Music Poetry!

Enjoy!

Mockingbird

In the song “mockingbird” by Eminem he tries to explain to his two daughters Hallie and Lainey who are the audience of this song, why the bad things in their childhood happened. He also tries to explain to his kids why he wasn't there, why him and his wife divorced and his whole point of view of them now. He gets this messages across by personifying life, using anaphora, and switching the points of view from him to his daughter.

In this verse Eminem uses anaphora, repeating the beginning of a sentence and changing the end, to explain to how his daughters has changed in his eyes. He also personifies life in the verse by assigning body movements to it and saying that life mended and shaped what his daughters have become today.

We're all we got in this world
When it spins, when it swirls
When it whirls, when it twirls
Two little beautiful girls

He also uses personification to explain their mothers drug habit to them. In this verse he personifies her drug addiction as this force that overtook her and that was so strong and quick that no one could stop it or “grab it”.

mamma developed a habit
And it all happened too fast for either one of us to grab it

In this verse he explained what happened during christmas by switching the point of view from him to one of his daughters and explained the entire situation from her eyes. By doing this i think that he gave the audience a snip it of his daughters reaction to all the things going on in their lives.

I remember back one year when daddy had no money
Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up
And stuck 'em under the tree and said some of 'em were from me
'Cause daddy couldn't buy 'em
I'll never forget that Christmas I sat up the whole night crying
Cause daddy felt like a bum

The Poetry in Music

When I was given the assignment to pick a song where I would have to defend it as a work of poetry I had to think about what I listen to. And the only thing that could come to mind that I listen to was country music. Specifically Church Bells, sung by Carrie Underwood and written by Hillary Lindsay, Zach Crowel, and Brett James.

Like most country songs, Church Bells tells a story. The story told is one about a young women of a lower class who marries up because of her looks. Her husband ends up being physically abusive, everyone around them thinks that they have a perfectly fine relationship, she prays and then she kills him. 

However, the song definitely draws the listener into an experience unlike any other. The song uses a show don't tell language for the story which makes it even more appealing from the verses to the chorus the song uses vivid imagery.

She could hear those church bells ringing, ringing
And up in the loft that whole choir was singing, singing
Fold your hands and close your eyes
Yeah, its all gonna be alright
And just listen to those church bells ringing, ringing
Yeah, they're ringing

The chorus above provides the strong motif of church not only within this song but in most of her songs. Underwood grew up in Oklahoma going to her local southern Baptist church. She, herself, would sing in her church choir and would read and watch religious books and movies. Church today still has a big influence over her life deciding which movies she features in.

It was all roses, dripping in diamonds
sipping on champagne
she was all uptown, wearing that white gown
taking his last name

The vivid imagery supplied by the song writers, makes it so the listener can not only just picture what but is actually there at this wedding. Each verse is filled with unique elements of the story building up to the end.

Poetry is supposed to involve your senses and broaden your experiences. I think this song really captures both of these elements making it also a beautiful piece of

The Poetry of Tool's "Parabol" and "Parabola"

Tool is often considered the most prolific and gifted progressive metal bands of all time. Their intense, almost arcane music is also often thought of to be more of a piece of art rather than a song, intended to be consumed in one sitting. Because of this, Tool's six albums over 27 years are (purposefully) released on only certain music platforms, making them an almost treasured rarity. The artistic and audibly gratifying tracks from Tool can all arguably be deemed poetry, but the songs "Parabol" and "Parabola" on the album Lateralus are particularly representative of this. 

The two songs, a combined nine minutes, are firstly unique in that because the album is intended to be listened to in one go, the first song, "Parabol," leads directly into the next song, "Parabola." "Parabol" is a purposeful misspelling on "parable" which is a basic story with a moral and religious connotation. almost a lullaby; its slow, melodic guitar and muffled vocals create a tired and comfortable atmosphere. With lines:

Wide eyed and hopeful. Wide eyed and hopefully wild

contradicted to the soft music it is sung over is almost forcing to have the listener feel two things at once, much like poetry does when it is read versus when it is spoken. The song ends with the powerful lyrics: 

This body holding me, reminding me that I am not alone in

 This body makes me feel eternal. All this pain is an illusion

The line of "This body makes me feel eternal," is filled with poetic ambiguity, as it causes the listener to wonder if the singer is referring to his own body's relationship with his mind or rather the intimate connection shared with another body, one that is "reminding me that I am not alone." 

As "illusion" drags on, it gets progressively louder and filled with emotion, eventually marking the start of "Parabola," with little obvious indication of a true start or end. The songs' themes of transcendentalism and spirituality are highlighted in "Parabola" as it lyrically emphasizes lines: 

Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing

A chance to be alive and breathing

This is multidimensional, much like how lines in poetry can also be multifaceted and deep, it is celebratory of the fact that humans are able to cognizant enough of their own existence, and also to recognize this and not take it for granted. To "recognize this as a holy gift" is both to understand the experience and responsibility of life you have been given, and to utilize what a significant and unique gift it truly is.

The song ends with an slightly altered version of the reoccurring lines: 

This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality

Embrace this moment, remember, we are eternal

All this pain is an illusion

The content ending to "Parabola" is similar to the lines earlier, but more poetic in that is is contradicting itself directly as it's saying the body is mortal, it is only temporary. But, our memory, our experience, as humans are eternal and the suffering is merely exclusionary and temporary. 

Music is poetry, and I think the members of Tool are all poets and that their work is exemplary of the similarities of poetry and music. 

Pink Matter: Life, Lust, and Aliens

Frank Ocean debuted his Channel Orange Album in 2012. He titled the album as a reference to a neurological phenomenon called  grapheme-color synesthesia. This means a person's experience or sense is related to a color. Frank is referencing how he fell in love. The song “Pink Matter” takes a sadder, more laidback style with themes of sex and betrayal. Ocean experiences an internal strife and struggle between the meaning of life, love and sex, extraterrestrial life, and gender.

In the very beginning of the song Frank describes the philosophy of “mind body problem”.  He is trying to figure out the relationship between the brain and consciousness. Frank is raising the question of whether the brain is merely matter, or is the mind something more?

What do you think my brain is made for

Is it just a container for the mind

This great grey matter

Throughout the song Frank refers to a “Sensei”. The sensei represents Frank’s internal consciousness as well as his own battles between lust, sex, and love. A sensei is a teacher, often a wise one. In this line Frank is conversing with the sensei and raising questions.

Sensei replied what is your woman

Is she just a container for the child

Frank is being questioned about how he views the purpose of women. He does not know if he simply views women as containers for holding children and giving birth. Frank is reluctant to say whether he values women for their minds or just for their bodies. This is relevant in a society that seems to only value women for their bodies, and it is obviously affecting Frank himself. Frank’s sensei is helping him open up to ideas about gender as well as acceptance. Next, Frank jumps to the questioning of extraterrestrial life.

What if the sky and the stars are for show

And the aliens are watching live

Frank is questioning the idea that human beings are small compared to the grand scheme of the universe.  By using the words “what if” it allows the audience to be detached from their own perspective and take a look at the larger scheme of things. If Frank does believe there are aliens, it makes the problems of his own life a little less severe and insignificant. This ideology is a common experience for everyone. As long as humans have the consciousness they will begin to question the meaning of things and the relativity of themselves as a whole.

Towards the end of the song, Frank also brings in his own questioning of sexuality. In July of 2012, shortly after the release of the Channel Orange album, Frank opened up about how he is bisexual. This was a shock to many in the hip hop industry and caused backlash to Frank himself.

Grey matter

Blue used to be my favorite color

Now I ain't got no choice

Blue matter

By starting with the line “Grey matter” and ending the verse with “Blue matter” Frank is showing his own transition to a new way of thinking. Instead of being stuck in his own grey matter and jumble of senselessness and confusion, he turns to one that is more himself. When he says he has “no choice” it could be that he cannot choose his own sexuality and refuses to hide it anymore. The blue could also be about how Frank is stuck in his gender. Society is telling him that he is a man, and that he is “blue”. Frank feels trapped in these fixed molds but has no choice but to conform. There are other songs in the album speculated to be about his struggles with his sexualty including one titled “Forrest Gump”.

Overall the common themes and questioned Frank shares are a common experience for everyone. As people age throughout their lives, these age old questions about life and love appear. This song is especially relevant in a society that is so obsessed with stereotyping and celebrity culture. This song forces the audience to go through Frank’s own internal strife as well as your own.

Dirty Harry - A Real War Poem

The song "Dirty Harry" by The Gorrilaz on  their 2005 album Demon Days is poetry. You can see the lyrics here for the song. An important thing to note about The Gorrilaz, is that the songs are heavily correlated to the music videos, so to understand some things about the song, we have to take in to account. The setting is a desolate desert, with nothing but some animals, the band, and an armored vehicle. I'm gonna cut to the chase before explaining much more of the song, this song is a political commentary on American involvement and fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Knowing this, we can assume that they are currently in one of these middle eastern countries.

The song immediately starts with the chorus, preformed by the main vocalist 2D and the children's choir. It goes as follows.

I need a gun to keep myself from harm
The poor people are burning in the sun
But they ain't got a chance
They ain't got a chance
I need a gun
Cos all I do is dance
Cos all I do is dance

Right now, the speaker(s) of the words is just anybody who dislikes the fighting that is going on, on either side of the war. They speak about needing to get weapons to protect themselves from the fighting, even though all they want to do is dance in the safety of peace. They are mostly focusing on the despair of the innocent residents of the middle east who are subject to the power of America. The word "dance" appears multiple times in this song, and the dancing represents freedom. The chorus repeats another time, then there is a short section of pure music, brought to an end by a yell. The yell marks the start of the meat of Dirty Harry, the rap.

Referring back it the video, we can see that the rap is said by someone who appears to be a US army man, judging from his dress. This is a shift in the song, as the speaker has now changed from a spectator in the war, to a participant. He knows something is going on with this war, something that isn't morally sound. He states how he is "a peace loving decoy/ready for retaliation." This refers to how the soldier believes they are fighting for some sort of reason, and he is struggling to accept why they are there. He believes that he is being mislead, but is still prepared to fight for his life. He gives several examples about the war's horror, like being buried in a pine box somewhere in the desert, and how it is "impulsive" and he "don't ask why or wonder" what all of this is about. He goes on about his orders are to kill and offer no remorse, and he obliges, but is being torn apart by his actions. He is "filled with guilt/from the things that i've seen." 

He also says the line "I'm the reason why you fill up your Isuzu." The line has two different ideas behind it; An Isuzu is a motorcycle, a machine that uses oil in its primary functions, driving home our setting of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, as well as the fact that we are somehow able to relax in luxury while he is out fighting for us.

My favorite, and the most striking part of this poem comes in the last stanza were it reads:

At night I hear the shots
Ring so I'm a light sleeper
The cost of life,
it seems to get cheaper
out in the desert
with my street sweeper
The war is over
So said the speaker with the flight suit on
Maybe to him I'm just a pawn
So he can advance
Remember when I used to dance

There are quite a few things going on here. It starts off with some striking lines about the futility and immorality of the fight. It then speaks about President Bush directly referring to his Mission Accomplished speech when he declared the end of the Iraq war. The speech was controversial because there was still fighting going on in Iraq. The soldier believes he is used in a war he has no business in, and all he wants to do is dance, as in go home and relax. He uses the word "pawn" for a few different reasons as well. A pawn often represents something of little work, but also at the same time it is used to better everything else at its own expense, which is very similar to how the soldier is felling caught up in all of this pointless action.

Poetry on "Earth"

The song "Earth" by Sleeping At Last is an example of poetry incorporated into modern music. The purpose of the song is to highlight the odd isolation of the human condition - how we are all trying to work through life's struggles alone and we aren't doing all that well but we keep going and pretend everything is just fine. The frequent use of figurative language such as personification and hyperbole, as well as multidimensional word choice, add to the poetic meaning of the song, creating a deeper meaning that truly involves the listener in the emotion of the poem.

The opening line of the song is "I dig 'til my shovel tells a secret", which uses personification as a poetic device. The image of a shovel telling a secret emphasizes how isolated the singer is, all he has to talk to and confide in is this tool rather than another person. Later in the song, the line "echo wide as the equator" again creates a sense of isolation - the whole world is empty and the echo just keeps going, even that is abandoning the speaker. Conversely, this line also creates a sense of unity. The speaker's experience is echoed across the globe; everyone experiences struggles and tries to deal with them alone and no one really succeeds.

The artist also creates vivid and expressive imagery by using multidimensional language. One such example is the use of the word "tremble" in the line "fault lines tremble underneath my glass house". Tremble creates a sense of wariness, like something is about to break and give way, a sense which is certainly aided by the image of a glass house. However, it also creates a sense of fear and almost timidness, which would probably be more related to the afraid speaker than the impending destruction.

Another example of multidimensional language is the word 'exonerate' from 'I bend the definition / of faith to exonerate my blind eye". Exonerate can have two meanings - one is to excuse something from wrongdoing. This definition would apply to the speaker's attempts to ignore the mistakes he's made and the mess he's made, even though he knows it's not right to do so. He pushes away the negatives and makes excuses for himself so he can keep doing things the same way, even though he knows it might benefit him to take another course of action. This ties into the second definition, which is to excuse someone from duty. Perhaps the speaker feels as though this system of faking it even as his life is in shambles is less of a choice than it is a necessity in order to keep moving forward. He knows it is a precarious situation but he doesn't know quite how to take a new path, but he hopes that he will be exonerated and given a chance to re-do things and fix his life up.

"Earth" by Sleeping At Last is an example of musical poetry. The song itself is an insight into the troubled nature of human existence and how close we all are to falling apart, yet we keep soldiering on until the destruction gets too great and we are forced to stop and begin again in a new light. The artist uses personification and hyperbole to help the listener visualize and relate to the image of humanity being presented, as well as multidimensional (and multidefinition-al) language to accentuate the nuanced emotions that the song captures.

Stereo Hearts

In 2011, the song "Stereo Hearts" by the Gym Class Heroes was released as a single. I remember back in sixth grade when this song came out, and it was my mission to memorize all of the lyrics. This song was not only extremely catchy, but it has a deeper meaning of when you get knocked down, you just have to keep getting up and fighting through the adversity of life.

The artist and lead singer of this song, Travie McCoy, is expressing how his heart has been broken but he's right back in the game talking to the next girl.

Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks
It's just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks  

What Travie is trying to get across is that the reason he seems nervous is because he has recently had his heart broken and he is scared that it might happen again. Although this is the message getting across, he doesn't just flat out say that he is nervous. The artist uses a metaphor, comparing himself to a record, saying although there is scratches, or rough memories, they won't effect him in the present day.

Another metaphor that Travie uses is to compare people to cars on an interstate. What he is trying to portray is that you should cherish your relationships while you have them, because you never know when they could slip through your fingers.

Appreciate every mix tape your friends make
You never know we come and go like on the interstate.

Travie McCoy is trying to get across that taking friends and significant others for granted is exactly how you lose them. This metaphor is most likely relatable to a majority of teenagers in high school. Off the top of my head I can think of about fifteen cases of people getting left in the dust by their friends because of the way they treated them. No one has time to deal with drama, especially when there are a million other things to worry about in high school, so they just ditch the friend that is causing the problem.

Through the multiple uses of metaphors, it is clear how the hit single, "Stereo Hearts", by The Gym Class Heroes can be seen as poetry. The idea of getting a statement out in the world through music is truly moving to me and shows me that poetry is much more than just a two week unit in english class.

See Me Now

The song "See Me Now" by Kanye West in the album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy features artists including Beyonce, Charlie Wilson, and Big Sean. The title indicates the meaning of the song, which is about Kanye becoming a successful artist. Although not everyone has the same story as West, some of the lyrics are relatable for everyone. Many people are told that they will never become successful, and this song proves those who questioned their success wrong. It also defies racial stereotypes about black males, since African Americans are often stereotyped as being lazy and unsuccessful.

West starts off by referring to himself as "Socrates, but my skin more chocolatey," which shows his thoughts on his success, while acknowledging the fact that he's black. After stating the fact, he brags about his new lifestyle, saying,

 I might walk into Nobu wit' no shoes,

He just walked into Nobu like it was Whole Foods

The high-end Japanese restaurant, Nobu, is well known for spotting celebrities. By saying that he might walk into a fancy restaurant with no shoes, is a way of saying that he is higher or better than everyone now that he's successful. The second line is a little bit ironic because Whole Foods is normally considered high quality, but in this instance, it is being put down since Nobu is even nicer. This could be considered hyperbole because West is exaggerating about walking into a fancy restaurant with no shoes; he most likely wouldn't actually do that. But it gives us an idea of how successful he has become, that he could even make a joke about that.

While much of the song focuses on how West now has nice things and how his lifestyle has changed, he makes sure to remember his parents. Beyonce sings,

I know one thing, my momma would be proud,

And you see me lookin' up

Cause I know she's lookin' down right now

While West knows that he has become a big deal, he will not forget how he got to the top. He makes sure to thank his father when he says,

"Be successful", that's what dad told me,

So everything I D-O now I O-D

This is a clever use of word choice because the word "do" spelled backwards is "o-d," as in "overdose." While most people think of medicine when they say, "OD," Kanye took this opportunity to explain how he became successful. He's saying that his father taught him to try his best at everything and work hard. The quote shows that every word is important in poetry because it contributes to the meaning of the song as a whole.

Love, Love, Love : An Analysis of Purple Dinosaur

The song "Purple Dinosaur", by nobigdyl, was released in early 2017 in light of the recent presidential election. In the song, NBD exclaims that we need to love each other more, and with out doing so, nothing will get better. NBD does this with poetic language throughout the whole song.


In the first verse of the rap, we see NBD’s poetic phrases. He spits,

But baby I know why the caged bird sings,
 ‘cause only love can make the type of bell that freedom rings

This line references Maya Angelou’s autobiography I know why the caged bird sings. In this book, she talks about how racism and sexism had trapped her in a “cage”. What this line is saying is that by loving each other a little more, we can break out of this “cage” and make life better for everyone.

The next poetic line is seen in the second verse of the song. NBD raps,

Sometimes I need a spirit bomb like I was goku

This line references the spirit bomb attack in the anime Dragon Ball. This attack is the most powerful thing in the dragon ball universe, but takes multiple people to activate. This line shows that sometimes we need other people in order to love one another.

The final poetic line is seen in the last verse of the song. NBD exclaims,

And the saddest news, how you deny your brother water when your glass is full

This line speaks to America in the current day, as President Trump has implemented the “Muslim ban”. This act denied the immigration of people from several Muslim majority nations. In this line, NBD talks about this simple thing : water. This is a multidimensional word. Water, which is the most basic thing to life, is sometimes incredibly difficult to find in deprived nations. By not aiding other nations that are struggling to survive, we are not allowing nations to form relationships with one another. At the same time, the word “water” is used to reference the basic rights of an American. Over the past few years, and even today in America, African American and Muslim rights have been slowly taken away, while white rights are always "full". This “denying of water” is referencing something more than a restaurant interaction.

Let Her Go

Love is a theme in many songs, it always has been. The song "Let Her Go" by Passenger, takes an interesting outlook on love, the song talks of only realizing how good love is when you lose it. The song from their amazing album, All the Little Lights, address' the regrets that can often come with the end of a relationship.

The amazing story told through this song touches on losing a love that he once had and only realizing how much this love meant to him once it was gone. This leads him to sing about regret and leaves you with the thought of appreciating the people in your life while you still have them. 

A poetic device that Passenger uses repeatedly is personification. He talks of love as it's a living thing, that can move and breath. One line says, "Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast," by using personification he is able to make the love he is talking about more relateable and gives the song a new depth. 

Throughout the song metaphors are put in place, as well as other versions of comparisons. A lasting comparison that he makes is to the contrast of lightness and darkness, "But you only need the light when it's burning low" as well as, "Only miss the sun when it starts to snow." These straight cut, extreme opposite contrasts help to get his point across of the seriousness of his situation and helps listeners to be able to understand the emotions that are being sung, and sympathize with them. 

All these feed into the imagery of the song, without the personification and the many comparisons, metaphors, and contrasts, the musician's point would have never truly gotten across. There is imagery present when talking about the previously mentioned candle burning out, like a love that is just not the same and is coming to an end. Or when he wrote, "Staring at the ceiling in the dark. Same old empty feeling in your heart," this takes everyday actions and uses relateable emotions to gain sympathy and empathy from the listeners themselves. 

Overall "Let Her Go," can most definitely be argued to be a piece of beautiful poetry, about the affects of a loss of a relationship. He is writing these wonderful lyrics to tell people to cherish what they have, and who they have in their life now because who know who will be there down the road. 

Let Her Go: A Universal Truth

"Let Her Go", which is on the album All the Little Lights by Passenger and debuted in 2012, is a beautiful song whose words create a new and relatable way to allow the listener understand what it means to lose things that you take for granted. This idea forms the quite evident deeper meaning of the song: you do not know what you have until it is gone. This song is a form of poetry because is uses poetic devices such as personification, hyperboles and repetition and has a deeper meaning than the words lead on.

"Let Her Go" is poetry in the form of music because it uses poetic devices and the words lead to a deeper meaning for the song as a whole. This idea is shown when Passenger sings about how he cannot seem to help himself from ruining everything when he says, “Everything you touch surely dies.” Not only does the artist use the words to disguise his self-doubt, but also uses a poetic device, a hyperbole, to make a striking line. The verse is a hyperbole because, as many things in his life may be unsuccessful, everything he touches does not actually die so he is making an overstatement. This verse helps establish the theme of the song because the artist believes he ruined his relationship and cannot forgive himself because of it. The next poetic line uses personification and imagery to continue the theme of self-reflection and remorse as it says, “Staring at the bottom of your glass/ Hoping one day you’ll make a dream last/ But dreams come slow and they go so fast.” Personification is used in this verse because a “dream” is doing the actions of a person, such as walking and running. This line is also a great example of imagery because it creates the image of a remorseful man, drinking away his feelings and missing the love of his life. These lines help establish the greater meaning of the song because the artist is at a low point in his life because he did not realize what he had until he lost it. Finally, in the first few lines of the song and repeated throughout, the artist uses repetition as a poetic device as he sings, “Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low/ Only hate the road when you’re missing home/ Only know you love her when you let her go.” The line displays the deeper meaning of the song as a whole as it says that the only time you appreciate the things that you have is when you do not have them anymore, such as an underappreciated good day when you are having a bad one. This is the most striking verse of the whole song and is repeated throughout to emphasize the main idea of the song, which is to tell people to appreciate the things they have before they are gone.

The use of poetic devices in the song "Let Her Go" justifies the idea that it is a form of poetry in a musical sense. The poetic devices also help to emphasize the greater meaning behind significant words. In conclusion, "Let Her Go" by Passenger is an extremely poetic song because it uses a number of poetic strategies and reflects on a universal truth: overall, you can only appreciate love when it is lost.

Multi-Lingual Music is Poetry

The song that first came to mind when asked what music classifies as poetry, is a song by Regina Spektor titled "Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don't Leave Me)." The song appears on one of her most recent albums What we Saw from the Cheap Seats produced in 2016. Spektor was born in the Soviet Union and was forced to immigrate to New York, as there was an increasing oppression against Jews in Russia. This can account for her wide range of languages and genres produced in her music. This includes a wide range of classical, rock, and modern pop incorporating various instruments such as pianos and guitars.

In this particular song she takes the listener on a trip through two different locations, France and New York. She references Bowery, Lexington, and Bronx in New York, Paris is spoken of with the assistance of French lyrics. The French phrase repeated in the chorus is "Ne me quitte pas, mon cher", which translates to "Don't leave me, my dear," hence the title of the song. Out of context, this lyric gives of a desperate and longing tone of someone who is begging someone not to leave. Playing the actual song, however, it is clearly given the opposite vibe. Spektor is cheerfully singing and humming to the tune of trumpets and drums. The verses describe supposed unhappy situations, yet they're followed by a pleasant alternative. An example of this is the line, "The kids go sledding down snow covered slopes... And yes, they know that it will melt. And yes they know New York will thaw. But if you're a friend of any sort. Then play along and catch a cold."

Spektor's "Ne Me Quitte Pas" supports the claim that music is poetry. She incorporates a variety of artistic methods into this song, using repetition and a satirical tone in her lyrics in contrast to her instrumentals. Songs and poetry in a foreign language typically steer uneducated audiences away. But when they take the time to understand the meaning of the French and the tone of the song as a whole, it is clear how talented Spektor is. Poetry isn't supposed to be traditional, it can be interpreted and manipulated by the audience. Since the French included in this song heightens this fact to non-French speakers, makes multi-lingual music being classified as poetry impossible to deny.

Does Rap Have Meaning?

In the song, “One man can change the world” by Big Sean, he talks about how his grandma encouraged him that he, by himself, could change the world. Rap in our culture has become a very common form of music in America. But most of this music has little to no meaning. But Big Sean has somehow found a way to connect meaningful lyrics to the popular culture of rap. Big Sean’s song “One man can change the world” gives insight to low income communities, as well as how cities are in dire need of help, while at the same time that arguing that one man can indeed “change the world”.

Big Sean shows insight to low income communities in the first verse of the rap. In line three of verse one, Big Sean says “Back on the mattress, Starin' at the ceilin' tryna connect the dots…”. This line shows that life in low income communities is often confusing and disorienting, while at the same time referring to the physical features in the house he was in. Most houses in low income communities have what are called popcorn ceilings, ceilings that look like they have little spikes on them, which is what Big Sean is referring to in this line. He also says “My, my step brother used to flip them bags outside the crib like it was trash day”. This illustrates that most low income communities are dominated by drugs and violence.

Another fact that Big Sean illustrates in his rap is that major advancements need to be made in order to rebuild the community mentioned in the previous verse. In line 4-5 of verse two, Sean says, “Where I'm from I swear their broke, they need way more than the cast”. This line illustrates that people in his home town of Detroit are not just physically hurt, but mentally as well. Something as simple as a cast will not be enough to repair the damages made, but more will have to be done. In the next line, Sean again refers to Detroit, saying “We need more than what you (Jim Carrey) have and then we need more than that”. At this time, Jim Carrey’s net worth was some where near 150 million dollars, while the city of Detroit was in 18 billion dollars of debt. Sean is expressing his anger and discontent with people who know that places in America need help, but put on a blind eye to save costs.

Sean also argues that, contrary to popular belief, one man can change the world. In the opening hook of the song, Sean says “...Remember one thing. That one man can change the world…” In the world today, people usually can not do many things without the help of some one else. Sean is saying that he believes that people can do amazing things without the help of others. At the end of the first verse Sean says, “What you know bout' wakin' up everyday like you on a mission?” This shows that he believes many people have no clue what it means to wake up every day, and be determined to make a difference in the world. It also shows that he believes that he can make a difference in the world, which shows that he believes that he, by himself, can make a difference.

In Big Sean’s song “One man can change the world” gives insight to low income communities, as well as how cities are in dire need of help, while at the same time that arguing that one man can indeed “change the world”. This can be seen in the way that he spits lines about his house as a child, how his home town of detroit is in dire need of help, and how he believes the people need to step up and make a difference in the world. Our parents might not understand rap, and how deep it can be.

Swift Stories

Taylor Swift released the country song, “Fifteen”, in August of 2009 as her fourth single from her second studio album, Fearless. The song is inspired by Swift’s freshman year of high school, where she encountered love, heartbreak, and her best friend. “Fifteen” is a true story because American high schoolers witness themselves and those around them also defer to the common stereotypes of women. Swift’s song is written from the perspective of a high school graduate, looking back on her high school days, wishing she knew what she does now when she was young and naive. Taylor Swift's “Fifteen” is a true story because it was written to help American teenagers of the 21st century avoid conforming to misguided priorities and common stereotypes.

In this generation, female artists often sing of male approval; they portray it to their fans as the highest form of empowerment for women. In Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen,” the lyrics revolve around surviving high school but more importantly the relationships the artist held with boys throughout her four years. Swift sings:

It's your freshman year and you're gonna be here

For the next four years in this town

Hoping one of those senior boys will wink at you and say,

‘You know I haven't seen you around before.’

These lyrics are true because Swift writes about what she was worrying about on her first day of high school and, despite the fact that Americans do not like to admit it, acceptance from the opposite gender is an important part of high school. However, going to high school is about furthering your education, not about senior boys noticing the new freshman in the halls. In Swift’s lyrics, she is saying that drawing attention from the senior boys was her biggest concern. These primary concerns are important because she is allowing male approval to overtake the importance of her education.

Aside from prioritizing male approval in her songs, Taylor Swift never seems to take the blame for her relationships. A common theme that comes out of her work is that she is the blameless victim in all her relationships. The message is relayed in her song “Fifteen” when she writes, “Abigail gave everything she had to a boy who changed his mind / And we both cried.” Here, Swift references her best friend, Abigail’s high school breakup. She says that Abigail’s ex-boyfriend unexpectedly broke her heart after she “gave everything” to him. This line is a true statement because Americans experience unexpected heartbreak regularly, especially as teenagers when expect the most out of our juvenile relationships. As this statement may be true, however, Abigail could have prevented her heartbreak by never allowing herself to reach this point of extreme vulnerability and maintaining her strength and independence. Abigail allowed herself to reach this point because she prioritized male centrality.

Despite these examples of how Taylor and her songs conform to the everyday stereotypes of women, the song, overall, is about how she learned from her experience of dealing with boys and relationships throughout high school. Taylor says,

'Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you

You're gonna believe them

When you're fifteen

And your first kiss makes your head spin round

But in your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team

But I didn't know it at fifteen.

Taylor acknowledges her past naivety because she thought that the greatest thing she could do in high school was date the boy on the football team, which is a true and common high school belief because dating a boy on the football team implies social acceptance. Taylor, however, when comparing her high school experiences with those of her current life, recognizes that what she thought was important at fifteen, does not amount to anything after high school but she “didn’t know it at fifteen”.

In conclusion, the lyrics from Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen” create a true American story because it follows the typical stereotypes of a girl trying to survive high school, with not only school to worry about, but also relationships. This generalization is shown not only in this single work of art, but in multiple recent pop songs by female artists, especially Taylor Swift. She is setting a dangerous precedent for young girls, inappropriately modeling that boys should be their first priority.

Kanye West: “Bounded” to Gender and Unrealistic Relationship Stereotypes

Kanye West is a man almost everyone knows, and most likely has an opinion on. Kanye, the controversial rapper known as “yeezy” is infamous for having a bad reputation and responsible for being self centered and crazy. Being one of today’s most talked about celebrity, he has a very powerful influence on culture and is also a very strong reflection of it. Kanye’s music is apart of a very popular culture trend that enforces previous stereotypes and also creates new ad questionable controversial ones as well. In one of Kanye’s most popular song “Bound 2” released in 2013 reflects today's society and ideals for men and women. “Bound 2” depicts a false stereotypes on the ideology of what a man is, how marriage is valued in American society, and how love is conveyed in order to be true.

Bound 2 depicts a the ideal for what makes a man and how a man should act. Throughout the song Kanye contemplated whether he should give up his past lifestyle in order to be with the women he loves. He is tired of meaningless flings and unrequited love as revealed in the hook “I know you're tired of lovin', of lovin' With nobody to love, nobody, nobody” Kanye knows that his new love also feels the same way, and in order to be happy, he needs to be with her. Kanye also remembers his past lifestyle and past relationships throughout the song. He is aware of his known bad reputation and how he is considered a player. In the song he admits to being a heartbreaker. He tends to have a “leave a pretty-girl-sad-reputation”. He is referring to his very public breakups with Alexis Phifer and Amber Rose. Kanye also references how he is “backstroking” through women in order to perfect them .By saying this he admits to using women for his own personal gain. He is also conveying an ideal that men should be with many women in their life, and in fact are helping women by doing this. They are helping these women by giving them practice or guidance. Because Kanye has such a prevalent influence in culture, his own personal life is being held up as a pinnacle for other men to live up to.

Kanye also reveals his own stance of marriage. Kanye is starting fresh with his new love in order to be with her forever, and soon get married. He is “bound” to one women for the rest of his life and is ready to be with her effortlessly till he dies. In the line “but first, you gon remember how to forget’” he is explaining how his new love will ultimately forget about his past mistakes and bring forth her unconditional partnership despite his previous blunders. This depicts the idea the fairytale lifestyle that is marriage and partnership. Kanye is expressing that when in a committed partnership, it is the duty to one partner to completely forget about the misbehaving and questionable antics of the partner, without any type of backlash or doubts. This unrealistic portrayal of partnership and marriage disguises the rough and troubling truth that today’s relationships go through. Overall Bound 2 is an untrue story because of the way it idealizes both men and women and unrealistically personifies modern love and relationships.

Founding Falsities: Why Hamilton the Musical is Not a True American Story

Hamilton is one of Broadway’s top shows, receiving acclaim for its cast diversity. Critics say it has revolutionized the definition of a Broadway musical. However, Hamilton plays into the ideology of the ‘self-made man’ and fails to address elitism and racism in American politics. Hamilton picks and chooses details from the past to manufacture a false, though entertaining, story of America’s origins.

Alexander Hamilton’s story is one of a rise from poverty to fame. However, from the political elitism of colonial times to the Industrial Revolution’s business monopolies, patterns have shown that to rise through the classes is an exception, not a common truth. Yet the musical emphasizes how Hamilton was “non-stop”, as though hard work, rather than luck, can pull someone to elite status. It also ignores Hamilton’s elitism. He thought that the masses of people were untrustworthy and power should be given to a trusted - and rich - few.

Hamilton is also a false story because it ignores that most of the founding fathers actively supported slavery. The author, Lin Manuel Miranda stated that Hamilton allows people to, “leave whatever cultural baggage [they] have about the founding fathers at the door” - which is exactly what makes the story false. The lyrics mention John Laurens’ abolitionism but barely acknowledge Jefferson’s affair with Sally Hemmings. Alexander says of the South’s economy, “we know who’s really doin’ the planting”; but this is the only time slavery is mentioned in a political context. It seems as though Miranda is mentioning slavery just enough to be deemed politically correct, but little enough that listeners can forget that the founding fathers were white slave owners and their politics relied on slavery.

Poverty and racism are still around today, and they are entwined within each other. Systematic racism gives people of color unlivable wages, evicts them from their homes, and arrests them disproportionately more than white people. Classism and racism have been ingrained in American society since before the country even existed, and no matter how inclusive the casting call for Hamilton is, the musical forgets these issues and tells a false story of American history.