Commentary Examples
Example 1 Jukebox the Ghost- Everybody's Lonely Dragged into another heartbreak Like a moth into a flame Are we programmed for broken romance? Everything just sounds the same This song is powerful due to its style and deep, relatable wordplay. In the first line, the author talks about being sucked into another unecessary relationship. His use of the word "dragged" and metaphor in the next line implies that he had no choice in the matter. "Like a mot h unto a flame" implies that he was compelled towards it so much that he could not help but do it even when he knew it would not work out. In the third line, he treated humans like robots by saying that we were programmed for broken romance. Again, continuing with the theme of not having control over whether he got into another relationship or not. The last line refers more to the chorus in the next few lines where he talks about how there seems to only be songs on the radio about love only because everybody is lonely. He talks about how since everyone is lonely, the only thing that people want to express is their want and reminiscence for love.
Example 2 Hamilton Cast- My Shot "I am not throwing away my shot I am not throwing away my shot Hey yo, I’m just like my country I’m young, scrappy and hungry And I’m not throwing away my shot" The lyrics of this song are so effective because the character's eagerness to prove himself is so obvious. In the musical Hamilton, ALexander Hamilton is determined to be remembered, and makes it known that despite his background, he's going to make a difference in the American Revolution. His repetition of of "I am not throwing away my shot" makes this clear, and his rare use of contractions furthers his obvious intentions to earn his place in history. The word "scrappy" gives a brief, yet in-depth description of himself and the rest of the country. "My Shot" is also an encouragement to early America to stand up against Great Britain, which can be seen in the line "I'm just like my country" and his repetition of "I am not throwing away my shot" continues to uplift the Americans living in poverty.
Example 3 Smash Mouth - All Star "It's a cool place, and they say it gets colder You're bundled up now, wait till you get older" This song expresses emotion effectively by using contrast of the connotations of similar words as a comparison to the central theme of the song. First, he says "It's a cool place," which expresses the optimism of young adults just entering the 'real world,' then immediately contrasts that by saying "and they say it gets colder," which compares that optimism with the expression of the chilling and slowing of yourself through the stagnation of a repetitive adult life. He follows this up with saying "You're bundled up now, wait till you get older," which reaffirms the previous phrase referring to the cold with an image of being warmly dressed and prepared for cold weather. The rest of the line, "wait till you get older," is saying that though you may feel prepared for the future, oftentimes you aren't as much as you thought you were, or as much as you needed to be, and most people aren't prepared for that. This all can loop back to the writer's own experiences of feeling invincible as a young adult, but not being prepared for what was to come, and also connects to the song's main theme, which is to say that considering that this is the top and it only goes downhill from here, so you should enjoy it while it lasts.
Example 4 John My Beloved - Sufjan Stevens "I am a man with a heart that offends with its lonely and greedy demands There's only a shadow of me; in a manner of speaking, I'm dead" This song is a very emotional one due to it's use of repetition, imagery, and the style of the way Sufjan sings it. This song covers the topic of Sufjan Steven's love for another person in the majority of the lines and surprisingly, towards the end, directly talks to Jesus Christ almost as if Jesus was a romantic partner. The lyrics "There's only a shadow of me; in a matter of speaking, I'm dead" creates a melancholic feeling within the listener. He talks of himself as invisible, 2D, and as a non-physical being; as if he was a ghost. I think he also said this as a way of saying he doesn’t exist with people anymore because he feels so disconnected. The reason why I think this is so emotional also is because of the way he sings this line. His voice is shaky and soft, like it's the first time he's ever said this stuff to someone.
Example 5 So you cross me off your shopping list Lift me up and let me drop, you're just here to window shop" This song's lyrics impact the listener through extended metaphor. When the singer says, "I'm just an item on the shelf and you just can't help yourself" she's comparing how she's been treated to something as nonchalant and impassive as grocery shopping, and saying "and you just can't help yourself" instead of using a conjunction like "but" suggests that in her eyes, the person she's talking about has been revealed to be the type of person that would do that without care. When she says, "Lift me up and let me drop, you're just here to window shop" she runs with the revious metaphor and compares a relationship that she was in to being in such a impassive situation and still being let down. She continues to extend the metahor in the lines, "Put me in your shopping cart" and "So cross me off your shopping list" to further push her metaphor.