Entertainment Monday: Animal Themed Songs (Monday September 21st 2015)
The political season is upon us in the United States with primaries ramping up heading towards the 2016 Presidential Election, but even before that takes place, this years general election will be held on the first Tuesday in November. In thinking about our approaching elections I was considering how the Elephant and Donkey came to represent the Republican and Democratic parties respectively in the United States, and how animals become symbols and play such an important roll in the cultures of so many disparate societies. I am not entirely sure where or how the Elephant and Donkey came to represent the two primary political parties in the United States. I have the sense that it may have derived from early American Political cartoons and perhaps began with the famous American Political cartoonist Thomas Nast. While it may be something of a stretch to move from Animals as symbols to our weekly Entertainment Monday, whilst I was thinking of the approaching election my thoughts turned, as they so often do, to music. Not necessarily music about politics or political messages, but music about animals or songs where animals are symbolic or metaphoric.
So that's how my warped and easily sidetracked thinking brought me to the desire to share some of my favorite Animal Themed Songs for our Entertainment Monday this week.
XTC is a British Band that I have mentioned here many times before as one of if not my favorite band of all time. One of my favorite animal themed tunes is a song called My Bird Performs by XTC.
My Bird Performs by XTC
A current song that is growing in popularity that I really like is called Monkey Tree by the group Mother Mother.
Monkey Tree by Mother Mother
Mammal by They Might Be Giants covers a number of our furry little friends.
Mammal by They Might Be Giants
A band I like a lot that I don't believe I've ever shared here is Grouplove and their song Shark Attack is one of my favorite Animal Songs. I always enjoy the Calypso sound to the song.
Shark Attack by Grouplove
Spirit Animals are a popular thing for people to associate themselves with. While I'm not sure where the whole spirit animal discourse was derived from, if I had to choose a spirit animal it would probably be a cow as cows were my favorite animal when I was little. I'd be very tempted to go with the lion though simply because of the new song Touch the Lion a song that really rocks by the band Megafauna which I absolutely love. Oh, and Gold Lion by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs which came out roughly a decade ago (even though the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are still cranking out some great music) is an awesome tune too.
Touch the Lion by Megafauna
Gold Lion by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs
There are so many other songs that I could choose to share as well considering how vast the animal themed content is when it comes to music. What are some of your favorite songs that feature animals or animal symbolism?
I enjoyed listening to all the songs Jon bear! I particularly liked the first two songs. Your song theme was unusual. I really pray that America gets a good president.
ReplyDeleteYes I pray we get a good President too. What we also need though are good senators and congressmen/women who work with the President to make progress in America. Unfortunately the President cannot do it alone even though they take the bulk of the credit or blame as it is. I think that with each passing Presidency that Congress becomes a bigger thorn in the President's side. ='(
ReplyDeleteGood point Jon.
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