The Bitter Sweet Symphony of Life

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The Bitter Sweet Symphony of Life

Time capsules are a trendy way of preserving the past for a period of time, in hopes of capturing physical proof of the advances in our society. Therefore, I am not surprised that many educational institutions have embraced the concept of a time capsule. However, this creates a problem: How can singular items be chosen to represent multitudes of ideas, creations, and people? The only logical conclusion to this dilemma is to allow those being represented to choose an example that they feel best represents the majority, which in this case would be the entire class. Therefore, as a fellow classmate, I feel that The Verveís ìBitter Sweet Symphony would be an excellent choice for the time capsule because all aspects of the song have the ability to symbolize our class.

Music is composed of many different parts: the melody, bass, and accompaniment. In the bass line of ìBitter Sweet Symphony there is a reoccuring music strain that is heard throughout the entire piece. This is an example of a recording process known as sampling, in which a small portion of an already existing song is reproduced and inserted into a new song. In this case, The Verve was able to utilize the Rolling Stoness The Last Time in collaboration with their own music to invent a new sound. Just as The Verve took a sound from the past, students are taking the experiences and knowledge of the past as they embark on the new millenium. We are not repeating our past failures, but instead are molding them into something that can be adapted into a new concept and a new way of thinking. Mistakes of the past can lead to the triumphs in our futures. As lyricist, lead singer, Richard Ashcroft states, just take [what is given to you] and use your imagination (Bittersweet Triumph). The use of sampling also symbolizes how our past and our heritage will always surround us and be our base. Together we are able to create a melody that will stand out and be something more beautiful and unique than before. The sample of The Last Time is heard throughout the entire song, just as our different cultures are always present in our lives.

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