1. Song Analysis
Mr. Gomez
10/10/17
Per.1

2. My Song choice John Legend’s If You’re Out There Excerpt: 1:10-1:30
- “No more broken promises
No more call to war
Unless it's love and peace that we're really fighting for
We can destroy hunger
We can conquer hate
Put down the arms and raise your voice
We're joining hands today”

3. D- Diction Ex. “I’m dying to believe that you’re out there.”
Ex. “We can destroy hunger/We can conquer fear”
Legend uses strong words such as dying to emphasize is dire need for a change.
Words such as destroy and conquer help give the song a sense of motivation to build up the audience or listener to John Legend’s cause.

4. I-Imagery Exs.- Say it loud Scream it out Raise your voice.
All throughout the song John Legend uses auditory imagery by the raising of voices. This resembles a call or outcry to stand up and fight for a change.

5. D- Details Ex. “ No more broken promises” Ex. “No more call to war”
The song chooses not to specifically mention which broken promises or which particular war. It helps to emphasize the point that all broken political promises and all war must be put to an end.

6. L- Language Ex. “We can destroy hunger/We can conquer hate
Legend uses the literary device anaphora and repeats the phrase “we can.” This helps the listeners to come together as one and fight particular causes.
Ex. “The future started yesterday and we are already late.”
This is a paradox and it makes the situation seem more urgent. A change needs to happen now.

7. S-Syntax Ex. If you're ready now Say it loud If you're out there
Legend uses short lines in his verses. Many only consists of three to four words. Not only do these short verses give an intense mood, it contributes to the song’s tone of urgency and call to action. There is no time to waste anymore, and change must happen now.

8. Themes and Bob Dylan Connections
In his song John Legend is trying to unite the world to end issues such as war and poverty. He ends his song with the lines, “If you hear this message, wherever you stand/We’re the generation/We can’t afford to wait.” His message is a call to action from the listeners to stop waiting and take the fight against these world problems.
In Bob Dylan’s The Times They are A Changing, he also mentions that a social change has to come, but instead of calling people to take action, he is talking to the ones at fault. The politicians and the high class must not only prepare for a change but they must also accept it. Both artists insist that there must be a change to move society forward.