Enjoy the playlist! Check out all the great takes on the songs below. As a reminder, here’s the full Music Poetry assignment.
Sufjan Stevens’ “Fourth of July” is one of the most emotional songs on his 2015 album Carrie & Lowell. The album is about the death of Stevens’ mother, and this song feels like the heart of that story. “Fourth of July” is quiet, slow, and painful in a gentle way. It does not try to be dramatic or loud. Instead, it shows grief in its most honest form.
The song is written as a conversation between Sufjan Stevens and his dying mother. Stevens sings as himself, while his mother responds to him throughout the song. This makes the listener feel like they are overhearing a very personal moment. The audience is not just the listener, but also his mother. The song takes place in the space between life and death, where Stevens is trying to understand what is happening and how to accept it.
“Fourth of July” focuses on grief, fear, and acceptance. Stevens is not just sad that his mother is dying; he is scared of what death means. The song repeats the line “We’re all gonna die,” which sounds harsh at first, but as the song continues, it becomes softer and more comforting. Instead of being threatening, the line reminds us that death is something everyone shares. This shows how grief can change the way we think about life and make us search for peace rather than answers.
Stevens uses several literary devices to help communicate these ideas. Below are three important examples.
“Did you get enough love, my little dove?
Why do you cry?”
In this line, Stevens uses imagery and symbolism. The word “dove” represents innocence, peace, and love. By calling himself a “little dove,” he is speaking in his mother’s voice, remembering how she once comforted him. The question “Did you get enough love?” shows how grief often makes people question their lives and wonder if they lived fully or loved enough.
“We’re all gonna die”
This line is repeated many times throughout the song, which is an example of repetition. At first, the line feels scary and upsetting, but as it is repeated, it begins to feel calmer and more accepting. The repetition reflects how Stevens is slowly coming to terms with his mother’s death. It shows how people often repeat hard truths to themselves until they start to feel real and less frightening.
“I’m sorry if I seem self-effacing,
Consumed by selfish thoughts”
Here, Stevens expresses guilt, which is a common feeling during grief. He worries that his sadness is selfish and that he should be thinking more about his mother instead of his own pain. This line helps the listener understand how confusing grief can be and how it often comes with regret and self-blame.
In “Fourth of July,” Sufjan Stevens shows that grief does not always look dramatic. Sometimes it is quiet, slow, and full of questions that never get answered. The song reminds us that death is unavoidable, but love continues even after someone is gone. By the end of the song, Stevens does not find a solution to grief, but he finds a small sense of peace in accepting the truth.
“Fourth of July” is not just a song about death, it is a song about learning how to live with loss
“Vueltas”, by Not for Radio, appears on the album Melt, a project that creates an “alternate reality” for the singer, María Zardoya. Melt is Zardoya’s debut solo, and she is known for her lead vocals and songwriting for the Grammy-nominated indie-pop band: The Marías. The song’s title, translated from Spanish to “turns” or “cycles”, immediately suggests movement, repetition, and emotional looping. These ideas are central to the song’s meaning and tone.
Melt is not an album based upon a strict concept, but many of the tracks, including “Vueltas”, feel connected to themes of emotional vulnerability, internal conflict, and gradual transformation. “Vueltas” fits within this thematic context by focusing on the feeling of being stuck in recurring thoughts or patterns, particularly in relationships.
The lyrics to “Vueltas” reinforce the idea of emotional circling rather than linear progress. Zardoya sings,
“And you keep spinning in my mind”
This quote indicates the frustration and exhaustion that come from repeating the same emotional cycles. This central theme highlights continuous return to familiar pain or uncertainty. The song dwells and focuses on deepening the listener’s understanding of what it feels like to be stuck in one’s own pattern. The experience it broadens is the awareness of how emotional repetition is complex because it is both comforting and suffocating.
Not For Radio communicates this theme through several uses of poetic, multidimensional language. The song relies heavily on circular imagery, with lines that reference going back, repeating actions, or returning. This reinforces the concept that the artist can not move forward. Throughout the track, Zardoya uses metaphors tied to motion and direction. Movement is present throughout the song, but it is movement without progress, suggesting that motion alone does not equal growth. This metaphor deepens the theme by challenging the assumption that only with time can healing occur or resolve emotional conflict. Finally, through the song, the tone shifts. Zardoya’s emotions fluctuate between longing and resignation, which further reflects the internal struggle and lack of concrete answers and certainty.
Throughout this imagery, the emotionally unstable voice, metaphors of movement, “Vueltas,” transforms a personal struggle into a shared experience that others can relate to. Not for Radio uses its album, Melt, to immerse the listener in the music to understand emotional cycles. Overall, this makes the song feel less like a story and more like a feeling that is being lived universally.
Grins by Charli xcx on her True Romance album portrays a complex feeling of yearning and desperation while also holding out for a dream that the person she loves will go above and beyond for her. The song starts with a wish and an inside look into her mind when thinking about this person:
Wish you could see me when I’m lyin’ in bed..
….Oh my god
I can see you in my head again
Listeners immediately are introduced to a hint of sadness behind the longing for this person to ‘see’ her. The song also has a mix of fast, echoing drums and reverb on her singing voice, adding to the effect that Charli is disillusioned and perhaps dreaming while she is in her bedroom. She then follows with,
Let my car run out…
….Let’s die together
‘Cause I feel like I’m in heaven dancing with an angel
Not only is she desperate for this person, she is willing to do whatever for them, insinuating that she is willing to give up on everything at a chance with this person. Her use of the word angel makes listeners feel like they should be yearning for this person too, and that this person is otherworldly, almost superior to Charli and everyone else. She later adds that she has lost her breath because
.. [she] feel like [she is] fallin’ through the clouds
Charli chooses to show the consequences of her willingness to sacrifice everything in order to be with this person. She feels crazy, and she knows that this person might think that too, but she is still hopeful that he will
hurry up and come and save [her]
Lastly, she ends the song repeating the phrase
no one lives forever, ever, ever, ever, ever. ever
Her voice echoes and dies down slowly, accepting that although her love and desperation for this person should be forever immortalized, she knows that her existence and the way she wants to be treated by this person will fade from the earth ‘forever’.
I really adore Charli’s raw emotion in this song and how she beautifully en captures a love that can be dangerous for one’s soul. Her shameless daydreaming of this person, the physical impact this person has on her, it all sets Charli up to have enormous expectations of this person that she knows might disappoint her.
Patti Smith’s “Birdland” is the third song on her 1975 masterpiece, Horses. If it is even possible to doubt Patti Smith’s position as a poet, this 9 minute speech-song would disprove a disbeliever.
“Birdland” describes a unique scene in which a boy is grieving his dead father. It is in third-person, limited to the thoughts and feelings of the young boy, though sometimes using first-person pronouns to make it known that Smith identifies with him. The audience, in many parts of the song, is the father in the sky. The song acts as a story of a son that watches his dead father get taken away in a funeral car and then sees a vision of his father in the sky as a captain of a ship. The boy is able to go to the sky and be with his father in this vision. When he realizes that this is only a vision and the things in the sky are just birds, he continuously begs to be brought back to this dream. Throughout the song he gets more and more obsessed with this vision until it encompasses him completely and he flies on the back of a bird to the sky at the end.
This song conveys multiple different experiences. First, it profoundly deepens the listener’s understanding of grieving a loved one. Death forces us to believe in and desperately crave impossible miracles in order to keep hope in our hearts. The song also highlights the experience of being different. When people feel out of place, they seek out spaces where they fit in.
Smith uses many literary devices to convey the meaning of the song, but I have highlighted three examples below.
I’m helium raven waitin’ for you, please take me up,Don’t leave me here!”
In this line and throughout the song, Smith uses the motif of the bird, specifically the raven. Birds are creatures that can transcend our reality on the ground by flying to the sky, reaching heaven and the ship that the boy imagines. When the boy claims that he is the “helium raven,” he is the bird that can float to the top and reach the land that most cannot. This describes how grief can make one believe in the impossible, but also how it can bring people to the brink of insanity. Smith specifically chose the raven, however, which I believe is due to the specific symbol that ravens represent. According to Edgar Allen Poe, ravens represented “Mournful and never-ending remembrance.” This is deeply connected with the experience of suffering that the boy feels while he is mourning his father. Being the bird also highlights how the boy feels different and beyond human, showing how he wants to be in a place where his alien self fits.
Oh, let’s go up, up, take me up, I’ll go up,I’m going up, I’m going upTake me up, I’m going up, I’ll go up thereGo up go up go up go up up up up up up upUp, up to the belly of a ship.
This quick repetition flows as a desperate beg to the father. With the loud clanging piano and scratchy guitar in the background, Patti’s increasing volume and continuous use of the word “up” shows a transformation occurring, where the boy is so obsessed and desperate to see his father in heaven that he feels spiritually in sync with his visions of his dreams coming true. This shows how death changes people, and how rational thought goes out the door when we realize that our reality is mortal. It also shows how desperate we become to keep hope alive. Nothing matters in moments of mourning, we start to go crazy and sound crazy too. Feelings of desire to be with the dead take complete control of our minds. This repetition reflects how this glimpse of his father in this vision is replayed over and over in his head.
Let the ship slide open and we’ll go inside of itWhere we are not human, we’re not human
This switch from “He is not human” in the beginning of the song to “We are not human” in the end shows how deeply connected the boy became with the father over the course of the grieving process. It also emphasizes that he not only wants to be in this ship in the sky because his father is there, but also because it is a place where he does not have to be human in a world that makes him feel so different from other humans. Patti Smith as the narrator says “we” here, meaning that she is relating to the boy, and maybe we all relate to the boy. We all want to leave the difficulty of loss and opposition and loneliness and go to the immortal Birdland of our dreams. On that note, she leaves us in the final line with this statement:
We like Birdland.
Yes, Patti, we definitely do.
The name of my song is “ROSE IN THE WINTER” by artist Millkzy, from the album EVER SINCE SHEFFIELD. The song describes Millkzy’s feelings towards the emotion of love and how much pain past experiences with it has brought him, he doesn’t use any specific events within his life though. The lyrics throughout the song are meant to seem deeply personal while still being unspecific enough to be universally relatable for his audience. His calm yet saddened tone goes perfectly along with the subtle piano in the background, giving a very melancholy and nostalgic vibe. As throughout the song he describes that even though the emotion called love brought him so much pain, being able to experience such a pleasant feeling, even if it was fleeting, is addictive. He uses metaphors and even goes as deep as personifying the emotion of love for the audience.
A conversation bout what love is-The thing that made addictions before drugs did.
And now I’m single now you see what love did?
He goes even further into his description of feeling like love can be addicting. Using different metaphors to describe how toxic love can be at times, when you experience it for the wrong person. How complicated and confusing love can be for both people in a relationship, and how truly hard it can be for love to work out. Due to all the many different circumstances that can interrupt it.
I rehab from your love but I still do reuse it
Is love one of those things you meant to do while healing
Crafting vivid imagery with just his words. These techniques go perfectly into the song due to how easily and seamlessly he can weave them into his rhyme scheme. Millkzy having a past in spoken word has much more experience with these poetry techniques, and can easily blend them into his music. Using the more simple techniques also goes perfectly with the theme and the melancholy vibe of the song. The rather calm and sleek tone of the music fits perfectly with that type of language.
In the song “Reckless” by Ethan Healy, released in his 2017 album, Subluxe, he brings out a summer vibe. His use of slow-paced guitar, upbeat bass sounds of the drums, and a change in tempo make a song that can be slow-paced bring a nice and catchy vibe to it. The lyrics speak of a relationship that is working out great with both parties wanting to be together more as it becomes summer.
Pool days, high tops,
With my blue face, ice pops,
Eyes on summer like cyclops,
Healy’s choice of diction to describe the summer feeling about to start happening. They are beginning to start their summer days of going to the pool for hours and eating ice pops. Healy chooses the word “cyclops” as a way to represent the sun. A cyclops is a Greek creature that is most commonly known for its one eye, so that is represented as the sun.
Yeah we fallin’ off the sidewalk.
Momma wants you home before nightfall
What I Found most intresting about this couplet is the rhyme. When approaching the lines, there seems to be no rhyme because of the ending of the words but, they do rhyme because they are known as slant rhymes. In the song, Healy doesn’t pronounce the ending sound of sidewalk so he is able to rhyme it with night fall.
In the song “What a fool believes” performed by the doobie brothers and written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. It was a highlight single from the bands “Minute by Minute” 1979 album. This song is about two lovers from long ago meeting again. One of them, the man, is still hoping there is some flame in the relationship, but the other, the woman, is only meeting up to be nice. In the meeting, he thinks there is still something there, but she just indulges him with a meeting and leaves, forever.
“What a fool believes delivers a profound look at the lies and assurance we tell and give ourselves about past intimate relationships. It argues that a “fool” is not wrong about a past love, but in present desperately constructs one sided memories into a story of ever distant romance because the hard pill to swallow is that the love was never truly mutual, is too devastating to accept.
The song uses diction such as dramatic irony, we know more than the “fool” does. While he is lost in past memories, we know the truth that ” She had a place in his life… he never made her think twice” This shows his determination and hopefulness is unsuccessful, this makes it sad, not romantic. It also uses some paradoxical language to show how its logically possible. “He’s tryin hard to recreate… what had yet to be created” But he is trying to rebuild something, that from her perspective never happen. It isn’t just trying relive memories its trying to build something that never existed. And finally, a metaphor explains why he believes what a fool would; “What seems to be… is always better than nothing” His false reality of having a relationship with her is compared to having no relationship with her. This argues that a Beautiful, but painful dream is better than accepting a empty and cold reality.
Throughout the (admittedly, very long) song “Famous Prophets (Stars)” by Car Seat Headrest, a lot of elements usually limited to poetry (or at least, particularly present in poetic literature) are utilized both in the structure of the music and the lyrics.
Firstly, there is the strategic internal rhymes within the lyrics.
The ripping of the tape hurts my ears
In my years, I have never seen anyone quit quite like you do
“Ears” and “do” do not rhyme, and the way in which the line is spoken means that “years” does not occur in a way that feels like the end of a lyric. However, due to the internal rhyme, the song still feels as though it contains a rhyme, therefore not breaking the traditional structure entirely. This happens again a few lines later.
They meant what I went through for you
This conveys a sense of hesitancy to defy, which is highlighted throughout the poem, which is about the ending of a relationship that, through the course of the album, has been established as meaning a lot to the author.
Additionally, the poem heavily utilizes repetition, stating several motifs for minute on end.
We gotta go back
We gotta go back
We gotta…
As well as:
The ocean washed over your grave
The ocean washed open your grave
The ocean washed over your grave
The ocean washed open your grave
(Etc.)
Furthermore, there is repetition that is not word for word, but still very similar:
I could fill back in that grave
I could hammer in that nail
I could give you what you deserve
I could sing another song
I could watch that hammer swerve
While repetition of motifs is common in prose or nonfiction, this level of repetition is primarily exclusive to poetry, which further demonstrates how this song is a good representation of poetry, even while it is set to music.
An additional element of poetry in the song is when there is in interjection of actual spoken word. Through the second half/end of the song, there are both biblical allusions and sections of only spoken words. While there isn’t a directly applicable technique as used in poetry, the fact that it breaks the form of a typical song very clearly, in my opinion, further develops it as more of a poetic piece than just a song.
If I give all I possess to the poor (all I possess to the poor) and give over my body to hardship (over my body to hardship) that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing – I gain nothing
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast-
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres-
In addition to this being a spoken section, this is also a biblical reference, which is a very common technique in poetry, as the Bible is one of the most well-known pieces of literature. This in particular references to Corinthians 13:1 – 13:13.
These poetic devices used help to add an almost ethereal quality to the song, which adds to the experience of it. You don’t feel as though you are listening to a song about a breakup, you feel as though you are the person, contemplating the end of a meaningful relationship, one that was very emotional and filled with turmoil but that was with you as you grew and changed as a young adult.
On March 16th, 2015, American rapper and hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar released his third studio album, To Pimp A Butterfly. The album is considered one of the greatest works of music in recent times because of its ability to blend jazz, hip-hop, and rap, along with a multitude of themes regarding racial oppression, mental health, fame, and materialism. The thirteenth song on the album, “The Blacker the Berry,” examines these concepts in a climactic and raw confrontation where Lamar gives voice to anger shaped by racism, while at the same time questioning how that anger is used.
Lamar communicates this theme through his accusatory tone and diction. Most of the song is delivered in an aggressive manner, symbolizing the anger that is created from racial discrimination.
“You never liked us anyway, f— your friendship, I meant it”
“You sabotage my community, makin’ a killin’
You made me a killer”
He addresses the resentment many Black people feel about being discriminated against and the exploitation that they’ve experienced from White people. However, despite this rage (and similarly to “America” by Claude McKay), Lamar feels empowered to rise against the system that desperately tries to tear his people down.
“Jealous of my wisdom and cards I dealt
Watchin’ me as I pull up, fill up my tank, then peel out”
“Black and successful, this black man meant to be special”
Through the use of alliteration with the sharp “L’s”, “B’s”, and “S’s”, he extends the hostile tone further to show the perseverance of Black people and the pride they take in their abilities and culture. All of the hostility, along with the repetition of the line:
I’m the biggest hypocrite of 2015
At the beginning of every verse, culminates into a climactic finish where Lamar confronts his own messages and actions.
So don’t matter how much I say I like to preach with the Panthers
Or tell Georgia State “Marcus Garvey got all the answers”
Or try to celebrate February like it’s my B-Day
Or eat watermelon, chicken, and Kool-Aid on weekdays
Or jump high enough to get Michael Jordan endorsements
Or watch BET cause urban support is important
So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street?
When gangbanging make me kill a n—– blacker than me?
Despite trying to celebrate his people’s culture in an attempt to fight against the system, his own anger is misguided and instead redirected towards his own race. Concluding the final line with,
Hypocrite!
To show the irony in his actions. The repetition of the lines starting with “Or” shows his efforts to uplift his people and support his culture. But the repetition of the word “Hypocrite” shows that he does the same amount of damage as White people do to his community. Revealing that merely condemning injustice is not enough to fight against it when the actions of the individual contradict their preachings.
In the song “Tu Tu Neurotic” by The Hellp on their debut album Vol 1, there are many poetic elements in the lyrics if you look under their surface. Upon listening to the upbeat tempo and production, it can be hard to determine the true message of the song, but when reading deeper into the lyrics and their poetic elements, it speaks of the experiences of a teenage girl from Tennessee, a native american boy, and a homosexual. The song starts off talking about the girl from Tensee, saying
“There’s a young girl, from Tennessee
Does she believe in God or me?
Taste of the vanity, chasing the recipe
Late night, still light”
I believe the song uses a young girl from Tennessee who is meant to be religious to represent an old idea of an American from the 20th century. I think the choice additionally to talk about a native american boy and a homosexual, for the other characters are meant to represent and speak on on the morphing identity of America and its diverness, the native american boy is meant to represent America’s original form before it was colonized, the girl from Tennessee is intended to represent a 20th-century America finding her identity specifically with the line of believing in God or me which I believe is meant to speak to many americas changing relgious idenity where many people are growing to become unaffiliated from religion. Lastly, I believe the lines about homosexuality is meant to represent America becoming more accepting of other people as they are able to come out of the closet.
“hides outside the closet
Out the house that now’s a college
New knowledge, and burn out friends
Been a puppet, been a jester, had enough of that”
The metaphor of being a puppet and a jester is meant to represent their feelings of being forced to cover up their identity, which they are now able to express with the changing identity of America. The song is able to express this morph through repetition and using these characters to represent greater demographics and groups in the United States.
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses as a part of Appetite for Destruction might seem like an outdated 80’s rock song, but it has a deeper meaning about love that still speaks today.
At first, the song is starts as a typical love song; the speaker admires someone for her smile, her eyes, and the reassurance she brings. For now, it is pure admiration. Love is presented as safe and innocent, and makes the speaker feel comfortable. He says,
She’s got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Then, the song starts to represent a sort of emotional dependence into this girl by evoking nostalgia upon the speaker. The speaker doesn’t want to lose this girl because he starts to make a deeper connection with her, and he falls in love.
I’d hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain
Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place
Where, as a child, I’d hide
And pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by
Finally, the electric guitar solo shifts the melody, and the speaker’s emotional investment turns into a fear of loss. The tone shifts and the attitude turns slightly aggressive and introduces the anxiety. The speaker is scared to lose his love. He repeats:
Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
In the end, the song shows that love isn’t the usual romance, but about how love can make people feel innocent comfort, which can bring back memories, and can create longing and fear of loss.
In the song “Love Yourz” by J. Cole, from the album 2014 Forest Hills Drive, the artist reflects on the idea that true happiness comes from appreciating one’s own life rather than comparing it to others. The speaker addresses both himself and the audience, creating an intimate, reflective tone that encourages listeners to reconsider how they define success. The central message of the song is that fulfillment cannot be found through wealth, fame, or status, but through gratitude and self-acceptance.
One poetic technique J. Cole uses is imagery to highlight the emptiness of material success. When he says, “No such thing as a life that’s better than yours,” the line creates a clear mental contrast between imagined “better” lives and the reality of one’s own, emphasizing how comparison distorts perspective. This imagery reinforces the theme by showing that envy is rooted in illusion, not truth.
Another device is repetition, which J. Cole uses purposefully to strengthen the song’s message. The repeated line “Love yours” acts almost like a mantra, reminding the listener again and again of the song’s core idea. Instead of using repetition for rhythm alone, J. Cole uses it to deepen the emotional impact and ensure the message stays with the audience.
Finally, J. Cole employs direct address, speaking straight to the listener in lines like “Think being broke was better.” This creates a conversational tone that makes the song feel personal and sincere. By speaking directly, he invites listeners to reflect on their own lives rather than judging others. Overall, “Love Yourz” functions as a modern poem that challenges cultural definitions of success and encourages listeners to find value in what they already have.
“Glue Myself Shut” by Noah Kahan on the album Cape Elizabeth
This song explores themes of how self-isolation and anxiety can impede relationships and connection, but also create the need for support from surrounding people. It depicts someone going through tough times and feeling the need to push everything away. However, the persistent efforts of someone close to the speaker are the one thing that can break down their emotional walls and offer support in a very isolated and lonely time. The song beautifully contrasts self-destruction with unconditional love, as it articulates the effects of anxiety and depression on relationships and the emotional distress they can cause. It also acknowledges the perspective of someone observing these struggles, and the toll it can take watching someone close go through this. The song highlights the need for and reliance on a consistent force of love and support that observers can offer, provided they are willing to share some of the burden of emotional distress to lighten the weight on the person struggling. This song describes the internal struggle and tension between the tendency to push people away and seal emotional walls caused by personal issues, and the desire for someone to stay and help.
You never asked once
No you never asked why
If I was putting things off
If I was drinking too much of that red wine
These lyrics show the blind acceptance of someone and all of their faults and indirectly depict the pressure of needing to be there for someone when you notice they are going through something, rather than questioning their decisions. It uses imagery to accomplish this and emphasise the deep, unspoken understanding between the person who is having trouble and the person who is trying to help.
It only feels real when it’s raining
And hearts only heal after breaking
I stare at the tree line
And notice the leaves aren’t changing
The reality of their relationship is revealed by how they show up for each other in times of sadness and heal each other. This also references the change of seasons and passage of time together despite the consistency of their struggles and the internal battles he faces. This contrasts the natural changes of things, such as seasons or relationships, with the persistent struggles they face.
And if I glued myself shut
You would find your way in
Gluing himself shut is a metaphor that shows how he deals with anxiety and/or depression by self-isolating and closing himself off from society and people in his life. However, this contrasts with the next line as it illustrates their partner’s persistent efforts to support them and be a source of comfort. This contrast emphasises the effort it takes to maintain this relationship and the struggles of both perspectives: someone dealing with a poor mental state, and someone trying to help them when they’re opposed to being helped. This contributes to the theme of overcoming emotional walls by being persistent in efforts to help, love, and connect with the person who is struggling.
“I Cant Wait” by The Sundays is an emotional song that feels calm but has a deeper meaning. The song mainly focuses on waiting and wanting something that hasn’t happened yet. While it could be seen as a love song, I think it is more about a feeling of longing and impatience.
I can’t wait, forever
And the days and the hours
And the years keep turning in my mind
I’ve been waiting forever
To me, this shows how longing can become exhausting, especially when you don’t know if what you’re waiting for will ever happen. This makes the song feel relatable since it captures the feeling of being stuck in thoughts while time moves forward. Since the lyrics in the song aren’t very detailed, that makes them feel more personal, since the situation isn’t clearly explained and the listener can relate it to their own experiences.
When there’s more in your head
Than you find in your life, it calls for a change
I cant wait, forever
Having more in your head shows that dreams and expectations aren’t being fulfilled, and the line “it calls for a change” sounds like something needs to be different. Ending with the repeated line of “i can’t wait forever” shows how coming to change isn’t easy but is necessary.
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.
Solange Knowles “Cranes in the Sky” is the 4th song on her album A Seat at the Table. The song was released on September 30, 2016, by Saint Records and Columbia Records and was deemed the most popular song from the album. The song talks about the many ways people try to distract themselves from sadness and internal conflict. It touches on the importance of properly healing from your hardships and using it to build upon rather than restrict yourself. Through vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphors she shows the unique, slow process of emotional healing.
I tried to drink it away
I tried to put one in the air
I tried to dance it away
I tried to change it with my hairI ran my credit card bill up
Thought a new dress make it better
I tried to work it away
But that just made me even sadder
Solange starts the song off by naming multiple things she’d done in attempts to distract herself from her feelings. She emphasizes how she kept cycling through different ways to avoid her feelings but nothing seemed to work. This is being used to show that covering up your feelings is easy but truly being able to sit and deal with them is the more challenging part. The repetition of “I tried to” shows the constant attempts to run from her emotions which only made her feelings deeper. The singer actually said she’d just went through a tough breakup when she was writing this song, naturally she was distraught and forced to deal with the emotions of losing someone she was close to.
Away, away, away, away, away
Away, away, away, away, awayBut it’s like cranes in the skySometimes I don’t wanna feel those metal clouds
The repetition of “away” appears multiple times throughout the song to show her trying to push her negative emotions away. The repetition almost serves as a plea to get away from the distractions and the urge to want to work on yourself. She gets louder with each repetition which shows her growing strength towards fighting for her well-being while also giving a soft, graceful delivery. “Cranes in the sky” could have a couple different meanings. To me I took this line literally as in the crane birds in the sky. Cranes are said to represent longevity, peace, and fortune across many cultures so using this could show her need to find ground after facing constant distractions. Cranes in this line could also be referring to tower cranes which are also used in construction sites. This could also explain the next line “sometimes I don’t wanna feel those metal clouds”. Her emotions are big and inescapable, forcing her to work on herself and towering over her like cranes at a construction site. She uses this analogy to represent the constant changes that goes on in our everyday lives but the ability to sit back and watch growth happen if you let it.
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.