song analysis from six songs

Don't Worry Be Happy- Bobby McFerrin

The song "Don't Worry Be Happy" was released by Bobby McFerrin in 1988. This song was on the Billboard Hot 100 as the first a cappella song to reach number one for two weeks. "Don't Worry Be Happy" won Grammy Awards for "Song of the Year," "Record of the Year," and "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance." The song was ranked number 31 on the VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80's. The saying "Don't Worry Be Happy" was taken from Meher Baba, who is an Indian spiritual master. The "instruments" in this song are not real instruments; the instruments are overdubbed voice parts and other sounds made by McFerrin.
"Don't Worry Be Happy" has a lot of literary terms throughout the song. The first term I noticed was a hyperbole. The line "when you worry you make it double" is an exaggeration. I think that this is an exaggeration because I don't agree that worrying about something will make the situation twice as bad. There is a lot of examples of imagery in this song. "Somebody came and took your bed" is a great example of imagery because you can imagine someone coming in and evicting your house and taking everything you own. This song includes a little bit of humor. An example of humor in this song is when he says, "Here I give you my phone number, when you worry call me, I make you happy." I think this is funny because of his tone when he says it. It is also funny to me because the thought of a stranger giving their number to me to call them when I am sad is humorous. The mood in this song is very happy, which relates back to why the song is called, "Don't Worry Be Happy."

90's song analysis

"Gettin Jiggy Wit It" was a song written by Will Smith, co-written by Nas, that was on his album titled "Big Willie Style" released in 1998. The song was on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks ranked 68th greatest song from the 90's by VH1. Also, this song won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. The song was racially looked down upon because the word "jiggy" is another term for a "jigaboo" which is a derogatory name from black people. This made the literal meaning of the title of the song "getting African-American with it."

This song has a good literary rating. The course is filled with euphony when it says, "na na na na nana" and there is another example at the beginning of the song saying "whoo." There is an example of alliteration in the song where it states, "bicka bow bow bump bump." This is alliteration because they are words that are sounds. The line "you gotta Prada bag with alotta stuff in it" that displays imagery. "Givin' up jiggy make it feel like foreplay" is an example of a simile because it is comparing two things with the word like.

song with euphony

Katelyn Tarver- Undeniable

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na (oh hoh)
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah – it's so

This song is a euphony because of the acoustic sweet sounds that are produced by the lyrics.

found poems

Californication- Red Hot Chili Peppers

Getting high on information
Trying to steal creation
Break the spell of control of population
Hollywood dreams, destruction
Celebrity star, singing songs
Craving vacation
Raised civilization
Inside tidal waves
These kind of little girls
Marry me girl
Final occasion of the world



Champagne Supernova- Oasis

Believe dreams never die
Cannonball faster
Walking in the sky
Caught me spinning around
People slowly change lives
Special eye, tear away
Find me living beneath the landslide
Where summer someday



Purpose- 311

All make believe
Never slack
Showing no more love, give up
Still got a thing, pure things
Something's purpose
You make me quiver, shiver
Her hands surface
See me coming again
Slow stream, own course

worst song

Cotton Eye Joe- Rednex

Personally, I think that the Cotton Eye Joe is the worst song ever. The song is very short and somewhat repetitive. The words "If it hadn't been" are repeated a lot in this song, which is an unnecessary repetition. In this song, there are only three verses. At first, I felt that this song is kind of akward because I didn't understand the meaning of this song. I saw that someone wrote it is about heroine. I somewhat agree that it is about a drug. I think it is about coke because in the lyrics it says, "He came to town like a midwinter storm." Coke is white which is why I think that this song is about coke. I think that this is an inappropriate song because this song is usually played at children functions. Even though this song started out playing at country western events, it is played at many venues throughout United States. This song is inappropriate to play at children venues because of the meaning of the song. This song is hard to comprehend. The speech is slurred and not clear. I don't understand how this song reached number one in the United Kingdom because it is annoying and the most awful song ever.

2 songs about war

Eminem- Mosh

In this song it is clearly apparent that Eminem is anti-Bush. He mentions Bush's name multiple times throughout this song. There are many other references to Bush. In this video, the man comes home to his wife being re-assigned to Iraq. I think Eminem thinks that there are way too many people are being sent to Iraq. I agree with him; i think that they are basically sending people to their death. After he reads it he says F Bush. Then the mother receives a letter of eviction and looks over at her children and sees them watching Bush on the television talking about tax cuts. These are other examples of Eminem's view of the war and Bush.

DMB- The Last Stop
This song is not about any war particularly; the main focus of this song is war, peace and religion. DMB seems to have a very strong feeling about war and that they think it is pointless and leads to nothing good. The line "If hate's the gate to peace This is the last stop" means that war is not the way to achieve peace. Peace is achieved by not fighting and being peaceful and happy with everyone. The lines "Gracious even God Bloodied the cross Your sins are washed enough" are talking about how God sacrificed himself for all of us and we are still committing sins by fighting when we should be living in a peaceful world. This song is very sarcastic. When he says, "you're righteous" he is refering to how all people are full of hate and hate eachother and are very cocky of their power, which is why I think people feel war is need, to show off their power and strength.

3 songs with social relevance

Bob Marley: War
This song is obviously about war, but it also speaks a lot about discrimination of all kinds such as race and class. There is a line that states, "Until the colour of a man's skin Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes" which I think is a very powerful statement. I think that it is the most powerful line in this song because it is the truth but some people are too ignorant to realize that color of the skin does not matter. Bob is saying that one of the reasons war is created is because of discrimination of rights to people of a certain race. Another reason that war is created is because of "lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality" says Bob. I think that this is a very powerful song that brings out the ugly truth in this world. A lot of people think that racism does not exist anymore, but in some places it still goes on and still continues to be a very serious issue. There are a countless amounts of reasons to why war is started. I don't think that the world will ever live in complete serenity.

Sublime: Date Rape
This song describes how a guy can quickly pursue a girl into having sex with him. I feel that date rape in becoming more and more serious. I think that teenage girls this century are more naive which is the reason why date rape is so easy. Little girls think that having sex with an older man would make them seem cool or feel better about themselves. The rapist in the song is trying to impress the girl by saying he has a brand new car. When she said she had to think about it, he asked if he could buy her a drink. His plan is to get her drunk so she is more open to any suggestion. He asked her if they could have a little fun and she said no let's go home. Obviously, the rapist only wanted it his way and both of them knew that he was going to get whatever he wanted because the girl was drunk and weak. At the end of the song the girl brings the rapist to court and he is sent to jail. Karma comes around and he is now getting raped in jail. No one feels sympathy for rapists being raped because that is what they deserve.

Bob Marley: Redemption Song
This song is about slavery and taking any situation and making it a positive learning experience. This song represents what Bob Marley stood for and believed in his songs. Bob strongly believed in a black man's rights, especially the right of freedom. In the first verse the man is taken by the pirates and sold to merchants. He does not let this defeat him. He takes it as a good experience that made him stronger. This relates to slavery because any situation you are in, like being a slave, it should be looked at as something that can make you stronger, not weaker. A slave is discriminated so they immediately feel like they're on a lower level then the rest. The first emotion you feel would be defeat, but like it says in the second verse, "none but ourselves can free our minds." Bob is saying that only you can bring yourself peace of the mind and feel stronger after each situation in life. Many blacks are suffering from mental abuse still to this day. I don't think slavery will ever end due to the ignorance of the millions of people. Even if only one person is discriminatory, someone else is bound to follow.

my song

I can't believe how much lazier i feel
My brain is dead and there in no light on in my head

Taking my time, trying to write this rhyme
Procrastinating, god this sucks!

I believe in having no homework
Too tired to do any work
Too many excuses I could choose from now
We'll be partying til Monday comes
I believe in something called senioritis!
It's real!

I wanna forget about homework, and have fun everyday
No homework for me so everythin' is A.OK!

song: I Believe in a Thing Called Love

3 types

Joy: Everything is Gonna Be Alright- Bob Marley

In the Summertime- Shaggy

Friendship: My Friends Over You- New Found Glory

Wannabe- Spice Girls

Comfort: Video- India Arie

Wonderwall- Oasis

six songs

the six songs are about: friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion, and love.

friendship: Graduation- Vitamin C
joy: Don't Worry Be Happy- Bobby McFerrin
comfort: Comfortable- John Mayer
knowledge: Knowledge- Green Day
religion: Golden Train- Justin Nozuka
love: One Love- Bob Marley

song with pun

Armageddon It- Def Leppard


Hey, but are you gettin' it?

Are you getting it and Armageddon it sound the same, aka are play on words which means it is a pun.

song with paradox

Paradoxes- Everon

Rivers run dry, but waters flow
No sun in the sky, but flowers grow
A silent scream that hurts my ears
A friendly word that causes fears

Every line in this verse contradicts itself. Rivers can't be dry if water is flowing through it. If there is no sun, how can a flower grow? If a scream is silent then it could not hurt your ears. Friendly words do not cause fear because they are friendly and nice words not mean and scary.

song with ambiguity

Mr. Brightside- The Killers

But it's just the price I pay

You can literally pay for something, or emotionally pay for something because you can regret what you did and have to pay the consequences.

songs with point of view

1. Comfortable- John Mayer

-first person

I just remembered, that time at the market

I sleep with this new girl i'm still getting used to

2. Poker Face- Lady Gaga

-first person

I won't tell you that I love you
Kiss or hug you
Cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin
I'm not lying I'm just stunnin' with my love-glue-gunning

3. She Will Be Loved- Maroon 5

-third person

She had some trouble with herself
He was always there to help her
She always belonged to someone else

4. Be Be Your Love- Rachel Yamagata

-second person

If I could take you away
What would you say
Would you think I'm unreal

Want to be your love for real
Want to be your everything
If you just stay the night
Please, sir, don't you walk away, don't you walk away, don't you walk away

song with euphemism

Gravity- Sara Bareilles

You hold me without touch.
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your rain.

She is addicted to this person or drug and this line is basically saying that the thing isn't forcing her to stay but she is so addicted she will stay with it on her own.

song with allegory

Dig- Incubus

We all have a weakness
But some of ours are easy to identify.

These lines convey that everyone has a weakness but with some people in life it is easy to point out people who go through day to day with weaknesses that are noticeable in everyday life.

If I turn into another
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me.

These lines are conveying someone changing their personality in a negative way.

song with metaphor

Your Body is a Wonderland- John Mayer

One pair of candy lips and
Your bubblegum tongue

The title itself is a metaphor because he is comparing her body to a wonderland. He is comparing the taste of her lips and tongue to candy and bubblegum.

song with simile

I'm Like A Bird- Nelly Furtado

I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away
I don't know where my soul is, I don't know where my home is
(and baby all I need for you to know is)
I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away
I don't know where my soul is , I don't know where my home is
All I need for you to know is

The title is a simile because she is comparing herself to a bird.

song with allusion

I Miss You- Blink 182

Where are you and I'm so sorry
I cannot sleep I cannot dream tonight
I need somebody and always
This sick strange darkness comes creeping on so haunting everytime
And as I stared I counted the webs from all the spiders
catching things and eating their insides
Like indecision to call you
And hear your voice of treason
Will you come home and stop this pain tonight
stop this pain tonight

The singer is apologetic to this girl. He is loosing sleep because he isn't with her. He is very lonely without her and so bored that he is counting spider webs. He is indecisive about calling her. He wants her back so he does not have to feel lonely and lost anymore.

songs with personification

Vultures- John Mayer

How did they find me here
What do they want from me
All of these vultures hiding
Right outside my door
I hear them whisperin
They're tryin to ride it out
Cause they've never gone this long
Without a kill before

In this verse he is comparing people following him to vultures. I think he is talking about the paparazzi. I think that the last two lines are describing how the paparazzi get their shot of celebrities right away but it is taking a while for them to get a photo of him.

Nightcrawler- Rebelution

Yes there's a nightcrawler walking with her fist clenched, now raise up
And feed her some happiness

These lines are comparing a girl to a beast which is a "night crawler." Her fist are clenched like an animal. Happiness is getting the characteristic of food. The name of the song which is nightcrawler is characterizing a girl who is stalking him.

songs with alliteration

Boys Boys Boys - Lady Gaga

Boys boys boys
Buy us drinks in bars
Baby is a bad boy
Watch your heart when we're together

Lady Gaga repeats the word boy a lot throughout the chorus. She says, "Buy us drinks in bars" Lady Gaga "Boys Boys Boys" The Fame. The word buy and bars are alliteration. The line "Baby is a bad boy" Lady Gaga "Boys Boys Boys" The Fame, shows a better example of alliteration because baby, bad and boy are all alliteration. At the end she says, "Watch your heart when we're together" Lady Gaga "Boys Boys Boys" The Fame, which watch, when and we're all show alliteration.



Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey

Summer came like cinnamon
So sweet
You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow.

There is a great use of the word s and the sound of s through her lyrics. The line with the most alliteration is "Summer came like cinnamon So sweet" Corinne Bailey "Put Your Records On" Corinne Bailey Rae.

song with hyperbole

Big Mouth by Jessie James


If you want a piece of my heart
You'll get a piece of my mind
-This is a hyperbole because you can't literally give a piece of your heart or mind to someone.

Without the sugarcoat babe
-The word sugarcoat is not literally putting a coat of sugar on something, it is just a word that represent the action of trying to make a situation better.

They don't wanna rock the boat
-People aren't literally rocking a boat; the phrase is an exaggeration of stirring up a situation and making it worse.

songs with irony

Jessie James: I look So Good Without You


boy i would have thought that,
when you left me i'd be broken,
with my confidence gone,
so gone.
hey boy i would have thought that
when you said that you don't want me
i'd feel ugly as if something was wrong

standin' in front of the mirror
my skins never been clearer
my smiles never been whiter
(chorus:)
I look so good without you
Got me a new hair do
Lookin' fresh and brand new
since you said that we were through
done with your lies
baby now my tears dry
you can see my brown eyes
ever since you said goodbye

The singer thought that if her boyfriend left her she would be ugly and would be worthless but come to find out, she feels more beautiful then before. She feels like a new person. She thought she was going to be depressed and lonely but it is the complete opposite

songs with imagery

Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten


Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
Drench yourself in words unspoken

Where it says "staring at the blank page before you," it gives the reader an image of someone being frustrated looking for answers but there is just a blank page with nothing give to them. The site of a dirty disgusting window is contrasted with the sun illuminating with every word she spoke. The line "so close you can almost taste it" does not only relate to imagery but it also relates to another sense. Where it says, "release your inhibitions," it puts an image in your head that you can actually see inhibitions being released. "Feel the rain on your skin" relates to another sense and still shows imagery.



Automatic Loveletter - Parker

I was your fire once.
holding onto my chest and pounding till it turns purple
a breaking bow and the sound of a scream muffled by pillows.
how i carried your heart.

The first line is talking about their relationship. In the lyrics it is represented as fire. The line about the chest is very descriptive because it gives you a motion and a color which creates a detailed image in your head. In the next line, you can imagine someone screaming and a person putting pillows over there ears to "muffle" the sound. The last line puts an image in your head of two hands holding a heart.

theme and genre

My theme that I will be focusing on is love and happiness. I will be analyzing the genre of pop/reggae.