Music Discussions

Wings

January 21, 2011

Main Point: Even though the world defines people by the clothes they wear, Christians cannot make that mistake. As Christ’s disciples, we must not allow the way we love or value people to be influenced by the clothes or shoes they wear.

The Music Video:
This song is the product of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, a rapper and DJ who partnered together to make music several years ago. Although they didn’t really become a household name until they released “Thrift Shop” in 2012, they’ve been making contemplative music since 2010.

Though they’re much more famous for “Thrift Shop,” a song that kind of denounces pop culture’s infatuation with designer styles, the song “Wings” was an earlier version of that idea. The two musicians are basically trying to get across a message that states consumerism shouldn’t define us as individuals. People must be more than the clothes they wear.

The song never quite broke into the Top 10 in the US, but the music video has still been viewed online more than 30 million times! Be warned; the song has two mild swear words in it, although neither of them are too intelligible. That said, use your discretion in preparing this lesson with your group.

Introducing the Music Video:
Just about everybody here has heard the music of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The two artists partnered together several years ago, and have been producing music that makes us think about ourselves on a fairly deep level…while making us tap our feet at the same time. While most of us have heard “Thrift Shop,” a song that denounces fancy, flashy, designer clothes, their older song entitled “Wings” is less well-known, although it’s about the same thing. Take a listen to the music video and familiarize yourself with the lyrics on the handout (if you need them).

Wings:
The video can be found online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAg3uMlNyHA

Song Lyrics:

Wings

I was seven years old, when I got my first pair
And I stepped outside
And I was like, momma, this air bubble right here, it’s gonna make me fly
I hit that court, and when I jumped, I jumped, I swear I got so high
I touched the net, momma I touched the net, this is the best day of my life
Air Max’s were next,
That air bubble, that mesh
The box, the smell, the stuffin’, the tread, in school
I was so cool
I knew that I couldn’t crease ’em
My friends couldn’t afford ’em
Four stripes on their Adidas
On the court I wasn’t the best, but my kicks were like the pros
Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo
Nike Air Flight, but bad was so dope
And then my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his Fours*, whoa

See he just wanted a jump shot, but they wanted to start a cult though
Didn’t wanna get caught, from Genesee Park to Othello
You could clown for those Pro Wings, with the Velcro
Those were not tight
I was trying to fly without leaving the ground,
Cause I wanted to be like Mike, right
Wanted to be him, I wanted to be that guy, I wanted to touch the rim
I wanted to be cool, and I wanted to fit in,
I wanted what he had, America, it begins

I want to fly
Can you take me far away
Give me a star to reach for
Tell me what it takes
And I’ll go so high
I’ll go so high
My feet won’t touch the ground
Stitch my wings
And pull the strings
I bought these dreams
That all fall down

We want what we can’t have, commodity makes us want it
So expensive, damn, I just got to flaunt it
Got to show ’em, so exclusive, this that new s**t
A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes I would never hoop in
Look at me, look at me, I’m a cool kid
I’m an individual, yea, but I’m part of a movement
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it
They told me to just do it, I listened to what that swoosh said
Look at what that swoosh did
See it consumed my thoughts
Are you stupid, don’t crease ’em, just leave ’em in that box
Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk
That’s my air bubble and I’m lost, if it pops
We are what we wear, we wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all
Will I stand for change, or stay in my box
These Nikes help me define me, but I’m trying to take mine, off

I want to fly
Can you take me far away
Give me a star to reach for
Tell me what it takes
And I’ll go so high
I’ll go so high
My feet won’t touch the ground
Stitch my wings
And pull the strings
I bought these dreams
That all fall down

It started out, with what I wear to school
That first day, like these are what make you cool
And this pair, this would be my parachute
So much more than just a pair of shoes
Nah, this is what I am
What I wore, this is the source of my youth
This dream that they sold to you
For a hundred dollars and some change
Consumption is in the veins
And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes

Transitional Statement:
That song is fairly thought-provoking. In it, Macklemore talks about the influence a brand of shoes had on him as a kid. A brand of shoes! He – along with millions of other boys – longed for a certain style of Nike sneakers. But when he actually got his first couple of pairs, he saw what kind of liabilities the shoes brought into his life. For starters, one of his friends was killed for his shoes. Then there was the fact that his life was defined by his shoes. Either he wore the cool shoes, and was cool, or he didn’t wear the cool shoes, and wasn’t cool. He even delved into the subtle nuances of consumerism and how the rich built an empire by creating cult-like desires in him and his friends. What Macklemore finally realized is something that Christians have known for a long time: even though the world defines people by the clothes they wear, it’s wrong and he shouldn’t do it any longer. In fact, he wanted to take his shoes off. Likewise, as Christ’s disciples, we must not allow the way we love or value people to be influenced by the clothes or shoes they wear.

Divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format—a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions:

AROUND THE CIRCLE: As we get started, let’s all take a second to share our names and our favorite musician.

ASK A FEW: What was the idea behind Macklemore’s song, and do you agree with him? Why or why not?

ASK A FEW: Macklemore used a certain kind of Nike sneaker to make his point in this music video, but what are the trends/desires being sought after right now by your generation?

ASK A FEW: Our culture tends to chase after certain brands and labels. Why do you think we do that?

ASK A FEW: In the song, Macklemore says, “I’m an individual, yea, but I’m part of a movement.
My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it.” How influential are ads, logos, brands, and celebrity endorsements on us? Why is that the case?

ASK A FEW: Let’s turn the conversation toward our Christian faith for a moment. Do you know Christians who judge others by the clothes/shoes they wear? Why do you think they do that?

ASK A FEW: Do you judge others by the clothes/shoes they wear? If so, why?

Read the following passage:

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

ASK A FEW: In what ways did James say the same thing that Macklemore said in his song?

ASK A FEW: Why does James label “favoritism” as “sin”? I mean, is “favoritism” that big of a deal? Why or why not?

ASK A FEW: What are some ways, in general, in which favoritism is shown these days? What are some ways WE are guilty of showing favoritism?

ASK A FEW: James asks, “Is it not the rich who are exploiting you”? In what ways do major brands and companies exploit people, especially the poor?

ASK A FEW: In his closing line, Macklemore comes to this realization: “What I wore, this is the source of my youth this dream that they sold to you for a hundred dollars and some change
consumption is in the veins and now I see it’s just another pair of shoes.” In what ways have your eyes been opened to the influence of brands, logos, labels, or icons?

ASK A FEW: As Christ’s followers, we now know that we cannot assign value to people based on the clothes and shoes they wear. So, how are we to assign value and importance to others? What should we base it on?

AROUND THE CIRCLE: Macklemore makes this declaration after seeing the separation and bitterness and jealousy that came from designer clothes and shoes: “Will I stand for change, or stay in my box? These Nikes help me define me, but I’m trying to take mine, off.” In other words, he’s going to make a change. What change are you going to make right now?

AROUND THE CIRCLE: It will be easy to go back to assigning value to others based on their shoes, their clothes, their cell phone, their car, or their home. How will you prevent that from happening in your life?

Wrap Up:
During our time together, we watched an insightful music video by a rapper who asked a very different question than most other rappers: Why do we value people by the shoes they wear?

Macklemore realized EVEN AS A KID that shoes cannot define a person. Sneakers are not the “make or break” facet of our lives that we are told they are. In fact, no article of clothing can do that. His message was “take those shoes off” because they don’t make you who you are. That’s a pretty powerful lesson for us to be exposed to, especially in our day.

I really hope you’ve taken our discussion to heart. Can you imagine how our community will be different if we as Christ’s followers actually do that? If we actually do what James commanded us to do, which was to love everyone, including the poor who cannot afford $300 shoes, our neighborhoods would change within days!

There wouldn’t be jealousy over sneakers. There wouldn’t be bitterness between “the haves” and “the have nots.” There wouldn’t be kids getting killed for the shoes off their feet. There wouldn’t be people defined by their clothes, but rather, by their character!

But that change has to start with you and me. We have to see people the way Jesus saw people: as someone we’re willing to make a sacrifice for. We need to see them as valuable, like Jesus sees them. We cannot show favoritism to anyone, but must love everyone.

I assure it won’t be easy. Since the dawn of time, there have been the rich and the poor, the cool and the uncool, the popular and the unpopular. If you go messing with the status quo – which I hope you do! – you will be scorned and ridiculed.

But that’s the only way to treat people. The way Jesus treated people.

Close in Prayer

Idea by David Hallahan
Written by David R Smith