Music Analysis #2 - Freudian

"Freudian" by Daniel Caesar

Freudian Album Cover

 

Introduction:

I was recommended this song by a friend a while ago. I had never really listened to Daniel Caesar before, but I had probably heard him singing on the radio once or twice. Anyways, I was recommended this song back when I was in a rough spot. This song was the some of the most calming music I had heard in a long time. Considering the fact that my library of music is mainly R&B/ Pop, this is surprising. "Freudian" was released on August 25th, 2017 and is a two part piece with a silent interlude putting the song up to 10 minutes. Trust me, it is worth every second. From the mix of piano and electronic music in the beginning to the beautiful Organ in the second part of the song, "Freudian" is a master piece. The album even won the Juno Award for R&B/Soul recording of the year! According to cherwell.org:

"Caesar called the album Freudian after learning of Sigmund Freud’s Oedipus complex, finding inspiration in the theory’s proposition that a child has an unconscious desire for the opposite-sex parent, in order to make sense of his own previous relationships."

The reason behind the album's name can clearly be heard in the lyrics, which I will be going over next.

Links to music:

Here's a lyrics video of Freudian:

Here's a link to that video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVPeRAdjnk

Lyrics:

[Chorus: Daniel Caesar]
I just want to thank you for savin' my life, yes
I just want to thank you for all your advice

[Verse 2: Daniel Caesar]
You are the reason (Ooh), the reason I'm alive
I must bring you honor (Honor)
If I don't, I'll die
Ma', I know I brought shame (Ma', I know I brought shame)
Put a mark on your name (Put a mark on your name)
But you got your thangs too (You got your thangs too)
Better believe it, I'm (You got your thangs too)
Risin' up from the flames (Risin' up from the flames)
The phoenix that I became (The phoenix that I became)
But you got your thangs too (You got your thangs)
Oh, help me sing

Link to full lyrics: https://genius.com/Daniel-caesar-freudian-lyrics

The amazing thing about these lyrics is that they express the emotions and gratitude Caesar had towards his mother. A lot of artists claim that their fame was all theirs these days, that they made it with no one else's help. Daniel Caesar is one of the few that says that he couldn't have made it without his mother and her advice. According to Genius.com, this song also has a second direction, in which Caesar isn't talking to his mother, but instead his lover from a past relationship. Both interpretations can be seen as endearing and honest, yet sweet. The lyrics in this song and the rest of the album may appear cheesy, but the way Daniel Caesar sings these words makes them feel real and truthful, like he really means what he is saying (cherwell.org)

Melody:

The melody of this song is honestly one of the most calming and chill melodies I have heard in a while. Daniel Caesar has this really smooth voice that goes along well with the instruments. The bending electric guitar phrases along with the slow drum set and slight piano give a great base for Caesar's amazing voice. After the beginning of the song, the next singer comes in with auto-tune for a short intermission. I know, this may sound annoying for such a slow song, but it adds a little bit to the story. For the second part of this song, there is an Organ playing in the background. Caesar slows down the tempo significantly, giving the Organ time to draw out these long chords that he sings over. Daniel Caesar comes from a Gospel Choir background and always seems to add this style into his albums. Again, the melody in this song is smooth and connected (with the occasional pause for effect and intermission).

Meter:

The count of this song is 6/8 time. The hits by the drum in the background are divided in groups of three, but it is fairly easy to see that this song is in 6/8 and not 3/4. The background music that goes with Caesar's voice seems slow and dragging. However, the song is actually at 115 bpm, so 3/4 would be way too fast. 115 bpm with a 6/8 meter would definitely give you a slower sounding song. In the second half of the song, there is a change in meter. I actually can't seem to find the time signature, because I don't think there is one for this part. I believe it's just holding out some longer notes and phrases on purpose.

Timbre:

The timbre in this song is amazing. The quality of the studio recording is really good along with Daniel Caesar's voice. The smooth and connected voice of Caesar over the somewhat choppy (stopping and starting beat) gives this cool effect to the music. If it were only choppy, the music would feel too fast for the mood. If it were only smooth, the music would feel incredibly slow. Having this nice balance of short and long beats and Caesar's smooth tenor voice over the top makes the song have a nice timbre. Even Caesar's higher notes have a nice sound quality to them.

Rhythm:

The rhythm is very steady throughout. There are some instances where the song slows down or speeds up in the first half, but the beat is steady throughout. In the second part of the song (if you count it as a sequel to part one) the rhythm slows down drastically and is almost nonexistent. I would count the second part as a massive ritardando of the first part (even with the intermission).

Dynamics:

The dynamics of this song remain mostly the same throughout. The song gets softer when Caesar switches up to his falsetto range and more instruments drop out to accommodate for his light and airy voice. There is also a lot of reverb in the guitar especially, giving this distant and almost other-worldly feeling to the music. Overall, the dynamics of this song are great for its beautiful chords and slow meter.

 Conclusion:

I really enjoy this song. I have been listening to it on and off for about a year now and it is definitely one of my favorites. I am a sucker for a good R&B/Soul song and I genuinely enjoyed making this blog post. Daniel Caesar is an insane musician and I highly recommend just giving this album a listen when you're feeling good. It is well worth the 45 minutes.

Sources:

Matthew Valentine, et al. “'Sacred Elements and Secular Sentiments' – Daniel Caesar: Freudian.” Cherwell, 8 Apr. 2018, cherwell.org/2018/04/08/sacred-elements-and-secular-sentiments-daniel-caesar-freudian/.

“Daniel Caesar – Freudian.” Genius, 25 Aug. 2017, genius.com/Daniel-caesar-freudian-lyrics