1
Revolution - The Beatles
You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
Ah , ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...
You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman
Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
Few bands have had the social impact that
The Beatles did. Socially, artistically, and
even politically, the band shook the world.
One of their most political songs,
“Revolution” alludes strongly to Socrates,
and his views of the social contract with
government. The song talks about the desire
for revolution, the want for the change of
government, yet just like Socrates, the artist
decides that everything will be all right.
The song begins with the lyrics “You say you
want a revolution / Well, you know / We all
want to change the world”. These lyrics align
with Socrates, and his protests against the
government of Athens and their actions.
Socrates wanted to change the world, his
world being the city-state of Athens.
However, he didn’t, Socrates chose instead to
obey the government who ruled his world.
The lyrics shift to talk of destruction, and the
individual displays his feelings with the lines
“We all want to change the world / But when
you talk about destruction / Don't you know
that you can count me out”. Socrates, though
he
expressed
displeasure
with
the
government, continued to obey those who
ruled over him, even when they asked the
ultimate price (Plato).
Socrates obeyed the government, because he
knew he had entered a contract with his
country, and his countries leaders (Plato).
Essentially, though he personally wanted
change, or a “revolution”, he realized that,
like in the song everything was “gonna be all
right”. However, he disobeyed, he would only
undermine the system that he agreed to live
by. The lyrics near the end of the song mirror
that sentiment.
The Beatles shook the world with their music,
and Socrates shook the world with his
political theory. The song “Revolution”
matches Socrates idea of a contract between
citizens and their rulers. We may not agree
with everything our government does, we
may want change. Yet, we still consent to
their rule because we continue to live in the
country where they rule. Give Me Some
Truth - John Lennon
I'm sick and tired of hearing things
From uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
I've had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth
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Just gimme some truth
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of Tricky Dicky
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of hope
Money for dope
Money for rope
I'm sick to death of seeing things
From tight-lipped, condescending, mama's little
chauvinists
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth now
I've had enough of watching scenes
Of schizophrenic, ego-centric, paranoiac, primadonnas
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth
No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of Tricky Dicky
Is gonna mother hubbard soft soap me
With just a pocketful of hope
It's money for dope
Money for rope
Ah, I'm sick to death of hearing things
from uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded hypocrites
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
I've had enough of reading things
by neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth now
Just gimme some truth now
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
All I want is the truth
Just gimme some truth
John Lennon’s song “Give Me Some Truth”
is a great example of the ideals that we read
about Socrates. As Socrates stood on trial for
supposedly corrupting the youth and not
believing in the deities, the others questioned
his credibility and wisdom. As John Lennon
sings, “I've had enough of reading things/By
neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians,”
Socrates too must have been sick of the
relentless allegations from various groups of
citizens around Athens. The Athenian citizens
were pig-headed, as they were stubborn in
trying Socrates in court. Most of these
citizens that were so eager to prosecute him
were like Lennon’s “… tight-lipped,
condescending, mama's little chauvinists,”
except these chauvinists were sons of rich
men, following the ways of the Socratic
method, yet blaming Socrates when they got
in trouble for what they said. However, we
find out that while the Oracle claims Socrates
as the wisest, Socrates sought to prove the
Oracle wrong, for he did not believe himself
to be the wisest. He went to every reputable,
knowledgeable man in Athens to make sense
of the Oracle’s words. What he found was
that these supposedly knowledgeable men
were actually lacking. And when Socrates
tried to point out how little they knew, they
refused to acknowledge their lack of wisdom
and caused Socrates to gain an unsociable
reputation. Lennon’s song mirrors these
feelings in the first few lines of his lyrics,
“I’m sick and tired of hearing things/ From
uptight, short-sighted, narrow-minded
hypocrites…” These “hypocrites” that John
Lennon sings of might as well be the
hypocrites that Socrates confronted, those
who claimed to be knowledgeable when they
weren’t. Lastly, Socrates always focused on
truth and justice as his guiding light through
life, much like Lennon’s prevalent lyric
throughout the song: “All I want is the truth/
Just gimme some truth.” It seems like Lennon
was in tune with the ideals of Socrates.No
Such Thing – John Mayer
"Welcome to the real world", she said to me
Condescendingly
Take a seat
Take your life
Plot it out in black and white
Well I never lived the dreams of the prom kings
And the drama queens
I'd like to think the best of me
Is still hiding
Up my sleeve
They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
That something's better
On the other side
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I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the
Top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
just a lie you've got to rise above
So the good boys and girls take the so called right track
Faded white hats
Grabbing credits
Maybe transfers
They read all the books but they can't find the answers
And all of our parents
They're getting older
I wonder if they've wished for anything better
While in their memories
Tiny tragedies
They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
But something's better
On the other side
I am invincible
As long as I'm alive
I just can't wait ‘til my 10 year reunion
I'm gonna bust down the double doors
And when I stand on these tables before you
You will know what all this time was for
To most, Socrates (469 BC-399 BC) is a
philosophic icon. His writings have influenced
the minds of millions throughout the centuries
of history and time. Socrates’ extreme desire for
virtue, self-development, and truth was
everlasting until his infamous court-ordered
death. What could possibly tie something so
timeless and revolutionary to something
modern and contemporary?
The song No Such Thing by John Mayer
speaks to the very ideals Socrates sacrificed
his life for. Mayer sings, ‘I’d like to think the
best of me is still hiding up my sleeve…I just
found out there’s no such thing as the real
world, just a lie you’ve got to rise above’.
These lyrics are echo Socrates’ relentless
drive for virtue. Socrates admitted that his
ideology lies upon the fact that he “knows
[he] knows nothing.” Perhaps what Mayer
meant by rising above a lie is the idea of
searching for your own personal truth, much
like Socrates believed. The significance of
Mayer singing about how there’s no such
thing as the real world is referring to deceit
and disguise in the world. That speaks a lot to
Socrates, because he believed there were a lot
of dishonest and undeserving people in the
Athenian government. “I think these men
bring shame upon the city…they…are in no
way better than women. You should not act
like that, men of Athens, those of you who
have any reputation at all, and if you do, you
should not allow it,” Socrates warns in Plato’s
‘Apology’. He believed that the Athenian
government officials convicted innocent,
quiet people and put them to death among
other horrible acts, causing the city that he
loved to become a ‘laughingstock’. Mayer
ends the song by warning that in the future,
he will come back and basically tell everyone
he was right (‘and when I stand on these
tables before you, you will know what all this
time was for’). When Socrates was offered a
way out of captivity, he famously declined
the offer. Maybe because of this denial of
escape his legacy outlived history.
To this day, he is considered one of the greatest
revolutionary thinkers of time. This lasting
wisdom Socrates passed down is very much
like Mayer’s final “ha! In your face, b!@#$%!”
proving to the Athenian government who
convicted him that he may also have very well
been right all along.Luck be a Lady - Frank
Sinatra
They call you lady luck
But there is room for doubt
At times you have a very unlady like way
Of running out
Your on this date with me
The pickins have been lush
And yet before the evening is over
You might give me the brush
You might forget your manners
You might refuse to stay
And so the best that I can do is pray
Luck be a lady tonight
Luck be a lady tonight
Luck if you've ever been a lady to begin with
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Luck be a lady tonight
Luck let a gentleman see
Just how nice a dame you can be
I know the way you've treated other guys you've been
with
Luck be a lady with me
A lady dosen't leave her escort
It isn't fair, it isn't nice
A lady doesn't wander all over the room
And blow on some other guys dice
Luck let a gentleman see
Just how nice a dame you can be
I know the way you've treated other guys you've been
with
Luck be a lady with me
A lady dosen't leave her escort
It isn't fair, and it's not nice
A lady doesn't wander all over the room
And blow on some other guys dice
Lets keep this party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me baby, I'm the guy that you came in with
Luck be a lady tonight
so, Lets keep this party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me baby, I'm the guy that you came in with
Luck be a lady tonight
Luck be a lady...
Luck be a lady...
Luck be a lady...tonight
The song Luck be a Lady by Frank Sinatra
(from the Musical 'Guys & Dolls') can be
related to Machiavelli's principle of fortuna.
According to Machiavelli, general will
determines half of our actions where fortuna
determines the other half. To Machiavelli,
fortuna is luck and fate in the form of an
irrational force. He compares fortuna to a
fickle, whimsical goddess that is extremely
spontaneous in whether or not one will
receive luck or misery (Wootton 49).
Luck be a Lady is a song that relates the
thoughts of a gambler who has just made a
very large bet on which his wealth and love
life depend on. Sinatra relates having a date
with this lady who he worries, despite her
flirtatious behavior, will “give him the brush”
and “forget her manners”. He compares this
to the idea of luck, which he hopes will be a
mindful, polite and well-mannered concept
for him during his gambling game.
This song relates to Machiavelli’s principle of
fortuna in that Sinatra describes luck as a
fickle, whimsical lady, just as how
Machiavelli stresses the morbid spontaneity
of fortuna as a lady (Wooton 50). Machiavelli
offers some solutions as to how to counter the
whimsicality of fortuna in terms of conquest.
Machiavelli stresses that one must be bold
and headstrong in facing fortuna by using
virtù to anticipate as much as possible.
Sinatra conveys this in his song by forcefully
asking luck to be a “lady” to him. Machiavelli
states that since fortune is a lady, “it is
necessary, if you want to master her, to beat
her and strike her” (Wootton 50). This means
that one must control the amount of luck you
base your strategy on, just like how Sinatra in
his song says that "Never get out of my sight,
Stick with me baby [fortune/luck], I'm the
guy that you came in with".Handlebars Flobots
In 2007, alternative rock and hip-hop band
Flobots found mainstream success with their
single “Handlebars”. The song’s lyrics
describe the rise of man who goes from
nothing to everything in a way that would be
approved of by philosopher Niccolò
Machiavelli. As described in Machiavelli’s
work, The Prince, the individual in the song
uses alarming and effective tactics to gain
power, to crush the opposition, and follows
the rules that Machiavelli set forth for
governments to emulate.
The song begins with the lyrics “I can ride my
bike with no handlebars /…/ I can show you
how to do-si-do / I can show you how to scratch
a record / I can take apart the remote control /
and I can almost put it back together”. The
individual is letting the world know about his
many
accomplishments.
The
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accomplishments, though perhaps unrelated,
describe a man who is persistent, skilled, and
a man with a fair amount of luck. Effectively,
this is a man with Fortuna, a man whom
other men would be willing to follow
(Machiavelli). This is a prince, as Machiavelli
described him.
However, a prince must start somewhere. The
lyrics shift with the lines “I can design an
engine sixty-four / Miles to a gallon of
gasoline / I can make new antibiotics”. The
activities switch from unrelated, nearly
childlike activities, to impressive, monetary
gaining ventures, such as creating an efficient
engine and making new medications. Both
these feats could compare to Machiavelli’s
claim that the Prince must deliver for his
populace at times, for they’ll be more likely
to legitimize his regime (Machiavelli).
But while the Prince must deliver,
Machiavelli says the Prince must also strike
fear in his citizens (Machiavelli). The lines of
the song strike a darker tune, beginning with
the statement that “Me and my friends
understand the future / I see the strings that
control the systems / I can do anything with
no assistance / I can lead a nation with a
microphone”. First, the individual claims that
he and his friends see the future. Then, in a
swift juxtaposition, he suddenly states that he
can do anything with no assistance, nearly at
the same time where he gains power. This
alludes strongly to Machiavelli’s idea that to
gain the firmest hold on power, the Prince
must dispose of his old friends and allies, to
destroy any chance of dividing his power
through favors, and to show the people that he
truly is the most powerful individual, and that
they should fear him (Machiavelli).
The final lines do point to fear. The individual
lets it be known that he can “let'em all die in
exasperation / Have'em all healed of their
lacerations / Have'em all killed by assassination
/ I can make anybody go to prison / Just
because / I don't like'em and / I can do anything
with no permission / I have it all under my
command / … / and I can end the planet in a
holocaust”. The individual is deciding
whether to destroy part of his populace, so
that they remain fearful, and subjective to his
will. This is a parallel of Machiavelli’s idea
that a new government, when first sweeping
power, should perform all its “dirty deeds” at
once, so that when it does start to deliver, the
people will be relieved, and more willing to
legitimize the regime (Machiavelli).
The Prince is the regime, and in The Prince
political theorist Machiavelli espouses many
controversial, yet effective tactics for a new
government to perform in order to keep, and
consolidate power. Within the lyrics of
“Handlebars” examples of such tactics appear
frequently, from a man with fortuna, or manly
excellence, to a man who rides himself of his old
friends in order to strengthen his grip and finally
to a man who muses on whether to destroy his
populace, or to provide for his populace in order
for them to see him as the supreme ruler that he
is. Hero - Skillet
I'm just a step away
I'm just a breath away
Losing my faith today
Falling off the edge today
I am just a man
Not superhuman
I'm not superhuman
Someone save me from the hate
It's just another war
Just another family torn
Falling from my faith today
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero, save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero will save me just in time
I've gotta fight today
To live another day
Speaking my mind today
My voice will be heard today
I've gotta make a stand
But I am just a man
I'm not superhuman
My voice will be heard today
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It's just another war
Just another family torn
My voice will be heard today
It's just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero, save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero will save me just in time
I need a hero to save my life
I need a hero, just in time
Save me just in time
Save me just in time
Who's gonna fight for what's right?
Who's gonna help us survive?
We're in the fight of our lives
And we're not ready to die
Who's gonna fight for the weak?
Who's gonna make 'em believe?
I've got a hero, I've got a hero
Living in me
I'm gonna fight for what's right
Today I'm speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
I will be ready to die
A hero's not afraid to give his life
A hero's gonna save me just in time
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero, save me now
I need a hero to save my life
A hero will save me just in time
(I need a hero)
Who's gonna fight for what's right?
Who's gonna help us survive?
(I need a hero)
Who's gonna fight for the weak?
Who's gonna make 'em believe?
I've got a hero
I need a hero
A hero's gonna save me just in time
English philosopher and political theorist
Thomas Hobbes believed that to exit the state
of nature, man must chose a ruler from among
himself. This ruler must be a leviathan; a
mortal God who would be able to control and
lead everything and everyone. In its song
“Hero”, rock band Skillet argues for the need
of a hero, a person to lead the masses out of
the state of nature.
The lyrics start out desperate; the populace is
close to the brink of destruction. The lines
“Someone save me from the hate/It's just
another war” perfectly reflect Hobbes’ state
of nature, a greedy and fearful mankind
fighting his brethren in an ultimately selfdestructive exercise. Not only do the lines
talk of hate and endless war, but also of
families constantly being torn to shreds. The
lines also talk of the need of a hero, one to
lead them out of this perpetual destruction.
That hero is the leviathan, the mortal God that
Hobbes calls necessary for the advancement
of humanity (Hobbes). The hero will save
humanity just in time, it will protect their
interest, and it will advance their common
good. The hero will also appear when
mankind is most desperate. This is similar to
Hobbes’ idea that man will hold an assembly
in which a common leader is chosen
(Hobbes). Total desperation would only lead
man to give up so much freedom to a mortal
God.
Then the lyrics say “I've got a hero, I've got a
hero/ Living in me/ I'm gonna fight for what's
right/ Today I'm speaking my mind”
revealing that the mortal God could be the
individual who is calling for such a thing.
This is a perfect allusion to Hobbes’ argument
that all men are equal in the end, and that the
leviathan, the mortal God, will be chosen
from among these equal men (Hobbes).
The Skillet song “Hero” illustrates political
theorist Thomas Hobbes’ thoughts on
mankind. We existed first in a state of nature,
with short, brutish, desperate lives. We then
progress onto choosing a hero, a leviathan or
mortal God, an act of self-oppression that
only is brought about by desperation. Finally,
that mortal God, or hero, emerges from
among the ranks of men, because all men are
7
essentially equal in the end.Feel Good Inc. Gorillaz
Hahahahahahahahaha,
Shake it, shake it, feel good [x9]
City's breaking down on a camel's back.
They just have to go 'cos they don't know whack
So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see
You wont get out the county, 'cos you're bad and free
You've got a new horizon It's ephemeral style.
A melancholy town where we never smile.
And all I wanna hear is the message beep.
My dreams, they`ve got a kiss me, 'because I don't get
sleep, no..
Windmill, Windmill for the land.
Love forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is sinking, falling down
Love forever love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats,
Lining them up-a like ass cracks,
Lay these ponies at the track
Its my chocolate attack.
Shit, I'm stepping in the heart of this here
Care bear bumping in the heart of this here
Watch me as I gravitate
Hahahahahahaa.
Yo, we gonna go ghost town,
This motown,
With yo sound
You're in the place
You gonna bite the dust
Can't fight with us
With yo sound
You kill the INC.
So don't stop, get it, get it
Until you're jet ahead
and watch the way I navigate
Hahahahahhaa
Feel good, AHHHHahahahah [x4]
Windmill, Windmill for the land.
Love forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is sinking, falling down
Love forever love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Don't stop, get it, get it
We are your captains in it
Steady,
Watch me navigate,
Ahahahahahhaa.
Don't stop, get it, get it
We are your captains in it
Steady, watch me navigate
When thinking of song that exemplifies
Hobbes’ way of thinking, not many would
turn to “ Feel Good Inc.” by the Gorillaz.
With the style of their digitalized music, who
would have thought that this song could relate
so well with Hobbes’ natural state of nature
for man? In the beginning of the song, we
hear one maniacal-sounding laugh, followed
by the words “feel good,” which stretches for
a little while. If we analyze just these first
thirty seconds, we can see that the song’s
beginning represents the state of mind of
every individual in Hobbes’ supposed state of
nature. Every individual does what he or she
can do to feel safe, or in this case, “good.”
With “City’s breaking down on a camel’s
back…” as the first full line of the song, it
maps out the condition of the environment in
a state of nature. Hobbes’ state of nature is a
state of war, with each citizen battling it out
for survival; naturally, this would lead to a
deterioration of the people’s resources and
surroundings. The overall theme of
destruction is also presented in the chorus of
this song when they sing “Windmill,
windmill for the land/ Turn forever hand in
hand… It is sticking, falling down.” This
lyric also presents a little contradiction that
also exists in Hobbes’ state of nature. The
windmill will turn forever, yet it is falling
down? It does not make much sense. And yet,
how much sense does Hobbes’ state of nature
make? Individuals fighting each other to
preserve his or her own liberty and safety?
Finally, when they say “You’ve got a new
horizon, it’s ephemeral style / A melancholy
town where we never smile,” we could
interpret it as an always changing horizon,
because of the never-ending battle to preserve
safety and liberty. Hobbes always said that
the life of man is “nasty, brutish, and short.”
8
Is not it only natural for the journey’s end to
his life to be short-lived as well?Uprising Muse
The paranoia is in bloom, the PR
The transmissions will resume
They'll try to push drugs
Keep us all dumbed down and hope that
We will never see the truth around
(So come on!)
Another promise, another scene, another
A package not to keep us trapped in greed
With all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined
(So come on!)
They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious
Interchanging mind control
Come let the revolution take its toll if you could
Flick the switch and open your third eye, you'd see that
We should never be afraid to die
(So come on!)
Rise up and take the power back, it's time that
The fat cats had a heart attack, you know that
Their time is coming to an end
We have to unify and watch our flag ascend
They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious
Hey .. hey ... hey .. hey!
They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious.
The song Uprising by Muse can be related to
Locke’s ideas about the state of nature and
state of war. It can also be related to his ideas
about the right to revolution.
Uprising talks about a government that has
done some severe misdeeds, such as “try[ing]
to push drugs, keep us all dumbed down and
hope that we will never see the truth around”;
in general, the government that Muse details
in their song is one that is oppressive and
refuses to let the truth out to the general
public by forcing “green belts wrapped
around [their] minds” and putting up “endless
red tape to keep the truth confined”.
To Locke, the state of nature is a condition of
perfect freedom and equality based on reason.
In the state of nature, one has a duty to god
and your self to not harm others (Wootton
288). Locke’s state of war is literal
oppression and fighting between people. To
enter the state of war from the state of nature,
a man must have the intention of harming
another man, whether it be in the form of
harming him or oppressing him by refusing to
let the truth be told. Locke makes it clear that
we have the right to defend our selves when
someone is intent of destroying us, especially
when that person is ignoring the law willfully
(Wootton 290).
This relates to the song because the
government is clearly oppressing the people
by ignoring the law willfully in this song, the
people have a right to defend themselves
against this oppressive government. The song
attempts to create a collective sense of
injustice (“we have to unify and watch our
flag ascend”) that has been committed in
order to convince them that “it’s time the fat
cats [the government] had a hear attack”.
This song also relates to Locke’s ideas about
the right of revolution. Locke's social contract
is between the people and the government.
Locke says that when the government violates
this contract egregiously, they have the right
to revolt. The people also have the right to
revolt when tyranny and illegal usurpation
occurs. Locke emphasizes though that the
right of revolution must be collective
(Wooton 330 - 334). This song emphasizes
how the government has degraded them,
controlled them, and forced them unlawfully.
This song also tries to create that collective
majority that Locke said that is needed for
the right of revolution.For the Love of
Money - the O'Jays
Money money money money, money (x6)
Some people got to have it
9
Some people really need it
Listen to me y'all, do things, do things, do bad things
with it , you wanna do things, do things, do things,
good things with it
Talk about cash money, money
Talk about cash money- dollar bills, yall
For the love of money
People will steal from their mother
For the love of money
People will rob their own brother
For the love of money
People can't even walk the street
Because they never know who in the world they're
gonna beat
For that lean, mean, mean green
Almighty dollar, money
For the love of money
People will lie, Lord, they will cheat
For the love of money
People don't care who they hurt or beat
For the love of money
A woman will sell her precious body
For a small piece of paper it carries a lot of weight
Call it lean, mean, mean green
Almighty dollar
I know money is the root of all evil
Do funny things to some people
Give me a nickel, brother can you spare a dime
Money can drive some people out of their minds
Got to have it, I really need it
How many things have I heard you say
Some people really need it
How many things have I heard you say
Got to have it, I really need it
How many things have I heard you say
Lay down, lay down, a woman will lay down
For the love of money
All for the love of money
Don't let, don't let, don't let money rule you
For the love of money
Money can change people sometimes
Don't let, don't let, don't let money fool you
Money can fool people sometimes
People! Don't let money, don't let money change you,
it will keep on changing, changing up your mind.
John Locke’s ideologies about property
correlate with the content of the lyrics of For
the Love of Money by the O’Jays. In Chapter
Five (“Of Property”) of his Second Treatise of
Government, Locke makes the reasonable
claim that “The labour that was mine,
removing them out of that common state they
were in, hath fixed my property in them
(293),” stating that when someone adds his or
her hard work to an object that was
previously not theirs, her or she then owns
that thing and is entitled to use it for his own
advantage. Similarly, the O’Jays sing “You
wanna do things, do things, do things, good
things with it, talk about cash money, dollar
bills…” The singers imply that we should use
the money that we earn for good things that
benefit not only ourselves, but also others if
possible.
However, Locke believes that one can only
inherit as many objects and as much property
as he will be able to use to his benefit: “How
far has he (God) given it (us all things
richly)? To enjoy. As much as any one can
make use of to any advantage of life before it
spoils…nothing was made by God for man to
spoil or destroy” (294). Likewise, the O’Jays
admonish us of potentially becoming spoiled
and corrupt if we have too much money that
we have no desire to use for on ourselves.
Towards the middle of the song, they sing
“Money is the root of all evil, Do funny
things to some people…money can drive
some people out of their minds.” In order for
people to function cohesively together, Locke
does want people taking more items than they
utilize. This also applies to the O’Jays’
lyrics; “stealing from their brother…and
robbing their own mother” is not an effective
way for people to live and grow together. If
people got this greedy and, according to
Locke, “man…acquired to himself a property,
to the prejudice of his neighbor…before it
was appropriated (295),” the State of Nature
would cease to exist and there would be
inevitable arguments about ownership of
property.Imagine - John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
10
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s idea of the original
State of Nature is similar to the content of the
lyrics of Imagine by John Lennon. In the
Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of
Inequality Among Men, Rousseau argues,
“since the state of nature is the state in which
the concern for our self-preservation is the
least prejudicial to that of others, that state
was…the most appropriate for peace and the
best suited for the human race” (390). By this
he implies that in the initial stage of mankind,
people were selfless and had no desire to
achieve more than anybody else.
Similarly, Lennon writes that we should
“imagine no possessions…no need for greed
or hunger a brotherhood of man, imagine all
the people sharing all the world…” What he
means is that we should spend some time
every now and then thinking about what it
would be like to live in a peaceful,
compassionate world.
This relates to
Rousseau’s ideology, in the sense that just
like Lennon would not want us to become too
power-hungry, man in the initial State of
Nature should not have a desire to own too
much property, because that would lead to
inequality, a concept that neither of these men
would approve of.
All You Need is Love - the Beatles
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love,
love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to
play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be
made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to
be you
in time - It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you
need.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love,
love.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you
need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't
known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
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Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're
meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you
need.
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you
need.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s theory of how the
people in the State of Nature should relates to
the content of the lyrics of The Beatles’ All
You Need is Love. In his Discourse on the
Origin and Foundation of Inequality Among
Men, Rousseau believes that “it is…certain
that pity is a natural sentiment, which, by
moderating in each individual the activity of
the love of oneself, contributes to the mutual
preservation of the entire species” (391-392).
By this, he means that pity leads to more love
for others and less self-interest. In other
words, people put aside their petty complaints
when helping their fellow men out with
whatever they need.
Likewise, Lennon sings “all you need is love,
all you need is love, all you need is love, love,
love is all you need.” This phrase is repeated
numerous times in the song, which speaks
volumes about Lennon’s belief in helping
one’s fellow man out. He implies that
compassion for fellow human beings the most
important thing that one can give. This
relates to Locke’s notion of man in the State
of Nature, which is “Do…as little harm as
possible to others” (392). Locke supports
Lennon’s beliefs here by wanting men to help
each other out when necessary.Good People
– Jack Johnson
You win it’s your show now
So what’s it going to be?
Cause' people will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need to see?
Before we lose touch
And we thought this was low
Well it’s bad, getting worse….
Where’d all the good people go?
I’ve been changing channels and I don’t see them on
the tv shows
Where’d all the good people go?
We’ve got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They got this and that with a rattle a tat
Testing, one, two, man whatcha gonna do
Bad news misused, got too much to lose
Give me some truth now, who’s side are we on
Whatever you say
Turn on the boob tube, I’m in the mood to obey
So lead me astray
And by the way now…
Sitting around feeling far away
So far away but I can feel the debris, can you feel it?
You interrupt me from a friendly conversation
To tell me how great it’s all going to be
You might notice some hesitation
'cause its important to you, it’s not important to me
way down by the edge of your whole reason
Well it's beginning to show and ALL I really want to
know is…
Where’d all the good people go?
I’ve been changing channels and I don’t see them on
the tv shows
Where’d all the good people go?
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
(Where’d all the good people go?)
They got this and that with a rattle a tat
Testing one, two man whatcha gonna do
Bad news misused give me some truth
You got too much to lose
Whose side are we on today, anyway
Okay, whatever you say
Wrong or resolute but in the mood to obey
Station to station desensitizing the nation
where'd all the good people go?
Going, going, gone.
From Jack Johnson’s album ‘Inbetween
Dreams’, comes the socially charged song
12
‘Good People’. In the single, Johnson asks
repeatedly the simple question of where did
all the good people go? He also discusses
how ‘we’ve got heaps and heaps of what we
sow’ and how he questions the other person ‘s
(or people’s) thoughts and actions. He also
assumes most of society to not be ‘good
people’ in the sense that they are mindless by
the media. They keep telling him ‘how great
its all gonna be’ and how most people are ‘in
the mood to obey’, but Johnson feels the exact
opposite and raises concern.
The German philosopher Immanuel Kant also
had the same concerns about society. He felt
that society was full of lazy people and
cowards who were just as mindless as
Johnson sings. Kant was extremely frustrated
in the 1700s about this self-imposed affliction
of an apathetic mindset. He urges his readers
in his essay, “Answering the Question: What
is Enlightenment?”: ‘Have courage to use
your own understanding! That is the motto of
enlightenment.’ In the lyrics: ‘so lead me
astray’ from Johnson alludes to Kant’s
comparison of a weak peoples who become
‘docile’ once someone else comes along who
will do the work and lead the way.’ Kant
would totally feel Johnson on his lyrics: ‘bad
news misused, give me some truth, you got
too much to lose…wrong or resolute, but in
the mood to obey’. This thing that people are
losing when they don’t strive for their own
understanding is Kant’s concept of freedom.
It’s a simple answer to a simple question:
‘nothing is required for this enlightenment
however, except freedom.” Perhaps if that is
granted, they could all become the good
people Johnson hopes for people to
become.Every Word is a Knife In My Ear –
The Bravery
Every word from your mouth is a knife in my ear
Every thought in your head is like poison to hear
Like a snake in a suit spitting into the air
With a tongue like a needle and we're shot full of fear
White picket teeth and a big red alert
The life of the party and we pulled up our skirt
It's like poison
It's like poison
Every word from your mouth is a knife in my ear
Every thought in your head is like poison to hear
A fool is a devil and a devil's a fool
With a fork-tongue needle and you got us all fooled
A monkey doing tricks and we couldn't resist
If this isn't evil then I don't know what is
It's like poison
It's like poison
Every word from your mouth is a knife in my ear
Every thought in your head is like poison to hear
Every word from your mouth is a knife in my ear
The Bravery’s song ‘Every Word is a Knife
in My Ear’ discusses how people can strike
fear in others and poisonously lead them in
the wrong direction. The song also mentions
foolish, obedient, and monkey-like behavior
from society.
The German philosopher, Immanuel Kant,
wrote an essay called ‘Answering the
Question: What is Enlightenment?’ Within
his work, he says that society is plagued by
‘self-imposed immaturity’, with immaturity
13
being ‘the inability to use one’s
understanding without guidance from
another’. This makes society full of followers
in thought and few leaders. These people,
who are full of ‘cowardice and laziness’,
cannot think for themselves and are ‘actually
incapable of using [their] own understanding,
for no one has ever allowed [them] to attempt
it.’ He discusses ‘why it is so easy for others
to establish themselves as their guardians’,
and make their decisions for them as well,
saying that if the price is right, someone else
will do all the thinking for you.
The Bravery’s song compliments Kant’s
ideology well because it describes how Kant
feels about society. Every word from the
mouths of people he considers lazy are indeed
knives in his ear. The lyrics ‘with a tongue
like a needle, and we’re shot full of fear’
explains the cowardice that has stricken
society from the few leaders that exist and
how cunning they are ‘like a snake in a suit
spitting into the air’. Kant says that these
people are taught fear by these clever
guardians that if they were to go out on their
own, they would be in danger. He compares
them to ‘docile domestic creatures’ like sheep
that need to listen to their Shepard.
Immaturity, according to Kant, is after all ‘the
inability to use one’s understanding without
guidance from another.’ The only solution,
according to Kant to this poison is
freedom.Waiting on the World to Change –
John Mayer
Me and all my friends
We're all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There's no way we ever could
Now we see everything that's going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want
That's why we're waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It's not that we don't care,
We just know that the fight ain't fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
And we're still waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting waiting on the world to
change
One day our generation
Is gonna rule the population
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
In John Mayer’s recent single Waiting on the
World to Change, he discusses his frustration
with society’s apathetic attitude. ‘Now we see
everything that’s going wrong with the world
and those who lead it. We just feel like we
don’t have the means to rise above and beat
it. So we keep waiting, waiting on the world
to change’. It’s hard to beat the system when
we’re standing at a distance’, Mayer sings.
These lyrics draw interesting parallels to the
writings of the German philosopher
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). In those lyrics
14
of the song, Mayer seems to speak of
cowardice in the sense that no one is doing
anything because they are scared to stand up
and don’t believe they are capable. This leads
to their laziness and cowardice because they
just wait on society to change itself. Kant
talks about cowardice and laziness in his
essay ‘Answering the Question: What is
Enlightenment?’ “Laziness and cowardice are
the reasons why so great a proportion of men
remain in lifelong immaturity,” Kant writes.
Kant also discusses the consequences of this
immaturity and cowardice in society, in that it
makes it “so easy for others to establish
themselves as their guardians.” Mayer sings
directly to this when he says ‘and when you
trust your television, what you get is what you
got, cause when they own the information –
oh they can bend it all they want.’ The
gullibility of people to believe what is told to
them and their lack of effort to discover it for
themselves anger both the philosopher and
the musician. Sapere Aude! Kant urges his
readers, which means ‘Dare to Know’ in
Latin. Mayer’s song says to his audience: do
something! The parallels between Mayer and
Kant reveal that the meanings behind
historical writing and contemporary songs are
ageless even if 300 years have passed.