"Music is a universal language" - RM of BTS
Music is one of many choices which people would go when they are looking for something to entertain themselves. The melody and lyrics often heal us whenever we are feeling happy, unhappy, sad, nervous and many more. Many will say music is their lives and they cannot live without music, that is enough to show how much music affected their lives. I also treat music as my mental therapy.
This past year, I have been discovering a boy group from South Korea, 방탄소년단 or BTS. The rising pop boy group who recently made their appearance on 2017 American Music Awards and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, has total 18 albums (not include Japanese album). In each album there are always several genres, for example in their latest album Love Yourself 'Her' there are hip hop, EDM (Electronic Dance Music), also R&B.
In this section I will list and write my recommendation songs of BTS (old-latest)
BTS - MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)
This song is indirectly for their haters. From the lyrics, people will see and think that they are bragging about their "trophies" they have, but if you see and understand the word "trophies" broadly, it does not mean only about the literal trophy. Trophy here can be also interpreted as connection and other achievements that they got. As it is a hip hop song, this can be called as a diss track for their haters who are paying attention to their details. RM said on his live, MIC Drop is one of their ways to say goodbye to haters and antis who will not stop talking about them as the last lyrics below:
"No need to see each other ever again, this is my last goodbye
Nothing more left to say, don't even apologise
Look closely, look at your pathetic self
We shoot up just like Coca-Cola
Your corneas will be shocked
Cause we're just so cool"
BTS - DNA
This track is really unexpected. The kind of melody is very different from the past tracks they have produced. This brings new colour to their music and it feels fresh for their fans. In DNA dance they have some moves where they make the symbol of DNA. The lyrics tells about how in this world we are meant to be together and it is not a coincidence that we are meet each other.
"Don't worry love
Because all of this is not coincidence
We're completely different baby
Because we've found our destiny
From the day the universe was formed
Past infinite words
Probably in our past life and in our next life
We'll be together forever, DNA"
BTS - Dope
Dope is one of many songs from BTS which attracts many people because of its beats. I cannot lie, I also start to discover them because of this song. Little did people know, the lyrics is very meaningful to them. The members always try to tell their experiences of life through the lyrics of their songs. This song speaks about how they gave up the fun in their teenage to pursue their dreams, how the society around them makes them sick, but they still working hard to do it.
"OK, we're sick
from our head to our toes
We're sick with work for half of our days
we lice sickly in our studios, our youths may rot away
But thanks to that, we're running to success
Girl, scream louder, let it ring
I worked all night, every day
While you were playing in the club
Differently from the other guys
I don't wanna say yes"
BTS - Go Go
Go Go (고민보다 Go) is a critic social where these days people often wasting money carelessly and without thinking about tomorrow even though to get the money they need to work very hard. People wasted their money on food, club, party, and other "luxurious" thing until there is nothing left in their pocket.
"Worked hard to get my pay
Gonna spend it all on my stomach
Pinching pennies to spend it all on wasting it
Leave me be, even if I overspend
Even if I break apart my savings tomorrow
Like a crazy guy"
BTS - Spring Day
Another controversial song from BTS. Spring Day can be called as a tribute to Sewol Tragedy. Sewol was a ferry which carried more or less 476 people from Incheon to Jeju. The ferry was sinking and the crews did nothing to save the passengers. In South Korea, government's problem like this is a sensitive topic, but BTS brave enough to make a song based on this tragedy. From the lyrics we can tell that it is about the spring after the winter, meaning the happiness after the sadness. It is a healing song for many people because of its lyrics. If you watch their dance performance, you can feel it through your spine how hurt it is the song.
"Yeah I hate you
Although you left
There hasn't been a day that I forgotten you
Honestly, I miss you
But now I'll erase you
Because that will hurt less than resenting you
I'm blowing out the cold you
Like smoke, like white smoke
I say that I'm gonna erase you
But actually, I still can't let you go"
BTS - Crystal Snow
Crystal Snow called by many as a sister song of Spring Day. The song tells about how to be together for a long time, because as we know snow is very fragile and it will disappear sooner or later but the person is still grateful to have 'crystal snow' even in a short time. The person really wants to keep 'crystal snow' by his heart. It is such a romantic song.
"I want to protect you one more time before tears run down your face
But crystal snow gets further from reach, the more I wish for it
Even after hundred years, I want to live with you
Can I be your one?
There is no single star in this snowy sky, oh, someday"
Bonus
Individual songs on WINGS album
credits lyrics translation to billboard.com and colorcodedlyrics.com
Rahma Faiezati Sofiana