Being that this record is about human life and it was created to help aliens understand life on earth, when selecting my top 10 songs I wanted to ensure that I got as much variety as possible and included music from around the world. Being that miscommunication is a very real possibility, I chose to leave out any song that might be misinterpreted as a threat or songs that represented or described violence or war; for ex: "Izlel je Delyo Hagdutin"- about a unkillable rebel hero, "Rite of Spring"- which led to rioting, and "Tchakrulo"- about preparing for battle. I chose to stick instead to one of the goals of the Golden Record, which was to include music that represented peace and songs that were friendly and joyful.

As mentioned on the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast, music is non-specific and therefore can communicate something to everyone- which is why choosing songs with a variety of musical elements (pitch, range, beats, instruments) was important to me. If aliens are only able to detect and hear the high or low pitch sounds, specific ranges, lyrics, rhythms, or only certain musical instruments, it's important for the songs themselves to be as varied as possible.

Although not on my original Top 10 list, after finding out its meaning, this Indonesian folk song is now my personal favourite. A clear purpose of the Golden Record was to represent humanity as best as possible, and being that this song represents human values, it is perfectly fitting for inclusion. I found the lyrics of the song to be meditative and peaceful and with each lyric naming a different flower- symbolizing a different philosophical state- not only is the song beautiful, but also incredibly meaningful.

I chose this song after looking it up and learning the lyrics. Being that this song is about a 15 year old girl who marries too young, without realizing what she's doing, I feel it represents humanity's innocence and purity. The message of peace the Golden Record wanted to convey is portrayed in this song, which communicates humanity's vulnerability.

Credited as "the first rock & roll hit about rock & roll stardom", and ranked seventh on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", I feel it is fitting to include this song on the record. It's the only rock song on the album and it sticks to Carl Sagan's original goal which was to include music that was friendly and joyful.

Reference:

"500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 7. Chuck Berry, 'Johnny B. Goode'". Rolling Stone. April 7, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2017.

One of the most well known songs around the world and familiar by many. As said on the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast, this is an "epic symphony for an epic journey". This song also aligns well with my intentions of ensuring to include as many musical instruments with as much variety in the Record as possible. After a quick search of the instruments used for this song, I was floored, "two flutes, piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani and strings;" (RIPHIL) I don't even know what some of those are!

Reference:

RIPHIL. (2022, January 17). THE STORY BEHIND: Beethoven's Symphony No.5. retrieved from https://www.riphil.org/blog/the-story-behind-beethoven-s-symphony-no-5

Aside from being the first song Carl Sagan suggested, I included this song because it presents another side to humanity- our struggles. This is a slow paced song about enduring a cold night with nowhere to sleep. It represents sadness and loneliness- once again showing humanity's vulnerability and innocence (as with the Wedding Song).

This was another song I didn't have on the initial draft of my top 10, but after listening to the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast, I added it. With miscommunication and/ or misunderstanding being a possibility, this song helps to increase the chances of the Golden Record being properly understood by broadening its audience. This song represents music with mathematical foundations and showcases the relationship between music and math- enabling more people the opportunity to create meaning from the music.

The woman singing this song has such a beautiful voice- enticing and engaging. I feel that this song demonstrates the incredible talent of humans on earth. The varied pitch and range of her voice and ability of her to sing at all levels (low and high) is absolutely fantastic. Amazing vocal performance.

This song is from the Native American culture, whose voices have been silenced for too long. Being that only "English and a handful of other languages dominate the internet, [and thus mainstream conversation],... this is leaving indigenous cultures without a voice" (Trevino, 2020, n.p). I am so happy to have this song included on the golden record, as it is great to hear music from our forgotten indigenous groups.

Reference:

Trancozo Treviño, M. (2020, April 14). The many languages missing from the internet. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200414-the-many-lanuages-still-missing-from-the-internet

With variety being my major goal for my Top 10, this song was essential for me to include as it is very different from the other tracks. I found this song to be mellow- bringing me comfort and relaxation while listening. The saxophone is a beautiful instrument and I believe this song depicts humanity in a wonderful light- sticking to the message of peace this record intended.

This song exhibits the variety of humanity's music. By displaying two different instruments (panpipes and drum), that may not be as familiar as some of the others, creates another lovely example of our diversity.