BY MIKEY MIGO
Does poverty equal great art? That's a question that's been loosely debated for as long as debates existed. There are plenty of people out there who stand in the middle and consider it an open playing field. If the art is great then the importance of status is nonexistent. Some would argue that wealth has a more refined taste and with the unlimited mediums and means for creating they have an upper hand. At the same time, there is almost a glamorization of the "starving artist". The "starving artist" is hungrier and has more life experience, pain, and depth to use to fuel their creative process. The art is more of an escape, a way to fantasize and own your world, as poor as it may be.
Is music made by rich kids any better than poor kids and vice versa? That's subjective and debatable. The point is that poverty is part of life and in hand part of artistic expression. Many artists aspire to share their music to the world and in turn make a living doing so. Then once a band or artist "makes it" and has their finances and their grandkids finances secure they begin to start speaking up for other people who're poverty stricken. Be it "We Are The World" or most Neil Young songs, even the rich still sing out with songs for the poor folk.
Over the years, there have been plenty of songs about needing money and wanting to escape poverty. Mostly everyone without a trust fund or rich parents have experienced being broke at least once in their lives. The less, the more power to you. Let's take a look at some of those songs...
Song: "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman
Ranked at 165 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs of All Time, Chapman is the highest ranking song that's both written and performed by a female. This song's lyrics doesn't really need much explaining. It covers the hard times of Chapman's life with the "fast car" being the symbol of desired wealth and to just use it to get away in general from the down and out lifestyle she feels stuck in.
Song: "In the Ghetto" by Elvis Presley
Long before the ghetto was a hip hop locale, it was just a term used for a place for poor folk to call home. In this, the story is about a boy who struggles in the ghetto. He fights, steals, gets a gun, steals a car, and is eventually shot. It's kind of a gloomy song in comparison to what we normally think about with Pressley. The "And his mother cries" at the end is pretty impactful.
Song: "Another Day In Paradise" by Phil Collins
Phil Collins get's all ballad on us with a song about homelessness. You'd completely understand this fact if you watched more than five or so seconds of the video. The presentation comes off a bit pretentious. Collins is shot all artsy and with sooo much "passion". They then mix that with a invasive power point presentation of homeless people. I appreciate Phil Collin's concerns for the homeless, but this comes off really hollow. I normally can dig small doses of Phil Collins, but I won't lie to you and tell you that I made it through the whole video.
Song: "Atlantic City" by Bruce Springsteen
Never really been a fan of "The Boss" and this one doesn't do much to change that. This song clearly tells a story about a guy who needs money so he gets a gig working with the Mafia in Atlantic City. It's a darker track than most of what Bruce has put out there, but still and probably always will be included on his "Greatest Hits" albums.
Song: "Spaceship" by Kanye West
This was from "The College Dropout", when Kanye wasn't sounding like a robot and his content had a bit more substance. The song isn't so much about super poor poverty, but just surviving. Most people have to work shitty jobs to make ends meet and fantasize about getting away.
Song: "Nine to Five" by Dolly Parton
This one isn't so serious compared to the rest. Dolly put this track together for the movie of the same name. It's not so much about being broke, but about the whole 9 to 5 grind and all that comes with it. It's from a female perspective and basically goes into a narrative about how you have to kind of bite your lip and just take shit from your employers in order to pay the bills. I'm sure many of us, male or female, can relate to this one.
Song: "Mr. Wendal" by Arrested Development
Unlike the Phil Collins song, this video gives a less trite view of the homeless. The content is basically to not disrespect or ignore the homeless based on their appearance. Lyrically and musically, it's a bit hokey and cheesy but as were the times. I was never a huge fan of this song, but for some reason this was one of the first songs that came to mind when putting this topic together.
Song: "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
This old school hip hop song is as old school as any. In 82, this was released as a single and went platinum in less than a month. Going back to that Rolling Stones Top 500 List, this song ranked in at 51 and is the highest ranking hip hop song on the entire list. I appreciate the grittiness and realism of the video and still know some parts in the region that look like this. The line "Don't push me ‘cuz I'm close to the edge. I'm trying not to lose my head. Ahahaha" is just as awesome as it was when I first heard it.
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