When the rice plant "forgets to bow its head"

"The ripe rice stalks stand tall but never bow their heads," a line from a recently released song, seemingly a minor detail, has sparked a major debate. It's not that the public is being "picky" or "critical," but rather that the author's mistake has touched upon the deeply ingrained cultural memory of many listeners, who have long held the image of "ripe rice, rice bowing its head." This image symbolizes fullness, maturity, and above all, humility. Therefore, the songwriter's use of an inappropriate image and then claiming it as creativity and breakthrough is unacceptable, a form of sophistry.

Looking at the story of "The ripe rice stalks stand tall but never bow their heads" in relation to songs in Vietnamese pop music, there is even more cause for concern. A significant portion of current songs are falling into a state of simplistic language, borrowed imagery, vague emotions, and even vulgar and substandard content. Many songs are meticulously produced in terms of sound and visuals, spreading rapidly on social media, but their lyrics lack depth and are sometimes offensive. The mistakes of Pháo, Binz, HIEUTHUHAI, etc., whose songs were criticized by audiences for their impure, unconvincing, and unartistic lyrics, are vivid examples.

Recalling these stories isn't meant to nitpick, because it's good that young singers and artists are diligently exploring and incorporating folk culture and literature into their works. In fact, many have achieved success. The issue is that it shouldn't stop at a single lyrical error. It's a reminder of a fundamental principle: when writing, composers need sufficient life experience and cultural knowledge to avoid contradicting the very things they are using and creating.

Audiences today are very discerning and sophisticated enough to be the first "filter" for censoring works. The audience's swift reaction to the mistakes in the story-driven song "The ripe rice stalks are tall but never bow," or their boycott of songs with offensive elements by many singers previously, proves that the public is not easily swayed. They may accept new things, but they will not tolerate mistakes or offensive content. This poses a challenge for songwriters: either they prove themselves or they are eliminated.

On the other hand, what researchers and critics are concerned about is that we cannot simply rely on the spontaneous reactions of the audience. The gaps in the critical community and the laxity in censorship are voids that need to be filled. It seems that problematic musical works are only addressed after the post-censorship stage. Clearly, composers must respect their words and their social responsibility. Regulatory bodies and the media need to be more serious in their selection and guidance. And the audience, with their increasingly evident power, needs to maintain high standards of reception. Music cannot grow and cannot be nurtured by superficial lyrics and by creating art in a "quick fix" manner.

Interestingly, when writers forget to bow before knowledge, their musical works can hardly reach the heights of true value!

DANG HUYNH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/khi-cay-lua-quen-cui-dau--a204084.html