Filipino Cry: The Social Issues in OPM Songs Essay

Introduction This paper will attempt to highlight the theme of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) that appeals the public concern of the government. This will feature two selected songs –, Upuan (2009), and Walang Natira (2010) by Gloc9. These songs were selected according to their similarities in terms of the social issues of the Filipino to the government such as poverty, unemployment, corruption and oppression. The paper seeks to prove that these songs have similar theme that Filipino composers integrate in a music/song to convoke the attention of the government officials. Statement of the Problem This paper answers the following questions: 1. What are the images depicted in the lyrics of the songs? 2. What are the social issues of the public depicted in the songs? 3. What are the common theme and its implication to its listener? Objectives Generally, this paper aims to determine the themes of some OPM Songs. Specifically, this aims to: 1. identify the images found in the lyrics of the songs; 2. determine how these images portray social issues of the mass to the government; and 3. discuss the implications of the theme to the listener. Methodology An interpretational analysis of the theme of OPM songs, specifically the songs of Gloc9 that has a cryptic meaning underlies in the lyrics of the songs. Enabling to identify the images within it that helps to completely understand the theme of the song. This will also use marxism as a framework of the study. References Online Sources http://www.johndanielcastillo.myotd.com/Blog.php/46 http://glocdash9.com/about/ http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/216918/lifestyle/people/gloc-9-a-pinoy-rapper-and-his-painful-truths