind that either..." The other girl looked at Victoria sheepishly as she swayed back and forth, "I wouldn't mind being your girlfriend one bit..."

"So..." Victoria glanced off to the side and then back at Esper. "Perhaps... girlfriends?"

"Then I think that settles it," her girlfriend giggled. "Perhaps girlfriends."

Scene end.

[ateez-himari]

SUNGYO; TRACKLIST

EXTENDED PLAY; SUNGYO

The romanization of the word '숭교' which signifies profound acts of respect or devotion, usually towards deities or revered figures, and translates to 'worship' but can also be interpreted as 'to bow down'.

Ambush ; 'They are backstabbers of rightness'

The track uses storytelling perspectives in order to paint its message; the figures encircling the vocalist are described as cowards, using underhanded tactics in order to entrap their isolated prey - which does not seem to deter the prey's ability to tear them down one after the other. In truth the entire narrative illustrates the way in which chairman Bang has chosen to address the theft accusations, by holding numerous press conferences in her absence attempting to clear his name whilst tainting her own - though the facts remain the same and one singular piece of evidence could shatter the innocent image he has been claiming for the past month. Mandarin Chinese was used in order to reflect the fact that people from western countries who look down on this type of music will refer to idols as 'Chinese' instead of using their nationalities in order to diminish their identities as well as careers, but by using this language the producer is demonstrating that her impact remains the same no matter what label is shown.

Ddaeng (TITLE) ; 'I hope you die in that well...I'll pray earnestly'

Venom was well masked under elaborate verses to subtly speak on the group's success all the while mocking rather prominent figures that have made claims regarding her assured failure, upholding sarcastic undertones throughout the track. There is heavy wordplay involving the word 'ddaeng' yet it is not solely to demonstrate the reason behind the title of lyrical genius, rather it is to play mind games with the targets of these lyrics, taunting their limited intelligence. The final verse is rapped calmly to show that insults do not have to be spoken aggressively in order to truly stab into someone's soul, that the words simply need to be sharp enough to cut away to their very core, and by stuttering she is not only imitating those attempting to save face nowadays after scorning her but also showing that she is unable to get the words out as she cannot stop herself from laughing at the circumstances.

Xie Xie ; 'It'll bite the fat bellies of the money thieving bastards'

The verses claw away at the thinnest layers of the chairman's schemes along with anyone else that have tried tearing down the group, lacing in threats of exposure along with the assurance that their empire could very well fall apart at the mercy of her lyrics. Repeating the same phrase holds two meanings; mocking some rappers that have attempted to belittle the vocalist the moment she stepped into the rap scene - as they often say the same things throughout their own tracks - and referencing the leaked internal documents in which employees were mocking her hearing disability as well as scars, questioning if she could even be an idol.

Interlude - Gluttony ; 'This infamous Taotie'

In ancient Chinese mythology there were creatures depicted with large gaping mouths known as 'Taotie', with the word translating to 'glutton', which would usually be found on bronze artifacts to warn about gluttony. The lyrics in this short track not only convey the story of this beast but also compare it to the man meant to be on the other end of this smoking gun, speaking on human gluttony and their inability to halt their destruction even once satiated.

No Name ; 'It's a shame to say anything more, pathetic'

The sharpened words attack those hiding behind keyboards whilst heavily implying that those same lyrics apply to those involved in speaking on the vocalist's name in the leaked internal documents, noting that their lives must be rather uneventful. It also serves to taunt whoever believes they could stand up to her, though warning them that their pride may very well be at risk as despite having a notably calm soul there would be no hesitation if it came down to tearing them to shreds with those pretty manicured claws.

Monster ; 'Don’t worry, I’m living fucking well'

Through these lyrics she is exposing the amount of pain that went into mastering the skills that people now praise as talent, openly insulting and ripping to pieces the people that have done nothing aside from mock her, crushing them under her foot with nothing but words. The entire idea of presenting the artist under the title 'monster' despite being described as an angel was not meant to portray something evil as the word so often represents but rather to express the almost inhumane ability to surpass every obstacle faced throughout her career and stand up with such force. In the chorus, saying 'M to the N, I'm a motherfuckin' monster' uses her last name, as the missing letter is heard right after the N when refering to herself, referencing the fact that Yoongi is also well known for creating outspoken tracks - through this she is effectively stating that being so brazen runs in their blood (which is why his voice can be heard backing up those lyrics).

[milgram-tournament]

MILGRAM Best Song Tournament, Round 1, Match 7 BACKDRAFT vs. IT'S NOT MY FAULT

Propaganda for both options under the cut!

Propaganda for BACKDRAFT:

"Backdraft may be a minute shorter than Bring It On, but it’s still over three minutes long, and it makes up for the lost minute with a complex form. The “Pressure! Pressure!” might be the only part that truly repeats.

At the beginning, Fuuta is showing off, acting cool. Then the music slows down as he ponders his verdict. Then the music picks up the pace again and gets more and more frantic as the consequences of his actions catch up to him.

See that structure in the three distinct verses that sound nothing like anything else in the song: cool, contemplative, and “oh no, what have I done”.

The “chorus” (burn burn!) never stays the same. You’ve got the “cool” first chorus. Then you have the muted second chorus as it sinks in that Fuuta’s victim was a middle-school girl, which leads into the tense final chorus (which is twice as long as the first) as the victim and Fuuta both burn.

The instrumental and the spoken-word from the beginning combine in the end, changing the mood of the stanza from confident and showy to panicked and desperate.

And the words… You can hear the wordplay in the last stanza, even if you don’t understand it.

Appreciate this chaotic masterpiece of a song."

---

- Fuuta being very cocky at first before realizing how fucked he is (it is kinda funny) - The use of spray cans and overall graffiti symbolism, it’s so good - The multiple eyes and people off camera showing how paranoid Fuuta has become, it’s really well done without being obvious - The name backdraft meaning when a fire deprived of oxygen gets a sudden influx of it. A kind of metaphor for what Fuuta did. Then it being shown through a spray can explosion, aaaa it’s really cool! - Fuuta’s overall look changing, being more realistic on how he actually looks contrasting Bring It On’s idealistic version of himself - Es at the end!! The only time Es shows up in a prisoner’s MV!!! And they looks so damn cool - Also the entire eye thing referencing the audience, he perceives us lmfao

---

"Back draft is incredible because it not only has great visual symbolism with the use of the spray cans but its visual symbolism shows a progression from ‘Bring it on’. In ‘Bring it on’ the channelling is glorious , fuuta is surrounded by people and fuuta idealised himself (taller , better teeth , better posture ect) , the people he cancelled were portrayed as these powerful rpg monsters but now in back now the channelling is portrayed as vandalism a crime as destructive , the ally is empty we only ever see others as hands or his victim fuuta is alone and fuuta is no longer idealising his appearance and his mind is now portraying his victim as a harmless cutesy drawing. This shows a change in how fuuta views his crime between T1 and T2. It wasn’t glorious, it wasn't justified , he was at fault. The fire being recontextsied as something out of control , all consuming and out of control which is the opposite of how it was portrayed in ‘Bring it on’ we really see how the vote has changed fuuta."

"There are so many things in the song that show a progression "

-“ deliciously scorched till your mouth waters” > “I don’t want any more”

-fuuta spray paints the camera hen as the end es spray paints him/the camera

-the pressure graffiti changing

"There’s so many interesting details like the applause towards the start of the song , the personality in the subtitles like them going from “Burn , burn!” To “burn , burn?” But the pressure’s punctuation mark stayed the same:   “pressure , pressure!” , the way FIRE is the only word in full caps till LIES. The thumbs down fuuta does during “the fights up here! Come up to the ring and face me!” Part which is like his T1 art , the way the lighting changes from green towards the start and becomes red by the end (stop go colours) , The way fuuta is constantly interacting with the camera , spray painting it twice and kicking it."

"Backdraft actually makes amazing use of the camera , things are often shown from the (camera)audience’s perspective rather than us seeing the events removed. We are there like we are the ones doing it/looking through the eyes of the person doing it. When fuuta/the others spray paint the graffiti of his victim and the ice gorilla it's from the audience’s perspective , we don’t see them do it, we see it like we are doing it. When the spraypaint can explodes it's like it’s exploding in our face and then when es spray paints fuuta at the end they are spray painting the camera(audience). "

"Backdraft makes the most references to the voting system and uses it well to make the audience re-examine if they really are any different. Aren’t we using little information and inferences to hold people accountable for crimes we have no stake in? Aren’t we causing unintended harm? Aren’t we judging them from the safety of our screens? "

"And on a more silly level"

-ARTHUR CONANT GOES SO HARD IN THE VOCALS!!!! COME ON LISTEN TO BURN BURN AND TELL ME THIS MAN ISN’T GIVING IT HIS ALL!

-cat mouth fuuta :3 how can you not love cat mouth fuuta?

-lowpolydog designed amazing graffiti 

Propaganda for IT'S NOT MY FAULT:

"It's Not My Fault is a beautiful song with a REALLY good song texture. Arisa Kori/Muu's voice is literally so amazing here, fitting perfectly with that confident and snarky appearance that Muu seems to want to give off. And just everything about it????? Muu did everything wrong free my girl- I love her bug design here, the pure drama of it and how she showcases Rei as a human in the bug world is so cool."

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inmf!! have you heard the instrumental?! its just so good!!

the way rei turns the hourglass at the beginning!!! and it switches to when muu was at the top of the hierarchy!!!! that was such a cool detail!!!

BUG MUU IS LITERALLY SO CUTE. her smile at 1:19 🥺🥺

The way her voice drops at 1:30 and her 'KAWAISO NANO!!' at 1:51!!!

shes having so much fun while singing this weeeeeee

she's always pitiful!! shes always the drama queen 🥺🥺

please her getting the worst ratio while singing the 'im not guilty' song should alone be the reason she wins

---

"INMF is what got me into Milgram in the first place so of course I have to shill for it. I think its one of my favorite MVs Visually as the scenes set in the bug-web location are so visually striking. Muu and the rest of the bugs dark-purple skin and Muu's and neon pink hair stand out so much against it and it's so Pretty and Vibrant.

Storytelling wise INMF is amazing, it's a complete 180 of how Muu is seen in After Pain but not to the point where it feels like Muu is a totally different character. Muu is both a genuine victim and (in my opinion) a failgirl queen. She's trying her best to keep the image up but she is...NOT good at being a manipulative mastermind. And like After Pain before it, you can figure that out just through the visual and lyrical storytelling, that to some extent this is Still Also a Role Muu is Playing.

It's good! It's really good stuff! Muu is a character of cycles and After Pain and INMF work really well as a cyclical story about bullying. I think Muu should Win on having Good Storytelling and Fantastic Visuals and Being a Worst Girl. You should do it for all the girls in the world who are the Worst."

[tavolgisvist]

A rush of unstoppable wordplay was one of Lennon’s inherently Liverpudlian facets, for the city can scarcely express itself in any other way. In the background noise of his childhood, it might be football terrace jeering:

Holy, holy, holy, Ten full backs and a goalie.

Or maybe playground taunts: Oompah, oompah, stick it up yer jumper.

Nautical coarseness: The Mersey banks Was made for Yanks And little girls like Ivy, Yd twiddle with Ivy's flue, wouldn't you?

Or else the ‘sky blue pink’ Surrealism of ordinary conversation. There is a very old Liverpool rhyme (from at least the 1900s), entitled ‘I Went to a Chinese Laundry’. This is how it goes: * I went to a Chinese laundry, I asked for a piece of bread, They wrapped me up in a table cloth And sent me off to bed. I saw an Indian maiden, She stood about ten feet high, Her hair was painted sky blue pink And she only had one eye. I saw a pillow box floating, I jumped in rather cool, It only took me fourteen days To get to Liverpool.

Singing: Ah, Black Sam the Negro, Abajou, abajou, jay, Carder Bungalow Sam.

That was collected by the folklorist Frank Shaw off a man in Woolton. I don’t know if John Lennon ever heard all of those rhymes. But in them, whether by coincidence or influence, are premonitions of so many better-known songs: ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’, ‘I Am the Walrus’, ‘Happiness Is a Warm Gun’, ‘The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill’, ‘Across the Universe’ . . . And, as to music, the rolling, hymn-like piano chords of ‘Imagine’ recall Lennon’s earliest roots, for long before Elvis Presley and rock’n’roll, there was Church of England Sunday school. Aunt Mimi remembered him as ‘a nicely-spoken boy attending church three times on Sunday of his own free will, in the church choir.

The echoes of Anheld and Goodison, church parades and strike rallies, back alley chants and market traders: Lennon’s songs resound with all the din of urban Liverpool. But he also grew up surrounded by the serenity of park lands. In his district there was an extraordinary abundance of green. Calderstones, Sefton, Princes, Reynolds, Woolton Wood, Strawberry Field, even Allerton 'Golf Course - these supplied him with silence and beauty to nourish his imagination.

Around themall, beyond the docks, there was the graceful swveep of the Mersey river’s rustic stretch: a river with nothing to do but mirror the heart-stopping vastness of the sky. This was not the side of his childhood that he often acknowledged. He preferred to say things like, ‘We were the first working-class entertainers that stayed working-class and pronounced it and didn’t try and change our accents.’

Back in Menlove Avenue, though, John’s Aunt Mimi took a more sceptical view: ‘Until John met Paul and the others,’ she told the Sunday People, ‘John spoke what I call the King’s English without a trace of a Liverpool accent. One day I complained when he lapsed into broad Liverpudlian. He turned on me, saying he felt embarrassed by his accent and suddenly ran upstairs in a fit of temper. Leaning over the banisters he yelled “Dat, Dese, Dem and Dose”.’

...

Now, as Paul attains what his father used to call ‘my great venereal age’...

(Liverpool - Wondrous Place by Paul Du Noyer, 2002)

Part (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XIII), (XV), (XVI)