This post contains two parts: a podcast and a Spotify playlist. The podcast explores the themes, essential questions, and writing style of Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime novel. I used Audacity to record my audio, Canva to create the podcast cover, and Clideo to edit the podcast video. The post also has a Spotify playlist containing four songs that represent themes touched on in Born a Crime with an analysis of each song.

Part A- Podcast:

Script:

Part B- Spotify Playlist:

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7cshp3NRsUZQgBnQF6XvZ1?si=7fcdb36e32db41e0

George Micheal- Faith

George Micheal’s song connects to themes of resiliency and hope in Born a crime. The song is centered on remaining optimistic that there is a better life beyond his toxic relationship. This is communicated in lines 8,9 and 10 when he sings “Well it takes a strong man, baby / But I’m showin’ you the door / ‘Cause I gotta’ have faith”. The ability to remain hopepunk is an important theme throughout the novel as Trevor uses humor to cope with the Apartheid and his mother, quite literally, uses her faith to keep pushing her forward. For example, even after Trevor’s mother had been shot in the face, she still managed to laugh through the pain when he writes “She broke out in a huge smile and started laughing. Through my tears, I started laughing, too.” (Pg.281).

Tears for Fears– Everybody Wants to Rule the World 

An important theme in Tears for Fears song is the rampant imperialism demonstrated throughout the world and the incessant need to control other places and people. This idea is communicated by lines 11,12 and 13 when he states, “Help me make the most / Of freedom and of pleasure / Nothing ever lasts forever”, which highlights how the freedom that a government gains over a country often means that someone else lost freedom. The song connects to themes of racism and inequality in Born a Crime because these are direct consequences of imperialism. When Trevor states “the colonial powers carved up South Africa, put the black man to work, and did not properly educate him” (pg.194), he reflects on how the rights of black citizens were removed due to colonialism.  

Paris Paloma – Labour

Paris Paloma’s song references the emotional, mental, and physical exertion women have historically performed to maintain their marriages. Even in recent times, women still encounter various forms of sexism daily. This idea is exemplified by stanza 9 when she states:

“All day, every day, therapist, mother, maid
Nymph, then a virgin, nurse, then a servant
Just an appendage, live to attend him
So that he never lifts a finger
24/7 baby machine
So he can live out his picket fence dreams
It’s not an act of love if you make her
You make me do too much labour”

which serves as a reminder to how much women do for their families yet remain unrecognized. This connects to themes of sexism in Born a Crime when Trevor states, “As a nation, we recognized the power of women, but in the home, they were expected to submit and obey.” (Pg. 39) which exemplifies how despite holding the community together, women were treated poorly.

Gilbert O’Sullivan- Along Again (Naturally)

Gilbert’s song connects to the theme of identity in Born a Crime. In the novel, Trevor felt alone because of his mixed heritage which was pivotal to his identity as it impacted his sense of belonging in the future. Loneliness is touched on lines 32,33,34, and 38 in the song when Gilbert writes “It seems to me that / There are more hearts broken in the world / that can’t be mended / Alone again, naturally”, which illustrates how being alone impacts a person. Trevor’s life long battle of being alone is exemplified when he writes “Other than those few instances of walking in the park, the flashes of memory I have from when I was young are almost all indoors…I didn’t have any friends…I was a lonely kid” (pg.30).

Works Cited: