Post-Structuralism in Music
There are two sides of Post-Structuralism:
Post-structuralism identifies many perspectives and producers in ways of dealing with a text/language/system (Mastin, 2008b).
Challenges the limitations of structuralist ideologies where a text has one single meaning; the evolution of structuralism (Whisnant, 2012).
Basically put, Post-Structuralism is produced with the Author’s intention to either leave the text up for interpretation or blatantly hit limits that would be ordinarily censored in the norm of texts, for the purpose of having the audience interpret why they would resort to such methods.
Everything's Arbitrary!
In Philosophy:
Existentialism; 19/20th-century philosophy acknowledging and emphasising individual’s freedom to think, choose and develop their own opinion (Mastin, 2008a). Soren Kierkegaard believed that individuals should live in accordance with their thinking in an age when such a thing was left to the upper class or holy people (Mastin, 2008a). This was the catalyst for Post-Modernism and Post-Structuralism. As Structuralism focuses on systems and formulaic structure. Post-Structuralism focuses on the participation of audiences as well as speakers and conductors. The Reader replaces the Author with nobody perceiving as being wrong. (Mastin, 2008b).
Found in lyrics of songs,
Expressions and metaphors found in lyrics of songs are rooted from Post-structuralism in terms of
leaving the opinions to the audience. Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’; “If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It’s just a spring clean for the May queen (Zeppelin, 2010).” Some perceive these lyrics as the coming of Spring through the harsh end of winter, others depict this as trouble brewing but something satisfactory arises instead. The lyrics were actually written about the menstruation cycle of a woman. The Misfits’ ‘Last Caress’; “I got something to say, I killed your baby
today. Doesn't matter much to me, as long as its dead (Misfits, 2013).” Some perceive these lyrics as the mind of a psychopath, others depicted it as a serial killer informing the baby's parents. The actual lyrics were written about a man ready for death and will do the most despicable acts to draw it nearer to him.
References:
English, E. (2014, September 12). Soren Kierkegaard: The First emergent thinker? (part One). Retrieved from church, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/emergentvillage/2014/09/soren-kierkegaard-the-first-emergent-thinker-part-one/
Mastin, L. (2008a). Existentialism - by branch / doctrine - the basics of philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_existentialism.html
Mastin, L. (2008b). Post-Structuralism - by movement / school - the basics of philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.philosophybasics.com/movements_poststructuralism.html
Misfits. (2013). Misfits – last caress. Genius.
Places to go. (2012). Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/68117013084021129/
Whisnant, C. J. (2012). Differences between the Structuralism and Poststructuralism (in a somewhat exaggerated form). Retrieved from http://webs.wofford.edu/whisnantcj/his389/differences_struct_poststruct.pdf
Zeppelin, L. (2010). Led Zeppelin – stairway to heaven. Genius.
