"It's a shame that the people who are listening to you the most are only interested in you because they want you and your peers to buy their product."

I disagree with that statement because there are plenty of people that listen to you and appreciate your opinions and knowledge for other reasons. Teachers, for example, spend most of their time hearing what we have to say, and if they didn't think anything we said was valid or were only interested in selling us things they wouldn't be teachers. Parents, friends, bosses, coworkers, plenty of people care what you have to say. I think it's true that many people will only hear the opinions of others and respect them because ultimately that information is going to be valuable to them later on. That's definitely true. But that doesn't mean everyone is like that.

Definitely Sure That I'm Not Sure

It's hard to pick my favorite Hanson song, but if I had to I guess it would be "Sure About It," from their album, This Time Around that came out in 2000 I believe. The song is about a girl who is basically undecided about alot of things and doesn't really know where she's going with her life. She is "sittin' on the corner of nowhere road, just between i wish i could and i don't know" which I find funny. I think I am able to connect with the song and the lyrics because at this point in my life, and in alot of other people my age, we are definitely in a stage filled with choices. We have to choose a college, based on location, grades, size, setting, and a million other things. This song, to me, is an oasis away from all of that. This song just emphasizes the pain and responsibility that comes with decision-making. It's about a girl who is being given the opportunity to take the wrong path and I just really like the flavor of the song. "Dif you see the man with the cocaine load? It's on sale for the price of your soul... And you're crawling down a long, long road, feeling for  a box named home" That's my favorite part of the song, it's upbeat (even though the topic is a little depressing). It's nice to be able to hear about other people who have trouble making choices. I've listened and loved this song forever but it's just now beginning to resonate and make sense and I'm finally able to relate to it (although I don't know if that's altogether a good thing). 

You can find the lyrics to "Sure About It" here:

www.elyrics.net/read/h/hanson-lyrics/sure-about-it-lyrics.html 

Coming Back From MMMBop

Hanson has come a long, long way from their first album, Middle of Nowhere, featuring their hit single MMMBop (2 Grammy nominations, bet you didn't know that). They have embraced all of the artists that influenced them, including Otis Redding, U2, Elvis, and The Beach Boys, and created music that incorporates a ton of different genres. In many songs you can hear a little country, lots of soul, a rock vibe and a pop melody. Not only are these songs great to listen to, it's nice to know that they were all written and performed by the brothers of Hanson themselves-- truly proving their immense musical talent. Their sound has evolved from pop to an edgier rock sound, and they began writing songs about deeper issues and current events. Their most recent album, The Walk, is all about poverty in Africa, a product of their recent trip to this continent and the inspiration they received after visiting many homeless and hungry Africans. They tug at your heart with many of their lyrics (following in the footsteps of U2, for example) and present the material in a beautifully harmonized creation (the Beach Boys?). I loved reading more about my favorite band because it allowed me to understand a little bit more about their goals with their music, the raw talent that goes into these songs, and the passion they put into their work. 

The King of Rock and Roll

I really liked watching the Elvis documentary because I never knew much about him or how he got started. It's so interesting that he was intended to be a white face for a black voice and that he was a big part in breaking that racial barrier in the fifties. I knew that Elvis was insanely popular but I had no idea how important he was to some people, like those girls sobbing in the front row of his concerts. That's dedication, I guess! I was also surprised but not altogether shocked to see that for many people his signature dance moves went too far, but I thought some of the judgements made about him and his "intentions" were ridiculous. It goes to show that there will always be people against change or progress and those people tend to speak louder than those trying to make a change. I was reading Lea's post and I totally agree with her about the fact that Elvis introduced sex appeal to music and that it has influenced all the music that followed it. She said Elvis was sex on stage, which I thought was funny. Elvis was a trendsetter and a rule-breaker and it's great to know more about how he helped us get to where we are today!

Who was your first favorite group or singer? How old were you at the time? What was important to you about this music?

My first favorite group was probably the Spice Girls when I was in first and second grade. I don't know that there was anything particularly meaningful to me about their music, other than that I liked the songs. Going to that concert in second grade was probably the highlight of my elementary school memories. 

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