Music with a message (video choices)

As part of the project, the participants were asked to record songs which were important to them, has a message, or that they wanted others to hear. The following songs were chosen. For some of the young people the video was as important as the song,

Reggie’s choice was the Baz Luhrman song Wear Sunscreen

It’s basically a song about elderly reflection. The typical stuff that old people say, and you never listen to them. And his one piece of advice… is to wear sunscreen.  This song’s nice. It’s beautiful

Maylak’s choice was Eminem’s Mockingbird. He found it hard to explain why this song was important to him but he used to listen to the music and word over and over because it meant a lot.

Leah’s choice: Heaven 9/11 Remix DJ Sammy ft Little Girl

That’s my dad’s song. I love that song…..I don’t know how to put it but a lot of the stuff it says in the song my dad done it when he was younger…It was good ‘cos I liked how he pushed me on the swing. See you really have to listen to the song to know where I’m coming from…Everything to do with this song happened when I was younger. It’s amazing.

Steven and Thomas chose Watchtower by Devlin ft Ed Sheeran. Steven chose this song as a message for young people in residential care:

because that’s when it mainly goes wrong. When they can go out and start committing crime and stuff. Steven’s message to other young people is: ‘just do what you can. Do what you’re good at. Don’t be somebody that you’re not.

Thomas chose it because of the video:

It’s just the way you saw him do that stuff, that whatever was in the box..you can tell something must have went on. It was affecting his family, affecting his friends, and then it was showing…you cannae trust your pals and all that

Drab chose Read All About It by Professor Green, ft. Emeli Sande
Drab made his own video of Professor Green’s video playing on the TV. This was because the film was as important as the words. The video reminded him of when he was younger (like the boy in the film).

Cos I got very angry and that

Listening to the song allowed him to reflect on how he had changed, and how his anger had reduced. The boy in the film represented who he used to be.

Thomas and Drab  chose: Papa: can you hear me by  N’Dubz
Thomas chose the words of this song for ‘everyone who is doing stuff that is affecting their family’. Drab chose this song because it was a message to his granddad. When Drab played this song, he wished his granddad was sitting there too.

Daniel chose Jessie J’s Laserlight.  Daniel told us

I actually do love this song. It means a lot to me as well… Jessie J is singing about her fans. Her fans are like laserlights…making her feel proud and happy. They’re supporting her…The song makes me feel good as a person. I can’t actually live without this music. That’s why I love Jessie J. She inspires me to produce music and sing!