Music has Meaning

When I heard we were studying a song by Hey Rosetta! in English class, I was quite eager to find out which one it was going to be. Being a fan of this band, as well as a music lover in general, I enjoy listening to a wide range of music genres. I particularly enjoy this bands unique and very distinct type of music. They use a variety of instruments such as the violin, piano, guitar, cello as well as their voices to produce a fantastic sound. I find it very interesting that this six person band which originated in St. John’s, Newfoundland, my own province, has become so well-known worldwide. They have toured many places across the globe, receiving countless music awards and have made it remarkably far in the music industry. Hey Rosetta! uses very deep lyrical themes in their music and effectively range from quiet parts to loud to help enhance how their music sounds.

Studying the song “Handshake the Gangster” in class helped me to understand this song better as I did not know what it was about before. This song talks about the high school education system and how teachers are like “wolves; warm in [their] pinstripes” and the building in which they go to school is like an “institution”. This makes high school sound like a hospital or sanitarium. The singer appears to be a teenager who truly hates school and feels as though it is being pushed “down [their] throat”. As we studied words of this song, I realized the meaning behind the lyrics and, since then, every time I hear it playing on my iPod, I can recognize what the singer is talking about and why he feels the way he do.

Personally, I like listening to Hey Rosetta!’s music because of their different, adventurous sound that is made from the wide assortment of musical instruments. Often times with this band’s music, I find myself listening to the unique melodies instead of the lyrics. Studying one song in class has made me interested in finding the messages and stories behind other songs of theirs.

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