Aug 09instant vintage : 08.2010 : …video: cold war… (Superfresh)
“Cold War” by Janelle Monae. Seen over at Style Porn
Janelle Monae is a pro at “reading my mail.” Right now, this song is speaking to my very core.
I think I welled up a little…not much…just a little.
UPDATE: Chomy of The Culture Cynic is a sage. If you missed her comment below, here is an excerpt:
i like the bit she sings, ‘i was made to believe something was wrong with me’. that line is my LIFE..and i keep going back to it. she expresses everything i feel about rebellion…don’t just rebel cuz it is cool, you had better know exactly what you are fighting for or else someone will make up a cause and convince you that it is yours. A lot of people are rebels without reason, and i personally think it is pointless to push back if you don’t even know what you are against. A lot of people are fighting for shit they don’t even believe in. Anti without a cause. A lot of people are outward rebels but try having a conversation with them about their life principles and you realize they have no bloody idea what they believe.
WORD.
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43 Responses to “…video: cold war…”
God I think I have something in my eye…love this video. Love her to pieces. She looks like she’d fit right in my pocket.
.-= Joanna´s last blog ..my weekend in pictures =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
She would. She’s tiny!
What a beautiful woman/soul. Man I’d love to camp out in her mind for a while, I felt that.
Great lyrics and yep I can relate too.
Love that she shot the video like this, and I need her lipstick and thick eyebrows. lol Her skin is great.
I love here music, but still want her to do something with her brows
.-= Tonia´s last blog ..Moonlite Monday Guest- Susan from Maddie G Designs =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Not feeling the super strong brow, eh?
i….am getting a janelle monae polly pocket. they make those, right?
and i seriously welled up. and not a little.
.-= pennerad´s last blog ..12 hours =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
The more I hear it, the more it makes me feel some kind of way…
I hate to say this but she frightens me. I don’t know why. Like if I were to get stuck in an elevator with her..I wouldn’t make eye contact w her. I looked away just now looking away at the video!
I’m crazy! lol!!
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
LOL!!! No you aren’t!
I remember her music from before this cyber-robot angle, and she’s really sweet. I promise!
She is soo amazing. I truly love her. I hope she tours Australia soon.
.-= Lenya Jones´s last blog ..Second Red Carpet – Tomorrow- When the War Began =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Me too. You HAVE to see her live. It’s a treat.
I was soo happy when I saw this video.
I recently listened to her entire album, and this was the first song I felt the urge to reply. Even though I loved all the tracks, this song really spoke to me from the very first lines.
It’s one of those songs that when i hear it I feel like i could have written it myself, because they resonate at that much of a personal level.
When I saw how much the video connected with how I felt with the actual song…gosh, my heart!
She’s so amazing.
.-= rush´s last blog ..Music Monday- Robyn “Hang With Me” =-.
replay*
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Been listening to it all day. My coworkers hate me right now.
The first two lines got me. This video totally drives it all home.
Love her.
I love this… It’s sad, yet makes me want to react excitingly as well… Thank you for sharing…
.-= trE´s last blog ..dysfunctional =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Anytime. =D
I am in love with this video and song. I’ll have to admit, I thought the video was going to be a bit more fast-paced like the song, but I like that she threw it off. The song resonates so well about an inner turmoil and struggle. Needless to say, I can relate on some major levels right about now.
On a superficial note, her makeup is on fire in this vid.
.-= Sheena´s last blog ..Count Me In- 13 Threads =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
She is giving MAJOR FACE.
*Sigh* I love reading all these responses! It’s kind of fucking rad to feel strongly about a song that in no way incorporates the concepts of stuntin’, droppin it low, or purchasing Bentleys.
It’s the musical equivalent of great literature as opposed to MTV. (But hey, who am I kidding, I love both kinds ).
.-= Joanna´s last blog ..my weekend in pictures =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I’m right there with you. I love that music still can mean things for people.
But I do love ignorant shit from time to time. LOL.
STILL WORKING…STILL WORKING…DEAD.
please tell me you had the epic music CRANKED.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I did. Hella loud.
Tell me you aren’t really still working…because if you are, I’m going to cry.
STOP IT RIGHT NOW Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
No way! Just answering emails. Everyday I’m hustlin’ hustlin’ hustlin’
.-= STOP IT RIGHT NOW´s last blog .. =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Oh good. I was ready to clutch the pearls.
only a face that beautiful could make a video like that interesting to look at. she’s so talented.
.-= simplychic´s last blog ..its my birthday! =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
AGREED!
so glad someone noticed flamingo dude. would have been a shame.
.-= STOP IT RIGHT NOW´s last blog .. =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 9th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
It cracked me the hell up. I swear, if you could provide all my jpegs and clipart…I’d be a very happy person.
She’s so friggin’ pretty!
.-= Aja´s last blog ..I Think I Can – Animal Collective =-.
Damn. How does a video of what’s essentially a “beauty shot” do a sista like this?
I think it sums up not just what she’s feeling, but something that most of the country [world, mayebe?] is struggling with right now.
Just.That.Feeling.
amazingly, beutifully, sad.
and right.
Alicia Reply:
August 10th, 2010 at 9:24 am
I think that’s why it worked so well. It was nothing but feeling – no other visuals to distract you from the words.
Well done.
**beautifully**
How amazing, she’s brilliant!!! xoxo
.-= jemina´s last blog ..to the airport =-.
i wish i can see her life. i always had a mini crush on her for here ‘otherness’ . She is glorious in this video, i want to turn her skin into lotion and wear it…is that gross? am sure it is but i don’t care.
‘i like the bit she sings, ‘i was made to believe something was wrong with me’.that line is my LIFE..and i keep going back to it. she expresses eerything i feel about rebellion…don’t just rebel cuz it is cool, you had better know exactly what you are fighting for or else someone will make up a cause and convince you that it is yours. Alot of people are rebels without reason, and i personally think it is pointless to push back if you don’t even know what you are against.Alot of people are fighting for shit they don’t even believe in. Anti without a cause. Alot of people are outward rebels but try having a conversation with them about their life principles and you realize they have no bloody idea what they believe. Your outlook on life don’t even match the symbols your clothes represent. Tatooes doesn’t a rebel make i always say but hey…. Have a exceeded my comment per post quota???
.-= chomy´s last blog ..Jungle Ville =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 10th, 2010 at 9:19 am
No you haven’t…and I’m gonna need an ETA on that book you’re writing.
This is serious. Seriously serious.
I LOVE Janelle. I’ve been listening to her since 2007 and was dying waiting for an album to come out. And this song, all the songs, are amazingly epic. I listened to the album everyday, all day. The smoothness, her voice, her beauty.
I love her!!!!
.-= Toni´s last blog ..Beating Like a Hammer =-.
Ok sooo true story right…i came on here to stalk this space to see if you had posted something new for me to ramble off on, and i see the “UPDATE’ I don’t know whether to be embarrased or LOL so i just giggled and proceeded to type this response right here.
i will tell you what, you keep posting , and i will keep commenting away. not because it is the cool thing to do but because commenting on these kinds of post is one of the best things i love about this blogging bizness.
i will be back later to talk some more shit.that is not a PROMISE my friend, it is a FORECAST.
.-= chomy´s last blog ..Jungle Ville =-.
I love love love your blog! And this post had me straight ROLLIN! my fav was the prince bird. And I can’t help but feel flattered when people do specials on black folk. because to the world, even our tweets are interesting.
And people have been sleeping on Janelle Monae. I hope one day she will get the respect and admiration of a main stream audience. Because her style, voice and class can only be summed up in one way ===> perfection
You’ve made a follower out of me!!
I truly laughed out loud at some of those brown birds! hahahahaha! Great stuff. And, yeah, I wouldn’t mind seeing less of these inflammatory, under and/or shoddily researched pieces.
.-= Booga´s last blog ..My First Showing =-.
Gahhhhh InnyVinny I hate chu first you made me convulse with laughter at those damn birds till my eyes well up… then I scroll down to see Janelle’s video and you turned me into a fvckin weepin willow!
mY cryday is supposed to be Thursdayssssss Thursday only.
Damn you *shakes fist*
Janelle is really about having a perspective a POV then putting it in music. How many artists have have that great 1 album then every thing else is sorta trash, they’ve run out of things to say, they’re run out of inspiration, real life experience or just can’t take the time for introspection and a connection to a world outside hollywood, premieres, and the creative dungeon record companies put them in. I love artists like Janelle reinforces that its okay to have dreams and try to make them come true.
Alicia Reply:
August 15th, 2010 at 11:46 am
YES! To top it all off, her performances are life-giving. LIFE.GIVING.
And I’m here to play with everyone’s emotions. Yep. LOL.
This is in response to Chomy’s comment.
Your observation is one I haven’t considered (until now), but I do appreciate it. You hit the nail on the head when you said, “don’t just rebel cuz it is cool, you had better know exactly what you are fighting for or else someone will make up a cause and convince you that it is yours.” WORD, THAT’S THE TRUTH!
Whenever I heard this song, I always considered “THE COLD WAR” was an internal war. See, a lot of artist always talk about conflict as to say, that there is a force outside of themselves that is working against them. Not to discredit that notion, but I am a big believer that: war is actually a fight that starts from within. So I believe she was speaking about ourselves on an intimate level.
So to piggy back off of Chomy’s comment. We, as humans in society… should know ourselves before we do anything, because if we do not, we will always find ourselves rebelling against ourselves. Rebels never know what they want, actually. And are a huge contraction to their own cause(s). ie: Black Panthers, Anti-War Lobbyist, Evangelist… etc. I think… that if one is at peace with who they truly are, they won’t need to rebel, or even fight. When there’s that kind of force involved, they are usually seeking validation and/or acceptance.
That said…
I promise… I’ll hone this comment in.
This ‘war’ Monae speaks of, I believe- is an internal war. The war to choose love over fear. The fight to love oneself.
.-= Burke´s last blog ..TCP Updates- Sold Out Spring-Summer =-.
Alicia Reply:
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment! I think it’s a good read of the song personally (and I really liked your comparisons toward the end).
Me? I’ll say war within will undoubtedly result in war without – dissonance, doubt, ill feelings. The goal is to be in harmony first with self, and the rest will fall into place naturally.
=D