After the mediocre performance of their previous two albums, the Black Eyed Peas decided to reluctantly go more mainstream. The result: Elephunk. The difference? Fifty-three chart positions from 67 to 14 in the U.S. And since this was 2003 (though it began development in late 2001), what could be more mainstream than an anti-war song? Thus, their first single: Where Is The Love?
with Justin Timberlake singing in the chorus.
Obviously, the lyrics are targeted against George W. Bush's War On Terror and later, the Iraq War, pointing out that the USA has its own "terrorists" like the CIA and the KKK and the government withholds the truth of the war from the public. The third verse also speaks out against pursuit of money over all else and negative media images. The music video features question marks placed everywhere as a motif while the Peas preach love with, naturally, children, ending with everyone looking up at their "one world". It's derivative, somewhat naive, and still an alright song. At least their heart is in the right place. Nonetheless, the later songs in the album are significantly more upbeat and thus creates some Mood Whiplash, but I'll write about them in the next entries.
