Thesis

The last post I put up talked mostly about the general message of the song. However after thinking about my thesis I realized that I didn't know exactly what to argue other than stating the obvious that "California's got more bounce than all y'all combined". As I began to brainstorm about what this song was really trying to say it came to me that this song celebrates the stereotypes of California that most people denigrate. Meaning that this song addresses all of the typical "negative" descriptions of California and turns them around saying that these aren't problems but instead even more reasons to come here. For example, the problem of drugs known in California, especially the LA area, is usually seen in a negative light, however in this song, Soul Kid 1 talks about "pleaking out on ecstasy" as an activity that people should be jealous of because of it's high level of satisfaction and fun. 

My thesis as of now is: "More Bounce in California" celebrates the California dream by turning the negative stereotypes of California into desirable features.

Any comments on the thesis would be greatly appreciated.

More Bounce in California - Soul Kid #1

The song I chose for our Writing 130 California Dream essay is the song "More Bounce in California" by Soul kid #1. Here are the LYRICS.

The general attitude of this song is that California is the ideal place to relax, break the law, and ultimately enjoy life. The constant repetition of the line "we've got more bounce in california" expresses this idea of superiority and pride. This line is then followed by the lines "than all y'all combined", "we like to party all the time", "where the hustlers all reside", and "rollin' easy when we ride" respectively. These four lines in the chorus essentially tell the audience that California is better than all the other states, we know how to have fun, everyone who knows how to have a "good time" lives here, and we have very few cares in the world. 

Now, for some, this definition of any state could seem too free-spirited making life here seem chaotic, confusing, and disorganized. However, the utopia that this song makes california sound like is the one where everyone just lives like there's no tomorrow and does whatever they want whenever they want. Each verse in this song continues to describe California - the weather, the residents, and the activities done in the life of a Californian. Although the descriptions of a "californian" may seem inappropriate to many, the context of this song makes everything sound ideal and surreal. This song describes California in a positive light to those who prefer to have no responsibility and no rules.