Classical Composer Reaction/Analysis of This is America (Childish Gambino) | The Daily Doug Ep. 542

[@simonevirden2254]

Mr. Doug…I have watched many breakdowns of this song and video. I am a classically trained pianist, former band geek (trombone and tuba)…and a black woman in America. This is the first video I have ever seen in your channel… Your analysis was so intelligent and insightful and compassionate and just plain amazing. You are the only person I’ve ever heard breaking down the dichotomy of the tone AND key-color of the dominant chords of the verses…vs the chorus. Gospel (rejoicing) in the chorus…which is what choruses are meant to do…and hip-hop (insight and incite) on the verses…which is what storytelling is supposed to do. Just brilliant, bruv.

[@TippiGordon]

I'm a 46-year-old lily white guy, born and bred on music classic rock, heavy metal, and grunge. And I say without equivocation that Childish Gambino's "This Is America" is the most important song released in my lifetime, perhaps in the lifetime of this nation.

[@izzonj]

The part where he holds his hands like a gun and everything stops, there is 17 seconds of silence - for the 17 victims of the Parkland school shooting. If course this was after the Charleston church massacre, represented by the gospel choir being shot down. I think the older model cars with the door open represent Black men shot by police at traffic stops.

[@beepboop204]

also the American economy used to produce a lot of domestic car brands, and that is a bit of a mythology/narrative many cling to about what actually gets produced (like a lot of domestic firearms and military equipment) versus other consumer products. there is so much depth to every second of film

[@13strong]

The cars with their doors open at the end remind me of the 1987 Hyundai Excel driven by Rodney King when he was pulled over and beaten, in part seeing off the LA riots. But there's more than one car in the video, suggesting many more cases like the abuse of Rodney King. And Glover is dancing on the roof.

[@junethanoschurchill6750]

I think it also represents how people are afraid even of an unarmed black man

[@TheCarlScharnberg]

I've never seen a good explanation of the cars. This REALLY hit me, and I believe you're right. That is extremely profound, and honestly broke my heart. The music video is brilliant, but understanding this - 5 years later - made me cry.

[@kerribeari1337]

Oh wow, what you said about the cars is brilliant. I saw it as being symbolic of the relatively meager and ultimately fleeting/empty reward black artists receive for their art, in comparison to the corporations (largely formed by and for the oppressive classes) who ultimately profit the most from the commercialization of said art. But I think you’re right, I totally didn’t see that. Great insight!

[@yurisucupira]

05:15 The black musician has a face, an identity, while he's still alive. Once he's shot dead, he's just another body of another black guy, he's nothing, he's anonymous, he's unimportant. This is also why his head is covered (it symbolizes his anonymity once he's a dead black man). Once used, the gun is carefully carried away with a red cloth, while the black man's body is dragged out of the scene. The message here is that we treat guns better than people, or that the human life is considered less worth than guns.

[@PixiePrix]

But even after his death, he's still useful if he can put on a performance. He's not even allowed to rest in peace.

[@yurisucupira]

@@PixiePrix Yep, it makes sense: he's gone, but what's been taken from him is still being used/explored. 👍🏻

[@kevinharrison00]

As a Black man I am shocked and thankful at the same time because you are one of the first White people that has not only understood, but understood from the get. Thank you sir, we as Black people need you as allies.

[@22over7guy]

This song and video fascinate me, so I've read tons of commentary and theories about the symbolism throughout. It's dense with symbolism, to be sure. Doug H. is definitely the first I've seen ask if there is symbolism to the F major pentatonic scale used in the gospel sections being all white keys vs. E-flat minor being all black keys. WHOAH!! That's why the Daily Doug is always a worthwhile venture!

[@bastiat6865]

Great point. I didn't catch that.

[@bwaredapenguin]

Never thought I'd hear Doug the church pianist shouting out "Jesus Christ!" to a gospel choir getting executed!

[@lanzarlaluna]

Brilliant observation on the two different scales being all white keys and all black keys.

[@OGMillwood]

100%, never would have picked this up.

[@rodneygriffin7666]

First of all, you're a good human being. As a black person I have no idea how it is to be white. I do know how to be a good person and respect other people. See... We have more in common than we all know. Do we know how to work together to change this world for the betterment of all of us? That I don't know. Thank you, Doug for a great month. Great Channel!

[@beepboop204]

its even weirder for me as a white autistic Canadian, seeing how American stereotypes inspire both white and black Canadians. it becomes pure fantasy for us, because it is literally a world away, while also just being an hour over the border.

[@davesolarz3364]

One of the best things that I have heard is that when you hear about people being mistreated, if you cannot fathom why merely because the look a little different, it is a good thing. It means that you are not one of the bad ones. I understand well why my autistic godson looks at the world and cannot comprehend certain people. He sees the world as it should be, not as it is. I know that sight well.

[@beepboop204]

@@davesolarz3364 too true my man

[@AtomizedSound]

Nicely said

[@BasedMando]

You do know how to be human; remember that.

[@6lillium]

Even the dancing and exaggerated facial expressions are throwbacks to racial stereotypes from post civil war and Jim Crow era....

[@AtomizedSound]

I believe some are but not the whole thing

[@cloudwalker2807]

He is even wearing the trousers of a confederate soldier during this whole video.

[@Aiden1526]

Finally someone understands, all the comments in the actual music video all have wrong guesses we watched this video in history class and he explained the whole thing, and yes all the dances are from the Jim crow era

[@calest6251]

The wink"

[@jaydena6297]

​@@Aiden1526the song is meant to be interpreted however you want so there really is no wrong answers that is exactly why Childish Gambino specifically did not give any explanation of the lyrics

[@keeleybee18]

Your thoughts on the keys being all black or all white is absolutely brilliant. Music can hide so much!

[@13strong]

The cars with their doors open at the end remind me of the 1987 Hyundai Excel driven by Rodney King when he was pulled over and beaten, in part setting off the LA riots. But there's more than one car in the video, suggesting many more cases like the abuse of Rodney King. And Glover is dancing on the roof.

[@DanSpengler]

The open doors and hazard lights evoke so many of the videos we've seen in recent years where people are dragged out of their cars and manhandled for what ought to be mundane traffic stops.

[@misscecemarie7283]

I know two of the other cars were the same make and models of the ones Philando Castile was riding in as well as Sandra Bland. The car representing Philando was one of the few without the door open as he was shot through the window on the passenger side. Donald took his time with this video and it shows.

[@rainbowraver666]

it makes me so happy to see this and see how respectful and open minded you are, definitely one of my favorite reactors! for some reason a lot of reaction/analysis channels tend towards being more right wing and will mock social justice issues and I've never understood why?? it just makes me appreciate your depth of analysis and empathy so much more 💖

[@Collin_H]

I wish Doug would get more into the hip hop/rap sphere. Such a deep and rich culture that has created a genre unlike any other

[@wfly81]

I'm impressed by how much you caught in this video. And obviously people more educated on black culture and black history than you or I have dissected every frame in the video, and you honestly didn't miss a lot. One thing you did seem to just almost catch but not quite...when the kids up above are filming with their cellphones, he says the line "This is a celly, this is a tool". And that's to say that filming with cellphones can and should be used as tools of justice. You can't really jump in and interfere with a corrupt police officer, but you can document his corrupt acts. I don't know this, but I took the end to mean that some powers that be will come after him for using his music video to speak truth to power.

[@christerfurberg6538]

Great catch with the all white and all black keys! I'm quite sure it's not a coincidence. And great reaction/analysis overall!

[@hartkart]

Amazing reaction and interpretation. You, sir are truly an inspiration and a good human being.

[@pharaohjb]

I'm firmly convinced there's a PhD thesis or two in the coming years just on this song/video.

[@crassenti]

Oh heck yes!

[@Brooklynlife1000]

It would be so interesting to read a thesis from many people from all walks of life.

[@Mongo61]

Didn't realize this is five years old. Has not lost an iota of its power.

[@gerrydantone6834]

This was NOT the sound of money being made - this was art. Thanks.

[@StacheBigote]

The whole thing is such a gut punch. I have yet to see someone drop something as laser focused, present, meaningful and impactful as this in the music world since tbh. They threw the kitchen sink at it as far as metaphors go and it works so perfectly. Great reaction.

[@LynneConnolly]

I think this is a masterpiece, video and music. I don't say that often. But the more you watch it, the more you see.

[@bastiat6865]

I appreciate watching you take it in and hearing your moment by moment reaction. It was intelligent and empathetic. And perhaps this is the measure of great art. That watching each other react and respond to the same elements of evocation reminds us how close we are despite how far apart we may seem.

[@travisthornton1792]

Thanks for doing this, Doug.

[@AquaticDot]

Wow, I didn't expect this for a second, but I'm glad you did! Well done as always Doug.

[@TheSaltyAdmiral]

Don't be afraid to pause it, when it is to give as insightful commentary as you do, it only adds to the experience imo. Reacting twice as you did here also works of course :) Anyway, I just discovered your channel and really enjoying it. Keep up the good work! Oh and the white horse; I think it can be the pale horse(death) from the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

[@adelciomdesouza]

Childish Gambino is metal as f*ck.

[@pitpride1220]

The low view count says a lot. People don't want to grapple with the issue. It's easier to fall into what makes you dance and sing. Some of us only dance and sing because it masks pain, is socially required and puts food on the table. America is not ready to pay for its sins. Good on you for showing this piece.

[@MuminahBlanks-S.E.H.D]

Your comment reminds me of something I alwayhs say, "Even if the truth is dead smack in your face, people will always choose the lie because its more comfortable."

[@Tars24400z]

What a great review!!

[@discostoo]

I had to listen to it immediately again too. Such power.

[@cosmicphoto05]

I really really appreciate that you took the music video seriously. So many other reaction channels are just shallow entertainment and can't be bothered to try to understand what's going on. They have no respect for the amount of work that went into the video and the story that Childish Gambino is trying to tell. But you cared, so thank you for that.

[@RamzalTimble]

Hi, recent subscriber here. I'm 14:59 in and I have to say that your breakdown so far is amazing. The fact that music is universal is something the everyman forgets frequently inbetween the static of life. You probably have as many similarities to Childish Gambino that a frog from a toad but you still nailed it so far. Crazy.

[@tejemax]

Excellent breakdown. I'm glad I found this channel!

[@Gopha23]

Your insights and connections are faster than mine haha. Love me some Gambino. Maybe Redbone would be a good follow up? Cheers!

[@gabrielalemaire7116]

Great analysis, Greetings from Brazil🤟

[@scottcarr8738]

Great reaction Brother. I, also a melanin-deficient male, can't tell You if this was the 20th or 100th time I watched this video. I can tell You that I'm still as flooded with emotion as the first. Thank You.💯🤙

[@staffgalli]

What a fantastic reaction analysis Doug 👏👏

[@AtomizedSound]

It’s a great song with an impactful message on how much of America is today towards black people and how the past just doesn’t really seem to go completely away. The video really hits the message home and I think is key to getting the full effect of this song across. I respect Mr. Glover for his artistic genius showcasing it to a wide audience for people to learn and understand from it

[@jeremyhardt4073]

I have always enjoyed your videos, sir. But with this video I feel I better understand you and love you. Thank you for what you do.

[@e4jasperi]

Best music reaction channel on YT. Love your analysis!

[@AlecK47]

One of the things that always strikes me about this video is how perfectly the trap style fits it. I have never been a fan of the style, but in a work like this, which begs you to look deeper, presenting images through words instead of a more story-based style of lyric works. The sparseness of each phrase draws focus away from Glover/Gambino the person/rapper and to the underlying message, through to the "what" and "why" of it all. Sometimes simplicity is power.

[@askholia]

honestly, "holy crap" is one of the best responses you can have after this. It is HEAVY!

[@btvitek1671]

one of the most memorable works of last decade imo

[@danielgoodwin1461]

Your expression 20 seconds in was priceless. Excellent reaction.

[@jasonremy1627]

Such a great video.

[@ExponentialEnrichment]

first video of yours that i've seen. love love love you.

[@djstraylight]

There's an interview where Donald Glover interviews himself because he wanted to give a unique perspective. It might have been in New Yorker magazine? He's an amazing talent. Loved his bit part in The Martian.

[@nomahlubiradebe5453]

this was an amazing reaction to this song/music video

[@LokiDWolf]

A lot of people miss the guy that jumped off the balcony in a dress shirt. Symbols everywhere.

[@KevintheRhea]

Thank you, BZ!!

[@TheCarlScharnberg]

You caught a lot of stuff. If you've never seen the video before nor seen other analyses, then that is very impressive. Thanks for the additional points on the keys, etc. That was very cool. Perhaps it isn't coincidental.

[@samfisher6606]

I think they said the white horse is the Horseman Death.

[@aFriCan_Boi]

Dude you are funny as f.. your dancing and reaction to everything 😂😂 great insight as well!!

[@quasipseudo1]

Honesty = respect.

[@pierce6288]

This guy is pretty cool man great review

[@jatilq]

Love the reaction and breakdown.

[@spiazzi]

Great review, I think you captured very well what he was trying to portrait on this music, specially on the graphical references. I really love this song, but it wouldn't have the same effect if it wasn't for the music video. There's a video response from another artist released a few years later which complements and/or criticizes this music for using the term "America" to refer only to the USA. It's also an interesting piece of music, it kind shows the influence USA has in the rest of America, specially Latin America. The music it's called This is not America by Residente. It would be cool to watch you analyze it in the future

[@shelleynobleart]

You don't miss much, Sir Doug.

[@arnaudb.7669]

Great video. Thanks.

[@planetbetter]

Good response

[@koretmulder6316]

I really appreciated your double take. My personal view? It's *very* meta. It's not telling a specific story, it's telling a cultural history. There's a brutally hard polarization being shown. Most Black Americans have a deep Christian root. And many also live in a dangerously marginalized social strata. Shout for Jesus! And I gotta strap.

[@seikojin]

There was a fan made video for one of his other songs, Worldstar, which is another powerful video.

[@Meow_Tse-Tung]

It's awesome to see you are using black history month to promote black music. I came in here as a new viewer with low expectations given the analysis from most other people I've seen listen to this song, but I'm very happy after watching this. As white people, we have to keenly watch and listen to put together the symbolism in the music video that would be more obvious to someone who has lived that life. I hit the lottery so to speak by being born into a well off white family that never had to face economic struggle, state violence, over-policing, biased courts, and countless other things, and I luckily broke out of the bubble I was living in through my self employment as a flower delivery service. I delivered to very rich and very poor people, people of all races, sexual orientations, genders, occupations, etc., and witnessing all of these individuals and families firsthand left an impression on me that I am grateful for. We have to be allies and advocate for marginalized groups in our society, because the status quo doesn't benefit everyone equally.

[@sheridankamal]

I didn't expect this but I frickin loves it.

[@davesolarz3364]

Yeah. All the driver's doors are open. Who's in the driver's seat in America? Nobody.

[@montadar1]

I really love Donald Glover for doing this, he is an amazing artist and human being. This one and "It feels like summer" has two things in common. In "It feels like summer" everyone, literally everyone is looking at the music video and counting all the rappers and celebrities they see, while not focusing/paying attention to the lyrics of the song that is literally about how we are slowly killing this world with climate change and so on. And in this one many people gets to focused on Donald himself dancing instead if seeing the chaos happening at the background. Childish Gambino - It feels like summer is amazing and here are some of the lyrics that I really recommend you to listen to: "Every day gets hotter than the one before Running out of water, it's about to go down Go down Air that kill the bees that we depend upon Birds were made for singing, wakin' up to no sound No sound I know Oh, I know you know my pain (woah, no no no) I'm hopin' that this world will change (This world will change, yeah) But it just seems the same (woah)" Thank you for your reaction sir!

[@Dan-B]

This is truly some of the best art of the 21st century. You could spend hours dissecting all the hidden (and obvious) meanings, all of it important and poignant.

[@anthonyabdorab]

on point respect bro

[@gthobaben]

Donald Glover is a genius and thank you for this video!

[@Kravmagagod]

The dancing of the five kids throughout the video is phenomenal.

[@sleekgeekcollectibles]

Thank you.

[@Maztuhmind]

Hoping that this opens the doors for you to react to more Hip-Hop music.

[@esortica]

Hi Doug! Great video, as usual. After this one, you should take a look at Residente - "This is Not America". Cheers!

[@bobcarr2649]

People are having it tough in America. Guns are more important than people, or to put it another way the profits of gun manufacturers are more important than people. Being a child is no protection, being in Church is no protection...Far more happens in the background of a life than can be appreciated by the living. And it happens to other people. A few random thoughts after watching.

[@yurisucupira]

08:00 Black horseman on a white horse = the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse, a.k.a. the Horseman of Death.

[@xyz-yf2kr]

Thanks for the episode. There's a lot in this video. Dunno why but I was thinking of the movie "Black like me", where the white guy took a drug to darken his skin, 1964 production to make a point yet little has been learned. Dunno why skin pigmentation means so much to people, we are all the same inside.

[@_dmfd]

Omg Doug dude you have to do Me & Your Mama off of Awaken! My Love. It's so good. Funk soul blues

[@andrewramirez9374]

Hey Doug i love your channel just wanted to let you know that you should react to the Eddie Van Halen solo ''Eruption'' and the live version...love your channel!

[@yurisucupira]

12:32 This facial expression is a direct reference to the Minstrel show face (early 19th century).

[@iancollins65]

You would enjoy more Childish Gambino. Especially from “Camp.” It’s a great album and I feel very ahead of it’s time.

[@bookerwills8649]

I just found you randomly but hi ren, by the artist named ren, will probably blow your mind

[@mikkasatanael]

i cale to your videos lookong out for reactions of a classical composer about metal songs and pink floyd songs... since then i watched your takes about the lyrics, system of a dawn, rage against the machine and here childish gambino : i'm staying for the reactions of a wise man, you're quite a decent person and have clear vision about stuff i did write "plz keep on posting" and of course i stand by it, but i also need to add : "go back to teaching", coz the kids need people like yourself to learn how to think respect!

[@janzojanzo9059]

Hello Sir Doug. Hopefully you will do Keys To Imagination by Yanni (Live t the Acropolis).

[@Xenuu]

This was on my recommended and I was waiting for his reaction when the gun came out. That "holy shit" is how everyone felt when they first saw this I think 😂

[@gjh9299]

hes wearing civil war confederate trousers and chains the choir is from the south carolina church shooting. youre right about the guns being cared for more than the victims

[@tommy2x4]

i realize this is a year old video...however, this is a statement on our society. all the chaos, murder, violence happening...whilst it's all about likes on your social media post. there are so many levels to this video..i think it's one of the most important videos of recent times. we are losing ourselves...

[@alisong826]

The sociologist in me was fascinated with this video.

[@zegh8578]

So many good visual details in this - I just wanna add, the dancers (all being black) are performing a range of African dance moves - which makes them stand out, adding a sense of a "spirit" to the dancers - bringing attention to the whole race-issue of the performance.

[@fourthwallbreak]

Donald Glovers greatest achievement is Spelling Bee which you can see on KZbin. So ahead of its time.

[@duanewilson8222]

Good reaction

[@ericsantiago1019]

Hi Doug, now that you've reacted to this masterpiece, could you react to a response from a rapper named Residente called This is Not America

[@thiagowwz]

17:35 » as the History teachers usually tell the students on their first class: "─and the History repeats through time."

[@yurisucupira]

17:07 The message here is that people's always going to assume that the black guy is carrying a gun and that he's violent, so if he makes any movement that looks like drawing a gun, everybody's going to run away despite of the black guy's actual intention. In this scene, the black guy doesn't even have a gun, he's just about to smoke a joint, but everybody runs away from him anyway.

[@cybermartyr8839]

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat upon him was Death, and Hell followed with him."

[@yurisucupira]

05:47 This is the Jim Crow pose.

[@candejuncosleon4829]

EXCELENT!!!!

[@stringsofgrace5591]

Hello Doug when are you reacting to Extreme's new song Rise.

[@onwingsofwindlive]

To me, I don’t know if this is really right or not, but at the end when it zooms out with childish gambino at the end when he’s on the car…the dark like from the pipe on the wall looks like he was hung after he becomes still in a silhouette. Not sure if it was on purpose though or just in my head 🤔

[@BWQK1]

"what's going on back there?" what we're all trying to find out but can't see through the noise

[@bastiat6865]

Intros by youtube content creators tend to be very annoying to me. They waste time. Yours was perfect. It was an informative setup to what your intentions were and why you're here. And there was a flow and rhythm to it that made me listen.