““Welcome to the Welcome to the Future”Future”

Brad PaisleyBrad Paisley

Sociology Unit 2Sociology Unit 2

Music & American Culture Music & American Culture Assignment ExampleAssignment Example

Song LyricsSong Lyrics When I was ten years old,When I was ten years old,

I remember thinkin’ how cool it would be,I remember thinkin’ how cool it would be,When we were goin’ on an eight hour drive,When we were goin’ on an eight hour drive,If I could just watch T.V. If I could just watch T.V.

And I’d have given anythingAnd I’d have given anythingTo have my own PacMan game at homeTo have my own PacMan game at homeI used to have to get a ride down to the arcadeI used to have to get a ride down to the arcadeNow I’ve got it on my phone.Now I’ve got it on my phone.

He-e-ey ….He-e-ey ….Glory glory hallelujahGlory glory hallelujahWelcome to the futureWelcome to the future

My grandpa was in World War II,My grandpa was in World War II,He fought against the Japanese.He fought against the Japanese.He wrote a hundred letters to my grandmaHe wrote a hundred letters to my grandmaMailed em from his base in the PhilippinesMailed em from his base in the Philippines

I wish they could see this now,I wish they could see this now,Where they say this change can goWhere they say this change can goCause I was on a video chat this morningCause I was on a video chat this morningWith a company in TokyoWith a company in Tokyo

He-e-ey ….He-e-ey ….Everyday is a revolution.Everyday is a revolution.Welcome to the future.Welcome to the future.

He-e-ey ….He-e-ey ….Look around it’s all so clearLook around it’s all so clearHe-e-ey ….He-e-ey ….Wherever we would go and well we…Wherever we would go and well we…He-e-ey ….He-e-ey ….So many things I never thought I’d see…So many things I never thought I’d see…Happening right in front of meHappening right in front of me

I had a friend in school,I had a friend in school,Running-back on a football team,Running-back on a football team,They burned a cross in his front yardThey burned a cross in his front yardFor asking out the home-coming queenFor asking out the home-coming queen

I thought about him today,I thought about him today,Everybody who’s seen what he’s seen,Everybody who’s seen what he’s seen,From a woman on a busFrom a woman on a busTo a man with a dreamTo a man with a dream

He-e-ey ….He-e-ey ….Wake up Martin LutherWake up Martin LutherWelcome to the futureWelcome to the futureHe-e-ey …He-e-ey …Glory glory hallelujahGlory glory hallelujahWelcome to the futureWelcome to the future

American Values American Values

ProgressProgress Efficiency and PracticalityEfficiency and Practicality ScienceScience Material ComfortMaterial Comfort Racism & Group SuperiorityRacism & Group Superiority Equal OpportunitiesEqual Opportunities

ProgressProgress

The title The title “Welcome to the Future”“Welcome to the Future” illustrates the concept of Progressillustrates the concept of Progress

Americans are optimistic about the Americans are optimistic about the future and believe that the future will future and believe that the future will be better than the presentbe better than the present

We associate the words glory & We associate the words glory & hallelujah with good thingshallelujah with good things

““Hey ….Glory glory hallelujahHey ….Glory glory hallelujahWelcome to the future”Welcome to the future”

Progress (continued)Progress (continued)

Americans see progress as having Americans see progress as having the latest & greatest thingthe latest & greatest thing

““And I’d have given anythingAnd I’d have given anything

To have my own PacMan game at homeTo have my own PacMan game at homeI used to have to get a ride down to the arcadeI used to have to get a ride down to the arcadeNow I’ve got it on my phone.”Now I’ve got it on my phone.”

Efficiency and PracticalityEfficiency and Practicality

Americans value Americans value activity that gets activity that gets things done in the things done in the least amount of least amount of time and most time and most efficient wayefficient way

Better technology Better technology allows us to do allows us to do more in more more in more places in a more places in a more expedient mannerexpedient manner

““He wrote a He wrote a hundred letters to hundred letters to my grandmamy grandmaMailed them from Mailed them from his base in the his base in the PhilippinesPhilippines

Cause I was on a Cause I was on a video chat this video chat this morningmorningWith a company in With a company in Tokyo”Tokyo”

ScienceScience

American look for new technology to American look for new technology to improve our livesimprove our lives

Video chats allow us to communicate real Video chats allow us to communicate real time; no waiting for news or time with our time; no waiting for news or time with our loved onesloved ones

““He wrote a hundred letters to my grandmaHe wrote a hundred letters to my grandmaMailed them from his base in the PhilippinesMailed them from his base in the Philippines

I wish they could see this now,I wish they could see this now,Where they say this change can goWhere they say this change can goCause I was on a video chat this morningCause I was on a video chat this morningWith a company in Tokyo”With a company in Tokyo”

Material ComfortMaterial Comfort

Americans value Americans value material things and material things and how these things how these things entertain usentertain us

We define ourselves We define ourselves by the things we haveby the things we have

Portable tv and dvd Portable tv and dvd playersplayers

Cell phones with game Cell phones with game applicationsapplications

When we were goin’ on When we were goin’ on an eight hour drive,an eight hour drive,If I could just watch T.V. If I could just watch T.V.

And I’d have given And I’d have given anythinganythingTo have my own To have my own PacMan game at homePacMan game at homeI used to have to get a I used to have to get a ride down to the arcaderide down to the arcadeNow I’ve got it on my Now I’ve got it on my phone.phone.

Racism & Group SuperiorityRacism & Group Superiority

The song discusses how a black The song discusses how a black American was discriminated against American was discriminated against for asking out a white girlfor asking out a white girl

““I had a friend in school,I had a friend in school,Running-back on a football team,Running-back on a football team,They burned a cross in his front They burned a cross in his front yardyardFor asking out the home-coming For asking out the home-coming queen”queen”

Equal OpportunitiesEqual Opportunities The song explains how the The song explains how the

actions Martin Luther King actions Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks have and Rosa Parks have moved the United States moved the United States toward equalitytoward equality

Their actions have resulted Their actions have resulted in the United States in the United States currently having a Black currently having a Black PresidentPresident

I thought about him I thought about him today,today,Everybody who’s seen Everybody who’s seen what he’s seen,what he’s seen,From a woman on a busFrom a woman on a busTo a man with a dreamTo a man with a dream

He-e-ey ….He-e-ey ….Wake up Martin LutherWake up Martin LutherWelcome to the futureWelcome to the futureHe-e-ey …He-e-ey …Glory glory hallelujahGlory glory hallelujahWelcome to the futureWelcome to the future

Meaning of the SongMeaning of the Song

Americans look to the future Americans look to the future optimistically with hopeoptimistically with hope

We believe that tomorrow will always We believe that tomorrow will always be betterbe better

The song gives examples of how The song gives examples of how things have changed for the betterthings have changed for the better

New technology, more equalityNew technology, more equality