Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: french
Song Meaning of “Tracking Calls” by Alexandre Desplat
Tracking Calls is a powerful song by composer Alexandre Desplat that speaks volumes of the emotion and struggles of being stuck in an endless cycle of surveillance and manipulation. The song begins with a soft rhythmic melody that captures a feeling of levity and hope. However, as the track develops, a dark undertone is revealed as the feelings of paranoia and mistrust become pronounced.
The lyrics of Tracking Calls express the feelings of helplessness and confusion that arise from living in constant fear of government surveillance. The song describes the feeling of being monitored and tracked constantly with electronic devices from any far-reaching corner of the world. Desplat conveys the message of being enclosed within a musty prison of one’s own making, and becoming a victim of the machinations of a higher force.
The narrative further conveys the frightening impact that technology can have when weaponized by the powerful. The lyrics “They watch our moves, they read our thoughts, they got our phones, our cameras, too” symbolizes the ever-looming presence of a higher power and amplifies the feeling of oppression and immobility. The buildup of the melody, created by percussive beats and a swelling choir, further amplifies the feelings of alienation and anxiety.
Alluding to poetic justice, Tracking Calls finds solace in the idea that the higher power will meet consequences for their actions of surveillance. As the track nears the end, the swelling music paints a vivid picture of an enlightening moment of spiritual liberation.
Overall, Tracking Calls is an incredibly powerful and emotive track that speaks volumes of the feelings of fear, paranoia, and hope endured in the face of global surveillance.