April 23, 2007
MUSICAL INFLUENCES
I was flipping around radio stations the other day and found myself listening to a public service announcement that made me sit up and think "What the . . .?" Usually you know where a PSA is going, so to be surprised by the usual telegraphed anti-drug message is pretty rare. This particular PSA, which can be listened to here, features a girl's voice that has been altered to make it sound digitized, like a computer from 1982 is speaking. As the ad progresses, the girl's voice becomes gradually more human, until the final line, when it's just the voice of a girl. Then a male voice pops in with the punchline, or lesson, I'm not certain. Here is the transcript:
Being popular was all I could think about last year.
I wanted to be, like, cool with everybody.
I listened to music I didn't like and laughed at things that weren't funny.
I programmed myself to be a totally different person to everyone.
But I wasn't myself.
Now I'm not pretending to like indie rock or anything like that, and people think that's cool.
Male voice: Live above the influence––above weed.*
In case you missed it, liking indie rock was used there as a metaphor for being a brainless stoner intent on leading an inherently fake existence. So you kids just drop your joints and back slowly away from the Death Cab For Cutie cds. In fact, just leave your iPods over there by the door on your way out. There's no telling what kind of unhomogenized stoner crap might be on them.
*Brought to you by the slightly misguided and bizarre people at abovetheinluence.com.
NB: Apparently I am woefully behind the times. Either that or have enough sense to never listen to the radio. Pitchfork Media wrote about this all the way back in October of last year.
Tagged: drugs, musicPosted by Lexiphane at April 23, 2007 3:35 PM
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Comments
Wow, I wonder what a billion indians would have to say about this one!
Posted by: Anonymous at April 23, 2007 5:53 PM
If you don't get the comment above, I'm right with you. It took me about three minutes of puzzled though to realize what it was supposed to mean. I think the commentor was referring to the fact that "indie rock" might be from India, or maybe they misread it as hindi rock. I'm not sure.
Posted by: Lexiphane ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.lexiphane.com/mt/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 23, 2007 10:49 PM