Is There Poetry In Your Music?
Please Quote One Of Your Favorite Song Lines Or Lyrics And Explain How It Exhibits At Least One Poetry Term? Make sure that your quoted lyrics are appropriate. Please italicize the song lyrics, include the song title/artist(s), and qualify or establish the connection between the poetry term and the lyrics. (Due Monday 2-07-2011 By 2:30p.m.)
posted by Greg T at Wednesday, February 02, 2011
24 Comments:
Let It Be:
By The Beatles
"And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be."
When I look at this song I think of how the Beatles look at life and things around them. All of their songs to me make sense and are always beautiful and very poetic. My dad is a musician and he says that all music has poetry in it. All musicians are different in the ways that they show their poetry, but all musicians have it. He says that music is just poetry but to a beat or rhythm. Music can change people and I think the only way it does that is with its poetry
It's empty in the valley of your heart
The sun, it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears
And all the faults you've left behind
The Cave
By Mumford & Sons
This song lyric shows the poetry term of beat. There is a certain tone in which to say it, the words cannot just be sprawled out however. The beat in a poem also can add a musical quality and since this is from a song, it has music. The way in which a poem is read can change the entire meaning of the words. The beat demonstrates the correct language and usage of the words and lyrics from the song.
Every song starts out as a poem or is written as one, but is then given tempo, a rythm, and a beat to follow. Dispatch provides a great example of rythm because when one just reads the lyrics below, it may seem off tempo. When sung to the music though, it fits perfectly. Dispatch also uses a metaphor explain that because a person is young they must get out and live, all condensed into one line of a song.
So,take a shower, shine your shoes
you got no time to lose
you are young men you must be living
Take a shower, shine your shoes
you got no time to lose
you are young men you must be living
go now you are forgiven
The General
Dispatch
There is definitely music in poetry. Especially in the rap/hip hop genre.Take for example:
"Dear Mama"
2Pac
"When I was young me and my mama had beef
Seventeen years old kicked out on the streets
Though back at the time, I never thought I'd see her face.
Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place."
2Pac uses great end rhymes and one can tell this is coming from the heart.
Unity: Trevor Hall "So many rivers but they all reach the sea They telling me he's different but I just don't believe it
Love is the goal yes, and everyone shall reach it Who ever seeks it
Seen and unseen" In his song Unity Trevor Hall displays a metaphor by comparing the rivers and the sea to people. It's saying whatever path people take they will all end up at the same place. Also in the lines "seen and unseen" is an oxymoron because they are opposite.
"I spark a match and watch the candle burn.
The wick runs out and then love takes it's turn.
On fallen angels and broken sounds,
we will last past the final round."
The Lime Tree
-Trevor Hall
These lyrics can be related to poetry because they have a rhythm and a beat. They create a sound and even display aabb rhyme. It could be argued that a metaphor is shown in these lyrics because the wick is being compared to love and angels are being compared to broken sounds. Poems tell a story and the same thing exists in songs. A story is being told that contains a certain beat and rhythm as well as creating visuals for the readers to better depict what they are trying to indicate.
I think that song lyrics are very similar to poetry and that they parallel each other. Poetry is an expression of emotions in a symbolic way and sends a deeper message. Through word usage and rhythmic voice a song is created. Even though things may not rhyme t in a song, it has flow to it and an overall connecting point. Expressive and truthful words are able to mean more than one thing. The patterns create harmony and connecting descriptive emotions.
“Eyes” Rogue Wave
Missed the last train home.
Birds pass by to tell me that I'm not alone.
Over pushing myself to finish this part,
I can handle a lot,
But one thing I'm missing is in your eyes.
In your eyes
Madly in Love with You by Sean Mcconnell
"Like a lonely lover, Waiting by the ocean
Ill never give up on you"
Throughout this song there are many poetic qualities that can be found. However I chose this one because it’s an easy one to see. The quoted lyrics above show a simile. He is talking about God’s love for us and refers to him as a lonely lover. He takes two unlike things and compares them to each other. It also uses the word like which is required in making a simile. I think that poetic terms exist in every song, within the lyrics. Songs to me are just a big poem. They all have meaning, tell a story, rhyme, have rhythm, a theme, a climax, and repetition.
"To some insist a mitt, but seeing how that glove was him
Yep, tell me stories on the field with that sun stained brim
Blood under my chin, he taught me how to spit
Sunflower seeds back when me and my crew, sun burnt arms
Big league chew, yeah we were like the sand lot after dinner"
-Macklemore My oh my
He uses great end rhyme that connects with the story. He uses similes here which really help paint the picture of the story he is telling. Macklemore is as much a poet as he is a musician. He tells stories through his music and speaks in a rhythm that can be compared very similarly to poetry.
When i die young- "Lord make me a rainbow, i will shine down on my mother, she will know im safe with you, when she stands under my colors."
This song does relate to poetry because it has that certain beat to it. Also, it has a metaphor by saying that if you are a rainbow then your mother would be standing under you and your beautiful colors.
"I want to live where soul meets body. And let the sun wrap its arms around me and bathe my skin and water cool and cleansing and feel, feel what it's like to be real." Soul meets Body by Death Cab For Cutie
This lyric contains personification in the part that says "and let the sun wrap it's arms around me". The meaning behind this sentence is that the author wants the earth and sun to be in control of him, and not the other manmade things in this world. This sound is about finding a connection between your soul and the earth. It is important to see past everything you are grown up knowing as important, because no material thing can satisfy you for life, you can only find permenant satisfaction through the things casued in nature.
"and i don't understand why i sleep all day and i start to complain that there's no rain and all i can do is read a book to stay awake and it rips my life away but it's a great escape"
-no rain by blind melon
personification and rhyme. and lovely lyrics.
Most all the music I listen to has a poetic and very heartfelt meaning, But as soon as I saw this prompt one song really came to my mind. I don’t really know that it has a ton of qualities of poetry, but it does come from his heart and that was enough for me to choose the song.
“What to Make” – By Carter Hulsey
“Oh, Darling how deep is your wound?
Do you still believe that promises come true?
I know it feels like you won’t make it through
But what kind of God would abandon you?”
The lyrics just flow, yes, they do rhyme. But there is just something so much deeper, it leaves the song open for interpretation much like poetry does. It leaves a lot of room to think.
Imagine Theres no heaven
By; John Lennon
"imagine if there is no heaven, it is easy if you try!
In this poem there is alot of imagery, people getting along is one, because there is no peace and all has gone to destruction! another line that shows imagery is when is says "you may think im a dreamer , but im not the only one. this shows that there are amny of people that have dreams in life and that want to be something important and have never had the chance to voice their words!
“Lend me your eyes I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep, totally free.”
Awake My Soul
By Mumford and Sons
These lyrics have an ABCB rhyme scheme, and they have a certain rhythm to it. The lyrics don't have a simile but it is almost a metaphor. “Lend me your eyes I can change what you see,” so the artist is saying he can show the way or lead. “But your soul you must keep totally free.” But in the end the person‘s soul will have to make the final decision.
Funny the Way It Is
by Dave Matthews Band
"The way your mouth feels in your lovers kiss
Like a pretty bird on a breeze or water to a fish
A bomb blast brings a building crashing to the floor
You hear the laughter while the children play war"
This song lyric has an example of a simile which is comparing a kiss to being a necessity of life like a breeze is to a bird and water is to a fish. It also has alliteration, "bomb blasts brings a building" which is the repetition of the words that begin with the same sound, which is B.
line and sinker
by billy talent
"Today I don't feel pretty
And i'm tired of trying to fit right in
Don't think that you're so great
Cause being great must suck"
In this part of the song means being the greatest, popular person isn't always the best thing in life its not exactly what you always what you want. no one is perfect and if you think so it must not be so great theres always someone better at a certain subject in life an you cant beat them
Waiting On A Woman; Brad Paisley
And I don't guess we've been anywhere
She hasn't made us late I swear
Sometimes she does it just 'cause she can do it
Boy, it's just a fact of life
It'll be the same with your young wife
Might as well go on and get used to it
The lyrics to this song contain rhyme scheme. The composer could have chosen other words that could have expressed the same idea but maybe did not rhyme.
Waiting On A Woman; Brad Paisley
And I don't guess we've been anywhere
She hasn't made us late I swear
Sometimes she does it just 'cause she can do it
Boy, it's just a fact of life
It'll be the same with your young wife
Might as well go on and get used to it
The lyrics to this song contain rhyme scheme. The composer could have chosen other words that could have expressed the same idea but maybe did not rhyme.
Waiting On A Woman; Brad Paisley
And I don't guess we've been anywhere
She hasn't made us late I swear
Sometimes she does it just 'cause she can do it
Boy, it's just a fact of life
It'll be the same with your young wife
Might as well go on and get used to it
The lyrics to this song contain rhyme scheme. The composer could have chosen other words that could have expressed the same idea but maybe did not rhyme.
Stuck Like Glue
Sugarland
Uh oh wu oh stuck like glue
you and me baby were stuck like glue
Uh oh wu oh stuck like glue
you and me baby were stuck like glue
In this passage the band Sugarland uses a simile to explain a relationship. The lyrics are explaining how two people are so close that they are stuck together like glue. This does not mean that they are literally stuck together but that they are so close it almost seems like it. Poetically there is repetition because of the phrase "stuck like glue". It is repeated in the chorus as well as other verses.
Stuck Like Glue
Sugarland
Uh oh wu oh stuck like glue
you and me baby were stuck like glue
Uh oh wu oh stuck like glue
you and me baby were stuck like glue
In this passage the band Sugarland uses a simile to explain a relationship. The lyrics are explaining how two people are so close that they are stuck together like glue. This does not mean that they are literally stuck together but that they are so close it almost seems like it. Poetically there is repetition because of the phrase "stuck like glue". It is repeated in the chorus as well as other verses.
Stuck Like Glue
Sugarland
Uh oh wu oh stuck like glue
you and me baby were stuck like glue
Uh oh wu oh stuck like glue
you and me baby were stuck like glue
In this passage the band Sugarland uses a simile to explain a relationship. The lyrics are explaining how two people are so close that they are stuck together like glue. This does not mean that they are literally stuck together but that they are so close it almost seems like it. Poetically there is repetition because of the phrase "stuck like glue". It is repeated in the chorus as well as other verses.
"Your grace is wasted in your face,
Your boldness stands alone among the wreck
Now learn from your mother or else spend your days Biting your own neck"
little lion man-mumford and sons.
this is a abcb poem. in this poem his uses perfect rhyme instead of the slant rhyme emily dickenson uses in her poem. I feel this is a better written and more understandable then the slant.
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