Textual Analysis: Parallel Worlds

In the essay, “Parallel Worlds,” Denise Noe contends that country and western and pop music are similar in many ways. The motivation of writing the essay is to exploit the different connotations and meanings people or society place on these different genres of music. Therefore, she intended to clarify the really meaning, similarities and differences in the three kinds of music genres. Amongst these three categories of music, rap is often criticized because of its promotion of the economic ideologies of Americans. Country, western and pop music have similarities as all of them tell stories and aim to inform the society.

Both country-and-western and rap music aim to deliver a message to their audience. The message is achieved or delivered through telling of story just like the folk music. Therefore, Noe contended that music is an avenue or a medium through which ideas are transmitted to the audience. In both the genres, lyrics are more important compared to either rhythm or beat. Furthermore, both of the genres incorporate sexual aspects in their music. For instance, females are depicted to be lesser than male sexes.

The genre is also true depiction of reality of what is going on in the world. For instance, country and western music places its emphasis on the issue of gender and money whereas pop music places its emphasis on poverty and money. Despite these similarities, there is a lot of criticism that is leveled on the pop genre of music compared to country and western. The reason behind these differences is because of the violence, drug and sex aspects that come out in pop compared to country and western music.

The author also asserts that rap music is more often attacked because of its favor of capitalist of American ideology as opposed to country and western. Country and western music complains about the hard life that poor and working class people go through. They soil their hands, work very hard and are left with little time to enjoy their life. This, therefore, demonstrates that the two genres of music are perceived differently by their audience and their message means a lot or rather stimulate/trigger different emotions and imagination amongst its listeners.

The author also argues that the way both genres of music are heard is different and this triggers different understanding among the listeners. The idea of violence in the rap songs is misunderstood compared to country and western. For example, phrases such as “let the suburbs see a nigga invasion, smoke the Caucasian” are usually interpreted as incitement for violence. While on the other hand, words such as “Oney”Crows are,” in country and western music are interpreted or taken as jokes. However, both music is aimed at delivering information that affects the society and therefore, there is no need for the society to accord different meaning to the words.

It is therefore true that the country-and- western music and pop seek to achieve a certain objectives. They have similarities, in terms of what they convey, their intention and kinds of lyrics that they use. Even though pop is perceived negatively because of its harsh tone, and direct use of language, it shares unpleasant truths.

The differences between the country and western and pop that country and western music talks about issues in amore passive manner as compared to pop music. But, both the genre aim at addressing the society and triggering change of behavioral actions. Therefore, overall, I conquer that there is striking similarities between the two genres of music i.e. rap and country-and-music.