Harlock

Melissa Harlock
Professor Kristin Carlson
English Composition 2089- Section 43
28 February 2015
The Emotional Impact of Music and Genre
There is a problem I have had for quite some time now that I truly believe could be
incurable. It is a disease that prevents me from accomplishing the simplest of tasks and
completely diminishes any sense of awareness of the movement of people and places around me.
Based on the study of my peers, I have come to the conclusion that it is a condition we all carry
in some capacity one way or another. It influences our behavior differently, but my issue in
particular, lies in the fact that music relentlessly causes me to escape from reality. How often I
find myself in the library trying to study yet trapped in a state of utter trance. For as long as I can
remember I have loved the mind altering effects of music and have been intrigued with the
strength and power of this force. Music has the capability to do incredible things and make
people feel so many different ways. A simple change in genre can turn laughing to tears and fond
memories to melancholy. An added piano or guitar can cause the listener to dance a completely
different way or sing to a completely different tune. It is amazing how music can touch our souls
and cause the emotions of even the most hardened hearts to awaken. No matter what the personal
opinion of the listener, the common theme that decides a good song from a bad one is always
based on whether or not the ability to feel is achieved. For me, the strongest feelings that can
be relayed are true joy and deep, lonesome, sadness. How ironic is it that the same song
performed by two separate bands and covered in two distinctive genres could make me feel these
exact emotions? The music itself, including the instruments, and tempo, the lyric changes made,

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and the story that is told by the song are all the separating factors of The Proclaimers version of
Im Gonna Be (500 Miles) and the newest version by Sleeping at Last.
A whole seven years before I was born, The Proclaimers released their soon-to-be hit
single entitled, Im Gonna Be, which many also refer to as 500 Miles. This song was the big
break that brothers Craig and Charlie Reid were looking for to move their bands local presence
in Auchtermuchty, Scotland, international and into the United States. The catchy tune took off
like a rocket and caught on fast, climbing to number three on the US charts. People seemed to
love the upbeat, jolly vibe that the Scottish vocalists gave to the single. The tune starts off with
light symbols that turn into a bouncy backbeat, both of which placed beneath a cheery guitar rift.
Over the course of the song, these elements continue to build through the peak of the chorus,
only fading out slightly during the melody.
The vocals of this song are extremely unique due to the heavy Scottish accents that the
Reid brothers sing with. The vocals play the largest role in creating a sense of joy and almost
add a component of humor as well. The harmonies of the vocals also help to add lightness to the
song. Usually, harmony occurs when two people sing on two different notes to sound as one
complementary note. The Proclaimers use harmony in a way where their goal is to have it sound
like an army is singing instead of 1 individual. By layering vocals over one another and
offsetting them by just a second, the song sounds busier and more exciting. There are the lyrics
that stand out in front but also the loud interjections of the background singing to add the lively
aspect.
Another way that The Proclaimers showed their carefree spirit through this hit was by
writing in the very memorable repeating chorus lines of,
Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)

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Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da

Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da.
Because these are mere syllables, they provide no literary assistance in displaying the story
behind this song. However, their lack of function contributes to the emotion that The Proclaimers
were hoping to convey. Technically the genre of this tune is Rock. Some might find this odd or
even disagree, but one thing we can agree on is the writers goal for this song. Clearly, the
music, lyrics and tone have created an upbeat, positive minded, love ballad that expresses the
happiness that comes with being with this significant other. When listening to this song I always
imagine two people riding in a convertible on a sunny summer day, enjoying one anothers
company, smiling, and holding hands as their hair blows in the wind.
The Proclaimers have used Im Gonna Be (500 Miles) as an outlet to connect with rock
fans that enjoy a rowdy, feel-good genre in particular. The happiness I feel when I listen to this
song reminds me of many other happy moments in my life and always manages to take me back
to joyous days.
On the undisputed contrary of the emotional scale of music, lies the Sleeping At Last
version of Im Gonna Be (500 Miles). This alternative, indie-folk cover by Chicago born
singer-songwriter Ryan ONeal, takes the positive upbeat spirit of The Proclaimers single and
strips it down to reveal a shocking new meaning. The song starts out silent as an eerie ringing
tone makes its way into the background under a sequence of slowly articulated piano chords. The
echoing of the piano develops into the soft tones of white noise that stays present throughout the
song. As ONeals vocals slide in for the first time, there is a feeling of utter sadness and
sincerity in his voice. He sings each word with such emotion, carefully taking his time to drag

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out the notes just long enough to display a slight sense of uncertainty and fear. As the song
continues, the listener begins to hear the twinkle of higher piano notes more frequently in
between chords. This helps the music to gradually build so when the chorus begins, the
background chorus can gently fit in their angelic oohs and ahhs. It is here when the only
major change to the structure of the lyrics takes place. Instead of heading into the four lines of
repeating syllables, Sleeping at Last decides to move right into the next verse. By removing these
interjections, it is easy to see that this song is focused more on the content of the lyrics and the
story they tell, rather than the jolly fillers and feel good beat.
As the song goes, on the shakiness and sadness becomes more and more noticeable in the
vocals. It is almost as if it is becoming more difficult for ONeal to get the words out as he
ponders what he is singing. Finally, as the song comes to a close, it all becomes so clear as to the
real difference in the two songs. The last verse of the Sleeping at Last version contains lyrics that
are similar but not exact to any in The Proclaimers track. ONeal finishes his cover by singing,
When I wake up, well I hope I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's waking up to you.
And when I'm dreamin', well I know I'm gonna dream
I'm gonna dream about the time I had with you.
The key words here that make all the difference are hope and had. It is through these two
words and four lines that the listener can see that in this version, the relationship is nonexistent.
Whether the love failed due to a breakup or a death or even one of the two moving away, it
doesnt say, but we can infer that the emotion coming from this song is coming straight from the
feelings of loneliness, regret, and the pain of missing someone.

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By simply changing genres, and targeting their song to a different audience, Sleeping at
Last was able to turn a song about carefree, happy love into a harrowing exhibit of suffering. The
thing that makes this so intriguing to me is that I love each of these versions equally and in
completely different ways. I, just like we all have at one point or another, have cried tears of joy
and tears of sadness. I have gained many wonderful people into my life over the years and I have
lost many as well. The purpose of every artist is to generate a sense of emotion in the receiver
and both of these songs have done that flawlessly.

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Works Cited
Sleeping at Last Lyrics: Im Gonna Be (500 Miles). atozlyrics. Sleeping At Last, 2015. 20 Fri.
2015
Sleeping At Last. Im Gonna Be (500 Miles). MP3
The Proclaimers Lyrics: Im Gonna Be (500 Miles). atozlyrics. The Proclaimers, 2015. 20 Fri.
2015.
The Proclaimers. Im Gonna Be (500 Miles). MP3
Wikipedia contributors. "Sleeping at Last." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The
Free Encyclopedia, 22 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
Wikipedia contributors. "The Proclaimers." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The
Free Encyclopedia, 29 Jan. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.