Music As Argument

     

                                                "Stand By Me"
"Stand By Me" by Playing For Change conveys the message that many cultures and their different instruments can make music have the power to break down barriers and boundaries between people, worldwide. The video is arranged globally to let people know that we, as people, need someone to be by our sides throughout life.

 Grandpa Eliott, a New Orleans, LA native, has been a street icon for decades.

This uses visual (video) rhetoric and more of an emotional standpoint because they are singing a common song that has touched so many people's hearts. As we see the song sung, worldwide, Mark Johnson's argument is that music can influence people to get involved with music or even a project like this to not get involved into violence. Instead of using violence to voice their anger, they can use music as an outlet, instead.

At the beginning of the video, Roger Ridley, from Las Vegas, Nevada, tells the audience of his meaning to this song, "Stand By Me". He has such dedication to his music that he travels from Las Vegas, NV to Santa Monica, CA every Saturday and gives a great performance before traveling back home to Las Vegas. "It was Roger's performance of "Stand By Me" that sent Playing For Change off on its mission to connect the world through music by adding other musicians to his recordings".



Sources Cited:

Johnson, Mark. "Stand By Me", YouTube, 6 Nov 2008,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

"Roger Ridley's Biography", Playing for Change,
https://playingforchange.com/musicians/roger-ridley/