[Author’s Note: Since I have nothing better to do on a Sunday, I decided to examine the latest comeback single from Super Junior entitled Mr. Simple. And for my brain to finally make a move on to other pressing matters...]
Introduction:
Two of my college friends are avid listeners of Kpop (Korean Pop). At first, I do have reservations about this type of music for the fear of being called baduy (uncool) or being typecasted to be just a blind follower of what’s new and “hip”. Korean music is what sells with Filipinos right now, and it’s not going to die anytime soon. Just like Manny Pacquiao or the Azkals, they are inevitable media forces. If anything, I really don’t like joining media bandwagons. Aside from English, I don’t speak any other foreign language so listening to something I can’t understand a word of seems to be well, rather stupid and pointless. But whenever my friends and I would hang-out, every so often they would talk about these sorts of things and gush about cute boy vocalists and gossip about female ones. Since I really don’t want to be left out from their conversations anymore, I decided to give it a try. After all, I consider my music taste to be eclectic. I appreciate a good song when I hear it. And it doesn’t matter what genre they belong to or who sang it. I love songs from classics like The Beatles, ABBA, The Carpenters, rock bands like AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, U2 to boybands like 5ive, N SYNC to videoke regulars like Aegis and Celine Dion to name a few (Take Me Home Country Roads by John Denver is still a guilty pleasure of mine). Hey, if it’s a good song, then it’s cool. Plus, I thought that listening to Asian pop artists can make me appreciate their culture more. So excuse me for promoting cultural diversity into my life.
So after checking out a few songs I came to realize that some of them aren’t half-bad. Although, the only way I can truly understand what their saying is for me to watch an English-subbed version of their music videos in Youtube (or if the artists decided to throw in an English phrase or two in the chorus), sometimes the music itself speaks volume. Catchy beats, well-played melodies and synchronized rhythm are enough to make a genuine music lover stop and listen. Sometimes, lyrics are not always what makes a song a good one. Add this to aesthetically well-produced music videos and fun, color-coordinated and sometimes loud and avant-garde fashion styles, listening and watching Kpop music is a definitely an experience that appeals to the senses.
Recently, Super Junior or SuJu, one of Kpop’s giant boy group, decided to make a comeback with a new single entitled Mr. Simple. Being the natural Kpop fanatics, my friends couldn’t get enough of it when the music video was launched online. After downloading the song and playing it in endless loop (redundancy intended) on one of our overnight hang-outs, it subconsciously became my LSS (Last Song Syndome). I must admit that as much as I detest SuJu for their recent remark on obese people, I find the song catchy. So let me try and dissect it more by examining the three main aspects of it: the music, lyrics and the corresponding video.
Music:
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| Mission Impossible image courtesy of www.pollsb.com |
The music video version of the song starts out with a short intro of blues and jazz sound with one of the members (I’m sorry I don’t know them all by name nor do I have any intentions of memorizing their names and faces) humming along. For me, that was a nice touch and it certainly gave the song a cool and suave atmosphere. Unfortunately, this part is absent from the audio original track, probably since the record label wanted it to be launched as strictly a dance pop song. For someone who has heard other tracks from SuJu, this song does not deviate much from the other songs that they have become so popular with. There is the familiar pattern of catch phrase “Mr. simple simple” being repeated pretty much throughout the whole chorus, kindly reminiscent of Sorry Sorry. The melody is consistently upbeat from beginning to end with no slow portions. Percussion and drum sounds produce regular beats to accompany the rhythm. There are several, obviously auto-tuned group vocals with some special sound-effects interspersed throughout the duration of the song to give it a “club” feel. True to the typical boyband formula, there is an instrumental hook in the middle part to give way to a dance solo. I'm guessing this is for music video and live performance purposes and there is also a highly-pitched vocal bridge with a hint of ballad that is so typical of a SuJu hit.
The single is catchy, I must say. It certainly is a dance music and I must admit that I found myself unconsciously doing the head bop and mildly (read: mildly) gyrating my body when I listened to it. This song can and will make you dance, or at least think about dancing.
Lyrics:
Okay, this is a rather fun part for me. When I like a particular song, I have this habit of deciphering the meaning of its lyrics. Basically, the song is about the guys telling people to relax and love the way they are. To put in simpler terms, it tells us to chill and be our selves. With stanza lyrics pointing out the importance of self-acceptance especially highlighted in the chorus:
“Look Mr. Simple, Simple You’re great the way you are”
The lyrics suggest that the band attempted to make a somewhat inspirational song and coupled with the upbeat melody of it, they might have succeeded. However, as explained below the meaning is lost through the end of the song. The lyrics are meant to uplift a troubled person who is experiencing a great deal of hardship in his life (1st stanza). They are telling him that such difficult times are natural to exist in the world and that everyone experiences them at some point (2nd stanza), and they are giving reminders to just hang-out and surround yourself with the people you love (3rd stanza) and not to be engulfed in stress (4th stanza up to the last).
However, a close inspection of the lyrics suggests of some incoherencies. As a dear friend pointed out, why would they say “Because I’m naughty, naughty. Hey I’m Mr. Simple”? It doesn’t follow the train of thought of the whole song. Is the central character a bad or naughty person? The song did not mention any background description of the central character aside from the fact that he is feeling down. So the mention of the word naughty doesn’t really follow the concept. I guess the composers just added it to make the song catchier. Speaking of off-tangent lyrics, there is a part in the chorus that says “Blow your mind, Mr. Simple”. If one stops and carefully considers this, why would you blow your mind? To blow one’s mind is to experience something extraordinary. Isn’t this incoherent with what the song is advocating—that is to rest and chill? Or are they telling us to find something that will amaze us beyond explanation. Very confusing advice.
It is also interesting to note the rigidity of gender roles that is mentioned in the song. Stereotypes are cited—being alcoholic for men and engaging in gossip in women.
If you’re a guy Drink up with your friends and forget about it
(Alright!) Alright If you’re a girl, Chat it up with your friends and forget about it (Alright) Alright, alright
Are these reflections of rigid gender roles in Korean culture? So women can’t drink and men can’t talk to their friends? Of course, I‘m being overly critical here, after all, this is just a pop song. Lyrics should be taken tongue-in-cheek. But it’s fun to think outside the box sometimes.
Finally, a preposition failure on one part of the song totally gives it a whole different meaning. Observe the following transliteration of the lyrics leading to the song’s bridge:
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| Wait, I'm confused. So they want me to gossip? image courtesy of blogs.villagevoice.com |
If you’re pissed, Gossip about your friends and forget about it (Alright) alright
At first, I thought that it was just human error from the one who subbed the video I was watching. But then, I watched a couple more and even went to as far as actually getting the lyrics online and they all give the same translation. It’s funny how an improper preposition can make an inspirational song somewhat contradictory it’s ridiculous. There’s nothing good that will come out from gossiping about your friends. And to be honest, gossiping to your friends is no better either. I think "talk to your friends" will be more appropriate to say here.
It is important to understand that since the song is sung Korean, we cannot expect the lyrics to be 100% romanized to the English language with their accurate and politically-correct meanings. Remember that these are two very different language and writing styles, with two very different grammar and context rules. So naturally, we would expect that there will be lapses and off-tangent translations in English. And we really can’t blame the artist for that, since the song is intended for the native speakers of Korean. Not everyone has to impress English-speaking audiences, after all (conceited much?).
Video:
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| Touch the color errr...rainbow? image courtesy of noypistuff.blogspot.com |
For the music video, again Super Junior decided to not deviate from their usual visual style that their screaming fan base have grown to adore. And why would they? This is what fan girls, boys and those in between crave for: ten good-looking guys showing synchronized dance moves all the while projecting cool and attractive images of themselves while singing their hearts out. There’s no special story plot on the video, just guys dancing. It’s the typical boy group formula which has been proven a guaranteed seller since time immemorial. Because this is a comeback performance, SM Entertainment decided to repackage their prime, money-making boyband and give its members a make-over. Make-overs and reinvention can work two ways. One, it can keep the fans continuously interested as they wait for what’s new on their idols’ looks or if it goes bad (not perceived physically attracting), it can spell disaster for the band’s image. From their last hits, one can notice that although the members often dress with different pieces of suits and shirts, they still have a coordinated color palette that gives the illusion of them acting as a singular unit. Suits gave them a sleek, cosmopolitan, fresh image. In the case of Suju, I think the new rebranding can work well to their advantage. Although the video still has those “suit” moments, the members now show loud and distinct colors. From carrot top and platinum blond hair to neon jackets and crazy hats, they truly stand out. These striking use of bold colors give each member a sense of individuality which is sometimes difficult to attain in a large group.
In terms of dancing, they do not disappoint. They are well-trained dancers so heavy popping, locking and break dance styles will be effortless for them to perform. And just like the “crouching” dance in Sorry Sorry and the “shoulder-fist-point” dance in Bonamana, Mr. Simple also has a flagship or banner step if you may which I’d like to call the “Mr. Simple hands”. This step is the hand waving gesture that they do when they sing the chorus. Another interesting step is the “robot fists” that they do during the refrain. However, from a personal perspective, I prefer the more rigorous dance steps that they did in the two aforementioned song rather than this one. In my taste, the dances are weak and not so fluid as before that it becomes forgettable. And their formations are just so-so. Nonetheless, they are still very good dancers.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Super Junior’s new single Mr. Simple can be considered the same type of music that we would expect from SuJu. It’s like listening to the same old song but with a slightly, overhauled singer. Nevertheless, since it has all the right ingredients of a typical boyband song, it will certainly become a hit to fans. And even if you are not one, this song is guaranteed to make your feet tap in accordance to its catchy tune.
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| SJ Call image courtesy of irismon.tumblr.com |
NOTE: The author is not a Kpop fanatic but likes to refer to himself as a casual Kpop listener.
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