The Prole Song

[Princess Belle]

I was wondering about the song

"It was only a 'opeless fancy,
It passed like an Ipril dye,
But a look an' a word an' the dreams they stirred,
They 'ave stolen my 'eart awye!"

that the proles are singing. It seems as if Orwell writes of this song quite often and I was wondering if there is any significance behind it.

[bazarov]

Prove of past.

[The Atheist]

I think it was also to point out the horrible standard of music they were allowed to listen to.

[lukgem]

hello princess belle,
i do not know what part of the world you are from,but may i suggest you try to research any cockney style music from the 1940s.
knees up mother brown,im an airman,show me the way to go home,im forever blowing bubbles(west ham united)to get an idea of proletarian music.
this is my own family history and i was bought up singing these songs with my grandparents.i do not know if this is correct but its the style i think of whilst reading orwell and he is writing about music,

hope this might help,
luke.

[Princess Belle]

Thank you for the ideas and answers!

[Richier]

The song could be viewed as a riddle of the book

It was only a 'opeless fancy
Winston's struggle was always doomed

It passed like an Ipril dye,
Can't think of the significance, although the book starts in April

But a look an' a word an' the dreams they stirred,
Either a careless facial expression or speech, and the thoughts behind them

They 'ave stolen my 'eart awye!"
The Party and Thought Police make Winston Love BB by Force


I like lukgem's suggestion to think of cockney music to interpret the prole language. Maybe Chas 'n' Dave CDs should be on the English Lit curriculum

[The Atheist]

The song could be viewed as a riddle of the book

That's not too bad!

[lukgem]

The song could be viewed as a riddle of the book



But a look an' a word an' the dreams they stirred,
Yes, his looks toward Julia and O'Brien and his secret diary's words stirred in him his dreams of Liberty



I like lukgem's suggestion to think of cockney music to interpret the prole language. Maybe Chas 'n' Dave CDs should be on the English Lit curriculum

It may give a idea of the musical style. And you cant beat a good old cockney knees up, Mother Brown, Rabbit, Rabbit, urrtcha!

:D

Also may i add that there is no mention to musical advance i do not think in 1984. Society for the masses had stagnated so i presumed so would have the music. Whilst reading i personally did not envisage a Kraftwerkian or Herbie Hancock style of Moog synth and Roland TR series of Proletarian music.