Not music to my ears

By Paula Taylor (JIN Magazine)
Updated: 2013-01-08

Is it just me that doesn’t get it? What is so funny about Gangnam Style? This song, as you probably know, has become the most watched YouTube video ever. Why??? A Korean newspaper columnist lamented this song’s popularity claiming it dumbed down the Korean language. Many people were curious as to the meaning of the lyrics and a newspaper in the UK said "Gangnam Style" is about rich people living in a rich area who are just concerned about spending money and outer appearances, the song parodies the huge differences between rich and poor in Korea”. However the Korean columnist went on to explain the true meaning of the lyrics which includes the lines "A guy who one-shots his coffee before it even cools down", and "A girl whose heart gets hotter when night comes”. He wondered what part of the song gave the impression that it was parodying the gap between rich and poor.

This song will not win the Ivor Novello Award, nor will it win any prizes for artistic direction. However it appears that I and the Korean columnist are in the minority as accolades continue to be heaped upon PSY. He appeared at Oxford University and gave a talk to the students there; he made the cover of what is widely regarded to be the music bible, Billboard magazine; he was awarded an accolade from Time Magazine, “Fleeting Celebrity of the Year”; he is due to appear at a high profile Christmas party in the US and perform in front of President Obama, the list goes on. His influence has also penetrated China.

I have asked my Chinese friends why it is so popular here and some also do not get the joke but one said “We Chinese have no natural rhythm and most people cannot dance but we can do this dance so we like it”. Chinese people love to analyze deeply and do not understand why there is no deep meaning to this song, so it is the dance, rather than the song itself that has become so popular here. To this end the video has been faithfully copied by myriad Chinese fans and is fast becoming famous, but this time as a Chinese performance, albeit done by amateurs. Favourite Chinese versions include the students at Shanxi University, whose video has been watched over 37,000 times, Sichuan University Gangnam Style, Dalian Maritime University Gangnam Style and particularly noteworthy is the Sun Yat-sen University video, which has clocked up an astonishing 1,950,000 views. We know that the Chinese are expert copyists, but did they really feel that the world needs more Gangnam style? Another reason it has generated interest here is that PSY is Asian and the Chinese are wondering why they cannot create just as popular a song, why they cannot achieve world domination, musically speaking.

Despite the fact that some records drive us crazy, we find ourselves inadvertently humming along to the tune every time they are played. When Rihanna’s record ‘Umbrella’ first came out I absolutely loved it. However a week or two later I was ready to inflict violence on my friends. It rains a lot in England, so there were so many opportunities for people to say “Don’t forget your umbrella” upon which others would chorus “...ella, ella, ella”. I actually threatened my friends that if anyone said this to me one more time I would not be responsible for my actions.

Does China have any songs that drive people crazy When discussing this topic I asked a friend “You know that really annoying song, the one they play at the end of the year in every shop, gongxi ni fa cai?” She said “No. Only you are annoyed by that song, we like it”. I laughed so much at her response that I started choking. The reason it annoys me is that the female band members sing in fake little girl voices that Chinese people find cute, but which I cannot for the life of me understand why this is considered good.

OK Let me rephrase my question, does China have any songs that drive Chinese people crazy? Yes indeed, but sometimes it is the lyrics that are the problem. I heard a lovely song with nice lyrics - except for the chorus. Here are some of the words “When I hear your voice I get a special feeling, I will never change my mind, I will love you forever, I don't care how stupid it is I will let my dream come true, I will tell you something, I wanna let you know, even if every day has a storm, I will always by your side I am willing to do anything to make you happy, if you want our love to come true, I will try very hard to never change, I love you, I love you, as mice love rice”.

Quite nice except the line “I love you as mice love rice”?? Whoever thought that this added anything to the romanticism of the song? Apparently Asian people love it, it is phenomenally popular here and has spawned many versions, apart from Hong Kong and Taiwan, there are also Vietnamese, Thai and Cambodian versions. It must be because Asian people love rice and it is valuable to them. I can’t see the lyrics taking off in the west though, they would have to be changed to our equivalent of rice, something like “I love you like a potato, or I love you like bread”. Asian people understand the sentiments behind this song, but we do not have the same relationship with food. However this song does annoy some Chinese people, a lady told me she feels like throwing up every time she hears it. I imagine there are lots of Chinese guys telling their girls that they love them like mice love rice. If you have a Chinese boyfriend/girlfriend or are married to a Chinese person, try using this line on them and see what reaction you get. Better still try saying it to your western partner, substituting the word rice for a more suitable comestible. Please, if you ever see me do be sure to tell me what they say. It is so uncool it is sure to become cool.

Or how about “Aiqing Maimai”, translated as buying and selling love. I think you will agree this can be interpreted in a dubious way as well as romantically. Much to my chagrin since I heard it I haven’t stopped singing it.

Meanwhile it was revealed that in 2002 and 2004 PSY took part in anti-American Rallies and sung a song containing such choice lyrics as 'Kill those Yankees who have been torturing Iraqi captives. Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers. Kill them all slowly and painfully.' The protests were because two Korean children were killed by an American tank and requests for the soldiers to be tried by the Korean courts were refused, and the Iraqi war respectively. Although PSY has apologized, Americans have reacted in fury and have called for the President to boycott the Christmas concert, hence his next song may not be such a smash there.