My next 2024 music selection comes from a movie that stirred up quite a bit of controversy before it was even released. During a contentious election season, some people thought Alex Garland’s Civil War would encourage bad actors to start a real one.
It turns out the film was less about real world tensions and more about the journalists who capture horrifying images of war — to inform the public, but also for the grim fix it provides them.
Garland uses music very effectively throughout the film, including in the standout scene I’m featuring today.
The main characters stumble upon two factions exchanging gunfire and find themselves in the thick of the action. Afterward, De La Soul’s ‘Say No Go’ plays as the winning side deals with the hostages in horrifying fashion.
The juxtaposition of this groovy late 80s hip-hop song with the soldiers’ violence — as the reporters are chit-chatting, sitting quietly, or taking photographs — is a perfect encapsulation of the whole film’s collision of tones.
Now let’s get right on down to the skit
A baby is brought into a world of pits
And if it could’ve talked that soon in the delivery room
It would’ve asked the nurse for a hit
The reason for this? The mother is a jerk
Excuse me, junkie which brought the work
Of the old into a new life, what a way
But this what a way has been a way of today
Anyway push couldn’t shove me to understand a path to a basehead
Consumers should erased it in the first wave
‘Cause second wave from believers and believers
Will walk to it then, even talk to it and say
(You got the body now you want my soul)
Nah, can’t have none of that, tell ’em what to say Mase…
[Hook]
Say no go
Say no go
Say no go
*scratches*
Say no go
Say no go
[Verse 2: Dove & Posdnuos]
Nah, no my brother, no my sister
Try to get hip to this
Word, word to the mother
I’ll tell the truth so bear my witness
Fly like birds of a feather, drugs are like pleather
You don’t wanna wear it
No need to ask that question, just don’t mention
You know what the answer is
Now I never fancied Nancy but the statement she made
Held a plate of weight, I even stressed it to Wade
Did he take any heed? Nah, the boy was hooked
You could’ve phrased the word “Base” and the kid just shook
In his fashion class once an A now an F
The rock rules him now, the only designs left
Were once clothes made for Oshkosh
Has converted to nothing but stonewash
Now hopping in a barrel is a barrel of fun
But don’t hop in if you want to be down, son
‘Cause that could mean down and out as an action
What does it lead to? Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb
People say what have I done for all my years
My tears show my hard-earned work
I heard shoving is worse than pushing
But I’d rather know a shover than a pusher ’cause a pusher’s a jerk
[Hook]
Say no go
Say no go
Say no go
*scratches*
Say no go
Say no go
[Verse 3: Posdnous & Dove]
Believe it or not the plot forms a fee more than charity
But the course doesn’t coincide with the ride of insanity
Is it a chant that slant the soul to feel for it?
I know it’s the border that flaunts the order to kill for it
Standing, scheming on a young one
Taking his time, eight-ball for a cool pool player
Racked it all, tried to break, miscued
Got beat by the boy in blue
Next day you’re out by the spot once more
Looking hard for a crack in the hole
I ask what’s the fix for the ill stuff, word to the Dero
The answer should have been no
Run me a score from the Funky Four Plus One More
(It’s the joint!) Rewind that back
This is the age for a new stage of fiend
Watch how the zombies scream, “It’s the crack!”
Plain is plain it should explain it from the start
Behind the ideals of cranking up the heart
Now the base claims shop over every park
Meet Me In Montauk 
I really don’t recall paying attention to the music in this movie, but I see your point about the juxtaposition of this song with the scene.
definitely hard to watch 🫣
It’s often a film’s use of music to undercut or underscore the visuals that make the most lasting impression on me. Not long ago, we watched Face/Off, a film I hadn’t seen in ages, and I vividly recalled how effective Woo’s choice of having “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” playing during the climax of a particularly over-the-top scene of violence (which is saying something in a film full of them!)
https://youtu.be/1xni5g8Z6I4?si=hubfWaCqztB25Wop
A little Woo goes a long way, but I love Cage and Travolta so much in this movie! 🙂
As for Civil War, I did find that one a bit too close for comfort which may have been why I didn’t love it. Still, great scene you featured today.