Enjoy the playlist! Check out all the great takes on the songs below. As a reminder, here’s the full Music Poetry assignment.
Sun Kil Moon’s “Somewhere” fits right within 2001’s “Ghosts of the Great Highway” and its themes of solitude and emotional distance, as it explores the emotional displacement felt by singer Mark Kozelek. The song is built around the idea of a hypothetical “somewhere” and “someday” with their meanings left deliberately vague.
There’s a place for us
Somewhere a place for us
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us somewhere
This time and place is functioning as a symbolic space rather than a tangible one, showing his longing for something that he knows he may very well never find. Kozelek uses sparse, natural imagery to convey both the physical emptiness of the “somewhere” he desires, and the feeling of vast emptiness that he feels internally. This stanza establishes the mood of isolation because it is so embodied in the setting. This aligns with Perrine’s idea that poetry uses imagery to communicate abstract emotion.
The themes of detachment continue, with Kozelek making more allusions to the intangible time and place that he longs for. However, despite the empty and hopeless feeling expressed throughout the first portion of the song, the third stanza sees Mark end things with an extra layer of complexity.
There is a time for us
Someday a time for us
Hold my hand and run free
Hold my hand and I’ll take you there
Someday, somewhere
Some way, somewhere
For the first time in the song Kozelek expresses both the emptyness of searching for “somewhere” while including an aspect of hope. Despite the intangibility of what he is seeking, he embraces it, telling the audience that “I’ll take you there.” Mark’s attitude towards the journey, expresses that perhaps the search for meaning is in itself what fills life’s emptiness. “Somewhere” is both an acceptance and rejection of the emptiness that he longs to fill.
In Beloved by Toni Morrison, Sethe attempts to kill her children and herself when the owner of her old plantation comes to take them back. She succeeds in killing her daughter. While we contemplate whether or not that reaction was right or wrong, we need to analyze where she believed they were going to be when they died. During her explanation of the action on page 193, she explains that they would be safe there. It makes me wonder what spiritual beliefs she may have had that could’ve affected her decision, and it also makes me wonder if she knew ghosts were real.
We know that Beloved became a ghost, and that Sethe and Baby Suggs did not question it much. Beloved, however, does not see the world through the lens of a shadow figure, but instead sees a man on top of her in a cramped place. Many believe this place to be a ship on the Middle Passage. If she didn’t come back from the dead, would she have reached its destination?
It is ironic that Sethe killed Beloved because slavery was the last thing she wanted her to experience, and yet she took her to a place where she was miserable, enslaved, and trapped. Why did Toni Morrison do this? Was this purgatory? Hell? Would Sethe do it again knowing death wasn’t safe?
In the song ¨Strangers” by Elton John released in his 1978 album, A Single Man reminds me of many of his classic songs. his iconic piano, acoustics, and vocals are what make this seemingly upbeat song so catchy. the lyrics speak about a sadder truth about failed relationships, and the process of living after losing a partner.
We’ve made the long and the lonely climb
And now we’ve reached the part
Where we find we’re strangers
We were strangers from the start
Elton uses a comparison of a ¨lonely climb¨ to getting through the loneliness of a tough breakup. as they reach the peak of the climb both parties can see that they were never really meant for each other. when starting relationships, the start can seem like you guys are perfect for each other or the ¨honeymoon¨ phase but as time goes on Elton goes into how they find out they are not very compatible in their relationship.
We were strangers from the start
Two people caught in the tide
On the edge of love and pride
And both afraid to approach the side
And fall again
in these lines Elton uses the paradox of loving and being prideful and compares it to a tide which represents the partners coming together. as a tide moves it pushes and pulls and Elton has the two strangers on the edge of ¨love¨ and as the tide pushes them in to love each other they quickly get pulled apart by their ¨pride¨, or tide pulling back. due to past experiences both parties have learned to become afraid of relationships and wont ¨fall again¨. this song emphasizes the struggle of starting a relationship with someone new, and how many times even in a new relationship they still feel like strangers,
Two people caught on a string
A high-wire act above the center ring
While the audience is wondering
If we’ll make it back
Two people up on a wire
finally Elton uses specific phrases like ¨ A high-wire act above a center ring¨ and ¨Two people up on a wire¨ both common things to find in circus. he compares relationships to a circus and how it just looks like a show to people from the outside, but for the ¨performers¨ their relationship is on the line. The ¨audience¨ in this section refers to peers and family all wondering if the relationship will stand. this shows another pressure many couples feel while already dealing with their own ¨high-wire acts¨. Although very straight forward this song does a good job poetically summarizing what relationships can feel like for both parties.
Hey Mercedes was a rock band in Chicago formed by the former members of the previously broken up band Braid. The band first performed in 1999, and they announced their disbandment in 2005. Despite its relatively short life, the band gained massive recognition for its unique sound compared to other alternative rock bands, taking elements from math rock/Midwest emo. This influence is extremely important to their sound and primarily presents itself in their harmony and lyricism.
“Bells” was released in September of 2000, on the band’s self-titled EP Hey Mercedes. “Bells” was the most popular song on the project, and was played at almost every reunion show in the band’s history.
The most important theme in the lyricism of the song is the returning motif and use of the word “bells”.
aren’t we bridges aren’t we bells?
aren’t we chuckling through our curls?
up to heaven and down to hell
say it again pal, aren’t we bells?
Lead singer Bob Nanna relates people to “bells” because just as a bell is made to be rung, people are bound to experience a wide range of emotions. the line “up to heaven and down to hell” further builds this idea as a metaphor for extreme highs and lows one experiences within their life.
Another theory for the motifs significance is the name of their bassist Todd Bell, but I believe this to largely just be a side detail.
In the first line of this verse “aren’t we bridges aren’t we bells”, the use of the word “bridges” as a second metaphor serves to contrast with the existing metaphor of bells and also adds additional meaning as bridges are built to make connections, just as making connections to others and helping others is a large part of the human experience.
The second largest theme throughout the song is the idea of self criticism.
aren’t we statues in a story
where we choose our goals of glory
over family and over friends
say it again and again.
This verse is referencing a self critique of valuing superficial success over connections with other people. This idea adds to the larger motif of bells through the deep suffering that often results from pushing others away.
Self critique also presents itself more generally earlier in the song with lines like “is this the best you have to offer us?” or “your girlfriend waiting on the line – can’t you wait to make her cry?”.
Ultimately, the songs lyricism, accompanied by both its harmonic and textural qualities, builds a unique perspective on the human experience.
The song “Jimmy Sparks” by the Lumineers on the album III is a heart wrenching song that details the relationship of a father and his son. Throughout the song, the Lumineers detail the complexity the advice given by a father to his son. The song details how one may give advice and attempt to provide with the best of intentions. However, the ways in which one provides for their family and the advice that they give may backfire on them.
The song begins with a detail of the fathers minimum wage job and how he gambles to make money because his wife had left him. One day after gambling, when the boy and his father are driving, the family sees a hitchhiker. The boy asks to pick up the hitchhiker and the father responds harshly:
His thumb was up and the son asked if the man was alright
Jim said you never give a hitcher a ride
Cause it’s us or them
The response from the father demonstrates the advice that he is giving to his son, advice that the father gives in order to protect his son. This line also helps to show the divide in compassion between the father and his son, a divide that will come back to haunt the father.
After the boy grew up and left, the father continued his gambling addiction. However, he was much less successful than when he was providing for his son. Due to this, he quickly falls into debt, losing even the shoes on his own feet. After this loss, the perspective shifts to the son again, where the son describes driving home and seeing a man on the road;
His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes
But Jimmy’s son just sped up and remembered daddy’s advice
No you don’t ever give a hitcher a ride
The son sees his own father becoming the same hitchhiker that he had told his son to never pick up. However, the son cannot even recognize his own father anymore. It is in this last line that the artist truly delivers the theme, that even with the best of intentions, one’s advice can come back to haunt them.
“謀殺石蓮” (Murder the Echeveria in English) is a song by Taiwanese band 珂拉琪 (Collage) released on their 2024 album Deus Ex Machina. This song is part of an overarching narrative that continues throughout the whole album, but this one in particular stood out to me. The band consists of two artists: Natsuko Lariyod, a singer and composer of mixed Hakka and Amis descent, and Hunter Wang, a guitarist and composer of Minnan descent. The narrative of the album focuses on multiple topics, but the topic of the colonization of indigenous peoples, specifically those in Taiwan (of which Lariyod is a part of), is most relevant for this song.
In an interview discussing the story of Murder the Echeveria, Lariyod summarizes, “This song tells the story of an indigenous scientist who appears in the future and invents very powerful laser gun technology, which stands in for the production of a sufficiently powerful force to be able to escape all oppression and discrimination. This is the ‘deus ex machina’ story at the heart of the entire album.”
Lariyod and Wang use poetic devices to create a timeline of the main character’s emotional journey as she responds to the violence that has overtaken her home.
The song begins with the lands of the speaker being taken over by an outside force, introducing the motif of grass.
They plundered my land and took my grass
Then they took my body.
They never left.
Throughout the song, the grass is not only a symbol for the brutalities committed against the land, but also to the people as well. For example, in a later line, personification is used with this motif.
Ah, the grass that looks like a flower
Has swallowed the red candy
Open your eyes, why don’t you resist?
What do you want from me?
This usage of personification helps to create a connection between the natural elements and the native tribes. The phrase “swallowed the red candy” most likely alludes to the bloodshed happening in the area after the arrival of the outside force, with the grass being stained red as more civilians are murdered. It’s somewhat indirect but still powerful all the same.
The main character, a member of one of these tribes, begins to feel more desperate and frantic as she watches the world around her crumble. This desperation is conveyed through the direct questions asked throughout song, such as “Why are you crying? / What do you want from me? / What else do you want me to do?” The vague yet tragic questioning helps lead into the chorus, where her feelings begin to shift.
My cries of anguish became the wind
Vanishing into this decaying city
The ever-shining stars have long been extinguished
And this blue planet lies shattered
My tears turn to rain
Frozen into these cold, unfeeling machines
What else do you want me to do?
The specific adjectives used in the chorus emphasize the utter decay and ruin caused by colonization. Vivid imagery is used to construct the fading city and the ways in which the speaker shifts from heartbroken and desperate to calculated and determined. She discovers a form of technology that will allow her to carry out her revenge and turns her anguish into motivation. The last question seems to be directed at someone who disagrees with her reasoning, where she claims that there’s not much else that she can do in this situation.
One small yet impactful detail is the fact that the line “Life is reborn from death / from the dark expanse of the cosmos” is repeated twice, an allusion to the fact that this relationship between life and death is akin to a cycle. Colonization has ravaged native groups for hundreds of years, and the futuristic tone of this song seems to imply that it will repeat itself for another few hundred.
The climax of the song, both musically and narratively, can be summarized by the line “Deus ex machina,” a Latin phrase meaning “God from the machine” that usually refers to some sort of dramatic and powerful force that inexplicably solves a seemingly insurmountable problem. This refers to the laser gun that the speaker now wields and uses to destroy her oppressors, ending discrimination and every societal issue through brute force as well:
My fury erupts into a blazing sun
Scorching and consuming the world to ash
A gun emitting piercing light
The legend of the machine
The song then transitions into two overlapping voices–one of them is the main character, and the other is implied to be the voices of her fellow civilians. The lines transition from encouragement (“now pick up the laser gun, till the smoke erases the sun)” to resignation “(drop your smoking laser gun, there is no place to run),” signifying that the main character has run out of steam and still has to surrender in the end despite her efforts.
Additionally, the motif of grass being stained red is repeated twice in this portion of the song. This might reference the fact that although the main character is succeeding in her extermination of her oppressors, she might be killing countless others in the process as well.
All in all, this narrative song follows the complex emotions of its main character and her reaction to the colonization of her home land, which is told using specific poetic devices. Of course, the solution to oppression won’t arrive in the form of a miraculous hero with futuristic tech like in this story. While an uprising and total radical change can often seem like straightforward solutions, the destruction they leave behind can often fail to solve anything in the long run and instead cause more problems than solutions. By writing a story like this, Lariyod and Wang convey their understanding of the complex issue that is oppression and colonization in the modern age, and that even if some sort of god were to descend and fix these societal problems instantly, that ideal has no relevance when discussing how these issues should be addressed in real life.
(Extra bit: the title of the song refers to the main character being murdered by the end, where she’s represented by an echeveria plant. This is more evidence for the connection between the native peoples and plants in this song. I think there’s more to be said about how the properties of echeverias also relate to this song, but I’m running out of time!)
The song “Blackbird,” by The Beatles, is from their 1968 album The White Album. The song is one of their most popular songs and is well known for its symbolism at the time of its release.
Paul McCartney, the lyricist of the song, stated in interviews that the song was inspired by the American Civil Rights Movement. The song clearly expresses this, using the blackbird as a metaphor for the marginalized people attempting to achieve freedom through the movement.
There isn’t a specific speaker other than Paul McCartney himself, but the speaker can be generally seen as someone encouraging the audience, who are both the blackbird and the marginalized group, to take their chance at freedom, or flying. The occasion is when the oppressed group finally has a chance to gain freedom. In conclusion, the overarching theme of the song is that, if given the chance at obtaining freedom or more rights, one must take it.
The line “take these broken wings and learn to fly” both literally represents an injured bird and, metaphorically, oppressed people striving for freedom. The damaged wings reflect the hardships that Black people have experienced, and learning to fly means obtaining freedom or equality. Similarly, the repeated word “blackbird” symbolizes both the literal bird and people facing racism. In addition, the line “take these sunken eyes and learn to see” may represent that a large portion of America is becoming aware of the struggles that Black people face, with “sunken eyes” meaning blindness or ignorance.
“Seigfried” is the fifteenth song on Frank Ocean’s second studio album, Blonde. The relaxed song incorporates modern, poetic lines of raw emotion, longing, and isolation. While the song does have a few lines that seem to be about someone Frank longs for romantically, I’d argue that the song is more about his feeling of disconnect from others and a being pushed by society into a life that doesn’t feel like his.
I can’t relate to my peers
I’d rather live outside
I’d rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here
Maybe I’m a fool
Frank starts out confident in his societal defiance, expressing his desires and his disinterest in how others live their lives. These lines express his isolation in not being able to “relate to [his] peers”, and how he rejects their ways of living and expectations of how others live. Him saying he’d “rather chip [his pride] than lose his mind” uses the metaphor of pride being chipped to show how he feels so strongly against societal expectations that he doesn’t care how other see him, as long as he feels authentic. He seems almost content with his ‘strangeness’ in the first few lines, but then, he contrasts that feeling by expressing: “Maybe I’m a fool”; a moment of doubt or reconsideration, as though his commitment to his differences may backfire.
Directly after this, he sings:
Maybe I should move and settle
Two kids and a swimming pool
I’m not brave
This continues his tone switch to being doubtful, and these lines convey a ‘normal’, ‘average’, and expected lifestyle society has of people: a nuclear family in presumably a nice suburb. His statement: “I’m not brave” explains the previous few lines, he is stating how even though he doesn’t fit in to society and craves living a lifestyle that makes him truly happy, he’s not “brave” enough to do so, and so he seriously considers conforming. Also, his “I’m not brave” contrasts strongly with the earlier “I’d rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here”, which mirrors a person who relates to Frank’s circling thoughts, fears, and emotions about being authentic to themselves.
Been living in an idea
An idea from another man’s mind
This is not my life
It’s just a fond farewell to a friend
It’s just a fond farewell to a friend
These lines continue his distaste with the societally forced life he’s living, and his metaphor of “living in an idea from another man’s mind” shows his feelings of confinement and uncomfortability in his life. The repetition of “It’s just a fond farewell to a friend” reinforce how strongly he feels towards this line, which I interpret as the “friend” being the past, real and authentic version of himself. He is going to miss his authentic self, and wishes he could be him, or be with him, forever, but as earlier stated, “[He’s] not brave” enough to do so.
Less morose and more present
Dwell on my gifts for a second
A moment one solar flare would consume, so why not
Spin this flammable paper on the film that’s my life
High flights, inhale the vapor, exhale once and think twice
Eat some shrooms, maybe have a good cry, about you
Finally, near the end of the song, these lines are spoken, almost poetically, but with a little rhythm, by Frank. “Less morose and more present” are two contrasting ideas, maybe a phrase or idea people have said to him, morose meaning gloominess or uncommunicative-ness, which he likely feels as a result of being forced into this life which isn’t his, and more present, as in living in and embracing daily life, which would be hard for him. “Dwell on my gifts” is a paradoxical statement; dwell is usually used in regards to a sad or traumatic experience, but in this case Frank is referring to his “gifts”, which, again, could be something people have said to him; something like he has so much to be grateful for, but after all, he’s really not happy with the life he’s living. This leads to, and is followed in the song by him doing drugs, spinning his (rolling?) paper on the metaphoric “film that’s [his life]”, which expresses his reflecting and coping with his depressing life, and then eating “some shrooms” and crying about an unspecified person, maybe a love interest, or maybe the “friend” earlier stated, which represents his true self. He expresses ideas of existentialism with his line “A moment one solar flare would consume”, when referring to thinking about the things he’s grateful for; he believes everything is pointless and will end, that everything would be destroyed and gone in one moment from a singular solar explosion, so what’s the point of living in the present, and having “less morose”? The song as a whole seems to reenact the lives of people who don’t fit into society, at first embracing their differences, but then conforming into the life expected of them, with many consequences like depression, existentialism, and sometimes even turning to things like drugs to cope with their unhappiness.
Even the song name, “Seigfried”, holds a lot of significance in this song. Siegfried, a German mythological hero, was known for being brave, which contrasts Frank’s “I’m not brave”. But also, Siegfried Sassoon, a British war poet, wrote about his experiences in World War I (another time you had to be brave), and this poet was known for his homosexual and heterosexual relationships, similar to Frank.
I’d do anything for you
(In the dark)
This supports the idea of the song also being about someone Frank loves, but that it has to be “In the dark”, because if he is singing the song about and loving a man, society wouldn’t agree, and he’s not brave enough to do “anything for [him]” in ‘the light’. The mythological Siegfried was a true brave hero, maybe something Frank longs to be, and the war poet was a traumatized soldier who coped by writing poetry about his societally unaccepted (especially at that time) relationships, someone very similar to who Frank really is.
True by Spandau Ballet stands as one of the classic romantic ballads of the 1980s. The hit from their 1983 album True has stood the test of time . its deep emotion, sophisticated songwriting, and gentle, captivating melody are what make the song everlasting and part of why it transcends music into a poetic experience.
The opening lines, “So true, funny how it seems / Always in time, but never in line with my heart,” use metaphor to display the idea that love isn’t always as we desire it and how we fantasize it. This conveys the bittersweet nature of love and allows the listener to relate to Tony Hadley’s words as they imagine their own tension between infatuation and reality . This use of metaphor is poetic in the way it transforms a straightforward emotional conflict into vivid imagery.
Similarly, lines like “I bought a ticket to the world / But now I’ve come back again” express complex emotions in just a few words. Through concise and layered language, the songwriter allows listeners to project their personal emotional experiences into the lyrics, which gives the song lasting power and emotional impact with every listen.
The repeated use of the word “True” functions as an anchor of the song. Beyond its role as the title, the repetition emphasizes Tony Hadley’s effort to display the authenticity of his words and the central theme of genuine connection. The word becomes a symbol of sincerity, strengthening the emotional resonance of the song and solidifying its poetic nature.
The song “Can’t Catch Me Now” by Olivia Rodrigo is a part of the The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes movie soundtrack. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was not only originally a book but also a prequel to The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins. Within this prequel, an essential character is introduced to the universe: Lucy Gray. Arguably the most influential, important, and baseline character in all of The Hunger Games, the song “Can’t Catch Me Now” is from her point of view.
For a little more background on the character Lucy Gray, we need to talk about the infamous President Snow, who is known as just Cornelius Snow within the prequel, as it is essentially his “villain story.” Lucy Gray is reaped into the first real Hunger Games with Snow as her mentor, and eventually they fall in love. Lucy Gray has grown up within District 12 and is deeply rooted in music and the freedom she feels within it. Snow struggles with control and power as he has grown up in the Capital, making him dangerous, causing Lucy Gray to make the choice to disappear in the forest.
Within the original trilogy Snow is the President of Panem and resides within the Capitol while enforcing cruel laws and conditions on the districts. But then there is an uprising. Then a revolution. And it is all because of District 12.
I think that Olivia Rodrigo addresses this development from Lucy Gray’s perspective, specifically within these lines.
There’s snow fallin’ over the cityYou thought that it would wash awayThe bitter taste of my furyAnd all of the messes you made.
I believe that the “snow fallin’ over the city” symbolizes the power the Snow has gained within the Captial by being the President and his proagnda that he’s spread within his position of power. I think that this line provides the imagery that physical coat snow tends to make, making everything look more glamerous that whats truly underneath. In this instance I think she is addressing the mask that Snow has put over the city to hide to true corruptness of it all and the anger that it has caused specfically within the Districts. Like District 12.
This fury is terrifying to President Snow because he is someone who likes to control, and Lucy Gray was someone he tried to control and couldn’t.
But I’m in the trees, I’m in the breezeMy footsteps on the groundYou’ll see my face in every placeBut you can’t catch me now
The methaphor that she is in the trees and breeze has two references. First it references the physical dissapearence of Lucy Gray within the forest and how Snow could never find her again. But that leads straight to the Second point which is that she never left. Her spirit is still there within that hope, fury, and rebellion. And no matter how hard Snow tries to supress and control those feeling and actions, he never can. Because what the song and Lucy Gray represent is the fight for good that people will always have within them.
During the rock band Oasis’s peak, they were one of the most if not the most popular bands in the United Kingdom, and were widely known throughout the United States and Canada. Their catchy and authentic songs stuck in the minds of their fans and critics, earning massive praise throughout the 90s. Unfortunately, not all of the fame and attention Oasis received was positive. Noel and Liam Gallagher were the faces of the band Noel the guitarist and songwriter, and Liam the vocalist and they clashed publicly and often during the band’s brief time in the spotlight. Their conflicts frequently overshadowed the music and led to criticism from fans and critics about the Gallagher brothers’ priorities.
Oasis’s most celebrated song, “Wonderwall,” from the album What’s the Story (Morning Glory?), is often interpreted as being about a woman. However, I have my own take on the song. I believe it was an apology from Noel to Liam, sending a clear message that while they may argue, they will always have each other’s backs and “save each other” in other words, calling each other their “wonderwall.” Additionally, Noel takes responsibility for not acknowledging Liam’s struggles and hardships. Early in the song, Noel writes
Back beat, the word was on the street that the fire in your heart was out. Im sure you’ve heard it all before but you never really had a doubt.
I believe the “fire in your heart” is a reference to Liam’s well-known mental health issues outside the band. Additionally, when Noel wrote “I’m sure you’ve heard it all before, but you’ve never really had a doubt,” I think this refers to Oasis’s notoriously fast rise to fame. This sudden visibility could not have helped Liam’s mental state, as almost everyone in the United Kingdom was now aware of his personal struggles. Noel’s lyric acknowledges Liam’s hardships, and recognizing why these struggles emerged helps him segue into Wonderwall’s main idea.
There are many things I would like to say to you but I don’t know how. Because, maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me and after after all, you’re my wonder wall.
This is Noel’s full apology. He admits that there are many things he would like to say to Liam, but he doesn’t know how, which leads to misunderstandings and confrontation. Noel then calls Liam his “wonderwall.” The term wonderwall actually comes from a film and refers to an imagined savior. Noel is hinting that, after everything, Liam is his savior from his own personal issues. Finally, to wrap up his apology, Noel sets boundaries with Liam:
“By now you should’ve realized what you’re not to do.”
This line doesn’t require much interpretation. After offering his apology, Noel is telling Liam to get his act together and to be better. This is most likely a reference to Liam’s substance-abuse issues and his pattern of making poor decisions that affected the band. This concludes Noel’s apology and showcases his immense talent for storytelling and expressing emotion through songwriting, one of the key reasons Oasis rose to fame so quickly, and also a sad reminder of why the band ultimately broke up before reaching its full potential.
“I Love You, I’m Sorry” is the fourth track in Gracie Abrams’ 2024 album The Secret of Us. The somber toned song dives into the complex emotions of a past relationship. Abrams captures the bittersweet aftermath of a breakup, acknowledging both the lingering love and regret.
The song starts by setting the scene:
Two Augusts agoI told the truth, oh, but you didn’t like it, you went homeYou’re in your Benz, I’m by the gate
By using imagery, Abrams alludes to the end of a relationship from telling the truth and the likely fallout the couple had at the end. She notes the separation after the breakup as the ex-partner drives away.
In verse 2, Abram sings:
I’ll be on a boat, you’re on a plane
Going somewhere, same
And I’ll have a drink
Wistfully lean out my window and watch the sun set on the lake
I might not feel real, but it’s okay, mm
Abrams uses both imagery and symbolism to convey how later in life the ex-partners will have entirely separate lives, yet their paths will be similar and how they will still feel a connection. The boat and plane comparison could allude to who will heal and move on faster, as planes get to their destination faster than boats. Abrams also mentions sunsets, which often represent the end: the sun’s last rays before night, colors splashed across the sky.
Later, in the bridge Abram sings:
You were the best but you were the worst
As sick as it sounds, I loved you first
The speaker acknowledges how the ex-partner brought both joy and pain, juxtaposing the two. It highlights the intensity, emotions, and growth that comes when you are in a relationship. The second line could be referring to either two things. Either, the speaker saw the warning signs and flaws in the ex-partner yet still fell for them, or the ex-partner was the speaker’s first love. With this interpretation, it signifies the importance of first love: its impact on your life and your first time experiencing love. Still, the duality of the lyrics indicates that the speaker’s love is unconditional and possibly unreciprocated. Sometimes, people do love you, just not in the way you understand.
Then finally in the chorus, Abram ends with:
The way life goes
Joyriding down our road
Lay on the horn to prove that it haunts me
I love you, I’m sorry
This chorus is about embracing life’s journey: not caring how reckless it is, just purely going thrill seeking. But life is also filled with haunting memories that no one can run away from. The vocals from this part of the song is similar to panting after a run, trying to catch ones breath.
Additionally, Abrams uses repetition of the phrase “I love you, I’m sorry” to follow the stages of a breakup: right after, in a few year, and on. The first repetition is with a sigh, showing the internal conflict and desire for reconciliation because the speaker still loves them. The second repetition follows the speakers self recognition from a later, detached perspective. The third and last repetition is released in a breathless, almost begging, delivery reinforces the speaker’s love towards their ex-partner while acknowledging their role in the relationship’s downfall.
As the greatest jam band of all time, the Grateful Dead showcased their brilliance through storytelling and improvisation. The community surrounding the dead is deeply connected and revolves around inclusivity and a sense of belonging.
The genre-blending band drew from jazz, bluegrass, rock and roll, blues, and more to write the song “Loser” off of the album Live Albums Collection, along with countless other bangers. This particular song dives into the story of a gambler who attempts to convince himself that his big win is right around the corner. His tone isn’t quite hopeful, but rather wishing to be hopeful. He seems to be down on his luck, and trying to assure himself, not any other intended audience, that his “inside straight” is coming because
I can tell the queen of diamonds by the way she shines
This line highlights his delusions; there is clearly no way of telling what’s on the underside of a playing card.
The occasion is a moment during or just before the outcome of a seemingly high-stakes hand of poker. Overall, the song gets at the idea of this character being pulled apart by his addiction and view of himself as a losing gambler, but also as a loser of a person because of his unbreakable habit.
The chorus is a clear example of how his addiction won this battle. It goes,
Well, I got no chance of losing this time
Well, I got no chance of losing this time
This line emphasizes the character’s insistence that this next hand will be his big one. His addiction has brainwashed him and turned him delusional. He is so certain that he won’t lose, when there is obviously no way of knowing.
This character also clings to the hope that his luck will turn around, while realizing that “fairness” is hard to come by. He says,
Last fair deal in the country, sweet Susie
Last fair deal in the town.
He offers what he claims is a fair deal, even though he knows he has not been winning.
Texas rock band Treaty Oak Revival’s “Stop and Stare“, the opening track from the band’s 2023 album Have a Nice Day, is a poetic anthem about a man reflecting on a past toxic relationship that has recently ended. The general theme of the song is that although one may have been separated from a person or problem causing them strife, it may still take some time to mentally escape the issue. The song serves to convey to the listener the pain that comes with ending a relationship, as well as the difficulty of letting go.
Firstly, the band establishes the malice of the singer’s ex-girlfriend by using a metaphor in order to liken her to Satan and other forces of evil.
I’m drowning in a river full of rye
Hanging out with the devil on a Friday night
Oh and she ain’t never been a friend of mine
Since I left town
By comparing her to the devil, the band makes it clear to the listener that this woman is the villain in this relationship, and is certainly someone not to be trusted. Additionally, it is revealed that the speaker has escaped the town, and has cut off ties with this woman since doing so. Similarly, in the second verse, the singer piles on more evidence of this woman’s wrongdoings:
She cussed a lot
Was never fond of church
She was a wicked woman who had it out for me
The alliteration of the “w” sound in these lines, coupled with the description of the woman’s actions and practices, cements this woman’s status as a less-than-ideal girlfriend in the eyes of the speaker, and ensures that the listener is able to relate to the singer and understand his and reasoning behind his distaste for this woman.
Moreover, the song also conveys the tension between the two from the time that they were together by using a powerful simile:
And my heartbeat’s sounding like rain on the rooftops
By using this simile, the speaker is able to convey to the listener the experience of having to deal with this “wicked woman”, which, in this case, involves a constant pounding heart. Pounding hearts are often a symptom of stress or anxiety, which fits into the theme of the singer’s ex-girlfriend causing him endless strife, even after their relationship has ended. Furthermore, the singer explains the other ways in which he has been affected by the end of the relationship:
It’s getting hard to sleep in that old bed
I’ll never forget and a damn word you said
You said it’s over we’re done we’re finished go on and get out
Furthering the idea that this woman is nothing but bad news, the singer explains both the mental and physical lasting effects that the relationship has had on him, even after everything’s over and his ex is long gone. Treaty Oak Revival uses the whole of the song to convey the messiness that comes with toxic relationships, and the pain that lingers on someone even after they’ve removed themselves from the relationship entirely.
Murders by Miracle Musical is a song that is poetic in how it takes and subverts tropes.
He was in the forest looking to see the treesBut none were thereHe found a girlShe found the Erlking (the lover)
Seeing the forest for the trees is a common saying. The protagonist of this song was looking for broad detailing, but was so lost in his own thoughts that he couldn’t. This shows that the protagonist is troubled. He found a girl in the woods, and it is revealed that the protagonist is (or is represented by) the Erlking. The Erlking is a faerie from European folklore, who lures people to their doom. This sets up a sinister tone, and combined with the title, foreshadows the rest of the song.
I was in the middle groundLooking to find the flowers in the gardenWearying of the hate me, hate me notWait. they forgotWoe, oh, the rot
Forget-me-nots are a type of flower that are usually associated with romance. The “hate me, hate me not” is an ironic flipping of the trope that shows what specific flowers are referenced. The line afterwards confirms this. The flowers were forgotten, and they began to rot. This can be interpreted as the girl not being able to see the protagonist for who he truly is. The pronoun is changed to I, which could be seen as this being from the perspective of the girl.
Deeper in they creptOblivious of the bears and darker terrorsOr none were thereHow did they dare?
The pair continued into the woods. There are evils in the woods, but they question the existence of the danger. The song asks how they dared. This can be interpreted as being in reference to the creeping in, being oblivious, or thinking there was no danger.
I was in the middle groundLooking to find the fountain of infinite mirrorTree falling, no one would hearShadow of nobody thereMurders of murderers living in fear of it
The next lines repeat the phrase “middle ground”, reestablishing the abstract setting. This and the fountain only reflect the present. The next line is another subversion of a phrase. It is implied that the tree is one of the Erlking’s victims.
Because there is nobody around, there is nobody to see the crime. So did it even happen?
I was in the forest looking to see the treesBut none were there
The last line proves that the Erlking got away with the murder. But the murder is only implied. It is a call back to the first line of the song, but with a 1st person pronoun instead of a 3rd person pronoun. This all but confirms that the protagonist is the Erlking. Murders’ lyrics are genius in that they tell a story without directly telling a story.
Olivia Rodrigo’s song “Lacy” captures the aftereffects of being left for another woman, who, in her eyes, has no flaws. Rodrigo originally wrote the song for a poetry class she was taking at USC. Like her usual songwriting process, she put a name to the song, and with the help of a long-time collaborator, they began to add lyrics based on what was already there. The song and poem both open the same way.
Lacy, oh, Lacy, skin like puff pastry
Aren’t you the sweetest thing on this side of hell?”
Throughout the song, Lacy entrances Rodrigos’ eyes in both admiration and envy, and the way Rodrigos expresses these feelings towards Lacy is by using Imagery and similes. Comparing Lacy’s skin to pastries, something soft and warm, pushing the obsession she holds for her. Immediately after describing her as warm, she asks a rhetorical question, “Aren’t you the sweetest thing on this side of hell?” This is the envy side of their relationship with each other. Rodrigo feels like ever since things fell out with her and her ex-partner, the clouds she once felt like she was on have now turned into her own personal hell, thus, Lacy being the sweetest thing there. Olivia doesn’t want to obsess over Lacy and who she is; she can’t help it.
Ooh, I try, I try, I tryBut it takes over my lifeI see you everywhereThe sweetest torture one could bear
When something happens between you and an ex-partner, the one feeling I think plays through everyone’s mind is shame. Ashamed of who they are, ashamed of the things that run through their mind about themselves, their ex, and even the other woman. Rodrigo uses repetition. She tries and tries, but it takes over her life. Turning every small thing she does or every place she goes into all about Lacy. Rodrigo often uses “sweet” to describe how she feels about Lacy, but the following line changes the tone of her description and uses torture. Similar to the lines above, Rodrigo says she is the “sweetest thing in hell”. Even with her internal obsession with Lacy, she is unable to deny the fact that Lacy is anything but sweet, considering, in her mind, it is torture in hell.
I feel your compliments like bullets on skinDazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnateWell, aren’t you the greatest thing to ever exist
An example of the torture Rodrigo feels is the compliments she is receiving from Lacy. In her mind, the compliments she continues to hear from ‘Lacy’ feel backhanded and untrue, almost like Lacy is somehow trying to hurt Rodrigo by saying kind things about her. In a similar light, this compares to the things Rodrigo is saying about Lacy, by calling her sweet and warm, while feeling like she’s living in hell.
And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for youYeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you
The most prominent devices Rodrigo uses in these two lines are juxtaposition and personification. When she describes her feelings about Lacy as jealousy, but the following is worshiping, it contrasts with the things she’s feeling. It is an overwhelming obsession and envy she feels for Lacy. Unlike the usual tactic people use when they are jealous of someone else, saying rude things about them to or behind their back, Rodrigo talks down on herself. This is made clear when she says she “despises her jealous eyes, and her rotten mind, the use of personification, to illustrate everything she feels is wrong with herself.
The song Lacy is a song about self-loathing, envy, and obsession colliding into one feeling about an ending relationship and another woman. The song conveys how loving or obsessing over someone can be both intoxicating and self-destructive.
“Champagne Supernova,” the closing track on Oasis’s 1995 album Morning Glory?, stands as one of the band’s most iconic songs. The title combines luxury (champagne) and cosmic explosion (supernova); this hints at the song’s central idea: the fragile human experience in an unpredictable universe. This juxtaposition becomes the key to understanding the song’s experience of searching for meaning during confusion, memory, and loss.
The song conveys this central experience with disorientation and the unpredictable nature of connection. The experience is trying to make sense of the people who drift in and out of life. Rather than delivering a clear, fixed message, the song expands the understanding of what it feels like to be between childhood and adulthood, clarity and haze. The recurring question
Where were you while we were gettin’ high?
speaks less to literally getting high and more to the difficulty of holding onto moments of emotion. Here, the “Champagne Supernova” becomes a metaphor for those overwhelming experiences that burn bright and then disappear, leaving only memory and longing behind.
To build this effect, Noel Gallagher layers metaphorical language and imagery throughout the song. The metaphor of being
caught beneath the landslide
transforms being emotionally overwhelmed into a physical situation, implying chaos and the inevitability of being swept along by forces beyond one’s control.The imagery
Slowly walkin’ down the hall
creates a familiar place and time, where the people walk by so fast they blur. This reflects the speaker’s uncertainty about who truly matters and who is already fading into the past. Finally, the song’s use of time and the universe
In a champagne supernova in the skySomeday you will find me
deepens the sense that personal memory and universal history are connected, enhancing the experience of searching for meaning in a world that feels both intimate and infinite. Through these techniques, the song shares an experience of how we can live our beautiful, unpredictable lives.
Noah Kahan’s “Come Over” is the 5th song on his 2022 album Stick Season. The album explores Kahan’s life in New England, specifically his hometown, and the emotions that come from it such as grief, pain, anger, sorrow, and eventually healing. In “Come Over” Kahan simultaneously writes about how he was ashamed of his house growing up and how it feels to ask someone to come over to your house, especially when it feels like you have to beg someone to do so.
The song opens with him talking to an unknown person in his childhood, saying,
“I’m in the business of losin’ your interest And I turn a profit each time that we speak”
In this lyric, Kahan shares that every time he speaks to this person, they lose more interest in him. His “business” is making a profit because for some reason, he keeps having someone lose more and more interest in him. Kahan is more invested in the relationship than the other person is. The lyric also ties into a self-resentment and deprecation theme throughout the album. The only thing Kahan is good at is making people not care for him.
A few lines later Kahan sings,
“And my house was designed to kinda look like it’s crying The eyes are the windows, the garage is the mouth So, when they mention the sad kid in a sad house on Balch Street You won’t have to guess who they’re speaking about”
Through powerful imagery the way that Noah Kahan describes his house gives it a run down kind of feeling. His house isn’t stable and it seems like Kahan and his family can’t afford to take care of it. The house even reflects the feelings of the people who live inside it by looking sad on the outside. By being known as the “sad kid” during his childhood, the listener can only feel sympathy for Kahan and all that he went through.
After this, Noah Kahan jumps right into the bridge of the song by simply singing,
“Come over Come over”
The two-line bridge demonstrates Kahan mastery songwriting. These two lines get at the core message of the song. All he’s doing is begging someone to come over to his house who won’t. The simplicity of the bridge encapsulates everything that the song is about: Kahan is begging to be rich, to be liked, to belong.
Kahan ends the song with some hope for himself. When talking about his house for the final time, he sings,
“I know that it ain’t much, I know that it ain’t cool Oh, you don’t have to tell the other kids at school My dad will strike it rich, we’ll be the big house on the block Someday I’m gonna be somebody people want”
In the first two lines, Kahan acknowledges that he knows other people don’t think he’s cool or has much to offer. He still wants to bargain for this friendship by going back to the money motif throughout the song of “turning a profit” at the beginning. He desperately wants someone to like him, even if it means him being a secret. In the last two lines, he returns to the money motif once again. He believes that if his family gets more money, he can move out of his sad house and all of his problems will be solved, and that people will actually want to be friends with him and he won’t have to beg for their friendship. This ending offers hope for himself, but a sort of sadness for the listener. Through his powerful lyrics and vivid imagery, Noah Kahan turns a seemingly simple song about his childhood into a heartbreaking song.
“Thirteen” by Bedouine, Waxahatchee, and Hurray for the Riff Raff is not an original song. It was originally released in 1974 by the rock band, Big Star, whose fame quickly declined after a lack of advertisement by their record label. The band’s legacy of poetic songwriting lives on through the many covers of their songs performed by contemporary artists. An instance of such covers is the one done by Bedouine, Waxahatchee, and Hurray for the Riff Raff on their 2020 single album entitled “Thirteen”. This modernized version of the song is composed as a trio of female voices which adds an extra layer of depth and maturity to the experience of the speaker/singer in the piece.
This song is a melodic snapshot that captures the emotional whirlwind of adolescence: that of discovering one’s place in different relationships during a time when everything seems to be changing. The lines of the third stanza reflect this theme:
Won’t you tell me what you’re thinking of?
Would you be an outlaw for my love?
If it’s so, well let me know
If it’s no, well I can go
I won’t make you, ooh ooh
In this stanza, the speaker, assumed to be an adolescent, is beginning to explore the ways in which a relationship can be deepened. The act of asking those personal questions presents the speakers as curious and sensitive, as opposed to aggressively going in and forcing their love upon somebody. Confronting the fact that desires aren’t always fulfilled is a universal experience, often occurring early in life, which allows people to enhance their emotional maturity and prepare them on the path towards acceptance of such disappointment. By including the use of tender diction, the speaker’s innocence and respect shines through.
The lyrics throw the listener into the position of the friend of the speaker through its being written in the second person perspective. Repeated in the first line of each stanza is, “Won’t you…”, which adds to the sense of yearning and setting the tone as the child-like questioning that comes with growing older. This also gets the listener to reflect upon their own lives and memories of being an adolescent.
The allusion to the song, “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones enhances the timeframe in which the song was written, as in the line,
Rock and roll is here to stay
Those references to relevant eras and notable songs create a hint of defiance in the piece, as “rock and roll” was historically deemed to be music for rebels. Including this allusion makes it clear that the speaker wants to stray away from some of the expectations older generations have set and instead find excitement and joy in their own independent way, something very normal at this stage in development.
The song “Green Light” by Lorde, on the album Melodrama, is a perfect example of poetry through the uses of vivid imagery, repetition and showcases the differences in desire versus reality in authentic human experiences, which creates a multi-level masterpiece of poetry on many different aspects.
I whisper things, the city sings ’em back to you
this line is especially poetic because of the fact that it personifies the city, which turns it into a separate character in her story to amplify the effects of her heartbreak. It amplifies it in many other different ways, another being that it turns the transformation from whispering to singing to showcase her emotional transition, the internal, quiet “whispers” of heartbreak becomes too overwhelming and causes it to become something loud and expressive through the word “sings”. A third way it amplifies it is by turning the city into a mediator of her relationship in a way, by embedding her emotions into a whole environment, it turns her trauma into a physical space, a messenger of her feelings in a sense. The following chorus part however, bring a new physical attribute to the song’s meaning.
Honey, I’ll come get my things but I can’t let go
While this line is one of the most repeated, layered, and intricate lines of the whole song and showcases a scene of emotional denial and physical acceptance at the same time, the first word is where the most layers lie. The word “Honey” adds so many layers to the line because it sounds tender and something you’d say to a loved one out of habit, a second layer comes from the fact that using a “pet” name during a breakup highlights the emotional disconnect in the whole situation she’s in. She’s still speaking the way she would as if she was still inside the relationship, even as it ends. Lastly, the word honey also adds the layer of emotional muscle memory, the whole line acknowledges the fact that the relationship has ended physically, but this word mirrors how people actually talk when they’re hurting, words that are honest and unpolished. Furthermore, the latter parts of the chorus truly capture the moments of Lorde’s inner conflicts and serves as the emotional and symbolic core of the whole song.
I’m waiting for it, that green light, I want it
In the center of the line, “that green light” in everyday life signifies the effect of permission, and moving forward. However, Lorde masterfully turns it into aspects of emotional readiness, closure, and the moment she accepts that she can move on. She uses it to show that she wants to be ready, she wants to go, but wanting isn’t the same as being able to. Another thing is that the fact that this line is repeated so often highlights the urgency and the importance of her longing to break free from her fixation on her past lover, and an obsession to move on to independence. Lastly, the entire song represents the struggle of physical “go” and emotional “stop” and this line perfectly ties together the tension of her relationship, she’s ready to run, but her heart is stuck at a red light of life.
“Carry The Name” is on the deluxe release of Djo’s album The Crux. The song adds to the album’s theme of identity, memory, and self-change. The title “Carry The Name” demonstrates the main tension of carrying someone as a memory and as a part of your identity. It switches between attachment and regret. In my opinion, the song represents what we carry with us after relationships end, and what it feels like to keep someone’s impact continuous while also healing. Throughout this song, I think that Djo also argues that letting go of such relationships doesn’t erase the imprint they left, making most memories a burden. But moving forward is important, and even if the change is good or bad, the old things linger.
Djo ends the first verse with:
I carry your name
That’s not that bad
I try not to blame
I just carry the name
The repeated phrase of “carry the name” is a reminder that highlights his resistance to accepting certain memories he has. Rather than being angry or sad, the repetition draws attention to the weight of his emotions, and specifically remembering as an act similar to that reminds me of how people feel when they’re grieving. Not being able to escape the name, his self-assurance of “That’s not that bad” then shows denial, which itself is a sign that carrying the name feels heavy, but is something he has to do. It turns the song from being only about identity into one of mourning.
In the second verse, Djo adds:
Met another man
No, he wasn’t like me
Handsome and tan
I got a message from Japan
And it made me feel good
I am that man
These lines add that the “other man”, his previous lover replaces him with, is a version of himself that is one he either thought he was or something he watched from a distance. By describing him as someone who “wasn’t like me,” he makes the image of himself change as if he were a different person than he is now, showing how he is moving towards separating himself from his past lover. Then, when he admits “ I am that man,” the moment of self-improvement goes away, and the wall he built to protect himself from hurt crashes down. Seeing himself as these two different people adds to the meaning of identity being complex when thinking of the impact of someone important to you.
Closing out the song in its last chorus, Djo writes:
Maybe reflection’s a new way to new love
‘Cause I’m not the same, so I carry the name
In these last lines, Djo shifts from fear to a state of acceptance. This new attitude shows growth instead of repressing the memory, allowing him to open a new door to self-transformation. While he admits that “I’m not the same,” he acknowledges change but keeps the parts of the past that remain a part of him. His acceptance shows healing as a continuous process of having memory without letting it control one’s life.
Kid Cudi’s “Mr Rager” from Man on the Moon 2 dives into the feeling of wanting to escape your problems. The title ties straight into the lyrics when Kid Cudi says “Oh Mr. Rager tell me where your going,” it shows the speaker chasing a reckless and adventurous version of himself.
The main idea is that running from reality can be tempting even if leading to somewhere dark because you think it feels better than what your currently facing. this song contains a lot of imagery, really putting you into his shoes. an example of this is when he says “I’m on my way to heaven.” he is using heaven as a place to escape to from his problems. he also uses lots of symbolism with the character of Mr. Rager who represents the exciting and thrill seeking version of himself.
Overall the story conveys a personal struggle into a relatable, poetic song that shows the urge to run, even when you don’t know where you’re going.
Lizzy McAlpine’s song “Spring Into Summer” from her album Older (and Wiser) explores the process of moving through different stages of life. Lizzy is a singer and songwriter known mostly for her emotional music, which talks a lot about heartbreak, discovering yourself, and growing up. For instance in this particular album, there are themes surrounding the ideas of navigating adulthood, love, and accountability. In this song, she highlights how time and change never stops while also reflecting on her regret and past loves.
The central idea of the song is that it’s challenging to navigate unhealthy recurring love; however, it is essential to let go and stop returning to the toxicity. One purpose of the song is to emphasize that as much as you want to hold on to past moments, whether you like it or not, time will lead you to new beginnings.
The first line of the song really highlights this theme:
Spring into summer, and the winter’s gone
This metaphor dives deep into the changes that are happening in the relationship. By comparing the seasons to different relationship stages, she is showing how she is done with the coldness/toxic relationship and is having growth by moving on and going into summer/new start of her life. This lyric is ultimately emphasizing the importance of transitioning into warmer stages of life even if you are still struggling with old love and regret. This line is also really clever because it highlights how times change just like the seasons change. It really gets at the idea that summer is hopeful and you need to jump right in instead of revisiting the dark past moments of winter.
Lizzy also shows the uncertainty changes bring in the lines:
Bridge over water, I am jumpin’ off
Taking a picture of all the people close to us
Head below the surface, almost never certain of the truth
This water imagery shows just how emotional it can be to move forward and let go of the past. Change is difficult for her because she is unsure and doesn’t want to end this complex relationship. These lines emphasize how sometimes one can lose clarity when they think really deeply of someone and explore their own emotions. Additionally, I think the top line in particular conveys how you need to start by taking a leap of faith even if that means going into something completely new and different.
The song also shows the complexity of love and change in the last line:
If I turn around, you’re running’ back to me
This line is very significant because throughout the song she repeats “I’m always, forever, runnin’ back to you,” and this last line is a juxtaposition. To me, this line helps convey the meaning as it shows how she finally moved on/turned around after dwelling on the past. It also shows how difficult toxic relationships can be because it seems as though this person is running back only because she let go.
This song is poetry because it uses metaphors, imagery, and juxtaposition. “Spring Into Summer” tells a story about moving on with your life instead of yearning for the past.
The song “Beyond Belief” on Elvis Costello’s album Imperial Bedrooms was written intentionally to be vague and disconcerting, but it was my third-highest song on Spotify Wrapped for good reason. The lyrics are masterful at entwining references and wordplay into a phrase loaded with meaning, but to get to the message of the whole song, you have to acknowledge that the depth of the song’s layers and lack of an ‘official’ theme means that each and every person comes up with their own explanations for the fantastical goings-on in this track. Here’s my take.
To me, this song is about the exhaustion of a repetitive life, and how the act of performatively doing the same things over and over invokes the fear of being trapped in that cycle forever. The first verse discusses this:
History repeats the old conceits
The glib replies the same defeats
Keep your finger on important issues
With crocodile tears and a pocketful of tissues
As history repeats itself, all those alive are expected to react emotionally just as people would have in the past. ‘Crocodile tears’ implies that the speaker is sick of that. They’re so numb to the constant loop that they don’t genuinely feel that emotion anymore. When the speaker looks around, they see others trapped in the same situation:
You’ll never be alone in the bone orchard
“Bone orchard” is a colloquial term for graveyard. The speaker is not alone in this cycle, because all those who have come before them are enshrined in history as an example for the modern society to follow. They’re dead, but the speaker can still feel their presence. This line also implies that the speaker will not be free from the repetition of history even when they’re dead and buried, increasing the feeling of being stifled that the song creates.
Now, the song transitions to a familiar scene: the speaker enters a bar and meets a woman. Here, the speaker continues to say ‘you:’
So in this almost empty gin palace
Through a two-way looking glass
You see your Alice
To me, the usage of ‘you’ feels like the speaker is mentally playing instructions. It’s a typical meeting. A guy meets a girl in a bar. It’s “nothing so novel.” The narration throughout the song begins to seem more and more like the speaker is experiencing the world as if nothing is new, and that all of their experiences are repeats of the same old story. The speaker flees the bar as they feel themself playing the part:
And now you find you fit this identikit completely
You say you have no secrets
And then leave discreetly
An identikit is a police sketch based on a witness description. The speaker’s world feels like it is happening to someone else in some other time, which is where the unreality themes begin to heavily affect the next verses:
Just like the canals of Mars and the Great Barrier Reef
I come to you beyond belief
The ‘canals of Mars’ were a hoax created by accidental lines on early telescope lenses. The speaker switches to “I” here for the remaining duration of the song. They are now ‘beyond belief:” unreal, fantastical. They are tired:
I got a feeling
I’m going to get a lot of grief
Once this seemed so appealing
Now I am beyond belief
The speaker is fed up and exhausted with the way their life is going. They could accomplish anything if they put their mind to it, but the weight of repetition weighs on them. The world is empty and unreal and there are no new experiences.
“Beyond Belief” truly is poetry in its wordcraft and the manipulation of the speaker’s personal pronoun usage. Elvis Costello never misses, and in the future I might try to do this analysis for other songs of his that I like: “Tart” and “God’s Comic.”
The song, “Margaret” by Lana Del Rey (feat. Bleachers) is included on her 2023 album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Lana blends narrative storytelling with multilayered language that allows it to almost be like a lyrical poem. She wrote this song about Margaret Qualley, who is married to her collaborator Jack Antonoff. The song fits with the album’s themes of memory and relationships but it takes on more complex ideas about love and the universe’s fate.
The central theme of “Margaret” is that true love can reveal itself in ways that seems like ordinary moments but are truly destined and life-changing.
Some lines that are frequently repeated in the song are,
When you know, you know
By this line, love is not discovered by looking for it and searching, but recognizing something that is unmistakable in another person. This line also suggests that love is not to have a reason why you feel that way, just that you know and you do feel a way.
So if you don’t know, don’t give up
‘Cause you never know what the new day might bring
This part of the song also allows the listener to think about their own life, stating that if you don’t know right now it is going to be ok. Just like love that Margaret and Jack had, it felt like it was written into their lives, it was inevitable and for others it will happen just the way it is supposed to happen.
The whole song has this notion about knowing and not panicking, but true love is going to happen the way it is supposed to. I think that Lana’s song “Margaret” qualifies as poetry because it uses imagery, symbolism and well as story telling of Margaret and Jack’s real life to explore the nature of their love as transcendent. She is able to transform their literal relationship into a meaning the way it played out and to inspire others. The tone in the song as well has this encapsulating feeling and it is very beautiful. The song acts just like a poem, going through layered meaning, language and emotional depth.
Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” is a gentle, introspective story about change, identity, and self-discovery. Stevie Nicks, a member of the band, wrote this song in 1975 during a moment of profound personal doubt and uncertainty. Her career setbacks, loneliness, and time of reflection inspired this song, and it went on to become one of the most well-known and beloved pieces in the nation.
I took my love, I took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills
‘Til the landslide brought me down
Through this strong opening stanza, Stevie Nicks essentially highlights what she loses in the face of change, her journey of battling obstacles, and the eventual sense of identity she finds. Symbolism is the central poetic device used in these lyrics. The “snow-covered hills” represent a pure, empty version of herself that once existed, one that is vulnerable to the silent threat of an avalanche. The landslide serves as a symbolic force throughout the entire song, portraying the sudden, overwhelming forces of challenge, change, and loss. By “bringing her down,” Nicks is forced to confront the complexity of her identity and what the future holds, and she doesn’t seem too sure how to handle that yet.
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
This series of questions explores themes of aging and doubt by comparing life’s challenges to natural forces. During her period of transition, Stevie Nicks confronts her fear of losing her childhood, innocent self amidst the turbulent seasons of life (“ocean tides”). The rhetorical questions she asks herself aren’t something she needs to be answered but rather a way of expressing her uncertainty and longing for resilience amidst a difficult time.
Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too
Nicks starts off this stanza by highlighting how hard change can be when you lose a person so close to you, claiming it’s like losing a part of yourself. The tone shifts from loss to acceptance as she acknowledges that change and growing up are natural, universal experiences. She once knew time as a source of loss, but she finally recognizes it to be a gift of strength, maturity, and an opportunity to grow.
“Landslide” is a timeless, storytelling song that has been cherished for nearly half a century. It is through numerous poetic devices and a unique, powerful choice of words that Stevie Nicks was able to create a track like this. “Landslide” is a reflection on accepting loss, navigating obstacles, letting go of the fear of growing old, and finding your identity in spite of this all, and that couldn’t be conveyed in the same way without the use of poetry.
Hate It Or Love It from The Documentary tells the story of 50 Cent and The Game’s childhoods, the difficulties they faced growing up, and how they eventually overcame those conditions. The title shows the main idea of the song that people may like them or dislike them, but their journey from struggle to success remains real.
The song begins with The Game describing his early life with strong, concrete images.
Growing up, I had a pair of old Chucks, hand-me-downs, and starter coats
These simple objects symbolize the poverty he experienced. Old sneakers and secondhand clothes show how little he had, without him having to say I was poor. The listener understands his childhood through the items he had to wear every day. The imagery gives his later success more because we can see where he started.
He also describes the danger in his neighborhood, saying,
Where the dope boys sold and the fiends stayed right outside my door
This line makes the setting feel very close and unavoidable. The danger isn’t across the street, it is outside his home. The neighborhood becomes a symbol of the challenges he had to grow up around. When he later says he “put Compton on the map,” it contrasts with this earlier image. The same place that once made life difficult now becomes a place he is proud to represent. This shift shows how his view of his past has changed.
50 Cent continues this contrast between childhood struggle and adult success. He remembers mixed experiences growing up, saying,
I had a homie who took me under his wing, then the same hood almost killed me
This shows how complicated his environment was. The same community gave him support and put him in danger. This duality mirrors the idea of seeing both sides. They now understand their past with a more mature, balanced perspective.
The chorus puts the theme into a simple metaphor, saying,
Hate it or love it, the underdog’s on top, and I’m gon’ shine
The “underdog” is a symbol for someone who starts life with fewer chances. By calling himself that, 50 Cent makes his success feel earned rather than entitled. “I’m gon’ shine” becomes a metaphor for rising above expectations and making his own path.
Later, he describes how different his life is now, saying,
Now I’m eating good, treats on the table, and new whips in the driveway
These details symbolize how far he has come. They are the opposite of the “old Chucks” and hand-me-downs from earlier lines. The point is not to brag but to show that the conditions of his childhood have been reversed. His present makes sense only when compared to his past.
The chorus returns throughout the song, reminding the listener of the main idea, saying,
Hate it or love it, I’m still here
This repeated line shows how his perspective has changed over time. He recognizes both the struggle and the success, and both shape who he is.
Through its clear imagery, strong contrasts, and meaningful symbols, “Hate It or Love It” works as poetry. It turns two rappers’ life stories into a reflection on what it means to grow, survive, and rise above the challenges you were born into.
The song “Fish In A Birdcage” by the band Fish In A Birdcage and part of the album Fish In A Birdcage is not only a mouthful, but a powerful piece of poetry. The song exhibits masterful use of language to create a multidimensional metaphor of mental illness and the feeling of an incredibly close piece of support. The opening of the song sets up the metaphor perfectly.
I am a fish inside a birdcage
My brother always sings me songs
And with his beak he tries to soothe me
Makes me feel that I belong
The setup for the metaphor perfectly encapsulates both the situation and mentality of this fish. The fish inside a birdcage is an allusion of the Ottoman quote “Here, no fish will be forced to fly and no bird will be forced to swim.” It perpetuates the idea of not only being stuck in a cage but in a cage that was not built for you. His brother, the bird, does his best to comfort the fish but it is obvious how unhappy and alone the fish is. Even saying “makes me feel that I belong” as though deep down it feels that as much as the bird tries, it does not truly belong. The second verse however, is more hopeful than the first.
You gave me more than I could ask for
Indistinguishability
The verse, on top of managing to excellently use an 8 syllable word so well, goes against a large part of what society tells us about being different. Society tells us that being different is something we should strive for, that being different is a gift. The fish claims that the true gift is having a group in which you are indistinguishable from others. The true gift is having a place in which you can truly belong and in which you truly fit in. The fish understands that despite not belonging in this world, in this cage, it belongs with its brother. Which is further supported by the chorus
So carry me, from these walls, brother of mine
Show me the world outside
It has to be true, I’m counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes
The fish is completely reliant on its brother for an understanding of the world. It is through its brother that it can explore outside the walls of the cage that it lies in. Yet, the music is sung, not with sadness or pitiful dependence, but with joy. The fish may be trapped in a cage that was never built with it in mind, but through its brother, it can escape and see a world in which it can finally feel at home.
The song “Petals” on Hole’s album Celebrity Skin exemplifies how innocence is stripped away through traumatic experiences and demonstrates how the loss of innocence has an impact on every aspect of life. “Petals” describes the complex relationship between two people, with one of them having gone through a tragedy that stripped them of their innocence, and the other who is grieving that loss of innocence for them. The song exposes the connection between those whose petals were worn through time versus those who had them torn off.
The band Hole begins the song by introducing a woman labeled as,
She’s the angel on
Top of the tree
Signifying how she once was pure, living with total innocence. The lead singer continues to describe how their innocence burned as a fire throughout their childhood, but their steady exposure to the world and experiences that come with it would transform their once innocent nature into a cynical one. Trauma is something that everyone experiences at one point in their lives. It is something that has the possibility of derailing your entire life unless addressed, leaving no other option than to
Tear the petals off of you.
And make you tell the truth.
It is impossible to move through great tragedies alone. Having someone who can help process the full events is the only way forward for movement to be possible. However, sometimes it seems like progression is impossible, no matter how lengthy the attempt is or how well the situation was handled. Hole demonstrates this through the line,
I can’t stop their withering.
Trauma warps all of those that it encounters. It attaches itself to an individual and leeches on their future successes by never allowing them to blossom into the full version of themselves. The constant reference to flower petals being torn and withering represents the lifespan of trauma in individuals and how, at times, trauma will never heal.
“Petals” by Hole depicts innocence as a flower that trauma withers. It is only through a communal effort and exposure of the uncomfortable truth that progress can be made.
The song “Volando (Remix)” by Mora, featuring Bad Bunny and Sech off Mora’s album Primer Dia De Clases, is a great song for this assignment because of its lyrics and rhythm. Mora’s early recordings feature the original “Volando”; the remix combines Bad Bunny’s famous lyrical style with Mora’s musical, passionate reggaetón. The song stands at the border of modern Latin urban songwriting and dancehall-pop, and its remix increased its popularity on Latin charts and streaming playlists.
“Volando” is mainly a first-person confession about sentimental attachment and irresistible desire. The speaker constantly acknowledges that they are drawn to a relationship and will “fly” to the loved one at a call, even if they are aware that it may be unhealthy or difficult. In the intro, it says…
Tú ere’ ese mal que no sé por qué me gusta
El no poder olvidarte me frustra
Te lo juro que me frustra
Mora’s choice here shows that calling the person “ese mal que me gusta” (“that bad thing I like”) is a paradox. It offers depth and shows the complexity of their relationship by combining two different ideas, good and bad. This language expresses two different emotions that are difficult to put into words.
The song also shows the conflict between desperate desire in Band Bunny’s chorus.
Que si tú me llama’ le llego volando
A la hora que tú diga’, no importa dónde y cuándo
Y cuando no está’ te sigo imaginando
Tu alma con la mía, las do’ junta’ vibrando, ey
The choice of “Le llego volando” is a metaphor that means “I’ll come flying.” The speaker here is explaining how much the person wants to return to this person. The meaning the metaphor adds is urgency for this desire. Additionally, “Te sigo imaginando” is a form of imagery, which shows how much the memories keep this person still in his life even though the other person isn’t present.
The lyrics often change from remembering the person to urging to “fly” back to them right away. A lyrical rhythm is produced by this structure of memory, desire, and impulsive return. It reflects the suddenness, repetitiveness, and difficulty of escaping that desire.