"You don't have to leave society to connect with the world around you. Maybe just ask for a story from your grandpa, or learn the names of the flowers that bloom in springtime in the city where you live. There are things that aren't an illusion." Damn, son. Way to drop an anvil on my head in the middle of a dull workday. You just summed up a spiritual concept I've been trying to express for two or three years, and I think it's a message that so, so many people need to hear. As a chronically online millennial who's been deep in the internet trenches since 2001 and spent a long time in my 20s struggling with the urge to just head off into the woods and never come back... you're right. If you want to connect to your time and place, you can *connect to your time and place.* Right now, today. It took me this long to figure that out. It gives me hope to hear things like this from the generation coming up behind me. "I just want to say that it's possible." I hear you. Thanks for your time, effort, and care in making this video.
Thank you! I'm glad you were able to find it somehow. Only you can help get it there though, by sharing it with your friends! I've learned that really does make a difference. :D
Unfortunately I've met so few people in my life who have enough interest or passion to just pick a thing and learn about it like I love to do, so to make sure I'm not mentally insane I come to RUclips and watch people crazy enough to research a topic they care about and compile an hour-long video essay about it. So thanks for your passion bro, it keeps us all going.
i lived in a small village in germany when i was little... this music reminds me of fall in that little village, the creek,the cows,the orange leaves and the food
@@creepincreeper3397 Aw, oh my goodness that's so awesome. American music's use of cultural traditions from all across Europe really means that the music can feel nostalgic for so many peoples. There is a LOT of Germanic influence in America folk music. I just didn't have the time to go over absolutely everything
flowers growing through the cracks is such an evocative image. The editing in this video is amazing and I appreciated the history. Every time I thought I wonder if he will comment on blank and then you DID I was so happy especially in the fact you brought up that black ppl also participated in black face minstrel groups as it was their only access to the stage and an income that came from the arts. It is so important to how our culture has evolved despite the terribleness (without minstrel shows we wouldn’t even have broadway and modern American musicals). America has a deep culture (although steeped in racism and colonialism even tho you could argue British culture is steeped in much of the same) that is often dismissed and seeing it portrayed and discussed in this video in the context of music and OTGW was amazingly done. you should be very proud of how this turned out
Went to drop a like and was FLOORED by how few there are. This is probably the most well written video essay I've ever had the pleasure of watching. The perfect amount of depth while still taking on a wide breadth of topics and wrapping it up with a succint bow. Be proud!!!
@@amberjean4582 Thank you so much :,) That's quite high praise! More than I am proud, I'm happy you found this video and got something out of it (hopefully).
I feel as children we are primarily experiencing time as kairos. Life is simply experienced. Even growing up in the deep south of Mississippi myself and having to help out on the family property in various ways there was no real set time to finish other than before the sun goes down. Part of the culture shock of getting our first jobs or our true experience of the adult world is that everything is tied to Chronos. Even our leisure time seems to be subject to it. I feel we long for the freedom that I experienced as a child "just finish before the sun goes down". I feel like this is partly why i don't assign homework to my students, I don't want to add yet another structured schedule onto a time period and experience of time that the kids only get a small glimpse of before the Chronos time of the world rushes on them.
Someone finally talking about the American feels of the show and explaining why I feel this way. God I love this show. A modern Halloween and American classic.
Not too much for me to add here, youtube thought I might like this video, and it was right! Even though I havent done much with music lately, it's always a delight to see/hear essays covering the intersection of two things that feed my soul: music and nerdery! Thanks so much for all of the work you did to create and share this with all of us. It truly sparked joy!
Yesss! THIS is the explanation I've been looking for for why this show means so much to me! I've been trying for so long to nail it down (trying desperately to google things about american mythos and new englad gothic to no avail), but you've perfectly got it here. This is one of the best video essays I've ever seen. I was surprised to see how much MODERN understandings of America's past bled into this video, with cottage core and all that sort of false stuff (that I was completely obsessed with at age 14, lol). I've never really thought about how that's kind of the inauthentic version of what OTGW actually perfectly taps in to. And I find the connection to the industrial revolution fascinating, too, because often when I think of the nostalgic sense that OTGW gives, I think about the sound of a distant train horn as much as I think about a old americana, picturesque fall landscape. P.S. I also think there may be more to say about how the fear combined with the hope of the unknown during westward expansion has contributed to american mythology and the american psyche. There's a sort of horror to it---I imagine things like the Donner party---as much as there is comfort and hope for new beginnings (hey, faraway place vs. domesticity!). There's a sort of widwestern version of The Unknown, where corn mazes dominate the psyche (something more similar to the Pottsfield episode). The oldest, most distant memories of my childhood are intertwined with this version of American, and that's part of the reason I love this show so very much. Again, thank you for this wonderful essay! :) P.S.S. What other pieces of media/experiences would you suggest (not just music) that are reminiscent of OTGW?
This vid popped up on my feed and omg your quality is so good that I was surprised to see how small your channel is. Please keeo up the amazing work and I can't wait to see more of it!
Absolutely FANTASTIC video. Seriously, I'm so grateful you made this because I, too, have been traveling down the 'Over The Garden Wall'-esque music rabbit hole for a number of years, and it has exposed me to some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard. I never had any historical context for what makes the music feel *that way*, other than a vague inkling that it's some abstract shared American nostalgia. I attempted to do my own independent research multiple times but couldn't quite find anything that answered my questions. Hearing you break it down in such detail and with such passion and soul was nothing short of cathartic. I may be biased, but this is easily one of the overall best video essay-stye videos I've had the pleasure of watching. I hope your work here gives others the same appreciation for this antique art that you and I have. From the bottom of my heart - thank you.
Thank you so much! It appears you are EXACTLY who I was making this for haha. I can tell you've really dug into this stuff, I like your playlists that you've made! Those aren't easy compilations to make. Thank YOU for watching. It's so cool see someone with the same perspective I have of the humbling vastness of this musical tradition and history. It means more than you know to hear not only that you're so interested, but also that you found what I've done any sort of helpful, let alone cathartic. In return, because yours is a particularly special comment and you seem so genuine, what is one question you wish you could ask the Blasting Company if you ever met them? I'll see what I can do :)
@@-overdooo- I didn't see this reply until about a week ago, and I must admit I've been stumped trying to find an answer to the question of what I would ask The Blasting Company. As a musician, I am eager to someday write a musical inspired by Over the Garden Wall's music and aesthetics. If I had only one question to ask, I suppose it would be about the direction I should take, aside from consuming a bunch of folk music, to understand the art form. It's a bit vague, but it's probably the best I can do. Thanks, mate! :)
@hudsonludy Im no part of the blasting company, however I think you should build your dreams yourself, instead of being an homage or a musical based on, take those inspirations and make another beautiful creation to inspire even more. (Doesnt mean dont make a musical, you absolutely should, but use your own art, your own ideals, your own opinions and all of it. I would recommend reading what american folktales (few as they may be) we do have, and our interactions with one another throughout our long history. Folk music isnt only based on previous folk music, but existing tradition and culture, learn as much as you can! Be authentic to you!
Wow how did I not respond to this when you commented. You WAITED for this video!? That's crazy, thank you so much! I'm glad it was worth the wait haha. You were FAITHFUL if you saw my community post from so long ago and stuck around waiting for this, or subscribed waiting. Idk when the next one will be though so don't hold your breath haha
I love the wide breadth of culture and musical tradition you cover in your video! Excellent selection of "artifacts," if you will, to embody and contextualize the themes you present. I loved the ballerina farm and cottage core tangets. I also really appreciate the way you summarized nostalgia, and "that" feeling as a combination of "the far away land + domesticity." That's a definition I've long been searching for in my own musings, which I've personally characterized as a "foreign familiarity." Also, when you were describing how that sense of nostalgia is part of a broader "illusion" that we choose to partake in, I was surprised you didn't connect it to the lyrics of "Into the Unknown." After all, the illusion, that sense of nostalgia we engage in knowing it's not real and simply echos of stories we've told ourselves about the past are, in fact, "the loveliest lies of all."
The quality of this video is insane, i genuinely thought you were one of those super established and popular video essay channels and i just hadn't come across you yet :0 The fact you don't have thousands of subscribers actually shocked me
Thank you for the music playlist recommendation! Although he has moved away from it in his most recent work, Andrew Bird's early albums are so clearly rooted in the folk music and jazz traditions, they're an absolute delight to listen to!
You're very welcome! It's one of the most rewarding things I've found, to just explore the specials things not of a fictional world but real one! Real people and places can be found in this music! Have fun!!!
This was really beautiful and well put together. Looking forward to seeing you blow up. Don't lose your passion ❤ Ah I commented before the video was over and I had to come back and edit to say that I relate to the nostalgia for something that is more the idea and memory of a home than an actual place that can be returned to. My grandmother grew up in Louisiana and no one has lived in the south since then in our line, but the sensibilities, food, preferences in architecture and design for that culture are so ingrained in my family that visiting Louisiana always feels comfortable and familiar even though I've never lived there. As a country of immigrants, refugees and slaves, we all have homes that can only be accessed through memory because they no longer exist or can no longer be returned to. It's such a unique type of homesickness and it made me feel really connected in my experience to understand that the music sounds like that feeling because it comes from a people who felt it very deeply as well.
In response to your last request: The music of Over the Garden Wall has always reminded me of classic blues singers like Robert Johnson; I want more people to discover music like that!
I'm only halfway through the video, but you've already said so many things that have sent me spiraling down a path of introspection that I didn't expect. Over the garden Wall is one of my favorite animated series, and I've been binging essays about it, but yours has totally gripped me from the start. You have so much amazing research, and such a wonderful way of laying it all out, that I hope you keep making videos for a long time!
@@rorygal2991 Thank you so much! I'm so happy you found it enjoyable. I hope you have something new you love, or old that you relearning your love for, from it!
There were a lot of unexpected tangents, but I enjoyed the ride. The mountain of research and miles of rabbit holes shows in what you had to say. Thank you for sharing all of this with the internet.
I am in tears. You did such a wonderful job, your passion for connecting the full story really connected with me. Music is so important to me, and I don't know much about the technicalities of music and I think you've explained it in such a clear way that the theory or whatnot doesn't matter---that's originally what I thought this video was going to be about. Ever since I first watched OTGW the music stuck with me, I love to sing it and play it on guitar, and the impact of the music on others is so lovely to see. I really, really appreciated the historic background that you included, it is truly so crucial to the full understanding of the music, the show, and this feeling of familiarity and distance at the same time. It breaks my heart!! You did such a wonderful job. p.s. the inclusion of Candy at the end is awesome, definitely one of my favorites from The Blasting Company XD
first, how do you only have 600 subscribers. second, THANK YOU for putting into words some things i'd been thinking and feeling when watching it. it is SO, SO southern, with all the aesthetics of the northeast. it's incredible. i think being handed OTGW and introduced to where its music really, *really* comes from has helped me solidify what i'm planning to write for another american gothic setting. finally, i've got a grip on how i'm waltzing into appalachia for my world of darkness game. vibes-wise, anyways. i still need to pick my game and my angle, but the vibes are in a vice grip now.
What a wonderful video. It describes exactly how I feel about the music. It’s amazing how much detail Pat put into making this show. It will always be one of my favorites ❤
i never comment, but this is such an elaborate and thoughtful analysis of not just the show, but also of the unique feeling it conveys. great video! i’m excited to hear more from you and your channel :))
thank you so much for this video! OTGW music has been holding a very special place in my heart for years, and your research of its roots was as thorough, in my opininon, as the entire videoessay was inspiring to go out and take a better look into the outside, and find something special in the "trivial". so, thank you! p.s. and the discussion of the two main themes - far away land + homeland - it's just chef's kiss. especially since "nostalgia" comes from the words meaning "returning home" (nostos) and "pain" (algos)
@@RJsPsycho Oh no! I know how that can feel. Props to you for choosing such a, what I found to be, large topic to cover. Please don't let this discovery stop you from completing your video! Do it! I believe in you!
@@-overdooo- Yes sir! A one-hour video about otgw music and nostalgia going deep into Americana and american music history, combining it with the idea of illusions, and that 'loss'. I've thought about those things before, and searched them, and pondered them while biking in the fields near my village in the evening. I always knew SOMEONE out there would make a video like this. And that is YOU! I'm glad.
As someone who grew up in what would best be described as the “nostalgically wealthy south”, and who went on to spend a fair bit of time in New England and New York before yeeting myself over to the west coast I can’t put my finger on it, but this video explores so many of my complex feelings about the entire New England vibe/culture/image. Like, as someone who spent 5 years living in Connecticut, and another 3 years dating a girl from Connecticut once I hit the west, I so deeply resonate with the point about fetishizing a life defined by labor. Like, I’m the only person I know who has never gone apple picking by choice, and who almost always assumes the owners of your average New England dairy farm to be owned by retired bankers. It’s a really complex emotion, and somehow I truly feel you captured the roots much of my own cultural experience. Thanks man
@@aristoddle8932 Thank you, this means a lot for me to hear. You're right that it is such a complicated thing. Once I realized that I would not be able to land on a nice, easy, and succinct answer, I just trusted that these separate stories I'm telling will have in them the essence of what I'm trying to get across. Trust that you the viewer will be able to pull out this ineffable quality hidden within all this history. It was really an eye opening experience for me, and a heart opening experience.
Wow what a wonderful video! My favorite part was your segment on cottagecore and the direction towards reality and having a healthy relationship with social media and realities that we desire to be in. It made me reflect on my own relationship with social media and other forms of media that I admire so much. I also applaud you for discussing the history behind the sound of Americana music with so much respect. I had a big smile on my face throughout the video and I'm so happy to see this video had finally come out (although i don't know why the algorithm didn't show me this 3 weeks ago? but whatever lol). Great job, my friend 🫂
Alright. So first of all. I am so, so sorry for not commenting these past few months, even when I finished watching this video. I didn't really know what to say, but now upon rewatch, I tried to write down everything you said and to underline specific things that stood out to me. I still feel like I can't give you a very well put together comment, especially since I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to music, though I am intrigued to learn about it. I do love to learn about history and all its facets and faces however and I have to say I am so glad you said what you said about the Minstrel and didn't dismiss anything, good or bad. People are very quick to dismiss things or to glorify things out of proportion, which honestly makes me sad. I am by no means a professional historian, I simply learn history on my leisure and there's a lot to learn about it, which means things are easy to forget or to accidentally overlook. Still, one should try to carefully examine every aspect of a certain historical event and ponder what it means in detail as well as in the grander picture. It sounds to me like Over the Garden feels “that way”, due to a combination of reasons. Their nods to early animations, the artstyle, the way the story happens, the actions and interactions of the characters and the musical score. The simple fact that it's inspired by music that was in turn inspired itself by other musics and that all of these different types of musics came together to change into a new form of music. It has always been said that the United States is a melting pot, which seems to be also true for its music. Music, old music, the type of music played in Over the Garden Wall, the type of music you'd hear at a campfire is all cozy and warm. So Over the Garden Wall and these things have in common the feelings the faraway land + Domesticity and The simple life + Missing home have in common. It's simple, it's steady. It's warm, cozy and soft. Like the cottagecore aesthetic, like sitting at a campfire, like listening to old music. It's like a momentary anchor in time where you can focus on the moment and not worry too much about tomorrow. The North and South knew, as you said, that things couldn't go on as they used to. That regardless of who'd win the Civil War, things would be different, which means it must have been a very unsteady and uncertain time for both sides in various ways, so it's hardly a wonder why the music was felt and liked by both sides. Society has become very fast paced, everyone's running on a clock and many people are unhappy. So finding a tiny steady island to stand on in the middle of a raging ocean gives some form of security and comfort. Now I understand more, I think, why I have always explained to others that in the sea of content, Over the Garden Wall always felt to me like a little still, cozy pond. It's small and the waters are calm and you can sit beside it and relax as you watch the frogs sit on those leaves or on that ship playing their musical ensemble. xD So much happens all the time in politics and the future that I have even figured that I find comfort in even the darkest of chapters in history, because it's already over. The page is written. It's steady and unwavering now. A place to escape to when you're feeling like you're about to join Wirt in feeling like a boat upon a winding river that's twisting toward an endless black sea. There's comfort in being able to hold someone's hand as an anchor to ground yourself, yet it's okay to let go of that hand and dip your toes into unknown waters as well, as scary as it can be. You can always go back to the little pond. It will always be there. Well in the end what I want to say is. Beautifully put together video. You put a lot of heart and research into it and I felt and feel quite moved watching it ❤️ I actually want to go sit down and rewatch Over the Garden Wall now haha. I have not checked out everything you mentioned in your video yet, but I will. I will also read those books, because you have made me curious. I truly wish I could write much more and put my thoughts together in this comment a lot better than I did I fear. You're very passionate clearly and that's wonderful, I wish I could contribute more too. Your two videos are absolutely beautiful pearls within the internet and I am very eager to see more, regardless of how long it takes. I'll rewatch your videos, they're very comfortably put together. I don't know how to say it, but they're very… tasty? Like a good, fancy meal. I'll certainly be sharing this video of yours with other people yet again! ^^ Lastly… have you seen the video uploaded by Demighoul? It's titled “For Sara (Over the Garden Wall)” and it's a collection of the poems Wirt had on that tape in the show. It's very nice, I think. Perhaps worth checking out too, if you haven't seen it. Thank you for this video. I liked and appreciated it a lot. :)
Wait, I thought I replied to this ages ago. Thank you so much for taking the time to write me such a detailed comment. It feels very nice to see people engage with what I've made so I appreciate it. I'm happy to hear that you want to look more into the parts of this that interested you. I encourage it! It's very rewarding and allows for a more meaningful connection to NEW things you encounter somehow. Don't worry about not being read enough or anything like that. I STILL feel very uneducated about this stuff in the video haha. Also yes, I have seen that video of the tape haha. I've actually seen the tape itself ;)
If you like Over the Garden Wall, I would wholeheartedly recommend the game Kentucky Route Zero, it pulls on a lot of the same themes of americana, nostalgia etc with a gorgeous bluegrass soundtrack, but with more of an appalachian than southern influence.
This was incredible 🥹 I especially loved your whiteboard at the end 😊 Thank you so much for your hard work, I can’t believe how much dedication you put into this just for its own sake, how beautiful 🥹 I honestly wish I could pay to take classes from you, I wish you were my professor! You are a gifted teacher! This video enriched my life and I really hope to hear more from you in the future 😌
Wow. I'm so humbled haha. I appreciate you liking my whiteboard at the end. Its erased now, as I move onto bigger and greater things! But still, I had to include it in the video itself because I was too attached to it to just leave it to be forgotten haha. I also appreciate the sentiment of how much you got out of this video. That means a lot to hear that somebody actually got something out of it. I'm not sure what I would teach if you took classes though haha 😅. We'll see if I make anything else to put on here. If I see something worth doing. :)
Wonderful video. Also made me come somewhat closer to an answer to a question that has been nagging me ever since my first interaction with the show, my question being why this beautiful show is able to tug at the heartstrings of not only american ppl but that of the whole world... As someone who is not american, and neither european (which woudlve made answering this question all the more easier since american history and folklore borrow directly from europe, giving me a quick logical answer to satiate my curiosity) , I found myself at a loss for words whenever I would question myself as to why this show and its aesthetics combined with its rich historical background were able to produce such a sense of nostalgia and longing deep within me, which I rationally knew was unfounded since my history doesnt relate in a significant way to america and cut ties with europe just about time wise as america was doing so, but still couldnt help but feel. Almost as if one´s body suddenly longed for a third arm, which you rationally know was never there, but cant help but feel it shouldve (is how I would explain it, I guess). America and its history have as of today entangled deeply within the history of the whole world, most likely because of the influential role it has aquired ever since the "original" hegemonic countries (or empires or kingdoms or mere territories depending from where we look at it historically) stepped down long ago due to various circumstances. I would even go as far as to claim we do not know the full scope that this influence has had over the years, resulting in both good and bad (which can also radically change depending from what sources do we look it from) but existing nonetheless, cementing traces of american history and influence in most if not all countries from around the world, explaining why people like me are given a chance to experience a similar nostalgia upon watching over the garden wall but not only that as it also is giving us the chance to take part in it. Another one of my conclusions is that this all has to do with the globalization that we as a society have been experiencing ever since the industrial revolution (which was way smaller than what it is today), that enables us to connect and share bits and pieces of our history and culture as individual territories along with the evergrowing posibilities to access information (evermore present on this digital era), that lets us aquire a more globalized perspective that enables us to participate (to some degree) in the culture of another. Anyways I hope this all makes sense, and if it doesnt please let me know to clarify my point or try to better explain myself. Also sorry for any and every grammatical/orthographical/whatever mistakes thay may be present in this. English is not my first language... And also thank you for reading so far, after all, these are just the ramblings of a single person in the vast sea that is the internet. Have a nice day :)
such a good video nate :,) your insanely in depth research and explanation of all the different topics in the video made it of such greater quality. i love the passion and thought put behind the video and the fact that is isn’t merely just spoken words and research, but there’s a purpose behind it all. can’t wait for more!! 👏🏽
Excellent. I like your other vid also. Way too high effort and quality to have 1.2k after 5 months. I'd like to see more and hope you get more recognition!
Thank you! I appreciate such high praise haha. I'm glad you liked it. Yes, to say this video was high effort would be an understatement haha. Only you can help it be seen and that's by sharing it! Also I'm surprised you've actually seen both of my videos. Usually people watch one or the other lol. May I ask which one you saw first? and how did you find it?
Great video, just had a question, you cited Southern Music, American Music for that quote. Was that the book by Bill C. Malone and David Stricklin? Because if so I couldn’t find the quote, what version was your copy?
Hello! This is so cool! People are actually looking into what I'm quoting! haha anyway I have my citation list as the first of two google doc links in the description. That being said, I believe the version I was using was the 2003 one. Which version do you have? I'm curious to know what about this topic interests YOU! haha
@@-overdooo- I was using a free copy off Google, it may have just been my version had been incomplete. I’ve always loved the OTGW music, I’ve tried other “cottagecore” and likewise music but nothing hits like OTGW soundtrack. The Blasting company’s other work is the closest thing to it. Either way you made a great video and tried answering the exact question I’ve been asking for years
@@JackWardell That's awesome! It's a great book and introduces you to a lot of the events and connections of a world that the general public has forgotten about these days, even huge music nerds. Yeah the effect of The Blasting Company's music is so mysterious, and I simply just tried my best at answering it, but I think the mystery is part of the wonder. :D I'm glad you liked the video though, thanks for watching. I know it's not all going to be this sort of "Cottagecore" type of music, but I'll always recommend that RUclips video that's just a playlist of music like OTGW music, as well as the Blasting Company's Spotify playlist! Hope your exploring goes well!
This video sort of reminds me of this like, little jokey fan-comic for OTGW I saw in October. The first panel is The Beast saying something about the cold chill of autumn bringing death or whatever, and then wirt pulls out his phone and says "what do you mean 'cold chill', it's 80 degrees out!" ever since I was a kid I recognized that there was a disparity between the reality of the changing seasons, holidays like Christmas and Halloween, and how those things were presented on postcards and tv shows and movies and all that. I was sort of frustrated by it. Even now, when I'm more educated and aware of American history and escapism and all that than I was as a kid I find it hard to not be somewhat dissatisfied with the reality around me. I mean, it was 80 degrees on Halloween for me, and I'm in a part of the country where it's expected for there to be a cooler climate and those red trees everyone's obsessed with during the autumn months. For personal reasons I find it sort of hard to do new things, especially recently. even generally passive stuff like find new music - I don't want to think it's close mindedness on my part, but I definitely do tend to stay within my comfort zone, for better or for worse. What I can say is that whenever I do step outside my house, I try to take note and be appreciative of a lot of minor details. I don't know how to end the comment I think this video gave me an existential crisis but only because it's really good and put a pin in some conflicted thoughts I've had for a long time. 10/10
@@FrecklesHasAQuestionMark The Unknown is not an easy place to traverse. There's a reason they never call it beautiful in the show, but only ever extremely dangerous. Wirt and Greg almost become lost forever. Forever. But that's what makes their victory so triumphant and satisfying. Any time anyone takes a step into the unknown, no matter how small, it's worthy of recognition. I commend you for facing the reality of things and acknowledging the difficulties you have. As silly as this kids show is, by taking it more seriously, I've been able to get a lot more out of it. I don't know what you'll end up doing, but I do know that in every story of a pilgrim traveling through the unknown, they're never alone. Keep hearty in both body and spirit. I believe in you! And thank you for the kind words about this video.
@@QueenOfStupid Yes! In the description I linked two documents, one of them is my works cited page in case you want to read for yourself any of the sources I read while researching this video! And the other page is most of the videos and music I used. The rest were in public domain, but even some public domain music I tried to link because I appreciate people who do that.
I feel like the Ballerina Farm phenomenon is not new, I think The Pioneer Woman started that whole trend of "city girl turned farm girl" in mainstream media (the backstory is kind of similar, also now that I think of it Lifetime movies also fed into that kind of "fantasy"). So I'm not surprised with the backlash, but more surprised that people actually thought it was genuine or authentic. It's a brand, or the beginnings of a business empire, eyed to sell kitchenware and other home goods.
Okay, that was really good. Also, thank you for pointing me in the direction of Patrick McHale's albums, they're really good too. Thank you for the amount of research you put into this video. I hate using the word "discourse" (ick), but I feel like this is what's been missing with the whole OTGW discourse online, and I'm so glad you coursed it through the music. Now I'm sad, because the video is over. Looking forward to your future videos! You really do fill a void or vacuum in this sphere. I know we can't rush good things, but I really wish you made more videos like this one
@@Victorian_sleepscape THANK YOU for noticing haha! Yeah idk how old it is, it's antique though. From a company that was probably making em from at least during the 40s
@@sarahbrower936 No! I just played and arranged all the piano by ear. Should I release transcriptions? What piano tune are you specifically referring to? There's a couple in the video.
Thank you for much an amazing video. I have spent the better part of 10 years since OTGW first came out trying to find exactly what made the music feel THAT way. I think the you nailed it. Especially the part about waking up to the illusions and participating in the real world. No matter how many youtube or Spotify playlists that claimed to curate music that was just like OTGW or the blasting company it was always missing THAT. Only until I began to research deeply into the musical inspirations of OTGW soundtrack did I find music that began to feel that way. As far as music that recaptured THAT I would say that Steven foster is great, you should also look into parlour music like Carrie Jacob-Bond ruclips.net/video/hy_rFIMnjpY/видео.html Her music is also very sentimental and often speaks about that far away place and domesticity ruclips.net/video/dQKUL6zCfVw/видео.html Her music is later (~1910s) and almost feels like the softer side to Fosters music. P.S. What color pressing of the OTGW vinyl do you have? I personally have the Harvest Festival (Yellow w/ Orange splatter).
Wow I will check these out for sure! And I'm so glad you got so much out of this video. I spent a long time living with these histories and questions so I know how exhausting it can be to feel unsatisfied. I hope this video provides some ease of mind haha. You sound like exactly the kind of person I made this for. As for my pressing, It's the same yellow with the orange splatter. Is that a first pressing release? I've been thinking so ever since I got it haha. But I got it as a gift so I don't know.
First of all you are gorgeous are you single and what is your sexuality because no straight person loves OTGW as much as us and second I loved the insight and whole aesthetic of the video hope to see more soon Xx
Haha, as an arrow. And thank you for the kind remarks on the video. I have another one on Avatar The Last Airbender music. If there's something you'd like to see me rip apart and ruin like this video let me know! haha
I turned them off when uploading because so many were incorrect, but I thought it would keep the data and I could just edit it later and turn them on, but it doesn’t work like that! I want to manually type them on so everyone can have them, but that feels like a Herculean task that I just haven't gotten around to.
There’s 2 videos on your channel. 100% of your videos are excellent
Thank you so much! I think you might be the only comment I've seen of someone who has watched both lol
Instructions unclear, I am now depressed and in an existential crisis. 11/10!
“Melancholic forlorn enthusiasm” has got to be the best way to describe my general feelings towards Fall as a season and OGTW possible
I don’t do so well with existential crises *continues watching*
😂
as someone who loves over the garden wall and is studying music history this was a very important video for me personally
"You don't have to leave society to connect with the world around you. Maybe just ask for a story from your grandpa, or learn the names of the flowers that bloom in springtime in the city where you live. There are things that aren't an illusion."
Damn, son. Way to drop an anvil on my head in the middle of a dull workday. You just summed up a spiritual concept I've been trying to express for two or three years, and I think it's a message that so, so many people need to hear. As a chronically online millennial who's been deep in the internet trenches since 2001 and spent a long time in my 20s struggling with the urge to just head off into the woods and never come back... you're right. If you want to connect to your time and place, you can *connect to your time and place.* Right now, today. It took me this long to figure that out. It gives me hope to hear things like this from the generation coming up behind me.
"I just want to say that it's possible."
I hear you. Thanks for your time, effort, and care in making this video.
I cant believe this doesnt have millions of views by now
Thank you! I'm glad you were able to find it somehow. Only you can help get it there though, by sharing it with your friends! I've learned that really does make a difference. :D
I know
Unfortunately I've met so few people in my life who have enough interest or passion to just pick a thing and learn about it like I love to do, so to make sure I'm not mentally insane I come to RUclips and watch people crazy enough to research a topic they care about and compile an hour-long video essay about it. So thanks for your passion bro, it keeps us all going.
@@harrywhodeeknee4899 💚💚💚
I dont understand how this video has less than 1000 likes. This is literally a masterpiece!!
@@shmelich Aw thank you. I loved your animation! I don't understand what the text says but I hope you haven't stopped making things!
i lived in a small village in germany when i was little... this music reminds me of fall in that little village, the creek,the cows,the orange leaves and the food
@@creepincreeper3397 Aw, oh my goodness that's so awesome. American music's use of cultural traditions from all across Europe really means that the music can feel nostalgic for so many peoples. There is a LOT of Germanic influence in America folk music. I just didn't have the time to go over absolutely everything
flowers growing through the cracks is such an evocative image. The editing in this video is amazing and I appreciated the history. Every time I thought I wonder if he will comment on blank and then you DID I was so happy especially in the fact you brought up that black ppl also participated in black face minstrel groups as it was their only access to the stage and an income that came from the arts. It is so important to how our culture has evolved despite the terribleness (without minstrel shows we wouldn’t even have broadway and modern American musicals). America has a deep culture (although steeped in racism and colonialism even tho you could argue British culture is steeped in much of the same) that is often dismissed and seeing it portrayed and discussed in this video in the context of music and OTGW was amazingly done. you should be very proud of how this turned out
Went to drop a like and was FLOORED by how few there are. This is probably the most well written video essay I've ever had the pleasure of watching. The perfect amount of depth while still taking on a wide breadth of topics and wrapping it up with a succint bow. Be proud!!!
@@amberjean4582 Thank you so much :,) That's quite high praise! More than I am proud, I'm happy you found this video and got something out of it (hopefully).
I feel as children we are primarily experiencing time as kairos. Life is simply experienced. Even growing up in the deep south of Mississippi myself and having to help out on the family property in various ways there was no real set time to finish other than before the sun goes down. Part of the culture shock of getting our first jobs or our true experience of the adult world is that everything is tied to Chronos. Even our leisure time seems to be subject to it. I feel we long for the freedom that I experienced as a child "just finish before the sun goes down". I feel like this is partly why i don't assign homework to my students, I don't want to add yet another structured schedule onto a time period and experience of time that the kids only get a small glimpse of before the Chronos time of the world rushes on them.
Someone finally talking about the American feels of the show and explaining why I feel this way. God I love this show. A modern Halloween and American classic.
Not too much for me to add here, youtube thought I might like this video, and it was right! Even though I havent done much with music lately, it's always a delight to see/hear essays covering the intersection of two things that feed my soul: music and nerdery! Thanks so much for all of the work you did to create and share this with all of us. It truly sparked joy!
i’ve waited so long for this video
me too
Yesss! THIS is the explanation I've been looking for for why this show means so much to me! I've been trying for so long to nail it down (trying desperately to google things about american mythos and new englad gothic to no avail), but you've perfectly got it here. This is one of the best video essays I've ever seen. I was surprised to see how much MODERN understandings of America's past bled into this video, with cottage core and all that sort of false stuff (that I was completely obsessed with at age 14, lol). I've never really thought about how that's kind of the inauthentic version of what OTGW actually perfectly taps in to. And I find the connection to the industrial revolution fascinating, too, because often when I think of the nostalgic sense that OTGW gives, I think about the sound of a distant train horn as much as I think about a old americana, picturesque fall landscape.
P.S. I also think there may be more to say about how the fear combined with the hope of the unknown during westward expansion has contributed to american mythology and the american psyche. There's a sort of horror to it---I imagine things like the Donner party---as much as there is comfort and hope for new beginnings (hey, faraway place vs. domesticity!). There's a sort of widwestern version of The Unknown, where corn mazes dominate the psyche (something more similar to the Pottsfield episode). The oldest, most distant memories of my childhood are intertwined with this version of American, and that's part of the reason I love this show so very much. Again, thank you for this wonderful essay! :)
P.S.S. What other pieces of media/experiences would you suggest (not just music) that are reminiscent of OTGW?
This vid popped up on my feed and omg your quality is so good that I was surprised to see how small your channel is. Please keeo up the amazing work and I can't wait to see more of it!
I appreciate the care you put into your videos.
Thank you! And wow! It's me who appreciates that you were subscribed and came here as soon as it was released! 💚
Absolutely FANTASTIC video. Seriously, I'm so grateful you made this because I, too, have been traveling down the 'Over The Garden Wall'-esque music rabbit hole for a number of years, and it has exposed me to some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard. I never had any historical context for what makes the music feel *that way*, other than a vague inkling that it's some abstract shared American nostalgia. I attempted to do my own independent research multiple times but couldn't quite find anything that answered my questions. Hearing you break it down in such detail and with such passion and soul was nothing short of cathartic. I may be biased, but this is easily one of the overall best video essay-stye videos I've had the pleasure of watching. I hope your work here gives others the same appreciation for this antique art that you and I have. From the bottom of my heart - thank you.
Thank you so much! It appears you are EXACTLY who I was making this for haha. I can tell you've really dug into this stuff, I like your playlists that you've made! Those aren't easy compilations to make. Thank YOU for watching. It's so cool see someone with the same perspective I have of the humbling vastness of this musical tradition and history. It means more than you know to hear not only that you're so interested, but also that you found what I've done any sort of helpful, let alone cathartic. In return, because yours is a particularly special comment and you seem so genuine, what is one question you wish you could ask the Blasting Company if you ever met them? I'll see what I can do :)
@@-overdooo- I didn't see this reply until about a week ago, and I must admit I've been stumped trying to find an answer to the question of what I would ask The Blasting Company. As a musician, I am eager to someday write a musical inspired by Over the Garden Wall's music and aesthetics. If I had only one question to ask, I suppose it would be about the direction I should take, aside from consuming a bunch of folk music, to understand the art form. It's a bit vague, but it's probably the best I can do. Thanks, mate! :)
@hudsonludy Im no part of the blasting company, however I think you should build your dreams yourself, instead of being an homage or a musical based on, take those inspirations and make another beautiful creation to inspire even more. (Doesnt mean dont make a musical, you absolutely should, but use your own art, your own ideals, your own opinions and all of it. I would recommend reading what american folktales (few as they may be) we do have, and our interactions with one another throughout our long history. Folk music isnt only based on previous folk music, but existing tradition and culture, learn as much as you can! Be authentic to you!
Long Videos like this are underrated.
@@DeveloperFox If they really have something to say!
So long, but worthed the wait!
Wow how did I not respond to this when you commented. You WAITED for this video!? That's crazy, thank you so much! I'm glad it was worth the wait haha. You were FAITHFUL if you saw my community post from so long ago and stuck around waiting for this, or subscribed waiting. Idk when the next one will be though so don't hold your breath haha
I love the wide breadth of culture and musical tradition you cover in your video! Excellent selection of "artifacts," if you will, to embody and contextualize the themes you present. I loved the ballerina farm and cottage core tangets. I also really appreciate the way you summarized nostalgia, and "that" feeling as a combination of "the far away land + domesticity." That's a definition I've long been searching for in my own musings, which I've personally characterized as a "foreign familiarity." Also, when you were describing how that sense of nostalgia is part of a broader "illusion" that we choose to partake in, I was surprised you didn't connect it to the lyrics of "Into the Unknown." After all, the illusion, that sense of nostalgia we engage in knowing it's not real and simply echos of stories we've told ourselves about the past are, in fact, "the loveliest lies of all."
The quality of this video is insane, i genuinely thought you were one of those super established and popular video essay channels and i just hadn't come across you yet :0 The fact you don't have thousands of subscribers actually shocked me
Thank you for the music playlist recommendation!
Although he has moved away from it in his most recent work, Andrew Bird's early albums are so clearly rooted in the folk music and jazz traditions, they're an absolute delight to listen to!
You're very welcome! It's one of the most rewarding things I've found, to just explore the specials things not of a fictional world but real one! Real people and places can be found in this music! Have fun!!!
I'll check him out!
This was really beautiful and well put together. Looking forward to seeing you blow up. Don't lose your passion ❤
Ah I commented before the video was over and I had to come back and edit to say that I relate to the nostalgia for something that is more the idea and memory of a home than an actual place that can be returned to. My grandmother grew up in Louisiana and no one has lived in the south since then in our line, but the sensibilities, food, preferences in architecture and design for that culture are so ingrained in my family that visiting Louisiana always feels comfortable and familiar even though I've never lived there. As a country of immigrants, refugees and slaves, we all have homes that can only be accessed through memory because they no longer exist or can no longer be returned to. It's such a unique type of homesickness and it made me feel really connected in my experience to understand that the music sounds like that feeling because it comes from a people who felt it very deeply as well.
In response to your last request: The music of Over the Garden Wall has always reminded me of classic blues singers like Robert Johnson; I want more people to discover music like that!
I'm only halfway through the video, but you've already said so many things that have sent me spiraling down a path of introspection that I didn't expect. Over the garden Wall is one of my favorite animated series, and I've been binging essays about it, but yours has totally gripped me from the start. You have so much amazing research, and such a wonderful way of laying it all out, that I hope you keep making videos for a long time!
@@rorygal2991 Thank you so much! I'm so happy you found it enjoyable. I hope you have something new you love, or old that you relearning your love for, from it!
There were a lot of unexpected tangents, but I enjoyed the ride. The mountain of research and miles of rabbit holes shows in what you had to say. Thank you for sharing all of this with the internet.
I am in tears. You did such a wonderful job, your passion for connecting the full story really connected with me. Music is so important to me, and I don't know much about the technicalities of music and I think you've explained it in such a clear way that the theory or whatnot doesn't matter---that's originally what I thought this video was going to be about. Ever since I first watched OTGW the music stuck with me, I love to sing it and play it on guitar, and the impact of the music on others is so lovely to see. I really, really appreciated the historic background that you included, it is truly so crucial to the full understanding of the music, the show, and this feeling of familiarity and distance at the same time. It breaks my heart!! You did such a wonderful job.
p.s. the inclusion of Candy at the end is awesome, definitely one of my favorites from The Blasting Company XD
This channel is destined for greatness
first, how do you only have 600 subscribers. second, THANK YOU for putting into words some things i'd been thinking and feeling when watching it. it is SO, SO southern, with all the aesthetics of the northeast. it's incredible. i think being handed OTGW and introduced to where its music really, *really* comes from has helped me solidify what i'm planning to write for another american gothic setting. finally, i've got a grip on how i'm waltzing into appalachia for my world of darkness game. vibes-wise, anyways. i still need to pick my game and my angle, but the vibes are in a vice grip now.
What a wonderful video. It describes exactly how I feel about the music. It’s amazing how much detail Pat put into making this show. It will always be one of my favorites ❤
@@anthonyc0409 Thank you I'm glad you liked it!
i never comment, but this is such an elaborate and thoughtful analysis of not just the show, but also of the unique feeling it conveys. great video! i’m excited to hear more from you and your channel :))
@@morticuskhan381 I appreciate the time you took to comment!
Another banger! Well worth the wait!!
Thank you! I appreciate you waiting all this time!
thank you so much for this video! OTGW music has been holding a very special place in my heart for years, and your research of its roots was as thorough, in my opininon, as the entire videoessay was inspiring to go out and take a better look into the outside, and find something special in the "trivial". so, thank you!
p.s. and the discussion of the two main themes - far away land + homeland - it's just chef's kiss. especially since "nostalgia" comes from the words meaning "returning home" (nostos) and "pain" (algos)
amazing video dude I was in the process of drafting a video of my own on over the garden wall and you went over everything better than i could ever do
@@RJsPsycho Oh no! I know how that can feel. Props to you for choosing such a, what I found to be, large topic to cover. Please don't let this discovery stop you from completing your video! Do it! I believe in you!
This was so gorgeous! You are severely underrated, thank you for this masterpiece:’)
@@essiek8244 I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I hope there was something in there to take away from it haha
YOU!!! I saw you at the 10th anniversary show!! I was the dude with the pumpkin Josh gave me. Great video!! :O
@@aaron6290 Oh shoot! Haha that's awesome. You were the one who was sticking around after the concert with us?
@ yeah!! I have no idea if you went with a group or not but yall were so fun to talk with, wish we could’ve talked more about scavengers reign 🔥
I'm glad to finally meet you! I knew I would see this video some day. That day has arrived, and you are real. ❤
@@alanlado1602 Are you just saying... that you've always known one day you would find a video about exactly this? 😅
@@-overdooo- Yes sir! A one-hour video about otgw music and nostalgia going deep into Americana and american music history, combining it with the idea of illusions, and that 'loss'. I've thought about those things before, and searched them, and pondered them while biking in the fields near my village in the evening. I always knew SOMEONE out there would make a video like this. And that is YOU! I'm glad.
Severely underrated
As someone who grew up in what would best be described as the “nostalgically wealthy south”, and who went on to spend a fair bit of time in New England and New York before yeeting myself over to the west coast
I can’t put my finger on it, but this video explores so many of my complex feelings about the entire New England vibe/culture/image.
Like, as someone who spent 5 years living in Connecticut, and another 3 years dating a girl from Connecticut once I hit the west, I so deeply resonate with the point about fetishizing a life defined by labor. Like, I’m the only person I know who has never gone apple picking by choice, and who almost always assumes the owners of your average New England dairy farm to be owned by retired bankers.
It’s a really complex emotion, and somehow I truly feel you captured the roots much of my own cultural experience.
Thanks man
@@aristoddle8932 Thank you, this means a lot for me to hear. You're right that it is such a complicated thing. Once I realized that I would not be able to land on a nice, easy, and succinct answer, I just trusted that these separate stories I'm telling will have in them the essence of what I'm trying to get across. Trust that you the viewer will be able to pull out this ineffable quality hidden within all this history. It was really an eye opening experience for me, and a heart opening experience.
I thoroughly enjoy your videos. It is so calming and and in dept. I can’t wait to watch your channel grow.
Yeah maybe if I actually posted lol 💀
Thank you for this video. I learned so much.
Wow what a wonderful video! My favorite part was your segment on cottagecore and the direction towards reality and having a healthy relationship with social media and realities that we desire to be in. It made me reflect on my own relationship with social media and other forms of media that I admire so much. I also applaud you for discussing the history behind the sound of Americana music with so much respect. I had a big smile on my face throughout the video and I'm so happy to see this video had finally come out (although i don't know why the algorithm didn't show me this 3 weeks ago? but whatever lol). Great job, my friend 🫂
Wow I can't believe you were actually waiting for this video. Thank you so much!
Alright. So first of all. I am so, so sorry for not commenting these past few months, even when I finished watching this video. I didn't really know what to say, but now upon rewatch, I tried to write down everything you said and to underline specific things that stood out to me. I still feel like I can't give you a very well put together comment, especially since I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to music, though I am intrigued to learn about it. I do love to learn about history and all its facets and faces however and I have to say I am so glad you said what you said about the Minstrel and didn't dismiss anything, good or bad. People are very quick to dismiss things or to glorify things out of proportion, which honestly makes me sad. I am by no means a professional historian, I simply learn history on my leisure and there's a lot to learn about it, which means things are easy to forget or to accidentally overlook. Still, one should try to carefully examine every aspect of a certain historical event and ponder what it means in detail as well as in the grander picture.
It sounds to me like Over the Garden feels “that way”, due to a combination of reasons. Their nods to early animations, the artstyle, the way the story happens, the actions and interactions of the characters and the musical score. The simple fact that it's inspired by music that was in turn inspired itself by other musics and that all of these different types of musics came together to change into a new form of music. It has always been said that the United States is a melting pot, which seems to be also true for its music. Music, old music, the type of music played in Over the Garden Wall, the type of music you'd hear at a campfire is all cozy and warm.
So Over the Garden Wall and these things have in common the feelings the faraway land + Domesticity and The simple life + Missing home have in common.
It's simple, it's steady. It's warm, cozy and soft. Like the cottagecore aesthetic, like sitting at a campfire, like listening to old music. It's like a momentary anchor in time where you can focus on the moment and not worry too much about tomorrow.
The North and South knew, as you said, that things couldn't go on as they used to. That regardless of who'd win the Civil War, things would be different, which means it must have been a very unsteady and uncertain time for both sides in various ways, so it's hardly a wonder why the music was felt and liked by both sides.
Society has become very fast paced, everyone's running on a clock and many people are unhappy. So finding a tiny steady island to stand on in the middle of a raging ocean gives some form of security and comfort. Now I understand more, I think, why I have always explained to others that in the sea of content, Over the Garden Wall always felt to me like a little still, cozy pond. It's small and the waters are calm and you can sit beside it and relax as you watch the frogs sit on those leaves or on that ship playing their musical ensemble. xD
So much happens all the time in politics and the future that I have even figured that I find comfort in even the darkest of chapters in history, because it's already over. The page is written. It's steady and unwavering now. A place to escape to when you're feeling like you're about to join Wirt in feeling like a boat upon a winding river that's twisting toward an endless black sea.
There's comfort in being able to hold someone's hand as an anchor to ground yourself, yet it's okay to let go of that hand and dip your toes into unknown waters as well, as scary as it can be. You can always go back to the little pond. It will always be there.
Well in the end what I want to say is. Beautifully put together video. You put a lot of heart and research into it and I felt and feel quite moved watching it ❤️
I actually want to go sit down and rewatch Over the Garden Wall now haha.
I have not checked out everything you mentioned in your video yet, but I will. I will also read those books, because you have made me curious. I truly wish I could write much more and put my thoughts together in this comment a lot better than I did I fear. You're very passionate clearly and that's wonderful, I wish I could contribute more too. Your two videos are absolutely beautiful pearls within the internet and I am very eager to see more, regardless of how long it takes. I'll rewatch your videos, they're very comfortably put together. I don't know how to say it, but they're very… tasty? Like a good, fancy meal. I'll certainly be sharing this video of yours with other people yet again! ^^
Lastly… have you seen the video uploaded by Demighoul? It's titled “For Sara (Over the Garden Wall)” and it's a collection of the poems Wirt had on that tape in the show. It's very nice, I think. Perhaps worth checking out too, if you haven't seen it.
Thank you for this video. I liked and appreciated it a lot. :)
Wait, I thought I replied to this ages ago. Thank you so much for taking the time to write me such a detailed comment. It feels very nice to see people engage with what I've made so I appreciate it. I'm happy to hear that you want to look more into the parts of this that interested you. I encourage it! It's very rewarding and allows for a more meaningful connection to NEW things you encounter somehow. Don't worry about not being read enough or anything like that. I STILL feel very uneducated about this stuff in the video haha.
Also yes, I have seen that video of the tape haha. I've actually seen the tape itself ;)
I want to make clear, also, that all of the research I did for this is in a neat "Works Cited" page in the description!
@@-overdooo- Oh, very nice, very nice! Thank you 😊
Really awesome video! Wow. Excellent in all respects. 🙂
I appreciate all the effort you put into this, thank you. Great work!
Thank you!
2:46 WHATJ HELPP
LMFAO
If you like Over the Garden Wall, I would wholeheartedly recommend the game Kentucky Route Zero, it pulls on a lot of the same themes of americana, nostalgia etc with a gorgeous bluegrass soundtrack, but with more of an appalachian than southern influence.
Thank you this video is beautiful and amazing❤
Very well informed and well researched video, good work! Can’t wait to watch it once more!
oh my god-- how did i not see this when it came out?? adding this to my watch later, will update as soon as i finish-- i cant wait!!
Haha I can't wait to hear what you think!
I wonder if Ethan ever finished it 🤔haha
you are the most amazing and in depth youtuber and the fact that you only have 347 subs is insane to me. Easiest subscribe ever.
This was incredible 🥹 I especially loved your whiteboard at the end 😊 Thank you so much for your hard work, I can’t believe how much dedication you put into this just for its own sake, how beautiful 🥹 I honestly wish I could pay to take classes from you, I wish you were my professor! You are a gifted teacher! This video enriched my life and I really hope to hear more from you in the future 😌
Wow. I'm so humbled haha. I appreciate you liking my whiteboard at the end. Its erased now, as I move onto bigger and greater things! But still, I had to include it in the video itself because I was too attached to it to just leave it to be forgotten haha. I also appreciate the sentiment of how much you got out of this video. That means a lot to hear that somebody actually got something out of it. I'm not sure what I would teach if you took classes though haha 😅. We'll see if I make anything else to put on here. If I see something worth doing. :)
Wonderful video. Also made me come somewhat closer to an answer to a question that has been nagging me ever since my first interaction with the show, my question being why this beautiful show is able to tug at the heartstrings of not only american ppl but that of the whole world...
As someone who is not american, and neither european (which woudlve made answering this question all the more easier since american history and folklore borrow directly from europe, giving me a quick logical answer to satiate my curiosity) , I found myself at a loss for words whenever I would question myself as to why this show and its aesthetics combined with its rich historical background were able to produce such a sense of nostalgia and longing deep within me, which I rationally knew was unfounded since my history doesnt relate in a significant way to america and cut ties with europe just about time wise as america was doing so, but still couldnt help but feel. Almost as if one´s body suddenly longed for a third arm, which you rationally know was never there, but cant help but feel it shouldve (is how I would explain it, I guess).
America and its history have as of today entangled deeply within the history of the whole world, most likely because of the influential role it has aquired ever since the "original" hegemonic countries (or empires or kingdoms or mere territories depending from where we look at it historically) stepped down long ago due to various circumstances.
I would even go as far as to claim we do not know the full scope that this influence has had over the years, resulting in both good and bad (which can also radically change depending from what sources do we look it from) but existing nonetheless, cementing traces of american history and influence in most if not all countries from around the world, explaining why people like me are given a chance to experience a similar nostalgia upon watching over the garden wall but not only that as it also is giving us the chance to take part in it.
Another one of my conclusions is that this all has to do with the globalization that we as a society have been experiencing ever since the industrial revolution (which was way smaller than what it is today), that enables us to connect and share bits and pieces of our history and culture as individual territories along with the evergrowing posibilities to access information (evermore present on this digital era), that lets us aquire a more globalized perspective that enables us to participate (to some degree) in the culture of another.
Anyways I hope this all makes sense, and if it doesnt please let me know to clarify my point or try to better explain myself. Also sorry for any and every grammatical/orthographical/whatever mistakes thay may be present in this. English is not my first language... And also thank you for reading so far, after all, these are just the ramblings of a single person in the vast sea that is the internet. Have a nice day :)
Such an amazing video. I hope to see your channel grow as its well deserved
Thank you!
such a good video nate :,) your insanely in depth research and explanation of all the different topics in the video made it of such greater quality. i love the passion and thought put behind the video and the fact that is isn’t merely just spoken words and research, but there’s a purpose behind it all.
can’t wait for more!! 👏🏽
This makes me want to scream loudly in the best way possible.
This is so fucking underrated
@@Catssup I love Over The Garden Wall!
amazing video overdooo :)
You've made me realize that I shouldn't be ashamed of doing my things, please see another vacuum soon.
Excellent. I like your other vid also. Way too high effort and quality to have 1.2k after 5 months. I'd like to see more and hope you get more recognition!
Thank you! I appreciate such high praise haha. I'm glad you liked it. Yes, to say this video was high effort would be an understatement haha. Only you can help it be seen and that's by sharing it!
Also I'm surprised you've actually seen both of my videos. Usually people watch one or the other lol. May I ask which one you saw first? and how did you find it?
Great video, just had a question, you cited Southern Music, American Music for that quote. Was that the book by Bill C. Malone and David Stricklin? Because if so I couldn’t find the quote, what version was your copy?
Hello! This is so cool! People are actually looking into what I'm quoting! haha anyway I have my citation list as the first of two google doc links in the description. That being said, I believe the version I was using was the 2003 one. Which version do you have? I'm curious to know what about this topic interests YOU! haha
@@-overdooo- I was using a free copy off Google, it may have just been my version had been incomplete. I’ve always loved the OTGW music, I’ve tried other “cottagecore” and likewise music but nothing hits like OTGW soundtrack. The Blasting company’s other work is the closest thing to it. Either way you made a great video and tried answering the exact question I’ve been asking for years
@@JackWardell That's awesome! It's a great book and introduces you to a lot of the events and connections of a world that the general public has forgotten about these days, even huge music nerds. Yeah the effect of The Blasting Company's music is so mysterious, and I simply just tried my best at answering it, but I think the mystery is part of the wonder. :D I'm glad you liked the video though, thanks for watching. I know it's not all going to be this sort of "Cottagecore" type of music, but I'll always recommend that RUclips video that's just a playlist of music like OTGW music, as well as the Blasting Company's Spotify playlist! Hope your exploring goes well!
This video sort of reminds me of this like, little jokey fan-comic for OTGW I saw in October. The first panel is The Beast saying something about the cold chill of autumn bringing death or whatever, and then wirt pulls out his phone and says "what do you mean 'cold chill', it's 80 degrees out!"
ever since I was a kid I recognized that there was a disparity between the reality of the changing seasons, holidays like Christmas and Halloween, and how those things were presented on postcards and tv shows and movies and all that. I was sort of frustrated by it. Even now, when I'm more educated and aware of American history and escapism and all that than I was as a kid I find it hard to not be somewhat dissatisfied with the reality around me. I mean, it was 80 degrees on Halloween for me, and I'm in a part of the country where it's expected for there to be a cooler climate and those red trees everyone's obsessed with during the autumn months.
For personal reasons I find it sort of hard to do new things, especially recently. even generally passive stuff like find new music - I don't want to think it's close mindedness on my part, but I definitely do tend to stay within my comfort zone, for better or for worse. What I can say is that whenever I do step outside my house, I try to take note and be appreciative of a lot of minor details.
I don't know how to end the comment I think this video gave me an existential crisis but only because it's really good and put a pin in some conflicted thoughts I've had for a long time. 10/10
@@FrecklesHasAQuestionMark The Unknown is not an easy place to traverse. There's a reason they never call it beautiful in the show, but only ever extremely dangerous. Wirt and Greg almost become lost forever. Forever. But that's what makes their victory so triumphant and satisfying. Any time anyone takes a step into the unknown, no matter how small, it's worthy of recognition. I commend you for facing the reality of things and acknowledging the difficulties you have. As silly as this kids show is, by taking it more seriously, I've been able to get a lot more out of it. I don't know what you'll end up doing, but I do know that in every story of a pilgrim traveling through the unknown, they're never alone. Keep hearty in both body and spirit. I believe in you!
And thank you for the kind words about this video.
This is way too well done of a video! New sub :)
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Love the video, do you maybe have a list of the songs you used?
@@QueenOfStupid Yes! In the description I linked two documents, one of them is my works cited page in case you want to read for yourself any of the sources I read while researching this video! And the other page is most of the videos and music I used. The rest were in public domain, but even some public domain music I tried to link because I appreciate people who do that.
@@QueenOfStupid I also linked that video that is just a huge playlist of music correlated with the show in some way!
I feel like the Ballerina Farm phenomenon is not new, I think The Pioneer Woman started that whole trend of "city girl turned farm girl" in mainstream media (the backstory is kind of similar, also now that I think of it Lifetime movies also fed into that kind of "fantasy"). So I'm not surprised with the backlash, but more surprised that people actually thought it was genuine or authentic. It's a brand, or the beginnings of a business empire, eyed to sell kitchenware and other home goods.
Okay, that was really good. Also, thank you for pointing me in the direction of Patrick McHale's albums, they're really good too. Thank you for the amount of research you put into this video. I hate using the word "discourse" (ick), but I feel like this is what's been missing with the whole OTGW discourse online, and I'm so glad you coursed it through the music. Now I'm sad, because the video is over. Looking forward to your future videos! You really do fill a void or vacuum in this sphere. I know we can't rush good things, but I really wish you made more videos like this one
was not expecting ballerina farm😭
@@riversgoingnowhere1659 jumpscare!
That bow tie you was wearing looks victorian
@@Victorian_sleepscape THANK YOU for noticing haha! Yeah idk how old it is, it's antique though. From a company that was probably making em from at least during the 40s
@@Victorian_sleepscape But yes I wanted a tie like Greg's! Anything younger than 80 year old fashion would look much too modern for an OTGW video lol
Do you have sheet music for that piano?
@@sarahbrower936 No! I just played and arranged all the piano by ear. Should I release transcriptions? What piano tune are you specifically referring to? There's a couple in the video.
don't mind me 5:00
Thank you for much an amazing video. I have spent the better part of 10 years since OTGW first came out trying to find exactly what made the music feel THAT way. I think the you nailed it. Especially the part about waking up to the illusions and participating in the real world. No matter how many youtube or Spotify playlists that claimed to curate music that was just like OTGW or the blasting company it was always missing THAT. Only until I began to research deeply into the musical inspirations of OTGW soundtrack did I find music that began to feel that way. As far as music that recaptured THAT I would say that Steven foster is great, you should also look into parlour music like Carrie Jacob-Bond ruclips.net/video/hy_rFIMnjpY/видео.html Her music is also very sentimental and often speaks about that far away place and domesticity ruclips.net/video/dQKUL6zCfVw/видео.html Her music is later (~1910s) and almost feels like the softer side to Fosters music.
P.S. What color pressing of the OTGW vinyl do you have? I personally have the Harvest Festival (Yellow w/ Orange splatter).
Wow I will check these out for sure! And I'm so glad you got so much out of this video. I spent a long time living with these histories and questions so I know how exhausting it can be to feel unsatisfied. I hope this video provides some ease of mind haha. You sound like exactly the kind of person I made this for.
As for my pressing, It's the same yellow with the orange splatter. Is that a first pressing release? I've been thinking so ever since I got it haha. But I got it as a gift so I don't know.
First of all you are gorgeous are you single and what is your sexuality because no straight person loves OTGW as much as us and second I loved the insight and whole aesthetic of the video hope to see more soon Xx
Haha, as an arrow. And thank you for the kind remarks on the video. I have another one on Avatar The Last Airbender music. If there's something you'd like to see me rip apart and ruin like this video let me know! haha
such an incredible view, - love the research you did on this, excited to see the work you do going forward
Why no captions?
I turned them off when uploading because so many were incorrect, but I thought it would keep the data and I could just edit it later and turn them on, but it doesn’t work like that! I want to manually type them on so everyone can have them, but that feels like a Herculean task that I just haven't gotten around to.
such a great video!! it has everything i love about video essays. Looking for more videos of yours🫶
Thank you! :,) Although I wouldn't hold your breath if my current upload frequency is anything to go off of 😂