Review Of: Psy – Gangnam Style

First and foremost, SORRY to all my readers! These engineering exams just don’t let you rest! Rest assured, I’m back; and back for good!

There’s been a lot happening in the world of music since my last post. Take ‘Gangnam Style‘ for example. No explanation needed here! This song has spread worldwide like an epidemic; and there are no signs of it seeming to slow down. It is expected that the video will reach 500 MILLION views by the end of this day. But there are still some critics who just won’t accept that this song is one of a kind. So what makes it so awesome? That’s what I’m going to tell you (Along with the review too!) So, let’s get on with it!

I’d like to start this review with my views about the singer, the song, and a bunch of amazing facts that will just blow you away. Okay, so who is this Psy guy? And HOW did he become so famous overnight? Well, here are the answers:

Psy (Or Park Jae-sang) is a Korean singer/rapper/composer who was born in the district of Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea. He studied there till high school before moving to Boston University and Berklee College of Music. He is fluent with both, Korean and English languages. And his latest release, viz. ‘Gangnam Style’ has completely rocked the world. Even though I’m not a great enthusiast when it comes to K-Pop, I must admit; I’ve fallen for this song. In fact, EVERYONE has fallen for this song! That’s because the song has some sort of aura around it, which cheers you up from even the saddest, angriest moments of your life. Going through a bad breakup? Listen to Gangnam Style. Stressed about exams? Listen to Gangnam Style. It’s the perfect mood setter. It gets people warmed up at parties. It makes two people who’ve just met best friends – Such is the power of Gangnam Style. Now that I have expressed what Gangnam Style means to me, I’ll get on with the usual formalities.

 

Psy (Rapper, Composer & Singer)

 

History: “Gangnam Style” is a single from the South Korean rapper Psy’s sixth album titled “PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1“. The song has been viewed for over more than 490 MILLION times, and still counting. According to statistics, it is expected to complete 500 Million views today. It has also set the Guinness World Record for “The most liked video on Youtube”. Actually, it’s the Music Video that has the world by shock, and that’s because of Psy’s crazy mix-n-match dressing style, outrageous dance moves and pretty looking girls. Now, the song has performed stupendously well on almost EVERY of the music charts in the world, and it’s going to be one hell of a job jotting them all down here. So, here’s a link to view the complete achievements of “Gangnam Style” (Click HERE for the link). Aside from chart performances, Psy has brought the “Gangnam Style” dance to various locations such as Saturday Night Live, Dodger Stadium, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Samsung commercials. There are two versions of this song – One being the 3 Minute 39 Second Single Version. and the other being the 4 Minute 12 Second Music Video Version.

What it tries to convey to us: This must be the most controversial topic in the world – What the hell does Gangnam Style convey to us anyways? Well, here’s the answer (And it’s quite simple to know if you’re good in Geography!): Gangnam is actually a district in South Korea (Seoul, to be more precise). It’s a state wherein almost all the people residing are filthy rich (And do mark my words – FILTHY RICH). These people have so much money that they can’t decide what to do with it. Every house, on an average, has 2 cars – One of them being a million dollars’ worth. The daily routine for the Gangnam Ladies? Easy as pie. Morning – Yoga on the deck, Noon – Lunch at a Five Star hotel (You don’t get anything less than 5 Star!), Afternoon – A hair and facial makeover (Costing about 200-300 dollars per visit), and night – Partying. What this song conveys is the lavish lifestyle that these people live. It’s all put in this – The lifestyle, the attitude, the money, everything. It appears that Psy had set out on a mission to put Gangnam out on the world map, and boy has he succeeded! Now that this song is out, the word “Gangnam” is searched for almost a million times everyday. Long story short, Gangnam has it’s own aura, it’s own attitude, it’s own…. Style. Hence the name, Gangnam Style.

Review: The song has INCREDIBLY energetic beats, and a mind blowing rhythm, so you feel pumped up when you listen to the song (I recommend you listen to this song while working out, or on your way to work). Psy has that typical Korean accent which makes K-Pop so famous – That cartoonist, I-don’t-give-a-damn style accent which makes listening to the song even more fun. It starts off with a booming bass loop (It’s called the Gangnam Style rhythm), followed by Psy’s vocal initiation from 00:06. Straightaway, you know that this song has no REAL meaning to it (Take Stairway To Heaven, for example), but by no means does it mean that Gangnam Style isn’t awesome. It’s a no – brainer song, with no – brainer lyrics, and no – brainer meaning. But as it is said – “Opposites attract”. Hence the huge fad about this song. The first stanza starts from 00:15, and if you’re a “Gangnam listener” (Yes, there are now terms for people listening to this song!), you’ll be able to make out the vocal interludes and the stanzas immediately. The stanzas have amazing bass and the beats are incredibly high, so if you’re listening to the song on your headphones, turn the volume down a bit. Even though you don’t understand a WORD of what Psy says, you know the song is awesome. The vocal interlude begins at 00:29, and immediately, there is a difference felt. The song picks up more pace, and the rhythm pattern also changes slightly. The bass becomes a bit meaner too. And then it finally arrives – The pre-chorus and the chorus itself (The pre-chorus is slow, which gains in bass and volume and then shuts the song down completely for 3-4 seconds, before the actual chorus begins with “Oppan Gangnam Style”). The chorus is simply out of this world. It helps cheer up people who thought laughing and smiling was not an option; it brings a smile to every teenager, and it amuses all the elderly. So, it is quite obvious that the chorus is the anchor of the song. This song is just perfect for dance parties, and it just got more fun because almost everyone knows the Gangnam Style Dance (Think you don’t? It’s really easy. I’ll attach a Youtube link to teach you!). The second stanza just flies by, and in comes the chorus again. This time, it has the “Eeeeh, Sexy Lady” loop added into it. Nothing special, just keeping the listeners on an edge. The third, and the final stanza starts off at 02:59 (And with a completely different tune) and merges into one last chorus, before the song ends with the words “Oppan Gangnam Style”

Rating: Well, a complete 10/10 for this song!  Amazing beats, quirky lyrics, AMAZING music video and to top ot all off, AMAZING PSY!! Everyone has to listen to this at least once! Go Gangnam crazy!

 

Lyrics For “Gangnam Style” :(i) http://www.elyrics.net/read/p/psy-lyrics/gangnam-style-lyrics.html –> English

                                          (ii) http://artists.letssingit.com/psy-lyrics-gangnam-style-21bb7wf –> Original

 

Download Link For “Gangnam Style” : http://a.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9v2ujdS2q1r5dxz2o1.mp3 (Right click on link, click “Save Link/ Target As”)

Youtube Link For “Gangnam Style (Official Video)” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

Youtube Link For “How To Gangnam Style (With Psy & Michelle Park)” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C40gHcDdoqw

 

“Gangnam Style” is a smash hit single from Psy’s sixth album titled “Psy Rules 6”