#Chan chan song meaning free#
In the very first verse when Cindi sings, “We dancing free but we’re stuck here underground/And everybody trying to figure they way out…”, it is unclear who the “we” in this context is but when analyzing the lyrics, “we” is a reference to African Americans and the Underground Railroad. The video blackens and concludes with a single quote by Cindi Mayweather, “I imagined many moons in the sky lighting the way to freedom.” Although the concept of the EP in its entirety revolves around a story of its own in which Cindi is on the run because she is sentenced to be disassembled for falling in love with a human, the song “Many Moons” contains real world issues and context that Monae uses to present society’s oppression of people and the complications that can ensue from those oppressions.įrom the beginning of “Many Moons”, Monae alludes to the oppression of African Americans in the United States. Cindi Mayweather eventually performs so intensely that she short circuits, floats in the air, and drifts to the ground as she is slowly electrocuted to what appears to be her end. While these androids walk down the catwalk, they are being purchased by the wealthiest of Metropolis, such as technology moguls, city officials, religious authorities, and crime lords. Not only does Monae appear as Cindi Mayweather in the video but she also plays other characters such as Lady Maestra (the Master of the Show Droids) and the model androids that walk the catwalk. During the auction, Monae's alter-ego, Cindi Mayweather, is introduced as the prototype of the new line of Androids and performs for the shrieking crowd.
#Chan chan song meaning android#
The video, which Monae promoted as a short film, takes place at the Annual Android Auction in the fictional, futuristic city of Metropolis.
#Chan chan song meaning series#
The EP was the first album of a concept album series that later included the ArchAndroid Suites II and III. "Many Moons" was included on the Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) EP that Monae, along with Bad Boy Records, re-released in 2008. The context of the song “Many Moons” is important before I begin analyzing the lyrics. Through the allusions and historical references in the lyrics of her song, “Many Moons”, Janelle Monae critiques the oppression of people witnessed in Western civilization’s past and present and suggests ways to overcome that oppression. Her songs often contain deep messages that aren’t always clear with a first listen but when analyzed, can bring insight and understanding not only to the song but to the world around us. Janelle Monae is one artist that is well known for both her catchy pop song beats and the lyrics that they contain. Although some music may not be as complex as a novel –or complex at all –other music provides commentary on real life issues, either of the past or today. Much like a classic novel, music can be analyzed and interpreted in many different ways through the text itself, the visuals presented in the music video, and even the instrumental composition. Janelle Monae’s “Many Moons”: A History of Oppression