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A Spoonful of Sugar...~ Logan Turner

 While reading the words of St. Basil, the image of someone drinking medicine with honey around the rim of the cup just refused to leave my mind, so naturally that's what I'm going to talk about. 

In the allegory, the lyrics of the songs are the bitter medicine. The music and melody that accompany the song are the honey. They make the meaning of the song digestible and pleasing. For those who are unable to understand what the song is saying, the honey makes the song enjoyable, even without them grasping the reality of what the song is about. For those who do understand the meaning of the song, the music is just like the icing on the cake. Not completely necessary, but you immediately realize that something's not there if it's missing. However, I disagree with what Augustine says about this. I personally see nothing wrong with getting swept up into the music as opposed to the meaning behind the songs. As long as one does not completely forget the meaning of these songs, I see no harm in it. 


Edit: Commented on Jackson Riddle's and Lily Caswell's posts

Comments

  1. IsabelleFebruary 9, 2021 at 7:53 AM

    This is a great analogy! Not to bring up a secular song, but the lyrics to "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bob Marley do NOT match the tune. Every verse has something along the lines of poverty and depression, but the only advice Marley gives is to be happy. The tune and title give the impression that it's a happy song, but it's not. I think this is what Augustine means by not getting swept up in the music. You have to focus on the deeper meaning behind the song or else you'll be singing a song about toxic positivity without even realizing it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haley RiddleFebruary 9, 2021 at 9:32 AM

    I like this analogy. I also agree with what you are saying, I think Augustine needed to chill a bit about people enjoying music for more than the lyrics.

    ReplyDelete

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