"As the music is, so are the people of the country." Turkish ProverbType your response to the following prompt as a Word document and be sure to proofread and edit before you paste and post. You will be assessed using the Short Essay Response Rubric.
Check either Billboard or Rolling Stone for the current list of America's top 50 songs. Choose at least 3 songs; avoid any songs you are very familiar with. Listen/study the lyrics to the selected songs. Consider the subject matter, content and point of view of today's top songs and identify lines which contain poetic merit. What do these songs, as a whole, say about our modern American culture? In particular, what do these songs say about your generation as the greatest consumers of music media? How are gender roles represented in popular music? How is success measured?
39 comments:
My top 3 songs are Daughtry's "September",
Maroon 5's "Misery", and Mike Posner's "Cooler Than Me". Daughtry's "September" is about transitioning from summer to September. It also about meeting your bff for the first time. And always having time to look back at what you have and what you want. "In the middle of September, we still play out in the rain, we got nothing to lose but everything to gain. It was worth it in the end." These lyrics are poetic because they contain imagery.
My second choice was Maroon 5's "Misery". "Misery" is about a guy falling in love with a girl and always returning back for love even if it kills him. He's always complaining about how miserable it is being with his girl friend, and sometimes she plays nice and sometimes she doesn't. He just wants her to be honest with him and see if she's just using him.
"The silence is slowly killing me. Your faith is shaking, you keep me wide awake and waiting for the sun". These lyrics contain hyperboles because of silence killing him and faith constanly shaking and fading.But it is kind of ironic too because guys cheat on girls while girls are faithful but in this song it's the girl whose not faithful while the guy stays true to her.
My last or third choice was Mike Posner's "Cooler Than Me". Mike Posner's "Cooler Than Me" is about a guy pretending to fit in with popular girls and falling in love with the girl he has a crush on. The poetic lyrics "Under my arm, I used to ball up my tricks, I hope that you like this. But you probably don't, you think you're cooler than me" contain metaphors. The metaphor is comparing a magician pulling an ace out of his/her sleeve,he has tricks to fall in love with a girl under his arm.
These three songs and others as whole say that our American culture is mostly surrounded by fitting in or trying to find the right girl. These three songs say that our generation likes to fit in with everyone else that is more famous than they are. Genders are shown off a lot in popular music because artists write about their lives. He wants to be with the perfect girl and she wants to be with the perfect guy. Success is apparently measured in how many times a song gets played and how many concerts the artists have. And how many successful albums sell.
For the pop culture assignment, I chose the current top 3 songs. Just the Way You Are, Like a G6, and Teenage Dream are all songs that I’m not familiar with. In order not to have to listen to these songs, I have searched the lyrics, which can be found at
http://www.directlyrics.com/bruno-mars-just-the-way-you-are-lyrics.html
http://www.metrolyrics.com/like-a-g6-lyrics-far-east-movement.html
and http://www.directlyrics.com/katy-perry-teenage-dream-lyrics.html.
The third most popular song of this week is Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, off the identically titled album. The song describes Katy being in a relationship that’s a “teenage dream”, and makes her happy. She describes the person she is in a relationship with as loving her for who she is, as shown with the opening lyrics, “You think I'm pretty/ without any make-up on/ you think I'm funny/ when I tell the punch line wrong/ I know you get me/ so I'll let my walls come down”.
The song Teenage Dream, besides some mentions of what seems to be ir-responsible behavior (“Let's run away/ and don't ever look back/ don't ever look back” and “We drove to Cali/ and got drunk on the beach”), reflects a 21st century American relationship well. It shows two happy people who respect each other, which is often a rarity today.
The second most popular song is Like a G6, by Far East Movement. The song highlights the subject’s drinking, especially while driving, which apparently attracts women to him. Drinking excessively also makes the subject feel “so fly, like a G6”. I do not believe this song casts a positive light on America, if we behave like the music we listen to, which I certainly hope is not the case. Drinking and driving is typically not something that women are attracted to, as this could result in a car accident that could leave scarring and not very attractive injuries.
The most popular song is Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars. In the song, Mars talks about a girl that he likes, saying how beautiful she is. He thinks that “her eyes make the stars look like they're not shining”, and that “her hair falls perfectly without her trying”. He says that every day he tells her how beautiful she is, and is sad that she doesn’t believe that she is pretty the way she is. “When I see your face/ there's not a thing that I would change/ cause you're amazing/ just the way you are”, he says, cementing this opinion.
I believe that this song has both positive and negative messages. The positive message is that the boy appreciates the girl for who she is, and thinks that she is pretty even if she does not. The negative message is that the girl has low self-esteem, and no matter how many times he tells her, she is not convinced that she is adequate. This says that girls today have severe self-esteem problems, which is true, judging from personal experience.
Overall, the top three songs are not as heinous as I predicted they would be. They mostly have positive messages, aside from Like a G6, which is absolute mindless trash. The other two songs are about true love and liking the other person for who they are. I believe that our popular music is actually somewhat positive.
-Kara
(PS: sorry for the weird spacing... it took away my formatting and I'm too lazy to fix it)
The first song I picked was "Like A G6" by Far East Movement. It's about an incredibly rich, attractive, and powerful ladies man who likes to drink, get high, and drive fancy cars. The best example of anything vaguely poetic I could find is the line, "Poppin' bottles in the ice, like a blizzard". Not the most intensely deep song ever written, but it is by definition a simile, since it's a comparison of two dissimilar things using like or as.
The next song I picked was, "Just a Dream" by Nelly. It is a rather cliche song about losing a love, which is better than having to deal with a forgetful rapper talking about getting drunk and getting laid. It uses euphemism, using the phrase, "Shoulda put it down. Shoulda got that ring" instead of simply saying marriage. It is much more emotional than the previous song, but it is still a very trite and safe broken hearted love song.
The thankfully final song I choose was "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry. It is about a boy who makes the narrator feel all happy and stuff. I'd be more poetic in the descriptions, but if she can't bother to be even vaguely poetic, I'm not going to bother trying either. After some searching, I found the line, "I know you get me
So I'll let my walls come down, down", which is a metaphor for letting her guard down. Again, it's a safe and cliche song that really doesn't sing what has already been sung a million other times.
The Top 100 has never been a very good reflection upon society, beyond the fact that people are impulsive, easily bored, and interested mainly in immediate satisfaction by simple, predictable songs that anyone can easily relate to. Beyond that, though, they songs don't really reflect that much at all about society. To really understand what music really had an impact on the times, you have to wait years and years, then look back on what songs still stick with you, and which totally faded into obscurity as they became obsolete and replaced. The three songs I choose would appear to say that America is egotistical and is fascinated with cliche romanticism. However, I disagree with this statement, and I believe time will vindicate the music of today, separating the garbage from the impactful.
my top 3 songs are "secrets" by one republic, "hot tottie" by usher, and "the boys of fall" by kenny chesney.
"secrets" by one republic is about getting sick of the fame that surrounds them. they want to get everything they've ever done wrong off their chest and give away all of their secrets so their fans and critics will know who they really are and that they aren't afraid to ruin their own fame from their past.
"hot tottie" by usher is about seeing a cute girl in the club and wanting to get with her but he doesn't want to cheat on his girlfriend. in the song he asks the girl he meets to help him be faithful to his girlfriend even though he falls in love with this girl he meets in the club.
"boys of fall" by kenny chesney is about a flashback back in his high school days when he and his friends were popular and ran the school like it was their job. he talks about the trouble and fun him and his friends would get into and they got a reputation to the small town they lived in known as the "boys of fall". a more obvious interpretation for this song is him and his friends being on the high school football team. "I'm back in my hemlet, cleats and shoulder pads.
Standing in the huddle listening to the call
fans going crazy for the boys of fall.
They didn't let just anybody in that club
it took every ounce of heart and sweat and blood
to get to wear those gameday jerseys down the hall."
My top three songs are: "Like a G6" by Far* East Movement, "Just a Dream" by Nelly, and "Only Girl (In the World)" by Rihnna.
"Like A G6" is about drinking and partying. It doesn't show a good impression on the people with fame and money. This is because it shows that all they do is spend their money that they work for on booze and parties. "Get them bottles poppin, we get that drip and that drop
Now give me 2 more bottles cuz you know it don’t stop". On the other hand, it gives off a fun feel. It makes people want to dance and go out.
"Just A Dream" is about how Nelly's girlfriend left him and how much he regrets it now and now he dreams about it. He explains how he wants her back. He says he sees her face everywhere he turns and he can't get her out of his head. "Who she come back? No one knows.
I realize, yeah, it was only just a dream." This is a good impression on Nelly's part because it shows that not all rappers are "players" and that he can love someone with his all.
"Only Girl" is about how Rihanna wants attention from a guy. She wants him to make her feel like she's the only one in the world. She wants to be the only one he will love. "Like I’m the only one that’s in command
Cuz I’m the only one who understands how to make you feel like a man". This is controlling in a way because it shows that she wants him all for herself and is making him be with her. It's also kind of sweet because all she wants is him and she hopes that he feels the same way.
Alicia Perry
10/16/10
What qualifies a song to be poor written, and just considered “noise”? Young people often hear that their music is “garbage” and has profane, ludicrous lyrics. As each generation gets older, it seems that the music becomes more and more extreme. Some songs that did well on the charts such as Deuces by Chris Brown, Like a G6 by Far East Movement, and California Girls by Katie Perry reflect a shallow light on our generation.
Deuces by Chris Brown is a song about meeting a girl that treats him good, and makes him want to leave the girl he is with. This sends some messages to the listeners. The line, “No more tryin to make it work…You made me wanna say bye bye, say bye bye, say bye bye to her” (stanza 2, lines 4-5) is insinuating that he is finished with dealing with him and his girlfriends problems. Also, that the new woman helps him forget about his current girlfriend. This is otherwise known as cheating which is looked down upon in society. The line “But all that shit I do for her, you gon hear bout it” (stanza 5, line 14) means he plans on treating his new girlfriend well, and he wants his ex to find out, and probably feel jealousy. Instead of just moving on, he makes an example by putting himself in an unhealthy situation. As a male, he makes it appear that it is okay to trade in girls for other girls, which is very disrespectful.
Like a G6 by Far East Movement is a song about going out and drinking. The line, “When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard” (stanza 4, line 2) means they are having drinks, and getting very intoxicated. The message being sent out is the “right” way to drink is to get completely drunk, or “slizzard”. Drinking to get drunk is discouraged supposedly, but then this kind of song promotes it. Music like this, which is most popular with my generation, shows that the generation does get reckless. The line “This is how we live, every single night” (stanza 5, line 3) also gives the impression of irresponsibility to the current generation. It is not a good model to put out for listeners that going out every night is a “daily occurrence” and that it is acceptable to do.
California Girls by Katie Perry is a song about females from California being irresistibly charming. The lines “California girls, we're unforgettable,
Daisy dukes, bikinis on top!” (stanza 5, lines 1-2) are referring to the California girls wearing short jean shorts and bikini tops. “California girls, we're undeniable” (stanza 6, line 1) is calling these girls undeniable. People from California are notoriously known to be rich, and good looking. This song is implying that the girls from there are the best you will meet anywhere around the world. This shallow idea of perfection reflects the views of our generation. People have seemingly become more and more superficial throughout the years. This almost portrays females as objects in the way the song only talks about how crazy these ‘perfect’ girls get, and how beautiful they are. It mentions nothing about personality or intellectual capability.
Success is measured through various new ideas that originated in the current generation. Throughout the songs I have analyzed I see that the singers, as well as the listeners who enjoy the music, find getting numerous girls, getting drunk, and looking good to be defined as success. This sheds obvious negativity on the current generation because of the trivial and irresponsible stand points in the most popular songs in the US.
The modern American culture can be classified to a point by using the top songs from the Rolling Stone’s list. Each song is very unique in terms of the lyrics; however, many conform to main subject matters such as love, life, and happiness. Most of the songs in at least the top ten are from genres of hip hop and rap; an extremely different view from previous generations. Each song, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Just a Dream by Nelly, and Dynamite by Taio Cruz represent the modern American culture through uses of poetic devices that relay messages of love, life, and happiness.
According to the Rolling Stone top songs in America, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry ranked number 3 for many consecutive weeks. The song’s content is concerned with wishing she had life of a teenager creating a very dramatic tone. The lyrics suggest a romance that is more of a whim with higher physical aspects than what is socially accepted. It also promotes the idea of taking chances and not looking back towards past mistakes. The song has many hyperboles, one of which being, “We can dance until we die.” Also, it incorporated other poetic merit by using symbolism in numerous lines, an example being “ My missing puzzle piece” explaining how he completes the singer. This song suggests that the modern American culture is much more daring and more ostentatious lifestyle than previous decades. This song portrays that the current generation listens to more upbeat, fast songs that encourage high aspirations that may not be accepted by the older generation. In this particular song, the female is the one pushing the male to escape his boundaries, proving that the sexes are equal today. Instead of career success, Teenage Dream perceives a good relationships as terms of success in life; a very different outlook. Katy Perry’s song creates a positive tone, but controversial practices.
Ranked number 4 on the Rolling Stone top songs in America is Just a Dream by Nelly. The subjects matter of the song is about how the singer lost the one he loved, and he cannot get her back because his love was not enough. He views their relationship as only just a dream, and not as reality. The song has a depressing, hopeless tone of a man who is facing a terrible heartbreak. The lyrics suggest a hint of irony when Nelly repeats “it was only just a dream” when he is talking as if it is real because the pain is real. Also, he alluded to the fact he wished he married her in the line, “Shoulda put it down. Shoulda got that ring” references an engagement ring and proposing to her. The aspect the song provides for modern American culture is based on heartbreak and loss; concepts that are not new to society but have always been around. However, some lyrics suggest a deeper relationship but a quick recoery into a new one; a rarity to find decades ago and still in some cultures. Many young teenagers prefer to listen to songs of heartbreak to make them feel not alone in terms of their own relationship standings. There is not a clear dominance of male over female, or vice versa, however it is suggested that the male needs and wants the female hinting at her having the control. The entire atmosphere of this relationship is very different and open than songs of previous generations showing a clear distinction of the modern American culture.
-Kady F.
P.S. only the first part because it would not let me post it all it said it was too long... so it's in two parts
In music, it is clear that what is popular is not always the deepest or most meaningful piece of work. Most songs on the Billboard Hot 100 are, when looked at closely, extremely similar to one another. As the listeners and buyers of these songs, it is quite obvious that, right now, most of America appreciates the same kinds of music. The three songs I chose to analyze were: “Like a G6” by Far East Movement featuring Cataracs and Dev, “Bottoms Up” by Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj, and “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” by Usher featuring Pitbull. Although these are apparently the most popular songs in the country right now, I am not very familiar with any of them. When analyzed, I was able to see the extreme similarities between the three songs: each contains simple poetic devices and in some way involves alcohol. These qualities can say a lot about our culture and what is valued most in it.
I found that I easily recognized an abundance of poetic devices within the songs, which I did not expect. However, it was the same poetic device, repeated in different ways throughout each song, which I was seeing. The songs use simple similes, and not much else, to convey their messages. In “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love,” Usher says to “Dance, dance, like it’s the last, last night of your life, life.” This does show an example of a poetic device, but with nothing more to it than what appears on the surface: Usher instructing whomever he is singing to dance enthusiastically. Trey Songz also utilizes simile in “Bottoms Up.” He brags about his wealth by saying, “Money stay in my pocket/Girl I’m like a walking bank.” By comparing himself to a bank, listeners are able to understand quickly that he has a lot of money, but it is too simple and obvious a comparison; it certainly does not take a genius to grasp the message. In “Like a G6,” the simile that is in the title is repeated in the song a grand total of 28 times, and the song also includes one other simile, “Poppin’ bottles in the ice, like a blizzard,” which is repeated several times as well. It can be argued that these songs are full of poetic devices; however, they are simple, easily understood, and, in some cases, extremely redundant. Since these songs are extremely popular, it seems that, as a culture, we don’t really want to have to think very much or work very hard to search for deeper meanings within songs.
A major theme I found in these songs is that each somehow incorporates consuming alcohol. In “Bottoms Up,” the entire song is focused on that subject alone. With lines like, “Got a couple bottles/But a couple ain’t enough” and “If I go get these bottles we go alcohol insane,” it is obvious that the narrator’s main objective is to enjoy himself by getting drunk. In Usher’s song, he sings “Keep downing drinks like there’s no tomorrow.” And, perhaps the worst of the three, “Like A G6” talks of “sippin’ sizzurp,” “poppin’ bottles,” and “gettin’ slizzard.” For the celebrities singing these songs, this life of clubs and expensive alcohol is probably a reality, but for their listeners, it is far from it. To the young listeners, this lifestyle probably sounds cool and impressive, and could potentially lead them to try to emulate what they hear. If kids’ music is constantly filled with innuendos such as this, it would make sense that it would impact them in some way. These popular songs show us that partying and being intoxicated is something we, at the very least, enjoy listening to and singing about.
These songs explain a lot about our culture. Clearly, we do not value the underlying messages within music or songs that can be interpreted in various ways. We do not want to decode songs or understand deeper meanings; we want clear, straightforward, and typically centered on partying. Although most of us do not go to expensive clubs every night and get “slizzard,” we love songs that tell us how awesome it is to do so. Our music ultimately shows what is important to us: alcohol and simplicity.
My top three songs of my choosing are ; "If i die young" by The Band Perry, "All about tonight" by Blake Shelton, and finally "Misery" by Maroon 5.
Starting us off, the song "If I die young" by The Band Perry is explaining suicide in young lives. You can get a vivid understanding of the band singing about suicide when you repeadily hear the line "the sharp knife, of a short life." Also, i feel as if the band is trying to give people the understanding of how suicidal people are feeling, and how some people try to reach out for help but nobody listens, until they commit such a crime. As said the band sings "funny when your dead how people start listenin" is a perfect example of somebody trying to reach out for help but in the end fails to do so.
My second song of my choosing was, "All about tonight" by country singer Blake Shelton. Here, in this song, is a completetly different tone and image. Shelton is singing about living in the moment, and life being a party and not worrying about what tomorrow might bring, along with the hangover. An example of this is his opening song line, "don't bother tellin' me what i've got comin' in the morning, i already know". Then throughout the song, Shelton continuously repeats "It's all about tonight", not caring about anything else but the fact.
Lastly, the third song i chose was, "Misery" by the commonly known band Maroon 5. This song is a new hit single and a very different one from the band. Here, this song is about a man, who has fallen in love with a women who hurts, betrays, and is more than violent towards him. He sings about how the girl "really has him bad" but with her ignorance. She has him hooked even though she doesn't talk to him and when she does she is putting him in more misery.
Neither of these three songs have anything in common but both relate to soicety immensely. You have the disturbed population of people of all ages who have drug addiction, depression, and other forms of disfunctions ; Which The Band Perry covers in the song "If I Die Young." In society you also have the type of people that are here for the party and nothing other, inwhich Blake Shelton sings about in the song "All About Tonight." Then, rarely, you have those hopeless romatics, that are stuck in abuseive relationships and feel as if they can't do better because the person they're with makes them believe they are no good, which in the song "Misery", Maroon 5, more than descriptively explains.
The three songs I chose off of the Billboard Top 100 were “Bottoms Up” by Trez Songz, “September” by Daughtry, and “Stuck Like Glue” by Sugarland. I had never really had an interest in any of these songs until I had to study them for this project. They all have many examples of poetic devices and different meanings behind each song.
In the first song “Bottoms Up” by Trez Song ft. Nicki Minaj it is about enjoying a drink while you are out having a good time at bar. An interesting fact about this song is that Nicki Minaj actually uses her alter-ego Roman Zolanski and that is why her voice is distorted and sounds different from other songs she has had a part in. There are many examples of allusions within this song. One is when Nicki says, “ We give a lotta money to the babies out in Haiti”, which refers to the tragic earthquake that happened in Haiti this year. Then she says,“ Rest in peace to Anna Nicole Smith yes, my dear, you’re so explosive say hi to Mary, Mary and Joseph, now bottoms up and double my dosage” which refers to the death of Anna Nicole Smith and how one of the theories of how she died was an over dosage on prescription pills inside of her hotel room and Mary, Mary, and Joseph are biblical characters.
Daughtry’s song, “ September”, is inspired by Chris Daughry’s childhood with his brother in his small town back in NC.The title of the song was inspired by the lyrics “ Yea we knew we had to leave this town But we never knew when and we we never knew how.” Chris uses a lot of examples of personification in this song. He says, “ Summer’s never looked the same”, and of course summer is just a season so he is giving person character to summer. Then following that line he says, “ The years go by and time just seems to fly”, which is a common cliche that has been used over the years because time can not actually fly, it just puts emphasis on how fast it seems to go by to him.
The song, “ Stuck Like Glue”, by Sugarland, tells the story of a couple who has the perfect relationship that most people look towards because the couple is so close with each other. The title of the song is a simile and can also be referred to as a cliche since it is used so much. The couple are so close to one another that it would be impossible to pull them away. Then in the line, “ Just a spoon full of sugar make it better real quick”, that is an allusion to the popular movie, Mary Popins.
All of the songs show the different aspects of the American culture. You can see how some people only focus on the fun of going out every night and getting drunk and having good. Whereas some people focus on remember the past because its something they can never let go. And ultimately most people are focused on finding the right guy/girl and falling in love with them. Since these songs are so different in the stories that they give, it is right to say that our generation as consumers of these songs are varied just like the songs because even though they are different they are all on the top 100 on the billboard so people obviously have to have an interest into these songs. The songs all show that success can be measured in different ways. To some it could be just having a good night out with your friends and others it could finding your true love and being happy.
The three songs I chose off of the Billboard Top 100 were “Bottoms Up” by Trez Songz, “September” by Daughtry, and “Stuck Like Glue” by Sugarland. I had never really had an interest in any of these songs until I had to study them for this project. They all have many examples of poetic devices and different meanings behind each song.
In the first song “Bottoms Up” by Trez Song ft. Nicki Minaj it is about enjoying a drink while you are out having a good time at bar. An interesting fact about this song is that Nicki Minaj actually uses her alter-ego Roman Zolanski and that is why her voice is distorted and sounds different from other songs she has had a part in. There are many examples of allusions within this song. One is when Nicki says, “ We give a lotta money to the babies out in Haiti”, which refers to the tragic earthquake that happened in Haiti this year. Then she says,“ Rest in peace to Anna Nicole Smith yes, my dear, you’re so explosive say hi to Mary, Mary and Joseph, now bottoms up and double my dosage” which refers to the death of Anna Nicole Smith and how one of the theories of how she died was an over dosage on prescription pills inside of her hotel room and Mary, Mary, and Joseph are biblical characters.
* this is the first part because it said this was too big to be posted as whole*
Daughtry’s song, “ September”, is inspired by Chris Daughry’s childhood with his brother in his small town back in NC.The title of the song was inspired by the lyrics “ Yea we knew we had to leave this town But we never knew when and we we never knew how.” Chris uses a lot of examples of personification in this song. He says, “ Summer’s never looked the same”, and of course summer is just a season so he is giving person character to summer. Then following that line he says, “ The years go by and time just seems to fly”, which is a common cliche that has been used over the years because time can not actually fly, it just puts emphasis on how fast it seems to go by to him.
The song, “ Stuck Like Glue”, by Sugarland, tells the story of a couple who has the perfect relationship that most people look towards because the couple is so close with each other. The title of the song is a simile and can also be referred to as a cliche since it is used so much. The couple are so close to one another that it would be impossible to pull them away. Then in the line, “ Just a spoon full of sugar make it better real quick”, that is an allusion to the popular movie, Mary Popins.
All of the songs show the different aspects of the American culture. You can see how some people only focus on the fun of going out every night and getting drunk and having good. Whereas some people focus on remember the past because its something they can never let go. And ultimately most people are focused on finding the right guy/girl and falling in love with them. Since these songs are so different in the stories that they give, it is right to say that our generation as consumers of these songs are varied just like the songs because even though they are different they are all on the top 100 on the billboard so people obviously have to have an interest into these songs. The songs all show that success can be measured in different ways. To some it could be just having a good night out with your friends and others it could finding your true love and being happy.
* this is the second part*
The first song I chose was "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars which is a trite, cliche song about how much the narrator loves his girl. He starts by saying "her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining" which a metaphor comparing her eyes to the stars, saying that they shine brighter. This quote is also hyperbole because eyes cannot shine brighter than stars.
The second song I chose was "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry, which is another cliche love song. Katy Perry uses very little poetic devices and spends most of the song using euphemisms for what she does with her boyfriend. "I know you get me/so I let my walls come down, down" is the only notable poetic device within the song. Katy uses a metaphor, saying that she has let her boyfriend into her mind, and let him into all of her secrets.
The final song I picked was "Mine" by Taylor Swift, the only song I remotely like on the top 100. Taylor Swift uses a narrative style of story telling to explain a relationship for the first time they met to the day of their wedding. Though there is not many poetic devices within the song she does use objectification in the bridge, "you said everything was slipping right out of our hands". Their relationship is being used in hyperbole as everything, and a relationship cannot physically slip between your fingers.
The top 100 shows that society has very little depth when it comes to their music taste, and refuses to listen to music with much meaning. This comes as a surprise to me because most of the people that I acquaint myself with prefer older music that has a powerful meaning, but to each his own, and this music is popular for a reason, but I will not be joining the majority.
Many of the songs , on the Billboard Hot 100, that the modern culture listen to are influenced by the same topics and themes. As shown in Rihanna's "Only Girl", Far East Movement "Like A G6", and Roscoe Dash ft. Waka Flacka Flame "No Hands", the current generation is surrounded by many, if not all, songs with similar themes such as love, heartbreak, money, and drugs/alcohol.
The Nnumber 6 song, "Only Girl" by Rihanna, is about a girl who wants to feel loved. She wants her companion to make her feel like she's the "only girl in the wqorld". Many young peple in our generation can relate to this. Therefore, this becomesvery popular amongst the younger crowd. The simile, "want you to take me like a theif in the night" shows the comparison between the theif and her lover. Rather than stealing objects, she wants him to take her. This specific song shows love and vulnerability.
"Like A G6"" by Far East Movement is a new upbeat song that encourages dancing. For the past nine weeks "Like A G6" has been #2 on the Billboard Hot 100! This song, along with many, influences people to open up and let loose. The rhythm and tempo makes your heard nod whenever you listen to it. The song is about drinking "it up" and just having a good time. The simile "poppin bottles in the ie, like a blizzard", compares the drinks with a blizzard. The use of similes enables us to imagine the song as if we were in it. This song encourages people to have a good time with the use of alcohol.
The last song "No Hands" byt Waka Flacka Flame and Roscoe Dash has been #30 for the past 5 weeks. This song has a fast tempo that also encourages dancing. The simile "got me lost like Nemo" is comparing his location with the movie character Nemo. This song is about men gazing and being entertained by women while they are throwing "money" at them.
Each of these songs help to uncover the modern culture and their role in music. The themes that can be extracted from these songs are love and having a good time. Most if not all of the modern culture just wants to have fun. Music artists use this to pull attention from their listeners.
Ashlie Sprague
The three songs that I chose were "Just a Dream" by Nelly, "Take it Off" by Kesha, and "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem. The point of view in the song "Just a Dream" by Nelly is first person. The song is about Nelly losing the girl of his dreams. He wishes he could have her back but he can't because she is with someone else. Shows Nelly's softer side.
The point of view in the song "Take it Off" by Kesha is first and third persons. This song is about her going to a club and getting turned on by the girls there taking their clothes off. I like this song because of its catchiness and beat.
The point of view in Eminem's song "Love the Way You Lie" is first person. This song is about Eminem being in a rocky relationship with a girl, they still love each other. I lovee this song.
The first song is “Dueces” by Chris Brown. This song is about leaving his girlfriend and getting a new girl. When he says “ Say bye bye to her” he is saying that he is moving on to the next girl. Then when he says “ Chuckin up the deuce now” this means that he doesn’t want his old girlfriend anymore and when he throws deuces up its like the peace sign and he is saying peace out to his old girlfriend. This song is #1 under R&B Hip-Hop songs on Billboard.com
The next song is “Like A G6” by Far East Movement. This song is all about drinking when it says “Poppin bottles in the lce, like a blizzard” this shows how they pop bottles and get drunk. Also, when it says “ im feelin so fly like a G6” a G6 is a type of car and it is a type of plane that goes around 500mph. The song is about having fun and getting “wild”. This song is #2 under Hot 100 on Billboard.com
The last song is “Bottoms Up” by Trey Songz. This song is about being at a club and dancing and drinking. When he says “Bottoms up, Bottoms up, Bottoms up” this is saying they are at a club and they are drinking and having a good time. “Its jam packed” this is saying that the club is full of people. “Share it in them jeans” is saying that they are dancing in the club. This song is #2 under R&B Hip-Hop songs on Billboard.com
The songs I chose were the top three songs on the Hot 100 list on Billboard.com. They were “Just the way you are” by Bruno Mars, “Like a G6” By Far East Movement, and “Just a dream” by Nelly.
“Just the way you are” is as basic a love song as you could write. In it Bruno Mars sings about all the physical things he thinks are attractive about the certain girl he is with. Bruno uses little poetic devices to present the things he is attracted, he mostly just list what he likes about her. He does give reassurance to the girl about the way she feels about herself in the line “Her laugh, her laugh… She hates but I think it’s so sexy”. Bruno Mars is setting a good example of how women should be treated by men. Instead of the cliché degradation of girls in more vulgar popular songs, Bruno flowers the girl with compliments and tries to resolve her insecurities.
“Like a G6” has a catchy beat and hook but little to no substance to the lyrics. The main themes of this song are partying, getting drunk and getting girls. These three topics come up in many popular rap and hip-hop songs but other artists present them in their songs in more creative ways. “Like a G6” just throws many references to popular things rappers have talked about in their songs. Things like “Cristal”, “Poppin bottles”, and “Sippin sizzurp”. Jay-Z, Birdman, and Lil Wayne introduced all these things to popular culture. So Far East Movement are not only presenting and condoning negative actions by today’s youth, but they weren’t even their own ideas.
“Just a dream” is another love song but this one is presented in a more in direct way. Nelly says, “I was at the top and I was like I’m at the basement. Number one spot and now she found her a replacement”. Instead of saying my girl is gone and now I feel sad, he uses a simile to show how he feels and presents his thoughts and feelings in a more creative way. This song represents a common thing in life, a failed relationship, and doesn’t make light of a serious situation unlike other popular songs.
The three songs I chose are Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Speak Now by Taylor Swift and Misery by Maroon 5. In “Teenage Dream,” Katy Perry is talking about how happy her boyfriend makes her feel, and that she feels as though she’s actually living a teenager’s dream because every teenage girl wants that guy who treats her amazingly. “We can dance till we die,” is an example of hyperbole. They aren’t going to actually dance until they die, they’ll just be having so much fun that they’ll dance for hours on end. Another example of a hyperbole is; “My heart stops when you look at me.” She has such strong feelings for him that just him looking at her can get her heart beating faster and faster, but it doesn’t actually stop beating.
Speak now by Taylor Swift is a song about a guy marrying the wrong girl. Taylor is in love with this guy and feels as though she needs to stop the wedding before he wounds up married to the wrong girl. “Wearing a gown shaped like a pastry,” is an example of a simile. She doesn’t like this girl he is marrying so she compares her dress to a pastry (something a wedding dress should never look like). “And the organs start to play a song that sounds like a death march,” is also an example of a simile. Usually that song is suppose to bring happiness but to Taylor it means one step closer to losing the one she loves completely.
Misery by Maroon 5 is about a guy who is going through a breakup, and the girl left him without any closure. “Why won’t you answer me? Your silence is slowly killing me,” is an example of a hyperbole. Her silence isn’t actually killing him, he’s just sincerely hurt by her actions and needs out but can’t seem to move on just yet. “Say your faith is shaken,” is personification. Faith isn’t a living thing and cannot be “shaken.”
The style of music that this generation listens to compared to past generations is very different. In society, normally it’s the guy playing the role of the more “pushy” one in relationships. But as for the songs ‘teenage dream’ and ‘speak now,’ it’s the girls who are switching roles. They’re being the more dominant ones and calling the shots, so to speak. In the song ‘misery,’ the guy is playing the one who is hurt and feels abused by the women. Most men use to be ashamed to admit their feelings, now its socially acceptable for men to express how they feel and to admit they’ve been hurt. The most popular songs on Billboards Top 100 were all songs that the listeners could relate to the most. People like listening to songs that explain how they’re feeling at that moment or how they’ve felt at some point in their lifetime.
Emma Jackson
The three songs I chose are Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Speak Now by Taylor Swift and Misery by Maroon 5. In “Teenage Dream,” Katy Perry is talking about how happy her boyfriend makes her feel, and that she feels as though she’s actually living a teenager’s dream because every teenage girl wants that guy who treats her amazingly. “We can dance till we die,” is an example of hyperbole. They aren’t going to actually dance until they die, they’ll just be having so much fun that they’ll dance for hours on end. Another example of a hyperbole is; “My heart stops when you look at me.” She has such strong feelings for him that just him looking at her can get her heart beating faster and faster, but it doesn’t actually stop beating.
Speak now by Taylor Swift is a song about a guy marrying the wrong girl. Taylor is in love with this guy and feels as though she needs to stop the wedding before he wounds up married to the wrong girl. “Wearing a gown shaped like a pastry,” is an example of a simile. She doesn’t like this girl he is marrying so she compares her dress to a pastry (something a wedding dress should never look like). “And the organs start to play a song that sounds like a death march,” is also an example of a simile. Usually that song is suppose to bring happiness but to Taylor it means one step closer to losing the one she loves completely.
Misery by Maroon 5 is about a guy who is going through a breakup, and the girl left him without any closure. “Why won’t you answer me? Your silence is slowly killing me,” is an example of a hyperbole. Her silence isn’t actually killing him, he’s just sincerely hurt by her actions and needs out but can’t seem to move on just yet. “Say your faith is shaken,” is personification. Faith isn’t a living thing and cannot be “shaken.”
The style of music that this generation listens to compared to past generations is very different. In society, normally it’s the guy playing the role of the more “pushy” one in relationships. But as for the songs ‘teenage dream’ and ‘speak now,’ it’s the girls who are switching roles. They’re being the more dominant ones and calling the shots, so to speak. In the song ‘misery,’ the guy is playing the one who is hurt and feels abused by the women. Most men use to be ashamed to admit their feelings, now its socially acceptable for men to express how they feel and to admit they’ve been hurt. The most popular songs on Billboards Top 100 were all songs that the listeners could relate to the most. People like listening to songs that explain how they’re feeling at that moment or how they’ve felt at some point in their lifetime.
Emma Jackson
The three songs I picked were “Fancy” by Drake featuring T.I. and Swizz Beatz, “Like A G6” by Far East Movement and “F*ck You” by Cee Lo Green. “Fancy” is basically about gold diggers and imposters who try to use others for their money. The chorus line “Nails done/Hair done/Everything did” is an example of local color, but other than that poetic devices seem to be scarce.
“Like a G6” is about incredibly rich people partying hard, focusing on a man who likes to dink, get high, and drive nice cars. The lines “Poppin’ bottles in the ice like a blizzard/ When we drink we do it right gettin’ slizzard” are an example of rhyme. The rhyme adds to the suave feeling the audience is supposed to get from the man in the song.
“F*ck You” is about a gold digger who left the narrator for a richer man. The line “I guess he’s an Xbox and I’m more Atari” are a metaphor used to explain how the woman thinks of the two men; as property or assets, an Xbox being newer and more valuable while an Atari is obsolete.
All three of these songs have to do with materialism and vanity in different ways. “Like a G6” is the only one that really embraces money and the good life, while the other two songs blast those with money, those trying to cheat others out of it, and those who build their lives on the attainment of wealth. These songs seem to reflect America’s struggles with its changing views of money. Americans are inclined to hold on to the idea of a powerful rich person portrayed in “like a G6”, but at the same time many can relate to and embrace the frustrations caused by money that are expressed in “Fancy” and “F*ck You”. These two songs also slam those who attempt to use others for their money. These songs illustrate America’s changing relationship with money- the love as well as the hate.
Looking back at music often reflects the era of time as a whole. Songs bring situations and generations to life, although often in a generalization. Three songs of this time period in the Billboard Top 100 are Speak Now by Taylor Swift, Love Like Woe by The Ready Set, and Bottoms Up by Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj. These three songs highlight what much of the teen population seems to be drawn to; relationships, love and partying.
“Speak Now” by Taylor Swift tells the story of a girl who crashes an ex-boyfriend’s wedding. In the song there is a line that says “Speak now or forever hold your peace” which is an allusion to the famous saying many people include in their wedding ceremony. The girl tries, and successfully stops the wedding because she realizes that she still loves the boy. Our society and generation love hearing about relationships and happy endings. With a recession and war most people do not want to listen to a song that depicts a sad scene. Also, Taylor Swift has been a top selling artist because she writes songs that relate to this teenage generation. Seventy-five percent of Swift’s song relate to love and heartbreak. People like hearing that even though things can turn awful, they can just as easily turn around.
“Love Like Woe” by The Ready Set is a song about how a boy is obsessed with a girl, but she moved on from him. Despite the song stating that the girl moved on, “love so strong then you moved on”, the song is incredibly upbeat and optimistic. The singer says “cause we only have one life/the timing and the moment all seem so right/so would you say you’re mine” which seemingly demonstrates that he believes he still has a chance. Our society today loves upbeat dance songs similar to this. Not only is it upbeat, there are lyrics that many people in our generation can relate to. That is a main point that we look for in a song, lyrics that can be applied to our lives.
“Bottoms Up” by Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj is very different compared to “Speak Now” and “Love Like Woe”. Instead of the focus being love, it is partying, another hot topic of our generation. With the media putting a major emphasizes on partying it is also often shown in music. For the most part, this song supplies a negative message saying “Bottoms up, Bottoms up/ Ay what’s in your cup/ Got a couple bottles but a couple ain’t enough.”. The entire song is about drinking and partying, which does not look favorable to our generation. Unfortunately, it often is like this because of the media showing stars partying and making themselves look awful. Our generation is definitely influenced by this as it is seen with songs like this.
With these songs being analyzed, what makes a song in this generation successful? Instead of lyrics with meaning, it often is about the beat, or what our generation can relate to. This results in a somewhat narrow genre of songs. Looking at the Billboard Top 100, the majority of the songs are about love heartbreak or partying. Gender not necessarily playing a role in this, seeing as there seems to be an equal amount of male and female artists. Looking back to these songs, it will be apparent how this generation liked to have a good time. Although many of these songs will be easily forgotten.
Some people’s IPod libraries are determined by what they hear on the radio or what’s on top charts by Itunes, Rolling Stones, Billboard.com, etc. But who or what gets to decide what songs go on said charts? Well for Billboard Top 100, sales and radio play. The top purchased and most frequently played on the radio are the ones that make the cut. Looking at the “Billboard Hot 100”, it’s easy to see that a majority of the songs deal with love in some way, shape, or form. And I guess that makes sense because most songs since the beginning of time are about the same subject. But what is it about today’s music that gives older generations a negative connotation of this generation?
It’s songs like Runaway by Kanye West, with a lot of vulgarity and sexual references. At first listen, all I heard was cuss words and a somewhat catchy chorus. But after really listening to the lyrics, I figured out there was some substance to the song. The lyrics, “You been puttin’ up wit’ my shit just way too long” are talking about a girl putting up with a guy that treas her like a trash. In today’s society, that isn’t an unlikely scenario. And often the guy knows what he’s doing, as portrayed in the lyrics, “Never was much of a romantic/I could never take the intimacy/And I know it did damage/‘Cause the look in your eyes is killin’ me”. The sad part is, 98% of the time, the girl is too naive to leave the boy and won’t let go of the relationship until he almost has to force her to. In this song, Kanye is giving advice to his girl- “Baby, I got a plan/Run away fast as you can.” Yes, this song has a lot of vulgarity, but it’s just a portrayal of one type of relationship that not only exists today, but in the past also.
A more happy song about love is Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. This song is about a stereotypical teenage relationship- reckless, but sweet. Katy is singing about a guy who loves her unconditionally which she sings with the lyrics, “You think I'm pretty/Without any make-up on/You think I'm funny/When I tell the punch line wrong/I know you get me/So I'll let my walls come down.” They’re so in love, they want to run away and just be free which is evident because of these lines from the chorus, “Let's runaway/And don't ever look back.” There is one line in the song that would maybe make an older listener cringe which is, “Let's go all the way tonight/No regrets, just love.” But it wouldn’t be fair for him/her to call the music of our generation trash because I’m sure they felt the same feelings in their lives at point or another. Even if they weren’t teenagers; a couple of 70 year olds who are madly in love could feel all the feelings that are expressed in this song.
The third song I’ve decided to analyze is Come Back Song by Darius Rucker. Out of the three songs, this one would probably be the most appealing to the older generation due simply to the fact that there are no sexual innuendos nor curse words. This song isn’t about a current relationship going right or wrong, but a past relation that he wants back. He broke up with a girl and has realized it was a mistake, “'Cause I didn't know I needed you so/And letting you go was wrong”, and now he wants her back. He is apologizing to her through a song, “And baby I know you got your radio on/So this is my so sad come back song.” What are some negatives about this song; from an older person’s standpoint, not much. But despite its appropriate lyrics, this song has a slower tempo compared to the first two songs I analyzed, meanings it’s less of a “dance” song. This may be why it was 47th on the chart and not 12th and 4th like the above songs.
I just analyzed three different songs from three different genres (rap, pop, and country) all about the same topic- love. Granted, there are a couple songs on the “Hot 100” that have no substance at all, but for the most part the chart is made up of songs about love. Therefore, almost anyone can relate to them. All you have to do is look past all the swear words and awkward beats to grasp the concept.
Some people’s IPod libraries are determined by what they hear on the radio or what’s on top charts by Itunes, Rolling Stones, Billboard.com, etc. But who or what gets to decide what songs go on said charts? Well for Billboard Top 100, sales and radio play. The top purchased and most frequently played on the radio are the ones that make the cut. Looking at the “Billboard Hot 100”, it’s easy to see that a majority of the songs deal with love in some way, shape, or form. And I guess that makes sense because most songs since the beginning of time are about the same subject. But what is it about today’s music that gives older generations a negative connotation of this generation?
It’s songs like Runaway by Kanye West, with a lot of vulgarity and sexual references. At first listen, all I heard was cuss words and a somewhat catchy chorus. But after really listening to the lyrics, I figured out there was some substance to the song. The lyrics, “You been puttin’ up wit’ my shit just way too long” are talking about a girl putting up with a guy that treas her like a trash. In today’s society, that isn’t an unlikely scenario. And often the guy knows what he’s doing, as portrayed in the lyrics, “Never was much of a romantic/I could never take the intimacy/And I know it did damage/‘Cause the look in your eyes is killin’ me”. The sad part is, 98% of the time, the girl is too naive to leave the boy and won’t let go of the relationship until he almost has to force her to. In this song, Kanye is giving advice to his girl- “Baby, I got a plan/Run away fast as you can.” Yes, this song has a lot of vulgarity, but it’s just a portrayal of one type of relationship that not only exists today, but in the past also.
A more happy song about love is Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. This song is about a stereotypical teenage relationship- reckless, but sweet. Katy is singing about a guy who loves her unconditionally which she sings with the lyrics, “You think I'm pretty/Without any make-up on/You think I'm funny/When I tell the punch line wrong/I know you get me/So I'll let my walls come down.” They’re so in love, they want to run away and just be free which is evident because of these lines from the chorus, “Let's runaway/And don't ever look back.” There is one line in the song that would maybe make an older listener cringe which is, “Let's go all the way tonight/No regrets, just love.” But it wouldn’t be fair for him/her to call the music of our generation trash because I’m sure they felt the same feelings in their lives at point or another. Even if they weren’t teenagers; a couple of 70 year olds who are madly in love could feel all the feelings that are expressed in this song.
The third song I’ve decided to analyze is Come Back Song by Darius Rucker. Out of the three songs, this one would probably be the most appealing to the older generation due simply to the fact that there are no sexual innuendos nor curse words. This song isn’t about a current relationship going right or wrong, but a past relation that he wants back. He broke up with a girl and has realized it was a mistake, “'Cause I didn't know I needed you so/And letting you go was wrong”, and now he wants her back. He is apologizing to her through a song, “And baby I know you got your radio on/So this is my so sad come back song.” What are some negatives about this song; from an older person’s standpoint, not much. But despite its appropriate lyrics, this song has a slower tempo compared to the first two songs I analyzed, meanings it’s less of a “dance” song. This may be why it was 47th on the chart and not 12th and 4th like the above songs.
I just analyzed three different songs from three different genres (rap, pop, and country) all about the same topic- love. Granted, there are a couple songs on the “Hot 100” that have no substance at all, but for the most part the chart is made up of songs about love. Therefore, almost anyone can relate to them. All you have to do is look past all the swear words and awkward beats to grasp the concept.
Some people’s IPod libraries are determined by what they hear on the radio or what’s on top charts by Itunes, Rolling Stones, Billboard.com, etc. But who or what gets to decide what songs go on said charts? Well for Billboard Top 100, sales and radio play. The top purchased and most frequently played on the radio are the ones that make the cut. Looking at the “Billboard Hot 100”, it’s easy to see that a majority of the songs deal with love in some way, shape, or form. And I guess that makes sense because most songs since the beginning of time are about the same subject. But what is it about today’s music that gives older generations a negative connotation of this generation?
It’s songs like Runaway by Kanye West, with a lot of vulgarity and sexual references. At first listen, all I heard was cuss words and a somewhat catchy chorus. But after really listening to the lyrics, I figured out there was some substance to the song. The lyrics, “You been puttin’ up wit’ my shit just way too long” are talking about a girl putting up with a guy that treas her like a trash. In today’s society, that isn’t an unlikely scenario. And often the guy knows what he’s doing, as portrayed in the lyrics, “Never was much of a romantic/I could never take the intimacy/And I know it did damage/‘Cause the look in your eyes is killin’ me”. The sad part is, 98% of the time, the girl is too naive to leave the boy and won’t let go of the relationship until he almost has to force her to. In this song, Kanye is giving advice to his girl- “Baby, I got a plan/Run away fast as you can.” Yes, this song has a lot of vulgarity, but it’s just a portrayal of one type of relationship that not only exists today, but in the past also.
A more happy song about love is Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. This song is about a stereotypical teenage relationship- reckless, but sweet. Katy is singing about a guy who loves her unconditionally which she sings with the lyrics, “You think I'm pretty/Without any make-up on/You think I'm funny/When I tell the punch line wrong/I know you get me/So I'll let my walls come down.” They’re so in love, they want to run away and just be free which is evident because of these lines from the chorus, “Let's runaway/And don't ever look back.” There is one line in the song that would maybe make an older listener cringe which is, “Let's go all the way tonight/No regrets, just love.” But it wouldn’t be fair for him/her to call the music of our generation trash because I’m sure they felt the same feelings in their lives at point or another. Even if they weren’t teenagers; a couple of 70 year olds who are madly in love could feel all the feelings that are expressed in this song.
The third song I’ve decided to analyze is Come Back Song by Darius Rucker. Out of the three songs, this one would probably be the most appealing to the older generation due simply to the fact that there are no sexual innuendos nor curse words. This song isn’t about a current relationship going right or wrong, but a past relation that he wants back. He broke up with a girl and has realized it was a mistake, “'Cause I didn't know I needed you so/And letting you go was wrong”, and now he wants her back. He is apologizing to her through a song, “And baby I know you got your radio on/So this is my so sad come back song.” What are some negatives about this song; from an older person’s standpoint, not much. But despite its appropriate lyrics, this song has a slower tempo compared to the first two songs I analyzed, meanings it’s less of a “dance” song. This may be why it was 47th on the chart and not 12th and 4th like the above songs.
I just analyzed three different songs from three different genres (rap, pop, and country) all about the same topic- love. Granted, there are a couple songs on the “Hot 100” that have no substance at all, but for the most part the chart is made up of songs about love. Therefore, almost anyone can relate to them. All you have to do is look past all the swear words and awkward beats to grasp the concept.
A more happy song about love is Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. This song is about a stereotypical teenage relationship- reckless, but sweet. Katy is singing about a guy who loves her unconditionally which she sings with the lyrics, “You think I'm pretty/Without any make-up on/You think I'm funny/When I tell the punch line wrong/I know you get me/So I'll let my walls come down.” They’re so in love, they want to run away and just be free which is evident because of these lines from the chorus, “Let's runaway/And don't ever look back.” There is one line in the song that would maybe make an older listener cringe which is, “Let's go all the way tonight/No regrets, just love.” But it wouldn’t be fair for him/her to call the music of our generation trash because I’m sure they felt the same feelings in their lives at point or another. Even if they weren’t teenagers; a couple of 70 year olds who are madly in love could feel all the feelings that are expressed in this song.
The third song I’ve decided to analyze is Come Back Song by Darius Rucker. Out of the three songs, this one would probably be the most appealing to the older generation due simply to the fact that there are no sexual innuendos nor curse words. This song isn’t about a current relationship going right or wrong, but a past relation that he wants back. He broke up with a girl and has realized it was a mistake, “'Cause I didn't know I needed you so/And letting you go was wrong”, and now he wants her back. He is apologizing to her through a song, “And baby I know you got your radio on/So this is my so sad come back song.” What are some negatives about this song; from an older person’s standpoint, not much. But despite its appropriate lyrics, this song has a slower tempo compared to the first two songs I analyzed, meanings it’s less of a “dance” song. This may be why it was 47th on the chart and not 12th and 4th like the above songs.
I just analyzed three different songs from three different genres (rap, pop, and country) all about the same topic- love. Granted, there are a couple songs on the “Hot 100” that have no substance at all, but for the most part the chart is made up of songs about love. Therefore, almost anyone can relate to them. All you have to do is look past all the swear words and awkward beats to grasp the concept.
A more happy song about love is Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. This song is about a stereotypical teenage relationship- reckless, but sweet. Katy is singing about a guy who loves her unconditionally which she sings with the lyrics, “You think I'm pretty/Without any make-up on/You think I'm funny/When I tell the punch line wrong/I know you get me/So I'll let my walls come down.” They’re so in love, they want to run away and just be free which is evident because of these lines from the chorus, “Let's runaway/And don't ever look back.” There is one line in the song that would maybe make an older listener cringe which is, “Let's go all the way tonight/No regrets, just love.” But it wouldn’t be fair for him/her to call the music of our generation trash because I’m sure they felt the same feelings in their lives at point or another. Even if they weren’t teenagers; a couple of 70 year olds who are madly in love could feel all the feelings that are expressed in this song.
The third song I’ve decided to analyze is Come Back Song by Darius Rucker. Out of the three songs, this one would probably be the most appealing to the older generation due simply to the fact that there are no sexual innuendos nor curse words. This song isn’t about a current relationship going right or wrong, but a past relation that he wants back. He broke up with a girl and has realized it was a mistake, “'Cause I didn't know I needed you so/And letting you go was wrong”, and now he wants her back. He is apologizing to her through a song, “And baby I know you got your radio on/So this is my so sad come back song.” What are some negatives about this song; from an older person’s standpoint, not much. But despite its appropriate lyrics, this song has a slower tempo compared to the first two songs I analyzed, meanings it’s less of a “dance” song. This may be why it was 47th on the chart and not 12th and 4th like the above songs.
I just analyzed three different songs from three different genres (rap, pop, and country) all about the same topic- love. Granted, there are a couple songs on the “Hot 100” that have no substance at all, but for the most part the chart is made up of songs about love. Therefore, almost anyone can relate to them. All you have to do is look past all the swear words and awkward beats to grasp the concept.
A more happy song about love is Teenage Dream by Katy Perry. This song is about a stereotypical teenage relationship- reckless, but sweet. Katy is singing about a guy who loves her unconditionally which she sings with the lyrics, “You think I'm pretty/Without any make-up on/You think I'm funny/When I tell the punch line wrong/I know you get me/So I'll let my walls come down.” They’re so in love, they want to run away and just be free which is evident because of these lines from the chorus, “Let's runaway/And don't ever look back.” There is one line in the song that would maybe make an older listener cringe which is, “Let's go all the way tonight/No regrets, just love.” But it wouldn’t be fair for him/her to call the music of our generation trash because I’m sure they felt the same feelings in their lives at point or another. Even if they weren’t teenagers; a couple of 70 year olds who are madly in love could feel all the feelings that are expressed in this song.
The third song I’ve decided to analyze is Come Back Song by Darius Rucker. Out of the three songs, this one would probably be the most appealing to the older generation due simply to the fact that there are no sexual innuendos nor curse words. This song isn’t about a current relationship going right or wrong, but a past relation that he wants back. He broke up with a girl and has realized it was a mistake, “'Cause I didn't know I needed you so/And letting you go was wrong”, and now he wants her back. He is apologizing to her through a song, “And baby I know you got your radio on/So this is my so sad come back song.” What are some negatives about this song; from an older person’s standpoint, not much. But despite its appropriate lyrics, this song has a slower tempo compared to the first two songs I analyzed, meanings it’s less of a “dance” song. This may be why it was 47th on the chart and not 12th and 4th like the above songs.
I just analyzed three different songs from three different genres (rap, pop, and country) all about the same topic- love. Granted, there are a couple songs on the “Hot 100” that have no substance at all, but for the most part the chart is made up of songs about love. Therefore, almost anyone can relate to them. All you have to do is look past all the swear words and awkward beats to grasp the concept.
There has always been a debate about whether or not the most popular songs in a given time period accurately summate the cultural state of that time. While some would say that it does, others would argue that one must wait years and years to see which songs fade into obscurity and which ones remain relevant. This theory can be proved or disproved by the analysis of three of the most popular songs in America at this time: "Only Girl (In the World)" by Rihanna, "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars, and "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" by Usher.
Rihanna's newest chart-topper, "Only Girl (In the World)", clearly states her opinion on gender roles. The entire song is from her point of view and talks about her spending a night with a man and wishing only to please him. Although there was close to no lyrical creativity in the song, she uses the simile "want you to take me like a thief in the night" to once again assert her opinions on gender roles. This song is almost an insult to pop music resulting from its complete lack of any depth or deviation from every other song of similar content ever written.
"Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars is far more emotionally evocative than the previous song. He sings about a girl who he thinks is just about perfect in every way, but it saddens him that he can't convince her of it. In lines like "oh her eyes, her eyes/make the stars look like they're not shining", he uses cliche but still effective imagery and simile, saying that her eyes outshine the stars. Although it is a heartfelt love song, its very unspectacular in that the themes and motifs are identical to so many other songs of the last five or so years.
While one might go through the most popular songs of today looking for at least one song of particular merit, you would again be let down if you stumbled on "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" by Usher. Another song in the first person point of view, Usher finds himself dancing with a girl he vaguely recognizes and wants to continue dancing with her for this reason. He utilizes hyperbole in the chorus line "Cause baby tonight, the DJ got us fallin' in love again" because obviously they aren't falling in love, they're drunk and they're dancing and they really like the music. With each hit, Usher finds himself sinking lower and lower in the opinions of any dignified listener who gets past all of his identical beats and actually listens to the ludicrous lyrics he brilliantly devises.
These songs speak volumes about the mind-set of the current young generation. Every single one of them is about sex, drinking, girls, clubs, money, and all of them even have very similar lyrics and poetic devices. For those that believe that music accurately reflects the people listening to it, then the listeners should be ashamed. For those who believe that the true great songs will emerge victorious over the smut in the coming decades, they had better hope that "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" isn't still getting radio play in 15 years. For the sake of my generation, I hope it's forgotten.
The three songs I picked were "Like a G6" by The Far East Movement, "Mine" by Taylor Swift, and "Stuck Like Glue" by Sugarland. "Like a G6" is a fun, upbeat song that wants to make you want to move. Although the song's meaning is basically about achohol, its a great song to just turn on when you want to hae fun.
Despite its lack of a positive message, I still belive it deserves to be in the top 100 for it's upbeat tempo and fun beat.
The second song I picked was "Mine" by Taylor Swift. This song is about a girl meeting the perfect guy and their journey through their life together. One line says "Braced myself for the goodbye, cause it's all I've ever known, then you took me by suprise, you said I'd never leave you alone." This line shows that through everyting, they will always be together, through thick and thin. This song, unlike "Like a G6", shows the positive values in songs, and thats why it deserves to be on the list.
Lastly, "Stuck Like Glue" by Sugarland is an upbeat song with a country twang, but pop-ish music. This song shows that no matter how much you might want to leave a person, you're stuck to them, and know you'll never leave. "There you go pulling me right back in, right back in, right back in, and I know, I'm never letting this go, I'm stuck on you." This line exemplifies the fact that there is no way that she could live without this person. It shows that signature love story between to people and even though it has many cliches throughout the song, its a fun song to litsten to that still has a great message.
These three songs show that our generation is interested in songs either about love, or just a song that you can dance to once in a while. Even though some of the songs that we listen to today may not have a ton of meaning in them, these songs show the positive outlook on music these days. They show their positivity, and they definitely deserve to be on the top 100 list.
There are many songs in today’s society that describe the way one may feel. At times one may feel like giving up on a project they are working on or even giving up on a relationship. Yet at times even when one feels like giving up a relationship another maybe falling in love. Or sometimes one may just want to just pick a place and just get away from everything going on around them. Some amazing songs to describe some of these feeling that one may feel are: Deuces by Chris Brown, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, and Roll With It by Easton Corbin.
The song Deuces by Chris Brown is a great example of how in today’s society some are struggling with a relationship or another form of a problem and they just give up. In the song Chris is telling this girl that he used to be in love with “deuces”, which means bye/peace. He cannot put up with the relationship anymore and is leaving. In life there always comes a time when one just gives up on trying in their relationship or something that they are working on, and this is exactly what Chris Brown is signing about. Chris knows exactly how it feels to just stop trying just like others in the world do.
Even though some feel the need to give up on their relationship, others start to fall in love. In the song Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Katy sings about two people in love. No matter what these two can always feel free to be themselves around each other. The girl does not even have to wear make up with this guy and he will think she is pretty. When they are together it feels like a “teenage dream”, meaning everything to them is perfect. So many people in society today are falling in love or are already in love and they feel extremely happy with the person they are with. So even though some people may feel like saying bye to one they had once cared about there are still people showing that they love someone in this world.
At one point in life one will just feel the need to escape from everything they have going on. Easton Corbin’s song, Roll With It, is a great example of this feeling. In the song Easton tells his wife to just pick a place on the map and to pack her things because that is where they are going. They just stop whatever they had planned and go on a trip to get away from their “ordinary everyday rut”. This is saying that in today’s society one feels like just stopping what they are doing and just leaving town for a day or two to just relax and live life instead of doing the same old thing every day. Some do not just have this thought and ignore it; they actually get up and do it. So even in today’s society one may just want to escape from life.
In conclusion, the songs that song writers are writing today describe how one may feel in today’s society. One person maybe wanting to end things with someone they have spent a lot of time with and once cared about. Another person maybe even falling in love with who they think is the right person for them. Or one can even feel like getting out of their everyday routine and just go on a vacation. So even though one may not think it the song they are actually listening to on the radio or on their ipod actually relates to how one may feel.
There are many songs in today’s society that describe the way one may feel. At times one may feel like giving up on a project they are working on or even giving up on a relationship. Yet at times even when one feels like giving up a relationship another maybe falling in love. Or sometimes one may just want to just pick a place and just get away from everything going on around them. Some amazing songs to describe some of these feeling that one may feel are: Deuces by Chris Brown, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, and Roll With It by Easton Corbin.
The song Deuces by Chris Brown is a great example of how in today’s society some are struggling with a relationship or another form of a problem and they just give up. In the song Chris is telling this girl that he used to be in love with “deuces”, which means bye/peace. He cannot put up with the relationship anymore and is leaving. In life there always comes a time when one just gives up on trying in their relationship or something that they are working on, and this is exactly what Chris Brown is signing about. Chris knows exactly how it feels to just stop trying just like others in the world do.
Even though some feel the need to give up on their relationship, others start to fall in love. In the song Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Katy sings about two people in love. No matter what these two can always feel free to be themselves around each other. The girl does not even have to wear make up with this guy and he will think she is pretty. When they are together it feels like a “teenage dream”, meaning everything to them is perfect. So many people in society today are falling in love or are already in love and they feel extremely happy with the person they are with. So even though some people may feel like saying bye to one they had once cared about there are still people showing that they love someone in this world.
At one point in life one will just feel the need to escape from everything they have going on. Easton Corbin’s song, Roll With It, is a great example of this feeling. In the song Easton tells his wife to just pick a place on the map and to pack her things because that is where they are going. They just stop whatever they had planned and go on a trip to get away from their “ordinary everyday rut”. This is saying that in today’s society one feels like just stopping what they are doing and just leaving town for a day or two to just relax and live life instead of doing the same old thing every day. Some do not just have this thought and ignore it; they actually get up and do it. So even in today’s society one may just want to escape from life.
In conclusion, the songs that song writers are writing today describe how one may feel in today’s society. One person maybe wanting to end things with someone they have spent a lot of time with and once cared about. Another person maybe even falling in love with who they think is the right person for them. Or one can even feel like getting out of their everyday routine and just go on a vacation. So even though one may not think it the song they are actually listening to on the radio or on their ipod actually relates to how one may feel.
There are many songs in today’s society that describe the way one may feel. At times one may feel like giving up on a project they are working on or even giving up on a relationship. Yet at times even when one feels like giving up a relationship another maybe falling in love. Or sometimes one may just want to just pick a place and just get away from everything going on around them. Some amazing songs to describe some of these feeling that one may feel are: Deuces by Chris Brown, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, and Roll With It by Easton Corbin.
The song Deuces by Chris Brown is a great example of how in today’s society some are struggling with a relationship or another form of a problem and they just give up. In the song Chris is telling this girl that he used to be in love with “deuces”, which means bye/peace. He cannot put up with the relationship anymore and is leaving. In life there always comes a time when one just gives up on trying in their relationship or something that they are working on, and this is exactly what Chris Brown is signing about. Chris knows exactly how it feels to just stop trying just like others in the world do.
Even though some feel the need to give up on their relationship, others start to fall in love. In the song Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Katy sings about two people in love. No matter what these two can always feel free to be themselves around each other. The girl does not even have to wear make up with this guy and he will think she is pretty. When they are together it feels like a “teenage dream”, meaning everything to them is perfect. So many people in society today are falling in love or are already in love and they feel extremely happy with the person they are with. So even though some people may feel like saying bye to one they had once cared about there are still people showing that they love someone in this world.
At one point in life one will just feel the need to escape from everything they have going on. Easton Corbin’s song, Roll With It, is a great example of this feeling. In the song Easton tells his wife to just pick a place on the map and to pack her things because that is where they are going. They just stop whatever they had planned and go on a trip to get away from their “ordinary everyday rut”. This is saying that in today’s society one feels like just stopping what they are doing and just leaving town for a day or two to just relax and live life instead of doing the same old thing every day. Some do not just have this thought and ignore it; they actually get up and do it. So even in today’s society one may just want to escape from life.
In conclusion, the songs that song writers are writing today describe how one may feel in today’s society. One person maybe wanting to end things with someone they have spent a lot of time with and once cared about. Another person maybe even falling in love with who they think is the right person for them. Or one can even feel like getting out of their everyday routine and just go on a vacation. So even though one may not think it the song they are actually listening to on the radio or on their ipod actually relates to how one may feel.
There are many songs in today’s society that describe the way one may feel. At times one may feel like giving up on a project they are working on or even giving up on a relationship. Yet at times even when one feels like giving up a relationship another maybe falling in love. Or sometimes one may just want to just pick a place and just get away from everything going on around them. Some amazing songs to describe some of these feeling that one may feel are: Deuces by Chris Brown, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, and Roll With It by Easton Corbin.
The song Deuces by Chris Brown is a great example of how in today’s society some are struggling with a relationship or another form of a problem and they just give up. In the song Chris is telling this girl that he used to be in love with “deuces”, which means bye/peace. He cannot put up with the relationship anymore and is leaving. In life there always comes a time when one just gives up on trying in their relationship or something that they are working on, and this is exactly what Chris Brown is signing about. Chris knows exactly how it feels to just stop trying just like others in the world do.
Even though some feel the need to give up on their relationship, others start to fall in love. In the song Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Katy sings about two people in love. No matter what these two can always feel free to be themselves around each other. The girl does not even have to wear make up with this guy and he will think she is pretty. When they are together it feels like a “teenage dream”, meaning everything to them is perfect. So many people in society today are falling in love or are already in love and they feel extremely happy with the person they are with. So even though some people may feel like saying bye to one they had once cared about there are still people showing that they love someone in this world.
At one point in life one will just feel the need to escape from everything they have going on. Easton Corbin’s song, Roll With It, is a great example of this feeling. In the song Easton tells his wife to just pick a place on the map and to pack her things because that is where they are going. They just stop whatever they had planned and go on a trip to get away from their “ordinary everyday rut”. This is saying that in today’s society one feels like just stopping what they are doing and just leaving town for a day or two to just relax and live life instead of doing the same old thing every day. Some do not just have this thought and ignore it; they actually get up and do it. So even in today’s society one may just want to escape from life.
In conclusion, the songs that song writers are writing today describe how one may feel in today’s society. One person maybe wanting to end things with someone they have spent a lot of time with and once cared about. Another person maybe even falling in love with who they think is the right person for them. Or one can even feel like getting out of their everyday routine and just go on a vacation. So even though one may not think it the song they are actually listening to on the radio or on their ipod actually relates to how one may feel.
There are many songs in today’s society that describe the way one may feel. At times one may feel like giving up on a project they are working on or even giving up on a relationship. Yet at times even when one feels like giving up a relationship another maybe falling in love. Or sometimes one may just want to just pick a place and just get away from everything going on around them. Some amazing songs to describe some of these feeling that one may feel are: Deuces by Chris Brown, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, and Roll With It by Easton Corbin.
The song Deuces by Chris Brown is a great example of how in today’s society some are struggling with a relationship or another form of a problem and they just give up. In the song Chris is telling this girl that he used to be in love with “deuces”, which means bye/peace. He cannot put up with the relationship anymore and is leaving. In life there always comes a time when one just gives up on trying in their relationship or something that they are working on, and this is exactly what Chris Brown is signing about. Chris knows exactly how it feels to just stop trying just like others in the world do.
Even though some feel the need to give up on their relationship, others start to fall in love. In the song Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, Katy sings about two people in love. No matter what these two can always feel free to be themselves around each other. The girl does not even have to wear make up with this guy and he will think she is pretty. When they are together it feels like a “teenage dream”, meaning everything to them is perfect. So many people in society today are falling in love or are already in love and they feel extremely happy with the person they are with. So even though some people may feel like saying bye to one they had once cared about there are still people showing that they love someone in this world.
At one point in life one will just feel the need to escape from everything they have going on. Easton Corbin’s song, Roll With It, is a great example of this feeling. In the song Easton tells his wife to just pick a place on the map and to pack her things because that is where they are going. They just stop whatever they had planned and go on a trip to get away from their “ordinary everyday rut”. This is saying that in today’s society one feels like just stopping what they are doing and just leaving town for a day or two to just relax and live life instead of doing the same old thing every day. Some do not just have this thought and ignore it; they actually get up and do it. So even in today’s society one may just want to escape from life.
In conclusion, the songs that song writers are writing today describe how one may feel in today’s society. One person maybe wanting to end things with someone they have spent a lot of time with and once cared about. Another person maybe even falling in love with who they think is the right person for them. Or one can even feel like getting out of their everyday routine and just go on a vacation. So even though one may not think it the song they are actually listening to on the radio or on their ipod actually relates to how one may feel.
To other parts of the world American pop-culture music may be viewed as silly or shallow. Of the current Top 100 music hits on billboard.com I chose “Take it Off” my Ke$ha, “Letting Go” by Sean Kingston, and “Stuck Like Glue” by Sugarland. I chose this set of songs because they are from different genres with very different ideas and aspects of the American outlook.
The first song I chose was “Take it Off” by Ke$ha. This song is a perfect example of how the American culture is always looking to rebel. Kids of the US like feeling “badass” and seem to get some kind of thrill or natural high out of doing something that makes them BA. Ke$ha mentions “N-now we're getting so smashed. Knocking over trash cans. Eurbody breakin' bottles It's a filthy hot mess.” (stanza 9). This is an example of how Ke$ha is trying to show people that she is hardcore and in the process is influencing young minds that by doing these things they can be hardcore too. Being hardcore rocks.
The next song I chose was “Letting Go” by Sean Kingston. This song represents the side of the American youth that are all or nothing in love. Sean Kingston is wanting this girl to let go of the generic life she lives and be with him because he’s in love with her. Kingston says “'Cuz you need Sean King in your life King I'm a man and a man can't change And if I come over there I'll lock up with them lips Yo I feel like letting go.” (stanza 5). Kingston is your typical conceited young American boy who thinks the world of himself and thinks the absolute choice this young woman can make it be with him. Many young teens of America think highly of themselves and think their crush should be with them.
The last song I chose to represent the American pop-culture is “Stuck Like Glue” by Sugarland. This song is a representation of the fairy-tale-love idea that many teen girls have and want for themselves. It also contemplates the idea of being judged by people who don’t understand someone’s decisions. Sugarland says “How did we stay so long together? When everybody, everybody said we never would.” (stanza 1). This line of the song represents how even when people are judging you and telling you to do something, you have to do what’s right for yourself.
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