Seven Sins: Wrath
Friday, March 13, 2009
As part of our weekly series "Seven Sins: The Deadly Medley," we look at how wrath is manifested in music and lyrics. Washington Post pop music critic J. Freedom du Lac and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang (creator of such sinful-sounding works like "Cheating, Lying, Stealing") join us to show how a variety of genres express anger. Plus, we take your calls and comments.
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer gets a little angry
List: David Lang's deadly medley
List: Josh du Lac's deadly medley
Comments [41]
How About "Rose's Turn" from "Gypsy". When she
cries out at the end,
"For Me!" For Me!" For Me!" she is addressing
the fates, the heavens and all the powers
that be. I saw Ethel Merman in the original and I am always haunted by her cries of anger, and the seeming injustice of its never being
for her, like a knife slashing the air, and
destiny itself.
How about "Rose's Turn" in "Gypsy".
I saw the original with Merman, and I still remember her cries, "For Me!", so angry!!
MARY FROM MANHATTAN
THOSE BOOTS WERE MAKE FOR WALKING BY NANCY SINATRA
How about the song from the play "Chicago" - "He Had it Coming." As evident from the location of where the girls are singing the song, their wrath got the best of them.
These two songs are full of youthful, righteous anger.
We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister and Anthem 2000 by Silverchair
In Kina's song, "Girl From the Gutter", she is getting back at her mean ex-boyfriend through her success in life:
"...I hope your hell is filled with magazines
And on every page you see a big picture of me
And under every picture the caption should read
Not bad for a girl from the gutter like me..."
These two songs are full of youthful, righteous anger.
We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister and Anthem 2000 by Silverchair
john!!!! WHY IS NOONE MENTIONING ANY PUNK!!! Cmon....Minor Threat, Black Flag, the list goes on and on!!!
If you want to find wrath in Broadway musicals look to Chess by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus with lyrics by Tim Rice. The song, Pity the Child is a 5 minute screaming rant angainst everyone - parents, former girlfriends, chess partners, etc. When Chess didn't do so well on Broadway, one critic said it was because the characters were angry all the time.
This is an old one: how about Eve of Destruction?
I agree with the Norwegian Wood comment.
i'm gonna burn your playhouse down--graham parker
How about the mother of all angry songs-- A Boy Named Sue?
or else new orleans songster Glynn Styler
"You killed my Love
You committted romanticide
When you said you were not satisfied
With an asshole Like Me"
Screaming for vengeance, anyone? Metallica? Most of Nirvana. You can be wrathful in content, or in delivery. But guys, the Angry Dance? How in the scale of angry is that; maybe an angry kitten dance or something...
"Gaucho" by Steely Dan
MEKONS
"Revenge"
Revenge ain't so sweet but it'll have to do
revenge is just about as sweet as I feel about you"
My favorite anger song is Don Henley Must Die by Mojo Nixon since it is so arbitrary. My favorite lyric:
Don't let him get back together
With Glenn Frey!
Don Henley must die!
I think the whole genre of 'metal' (in all of it's ranges, from Death Metal to Black Metal) is the pure embodiment of wrath ranging from the epic to personal. Most can't be played on the air, but "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Metallica can be. Other artists include Megadeth, Cannibal Corpse or Slayer.
do not forget the mekons' "revenge". hell the band even had an LP called "Revenge of the Mekons." Words for that song: "Revenge ain't so sweet, but it'll have to do, revenge is about as sweet as I feel about you."
What about James Horner's score to the movie "Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan"? Music to underscore an entire film about wrath and its consequences.
what about the commendatore scene in Mozart's Don Giovanni? After refusing to repent Don Giovanni is dragged into hell by the ghost of the commander.
I'd have to say "Pluto" by Bjork - the lyrics reassure that "I'll be brand new tomorrow" but not until she "gets this body off me" The music is punky synth abuse and several reviews of the album (Homogenic) even called the track unlistenable, noise, etc. I used to think so, too - until I heard it at the right time!
wrathful songs:
on romance, Bob Dylan's "Dirge"
("I hate myself for loving you")
on violence against women, including verbal biolence, Queen Latifah's U.N.I.T.Y. ("who you callin' a bitch?")
on injustice in particular on wrath and revenge, "They all deserve to die" from Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd
also the Commendatore scene in Mozart's Don Giovanni. Don Giovanni is brought to the underworld after refusing to repent.
you guys should check out "Puke" by Eminem. you feel how hurt and how angry he is... as long as your checking out Eminem might as well check "Kim", where Eminem kill his wife on the song....
Oh, and "Professional Widow" by Tori Amos. Esp. some live recordings. Doesn't get much more wrathful than that.
I suggest the song "Caught Out There" by Kelis. I'm not even a fan but I remember hearing it once and the chorus states over and over "I hate you so much right now" and I thought how ridiculous. But it is so obviously and overtly wrathful I had to mention it.
We can't forget Blondie's "One Way or Another."
'Norwegian Wood'
I think most people don't realize it ends with the girl's house being burned down.
I agree with NJTom
Wrath:
1 : strong vengeful anger or indignation
2 : retributory punishment for an offense or a crime : divine chastisement
wow what about Bob Dylan's "Idiot Wind"? pure wrath.
From hip hop, what about Queen Latifah's "Wrath of my Madness" from her classic debut album, 'All Hail the Queen.'
Axe, Eugene - great one! There are so many punk and probably rap ones it is hard to begin, so I'll go a different direction... Hate, a song by Sting's son's band Fiction Plane, is a poppy but fun take on being superior and angrily indignant about it.
Smashing Pumpkins' "Bullet with Butterfly Wings".
I Was Wrong by Social Distortion
Song about an angry abusive father and teenager angry at the world.
Social Distortion - I Was Wrong
Song about an abusive father and angry teenager.
Wrath is quite a bit more than anger.
"I Hate You So Much Right Now" by Kelis. It was like a wrathful anthem a few years ago.
Two you can't play, but certainly fit:
H-A-T-R-E-D - Tonio K.
You're Breaking my Heart - Harry Nilsson
I offer my personal faves "Doll Parts" by Courtney Love and "Goodbye Earl" by The Dixie Chicks.
"Careful with that Axe, Eugene" by Pink Floyd. The music slowly builds to a crescendo as the title words are the only one's spoken in the song. It is followed by screaming and a musical movement that seems to revel in the release of violence.
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