Analysis of Black Hawk Down: Hunger

Composer: Hans Zimmer

Album: Black Hawk Down

Title: Hunger

Instruments: Violin, drums, voice, oud, reed instrument, shakers, electric guitar,

Characteristics: Polyphonic, Alap till drums, Gat (introduction of drums), birimitingo-ish,

This song from the movie Black Hawk Down, which dramatizes the events that occurred during the 1994 peacekeeping mission where 5 Blackhawk helicopters were shot down. The movie takes place in Mogadishu, Somalia where the religion is almost entirely Sunni Muslim. . The song Hunger is heard while introduced to Mogadishu. We see poverty and hunger because of the widespread war in the country. The drum portion with the electric guitar is introduced when we start seeing the U.S. Peacekeeping forces. The song begins with a constant bass note immediately signifying its relationship with western culture. It then uses a violin with a Middle East texture. Then a voice is heard sounding like it is slightly improvised giving its relationship to Middle Eastern music. Then I believe some kind of reed instrument is used. Hans Zimmer brings North African music together with Western electric philosophy