Memoir Project (CD Tracks/Metacognition)

Vanessa Gaston
Period 2
AP English Literature
October 9, 2008

Metacognition: Mixed CD for Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki

Track Listings: 1. Miss Independent 2. Dangerous 3. Get Money 4. I'm In Love With A Dancer 4. Soldier 6. Realize 7. Is She the Reason 8. I Don't Wanna Know 9. Take a Bow 10. Dance With My Father

I loved this part of the project. I realized that this might actually be the easiest assignment Mr. Gallagher will ever give us...let me take advantage of it, is what I thought. Just like the previous assignment of creating a flowing conversation between Ernst Hemingway and William Faulkner, it was a little difficult to choose songs that would relate perfectly to the memoir. It was possible to find a few songs, not the full required ten tracks, so I had to go way back—old school, couple of years ago type of music to incorporate into my soundtrack, which I decided to name: “It's A Hard Knock Life: Geisha Style”. But, I finally found ten tracks that I thought fit well with the events and emotions that occurred in her life.

To start it, I thought about different songs that would fit major experiences she had throughout the book. The first track I chose was “Miss Independent” by Kelly Clarkson. The lyrics to this song are self-explanatory hence the title. Mineko Iwasaki is very independent, since the beginning to end, child to adult. She did everything basically in solitude, she literally stated in her memoir that she didn't like people, she liked to be alone and do things for herself. The second track is “Dangerous” by Kardinal Offshall. I thought this song fit perfectly for her. As Mineko Iwasaki's career grew and she became popular, everyone thought she was a beauty and she was a threat to other opposing geisha...dangerous...hopefully one can see how it relates. The third track, “Get Money” by 50 Cent is another self-explanatory choice. She made quite a lot of money, especially for her age. She was considered the best geisha in centuries. Her debut was amazing. Thousands of people were awaiting to see her first appearance as a maiko, the first step before becoming a geisha. She would receive tips and then give it to others. That's how much money she brought in. The fourth song, “Soldier” by Destiny's Child is about how a girl wants a man that can keep stable, someone that's there for her, who can stand up for her, basically be a man. Mineko Iwasaki wants the same thing, but in almost different terms. She wants an intelligent man that will sweep her off her feet. The fifth song, “I'm In Love With a Dancer” by T-Pain is the clean version of the original name. The maiko is art, a women who dances. While Mineko Iwasaki throughout her career was a maiko, many men proposed to her and she rejected all of them. The sixth song is “Realize” by Colbie Caillat. As independent as Iwasaki was, she finally found someone persistent enough to tare down her walls. She fell in love with a man that fell in love with her first. She rejected him numerous times and she made a proposition with him. The proposition was fulfilled and they began to go out. They realized that they were meant for one another, until he cheated on her...

The seventh song I chose was “Is She the Reason” by Destiny's Child. As I mentioned in the previous song, the man she fell in love with cheated on her. It was a mutual understanding that he was already married, but he claimed to disown his wife, that they had no feelings for one another—and also promised that he'd divorce her in order to be with Mineko. One day, she goes into the hotel room they usually spend time together in and finds female belongings on the ground and realizes that it was his wife's items. So, she decided to end the relationship with him. The eighth song, “I Don't Wanna Know” by Mario Winans also relates to this particular situation. He knew that she knew about what happened, but he acted as if nothing ever did with her. So, when she ended the relationship, he was sad and wanted her back, but Mineko wasn't going to have that at all. The ninth song, “Take A Bow” by Rihanna is also for the same reason I chose “I Don't Wanna Know”. She made a fool out of her ex-fiancé. He called her house a ridiculous amount of times and he still didn't get her back. He got what he deserved. Finally, I chose “Dance With My Father” by Luther Vandross. Mineko Iwasaki had an extremely close relationship with her mother and father. When she lived in the okiya with the other girls, she couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. She looked up to him and would quote him when she was in a predicament. He was her sense of encouragement at times. So finally, I didn't really have a thought process for the assignment. I just chose songs that I thought would relate to the memoir.