The Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a Literary Phenomenon. Millions of people all across the world have read it, and it has been a must reading in educational institutions for over fifty years. Furthermore, this book has been adapted into a movie twice, in 1963 and 1990.
William’s work pervades today’s popular culture, giving rise to several parodies, re-imaginings, tributes, plus offering inspiration to the unique cultural forms. That said, let’s look at songs that relate to the Lord of the Flies.
Lord of The Flies – Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden’s song “Lord of the Flies” is perhaps the most notable among songs based on books. They released it in 1996 on their album The X Factor. The song is the most guitar-driven song on the album. It starts with a heavy opening and a minute-long guitar solo, but what caught the attention of many listeners is the song’s lyrics.
The “I” in the song most probably represents Jack. The chorus refers to the existing division between the boys. And just like in the book, the songwriter notes that humans have the potential for evil within themselves.
Iron Maiden’s mascot Eddie, who’s portrayed as the lord of the flies, brings the artwork of this single to life. Eddie sits on an electric chair, dressed as a monarch with a swarm of flies all around him.
For years, tutors have used Lord of the Files in schools, colleges, and universities, and it’s been a source of inspiration for upcoming artists, musicians, and writers. Based on student’s thoughts about the book at https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/lord-of-the-flies/, one can easily conclude that Lord of the Flies is quite a controversial piece of literature. This book will surely evoke reflections and innovative thinking in its readers.
From the song Lord of the flies, we can see how artists can make use of literature to derive inspiration for their art and overall career. You can also do the same to derive information for your school lessons or assignments, especially those based on the book.
You’re Gonna Go Far – The Offspring
Formed during the 80s in California, the punk band Offspring is well known for their track “Pretty Fly,” which was part of their American Album. In 2008, they released the song “You’re gonna go far kid,” which is another music inspired by literature with references to the Lord of the Files.
The song of the Offspring relates to the murder of one of the book’s characters Simon and the excuses of the other boys that they thought he was a beast. In the song, you can easily read the many aspects of the novel. The songs cover many elements referring to Simon, Ralph, and Jack.
It captures how Ralph loses control during the assemblies on the island. Also, the song reflects on Ralph resolving on adherence to rules, which makes Jack’s savagery more appealing to the other boys on the island.
The song also tries to represent the tribal dance, which Jack demanded just before the murder of Simon. Furthermore, the song’s chorus refers to the transformation of Jack into a killer chief and his hunt for Ralph across the island.
Shadow and Tall Trees–U2
Shadow and Tall Trees is the last song on U2’s 1980 album Boy. It’s named after Chapter 7 of Lord of the Flies. In Chapter 7, Simons tells Ralph: “You’ll get back to where you came from.” This corresponds to the line in the song “I will walk home again/ to the street melody.” The U2 song instills a sense of returning home. But also, it might represent a sadness of how predictable life can be.
There’s another line in the song, which denotes a bittersweet relationship between the singer and his consciousness. The fact that Simon in the book is talking to Beelzebub shows that he’s conversing with the evil inside him. The relationship between the song and the novels explains the nature of man is at least partially evil.
Music Video for “ON”—BTS
According to Forbes, BTS is the highest-paid boy band in the world. Their music video ‘ON” from their latest album Map of the Soul: 7 referenced multiple aspects of Lord of the Flies and other movies including, The Maze runner (inspired by Lord of the Files).
In the video, BTS’s singer Jungkook uses the conch to communicate with the other group members, just like in Lord of the Flies. In the book, when someone blows the conch, the group comes together for a meeting.
Conclusion
The fact is, there are so many examples of Lord of the Flies’ legacy on popular culture, especially in music. This book has touched the lives of many and inspired creativity all over the world. Although Golding passed from this life years ago, his incredible imagination and examination of the human mind and personality continue to endure.
