In an era of fast-food music and instant gratification, there's a song titled Black Gold that attempts to swim upstream. Written by Esperanza Spalding and exploring the black American experience, this track was released in 2012, during an era that didn't exactly lack for cultural commentary. So why does it feel like listening to 'Black Gold' only leaves you with fool's gold? Because sentiment alone doesn’t mine the richness of history, nor does it provide solutions—a realization that's crucial for those who like their music to mean something beyond Instagram likes.
Empty Lyrics: Songs are meant to inspire and elevate, not leave you scratching your head. When 'Black Gold' plays, one is left pondering the disjointed lyrics that attempt to cover complex historical issues without offering any actionable insight or direction. The song tries to speak to the African-American youth, referencing struggle and achievement, but hardly transcends the everyday rhetoric that feels as overplayed as yesterday’s hits.
A Placid Melody: Now, melody is subjective, but basic harmony shouldn't have us hunting for a melody that sends more of a lull than a message. When you think of songs written to make a statement, you think of stirring tunes that grab your attention, not lullabies that might make you nod off. 'Black Gold' suffers from what we call attempted artistry without the impactful punch.
Unmasking the Agenda: It can't be ignored that songs like this seek to mold young minds into thinking they are victims without providing them the inspiring call-to-action they need. When music is supposed to be empowering, falling prey to portraying just a portion of the history without extracting essential themes of achievement and progress feels like a missed opportunity.
Evading Responsibility: Instead of a song that advocates personal responsibility and justice through effort, 'Black Gold' offers up a catchy, yet ultimately banal, take on resilience. This does not encourage hard work or genuine self-betterment, but rather wallows in the comfort of the struggle without prescribing the work required to overcome it.
Interlacing Identity Politics: One of music's often overlooked powers is its ability to transcend time and circumstance, providing something timeless and universal. 'Black Gold' attempts to engage with the most surface-level assertions of identity politics, inevitably neglecting the chance to delve deeper into shared experiences and opportunities for unity.
Packaging Passive Consumption as Awareness: Songs like 'Black Gold' usually come hailed as educational tools. But let’s face the truth—they often encourage passive learning. The narrative is simply consumed, digested without nutritional value. No listener walks away with actionable knowledge, just a few strained, repeated verses.
Lost Sale in Life Lessons: If a song encourages you to identify wrongs in life, it should also provide tools to navigate and overcome them. Without a hint of proactivity, 'Black Gold' neglects the wisdom of perseverance, innovation, and pragmatic self-improvement that real history offers us all if we are brave enough to accept it.
Floating on Nostalgia: It's one thing to appreciate history but another to stay anchored in its nostalgia without recognizing current opportunities. This song reflects an antiquated view while the world moves forward, void of a comprehensive angle showcasing how far society has come and the hopes for a brighter future.
A Missed Masterpiece: Music lovers long for compositions that resonate through generations. A potential masterpiece named 'Black Gold' could have achieved that with the right blend of upliftment and vigor, reminding us all of the growth from past to present and inspiring continued effort.
What Lies Beyond the Music: When culture warps like an echo chamber and songs are celebrated more for intention than excellence, it’s no surprise that genuine contributions to society from art, music, or literature go unrecognized. It's time we ask more from our artists, presenting works that marry sentimentality with solid aspirations, striving for something uniquely outstanding in the process.