Thursday, May 7, 2009

Song Analysis 3

Lyrics:

Wake up everyone
How can you sleep at a time like this?
Unless the dreamer is the real you
Listen to your voice
The one that tells you to taste past the tip of your tongue
Leap and the net will appear

I don't wanna wake before
The dream is over
I'm gonna make it mine
Yes, I... I wanna own it
I'm gonna make it mine
Yes, I'll make it all mine

I keep my life on a heavy rotation
Requesting that it's lifting you up
Up, up and away
And over to a table at the gratitude café

And I am finally there
And all the angels they'll be singing
Ah la la la ah la la la I la la la la love this

Well, I don't wanna break before
the tour is over
I'm gonna make it mine
That's right, I... I wanna own it
I'm gonna make it mine
Yes, I'll make it all mine

Yes I will make it all mine

And timing's everything,
and this time there's plenty
I am balancing,
Careful and steady,
And reveling in energy that everyone's emitting

Well, I don't wanna wait no more
Oh, I wanna celebrate the whole world
I'm gonna make it mine
Because I'm following your joy

I'm gonna make it mine
Because I... I am opened
I'm gonna make it mine
That's right... I wanna show it
I'm gonna make it, it mine
gonna make, gonna make, gonna make, gonna make, gonna make, 
make it, make it mine
(I'll make it mine) yes, mine
(I'll make it mine) yes, mine
(I'll make it mine) oooh mine
Yes, I will make it all, make it all mine
Yes, i will make it all 

“Make It Mine”

            Often in music, songs are written as a form of liberation for the writer to get their message out and express their feelings. Many songwriters today use their music to sing about liberation, and the message the song sends may also be liberating for the listener. Jason Mraz is known for trying to share his views with his listeners via his music, and sings what he feels with his creative wordplay. The song “Make It Mine”, written and performed by Jason Mraz, is an inspirational tune with a tone of optimism that tells the story of a motivated person who wants to live life to the fullest.

            “Make It Mine” begins as the speaker is addressing his listeners, trying to inspire them to wake up and cherish the world around them. He sings, “Wake up everyone, how can you sleep at a time like this? Unless the dreamer is the real you”. Mraz is telling his listeners that they need to wake up and look at the world around them, and realize how beautiful life is. He asks them how they could “sleep” or be ignorant to the fact that life is such a beautiful thing, unless they are a dreamer and prefer to dream than face reality. Mraz continues to inspire his listeners in the next verse, in which he is trying to tell them to live to the fullest. He phrases this piece of advice eloquently, and says, “Listen to your voice, the one that tells you to taste past the tip of your tongue, leap and the next will appear”. By “tasting past the tip of your tongue”, Mraz is referring to living outside of the box and to the fullest. In the next verse, he is speaking to himself about his determination to live his life to the fullest and cherish every moment. He sings, “I don’t wanna wake before the dream is over, I’m gonna make it mine, yes I, I know it”. The “dream” he is speaking of is life, and he doesn’t want to wake from the feeling of contentment before his life is over. In the next verse, Mraz again gives his listeners a view into how he lives his life, and he says, “I keep my life on a heavy rotation”, meaning that he changes things up a lot, and likes to try different things. Next, Mraz cleverly tells his listeners that he wants to make them appreciate life more when he says, “Requesting that it’s lifting you up, up, up and away and over to a table at the Gratitude Café”. He is promoting seizing the day and living optimistically. He furthers his optimism and inspirational lyrics during the next verse when he sings, “And I am finally there, and all the angels they’ll be singing”.  Mraz is telling his listeners that he has reached the point of happiness and fulfillment in his life that he has been trying to find, and has been greeted with angels, a sign of the heavens. He says, “I am balancing careful and steady and reveling in energy that everyone’s emitting”, meaning that he is carefully living his life and soaking up everybody’s good energy. He closes saying, “Well I don’t wanna wait no more, oh I wanna celebrate the whole world”, optimistically saying that he wants to cherish his life and life it to the fullest that he can.

            “Make It Mine” contains many poetic devices that help enhance the listening pleasure of the song. It contains examples of alliteration, such as “taste past the tip of your tongue”, which repeats the consonant T. Another example of alliteration is “make it mine”, which repeats the consonant M. Anaphora is also used in the song, because “make it mine” is repeated consecutively several different times in different spots of the song. This enforces the theme of optimism in the song, and helps get out the speaker’s message.  

            This song is a perfect example of optimism and inspiration within music. Mraz’s clever wordplay and optimistic views on life are exhibited in this song, and are part of what makes it so inspirational to listeners. The speaker is trying to get out the message to live life to the fullest capacity, and to reach for the stars. 

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Creative Project

Creative Project

Type of Project: Short Story
Song: "Make It Mine" - Jason Mraz
Lyrics:


Wake up everyone
How can you sleep at a time like this?
Unless the dreamer is the real you
Listen to your voice
The one that tells you to taste past the tip of your tongue
Leap and the net will appear

I don't wanna wake before
The dream is over
I'm gonna make it mine
Yes, I... I wanna own it
I'm gonna make it mine
Yes, I'll make it all mine

I keep my life on a heavy rotation
Requesting that it's lifting you up
Up, up and away
And over to a table at the gratitude café

And I am finally there
And all the angels they'll be singing
Ah la la la ah la la la I la la la la love this

Well, I don't wanna break before
the tour is over
I'm gonna make it mine
That's right, I... I wanna own it
I'm gonna make it mine
Yes, I'll make it all mine

Yes I will make it all mine

And timing's everything,
and this time there's plenty
I am balancing,
Careful and steady,
And reveling in energy that everyone's emitting

Well, I don't wanna wait no more
Oh, I wanna celebrate the whole world
I'm gonna make it mine
Because I'm following your joy

I'm gonna make it mine
Because I... I am opened
I'm gonna make it mine
That's right... I wanna show it
I'm gonna make it, it mine
gonna make, gonna make, gonna make, gonna make, gonna make, 
make it, make it mine
(I'll make it mine) yes, mine
(I'll make it mine) yes, mine
(I'll make it mine) oooh mine
Yes, I will make it all, make it all mine
Yes, i will make it all 

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Society Messages #2 : Blowin' in the Wind - Bob Dylan


"Blowin' in the Wind"

Bob Dylan



How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.




Analysis:

"Blowin' in the Wind", written and performed by Bob Dylan, contains many messages about society, and asks the questions about the world that most people ask in their heads each day, but nobody knows the answer to. In the first verse, Dylan asks, "How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand?" This is an analogy, and Dylan is really asking how many wars must there be until there is peace. A white dove is a symbol of peace, and the "seas" she "sails" are different countries and parts of the world waging war. He also asks, "How many times must the cannon balls fly before they're forever banned?" Dylan is wondering for how long will these weapons ("cannons") that kill be allowed to fly in the air and take the lives of innocent people before they are ("forever") banned, and there will be peace. Dylan is trying to express the concept of peace, and these rhetorical questions that he is asking express his views poetically and beautifully. In the second verse, Dylan asks, "How many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free?" He is asking for how long will some people in the world be ruled under tyranny before they are allowed to be free and independent. Next, he asks, "How many times can a man turn his head and pretend he just don't see?" Dylan is asking his listeners how many times can people turn their heads and be ignorant to the things happening in the world and not do anything about them. He asks, "How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?" This question mocks the lack of sympathy of some people, and he wonders how some people can be so ignorant to the pain of others, and wonders what has to be done so they are aware of the suffering of others. He also asks, "How many deaths will it take 'til he knows that too many people have died?" This also refers to the ignorance of some people in the world, or people who just don't care about what is going on and refuse to do anything about it. Dylan is wondering how many people must die until they wake up and realize what is going on in the world around them and do something about it. Throughout the song, Dylan tells his listeners that "the answer, my friends, is blowin' in the wind". This perhaps means that the answer cannot be found, because wind is a fleeting, invisible thing that comes and goes; it is not permanent and it is not written out in stone. Perhaps, the answer must be found within themselves, or within society. This song is both inspirational and optimistic with it's messages of peace and freedom.

Society Messages # 1 : Let It Be - The Beatles


"Let It Be"

The Beatles



When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be


And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be


Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be


When all the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer
Let it be


For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer
Let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
there will be an answer
Let it be


Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be


And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow
Let it be
I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be


Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
There will be an answer
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be


Analysis:

"Let It Be" by the Beatles uses an optimistic approach to address the problems of society, and describes the possible solutions. In the first verse, the speaker states that "Mother Mary" comes to him in "times of trouble", or adversity, and she tells him to "let it be". This image is repeated again in the second verse, and "Mother Mary" approached him in his "hour of darkness", or hard times where he felt at rock-bottom. He says that she is standing "right in front" of him, serving as an inspiration to "let it be", and optimistically be at peace with what happens in his life. In the chorus, the speaker says, "Whisper words of wisdom". These "words of wisdom" are the ones that were told to him by "Mother Mary", who inspired him to "let it be". Then, the speaker addresses society, singing, "When the broken-hearted people living in this world agree, there will be an answer". He is perhaps referring to all of the people in the world who have been split from a lover, in any way, and says that when they all agree to be optimistic and look at the bright side, there will be an answer to their problems. In the next verse, the speaker readdresses these people, and says that, "For though they have been parted there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer". The speaker is being hopeful, saying that if the broken-hearted people think optimistically and try not to dwell on their loss, they will find the answer that they need to move on. Throughout these messages to society, he repeats the phrase "let it be", and this repetition is to reiterate the optimistic message of the song, and to inspire listeners to think as "Mother Mary" inspired him to, and let things happen as they should.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Imagery Song # 2: Lucky - Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat


Lucky

Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat



Do you hear me, talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky oh my, baby I'm trying


Boy I hear you in my dreams
I hear your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Oooohhhhoohhhhohhooohhooohhooohoooh

They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I wait for you I promise you, I will

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music, fell the air
I put a flower in your hair

And though the breezes through the trees
Move so pretty you're all I see
Let the world keep spinning round
You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooooh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh


Analysis:


"Lucky", a duet celebrating a couple's luck in life and illustrates their optimism, contains imagery to enhance the song. The song begins with a man singing, asking, "Do you hear me talking to you?" Using imagery, he says that he is "across the water, across the deep blue ocean, under the open sky", illustrating a clear picture to his listener where he is as he is singing. Then, the other singer, a woman, answers, "Boy I hear you in my dreams, I feel your whisper across the sea", using imagery to let her lover know that she does hear him. She sings, "I keep you with me in my heart, you make it easier when life gets hard", telling the man how much he means to her, and showing the listener how much she cares about him. The chorus is very optimistic, with the couple singing, "I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend, lucky to have been where I have been, lucky to be coming home again", expressing how grateful they are for who they have and where they've been. This chorus inspires the listener that they too are lucky for the people that they have and that they should cherish the ones they love. The next verse contains more imagery, and the man sings, "So I'm sailing through the sea, to an island where we'll meet. You'll hear the music fill the air, I'll put a flower in your hair". This passage clearly illustrates a beautiful scene in the listeners head of how the lovers will meet. More imagery occurs in the next lines, describing the nature around them. The woman sings, "Though the breezes through the trees move so pretty, you're all I see", illustrating the wind blowing through the trees and how beautiful they are. This song is happy and optimistic, and is inspiring for others everywhere to be appreciative of who they have in their lives.

Imagery Song #1: Tuesday Afternoon - The Moody Blues

Tuesday Afternoon
The Moody Blues
Tuesday, afternoon,
I'm just beginning to see,
Now I'm on my way,
It doesn't matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something, calls to me,
The trees are drawing me near,
I've got to find out why
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh.

I'm looking at myself, reflections of my mind,
It's just the kind of day to leave myself behind,
So gently swaying thru the fairy-land of love,
If you'll just come with me and see the beauty of

Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday, afternoon,
I'm just beginning to see,
Now I'm on my way,
It doesn't matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something, calls to me,
The trees are drawing me near,
I've got to find out why
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh.
Analysis:
"Tuesday Afternoon" by the Moody Blues contains lots of imagery, all of which compliment the song greatly. The song begins with the speaker having a sort of epiphany one "Tuesday afternoon", and he realizes that "now I'm on my [his] way". Something inspired the speaker to embark on a new journey in his life, and the song begins on an optimistic note. The speaker then states, "It doesn't matter to me, chasing the clouds away", hinting to the listener that perhaps his new journey was to be carefree and happy. He no longer worries about the trivial things in life, and "chasing the clouds away" appeals to the sense of sight, and gives the listener a vision of fluffy white clouds in the afternoon sky, and a carefree man chasing away his problems (the "clouds" in his sunny sky). More imagery occurs in the next verse of the song, and the speaker says, "Something calls to me, the trees are drawing me near", which gives the listener a visual image in their minds. Then he continues, "Those gentle voices I hear explain it all with a sigh", which gives another clear mental picture to the listener. The third verse contains the most imagery, with lines such as, "I'm looking at myself, reflections of my mind" and, "It's just the kind of day to leave myself behind", which are optimistic and illustrate a certain optimistic mentality to the reader. The optimism in the song continues in the next lines, "So softly swaying through the fairy-land of love, if you'll just come with me and see the beauty of Tuesday afternoon", showing that the speaker appreciates the beauty of life.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Song Analysis # 2: "Hey Jude" - The Beatles


Songwriters utilize music as a form of expression, and songs can be written for many different purposes. Songs may be written in a general sense to address a people and send them out a message, or it can be written on a more personal and dedicated to a certain person, group, or issue that the speaker feels strongly about. Many pieces of music have been written and dedicated to a certain individual (whether they are real or fictitious) with the purpose to send a message to them. Songs such as these often prove to be inspirational to the listener as well, and allow the listener to develop their own meaning for the song. “Hey Jude”, written by Paul McCartney for his son, Jules, to console him, serves to be an optimistic song that inspires not only Jules McCartney, but also the listener. 

“Hey Jude” is an encouraging ballad that’s purpose is to lift the spirits of ‘Jude”, a young man in despair, and inspire him to go after the girl he’s in love with. The speaker begins by saying, “Hey Jude, don’t make it bad”, trying to inspire Jude not to focus on the negatives, and instead on the positives by taking “a sad song and make[ing] it better”, or taking a bad situation and making the best of it. The speaker wants Jude to let the girl that he loves “into [Jude’s] heart” so that he can “start to make it better”. Once Jude has his love in his life, he will become a happier person and make his life better. The speaker assures Jude not to be afraid, and that he was “made to go out and get her”, insinuating that he believes Jude and the girl he loves are soul mates and meant to be together. The speaker insists that the minute that Jude and his lover become close, when he “lets her under [his] skin”, his life will be better and happier. In the next verse, the speaker tries to advise Jude not to let things build up and stress him out. He sings, “Anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain” and tells him “don’t carry the world upon your shoulders”. He then tells Jude that he is a fool for pretending he is fine when he really is not (“for well you know that it’s a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder”). The next verse serves as a piece of motivation for Jude, and the speaker tells Jude, “Don’t let me down”. He then says, “You have found her, now go and get her”, motivating him to go after the girl who could very well be the one who is meant for him. The speaker then repeats, “Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better”, which hints to Jude that by getting to know her, his life will be better. The next verse begins, “So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin”, and the speaker tells Jude to take deep breaths and just calm his thoughts. Then he points out, “You’re waiting for someone to perform with”, meaning that Jude has been solo for so long, and he has been waiting for a companion to spend his life with. He asks Jude, “Don’t you know that its just you?” meaning that Jude is the only one for her. According to the speaker, the “movement [Jude] need is on your shoulder”, the movement being a shrug. Jude needs not to carry the stresses of the world on his shoulder, and instead needs to shrug it all off and live for himself. This song is trying to get the message out that one shouldn’t carry the burdens of the world upon their shoulders, and that love in any form cures anything. 

There are many different poetic devices used in “Hey Jude”, all of which enhance the listening pleasure of the song and make it fit in with all of the other catchy Beatles classics. Repetitions of sounds are found frequently in the song, and alliteration, consonance, and assonance are used. In the first verse, alliteration with the consonant “s” is present: “sad song”. Assonance is also used in the song various times with the phrases: “anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain”, “for well you know that’s it’s a fool who plays it cool”, and “don’t you know that its just you, hey Jude, you’ll do”. Epistrophe, a repetition of words and phrases, is also evident within the song. The song says, “make it better” at the end of the second and fourth line in the first verse. These poetic devices increase the song’s catchiness and give it the signature Beatles sound.

This song, “Hey Jude”, fits into the theme of Optimism and Inspiration for many reasons, and is a perfect example of an inspirational ballad. This song was originally written to be inspirational to the songwriter’s son, and succeeded in fulfilling not only its original purpose, but also it inspired listeners around the world. It is very optimistic, and tries to lift the spirits of the listener, or “Jude”, by telling him or her to “take a sad song and make it better”, or make the best of the situation. This song serves to be not only inspirational for its original recipient, Jules McCartney, but also to the average listener who just needs a pick-me-up to lift their spirits when in despair.

Lyrics:

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. 
Take a sad song and make it better. 
Remember to let her into your heart, 
Then you can start to make it better. 

Hey Jude, don't be afraid. 
You were made to go out and get her. 
The minute you let her under your skin, 
Then you begin to make it better. 

And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain, 
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders. 
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool 
By making his world a little colder. 

Da da da da da da, da da da, hey Jude... 

Hey Jude, don't let me down. 
You have found her, now go and get her. 
Remember to let her into your heart, 
Then you can start to make it better. 

So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin, 
You're waiting for someone to perform with. 
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do, 
The movement you need is on your shoulder. 

Da da da da da da, da da da, hey Jude... 

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. 
Take a sad song and make it better. 
Remember to let her under your skin, 
Then you'll begin to make it 
Better better better better better better, oh. 

Da da da da da da, da da da, hey Jude...