Take me to Church

If you are familiar with this song, you probably think you know what the topic of my rant is, but I may surprise you yet.

This is a song that was recently released on my local radio station, and I found it was refreshingly unique sounding (compared to the rest of the music on the station) when I heard it, and a lot of my students were singing and talking about it intermittently.  One student mentioned to me that it was not about church at all (which I assumed) but that the video actually depicted a homosexual couple and their struggle at maintaining a relationship without judgment or harassment.  This I found intriguing, so I watched it.

WARNING- While this video is both moving and emotionally charged, it is at times violent and disturbing.  Please refrain from watching if any of the aforementioned characteristics is likely to upset you, and as noted in the video, parental guidance is suggested for anyone viewing under the age of 18.

I'm not going to get into how I feel about the video, or the lyrics, so this is a fake out for those of you that thought this was going to be some sort of social/equality/censorship tirade.  The reason I posted the actual video, and not just a video of the lyrics, is to prove a musical point.  Regardless of how you feel about the lyrics, content of the video, or implied messages within the song, I think that it's painfully obvious that the artist is conveying a message, and that the music is designed to compliment it.  The video is the icing on the cake, directing you to one interpretation of the lyrics, but I'd like to think we can all agree that this is an artistic expression on all fronts.  If that's not the case, now would be a good time to hit the back button on your browser, because my venting is actually purely music related, and if we can't agree to view this song as a work of art, we won't agree on a lot of the rest of this cathartic experience.



I'm not going to get into all of the details now, as you'll see them below, but here's the basic point: there is a remix of this song that was played on my local radio station after I had heard the original maybe five times or so.  More information on that whole experience can be found below, but in short, I had a problem with it.  I wouldn't be much of an advocate if I just pitifully blogged about my opinions and never actually did anything to try to make a change, so I wrote a message to the radio station.

Before I fill your head with my thoughts, I want to give you an opportunity to hear the song for yourself, if you haven't heard it already.  This is the current version my station plays:

So there's that piece to the puzzle.  Before I rant, let me just go on the record saying that DJ Mike D, whoever you are, you are making music. You're making money making music, and probably a hell of a lot more than I will ever see as a teacher.  I respect that we are- in ways- in the same field, and I respect you as an artist.  You have a right to make music, and make music you shall.  Rock on, and do what you do, but since everyone has an opinion, I just want you to know that mine happens to not favor this particular remix of yours.  

Pre tirade apology drafted?  Check.

So, here's what my message actually said:

Hello, 

Firstly, let me start by saying that I listen to your station daily, and have been listening for decades, so I'm a big fan.  I'm also a music teacher and like to stay current on modern music, which brings me to my point.  

Hozier's Take me to Church was recently released on your station, and I really love the song.  Or loved, I guess.  I heard it about 4 or 5 times until one day, there was unnecessary and distracting percussion all over the place.  AKA a "remix" version.  I get that remixes are contemporary and likable, and that this one in particular removes, or at least covers, a lot of the "downer-ness" in the song, but in doing so, I believe it also removes a lot of the intended emotion and integrity.  To be honest, it's not even really Hozier's song anymore, as I find it at times almost unrecognizable from what it used to be, both literally and figuratively.  

I should take this time to mention that the song is introduced as Hozier's work, and no credit has been given to the DJ (to my ears at least) at this time on air.

What burns me the most is that the original song is not ever played anymore at all.  The same thing happened a few years back with Adele's Someone Like You, when I guess that was deemed "not peppy enough" to be on pop stations either.  It didn't bother me so much then, but this particular song and this particular remix- for some reason- just really get under my skin.  

I understand that with pop music comes a certain level of conformity, but when are we crossing the line of destroying the meaning and originality of an artist's work when we not only edit their material to an almost unrecognizable state, but never even expose the original work after that as well?  Again, I can get behind exceptions on weekends when DJs are mixing tracks and doing all-night playlists, but this is not the same thing.  This is taking Van Gogh's Starry Night, adding puppies and kittens to it, and then re-releasing it as the same work after the original has been destroyed.  I know this is obviously on a smaller scale, as the original song still exists and access to it is readily available, but for the listeners of your station who missed the window of opportunity to hear the original version, and don't have any reason to even believe an original song even exists, this is not that outlandish a comparison.

Hey, look at this original Van Gogh painting!  Doesn't it rock?!

Lastly, I get that you did not create the remix, and I mean not to shoot the messenger.  Heck, I'm not even asking you to remove the song, because despite the fact that I personally view it as an abomination of a beautiful and heartfelt piece of musical expression, I respect the DJ's creative right to also express himself.  All I'm asking is for the opportunity for the original song to get more air time, or any air time at all if it's not already.  I just personally feel it's a disservice to the integrity of the original work of art, and I think it's important- especially if your station continues to play the remixed version- to have an original to which a comparison can at least be made.

Sorry for the rant.  Please resume playing hit music.  :-)

Corri

One of the things that is so magical about music is that it is so different, and vast.  I believe this to be extremely important to appreciate, because without those attributes, we wouldn't live in a world in which every person can individually connect and appreciate music on varying levels.  I try to be unbiased as much as I can, and I know- and even teach- that not everyone loves all types of music.  It's not really possible to, when you think about it, but it doesn't mean we can't respect everyone that goes out of their way to make it.  My point was basically that by eradicating the original version from the station, they were thus removing a valuable opportunity for listeners to hear the song the way it was initially intended by the artist.  

Music will continue to be sampled, imitated, copied, and remixed for centuries to come, and that's not the problem.  The problem exists when we start to lose or are denied exposure to the art in its original state, because without the foundation for experimentation, the experimentation would cease to exist.