Author Topic: Beyonce song uses Challenger disaster audio clip (Read 25693 times)

therein69 · « **on:** 12/27/2013 07:05 pm »

I was driving to work today and heard a song from Beyoncé new album. Track is called XO and it starts out with call from Public affairs officer Steve Nesbitt as he reports, “”Flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction. We have no downlink.” Video continues on as a love song?

I think this is despicable. I know that most of NASA transmissions and media is public domain but IMHO this crosses the bounds. What do you all think and how can we have that transmission removed from her video?

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #1 on:** 12/27/2013 07:41 pm »

I hardly think "she" is dancing on anyone's graves. It's just some absolutely weird production decision, although she is heavily involved with her own production. It's a complete lack of class.

Doesn't make any sense at all to use that audio, but there absolutely no hope of getting it removed.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #2 on:** 12/27/2013 07:51 pm »

Here's an article about it.....

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-philbin/2013/12/18/tasteless-beyonc-song-samples-challenger-disaster-audio

Rocket Science · « **Reply #3 on:** 12/27/2013 08:13 pm »

Tacky and low class, hope it makes the rounds of the TV news outlets... Serves them right for any backlash...

Hog · « **Reply #4 on:** 12/27/2013 08:30 pm »

Dumb, low rent move for sure. Beyonce, what a joke.

TomH · « **Reply #5 on:** 12/27/2013 08:36 pm »

Exceptionally tacky? Yes

Censorable? Absolutely not. With the exception of threats, slander/libel, conspiracy, the first amendment gives people the right to say what they want. In my own opinion, the call for censorship is far more egregious than the song.

Star One · « **Reply #6 on:** 12/27/2013 10:08 pm »

No major news sites appear to have covered this and the few links I could find are mostly either commenting on or quoting the blog post linked to above, make of that what you will.

brahmanknight · « **Reply #7 on:** 12/28/2013 01:54 am »

I noticed it the very hour the "surprise" album came out a few weeks ago.

I cringed, and don't like it. I used iTunes to edit it the first few seconds. However, it's not so bad that it is worth outrage.

That is coming from someone who watched the Challenger accident from outside in Florida.

Star One · « **Reply #8 on:** 12/28/2013 10:23 am »

I am left scratching my head why you would even think to include something like this sample.

M129K · « **Reply #9 on:** 12/28/2013 10:56 am »

I thought this was an Onion article when I read the thread title... But really. What heck? How did anybody think this was a good idea?

Using the audio from an accident that killed 7 people to start a love song. Stay classy Beyonce.

IRobot · « **Reply #10 on:** 12/28/2013 05:15 pm »

Would fit in something like "Space Oddity" but not on a crappy pop song. Anyway, I live in a different universe and don't care about pop culture.

Hauerg · « **Reply #11 on:** 12/28/2013 05:22 pm »

Beyo.. Who?

Andrew_W · « **Reply #12 on:** 12/28/2013 09:57 pm »

I find the thread title far more outrageous.

I'd have to hear the song, but I'll point out that DJ Sammy did a remix of the song Heaven - which is a love song - as a tribute to the 911 victims.

Jason Sole · « **Reply #13 on:** 12/28/2013 10:33 pm »

Quote from: Andrew_W on 12/28/2013 09:57 pm

I find the thread title far more outrageous.

I'd have to hear the song, but I'll point out that DJ Sammy did a remix of the song Heaven - which is a love song - as a tribute to the 911 victims.

Absolute nonsense.

DJ Sammy was a dance remix of the Bryan Adams song and nothing to do with 9/11. Beyonce's song has nothing to do with Challenger.

Maybe you should listen or watch the video, a dance party at a fairground, to get some context before posting what you did.

Andrew_W · « **Reply #14 on:** 12/28/2013 10:41 pm »

This bit I'll say again: DJ Sammy did a remix of the song Heaven - which is a love song - as a tribute to the 911 victims.

I've looked at the video, the video is not the whole of the song, I thought it was crappy, but absolutely not "dancing on the Challenger 7's graves".

Edit:

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #15 on:** 12/28/2013 10:49 pm »

This thread title is starting to annoy me now. It sounds like she did a dance video shoot over the silo she's buried in.

A stupid move on her part, but sadly only people like us will care. It's not right, but that's how it is. We've had a vent, thread locked.

LaunchedIn68 · « **Reply #16 on:** 12/30/2013 03:11 pm »

Apparently NASA veterans and Challenger families are now speaking out against it.

http://gma.yahoo.com/beyonc-slammed-sampling-shuttle-tragedy-album-132246579--abc-news-music.html

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #17 on:** 12/30/2013 03:34 pm »

Ok, so this is continuing, changing the thread title but reopening the thread.

Good that there's an apology (well an attempt to explain it) from her, but it still doesn't work. It's still a stupid, disrespectful move.

Rocket Science · « **Reply #18 on:** 12/30/2013 03:41 pm »

Quote from: LaunchedIn68 on 12/30/2013 03:11 pm

Apparently NASA veterans and Challenger families are now speaking out against it.

http://gma.yahoo.com/beyonc-slammed-sampling-shuttle-tragedy-album-132246579--abc-news-music.html

When I watched her on Good Morning America, they had a video about her and her new release, but nothing else unless I missed something. It was about how great she looks....

Star One · « **Reply #19 on:** 12/30/2013 04:18 pm »

It's starting to get some legs now this story which is good to see.

RonM · « **Reply #20 on:** 12/31/2013 11:30 am »

The story has made it to the BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25557551

Rocket Science · « **Reply #21 on:** 12/31/2013 11:52 am »

CNN on it right now... Chris Farley from the WSJ didn't see the point of the clip...

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #22 on:** 12/31/2013 12:40 pm »

Quote from: Rocket Science on 12/31/2013 11:52 am

CNN on it right now... Chris Farley from the WSJ didn't see the point of the clip...

I hope he said more than just that bloody obviously point.

Lee Jay · « **Reply #23 on:** 12/31/2013 01:00 pm »

"The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten," Beyonce said in a statement reported by ABC News on Monday."My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster," Beyonce said in her statement. "The song 'XO' was recorded with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/30/showbiz/beyonce-xo-challenger-audio/index.html

KelvinZero · « **Reply #24 on:** 12/31/2013 01:27 pm »

Getting some minority group to go ballistic about some issue that won't matter to your fan base could be a cynical way of getting consequence-free publicity. A necessary step is to make sure they get to hear about it.

I have often wondered if people do that. Some of these furors seem so manufactured. Is that separate from free speech, if it could be proven you specifically set out to injure someone with words without any motivation except monetary gain?

Lee Jay · « **Reply #25 on:** 12/31/2013 01:42 pm »

Quote from: KelvinZero on 12/31/2013 01:27 pm

Is that separate from free speech, if it could be proven you specifically set out to injure someone with words without any motivation except monetary gain?

No, it is still free speech unless you can prove that you physically hurt them (such as yelling "fire" in a crowded theater and causing a stampede that results in people being trampled). The freedom to use words to hurt people's feelings is a right.

Stardust9906 · « **Reply #26 on:** 12/31/2013 01:44 pm »

Quote from: Lee Jay on 12/31/2013 01:00 pm

"The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten," Beyonce said in a statement reported by ABC News on Monday."My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster," Beyonce said in her statement. "The song 'XO' was recorded with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/30/showbiz/beyonce-xo-challenger-audio/index.html

I don’t see how this helps anyone certainly not the families of the Challenger crew who are having the whole thing dredged up again. Not a very credible explanation.

Lee Jay · « **Reply #27 on:** 12/31/2013 01:46 pm »

Quote from: Stardust9906 on 12/31/2013 01:44 pm

I don’t see how this helps anyone certainly not the families of the Challenger crew who are having the whole thing dredged up again. Not a very credible explanation.

Yes, if one takes the statement at face value, I'd say it was done with the best of intentions but not by the brightest bulbs on the block.

Rocket Science · « **Reply #28 on:** 12/31/2013 02:11 pm »

Get some extra press, issue an apology and remove the intro from the iTunes download and Youtube, even though its already out there. I'd call that a win-win for her....

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #29 on:** 12/31/2013 02:18 pm »

Yeah, that's always the risk "No such thing as bad publicity".....but I'm also pleased the mass media have picked up on it. As Star One intimated, there was a chance they wouldn't care about this.

Loving how Keith Cowing went after this too. He's like a Knight against nonsense!

http://nasawatch.com/archives/2013/12/beyonce-samplin.html

Per Beyonce's "apology" - not buying it. If she really wanted to do a tribute, she could have done a specific track (which XO absolutely is not). And a far better use of audio would have been President Reagan's comments....say the "slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God."

PS My tweet below resulted in a rather threatening e-mail from some illiterate Beyonce fan. "You mad bro?"

Lee Jay · « **Reply #30 on:** 12/31/2013 02:26 pm »

Quote from: Rocket Science on 12/31/2013 02:11 pm

Get some extra press, issue an apology and remove the intro from the iTunes download and Youtube, even though its already out there. I'd call that a win-win for her....

And that's about what I'd say if I didn't take the statement at face value. ;-)

To me, this is what a tribute song looks like (9/11, not 51L):

rcoppola · « **Reply #31 on:** 12/31/2013 03:01 pm »

Stop the conspiracy "Get some extra press" theories. The song was part of an album that was exclusively released on iTunes and within 3 days became the fastest iTunes downloaded album of all time. She did the album and 17 videos to accompany each song, in secret and while still touring among other things. This is a huge creative and technical workload regardless of whether you like her music.

You have to look at this in the complete context of the sheer volume of moving parts to put all that creative product together. Was the inclusion of the Challenger in very poor judgment? Yes. Was it intentional to gain extra press? No, she doesn't need it. She doesn't come across callus and uncaring to the point of wanting to offend fallen heroes and their families.

A re-issue of the song and video with perhaps another audio opening, as the song is in no way dependent on it, would send a nice message. But perhaps a better message would be to do some promotional efforts on behalf of NASA to raise awareness to youth as to the amazing things they accomplish and how important math and science are to achieve those goals. Or at the very least, dedicate some proceeds to a local school and send them to JPL or KSC. Now that would celebrate what those on the challenger dedicated their lives to.

Star One · « **Reply #32 on:** 12/31/2013 03:09 pm »

Quote from: rcoppola on 12/31/2013 03:01 pm

Stop the conspiracy "Get some extra press" theories. The song was part of an album that was exclusively released on iTunes and within 3 days became the fastest iTunes downloaded album of all time. She did the album and 17 videos to accompany each song, in secret and while still touring among other things. This is a huge creative and technical workload regardless of whether you like her music.

You have to look at this in the complete context of the sheer volume of moving parts to put all that creative product together. Was the inclusion of the Challenger in very poor judgment? Yes. Was it intentional to gain extra press? No, she doesn't need it. She doesn't come across callus and uncaring to the point of wanting to offend fallen heroes and their families.

A re-issue of the song and video with perhaps another audio opening, as the song is in no way dependent on it, would send a nice message. But perhaps a better message would be to do some promotional efforts on behalf of NASA to raise awareness to youth as to the amazing things they accomplish and how important math and science are to achieve those goals. Or at the very least, dedicate some proceeds to a local school and send them to JPL or KSC. Now that would celebrate what those on the challenger dedicated their lives to.

I don't know why she didn't take audio from the mission she was involved with STS-135, you would have thought that would have been a more appropriate choice.

rcoppola · « **Reply #33 on:** 12/31/2013 03:15 pm »

Quote from: Star One on 12/31/2013 03:09 pm

Quote from: rcoppola on 12/31/2013 03:01 pm
Stop the conspiracy "Get some extra press" theories. The song was part of an album that was exclusively released on iTunes and within 3 days became the fastest iTunes downloaded album of all time. She did the album and 17 videos to accompany each song, in secret and while still touring among other things. This is a huge creative and technical workload regardless of whether you like her music.

You have to look at this in the complete context of the sheer volume of moving parts to put all that creative product together. Was the inclusion of the Challenger in very poor judgment? Yes. Was it intentional to gain extra press? No, she doesn't need it. She doesn't come across callus and uncaring to the point of wanting to offend fallen heroes and their families.

A re-issue of the song and video with perhaps another audio opening, as the song is in no way dependent on it, would send a nice message. But perhaps a better message would be to do some promotional efforts on behalf of NASA to raise awareness to youth as to the amazing things they accomplish and how important math and science are to achieve those goals. Or at the very least, dedicate some proceeds to a local school and send them to JPL or KSC. Now that would celebrate what those on the challenger dedicated their lives to.

I don't know why she didn't take audio from the mission she was involved with STS-135, you would have thought that would have been a more appropriate choice.

I think it really just comes down to her and her creative team doing too many things, too fast and not really thinking this one through. It happens. In fact, in the HSF business we have seen this happen and the results were much, much worse then an offensive opening to a song. One way or another, I suspect she'll do the right thing. I leave it to her to decide what that is. She has a worldwide platform to perhaps turn this unfortunate lapse in judgement into something positive.

Rocket Science · « **Reply #34 on:** 12/31/2013 03:46 pm »

High road option: Tribute also means money, own it and make the proceeds of XO go to the Challenger learning centers... Walk the talk...

edkyle99 · « **Reply #35 on:** 12/31/2013 03:49 pm »

For Beyonce and her generation of fans (and non-fans), Challenger is likely just a sentence or photo in a history book, the same way that I see Pearl Harbor or Armistice Day, etc.. Not for everyone, of course, but perhaps this will turn out to be an educational moment.

- Ed Kyle

p51 · « **Reply #36 on:** 12/31/2013 04:41 pm »

Quote from: edkyle99 on 12/31/2013 03:49 pm

For Beyonce and her generation of fans (and non-fans), Challenger is likely just a sentence or photo in a history book, the same way that I see Pearl Harbor or Armistice Day, etc.

Good point. I'm remind of the Lincoln assasination joke on the last Oscars. I did snicker at the 'too soon?' comment at the end: http://www.mediaite.com/tv/too-soon-macfarlanes-lincoln-assassination-joke-gets-oscar-groans/ To the masses, Challenger is indeed about as current at Gettysburg.

collectSPACE · « **Reply #37 on:** 12/31/2013 04:51 pm »

Quote from: Star One on 12/31/2013 03:09 pm

I don't know why she didn't take audio from the mission she was involved with STS-135, you would have thought that would have been a more appropriate choice.

The song "XO" (she says) is about losing a loved one. I don't see how any clip from STS-135 would have made sense in that context.

That said, I don't think the song is direct enough or the right tone to justify using the STS-51L audio. Were the song more directly focused, it may not have resulted in such a negative response.

Case in point, country singer Mark Willis released a song in 2002 called "19 Somthin'" that includes the lyric, "Space shuttle fell out of the sky and the whole world cried..." The Challenger Center invited Willis to perform that song at their benefit in Houston in October 2003 because of that mention.

Orbiter · « **Reply #38 on:** 12/31/2013 05:21 pm »

In my opinion, using Navias', "the space shuttle pulls into port for the last time" during the STS-135 landing would have made sense in context of the song, and would have been less tactful. But am I in uproar? Not really.

catdlr · « **Reply #39 on:** 12/31/2013 11:42 pm »

NASA has responded:

http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-responds-beyonce-39-challenger-sample-233013835.html

Antares · « **Reply #40 on:** 01/01/2014 12:12 am »

Pathetic that she's a native Houstonian.

Nice to see that the E-Street circus doesn't always kowtow to those with whom Pennsylvania Avenue rubs elbows.

This is just more tone-deafness from the elites. Lorde would never do this

nlec · « **Reply #41 on:** 01/01/2014 10:57 am »

Best use of NASA soundbites in a song: Rush -Countdown

Moskit · « **Reply #42 on:** 01/01/2014 07:28 pm »

Initial sound clip is in total disconnect with the song. It brings back a memory of a particularly bad moment in spaceflight history, while the song is a pop love-story showing people having fun and enjoying themselves.

Even the title is plain confusing. In USA "X" is apparently used as shorthand for word "cross", with "Xing" = crossing and so on. That would make the title "XO" = cross(ed) out, as in the shuttle got crossed out??

Whatever the reason, I don't feel it was a good decision by Beyonce to use that sound clip, and it certainly does not feel like a tribute song. I do agree though with what was written here earlier that perhaps for Beyonce young fans Challenger tragedy is by now as remote (and devoid of substance) as much older historical events.

That story is certainly international now, with local press covering it along the lines of "Tasteless use of tragedy clip by Beyonce, who defends her choice".

strangequark · « **Reply #43 on:** 01/01/2014 09:02 pm »

Quote from: Moskit on 01/01/2014 07:28 pm

Even the title is plain confusing. In USA "X" is apparently used as shorthand for word "cross", with "Xing" = crossing and so on. That would make the title "XO" = cross(ed) out, as in the shuttle got crossed out??

The title is from a different American idiom, which uses Os and Xs to mean "hugs" and "kisses".