Toppin’ The Charts – January (Week Four)

Posted on Feb 07 2012

This Toppin’ The Charts might be a little late, but don’t worry. You’re getting double doses of music today! Celebrate, hit the jump, and catch up~

Notes:
I’m going to take these notes in a new direction today. Usually I give general comments, but I like giving credit where credit is due. Often times a music video is just a visual of an idol singing and dancing to their song, which isn’t bad, but it has little to no depth usually. There are times when music videos show off a much more in-depth flare however (as portrayed in my short-lived Music Meltdown series). The music video I’m talking about in particular has several translated names such as, “The Grasshopper Song“, “In Praise Of The Grasshopper“, or simply “Grasshopper” by Sunny Hill.

Some of you might already be familiar with the Aesop fable The Ant & The Grasshopper, which essentially is about the hardworking ant that continues to collect food (or in this case sugar) while the carefree grasshopper plays around all day. Once winter rolls around the grasshopper doesn’t have enough food to survive because she didn’t work hard, and as such she dies while the ant can stay holed up in his room with his food supply until spring. Rather depressing, but it still has a moral to the story.

Now, what does this have to do with a music video by a Korean group? Well, the music video and the song itself essentially ask the question was the ant really happy with his life? Despite working hard did he really achieve what he wanted most? So the video takes the perspective of the ant and how he works excessively hard. The other ants around him are getting bored, and try to break the mold of their life. Eventually one day while the ant is working in his room he sees the image of the beautiful grasshopper on TV. What occupation she actually has is up to interpretation, but the ant becomes engrossed by her image and desires to seek her out. He leaves his home in search of the grasshopper, and experiences a culture far different from his own. In this world he’s able to acquire sugar by different means besides constant work. Before he’s able to enjoy this sort of life fully he’s taken back to his life as an ant where he must constantly work.

I’ve been such a fool in my life, repeating the same circle over again. All those times have passed, passed, passed and lost.

Essentially, the ant realizes the life he’s had has been a tiresome task he’s had to do over and over without any fulfillment. He decides to leave his home and all the food he’s worked so hard for to find a better life. There’s a ton of symbolism littered throughout the video from the choreography to the costume choices. It’s actually interesting to watch and see for yourself, which you can below. If you spot anything that hints at the “balance between work and play” moral they’re trying to teach feel free to comment below on your theories.

Make sure to comment below on what you loved, what you hated, and why! See ya next week~

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Comments
  • Zero Gravity February 7, 2012 at 2:40 PM

    Grasshopper… you have much to learn about good music! -whacks lady Gaga with chop sticks-

  • Leviathan Mist February 7, 2012 at 7:46 PM

    I love 8, 7, 4, and 3 of the Japanese charts.
    I like 10, 8, 7, 3, and 1 of the Korean charts.
    The Korean charts are getting better than they used to be, for sure.

  • christmas4477 February 7, 2012 at 7:59 PM

    Nana Mizuki is still at the top of my Japanese charts right now. Can’t wait for March when new anime singles come out and dominate

    • Kanashimi February 7, 2012 at 10:18 PM

      I was surprisingly fond of Acid Black Cherry this week though as well, but I do really like that song by her.

  • Cerulaine February 7, 2012 at 10:23 PM

    10 – Thank god this song is going further down the chart, it’s my least favorite lol.
    9 – Oh snap this song is amazing and I want it. Ahh so good.
    8 – It’s nana, nuff said, she’s amazing. This song is amazing. I need it to be on DDR lol.
    7 – Buono! YES I LOVE THEM SO MUCH LIKE I LOVE MY OWN LIMBS
    6 – This song is kinda boring…Buono should be higher…
    5 – I feel like in the video I’m watching the Truman show with japanese people.
    4 – ikimonogakari is always welcome in my life!
    3 – AWW YEAHHHH ACID BLACK CHERRY
    2 – uhm wat…please tell me those aren’t ALL OF THE MEMBERS please not another akb 🙁
    1 – This is 1? Really? >> Not approving!

    10 – I actually love the end of this song a lot.
    9 – Oh Wonder girls I have so many feelings for you lol
    8 – I actually really like what I’ve heard of this song. It’s epic.
    7 – IU > Not a fan I guess.
    4 – meh
    3 – No surprise here.
    2 – Still really like this song for some reason XD
    1 – YES ZOMBIES KANA, ZOMBIES, THE SHOW MUST GO ON YOU CANNOT JUST STOP DANCING EVEN IF ZOMBIES WANNA EAT YOU!

    • Elk February 7, 2012 at 10:29 PM

      Not a fan of IU? Heathen!

      Also, when I saw the ABC video I expected Chris Hansen to come out 😛

      I feel like I’m becoming an alternate Mist for IU instead of Minorin

      • Leviathan Mist February 8, 2012 at 12:02 AM

        Hey, I like IU a lot too 😛

    • Kanashimi February 7, 2012 at 10:32 PM

      There’s always another AKB48… always. ._.

      If only Wonder Girls sang this song in their movie and not the “School Gyrls”.

      I just told Elk that you probably love that song now because of zombies. 😛

  • Cerulaine February 7, 2012 at 10:34 PM

    NO I didn’t hit space, I love IU the > was meant to be a <3 LOL

  • PansyChubb February 8, 2012 at 10:01 AM

    Thank you for posting this, Kana! ^_^

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