The foundation of the lyrics for Black Swan is based the on the words of the dancer Martha Graham "A dancer dies twice, once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." BTS applies the same concept to musicians losing their passion for creating and performing their music.
The main base for the MV and the song is more the psychologcial thriller of the same name - Namjoon had to watch it again. It's about a ballerina that has to play the female lead in Swan Lake: A prince at dusk on the hunt finds a lake with swans on it that turn into women. He falls in love with the cursed princess and promisses her loyalty. The sorcerer Rothbart (sp?) is less than happy and turns his own daughter into a look-a-like of the princess. The prince does not see the difference and dances with her instead of his intended. The princess takes her own life. Traditionally the ballerina that plays the princess (white swan) also dances the daughter of the sorcerer (black swan). Since there are two very different personallities it is considered very hard to dance. The movie is about that. The ballerina is challenged to explore her "dark side" to embody the black swan better and it drives her insane. We are on "The Map of the Soul" which means this is applied Jungian psychology. As you pointed out that is about exploring their "shadow"/their unconscious as artist: The fear of lossing their passion for their craft. The "shadow" is the part that is unacceptable about ourself even to ourself: fears, anger, anxiety, stuff we pretend does not exist as it goes against social norms - it keeps us up at night, leads to depression and to break-downs. But the unconscious is part of us as uncomfortable as it is - so to come close to your "true self" you need to explore it and pull as much as you can into your conscious mind: To "Love Yourself" you need to "Know Yourself" - which is why this follows after BTS "Love Yourself" era. You nice! Keep going! 💜
As you spotted the autotune is an artistic choice, it serves the purpose of merging their voices together to the point where it's hard to tell them apart in the recorded version, the same effect was reflected visually on the album cover of "Map of the Soul: 7" where the number 7 is repeated 7 times in 7 different fonts that overlap each other to the point where you can't really separate them and they reach your visual perception as one. As someone else already mentioned in the live chat, this song was supposed to be one of their last singles before joining the military, so they were really focusing on the band as a whole and on the importance of the number 7. If you are particularly interested in the Jungian psychology part of the interpretation, the channel "Bookish Theory" has explanation videos (only 10 mins long) of the symbology of this MV and their performance at the late late show, which are heavily referring to the concept of 'shadow' by Jung. Also, the rappers have produced a trilogy interpreting the 3 stages of Jung's individuation process - Persona by RM, Shadow by SUGA, Ego by J-hope. All three have MVs that have very heavy symbolism. Thank you for the reaction and happy new year!
As a newer Army this information is so helpful. I keep learning more and more why they have captured my interest more than any other band or group - and I follow a lot of music. The depth of their work has to be unparalleled.
Black Swan is one of those songs I feel only BTS can do. I can not imagine any Western "Boy Band" pull off a contemporary dance performance to a Hip Hop track. I'm really curious which live performance you decided to do. The live performance from their concerts is my favorite because the introduction is so theatrical incorporating classical instrumentation leading up to the song. Every Black Swan performance is amazing! Have a wonderful New Year Johnny/Richard!
One of the standout gems in the BTS discography. Their fear of losing a connection to their art and passion for making art is so relatable. Just a perfect song.
UPDATED: We had to filter the video due to it being blocked in Russia for some reason and we didn’t want our subscribers there to miss it. We apologize for the inconvenience! Thank you for all of the information on behind the meaning of Black Swan (we learned a lot during the premiere's live chat). We are both fans of Jungian psychology and are excited to go back to watch/listen again from that perspective!! Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR and we look forward to more in 2024!
you're going to have a field trip with Map Of The Soul albums. it's 2 albums series, inspired by Jungian psychology. actually, there's a psychologist who wrote a book about Jung's idea, he title it "Map Of The Soul" which BTS adopted for their albums. that same psychologist wrote another book connecting both the psychology and BTS' work (he was shock that a "boyband" would write songs about it, it's almost unheard of lol)
Thanks for the reaction. FYI, they also hired MN Dance Company to do an art film for this song using an orchestral version--def worth checking out...I especially love the cello parts.
I love jimin’s voice. It’s just so unique. It really stands out. I mean, all their voices do but there’s just something about his. There’s also something about his dancing. I’ve only recently been watching BTS, and from the beginning, Jimin really stood out to me. He just has such great stage presence too. All of them are super talented. Not normally the type of music I listen to on a daily basis like if I’m just listening to music on my way to work or something, but I could watch their videos of them performing on a daily basis. Thanks for reacting!
“Black Swan” is about being a performer and becoming exhausted or burnt out by your passion. Suga's opening rap describes how his heart no longer races when music is played. It goes on to compare this feeling to that of death.
Take a few minutes and watch the behind the scenes video of Jimin making the solo portions of the MV. His voice is heaven but his dance and movement ability is sheer perfection. Worth the 5 minute watch.
I agree, Jimin's voice is angelic, but my favorite thing is when he dances contemporary! His work ethic is crazy. Yes, they all work hard, but when the members themselves mention it, you know there is truth in it. Even HYBE's training and development team mentioned it. When BTS were starting out, they would train 12 - 15 hours a day. I doubt most Western bands did this. Much respect 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Thank you for your reactions. BTS have a lot of masterpieces but I think Black Swan as a work of art . It has so many layers, conceptually, visually, harmonically etc. that merge and touch your soul once you discover it, like a painting or a natural landscape, and invites you to stay watching and unveil the details just to enjoy and admire the artist’s geniality no matter who he could be or what you know about anything. So eventually with the help of the army you will reach the knowledge but meantime just enjoy the art and the process of discovering Happy new year to all
Yes!!! His contemporary background was really able to shine in that video. I hate they couldn’t fit it all in. He just embodies the dance so beautifully. It’s like the music moves through him.
I agree with you, Richard. I prefer the live, less produced performance of this song. I do recommend, however, that you read a reliable translation of BTS's lyrics (Doolset) before you react because they are telling a story. Of course, we all appreciate the artistry and beauty of the music even when we don't understand the message, but I think the whole package is more impressive when you realize how the instrumentation, vocal delivery, and choreo combine to create the storyline. Happy New Year to you and Johnny! I look forward to your reactions. 💜
I agree with you, finding the Doolset translation website made me appreciate the songs and the artistry 1000% more (also the Korean language as a whole)
BTS has released a album series named 'Map of the soul'. Black Swan is from the second album Map of the soul 7. Originally it was planned to release them as a trilogy, persons, shadow and ego. But BTS desperately needed a break because of burn out. So they only released 2 albums, MotS Persona and 7. They are based on the theories of the map of the soul by swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Basically your soul can be parted into your persona, which is the 'mask' you are showing to the outer world, your ego which is yourself inside (combining all 3 parts) and the shadow which represents all the negative characteristics of yourself. You can't seperate your shadow from your soul because it's part of yourself too. So you need to accept your shadow in order to accept yourself completely. The shadow in the mv represents the fear of the members of losing their passion for music. So in the end they accepted this reality and were able to move on.
You get it. Black Swan's message, as an artist, got to me when i took the time to really dig in. I think you will both appreciate it when you read it. BTS is so disciplined and creative. This is why many of us listen to them so much. Quality, creativity, message, and variety of music genres are all captivating. If you are interested in the way they move through their performance, check ON: Kinetic Manifesto version. They performed it live in Grand Central Station for the Tonight Show. It is epic. For something older, try Danger. This was an early song that is decidedly poppy, but also shows their discipline and tight performance. I Need You is the start of their Lore, the BTS Universe, and the video shook ARMYs for reasons you will have to experience yourself. The song that launched them into the international stage more soundly is Blood, Sweat, and Tears. It is a mind bender with beautiful music and thick with symbolism. By the way, there are a lot of "explained" videos out there for various songs if you want to watch those with the actual videos. I recommend doing so with Blood Sweat and Tears and a number of others. Thanks for sharing your reaction.
You have no idea for how long I've been looking forward to your reaction to black swam. You never disappoint. You should continue reacting to BTS live. You are so kind and professional. Greetings from a Peruvian army.
Black Swan! This is the song that cemented me as an ARMY, not the first song, but the one that made me go "oh, these guys are different." I can't think of any other group that would sing so openly about being afraid of losing their passion. And when I learned this album was also supposed to be the last before enlistment, it makes it even braver and more powerful. I'd love to see you guys react to one of their songs written specifically for ARMY - Magic Shop. It is such a comfort song and so loving and caring.
This song means so much to BTS. As that is a feeling they were battling themselves at the time. It wasn't until 2023 that we clearly understood the feelings each member were having at the time.
There is an ART FILM MV that has the orchestral arrangement version of this song. When this song dropped, that MV was part of a global art project called "CONNECT, BTS". It was such a wonderful surprise. I think it's def worth a view, I wish more ARMYs would recommend it along with the trap hiphop MV.
The Connect BTS project was one of the most ambitious artistic projects I've ever seen and it's so sad that it was overshadowed by covid. I wish more armys recommended and revisit that
Like others have commented, as long as you include the Big Hit intro you are good to react to the official music videos. Live performances that are produced separately you will need to cover. Another great analysis. For BTS it’s tough to recommend which one to pick next. If you are doing any of the MVs with a lot of symbolism, also including additional explanation videos are interesting to get the full effect. This is why the fandom is so deep. It’s not just the song on the surface that draws us in.
Jimin is a trained contemporary dancer, so in the video he’s the one doing all the individual ballet-style dancing. He is so amazing!!🤗💜 Black Swan is one of my favorite songs because it’s so different from any other and speaks to their fear of losing the passion for music and what they do. A fear all artists share; writers like me included. 💜💜💜💜🥰
I think a key to starting to understand this track is to understand what a black swan is. A black swan is a sudden, unexpected event typically with negative consequences. While analogies have been assumed to the Natalie Portman movie, I think when viewed from the album concept which is the theories of psychologist Karl Jung, the theater more properly reflects the theater of the Psyche in which the Black Swan occurs. This is similar to the track On from the same album which in the mv opens with the devastation of a fierce sudden battle resulting in a dove with an arrow shot through its body. Much as in Black Swan, the narrative speaks to inner peace being suddenly and dramatically disturbed. Studying the images and analogies in each speaks to Jung.
This song has one of the most interesting lyrics in BTS' discography. It's about the fear of losing passion for music. They explore that fear and at the same time, in the context of the album, it talks about going deep inside the shadows of one's self. The whole album is inspired in Jungian psychology, which I've seen you already know. BTS goes into the depths of their shadows as if it was the depths of an ocean, and there they see themselves as they are, dark and painful as it is.
The stringed instrument you thought sounded like a Spanish guitar is either a Korean traditional instrument called gayageum, which is a 12-stringed zither, or a guitar made to sound like it.
They are a full package! They have amazing choreographies, deep meaningful lyrics, stunning mvs and performances, work ethics, teamwork, brotherhood and unique personalities and they love their fans! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
If someone already said this, sorry. The movie Black Swan is based on the famous ballet Swan Lake. It's about a good/white swan and a bad/black swan. In many modern productions the role is danced by one dancer. Symbolizing the struggle within oneself between light and dark. BTS has a series of songs about the shadowself. This is represented by the use of black, white, and grey and the use of the shadows. The guitar, sounds like a traditional instrument called a gayageum and there is also a sound like an erhu. I love their use of traditional sounds. 😘💜🫶🏻🫰🏻
Black swan is such a masterpiece... And while watching you guys ask questions I can't stop myself from doing my own analysis... So here i go. well basically when listening to BTS, I always look up what Album this song is under... Cause they go in concept (which i love) and Black swan is form MOTS7 ( MAP OF THE SOUL 7) so you'll know it incorporate Jungian Psychology 😁.. and this song is also influenced by Martha Graham's quote "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” BTS is talking about their passion for Music and fear of losing that.. Which if you applied Jungian Psychology its talking about the Shadow or the part of yourself that you ignore or repress cause its "negative and/or dark". What i like about this song in particular is Suga's verse. cause if you look at the lyrics at first they are afraid of losing thier passion (burn out) but when you fo to Suga's verse he talked about not losing himself anymore, that whatever comes his way he won't be shaken cause he knows himself. And if you look at their shadows, it's moving differently.... Right?? But the last scene with JK, looking at his shadow, it became smaller and smaller....then disappear... But the truth is.. the Shadow really didn't disappear.. the last scene was JK acknowledges his shadow and accepted it as part of him .. he's now in control of his life. Yes the shadow is their but it can not hurt him in anyway.
The string melody you hear in the beginning is supposed to sound like a traditional Korean instrument gayageum, which is more prominently used in the orchestral version of the song, a beautiful homage to Korean culture 💜
I haven't seen many talk about the opening lines. "Do your thang; do your thang with me now," calls many thoughts to mind. It is addressed to the fans, saying, "Come and be the audience, so I can be the performer." Jimin has said he's grateful to everyone who attends concerts. Without an audience, there would be no point to putting on a show. And if they quit performing, they would cease to be performers, a big part of their identity. From another perspective, losing their passion for music would make putting on a show a chore. The repetition of words and deliberate, almost plodding sound of the music combines to convey, "It's time again to do a show, so come on. You do your part, and I'll do my part. Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah. What a drag." Part of losing passion for art is losing a message to be passionate about. They want a message that speaks to their audience, but they are out of ideas. It's hard to remember the ideas that got them started so long ago. "What's my thang? What's my thang tell me now. Tell me now; yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." And now we realize they thought this was the last album before their military service. Did they imagine how different life would be there? No shows. No fans. "What's my thing now? Who am I?" And then COVID came along, and they were suddenly thrown into this very situation, where there were no more concerts, no more fan meetings, no reason for hard practice and hectic schedules all over the world. But they still had a reason: ARMY. So they put out loads of content, sang new songs easy for international fans to sing along with (= in English), and struggled through the surreal situations of online concerts with no live audiences. Because they still had their same motivations and goals: to give expression to common difficulties, and provide joy and hope, especially for ARMY. 💜
If you haven’t reacted to Danger or I Need You, those are 2 earlier ones that I feel like best showcase the members and their moods/intentions then. Another excellent vocal selection is Butterfly but make sure you react to the extended or full version. Like Epiphany, Butterfly also has several versions and you want the full effect. 💜
I had the privilege of seeing BTS perform Black Swan live during one of their concerts in Las Vegas in April 2022. The staging was jaw-dropping. And it was not early in the show, either. Where they get their stamina from, I do not know.
Hello Guys! Happy New Year! Waiting for Jan 1, 2024 in about 45 mins (while commenting this hehe). I love that you are having a lot of BTS reactions for the past months hehe 💜 THANK YOU!! BORAHAEEEE! Black Swan has a very deep meaning but basically it's a song about them being scared of having to lose interest/falling out of love for their passion because of too much pressure or outside forces. (I hope I said that correctly, but for the ARMYs out there please feel free to correct me ✌️) There is also an Orchestral Version for Black Swan and I REALLY LOVE IT BLACK SWAN MEANING: "the tragedy of an artist falling out of love with their art."
Thanks, dear boys!!! Black Swan was one of my first videos. I remember every new video was an absolute surprise... before the fifth, I was totally hooked 😅 but Black Swan is still one of my top ten. What's next? Mmmm, I'd recommend following the sequence of their anthology. They tried to make a compilation with their most significant songs. Oh! I forgot to wish you a Happy New Year!! Hope you keep making us company on this awesome journey. Borahae! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Guys, the reason people have encouraged you to check out the lyrics first, is because in almost every reaction, you say you are too distracted to pay attention to them or that you don’t understand because you’ve only read a few lines. ARMY is generous and happy to help. But respectfully,at this point, you need to take some responsibility for educating yourselves as well. By missing the lyrics you are missing a huge chunk of the overall impact. I wish you all success, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you.
I agree with you,it makes their review and reaction much better and interesting when they already have first hand knowledge of what the song is all about, BTS still has over 200 hundred songs in their discography that they are yet to hear,so how long will they keep asking Army for interpretation of the lyrics. And as per where to start ? I think you should start from the beginning,album after album before going on the solo because by then you would have amassed so much knowledge about them to now understand their solo music difference uniquely.
what you mentioned about the music at 9:40 is actually tied in with the lyrics. BTS always mix lyrics and the music togehter to tell the story. this "OFF" sound is intentionally because the lyrics talking about them feeling lost and afraid that they will lose their love for music and also their identity. because that´s all they have known. it´s who they are. witch also a tie to the movie concept and ballet of the back swan. "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." this is a famous quote by the late dancer Martha Graham. the whole point is that the music feels off because thats how they feel. they did the same in Jimin´s solo song Lie witch i can´t wait for for Johnny to hear. Jimin wrote and produced the song with help. and it is a masterpiece and many producers and musicians love this because music and lyrics is tied togehter to tell a story along with Jimin´s performance it´s like a full art piece. it is not a normal song but i wont spoil anything you have to figure it out yourself
I'm always astounded by their fluidity in this choreography...and only 2 had a dance background prior to BTS. Every time i watch Black Swan, they amaze me!
BTS has always been a hip-hop group, that's clear from their early albums. Even though they've experimented with other genres, their hip-hop roots are still strong. A lot of their longtime fans are also hip-hop fans, including me. So it's no surprise that songs like "Black Swan" or "Dynamite" were a bit strange to us at first. But I think that's a good thing. It shows that they're willing to try new things and evolve as artists. As a longtime fan, I still prefer their old-school sound. But I still enjoy their new releases and will continue to support them. They're a talented group and I'm proud to be a fan.
A Black Swan is defined as an unpredictable/unforeseen event, often having catastrophic results. This song is simply about their fear of losing passion for their art. 😊❤
Wow. I just realized they released this song in January 2020 (meaning it was written/recorded much earlier). When the pandemic hit it must have felt like the physical manifestation of some of the fears they disclosed in the lyrics. Talk about an “unpredictable/unforseen event with catastrophic results”. The global lockdowns. Watching their tour get postponed, then cancelled. The guys have all expressed variations of “I thought I lost everything” in interviews, lives, or conversations shown in documentaries. It gives me chills how so many of their songs seem so prescient.
I just love how the word Thronly's just naturally rolls off Richard's tongue now hahahaha... Absolutely love it... Thanks guys... for another great reaction ! Always look forward to spending time with you ... and Happy New Year !!
Every time I hear compliments about them, I feel so happy and proud. But please give me your professional opinion if you need it. That too is very meaningful. It helps them grow to the next level. As a long-time BTS ARMY, I can confidently say that I don't think any of them will refuse if it helps. That's right. They are hard-working people who love music and art.
Interesting reaction, thank you for watching the MV and a live performance, and for acknowledging the excellence of their performance skills. You state that we have in the past suggested that you look up a translation and the lyrics (I assume probably with brief notes) before listening to a track - supposedly because you want your reaction to be immediate. All well and good, but in my experience having a dry run at the meaning of a song will not inhibit your response to the musicality, which is after all your focus. In fact, it could in reality enhance your reactions. Opera and classical music aficionados who know a piece, and in fact may have studied it intensively, will feel no inhibition in their response to a new performance/interpretation. On the contrary, their reaction will simply be better informed and better equipped to appreciate small details. I also want to observe your reaction to learning more about the song: that too is, for me, part of your reaction. If you simply ask us to give you the skinny, then we miss that first approach to the all important lyrics which BTS work so hard on. I feel a bit robbed. And, lets face it, we;ll give you our point of view once you've been able to explore the translation anyway! Exploring a decent translation of BTS' songs will in fact take about 3 minutes, and will let you hold the essence of those lyrics in your mind (however loosely) while you can listen in an exploring manner to the music in which those lyrics are set. Black Swan is not an easy song: it came from a dark place, when BTS were burned out, could find no inspiration and feared they were losing their passion for music. They seriously considered disbandment for a period : it was a desperate time. That feeling is carried within the musical tensions and slight dissonances. It is also quite a Korean sound : that is indeed a type of acoustic guitar you can hear, but the tone and execution are very reminiscent of a Korean traditional 12-string instrument, which is, apparently, also used, the gayagaeum. This association brings to (my) mind the Korean notion of Han, an internalized feeling of deep sorrow, injustice, resentment, regret This song presents a synergy of lyrics, music and meaning which is incredibly rare in modern pop music. But it is very very BTS and we see it again and again in their work.
I know you both love a good live band session, so yes...I'd recommend BTS Proof LIVE. It's a sitting down performance with amazing live band, all about the vocals, music and great vibes. The full video has 3 songs with a short chat about their new album. If that's too long, you can watch the 1 song version: Yet To Come at Proof Live. Cheers!
I'm with you two when you said you like their sound better live. I feel that way about all of their songs because I love their voices, and when they perform live, there isn't all that auto-tune and other fancy production stuff they do to it in the recorded version. Don't get me wrong, the recorded version is still fire, but I just love to hear their unaltered voices.
OMG YESSSS!!! I'm so excited to see your reaction to this masterpiece (also the best BTS mv in my opinion)... See you at the premiere, and HAPPY 2024 Throga Fam!! 🎉🎉🎉
Some things to note: That sound of the vocals throughout the song being somewhat compressed and having an effect on it that makes it sound almost like they are underwater. The lyrics too reference being underwater, being on the ocean floor, under pressure. This is reference to the theme of them being under so much pressure and feeling compressed and lost in shadows. Also the corsets on Jimin and JK echo this theme of being compressed. That off-tune feeling is also supposed to be a little discomfiting. This is a song about feeling lost, feeling afraid, feeling burnt out. Also note how in in the start of the video there is a large black negative space above them, almost like they are on the ocean floor. Notice also Jimin's dance moves when he is dragging his feet. The lyrics also reference their feet being stuck. The shadows in the MV represent their fears. At the start they are large and out of their control, moving on their own. As the MV progresses they grow smaller and more manageable until the end when the last one folds up and disappears. Notice Jin's reflections in the mirrors don't move with him, which echoes this theme of a shadow self not under their control. That's just a few notes on the meaningful song structure, visuals and choreography. I'm sure others told you a lot of other things too. This song is a masterpiece and should have got a Grammy. Also, if you want to know about song meanings, Wikipedia is not the place to go. Try DKDKTV or Bookish Theories videos for breakdowns on MVS and on song meanings if you do decide you want those.
this isn't the only video that references Black swan the movie (there's another one called Blood sweat and tears). In this case they sign abt the creative process and the burnout, they've experienced this (a few times since they debuted and not all at the same time obviously). Yoongi mentioned he no longer knew what to sing abt for instance and it scared them like.. what to do? how to go on?
15:55: Next suggestion: ON - Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima. Another song that explores Carl Jung's concepts of ego and shadow. The lyrics remind me a bit of the last verse of The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel: "In the clearing stands a boxer/And a fighter by his trade/ And he carries the reminders/ Of every glove that laid him down/ Or cut him till he cried out/In his anger and his shame/ 'I am leaving, I am leaving/ But the fighter still remains."
I think you should check out “idol” it’s anthemic. For me when I fell down the BTS rabbit hole this song, video, live performances was a complete summary, if you will of the core of BTS. However, I highly suggest you read the lyrics with this. It’s crucial and I will warn you the video is a lot to take in but well worth the dive into the symbolism. I believe there is a video explaining all the symbolism as well. And it’s a jam!
Black Swan was my entry to BTS. The mv is amazing and so is every performance of it they do. It was filmed in a disused theatre in LA which is often used for period films. It really is visually stunning as you say. Jimin got to show his contemporary dance skills. I know you guys are mainly about the vocals of their performances but you really need to watch them singing 'Blue and Grey' and transitioning into this at one of their 'Permission to Dance' concerts. The support dancers are the swan's wings and there's even the sound of fluttering feathers. 'Blue and Grey' itself is a lovely song.
I love this song! The melodies are very simple as well as the harmony, but for me it's more about the sound/vibe, the lyrics and choreo. It's a hip hop/trap song with a contemporary dance but it somehow fits amazingly and gives me a very unique impression
ARMY is holding an event in the theater where this was filmed on BTS’ anniversary on June 13th, 2024. My bestie and I are flying 5 hours to Los Angeles to attend. So excited!
I really loved this reaction of you guys.. this is just so beautiful. You guys were so honest and i would like you guys to unfold most of their mvs and live performances. They’re much more than just a musical boy group. They’re the reason some people really get up daily and find a motivation to go on. They are so much more than their music which is out of this world. You’d be amazed to see the versatility they offer. Thank you for thsi reaction we enjoyed it so much ❤❤❤❤
Yes there is no copyright problem when you're watching the official music videos or anything from Hybe as long as you play the beginning part of the big hit introduction ... this gives big hit their credit
There is also the official orchestral-instrumental version of Black Swan, which is a different version/mix/arrangement, in western classical music style per se, & there is a music video of it featuring the MN Dance Company, of Slovenia, of which the orchestral version actually released before the actual BTS song came out, the one you reacted to.
Regarding the shadow… this song is from the Map of the Soul album, which is heavily influenced by the psychoanalyst Carl Jung‘s philosophies about a person’s psyche. Suga has a song from the album called Interlude: Shadow, RM does Intro：Persona, and Jhope does Outro：Ego.
This is one of my favorite songs from this era. The artistic choice for this was so enthusiastic and fantastic. I know someone probably said it already, but yea you can enjoy the visuals and the music along the way, but bts has deep meanings in their music videos.
As a contrast you might enjoy the orchestral version with a troupe of contemporary dancers.(official project) Totally different arrangement. Look up 'Black Swan Art Film'/
This song is amazing! I love it, since I have a ballet studio and all this movements, all well presented! I love the intro from the Permission to Dance concerts where the dancers performe as swan wings... it's amazing! You have to watch it! Happy New Year from Venezuela!
So many layers to this. Including the urban dictionary definition: Black swan event, high-impact event that is difficult to predict under normal circumstances but that in retrospect appears to have been inevitable. This is in line with their fear of someday not performing anymore, or losing their love of music.
PLEASE SEE THIS 🙏 I'm not usually so demanding in YT comments I swear 😂 but you HAVE to see this performance. I know you guys love to see them jamming with a live band.. I have the perfect performance for you! It's from 2015 when the boys were still in their struggle/snubbed era and this is them stripped back showing everyone what they can do. It's 3 songs: I NEED U which was their most recent single out at the time. This is a stripped back live lounge style version featuring some nice vocals from the vocal line. Tomorrow which in my opinion is one of the MOST underrated b-sides of BTS full discography. It's written and produced by Suga (he described it as his baby) and features some live crying santana-style guitar riffs that I think you'll appreciate Ending with War on Hormone which is a single from a previous album more upbeat, slighty aggressive lol, get to hear some growling from V 😂 It's honestly PERFECT for you 💜 ua-cam.com/video/PynVMeWFG2Q/v-deo.htmlsi=UJg9tjjR-HdCgLEE
The 1st verse (Suga) Ayy The heart no longer races When hearing the music play Tryna pull up Seems like time has stopped Oh that would be my first death I been always afraid of *Suga as someone who’s whole world revolves around music what do you do if one day writing & singing no longer moves you. No longer makes you happy. It is death to his whole career. Everything he has been for 10+ years.
0:44: "ring that bell" Today's suggested theme song for the bell is Carol of the Bells (we are still within the 12 days of Christmas, so it's ok). And Happy New Year!
BTS Map Of The Soul and Map of the Soul 7 are based of The Theories of Carl Jung's Map Of The Soul book regarding a person's Persona; Ego; Self & Shadow. Almost all of their music has a deep meaning behind it. But they do have some lighter music such as Butter and Permission to Dance that was to lighten the moods of Army during the Pandemic.
Black Swan is one of ARMYs favourite bts songs collectively. (In fun online votings it often goes head to head with Spring Day as most loved bts song.) I think we didn’t know what to think of it initially… it is just so unique and was really different to anything else they had done (although everything they do is new and fresh 😅). I must say I also wasn’t immediately drawn to this song when I first heard it… I related with what Richard said on his first listen. But I have since repented. I don’t know what I was thinking. If you listen to this song a few more times I guarantee you will be mesmerised. I also highly recommend listening to the strings/orchestral version (art film version), and the PTD LA live performance as already mentioned.
So enjoy your reactions!!! If you haven’t already figured it out, loving, listening and understanding the music is literally like taking a course….so much research, and homework 😂I’ve been on the journey since late 2018 still don’t know how much is left to travel. There is a stage performance that will blow your mind!!!….it’s a 2020 performance ,so during pandemic, at mama or mmas I get confused but it’s a MUST EXPERIENCE……Happy New Year to you and your families 🙏🙏and God bless 💜💜💜💜💜
Oh! A song you might really appreciate is “Louder Than Bombs”. It’s really unusual and draws you in. There’s no MV or live performance of it, but there is a lyric video. Listen to it, you’ll really appreciate it!!💜
Yay, finally Black Swan! The simplest explanation of the song is about artists losing their passion for their art, comparing this loss to death. I suggest you watch the blackswan orchestral version. My favorite live version of this song is from their PTD concert. For the next set of songs, i suggest the following which should be watched in one reaction and in this order too : 1. Persona by RM 2. Shadow by SUGA and 3. Ego by Jhope. All 3 have official MVs. These relates to the Jungian philosophy (i cant explain, but i bet there will be ARMYs who can explain them and help you react). Happy new year from Manila!
Talking about work ethic, BTS inspires us in many ways and for me personally, it has been this very thing. Such conviction, intent and sheer dedication to their craft adn ARMY... its incredible what individuals are capable of.
On top of the Martha Graham quote, you have to keep in mind that this was part of the Map of the Soul: 7 album, which dove into Jungian theory. Essentially, in order to become whole, you must accept your shadow - the darkest parts of yourself. For much of the MV, the shadow is looming over them. Towards the end, it becomes their size - not looming, but more connected. I took that as the process to recognize the shadow although it hasn't yet been accepted. And at the very end, they absorb the shadow, acknowledging and accepting it as a part of them as they move forward. That's my take, anyway.
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The foundation of the lyrics for Black Swan is based the on the words of the dancer Martha Graham "A dancer dies twice, once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." BTS applies the same concept to musicians losing their passion for creating and performing their music.
powerful quote!! thank you for this
The main base for the MV and the song is more the psychologcial thriller of the same name - Namjoon had to watch it again.
It's about a ballerina that has to play the female lead in Swan Lake:
A prince at dusk on the hunt finds a lake with swans on it that turn into women. He falls in love with the cursed princess and promisses her loyalty. The sorcerer Rothbart (sp?) is less than happy and turns his own daughter into a look-a-like of the princess. The prince does not see the difference and dances with her instead of his intended. The princess takes her own life.
Traditionally the ballerina that plays the princess (white swan) also dances the daughter of the sorcerer (black swan). Since there are two very different personallities it is considered very hard to dance.
The movie is about that.
The ballerina is challenged to explore her "dark side" to embody the black swan better and it drives her insane.
We are on "The Map of the Soul" which means this is applied Jungian psychology.
As you pointed out that is about exploring their "shadow"/their unconscious as artist: The fear of lossing their passion for their craft.
The "shadow" is the part that is unacceptable about ourself even to ourself: fears, anger, anxiety, stuff we pretend does not exist as it goes against social norms - it keeps us up at night, leads to depression and to break-downs.
But the unconscious is part of us as uncomfortable as it is - so to come close to your "true self" you need to explore it and pull as much as you can into your conscious mind:
To "Love Yourself" you need to "Know Yourself" - which is why this follows after BTS "Love Yourself" era.
You nice! Keep going! 💜
STRAY KIDS IS THE KING OF KPOP FOREVER KINGS
@@ruthfischer7615 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💟
yeah@@throga
As you spotted the autotune is an artistic choice, it serves the purpose of merging their voices together to the point where it's hard to tell them apart in the recorded version, the same effect was reflected visually on the album cover of "Map of the Soul: 7" where the number 7 is repeated 7 times in 7 different fonts that overlap each other to the point where you can't really separate them and they reach your visual perception as one. As someone else already mentioned in the live chat, this song was supposed to be one of their last singles before joining the military, so they were really focusing on the band as a whole and on the importance of the number 7. If you are particularly interested in the Jungian psychology part of the interpretation, the channel "Bookish Theory" has explanation videos (only 10 mins long) of the symbology of this MV and their performance at the late late show, which are heavily referring to the concept of 'shadow' by Jung. Also, the rappers have produced a trilogy interpreting the 3 stages of Jung's individuation process - Persona by RM, Shadow by SUGA, Ego by J-hope. All three have MVs that have very heavy symbolism. Thank you for the reaction and happy new year!
This is a beautiful and spot on
💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
As a newer Army this information is so helpful. I keep learning more and more why they have captured my interest more than any other band or group - and I follow a lot of music. The depth of their work has to be unparalleled.
The 3 songs would make a great reaction video!
@@maryr1905the rabbit hole deepens the further you go.
@@Hoseoked4Life So true! And gets more fascinating.
Black Swan is one of those songs I feel only BTS can do. I can not imagine any Western "Boy Band" pull off a contemporary dance performance to a Hip Hop track.
I'm really curious which live performance you decided to do. The live performance from their concerts is my favorite because the introduction is so theatrical incorporating classical instrumentation leading up to the song. Every Black Swan performance is amazing! Have a wonderful New Year Johnny/Richard!
We didn’t “comeback” version along with the MV :) And no, I can’t think of any western group right now that would execute this!
black swan from PTD concert is legendary indeed
One of the standout gems in the BTS discography. Their fear of losing a connection to their art and passion for making art is so relatable. Just a perfect song.
UPDATED: We had to filter the video due to it being blocked in Russia for some reason and we didn’t want our subscribers there to miss it. We apologize for the inconvenience!
Thank you for all of the information on behind the meaning of Black Swan (we learned a lot during the premiere's live chat). We are both fans of Jungian psychology and are excited to go back to watch/listen again from that perspective!! Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR and we look forward to more in 2024!
Thank you for reaction you guys the best ❤
you're going to have a field trip with Map Of The Soul albums. it's 2 albums series, inspired by Jungian psychology.
actually, there's a psychologist who wrote a book about Jung's idea, he title it "Map Of The Soul" which BTS adopted for their albums. that same psychologist wrote another book connecting both the psychology and BTS' work (he was shock that a "boyband" would write songs about it, it's almost unheard of lol)
Hola chicos, feliz año nuevo!!🎉😊
Thanks for the reaction. FYI, they also hired MN Dance Company to do an art film for this song using an orchestral version--def worth checking out...I especially love the cello parts.
Thanks for your thoughtful reactions this year. I wish you all the best in the new year🎉.
I love jimin’s voice. It’s just so unique. It really stands out. I mean, all their voices do but there’s just something about his. There’s also something about his dancing. I’ve only recently been watching BTS, and from the beginning, Jimin really stood out to me. He just has such great stage presence too. All of them are super talented. Not normally the type of music I listen to on a daily basis like if I’m just listening to music on my way to work or something, but I could watch their videos of them performing on a daily basis. Thanks for reacting!
“Black Swan” is about being a performer and becoming exhausted or burnt out by your passion. Suga's opening rap describes how his heart no longer races when music is played. It goes on to compare this feeling to that of death.
Take a few minutes and watch the behind the scenes video of Jimin making the solo portions of the MV. His voice is heaven but his dance and movement ability is sheer perfection. Worth the 5 minute watch.
I agree, Jimin's voice is angelic, but my favorite thing is when he dances contemporary! His work ethic is crazy. Yes, they all work hard, but when the members themselves mention it, you know there is truth in it. Even HYBE's training and development team mentioned it. When BTS were starting out, they would train 12 - 15 hours a day. I doubt most Western bands did this. Much respect 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Thank you for your reactions.
BTS have a lot of masterpieces but I think Black Swan as a work of art . It has so many layers, conceptually, visually, harmonically etc. that merge and touch your soul once you discover it, like a painting or a natural landscape, and invites you to stay watching and unveil the details just to enjoy and admire the artist’s geniality no matter who he could be or what you know about anything.
So eventually with the help of the army you will reach the knowledge but meantime just enjoy the art and the process of discovering
Happy new year to all
Yes!!! His contemporary background was really able to shine in that video. I hate they couldn’t fit it all in. He just embodies the dance so beautifully. It’s like the music moves through him.
I agree with you, Richard. I prefer the live, less produced performance of this song. I do recommend, however, that you read a reliable translation of BTS's lyrics (Doolset) before you react because they are telling a story. Of course, we all appreciate the artistry and beauty of the music even when we don't understand the message, but I think the whole package is more impressive when you realize how the instrumentation, vocal delivery, and choreo combine to create the storyline. Happy New Year to you and Johnny! I look forward to your reactions. 💜
I agree with you, finding the Doolset translation website made me appreciate the songs and the artistry 1000% more (also the Korean language as a whole)
BTS has released a album series named 'Map of the soul'.
Black Swan is from the second album Map of the soul 7.
Originally it was planned to release them as a trilogy, persons, shadow and ego. But BTS desperately needed a break because of burn out. So they only released 2 albums, MotS Persona and 7.
They are based on the theories of the map of the soul by swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Basically your soul can be parted into your persona, which is the 'mask' you are showing to the outer world, your ego which is yourself inside (combining all 3 parts) and the shadow which represents all the negative characteristics of yourself. You can't seperate your shadow from your soul because it's part of yourself too.
So you need to accept your shadow in order to accept yourself completely.
The shadow in the mv represents the fear of the members of losing their passion for music.
So in the end they accepted this reality and were able to move on.
You get it. Black Swan's message, as an artist, got to me when i took the time to really dig in. I think you will both appreciate it when you read it. BTS is so disciplined and creative. This is why many of us listen to them so much. Quality, creativity, message, and variety of music genres are all captivating. If you are interested in the way they move through their performance, check ON: Kinetic Manifesto version. They performed it live in Grand Central Station for the Tonight Show. It is epic. For something older, try Danger. This was an early song that is decidedly poppy, but also shows their discipline and tight performance. I Need You is the start of their Lore, the BTS Universe, and the video shook ARMYs for reasons you will have to experience yourself. The song that launched them into the international stage more soundly is Blood, Sweat, and Tears. It is a mind bender with beautiful music and thick with symbolism. By the way, there are a lot of "explained" videos out there for various songs if you want to watch those with the actual videos. I recommend doing so with Blood Sweat and Tears and a number of others. Thanks for sharing your reaction.
You have no idea for how long I've been looking forward to your reaction to black swam. You never disappoint. You should continue reacting to BTS live. You are so kind and professional. Greetings from a Peruvian army.
Black Swan! This is the song that cemented me as an ARMY, not the first song, but the one that made me go "oh, these guys are different."
I can't think of any other group that would sing so openly about being afraid of losing their passion. And when I learned this album was also supposed to be the last before enlistment, it makes it even braver and more powerful.
I'd love to see you guys react to one of their songs written specifically for ARMY - Magic Shop. It is such a comfort song and so loving and caring.
Same! This was maybe the third or fourth song of there’s I listened to, and I was like….wow. I fell down the rabbit hole hard and fast after that lol.
This song means so much to BTS. As that is a feeling they were battling themselves at the time. It wasn't until 2023 that we clearly understood the feelings each member were having at the time.
The next step is to react to FAKE LOVE and Blood, Sweet and Tears
There is an ART FILM MV that has the orchestral arrangement version of this song. When this song dropped, that MV was part of a global art project called "CONNECT, BTS". It was such a wonderful surprise. I think it's def worth a view, I wish more ARMYs would recommend it along with the trap hiphop MV.
The Connect BTS project was one of the most ambitious artistic projects I've ever seen and it's so sad that it was overshadowed by covid. I wish more armys recommended and revisit that
I love the fact that you reacted to a live version too!!
It's been a while since we had a group song so I'm really excited to see this!!♡♡
The sense of time that each of them possess is so amazing. The choreography really proves why their music is always flawless
Like others have commented, as long as you include the Big Hit intro you are good to react to the official music videos. Live performances that are produced separately you will need to cover. Another great analysis. For BTS it’s tough to recommend which one to pick next. If you are doing any of the MVs with a lot of symbolism, also including additional explanation videos are interesting to get the full effect. This is why the fandom is so deep. It’s not just the song on the surface that draws us in.
Yeah, agree
Jimin is a trained contemporary dancer, so in the video he’s the one doing all the individual ballet-style dancing. He is so amazing!!🤗💜 Black Swan is one of my favorite songs because it’s so different from any other and speaks to their fear of losing the passion for music and what they do. A fear all artists share; writers like me included. 💜💜💜💜🥰
I think a key to starting to understand this track is to understand what a black swan is. A black swan is a sudden, unexpected event typically with negative consequences. While analogies have been assumed to the Natalie Portman movie, I think when viewed from the album concept which is the theories of psychologist Karl Jung, the theater more properly reflects the theater of the Psyche in which the Black Swan occurs. This is similar to the track On from the same album which in the mv opens with the devastation of a fierce sudden battle resulting in a dove with an arrow shot through its body. Much as in Black Swan, the narrative speaks to inner peace being suddenly and dramatically disturbed. Studying the images and analogies in each speaks to Jung.
This song has one of the most interesting lyrics in BTS' discography. It's about the fear of losing passion for music. They explore that fear and at the same time, in the context of the album, it talks about going deep inside the shadows of one's self. The whole album is inspired in Jungian psychology, which I've seen you already know.
BTS goes into the depths of their shadows as if it was the depths of an ocean, and there they see themselves as they are, dark and painful as it is.
The stringed instrument you thought sounded like a Spanish guitar is either a Korean traditional instrument called gayageum, which is a 12-stringed zither, or a guitar made to sound like it.
They are a full package! They have amazing choreographies, deep meaningful lyrics, stunning mvs and performances, work ethics, teamwork, brotherhood and unique personalities and they love their fans! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
That’s is why they are doing so well in the military. Their strength and endurance is just phenomenal
If someone already said this, sorry. The movie Black Swan is based on the famous ballet Swan Lake. It's about a good/white swan and a bad/black swan. In many modern productions the role is danced by one dancer. Symbolizing the struggle within oneself between light and dark. BTS has a series of songs about the shadowself.
This is represented by the use of black, white, and grey and the use of the shadows.
The guitar, sounds like a traditional instrument called a gayageum and there is also a sound like an erhu. I love their use of traditional sounds.
😘💜🫶🏻🫰🏻
videos like this bring me so much comfort and idk why.. i guess i enjoy seeing other people love the same things i do
Black swan live on Permission To Dance (PTD) concert is legend, hope you watch that one
Black swan is such a masterpiece... And while watching you guys ask questions I can't stop myself from doing my own analysis... So here i go. well basically when listening to BTS, I always look up what Album this song is under... Cause they go in concept (which i love) and Black swan is form MOTS7 ( MAP OF THE SOUL 7) so you'll know it incorporate Jungian Psychology 😁.. and this song is also influenced by Martha Graham's quote "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” BTS is talking about their passion for Music and fear of losing that.. Which if you applied Jungian Psychology its talking about the Shadow or the part of yourself that you ignore or repress cause its "negative and/or dark".
What i like about this song in particular is Suga's verse. cause if you look at the lyrics at first they are afraid of losing thier passion (burn out) but when you fo to Suga's verse he talked about not losing himself anymore, that whatever comes his way he won't be shaken cause he knows himself.
And if you look at their shadows, it's moving differently.... Right?? But the last scene with JK, looking at his shadow, it became smaller and smaller....then disappear... But the truth is.. the Shadow really didn't disappear.. the last scene was JK acknowledges his shadow and accepted it as part of him .. he's now in control of his life. Yes the shadow is their but it can not hurt him in anyway.
The string melody you hear in the beginning is supposed to sound like a traditional Korean instrument gayageum, which is more prominently used in the orchestral version of the song, a beautiful homage to Korean culture 💜
I haven't seen many talk about the opening lines. "Do your thang; do your thang with me now," calls many thoughts to mind.
It is addressed to the fans, saying, "Come and be the audience, so I can be the performer." Jimin has said he's grateful to everyone who attends concerts. Without an audience, there would be no point to putting on a show. And if they quit performing, they would cease to be performers, a big part of their identity.
From another perspective, losing their passion for music would make putting on a show a chore. The repetition of words and deliberate, almost plodding sound of the music combines to convey, "It's time again to do a show, so come on. You do your part, and I'll do my part. Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah. What a drag."
Part of losing passion for art is losing a message to be passionate about. They want a message that speaks to their audience, but they are out of ideas. It's hard to remember the ideas that got them started so long ago. "What's my thang? What's my thang tell me now. Tell me now; yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."
And now we realize they thought this was the last album before their military service. Did they imagine how different life would be there? No shows. No fans. "What's my thing now? Who am I?"
And then COVID came along, and they were suddenly thrown into this very situation, where there were no more concerts, no more fan meetings, no reason for hard practice and hectic schedules all over the world. But they still had a reason: ARMY. So they put out loads of content, sang new songs easy for international fans to sing along with (= in English), and struggled through the surreal situations of online concerts with no live audiences. Because they still had their same motivations and goals: to give expression to common difficulties, and provide joy and hope, especially for ARMY.
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4:50 you need not apologize at all. Us ARMY's love it when you guys are genuinely interested in diving in depth into the songs and their lyrics. 😊😊
I love their live performance at PTD LA.. and MMA
If you haven’t reacted to Danger or I Need You, those are 2 earlier ones that I feel like best showcase the members and their moods/intentions then. Another excellent vocal selection is Butterfly but make sure you react to the extended or full version. Like Epiphany, Butterfly also has several versions and you want the full effect. 💜
OMG.. It's one of my favorite songs, its lyrics are incredible. And live performances are always a wonderful spectacle 💜💜💜 Hug from Brazil
I had the privilege of seeing BTS perform Black Swan live during one of their concerts in Las Vegas in April 2022. The staging was jaw-dropping. And it was not early in the show, either. Where they get their stamina from, I do not know.
Black Swan is my favorite, hands down. Everything about it is beautiful and soulful. 🖤✨️
You should watch one of the performances with the backup dancers. They're amazing.
Yeah, they are the hardest working group in our era. The transitions are top notch 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
One of my favorite songs by them! Thanks guys for your reaction!! And everyone have a happy new year🎉💜
Hello Guys! Happy New Year! Waiting for Jan 1, 2024 in about 45 mins (while commenting this hehe). I love that you are having a lot of BTS reactions for the past months hehe 💜 THANK YOU!! BORAHAEEEE! Black Swan has a very deep meaning but basically it's a song about them being scared of having to lose interest/falling out of love for their passion because of too much pressure or outside forces. (I hope I said that correctly, but for the ARMYs out there please feel free to correct me ✌️) There is also an Orchestral Version for Black Swan and I REALLY LOVE IT
BLACK SWAN MEANING: "the tragedy of an artist falling out of love with their art."
Thanks, dear boys!!! Black Swan was one of my first videos. I remember every new video was an absolute surprise... before the fifth, I was totally hooked 😅 but Black Swan is still one of my top ten.
What's next? Mmmm, I'd recommend following the sequence of their anthology. They tried to make a compilation with their most significant songs.
Oh! I forgot to wish you a Happy New Year!! Hope you keep making us company on this awesome journey. Borahae! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Guys, the reason people have encouraged you to check out the lyrics first, is because in almost every reaction, you say you are too distracted to pay attention to them or that you don’t understand because you’ve only read a few lines. ARMY is generous and happy to help. But respectfully,at this point, you need to take some responsibility for educating yourselves as well. By missing the lyrics you are missing a huge chunk of the overall impact. I wish you all success, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you.
I agree with you,it makes their review and reaction much better and interesting when they already have first hand knowledge of what the song is all about, BTS still has over 200 hundred songs in their discography that they are yet to hear,so how long will they keep asking Army for interpretation of the lyrics.
And as per where to start ? I think you should start from the beginning,album after album before going on the solo because by then you would have amassed so much knowledge about them to now understand their solo music difference uniquely.
I agree. I wish I could like this comment a 1000 times.
what you mentioned about the music at 9:40 is actually tied in with the lyrics. BTS always mix lyrics and the music togehter to tell the story. this "OFF" sound is intentionally because the lyrics talking about them feeling lost and afraid that they will lose their love for music and also their identity. because that´s all they have known.
it´s who they are. witch also a tie to the movie concept and ballet of the back swan. "A dancer dies twice - once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful." this is a famous quote by the late dancer Martha Graham.
the whole point is that the music feels off because thats how they feel. they did the same in Jimin´s solo song Lie witch i can´t wait for for Johnny to hear. Jimin wrote and produced the song with help. and it is a masterpiece and many producers and musicians love this because music and lyrics is tied togehter to tell a story along with Jimin´s performance it´s like a full art piece. it is not a normal song but i wont spoil anything you have to figure it out yourself
I'm always astounded by their fluidity in this choreography...and only 2 had a dance background prior to BTS. Every time i watch Black Swan, they amaze me!
Oh yay! I am excited to see your reaction to this. I love Black Swan!💜💜💜
BTS has always been a hip-hop group, that's clear from their early albums. Even though they've experimented with other genres, their hip-hop roots are still strong. A lot of their longtime fans are also hip-hop fans, including me. So it's no surprise that songs like "Black Swan" or "Dynamite" were a bit strange to us at first. But I think that's a good thing. It shows that they're willing to try new things and evolve as artists.
As a longtime fan, I still prefer their old-school sound. But I still enjoy their new releases and will continue to support them. They're a talented group and I'm proud to be a fan.
A Black Swan is defined as an unpredictable/unforeseen event, often having catastrophic results. This song is simply about their fear of losing passion for their art. 😊❤
Wow. I just realized they released this song in January 2020 (meaning it was written/recorded much earlier). When the pandemic hit it must have felt like the physical manifestation of some of the fears they disclosed in the lyrics. Talk about an “unpredictable/unforseen event with catastrophic results”. The global lockdowns. Watching their tour get postponed, then cancelled. The guys have all expressed variations of “I thought I lost everything” in interviews, lives, or conversations shown in documentaries. It gives me chills how so many of their songs seem so prescient.
Los Reyes tienen demasiadas buenas canciones, pero BLACK SWAN es una obra de arte, música, letra visuales... ARMY ENAMORADA 💜💜💜😢
STRAY KIDS IS THE KING OF KPOP,,,,
I just love how the word Thronly's just naturally rolls off Richard's tongue now hahahaha... Absolutely love it... Thanks guys... for another great reaction ! Always look forward to spending time with you ... and Happy New Year !!
already so happy you chose to watch both the MV and a live version!
If you want to appreciate more the effort and behind their success there is a documentary in Diseny + called BTS MONUMENTS: Beyond The stars
Thank you, thank you for checking out the live version too.
Every time I hear compliments about them, I feel so happy and proud. But please give me your professional opinion if you need it. That too is very meaningful. It helps them grow to the next level. As a long-time BTS ARMY, I can confidently say that I don't think any of them will refuse if it helps. That's right. They are hard-working people who love music and art.
Interesting reaction, thank you for watching the MV and a live performance, and for acknowledging the excellence of their performance skills.
You state that we have in the past suggested that you look up a translation and the lyrics (I assume probably with brief notes) before listening to a track - supposedly because you want your reaction to be immediate. All well and good, but in my experience having a dry run at the meaning of a song will not inhibit your response to the musicality, which is after all your focus.
In fact, it could in reality enhance your reactions. Opera and classical music aficionados who know a piece, and in fact may have studied it intensively, will feel no inhibition in their response to a new performance/interpretation. On the contrary, their reaction will simply be better informed and better equipped to appreciate small details.
I also want to observe your reaction to learning more about the song: that too is, for me, part of your reaction. If you simply ask us to give you the skinny, then we miss that first approach to the all important lyrics which BTS work so hard on. I feel a bit robbed. And, lets face it, we;ll give you our point of view once you've been able to explore the translation anyway!
Exploring a decent translation of BTS' songs will in fact take about 3 minutes, and will let you hold the essence of those lyrics in your mind (however loosely) while you can listen in an exploring manner to the music in which those lyrics are set.
Black Swan is not an easy song: it came from a dark place, when BTS were burned out, could find no inspiration and feared they were losing their passion for music. They seriously considered disbandment for a period : it was a desperate time.
That feeling is carried within the musical tensions and slight dissonances.
It is also quite a Korean sound : that is indeed a type of acoustic guitar you can hear, but the tone and execution are very reminiscent of a Korean traditional 12-string instrument, which is, apparently, also used, the gayagaeum. This association brings to (my) mind the Korean notion of Han, an internalized feeling of deep sorrow, injustice, resentment, regret
This song presents a synergy of lyrics, music and meaning which is incredibly rare in modern pop music. But it is very very BTS and we see it again and again in their work.
Well said.
I know you both love a good live band session, so yes...I'd recommend BTS Proof LIVE. It's a sitting down performance with amazing live band, all about the vocals, music and great vibes. The full video has 3 songs with a short chat about their new album. If that's too long, you can watch the 1 song version: Yet To Come at Proof Live. Cheers!
I'm with you two when you said you like their sound better live. I feel that way about all of their songs because I love their voices, and when they perform live, there isn't all that auto-tune and other fancy production stuff they do to it in the recorded version. Don't get me wrong, the recorded version is still fire, but I just love to hear their unaltered voices.
BTS son los mejores!!!SU DISCOGRAFIA ES MUY BUENA, Y SOBRETODO LAS LETRAS Y TEMATICA DE SUS CANCIONES. NO EXISTE OTRO GRUPO ASI. BTS ES UNICO.
OMG YESSSS!!! I'm so excited to see your reaction to this masterpiece (also the best BTS mv in my opinion)... See you at the premiere, and HAPPY 2024 Throga Fam!! 🎉🎉🎉
Me encanta ver que aprecien la dedicación que pone BTS. Ellos son realmente fabulosos.
Gracias poe sus reacciones, espero muchas más a futuro 🐳
Pueden reaccionar a lo que uds. Quieran porque todo es fabuloso!!!! Todo es demasiado entretenido y perfecto....aaaahhh como amo a esos chicos
Ooh I wonder which live version - from Permission To Dance? This is probably my favorite BTS song.
We did the “Comeback” version :)
Love love love this song, I thought I'd had to wait for ever until you get to this song jeje , I am so happy, best way to start the new year. Thanks ❤
Me too 😂😂
Some things to note:
That sound of the vocals throughout the song being somewhat compressed and having an effect on it that makes it sound almost like they are underwater. The lyrics too reference being underwater, being on the ocean floor, under pressure. This is reference to the theme of them being under so much pressure and feeling compressed and lost in shadows. Also the corsets on Jimin and JK echo this theme of being compressed. That off-tune feeling is also supposed to be a little discomfiting. This is a song about feeling lost, feeling afraid, feeling burnt out.
Also note how in in the start of the video there is a large black negative space above them, almost like they are on the ocean floor. Notice also Jimin's dance moves when he is dragging his feet. The lyrics also reference their feet being stuck. The shadows in the MV represent their fears. At the start they are large and out of their control, moving on their own. As the MV progresses they grow smaller and more manageable until the end when the last one folds up and disappears. Notice Jin's reflections in the mirrors don't move with him, which echoes this theme of a shadow self not under their control. That's just a few notes on the meaningful song structure, visuals and choreography. I'm sure others told you a lot of other things too. This song is a masterpiece and should have got a Grammy.
Also, if you want to know about song meanings, Wikipedia is not the place to go. Try DKDKTV or Bookish Theories videos for breakdowns on MVS and on song meanings if you do decide you want those.
this isn't the only video that references Black swan the movie (there's another one called Blood sweat and tears). In this case they sign abt the creative process and the burnout, they've experienced this (a few times since they debuted and not all at the same time obviously). Yoongi mentioned he no longer knew what to sing abt for instance and it scared them like.. what to do? how to go on?
15:55: Next suggestion: ON - Kinetic Manifesto Film: Come Prima. Another song that explores Carl Jung's concepts of ego and shadow. The lyrics remind me a bit of the last verse of The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel: "In the clearing stands a boxer/And a fighter by his trade/ And he carries the reminders/ Of every glove that laid him down/ Or cut him till he cried out/In his anger and his shame/ 'I am leaving, I am leaving/ But the fighter still remains."
Ola bom dia !! Sou do ARMY do Brasil. Gosto muito das suas reacoes aos membros do BTS !!!!!
STRAY KIDS IS THE KING LEGENDS OF KPOP
@@himaririku9254 для тебя, а для нас тут BTS легенда 21 века!
Ok, now that you said your point stop spamming. Grow up, enjoy whoever you like, and be happy with it. @@himaririku9254
I think you should check out “idol” it’s anthemic. For me when I fell down the BTS rabbit hole this song, video, live performances was a complete summary, if you will of the core of BTS. However, I highly suggest you read the lyrics with this. It’s crucial and I will warn you the video is a lot to take in but well worth the dive into the symbolism. I believe there is a video explaining all the symbolism as well. And it’s a jam!
Oh also for more vocal reactions… “your Eyed Tell” live performance or “house of Cards”, live(vocal line only). Beautiful vocals for both.
Black Swan was my entry to BTS. The mv is amazing and so is every performance of it they do. It was filmed in a disused theatre in LA which is often used for period films. It really is visually stunning as you say. Jimin got to show his contemporary dance skills. I know you guys are mainly about the vocals of their performances but you really need to watch them singing 'Blue and Grey' and transitioning into this at one of their 'Permission to Dance' concerts. The support dancers are the swan's wings and there's even the sound of fluttering feathers. 'Blue and Grey' itself is a lovely song.
I love this song! The melodies are very simple as well as the harmony, but for me it's more about the sound/vibe, the lyrics and choreo. It's a hip hop/trap song with a contemporary dance but it somehow fits amazingly and gives me a very unique impression
Oh it's gonna be a great new year's eve watching you guys react to our boys "Black Swan" 😍😍
Have a wonderful new year 🎉
ARMY is holding an event in the theater where this was filmed on BTS’ anniversary on June 13th, 2024. My bestie and I are flying 5 hours to Los Angeles to attend. So excited!
I love this song because they went to studying the story and mover of the ballet. It was one of the best MV, also.
Thanks and have a great 2024
I really loved this reaction of you guys.. this is just so beautiful. You guys were so honest and i would like you guys to unfold most of their mvs and live performances. They’re much more than just a musical boy group. They’re the reason some people really get up daily and find a motivation to go on. They are so much more than their music which is out of this world. You’d be amazed to see the versatility they offer. Thank you for thsi reaction we enjoyed it so much ❤❤❤❤
4:01 Johnny's comment "I'm very hip" reminds me of Tower of Power's classic song "What is Hip?"
Amazing concept and delivery
Black swan is the legendary after spring day
Yes there is no copyright problem when you're watching the official music videos or anything from Hybe as long as you play the beginning part of the big hit introduction ... this gives big hit their credit
There is also the official orchestral-instrumental version of Black Swan, which is a different version/mix/arrangement, in western classical music style per se, & there is a music video of it featuring the MN Dance Company, of Slovenia, of which the orchestral version actually released before the actual BTS song came out, the one you reacted to.
I also like their Black Swan performance in The Late Late Show with James Corden, when they are all wearing black and barefoot during the performance,
Congrats on reaching a UA-cam milestone of reaching 100k guys! Many more to come with great music analysis and reactions like you guys do with BTS🥳
Thanks so much!!
Regarding the shadow… this song is from the Map of the Soul album, which is heavily influenced by the psychoanalyst Carl Jung‘s philosophies about a person’s psyche. Suga has a song from the album called Interlude: Shadow, RM does Intro：Persona, and Jhope does Outro：Ego.
Ooh finally 🥹💜
This song with the dance is my fav
It's a whole art
This is one of my favorite songs from this era. The artistic choice for this was so enthusiastic and fantastic. I know someone probably said it already, but yea you can enjoy the visuals and the music along the way, but bts has deep meanings in their music videos.
I was jumping for joy when I saw this video popped up. Been away for a week with family and can’t wait to get back to my boys 🤗
As a contrast you might enjoy the orchestral version with a troupe of contemporary dancers.(official project) Totally different arrangement. Look up 'Black Swan Art Film'/
This song is amazing! I love it, since I have a ballet studio and all this movements, all well presented! I love the intro from the Permission to Dance concerts where the dancers performe as swan wings... it's amazing! You have to watch it!
Happy New Year from Venezuela!
Congrats for 100k subs!
BTS
So many layers to this. Including the urban dictionary definition: Black swan event, high-impact event that is difficult to predict under normal circumstances but that in retrospect appears to have been inevitable.
This is in line with their fear of someday not performing anymore, or losing their love of music.
PLEASE SEE THIS 🙏 I'm not usually so demanding in YT comments I swear 😂 but you HAVE to see this performance. I know you guys love to see them jamming with a live band.. I have the perfect performance for you! It's from 2015 when the boys were still in their struggle/snubbed era and this is them stripped back showing everyone what they can do. It's 3 songs:
I NEED U which was their most recent single out at the time. This is a stripped back live lounge style version featuring some nice vocals from the vocal line.
Tomorrow which in my opinion is one of the MOST underrated b-sides of BTS full discography. It's written and produced by Suga (he described it as his baby) and features some live crying santana-style guitar riffs that I think you'll appreciate
Ending with War on Hormone which is a single from a previous album more upbeat, slighty aggressive lol, get to hear some growling from V 😂
It's honestly PERFECT for you 💜
ua-cam.com/video/PynVMeWFG2Q/v-deo.htmlsi=UJg9tjjR-HdCgLEE
The 1st verse
(Suga)
Ayy
The heart no longer races
When hearing the music play
Tryna pull up
Seems like time has stopped
Oh that would be my first death
I been always afraid of
*Suga as someone who’s whole world revolves around music what do you do if one day writing & singing no longer moves you. No longer makes you happy. It is death to his whole career. Everything he has been for 10+ years.
0:44: "ring that bell" Today's suggested theme song for the bell is Carol of the Bells (we are still within the 12 days of Christmas, so it's ok). And Happy New Year!
BTS Map Of The Soul and Map of the Soul 7 are based of The Theories of Carl Jung's Map Of The Soul book regarding a person's Persona; Ego; Self & Shadow. Almost all of their music has a deep meaning behind it. But they do have some lighter music such as Butter and Permission to Dance that was to lighten the moods of Army during the Pandemic.
Black Swan is one of ARMYs favourite bts songs collectively. (In fun online votings it often goes head to head with Spring Day as most loved bts song.) I think we didn’t know what to think of it initially… it is just so unique and was really different to anything else they had done (although everything they do is new and fresh 😅). I must say I also wasn’t immediately drawn to this song when I first heard it… I related with what Richard said on his first listen. But I have since repented. I don’t know what I was thinking. If you listen to this song a few more times I guarantee you will be mesmerised.
I also highly recommend listening to the strings/orchestral version (art film version), and the PTD LA live performance as already mentioned.
So enjoy your reactions!!! If you haven’t already figured it out, loving, listening and understanding the music is literally like taking a course….so much research, and homework 😂I’ve been on the journey since late 2018 still don’t know how much is left to travel. There is a stage performance that will blow your mind!!!….it’s a 2020 performance ,so during pandemic, at mama or mmas I get confused but it’s a MUST EXPERIENCE……Happy New Year to you and your families 🙏🙏and God bless 💜💜💜💜💜
Oh! A song you might really appreciate is “Louder Than Bombs”. It’s really unusual and draws you in. There’s no MV or live performance of it, but there is a lyric video. Listen to it, you’ll really appreciate it!!💜
Yay, finally Black Swan! The simplest explanation of the song is about artists losing their passion for their art, comparing this loss to death. I suggest you watch the blackswan orchestral version. My favorite live version of this song is from their PTD concert.
For the next set of songs, i suggest the following which should be watched in one reaction and in this order too : 1. Persona by RM 2. Shadow by SUGA and 3. Ego by Jhope. All 3 have official MVs. These relates to the Jungian philosophy (i cant explain, but i bet there will be ARMYs who can explain them and help you react).
Happy new year from Manila!
Talking about work ethic, BTS inspires us in many ways and for me personally, it has been this very thing. Such conviction, intent and sheer dedication to their craft adn ARMY... its incredible what individuals are capable of.
On top of the Martha Graham quote, you have to keep in mind that this was part of the Map of the Soul: 7 album, which dove into Jungian theory. Essentially, in order to become whole, you must accept your shadow - the darkest parts of yourself. For much of the MV, the shadow is looming over them. Towards the end, it becomes their size - not looming, but more connected. I took that as the process to recognize the shadow although it hasn't yet been accepted. And at the very end, they absorb the shadow, acknowledging and accepting it as a part of them as they move forward. That's my take, anyway.