Oh My God (Michael Franti song)
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Oh My God is an Acid Jazz fusion pop song by political musician Michael Franti. It is the first track from Franti and his band Spearhead's third studio record Stay Human. Though the song was not released as a single, it is a prominent favourite amongst Franti's fans, and a prime example of his creative political conscience.
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[edit] Musical Qualities and Influences
The song is in the musical key of D minor, and is based around a rather basic but distinctly jazz chord progression. The studio version of the song has heavy pop influences, including backing female vocals, strings, and basic pop-style mixing methods. Other renditions Franti has done, however, including the version heard on 2004's Songs from the Front Porch and on his live album, Live at the Baobab, steer much more towards Acid Jazz. It's worth noting that Franti's singing style, while at times melodic, borders on rap throughout most of the song.
[edit] Historical and Social References
The lyrics to Oh My God are laden with references to then current affairs and historical events, as well as commenting on contemporary social issues in America. Some of the issues and events addressed in the song include:
[edit] Corruption in the Legal System and Public Office
- "'Cause you gave cash to the feds, (who) left your school district for dead ... anonymous notes left in the pockets and coats of judges and juries from Frisco to Jersey, threats and protests, politicians, mob debts, trumped up charges and phony arrests; stage a lethal injection the night before the election 'cause he got donations from the Prison Guard's Union"
These lines refer to the social practise of bribery and immoral conduct in Public Services.
[edit] Racism
- "Still believe in a system that's workin', when half of my people are still out of work..."
- "Mandatory minimum sentencin', cause you got caught with a pocket full of medicine"
The phrase, "my people" refers to African Americans, who have a long history of discrimination and oppression in America, dating back to the 1800s, when they were kept as slaves. Racism, meaning discrimination based on race, is still present in Modern America, and the reference to Mandatory Minimum Sentences continues with this theme. Mandatory Minimums, as they are known, are considered by certain political groups and followers to be a racist policy, because they impose an automatic jail sentence for the possession of illegal drugs, and statistics suggest that mostly African Americans are given these sentences.
[edit] Cloning and Medical Science
- "Scientists whose god is progress; four-headed sheep is their latest project"
- "You can make a life longer, but you can't save it. You can make a clone and then you try to enslave it; you're stealing DNA samples from the unborn and then you coming after us 'cause we sampled a James Brown horn?"
These lines refer to modern medicine's practise of attempting to clone living organisms, or create life artificially. The issue of cloning is a heated one in world society, with many people holding moral objections to the interference of science in natural life. The last phrase of the line refers to a legal issue that Franti and Spearhead dealt with.
[edit] Princess Diana's Death
"This ain't no cartoon, nobody slips on bananas. Do you really think that that car killed Diana?"
This line refers to the famous death of Diana Frances Spencer, who was killed on the 31 August, 1997, and the conspiracy theories surrounding her death. It is believed that she was killed in a car accident in a tunnel, and although there has been no solid evidence to suggest it was anything but an accident, there has been speculation that she was assassinated, perhaps even by the Royal Family. There is also a theory that the paparazzi indirectly caused her death.
Note: The following three subheadings all refer to the line
"I shot Ronald Reagan; I shot J.F.K; I slept with Marilyn and she sung me Happy Birthday"
[edit] The John F. Kennedy Assassination
The line, "I shot J.F.K." is a reference to the famous assassination of President John F. Kennedy, in 1963. Kennedy's assassination is one of the most notable and significant events in American history, and Franti's claim of responsibility refers to the widespread speculation surrounding the identity of the assassin. While the Warren Commission concluded after lengthy investigation that the murderer was Lee Harvey Oswald, many conspiracy theories still exist on the subject, and thus the theme of Conspiracy Theories, as established in the reference to Princess Diana, continues.
[edit] Ronald Reagan
The line "I shot Ronald Reagan" is a continuation of the assassination theme, and refers to an event that took place in 1981, when John Hinckley, Jr. attempted to assassinate President Reagan by shooting him in the chest.
[edit] Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was a famous actress and sex symbol of the 1940s and 1950s. The line, "I slept with Marilyn and she sung me happy birthday" is a continuation of the J.F.K. reference; Monroe's last public appearance was singing the now famous rendition of 'Happy Birthday' to President Kennedy at his televised 45th birthday celebration.
[edit] Media Culture
- "Politicians got lipstick on the collar; the whole media started to holler. But I don't give a fuck who they screwing in private; I wanna know who they screwing in public"
This line is a comment on the Media's role in American Culture. What Franti seems to be stressing is the extent to which the Media stress the importance of scandals, particularly personal scandals in politics, such as the Bill Clinton scandal.
