“Great Nations of Europe” is what seems like a cheerful
song, but in reality, talks about the destruction the Europeans have caused.
Randy Newman was successfully able to use irony by making contradictions
between what he says and what he means to convey the message that the Europeans
were not so “great” as people thought they were in the 16th century.
To start off, the title of the song “Great Nations of
Europe” is ironic. Of course, Europe at this time period was the dominant
power. They had the wealth, the stability, and the advanced technology to rule
the world. However, this is not what Randy Newman is actually saying – he means
something else. As much as they seem superior, they are not great because all
they ever do is destroy other civilizations and their cultures. They kill
millions of people not just through military but through the diseases they
bring and wipe out their existence completely. What exactly is so great about that? Nothing.
Another sign of irony is when Newman says “the great
nations of Europe were quite holy in their way” right after he talks about how
the Europeans had the Indians “torn apart by dogs” when the Church claimed they
were gay. Obviously, there’s nothing holy about tearing people apart to death.
What Newman was trying to actually say was that the Europeans pretty much did
anything in the name of God.
Yet, there are certainly some parts
in the song that are not ironic at all. For the most part, the descriptions of
what the Europeans did are not ironic. Although they are very exaggerated,
Newman is saying them to be interpreted literally. One example of Newman not
using irony is “They got tb and typhoid and athletes food, diphtheria and flu.”
Everyone who learned some kind of history would know that what he is saying
here is exactly what happened in reality. The Europeans had brought millions of
diseases to the Americas and consequently had killed millions of Indians.
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