A Philosophical Discussion in Contemporary Music: Janes Addiction and Bush :: Music Musical Jane Addiction Bush Essays

A Philosophical Discussion in contemporaneous Music Janes Addiction and Bush The purpose of this paper is to examine philosophic and theological themes in the work of two modern musical groups. The alternative rock bands Janes Addiction and Bush will be the contract of this study. I have chosen these two artists since I have spy what I believe to be contrasting ideas in their work. Perry Farrell was the songwriter for Janes Addiction. His bands release in 1988, titled Nothings Shocking contains views on God, mans place in the world, and development on living a emotional state that adheres to dit philosophical views. Songs on the album include Ocean Size, a memoir about how life should be lived Had A Dad, Perry Farrells beliefs about God and Ted, Just take away It..., that will be discussed in more detail below. Bushs lyrics, written by Gavin Rossdale on the album Sixteen Stone, argue straightway with the ideas contained on Nothings Shocking. I believe that his song Everythi ng Zen is a response to Perry Farrells beliefs.I will first essay to fit the ideas of Perry Farrell into a philosophical Zen framework. A good scratch point is the song Ocean Size that points to the Zen theme of a oneness with nature. The utterer in the song seeks to get beyond his persuasion self, and become like the ocean. The almost interminable suffering of human population is described by Farrell as, Like a tooth aching a visit (26). He writes of his own human weaknesses, I was made with a internality of stone/ to be broken/ with one hard blow. (27-9). His frailty contrasts with the attitude of nature, Weve seen the ocean/ brake on the shore/ come together with no harm done (210-12). The songs verse states, It aint easy living.../ I pauperism to be/ as deep/ as the ocean/ mother ocean (213-17). He calls upon the common theme that address fail to convey the true meanings in Zen with, I want to be like the ocean/ no talk of the town/ all reach (221-23). In the words of Lao-tzu Those who know do not speak Those who speak do not know (Watts xii-xiii). Only through an escape from his thinking, talking self can the author can stop experiencing the suffering of macrocosm human. Zen themes may be familiar to a student of religion, since they ascend from Buddhism. The Buddha, Sidhartha Gautama, is said to have achieved his four noble truths about the nature of humankind through meditation.