My third response is written about a song released in 2003, by a band known as “The black eyed peas”, this song being titled “Where is the love?”. This group known as The black eyed peas is a number of solo artists synced together to form this so called “hip hop group.” They produced this song back as I earlier on said in 2003; the songs meaning is about all the hatred, tragedy, and death in the world. Hence why it is named “Where is the love?” with a question mark on the end. The group sings about the outgoing unnecessary violence and tragedy going on constantly in the world, making you question why.

“People killin’ people dyin’…Children hurtin’, I hear them cryin’

Yo what’s going on with the world, momma

(Where’s the love)”

Although it is only a song, perhaps one you skip through on your playlist, it is one of the most meaningful and outgoing songs i’ve heard. I would recommend this song because it speaks strongly about death and hatred, but narrowing it down they speak strongly about terrorism and racism; an ongoing issue in this world. Recommending this song as it does well to open your eyes to the innocent lives lost by the hatred and stupidity inflicted by others, making those listen question why. Black eyed peas looked around their well polished individual lives their leading and asked themselves and their listeners one question of where is the love? The purpose of this song is they state hatred, crime, death, selfishness and ask why. Why bring others down with you? Why inflict such horror upon others with racism? Why waste away innocent lives with bombing and terrorism? People too don’t want to come face the problem; some people choose to ignore the problem, instead of dealing with it. This is shown in the lines of the song “ Can you practice what you preachin’? Would you turn the other cheek again?”

However, the idea of terrorism is upbrought strongly, as in fact this songs meaning sprouted off and relates to the 9/11 tragedy back in 2001. The 9/11 terrorism attack took many lives. 2,996 people were killed during this attack (including 19 terrorists), with more than 6000 injured. These immediate deaths included 265 people on the 4 hijacked planes, 2,606 in the World Trade Centre and the surrounding area, and 125 at the pentagon. This disastrous attack was fueled by terrorists, and lead by Osama bin Laden. His hatred affected the lives of thousands of people

“Where is the love?” doesn’t necessarily teach us anything, but is simply set out as a reminder. All us of a decent age have a reasonably capable understanding of what is going on in the bigger picture and historically wise, with terrorism, racism, hatred and peoples disgusting actions. This song as I said earlier doesn’t teach us anything about the world, but it teaches us that many famous people with a voice; who will use it for the better and for awareness. This songs set as a reminder to feel love and not hatred. With all the death and violence in the world, this song states the bad, and asks us why we feel this way.

 This song relates back to me not in a way where I myself would unfortunately experience terrorism, racism, hatred or violent death and loss; but that I live in completely opposite situations to many others. My life is relatively normal and safe. I’m a sixteen year old girl living in a small town such as Wanaka with my Mum, Dad and a few of my 6 siblings living locally too. I go to school and see my friends, ride my horse Lucky after with my friends; go home, have some me time then go to sleep in my own bed. These circumstances to many seem ordinary and my life seems like anyone else’s, therefor I or others never fully appreciate how safe we are. However, this is not the case for millions of others around the world. A sixteen year old girl today or tomorrow will wake up dreading the day because she’s bullied in school for having dark skin. Or another girl my age will wake up and remember her mother was involved in a terrorist suicide bombing. Or again a sixteen year old girl will wake up and not want to get out of her bed due to an abusive father. Or a girl could wake up in a shelter with her family, living out her life after their home got bombed. I often under appreciate how fortunate I am, living where at constant feel safe and happy. So i relate back in a way where the way i’m living, is polar opposite to many many others in the same world.

The song “Where is the love?” had a social and historical connection to the world we live in. This song i have written my response on took a toll on the internet back in 2003 when released, and since then has been re-released with a new version. It relates back to the world socially because in today’s society there is still racism, terrorism and sexism going on. Today’s society is run by society and everyone’s got their own opinion on what is seemingly right and wrong. What society does know, is that racism, terrorism, sexism violence and so on is not okay. People still have their own opinion however, so regardless of what people say is right or wrong people will think for themselves and what they believe. It too relates back historically, because all of the evil listed in the song has been going on for many many years, as well as the 9/11 attack which triggered this songs release. Overall this song has a social and historical effect, as it is a target to society to look at all the disastrous behaviour and things that have happened throughout history.