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Mark Foster wrote much of the lyrics for Supermodel after he and his band finished touring for their first album, Torches. He took a trip from India to Morocco in an effort towards introspection regarding his motivations and repercussions for success, as well as to learn to connect with the world around him. He recognized their first album to be a “collection of songs,” meant to show off their skill, as Ryan Kristobak reports on his breakdown of the album; but Foster wanted the band’s second album to carry meaning, and each song to have its own weighted message. “Are You What You Want To Be?” is the first song in this long-journeyed album. Here he introduces the global connection, as well as the start of some relatively heavy themes which will continue to grip the rest of the album’s lyrics.
During the period in which Foster travelled and started writing the music for Supermodel, and well into today, there are consistently stories in the media of rising tensions or continuing wars between nations, or exposures on governmental actions previously withheld from the public. As Kristobak continues in his piece, “Foster originally wanted to title the song ‘Diary of a Revolutionary" – [it] is written in character through the eyes of a young revolutionary.” In the chorus of the song, Foster states outright the expectation for “revelation” and “revolution,” but never mentions if he watches any specific nation, or refers to the world as a whole. Combined with this idea of his being a global citizen during his travels, this grows into the concept of his generalization addressing many or all different nations, and not being an anthem for one specific group.
In the first handful of lines alone, he references Paris, Ghana, and Belize – a subtle effort to tie together various corners of the world. This is appropriate considering the fact that there isn’t one single culture the lyrics and music may reference. He attributes the 6/8 beat of the versus to West African music, and remarks the sounds of the djembe, which originated in West Africa but travelled throughout the world. His reference to Fela, a musical artist of Nigerian origins, seems initially to attribute the musical influence from which the unique sound of this track stems. But not only was Fela one of the originators of the genre of afrobeat, but he was also an avid political activist during his lifetime, a reference that will be unmistakable as the song continues.
Foster goes on to use evocative language throughout the song: “dissidents;” “rip apart the marrow from the bone;” “ending a martyr.” He makes these nearly general references to dissidents and insurgents, one can’t help but to think of the political climate both of 2012-2013, when the album was still being written and produced, as well as the climate today of various countries throughout the world. These last lines of the verse, partnered with the introduction of Fela, the audience may call to mind other eastern or African nations which had or still have volatile governmental situations. Fela was notorious for challenging the Nigerian government, and equally known for the abuse he received because of it. It would be too easy to say Foster’s “martyr” is Fela, especially when taking into account his desire for global association.
The chorus turns the lyrics and the audience back to Foster and his introspection. On his journey, he seeks a connection between his western Los Angeles culture and the cultures of the eastern world, but upon opening his eyes to global political struggles, which can and often do culminate to violence, one can understand his desire to “duck for cover.” But taking separately the revolutionist character Foster writes as in the verses, he seems to be called back into himself in the chorus, and then in the first part of the second verse.
Foster a Revolution
Foster A Revolution
Mark Foster wrote much of the lyrics for Supermodel after he and his band finished touring for their first album, Torches. He took a trip from India to Morocco in an effort towards introspection regarding his motivations and repercussions for success, as well as to learn to connect with the world around him. He recognized their first album to be a “collection of songs,” meant to show off their skill, as Ryan Kristobak reports on his breakdown of the album; but Foster wanted the band’s second album to carry meaning, and each song to have its own weighted message. “Are You What You Want To Be?” is the first song in this long-journeyed album. Here he introduces the global connection, as well as the start of some relatively heavy themes which will continue to grip the rest of the album’s lyrics.
During the period in which Foster travelled and started writing the music for Supermodel, and well into today, there are consistently stories in the media of rising tensions or continuing wars between nations, or exposures on governmental actions previously withheld from the public. As Kristobak continues in his piece, “Foster originally wanted to title the song ‘Diary of a Revolutionary" – [it] is written in character through the eyes of a young revolutionary.” In the chorus of the song, Foster states outright the expectation for “revelation” and “revolution,” but never mentions if he watches any specific nation, or refers to the world as a whole. Combined with this idea of his being a global citizen during his travels, this grows into the concept of his generalization addressing many or all different nations, and not being an anthem for one specific group.
In the first handful of lines alone, he references Paris, Ghana, and Belize – a subtle effort to tie together various corners of the world. This is appropriate considering the fact that there isn’t one single culture the lyrics and music may reference. He attributes the 6/8 beat of the versus to West African music, and remarks the sounds of the djembe, which originated in West Africa but travelled throughout the world. His reference to Fela, a musical artist of Nigerian origins, seems initially to attribute the musical influence from which the unique sound of this track stems. But not only was Fela one of the originators of the genre of afrobeat, but he was also an avid political activist during his lifetime, a reference that will be unmistakable as the song continues.
Foster goes on to use evocative language throughout the song: “dissidents;” “rip apart the marrow from the bone;” “ending a martyr.” He makes these nearly general references to dissidents and insurgents, one can’t help but to think of the political climate both of 2012-2013, when the album was still being written and produced, as well as the climate today of various countries throughout the world. These last lines of the verse, partnered with the introduction of Fela, the audience may call to mind other eastern or African nations which had or still have volatile governmental situations. Fela was notorious for challenging the Nigerian government, and equally known for the abuse he received because of it. It would be too easy to say Foster’s “martyr” is Fela, especially when taking into account his desire for global association.
The chorus turns the lyrics and the audience back to Foster and his introspection. On his journey, he seeks a connection between his western Los Angeles culture and the cultures of the eastern world, but upon opening his eyes to global political struggles, which can and often do culminate to violence, one can understand his desire to “duck for cover.” But taking separately the revolutionist character Foster writes as in the verses, he seems to be called back into himself in the chorus, and then in the first part of the second verse.
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