Kurt Cobain (Nirvana guitarist and chief lyricist) commented on more than one occasion that his favourite book was Perfume. The lyrics of Scentless Apprentice (from the In Utero album) were inspired by the novel and are based on Grenouille. The voice in the song lyrics shifts - can you identify in what way? On what aspects of character does Cobain choose to focus?
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/n/nirvana/scentless+apprentice_20100988.html
How does literature inspire or prompt us to analyse once we look through the lens that the writer/dramatist/ poet presents to us? ( Remember that understanding the social and historical and cultural context of the time the work was written is vital)
The song Redhead Girl by French band Air is also inspired by Perfume. Click on the name of the song listen to both on Youtube - what moods are evoked by each of the songs? Can you map the journey of the song in descriptive language?
6 comments:
The voice in the song lyrics of Scentless Apprentice (from the In Utero album) shifts in a very prompt way. It starts off with 'babies' - NEWBORNS, STARTING LIVES and carries on with how 'like no other' the baby is and then ends up with "I won't throw a fit" even when someone "throw(s) (him) in the fire" - DEATH. I think the shortness of the song lyrics shows how simple Jean Baptiste Grenouille's life is but yet his strong resilience to go against all odds, especially his difference from others.
I suppose Cobain choose to focus on Jean Baptiste Grenouille's determination and dedication to making perfume, and that it is his life, everything he's got and nothing can take him away from it.
Scentless Apprentice evokes an angry mood (may be because of the singer's voice but not the lyrics itself) but it definitely has a very passionate tone.
The song Redhead Girl by French band Air is however, very different from Scentless Apprentice. Redhead Girl evokes a very calm and relaxing mood. The melody is slow and beautiful, the surprisingly short lyrics thus helps the melody to stand out even more. It is amazing!
True- In Scentless Apprentice, Nirvana's old style of hard grunge is very obvious and this adds a fantastic touch to the song. It made me feel almost the same way as i felt when i read the book.
The lyrics of redhead girl don't seem to have anything to do with perfume. Air tends to make all their songs sound similar and so their lyrics are sort of left behind. I mean, the lyrics in redhead girl really don't have any astounding effect. In fact, they don't have any effect at all.- in my opinion!
I love Redhead Girl because of the use of the music to create the imagery of the smells enveloping the listener. The sounds of the synthesizers are airy and so give the feeling of the smells. The different melodies weave in and out of each other as if they are each different scents. I think that the redhead girl is the sound of the tinkling bells because of the pure beauty of it and the way it comes and goes, as if the listener keeps losing it. This can be compared to when Grenouille notices the first girl's scent and tries to find her in the midst of all the other overwhelming smells of Paris.
I think that both songs reflect the mood of Grenouille at some point in the novel.
The mood of Scentless Apprentice is quite angry, and the genre of music provokes a grungy feel inside the listener as well. I think the song reflects how Grenouille felt as he was born into the world without scent and also his desire to posses the scent of the girls and become a scent "God".
Redhead Girl makes the audience feel what Grenouille feels when he sees the Redhead Girl. We can sense the charm that she has on him with the bells in the background, and the mysterious lust and desire that he feels as the song has a "dreamy" sensation to it.
The song "Scentless apprentice" evokes an angry mood, words at the end of the sentence like "semen" "secrets" elongate, this emphasises the mystery power Jean Baptiste Grenouille possesses, and how Cobain foreshadows the dangers since the supernatural ability has fallen to the wrong hand. The repetition of "go away" at high pitch highlights how unwanted Grenouille is, as if he's a heavy load, people detests him due to his senseless born. Cobain seems to put himself into the position of Grenouille, sympathises for the unfortunate fate, and that Grenouille could have been a better person if the society shows him some respect, appreciates his existence.
"Redhead girl" on the other hand has a very lulling melody. Its softness and repetition of "Goes by" gives me the feeling that another girl has been murdered. Air concentrated more on the melody rather than the lyric itself. A feeling of peace is enhanced, but when the minor key is hit, sadness is highlighted. The chorus sings like in a funeral, calm yet mournful.
These comments really reflect depth of musical appreciation and the link it has with language and imagery. It also shows the power that music has to evoke feelings in us.
All comments here are sensitive, detailed and very personal. There is a high level of interpretation and discussion here, brilliant work : )
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