The Discourse of Protest, Resistance and Social Commentary in Reggae Music: A Bakhtinian Analysis of Pacific Reggae (Routledge Studies in Linguistics)

A comprehensive, engaging and timely Bakhtinian examination of the ways in which the music and lyrics of Pacific reggae, aspects of performance, a record album cover and the social and political context construct social commentary, resistance and protest. Framed predominantly by the theory and philosophy of Russian literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin, this innovative investigation of the discourse of Pacific reggae in New Zealand produces a multi-faceted analysis of the dialogic relationships that create meaning in this genre of popular music. It focuses on the award-winning EP What’s Be Happen? by the band Herbs, which has been recognised for its ground-breaking music and social commentary in the early 1980s. Herbs’ songs address the racism and ideology of the apartheid regime in South Africa and the relationship between sport and politics, as well as universally relevant conflicts over race relations, the experiences of migrants, and the historic and ongoing loss of indigenous people’s lands. The book demonstrates the striking compatibility between Bakhtin’s theorisation of utterances as ethical acts and reggae music, along with the Rastafari philosophy that underpins it, which speaks of resistance to social injustice, of ethical values and the kind of society people seek to achieve. It will appeal to a cross-disciplinary audience of scholars in Bakhtin studies; discourse analysis; popular cultural studies; the literary analysis of popular music and lyrics, and those with an interest in the culture and politics of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific region. Chapter 1 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license. Cover Half Title Series Information Endorsement Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Figures Acknowledgements 1 Constructing an Encounter Between Mikhail Bakhtin and the New Zealand Band Herbs Introduction Outline of the Political, Social and Historical Context Herbs’ Cultural Contribution Drawing On Bakhtin in a Focus On Recorded Songs Utterances as Responsible Moral Deeds Discourse and Heteroglossia Dialogism in Discourse Approaches to Analysis Notes Discography References 2 Message Music and Meaning Music Matters: the Cultural Significance of Popular Music Protest and Resistance in Popular Music Resistance and the Music of the African Diaspora Reggae: Message Music and Its Roots as Resistance The Rising Up of Rastafari Rasta Talk Pinnacle Appropriation and Hybridisation: Reggae as a Global Genre Music and Identity Defining Culture and Identity Music, Cultural Identity and Identification Recordings as Primary Texts Notes Discography References 3 Mikhail Bakhtin: Dialogism, Discourse and Ethics Introduction An Overview of Bakhtin’s Life and Works Self, Other, Responsibility (Answerability) and Outsideness Dialogic Relations in Discourse Unfinalisability Form and Content: Literary Works as Social (Textual) and Ethical Acts The Chronotope Dialogism and the Multi-Faceted Notion of Dialogic Discourse Authoritative and Internally Persuasive Discourses Heteroglossia Words, Discourse, Utterances and Meaning Extending the Notion of Context Notes References 4 The Social, Political and Cultural Context Introduction Protest Against Social Injustice in New Zealand Maori Land Rights Bastion Point Protest Against Involvement in the American War in Vietnam, Nuclear Testing in the Pacific and Sporting Contacts With South Africa The Impact of Economic Downturn On Pasifika People and Urban Maori The Haka Party Incident Bob Marley and Reggae in New Zealand Herbs Herbs’ Appropriation of Reggae and Bakhtin’s Notions of Genre and Appropriation Notes Discography References 5 Politics, Protest and Resistance in Herbs’ What’s Be Happen? Introduction “Azania (Soon Come)” “Soon Come”: Jamaican Patois and Double-Voiced Discourse Musical and Lyrical Form and Lyrical Content: Call and Response Heteroglossia: Slogans as Double-Voiced Discourse Compression and Association; Phonic Connections and Internal Textual Relationships Dialogic Interplay and Polyphony in Vocal Performance Time, Space and the Chronotope In Summary: Call, Response, and the Voices of Others in Protest “One Brotherhood” Sonic Form and Juxtapositions Phonic Connections and Re-Accentuation Language Choices Considering Time-Space Relationships In Summary: Protest and a Plea for Resistance Conclusion Notes Discography References 6 Narratives of Experience and Identity Introduction “What’s Be Happen?” Sonic Form Hidden Dialogue Polyglossia and Identity Stylised Skaz Multiple Chronotopes Reggae Rhythms and Double-Voiced Discourse in Social Commentary “Dragons and Demons” Direct Unmediated Discourse Rastafari Spirituality The Struggle Between Internally Persuasive and Authoritative Discourses A Chronotope of Narrators and Listeners “Whistling in the Dark” Direct, Unmediated Discourse Elements of Double-Voiced Discourse Dialogic Relations in the Notion of Whistling Lyrical Content, Lyrical and Performative Form A Chronotope of the Road Form, Content and Social Commentary “Reggae’s Doing Fine” Double-voiced Discourse and Explicit References to Other Texts Time, Space and the Chronotope Interwoven With the Words of Bob Marley Conclusion Notes Discography References 7 Taking Sides: Herbs’ Album Cover Introduction What’s Be Happen? and What’s Going On? Typographic Form and Meaning Images, Colour and Text On the Album Cover Track Sequence: Framing the Narrative Summary Notes Discography References 8 Coda Summarising Herbs’ Construction of Social Commentary, Resistance and Protest Textual Practices and Patterns of Language Use Double-voiced Discourse Five Key Themes Songs of Protest The Political Significance of Herbs’ Album Closing, But Not the Last Words Notes References Index "A comprehensive, engaging and timely Bakhtinian examination of the ways in which the music and lyrics of Pacific reggae, aspects of performance, a record album cover, and the social and political context construct social commentary, resistance and protest. Framed predominantly by the theory and philosophy of Russian literary theorist Mikhail Bakhtin, this innovative investigation of the discourse of Pacific reggae in New Zealand produces a multi-faceted analysis of the dialogic relationships that create meaning in this genre of popular music. It focuses on the award-winning record EP What's Be Happen? by the band Herbs, which has been recognised for its ground-breaking music and social commentary in the early 1980s. Herbs' songs address the racism and ideology of the apartheid regime in South Africa and the relationship between sport and politics, as well as universally relevant conflicts over race relations, the experiences of migrants, and the historic and ongoing loss of indigenous people's lands. The book demonstrates the striking compatibility between Bakhtin's theorisation of utterances as ethical acts and reggae music, along with the Rastafari philosophy that underpins it, which speaks of resistance to social injustice, of ethical values and the kind of society people seek to achieve. It will appeal to a cross-disciplinary audience of scholars in Bakhtin studies; discourse analysis; popular cultural studies; the literary analysis of popular music and lyrics, and those with an interest in the culture and politics of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific region"-- Provided by publisher This innovative investigation of the discourse of Pacific reggae in Aotearoa New Zealand produces a multi-faceted analysis of the dialogic relationships that construct meaning in this genre of popular music.