Tuesday, January 13, 2009




Satellite by Dave Matthews Band

Satellite lyrics


Satellite in my eyes


Like a diamond in the sky


How I wonder


Satellite strung from the moon


And the world your balloon


Peeping Tom for the mother station


Winter's cold spring erases


And the calm away by the storm is chasen


Everything good needs replacing


Look up, look down, all around, hey satellite


Satellite headlines read


Someone's secrets you've seen


Eyes and ears have been


Satellite dish in my yard


Tell me more, tell me more


Who's the king of your Satellite Castle?


Winter's cold spring erases


And the calm away by the storm is chasen


Everything good needs replacing


Look up, look down, all around, hey satellite


Rest high above the clouds no restriction


Television we bounce round the world


And while I spend these hours


Five senses reelingI laugh about the weatherman's satellite eyes


Satellite in my eyes


Like a diamond in the sky


How I wonder


Satellite strung from the moon


And the world your balloon


Peeping Tom for the mother station


Winter's cold spring erases


And the calm away by the storm is chasen


Everything good needs replacing


Look up, look down, all around, hey satellite


Rest high above the clouds no restriction


Television we bounce round the world


And while I spend these hours


Five senses reeling


I laugh about the weatherman's satellite eyes


Dave Matthews Band, or DMB for short, is an all-American rock band that formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. DMB includes the following members: guitarist and singer Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, violinist Boyd Tinsley, and drummer Carter Beauford, and the recently deceased saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who died in August of 2008 and now in his place is Jeff Coffin. Dave Matthews, was a bartender in Charlottesville, when he met a lawyer in early November of 1990. This lawyer, or Ross Hoffman, convinced Dave that he should gang up with a few friends and start a band. The band later signed a deal with RCA (US) records and has been a hit since 1991. Dave Matthews Band has sold over 31 million units in the United States alone, putting them in the top 100 highest selling music acts of all-time! One of their more popular, beloved songs is “Satellite”.



“Satellite”, by DMB has many poetic devices to be praised for. For example in lines 4-6 “Satellite strung from the moon. And the world your balloon, Peeping Tom for the mother station,” these lines are both personification and pun. This is because the moon can’t actually have the world as its balloon, and Peeping Tom is a pun referring to the curiosity of life on the earth, or on the moon. Another poetic device I so graciously found was in lines 13&14, “Eyes and ears have been, Satellite dish in my yard, Tell me more tell me more,” this is both a use of personification and local color. It is local color because of the gossip being spread, and personification because a satellite can’t actually tell you what is going on, but a radio can from a satellite. Among many other uses of poetic devices, the one that really struck me, was found in lines of the last stanza, “Rest high above the clouds no restriction, television we bounce round the world,and while I spend these hours, five senses reeling, I laugh about the weatherman's satellite eyes,” these last lines are motif’s reinforcing the theme of world production in both technology and the need for gossip, which of course is a universal theme.



All-in-all, DMB is clearly one of the greatest American bands of all time. Not only is it proven by their dedicated fans, but it also is shown by the fact that they are on the top 100 highest selling music acts of all-time! And thanks to their brilliance, “Satellite” definitely reinforces the fact that they are no-less the great Dave Matthews Band!





Friday, January 9, 2009

Last Analysis's



My Wish by Rascal Flatts

I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
and each road leads you where you want to go,
and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
and if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' 'til you find the window,
if it's cold outside,show the world the warmth of your smile,
more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
all the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
and you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
and you always give more then you take.
But more than anything,
Yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it,
to your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it,
to your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.
Yeah this is my wish o0o0o0o0o0o0
I hope you know somebody loves you
may all your dreams stay big

Rascal Flatts is perhaps one of the single best country groups of all time. The band consists of: Gary LeVox (lead vocals), his cousin Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, keyboard, vocals), and their good friend Joe Don Roony (lead guitar, vocals). The band started out as a typical unknown band, but finally broke through in 1999 when they were signed with Lyric Street Records. In 2000 the band made their debut with their first song “Prayin’ For Daylight”, that made its way up to the number 3 spot on Billboard country charts. And since then they have sold over 5 million cds just in the U.S.! And they covered “Life is a Highway” for the 2006 Disney movie Cars. One of their least popular, but highly inspiring songs is “My Wish”.

“My Wish”, has many poetic device usages through out the song. One of the most used is imagery. For example in lines 1-7, “I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow, and each road leads you where you want to go, and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose, I hope you choose the one that means the most to you. and if one door opens to another door closed,I hope you keep on walkin' 'til you find the window.” These lines give the listener the images of some memories, and the choices the future holds. Another poetic quality that lines 1-4 obtain is an allusion to life, because in life you will have to make choices, and you do want every decision to lead you to where you long to be. Another poetic device found is personification like in lines 7&8 “if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile.” This is personification because a smile can’t truly have warmth, however, the singer is trying to tell the listener to always look on the bright-side of things, and to try to inspire others.
So clearly “My Wish”, is inspiring to many people, along with many other of Rascal Flatts songs. “My Wish” is meant for the listener to count their blessings of friends, memories, somewhere to always go back, and the promising future that they mold with their own hands. The question is, how will it inspire you?

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Analysis


Any Other Wolrd by Mika

In Any Other World
You Could Tell The Difference
And Let It All Unfurl
Into Broken Remenents
Smile Like You Mean It
And Let Yourself Let Go
Cause It's All In The Hands Of A Bitter, Bitter Man
Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In
Take A Bow, Play The Part Of A Lonely Lonely Heart
Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In
To The World You Thought You Lived In
I Tried To Live AloneBut Lonely Is Lonely, Alone
So Human As I Am
I Had To Give Up My Defences
So I Smiled And Tried To Mean It
To Let Myself Let Go
Cause It's All In The Hands Of A Bitter, Bitter Man
Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In
Take A Bow, Play The Part Of A Lonley Lonley Heart
Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In
To The World You Thought You Lived In
Cause It's All In The Hands Of A Bitter, Bitter Man
Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In
Take A Bow, Play The Part Of A ...Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In
To The World You Thought You Lived In
Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In [x2]
Say Goodbye
In Any Other World
You Could Tell The Difference

Mika, or as his birth certificate states “Michael Holbrook Penniman”, was born in Beirut, Lebanon on August 18, 1983. He was the third out of five children, his mother was Lebanonese however, his father was American. When Mika was only a year old his family was forced to move from Lebanon because of the war and moved out to Paris. Through out Mika’s life he loved music, and interestingly, after listening to “Heart-shaped Box” by Nirvana he wrote his first song called “Angry” which he looks back to now as an ‘awful’ piano instrumental. Soon after his family moved to London, here at the new school he attended called ‘Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle’he claims he was continuously harrassed and bullied because of his dyslexia. But later on in life he over came that and went on to Westminister School and the Royal College of Music, where he went to his first album was recorded at Casablanca Records. For his fame his name was altered to “Mica”, which he soon after switched the ‘c’ to a ‘k’ to get the one and only Mika! This particular song by Mika called “Any Other World”, on his album “Life in Cartoon Motion”, has to be the one song that stickes out from the others. While his other songs are upbeat, and the kind of songs you want to get up and dance to, “Any Other World” happens to be one of the songs that you would have to really listen openminded to get the full picture of what he is giving you. Although this song is sad, and less popular than his more energetic songs, I believe that it should be applauded for its several uses of poetic devices.

For example, lines 5&6 “Smile Like You Mean ItAnd Let Yourself Let Go”, is indeed a trite cliché, it makes the song more powerful by him asking the listener to just let everything go, and to take what you have and love it. Another poetic device continually shown through out this song is allusion, like in line 7 “Cause It's All In The Hands Of A Bitter, Bitter Man”, this is relating to a God or a power that everyone else is inferior to, but calling this power bitter also says that mika is either sad, disappointed, or just uses God as a scapegoat to his unfair life. Along with the others there includes imagery and local color, as shown in line 9 “Take A Bow, Play The Part Of A Lonely Lonely Heart”, this is both an imagery because he is telling you to do so, but also local color because everyone has felt lonely, and sad. One last poetic device in this song is an alussion, as seen in the forth to last line in the song “Say Goodbye To The World You Thought You Lived In”, although it is unsure if he is refurring to killing himself or just asking you to change your point of view it is none of the less and alussion to both.


All-in-all, Mika is life changing. He can relate to his listeners in a majority of his songs and even in this song it has a universal relevence to everyone’s sadness. So take Mika’s advice, change your view, and say good bye to the world you thought you lived in.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Kayla Flaherty
November 20, 2008
Poetry of Song; Period: A
Mini-Research paper.
John Lennon’s Assassination
John Lennon was the guitarist of the ever famous, and beloved band, The Beatles. Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in his hometown of Liverpool, England. After a troubling childhood of moving from relative to relative’s care, Lennon finally back in Liverpool. His sister, Julia, first taught him how to play the banjo, and played Elvis Presley’s records for him. The Band ‘The Beatles’ officially kicked off their reign on May 9th, 1962 by signing a label with George Martin. And throughout the rest of the bands days it was; all Beatles all the time.

According to sources, the band allegedly began to break up in 1967, when their manager since 1961, Brian Epstein, died. Right after the death, the singer of the Beatles, Paul McCartney, tried to step up and become the leader of the group. Along with the numerous responsibilities that the role came with, McCartney’s first decision was to involve the group in an upcoming movie, “Magical Mystery Tour”, in which they would also have to produce an album for. Despite the fact that the album did well, the movie was a complete disaster. So led to John scoffing at McCartney’s failure.

Although indeed it was a factor that the fight between John & Paul led to the break-up, all the members began to move into different directions. John Lennon, for instance, became more interested in ‘avant-garde art scene’, which led him to meeting the one and only woman for him, Yoko Ono; they had their first child, Sean Ono Lennon, when Lennon was 35. The rest of the members stayed in the music business, and began to write his own song(s). Despite the fact that they were no longer together as a group, they peacefully led on their own lives, in occasional checking up with one another.

On the eighth of December, in 1980 it seemed to just be another day in the life of John Lennon. He and his wife Yoko Ono were walking out of their house in New York City, New York, where he was welcomed by hundreds of his fans awaiting his presence outside his home. When he was shot and killed. According to sources, he was not just shot once or twice; but six times! Right after the shooting Lennon was rushed by a police car to St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, where soon after he died at the age of 40.

Along with many conspiracy theories, Lennon’s killer was identified as David Chapman. His weapon of choosing: Charter Arms .38 revolver which he killed Lennon with after shooting five-six times. Chapman was not found guilty because of a plea of “insanity”. But was charged with second degree murder, and according to sources he was taken to Bellevue Hospital for psychiatric examination. However, he was quickly moved to Riker’s Island jail in New York City, when police officers were tipped off that some of Lennon’s Fans were plotting to storm into Bellevue Hospital.

So how to punish a non-guilty insanitee that did commit second degree murder? Well, he was punished to 20 years to life in prison at Attica State Prison, in Attica, New York. Although, the Beatles did break up all of the band members did attend the memorial, wake, and burial of John Lennon. His wife Yoko Ono, still lives today, but never got remarried, and their son, Sean Ono Lennon, is now a guitarist in Indie Pop and Rock, and Folk Rock. He sure would make his father proud, not also being a musician but also a huge supporter of peace. So in some aspects, John Lennon, still lives on, and is to never be forgotten.



Reputable Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2045/why-did-the-beatles-break-up
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/8/newsid_2536000/2536321.stm

Monday, November 17, 2008

THE FOUR GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME.

1. Don't Be Shy by Cat Stevens
2. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You? by Rod Stewart
3. Stayin' Alive by 'the' BeeGee's
4. Better Together by Jack Johnson
5. Satellite by Dave Matthews Band

Criteria:
-universal theme

-lyrics that evoke emotion

-catchy rhythm

-good chorus


Every one of these 4 songs, all express a sense of happiness. And although I like all of them very much, not just because of their fantastic diction in their lyrics, but in a way everyone can connect to the theme that each song presents. Whether its happiness, as shown in "Stayin' Alive", by the BeeGee's; or 'Better Together' by Jack Johnson. Or perhaps inspirational songs, such as in 'Satellite' by Dave Matthews Band, "Don't Be Shy" by Cat Stevens, and "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" by Rod Stewart. To go along with the emotion gained, the universal theme, and the good diction in the lyrics, each and every song I chose has a very catchy rhythm that gives you that sense of happiness when the music crawls into your ear and snuggles inside like the lyrics are finding their way in to hug your insides. All-in-all these songs rock. :)

Runner Ups-
Stand by Rascal Flatts
Banana Pancakes & Upside down by Jack Johnson
Sway by Michael Buble
Live Like You Were Dyin' by Tim McGraw
Wanted Nothin' More by Kenny Chesney.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Song Analysis 3!


http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0117826/bio





Everything lyrics by Michael Bublé

You're a falling star, you're the get away car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.
Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.
Cause you can see it when I look at you.

[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,
And you light me up, when you ring my bell.
You're a mystery, you're from outer space,
You're every minute of my everyday.
And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,
And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.
Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,
And you know that's what our love can do.

[Chorus:]
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

[Chorus:]And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're every song, and I sing along.
'Cause you're my everything.
Yeah, yeah
So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la



Analysis

Michael Bublé, the multi-platinum jazz/swing singer, grew up near Vancouver, Canada. He was first introduced to swing music and old standards by his grandfather, who offered his services for free as a professional plumber to musicians who were willing to let Michael sing a couple of songs with them on stage. Bublé finally got his big break for show business after the former Prime Minster of Canada, Brian Mulroney, discovered his music . Just before Bublé was about to give up in his career, a music producer named David Foster, heard his work on a cd given to him by the Prime Minister. And since then, Michael Bublé, has taken a part in the very soul of jazz/sway music. He has sold a total of 20 million albums as of 2007 and 8 million of them in the U.S. alone.

On of his most beloved songs, "Everything" has made the hearts of his fans melt.
This song "Everything" uses many poetic devices, such as imagery&Local color. For example, in the very beginning of the song in lines 3-6, "You're the swimming pool, on an August day, And your the perfect thing to say, And you play it coy, but its kind of cute, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do." Bublé also uses multiple uses of romance, seen in lines 9-11, "And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times, its you its you, you make me sing, Your every line your every word, your everything." Also found in lines 16-19, "And I can't believe that, uh I'm your man, And I get to kiss you baby just cause I can, Whatever comes our way we'll see it through, and you know that's what our love can do,". Lastly, there is many many uses of metaphores in this song, as seen in lines 1-4, "You're a falling star, you're the get away car; You're the line in the sand when I go to far; You're the swimming pool on an August day; And you're the perfect thing to say". There is also a few usages of archetype(s) as seen in line 9, "And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times," indicated that it is happening in the present.

So all-in-all Michael Bublé's "Everything" most definitely is everything, at least everything perfect in a relationship. Not only do the lyrics make the song, but so does Bublé's voice, some would call it 'memorizing' and he is frequently compared to the all time, jazz/sway/pop artist Frank Sinatra. Just one thing to ask, can you handle everything?

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Song Analysis









Mixtape lyrics by Butch Walker!!! :D
You say hello, inside
I'm screaming I love you
You say goodnight, in my mind
I'm sleeping next to you
You drive away from my car crash of a heart
And I don't know
But you gave me the best mixtape I have
And even all the bad songs ain't so bad
I just wish there was so much more than that
About me and you
You talk to him, and it burns me like the sun
You talk to her, and you say that you feel like he's the one
I talk to me, but you can't hear the pain I feel
You don't know
Cause you gave me the best mixtape I have
And even all the sad songs ain't so sad
I only wish that there was more than that
About me and you

[Bridge]Oh, don't turn around and say bye again
Yeah it crushes my head when you call me
Your friend and I'm not the same person
From back in the day in the back of the class
That you thought was gay
No I can't find the words cause I lost them
The minute they fell out of my mouth
And it's love and I'm in it, so give me your lips
And just let me kiss 'em
And let's get messed up and listen to probably...
The best mixtape I have
And even all the bad songs ain't so bad
I just wish there was so much more than that
About me and you
About me and you
About me and you
About me and you
About me and you
About me and you





















Butch and Avril.

Analysis

Along with some of the out coming artists, there is the phenomenal Butch Walker. Butfch not only writes and composes his own songs, but does so for other bands and artists, and he records other artists as well. He first started off as the lead singer of the rock band "Marvelous 3". After the breakup, in early 2000, Butch decieded to go on in the music buisness on his own. releasing the albums "Left of Self-Centered" in 2002 on Epic Records and the critically acclaimed "Letters" in 2004 on Sony Records. Several of his songs have been major hits for other artists, including Bowling for Soup's "Girl All the Bad Guys Want" and Avril Lavigne's "Don't Tell Me" and her #1 song "My Happy Ending." He has produced albums for such artists as Bowling for Soup, Avril Lavigne, The Donnas, Sevendust and 'SR-71', and has also toured with such acts as Lit and Avril Lavigne.


This song, one of his more popular songs, "Mixtape", shows many poetic uses throughout the entire song. One of the poetic devices used is imagery, as seen in lines 1-4 "You say hello, Inside I'm screaming I love you, You say goodnight, in my mind I'm sleeping next to you". It gives you the image of someone feeling so much for one person they feel as if they are screaming on the inside. Also, in line 11, "You talk to him, and it burns me like the sun", he shows his pain by comparing it to the sun scorching him. That also can be used as a sense of hyperbole, or an extreme exaggeration. Other hyperbole's are found in lines 20&21, "Yeah it crushes my head when you call me your friend". This is because it doesn't really crush his head, more of really erratas him. Lastly, the song also has many uses of point of view(s). For examples in lines 23&24, "That you though was gay, No I cant find the words cause im lost in the minute" it changes from his lovers point of view, to his own. Lastly, one other use of a poetic device is in the same lines of 23&24, Butch chose to say "cause" instead of "because" and this is an example of diction used throughout the song.

All in all, Butch Walker is a great example of a true talented artist. He not only writes and composes his own songs, but other artists as well. He has realeased over 4 of his own albums and help compose the following albums:


Butch Walker's Produced Records
Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin (2004)
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing (2007)
Family Force 5 - Business Up Front/Party in the Back (2006)
Bowling for Soup - Drunk Enough to Dance (2002)
Pink - I'm Not Dead (2006)
Pink - Funhouse (2008)
Lindsay Lohan - A Little More Personal (Raw) (2005)
Simple Plan - Still Not Getting Any... (2004)
Sevendust - Seasons (2003)
Injected - Burn It Black (2002)
The Donnas - Gold Medal (2004)
Hot Hot Heat - Happiness Ltd. (2007)
American Hi-Fi - Hearts on Parade (2005)
Default - Elocation (2003)
Gob
Midtown - Forget What You Know (2004)
Pete Yorn - musicforthemorningafter (2001)
Pete Yorn - Day I Forgot (2003)
Pete Yorn - USNightcrawler (2006)
Quietdrive - When All That's Left Is You (2006)
All-American Rejects
SR-71 - Tomorrow (2002)
Rock Star Supernova - Self Tittled (2006)
The Academy Is... - Santi (2007)
The Automatic - This Is A Fix (2008)
Katy Perry - One of the Boys (2008)