¿?sick beats?¿ LBTL 3

Designed by: Poh En Xi (20-E3)

From Now On – The Greatest Showman Cast

1. I saw the sun begin to dim
2. And felt that winter wind blow cold
3. A man learns who is there for him
4. When the glitter fades and the walls won’t hold
5. ‘Cause from then, rubble
6. What remains
7. Can only be what’s true
8. If all was lost
9. There’s more I gained
10. ‘Cause it led me back
11. To you
12. From now on
13. These eyes will not be blinded by the lights
14. From now on
15. What’s waited ’til tomorrow starts tonight
16. Tonight
17. Let this promise in me start
18. Like an anthem in my heart
19. From now on
20. From now on
21. I drank champagne with kings and queens
22. The politicians praised my name
23. But those are someone else’s dreams
24. The pitfalls of the man I became
25. For years and years
26. I chased their cheers
27. The crazy speed of always needing more
28. But when I stop
29. And see you here
30. I remember who all this was for
31. And from now on
32. These eyes will not be blinded by the lights
33. From now on
34. What’s waited ’til tomorrow starts tonight
35. It starts tonight
36. And let this promise in me start
37. Like an anthem in my heart
38. From now on
39. From now on
40. From now on
41. And we will come back home
42. And we will come back home
43. Home, again!
44. And we will come back home
45. And we will come back home
46. Home, again!
47. And we will come back home
48. And we will come back home
49. Home, again!
50. (From now on!)
51. And we will come back home
52. And we will come back home
53. Home, again!
54. And we will come back home
55. And we will come back home
56. Home, again!
57. And we will come back home
58. And we will come back home (Yes)
59. Home, again!
60. And we will come back home
61. And we will come back home
62. Home, again!
63. From now on
64. These eyes will not be blinded by the lights!
65. From now on!
66. What’s waited ’til tomorrow starts tonight!
67. It starts tonight!
68. Let this promise in me start
69. Like an anthem in my heart
70. From now on
71. From now on
72. From now on
73. And we will come back home
74. And we will come back home
75. Home, again!
76. And we will come back home
77. And we will come back home
78. Home, again!
79. And we will come back home
80. And we will come back home
81. Home, again
82. From now on
83. From now on
84. Home, again, ooh, ooh
85. From now on
86. From now on
87. Home, again

A classic on The Greatest Showman soundtrack, “From Now On” was the song that highlighted the turning point for our main character in the show, as he aptly realised how he has neglected what truly matters in life.

“I saw the sun begin to dim, And felt that winter wind blow cold” starts off a personal reflection that expresses seemingly depressive connotations, an inner emotional world that lacks light and positivity. 

“A man learns who is there for him, when the glitter fades and the walls won’t hold” gives us more context on what triggered the reflection. When the short lived highs fade and the emotional barriers we have set up for ourselves come down, who is still truly there for us? This is echoed with ‘Cause from then, rubble, What remains, Can only be what’s true”, an epiphany that expresses how the ones that stay with us for our true inner selves are the constant truths in our lives who never leave us.

“If all was lost, There’s more I gained, Cause it led me back, To you” aptly illustrates how in our lives, the material things we have gained truly matter less than the important people in our lives. “From now on, these eyes will not be blinded by the lights” gives an explanation for the sorrowful reflections thus far. How many times have we neglected the things that truly matter in life, as in familial relationships, friendships etc, for short lived fame, money, personal ambitions and desires? Are all these material objects truly worth the lion’s share of who we are deep down? After all, what really stays after our short lives is not our tangible things, but our intangible memories.

“From now on, What’s waited ’til tomorrow starts tonight, Tonight”  expresses some kind of hope that is gleaned, where regrets are started to be faced and confronted. This is further expounded on by “Let this promise in me start, Like an anthem in my heart, From now on, From now on..”, where there is now light at the end of the tunnel, and a newfound deep determination to reconnect with the intangibles is seen.

We go back to some historical context with “I drank champagne with kings and queens, The politicians praised my name”, which refers to all the fame, money, ambitions, and other desires we try to achieve in our lives. Nevertheless, “But those are someone else’s dreams, The pitfalls of the man I became” emphasises how a focus on these desires can become detrimental as you lose yourself amidst all the tangibles. “For years and years, I chased their cheers, The crazy speed of always needing more” is another expression for how this focus has been the status quo for many years, and how these desires may have consumed who we truly are deep down. “But when I stop, And see you here, I remember who all this was for” is the true lesson here, summarising how sometimes when we pause amidst all the hustle and bustle (especially in the context of Singaporean society), we are better able to make sense of truly meaningful things in life, and divert our attention to more of these intangible experiences, emotions, feelings, and memories. The repeated echoes of  “From Now On”, “We will come back home”, and “Home again” ends off the song, elucidating how it is never too late to start breaking out of cold shells, and start adding a little warmth to our lives, possibly beginning with the notion of a “home” – whatever place you feel an emotional connection to. 

Макдоналдс (Macdonalds)  – Lena Katina

1. Driving along at low speed at dawn
2. Such a quality sport car in the nineties
3. You love it so much when I’m driving
4. Our meetings are crazy raves
5. Among thousands of people, there aren’t any like us – hey
6. Out of everyone, there is nobody like us – hey
7. We’re the coolest people at McDonald’s
8. Your Nike’s rub against my Converse
9. We’re the ones who aren’t listening to the news
10. And who don’t flip through posts – no, no
11. We’re the coolest people at McDonald’s
12. Your Nike’s rub against my Converse
13. Coolest people in McDonald’s
14. And this isn’t fashion – no, no
15. We’re in this Polaroid frame
16. With fire in our eyes
17. In love forever
18. We wait for the second coming wave
19. Taste of Coca-Cola on the tongue
20. And a souvenir tattoo on the other hand
21. We aren’t recognized by anyone
22. We’re the coolest people at McDonald’s
23. Your Nike’s rub against my Converse
24. We’re the ones who aren’t listening to the news
25. And who don’t flip through posts – no, no
26. We’re the coolest people at McDonald’s
27. Your Nike’s rub against my Converse
28. Coolest people in McDonald’s
29. And this isn’t fashion – no, no

Macdonalds. A fast food restaurant with branches all over the world. Who would have thought that this global cultural phenomenon would be the setting of a unique love story, conveyed through the lyrics of this catchy song?

The narrator appears to be missing the good ol’ days, as can be seen through the utilisation of diction such as “in the nineties” and “Polaroid frame”, both referring to times long past. However, this song is not just a standing ovation to history. If you look closely at the lines “(we’re) the ones who aren’t listening to the new/And who don’t flip through posts,” you can catch a glimpse of arrogance brought on by the fact that she and her partner are not distracted by the world around them. It might sound outrageous at first, but dig deeper and you will begin to ponder whether we have been so distracted by irrelevant things such as Kim Kardashian’s newest post on Instagram, that we have begun to neglect what is truly important-our real-life relationships with our friends and family. 

I will have to admit, this is something extremely relevant to internet-obsessed teenagers like ourselves. Which is why when we hear lyrics such as “Among thousands of people, there aren’t any like us”, we feel a pang of jealousy because day after day, we follow the crowd like a herd of blinded sheep. Yet, the narrator and her partner are able to break free from the mold and treat their relationship as it ought to be treated-as a heart-to-heart interaction between two close individuals, not as the newest Dior bag to be shown off to the faceless masses on Instagram. The emphasis on the “rub” in “Your Nike’s rub against my Converse” drives home this point, as the verb “rub” highlights physical contact between two people. The allusion to popular Russian culture is also elucidated here with the usage of the sports shoe brand “Nike”, for we all know that Russians adore Nike and Adidas. This allusion grounds the song in reality, placing a strong emphasis on how quality face-to-face time can be achieved, even in heavily globalised countries such as Russia. 

Perhaps, teenagers diagnosed with Phone-a-philia here in Singapore will be able to do the same too. We can only hope. And remember, “this isn’t fashion – no, no”. This isn’t some passing trend to jump on the bandwagon for. Real-time interaction should always be prioritised before frivolous exchanges on social media like Tik Tok and Instagram. Treat your relationship with respect, and you will reap the benefits in time. Focus on them ju

P!nk- What Abou Us

1. La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da
2. Da-da-da
3. We are searchlights, we can see in the dark
4. We are rockets, pointed up at the stars
5. We are billions of beautiful hearts
6. And you sold us down the river too far
7. What about us?
8. What about all the times you said you had the answers?
9. What about us?
10. What about all the broken happy ever afters?
11. What about us?
12. What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
13. What about love? What about trust?
14. What about us?
15. We are problems that want to be solved
16. We are children that need to be loved
17. We were willing, we came when you called
18. But man, you fooled us, enough is enough, oh
19. What about us?
20. What about all the times you said you had the answers?
21. What about us?
22. What about all the broken happy ever afters?
23. Oh, what about us?
24. What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
25. Oh, what about love? What about trust?
26. What about us?
27. Oh, what about us?
28. What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
29. What about love? What about trust?
30. What about us?
31. Sticks and stones, they may break these bones
32. But then I’ll be ready, are you ready?
33. It’s the start of us, waking up, come on
34. Are you ready? I’ll be ready
35. I don’t want control, I want to let go
36. Are you ready? I’ll be ready
37. ‘Cause now it’s time to let them know we are ready
38. What about us?
39. What about us?
40. What about all the times you said you had the answers?
41. So what about us?
42. What about all the broken happy ever afters?
43. Oh, what about us?
44. What about all the plans that ended in disaster?
45. Oh, what about love? What about trust?
46. What about us?
47. What about us?
48. What about us?
49. What about us?
50. What about us?
51. What about us?
52. What about us?

Best described as a protest song, “What About Us” is performed by American singer Pink. The song is incredibly rich in meaning and can be analyzed from different angles. 

The song’s purpose could be said to shed light on the political scene today as the opening of the music video includes the audio of political speeches and protests. Subsequently, the music video features the somber and dejected expressions of youths from various cultural backgrounds. One particularly eye catching scene in this video would be Pink and her possé gathered together, staring defiantly into the glare of the helicopter’s searchlights in the backdrop of an abandoned and desolate city. “What About Us” serves as a message to people in power from those they left behind as it reflects the heartache of the numerous Americans who felt deserted and alone. Although there have been speculations about the fact that this was in direct response to Trump’s time in office, there has yet to be confirmation from Pink on the matter. Nevertheless, the ideas explored in this track are incredibly relevant in today’s context with authority figures under speculation with regards to the extent to which they can follow through with their promises to the public. Unbridled promises seem to be a facet of most governments that have come to power. There is a long list of other promises, from setting up special courts to fighting hoarding and black marketing, from imprudent job numbers to reforming the Agricultural Produces Marketing Committee Act (2003) that haven’t been met.

However, when reading the lyrics in isolation from the music video, the song can take on many different meanings. Many have taken to dissecting the meanings behind the lyrics and its intended purposes and have come to vastly different conclusions. With some claiming it is about a broken family in which parents have failed to deliver on their promises to care for their children and provide a loving environment for them and others deeming it to be a commentary on the ways in which science has failed us, this park track can be interpreted in numerous ways. 

I do think the song is somewhat ambiguous for strategic purposes. It offers a myriad of possibilities. Of course, when asked, Pink would not take a public position on this song. It needs to sell to many and the song could be about politics, a broken family, a dysfunctional relationship, the unfair treatment of minorities. In short, this is excellent song writing. Saying everything and yet saying nothing has accomplished the feat of the song being able to play in multiple markets. This is such that the music can speak to everyone, not just someone. The song in question has done an incredible job of invoking such feelings in everyone because at some point in our lives, we have all known what it felt like to be the underdog and so this track served as a rallying call to those who has ever felt alone and dejected. 

At the end of the day, the song discusses feelings of neglect and disappointment that come with being abandoned or let down by people we place our faith in.