Under The Bridge Repetition

Music analysis 1

The popular song, Black or White released by Michael Jackson in 1991 involved the racism and how skin color shouldn't matter. Michael Jackson's record company described the song as “a rock ‘n’ roll dance song about racial harmony”. During this same year the song Under the Bridge was released by Red Hot Chili Peppers. The song was about the lead singer Anthony Kiedis’s experience as an heroin addict, and under the bridge was where he would sometimes go to purchase and use drugs. Although these songs were released around the same time Black or White was a top hit while Under the Bridge wasn’t during its release. Black or White had more success than Under the Bridge due to the song's use of repetition, also the genre people were into at the time, and performance style.

The rhythm of the song is based on musematic repetition, which allows listeners to gain predictability, and according to Theodor Adorno predictability grants popularity through culture. While Red Hot Chili Peppers’ release of Under the Bridge starts out with a guitar solo involving flow. Rather than repetition. The more we hear repetition in songs the more attracted we are to a song, allowing the song to stick to us. During the time these songs were released the genre society was interested in was songs involving rock, and new jack swing. Black or White considered a rock ‘n’ roll song had a beat that gave an energetic feeling. Allowing listeners to become happy perhaps if the lyrics were negative the same effect would be produced. Under the Bridge is considered a classical rock song or alternative rock song, although the beat can produce a feeling of sadness. Due to the longer and slower beat. Under the bridge is a song that has a lower pitch. Which wasn't in with popular media at the