Song Analysis III

“You Belong With Me” By Taylor Swift

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset

She's going off about something that you said'

Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do

I'm in the room, it's a typical

Tuesday nightI'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like

And she'll never know your story like I do

But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts

She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers

Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find

That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you

Been here all along, so why can't you see?

You, you belong with me, you belong with me

Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans

I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be

Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself

Hey, isn't this easy?And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town

I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down

You say you're fine, I know you better than that

Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers

She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers

Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find

That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you

Been here all along, so why can't you see?

You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door

All this time how could you not know?

Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night

I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're 'bout to cry

And I know your favorite songs and you tell me 'bout your dreams

Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me

Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?

Been here all along, so why can't you see?

You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door

All this time, how could you not know?

Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

You belong with me

Have you ever thought just maybe

You belong with me?

You belong with me

Taylor Swift has exceeded many people’s expectations of how far a 16 year old can go in the Country Music world alone. Swift has carried the title as an American Country-pop singer-songwriter, and released her debut single “Tim McGraw”. Surprised, many music managers turned their heads when they heard this young girl’s album hit number 6 on the Billboard country charts. “New York Times describes Swift as “one of pop's finest songwriters, country’s foremost pragmatist and more in touch with her inner life than most adults.” Swift describes herself by her music, “Well my music is honest. I'm a singer/songwriter and I've written every song on my album. I like to write about relationships-love or getting out of it and stuff like that.” TS also states; “When people look back on my career, I'd love for them to look at what I've done and say wow, she wrote songs for herself but she also wrote that hit for someone else, and then someone else." I'd love for people to look back and say that I never took anything for granted and I appreciated everything that was ever given to me because everything can be taken away if I make one wrong move. I want people to look back and realize that I was really respectful of the music industry and my career - and that I sold millions and millions of albums.” Every girl no matter what age she was going through this has always been jealous of another girl who has the guy they want. It really is an inevitable situation that everyone has gone through one time or another. This song describes just that, “You’re on the phone with your girlfriend- She’s upset.She’s going off about something that you said; she doesn’t get your humor like I do”. The narrator is focusing on all the bad stuff the girlfriend pulls on the boyfriend and making him actually think about how she is opposite from him. She goes on to say “But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts, she’s cheer captain and I’m on the bleachers. Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find- that you’re looking for has been here the whole time”. The narrator feels as though her crush and her are so much alike and she gets him to the fullest, that they have so much more in common than him and his girlfriend that she states; “Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night. I’m the one who makes you laugh when you know you’re about to cry. And I know your favorite songs and you tell me about your dreams. Think I know where you belong.. Think I know it’s with me”. This song relates to my theme/ genre because of many things. #1 being that every girl sometime in her life goes through a phase of wanting what someone else has and not being able to receive it. Although this is a awful and a bad trait to carry, one must pray that she soon “grows up” and learns that it is not okay to be jealous or to be wanting something you can’t have all the time because one should always be happy with what they have and learn that lesson. Swift uses a couple different songwriting aptitudes such as imagery, “Walkin’ the streets with you in your worn out jeans, I can’t help thinking this is how it ought to be. Laughing on the park bench thinkin’ to myself, Hey isn’t this easy?” Another device used in this song, also as a Poetic Term is conflict. In this song the conflict is between the story teller and the boy’s girlfriend. Last but not least, she used “Characterization” when she speaks about how the girlfriend makes her boyfriend feel which is bad and angry. In this song I think that Taylor Swift got her point across that she was the narrator and was one time put in a situation like this and wanted to share her story in her song.

Political Song Message #2

"Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American) lyrics" by Tony Keith

American Girls and American Guys

We'll always stand up and salute

We'll always recognize

When we see Old Glory Flying

There's a lot of men dead

So we can sleep in peace at night

When we lay down our head

My daddy served in the army

Where he lost his right eye

But he flew a flag out in our yard

Until the day that he died

He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me

To grow up and live happy

In the land of the free.

Now this nation that I love

Has fallen under attack

A mighty sucker punch came flyin' in

From somewhere in the back

Soon as we could see clearly

Through our big black eye Man,

we lit up your world

Like the 4th of July

Hey Uncle Sam

Put your name at the top of his list

And the Statue of Liberty Started shakin' her fist

And the eagle will fly

Man, it's gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom Start ringin' her bell

And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you

Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue

Justice will be served

And the battle will rage

This big dog will fight

When you rattle his cage

And you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.S. of A.

'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass It's the American way

Hey Uncle Sam

Put your name at the top of his list

And the Statue of Liberty Started shakin' her fist

And the eagle will fly Man, it's gonna be hell

When you hear Mother Freedom Start ringin' her bell

And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you

Brought to you Courtesy of the Red White and Blue

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Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue by Toby Keith is an amazing song and is filled with a lot of political issues America faces still today. A young boy speaks about how is dad served for this nation, “My daddy served in the army where he lost his right eye but he flew a flag out in our yard until the day that he died”. The young boy stated “He wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me to grow up and live happy in the land of the free”. This song takes imagery to the next level by speaking about the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11th 2001. The writer’s goal was to put speak about its hit on the US “And the Statue of Liberty Started shakin' her fist And the eagle will fly Man, it's gonna be hell, When you hear Mother Freedom start ringin' her bell”. Another example of a simile that is used is when he states: “Justice will be served And the battle will rage This big dog will fight When you rattle his cage And you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.S. of A.”. These two parts of the song describe the US being hit and how the US is ready to fight and stand back up from our fall.

This song is relevant and relates to my genre “Growing Up” in a different way then all the other song I have done. Instead of one person growing up in one song and learning from experiences, the US as a whole is learning and growing together to get up after our fall-and to serve justice to whom deserved it. In this process our nation learned that everyone hated George W. Bush and that we are stronger then ever. Also we learned to strengthen our security everywhere to keep our country safe and to take never ending caution.

Political Song Message #1

"Shuttin' Detroit Down" By John Rich

My daddy taught me

In this county everyone's the same

You work hard for your dollar

And you never pass the blame

When it don't go your way

Now I see all these big shots

Whining on my evening news

About how their losing billions

And it's up to me and you

To come running to the rescue

Well pardon me if I don't she'd a tear

Cuz they're selling make believe

And we don't buy that here

Because in the real world they're

Shutting Detroit down

While the boss man takes his

Bonus pay and jets on outta town

DC's paying out the banker

As the farmers auction ground

And while their living up on Wall Street

In that New York City town

Here in the real world they're
Shutting Detroit down

Here in the real world they're

Shutting Detroit down

Well that old mans been working

Hard in that plant most all his life

And now his pension plans

Been cut in half and

He can't afford to dye

And it's a crying shame

Cuz he aint the one to blame

When I look down and see his

Callused hands Well let me tell you friend

It gets me fighting mad

Because in the real world they'reShutting Detroit down

While the boss man takes his

Bonus pay and jets on outta town

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"Shutting Detroit Down" by John Rich is about a young boy who was taught by his dad that hard work and perseverance will get you very far in life, “My daddy taught me in this county everyone's the same you work hard for your dollar and you never pass the blame”. But this song talks about this day and age how the economy is falling apart and all the middle class and lower class are feeling it the most “And while their living up on Wall StreetIn that New York City town here in the real world they're shutting Detroit down”. In this specific song the song writer is making a specific point that things are not going the way they should in Detroit and while these hard working people are doing what ever they can for their families and to keep their land, the bankers in DC and New York are living it up because they are not effected by it at all because their all so rich.

This song is very relevant to my song genre “Growing Up” because as the years go by the last generation sees the difference in the economy and historical and political leaders that we have today that have changed our nation. Our nation is in a recession, therefor all the middle class and lower class citizens in the United States are feeling it the most because of their social classes and money problems. Most average salary citizens resent the DC and New York bankers because while they work hard those bankers are off spending money like nothing is happening in the world, “Because in the real world they're shutting Detroit down-while the boss man takes his bonus pay and jets on outta town”.

Second Song of Imagery

"Hey Good Lookin'"

by: Jimmy Buffet

(Featuring- Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait)

Hey Good Looking

Hey, hey, good lookin',

whatcha got cookin'?

How's about cookin' something up with me?

Hey, hey, sweet baby,

don't you think maybe,

We could find us abrand new recipe.

I got a hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill,

An' I know a spot right over the hill.

There's soda pop and the dancin's free:

If you wanna have fun come along with me.

Hey, good lookin', whatcha got cookin'?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

(Let's stir it up boys.)

Instrumental Break.

I'm free and I'm ready,

maybe we can go steady.

How's about savin' all your time for me?

No more lookin',

I know I've been took in:

How's about keepin' steady company?

Well, I'm gonna throw my date book over the fence,

An' find me one for five or ten cents.

I'll keep it 'til it's covered with age,

'Cause I'm writin' your name down on ev'ry page.

Hey, hey, good lookin',

whatcha got cookin'?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?

Instrumental fade out.

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In this song "Hey Good Looking" by Jimmy Buffet, this song has an example of Imagery when stating, " Hey good lookin'" in every verse. That is an example because when you see someone who is good looking you obviously use your eyes to look, and sight is part of our 5 sences.

This song is about a man who sees a good lookin' girl and he wants to get to know her better. He tries to persuade her with his ford truck and a nice place to have a date. He also tries to express that he has an open agenda if she accepts to hanging out with him. In the line "Well I'm gunna to throw my date book over the fence" is another example of Imagery because he has to "touch" the date book.

First Imagery Song

"You'll Think Of Me"

Keith Urban

I woke up early this morning around 4am

With the moon shining bright as headlights on the interstate

I pulled the covers over my head and tried to catch some sleep

But thoughts of us kept keeping me awake

Ever since you found yourself in someone else's arms

I've been tryin' my best to get along

But that's OK

There's nothing left to say, but

Take your records, take your freedom

Take your memories I don't need'em

Take your space and take your reasons

But you'll think of me

And take your cap and leave my sweater'

Cause we have nothing left to weather

In fact I'll feel a whole lot better

But you'll think of me, you'll think of me

I went out driving trying to clear my head

I tried to sweep out all the ruins that my emotions left

I guess I'm feeling just a little tired of this

And all the baggage that seems to still exist

It seems the only blessing I have left to my name

Is not knowing what we could have been

What we should have been

So

(Chorus Repeated)

Someday I'm gonna run across your mind

Don't worry, I'll be fine

I'm gonna be alright

While you're sleeping with your pride

Wishing I could hold you tight

I'll be over you

And on with my life

(Chorus Repeated)

And you're gonna think of me

Oh someday baby, someday

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The line in red that states "Ever since you've found yourself in someone else's arms", is an example of touching. The reasoning for this is when someone is being physically held you are either doing the touching or being touched. This song is about about a man who just seperated from his partner and is undergoing alot of emotions.

Keith Urban does a real good job showing the emotions this man in the song is going through by stating "So take your records, take your freedom,Take your memories- I don't need'em- Take your space and all your reasons...But you'll think of me". He is saying how the man feels alone but at the same time he wants that women out of his life but for her to know and hope one day she'll think back to him and the memories they had shared. This relates to my theme/genre because it is about moving on, and everyone moves on at some point in there life either it be a difficult breakup like in this song, graduating high school or college or just looking forward to the future, all examples of "Growing Up".

5 Songs with Imagery

5 Sences

Sight- "Yellow" by Coldplay

Sound- "I Want To Hear You Sad" by The Early November

Smell- "Goodbye My Lover" by James Blunt

Taste- "Body's a Wonderland" by John Mayer

Touch- "I'm Over It" by Katherine McPhee

-Katie Kolodziejczyk and Krista Dewey

FOUND POEM

Take Me Back
By: Katie Kolodziejczyk

Take me back

Seven and Nine back in those years
hearts fluttered

Never any tears

Fallin’ in love with a bad boy

"don't lose your heart yet"

with no intentions at all

They couldn't stop her

She wasn't that little girl anymore

Old and new pictures in frames,

Life is a runaway train

Need you here next to me

Kinda crazy.

PINK- TAYLOR SWIFT
BLUE- TOBY KEITH
GREEN- SUGARLAND

REPITITION OF SOUNDS #2

"Letter To Me"

By: Brad Paisley

If I could write a letter to me

And send it back in time to myself at 17

First I'd prove it's me by saying look under your bed

There's a Skoal can and a Playboy no one else would know you hid

And then I'd say I know it's tough

When you break up after seven months

And yeah I know you really liked her and it just don't seem fair

All I can say is pain like that is fast and it's rare

And oh you got so much going for you going right

But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night

She wasn't right for you

And still you feel like there's a knife sticking out of your back

And you're wondering if you'll survive

You'll make it through this and you'll see

You're still around to write this letter to me

At the stop sign at Tomlinson and Eighth

Always stop completely don't just tap your breaks

And when you get a date with Bridgett make sure the tank is full

On second thought forget it that one turns out kinda cool

Each and every time you have a fight

Just assume you're wrong and dad is right

And you should really thank Mrs. Brinkman

She spent so much extra time

It's like she sees the diamond underneath

And she's polishin' you 'til you shine

And oh you got so much going for you going right

But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night

Tonight's the bonfire rally

But you're staying home instead because if you fail Algebra

Mom and dad will kill you dead

Trust me you'll squeak by and get a C

And you're still around to write this letter to me

You've got so much up ahead

You'll make new friends

You should see your kids and wife

And I'd end by saying have no fear

These are nowhere near the best years of your life

I guess I'll see you in the mirror

When you're a grown man

P.S. go hug Aunt Rita every chance you can

And oh you got so much going for you going right

But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night

I wish you'd study Spanish

I wish you'd take a typing class

I wish you wouldn't worry, let it be

I'd say have a little faith and you'll see

If I could write a letter to me

To me

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Consonance- Green

Assonance- Purple

REPETITION OF SOUNDS #1

"I Told You So"

By Carrie Underwood

VerseI

Suppose I called you up tonight

And told you that I love you

And suppose I said I want to come back home

And suppose I cried and said I think I finally learned my lesson

And Im tired of spending all my time alone

If I told you that I realized you're all I ever wanted

And it's killing me to be so far away

Would you tell me that you love me too

And would we cry together

Or would you simply laugh at me and say...

ChorusI

told you so, Oh I told you so

I told you some day you would come crawling back

And asking me to take you in

I told you so, but you had to go

Now I've found somebody new

And you will never break my heart in two again

VerseII

If I got down on my knees

And told you I was yours forever

Would you get down on yours too and take my hand

Would we get that old-time feeling

Would we laugh and talk for hours

The way we did when our love first began

Would you tell me that you've missed me too

And that you've been so lonely

And you've waited for the day that I returned

And we'd live and love forever

And that I'm your one and only

Or would you say the tables finally turned

would you say

ChorusII

I told you so, Oh I told you so

I told you some day you would come crawling back

And asking me to take you in

I told you so, but you had to go

Now I've found somebody new

And you will never break my heart in two again

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Alliteration- Red

Consonance- Green

Assonance- Purple

ANAPHORA

"All Summer Long"

By: Kid Rock

It was 1989, my thoughts were short my hair was long

Caught somewhere between a boy and man

She was seventeen and she was far from in-between

It was summertime in Northern Michigan

Ahh Ahh AhhAhh Ahh Ahh

Splashing through the sand bar

Talking by the campfire

It's the simple things in life, like when and where

We didn't have no internet

But man I never will forget

The way the moonlight shined upon her hair

[Chorus:]

And we were trying different things

We were smoking funny things

Making love out by the lake to our favorite song

Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow

Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long

Singing Sweet home Alabama all summer long

Catching Walleye from the dock

Watching the waves roll off the rocks

She'll forever hold a spot inside my soul

We'd blister in the sun

We couldn't wait for night to come

To hit that sand and play some rock and roll

While we were trying different things

And we were smoking funny things

Making love out by the lake to our favorite song

Sipping whiskey out the bottle, not thinking 'bout tomorrow

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Now nothing seems as strange as when the leaves began to change

Or how we thought those days would never end

Sometimes I'll hear that song and I'll start to sing along

And think man I'd love to see that girl again

[Repeat Chorus x2]

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long

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This song by Kid Rock is about a teenage couple's summer love and how it turned into the sweetest of memories for them. He recalls his favorite parts of that summer and states "I'd love to see that girl again". An example of an Anaphora is "We were trying different things, we were smoking different things". This is an example because the first part in each line is repeated the same. It enhances the song because it just fits in the right places where as other songs if continuously says the same verse over and over again it gets boring and annoying.

EPISTROPHE

"That's a Man"

by Jack Ingram

Saw a story on the local news last night

About one more struggling single mother

She was talking about how hard it is getting by

With no help, no money, no nothing from the baby's father

Made me think about this guy I know with a wife and a child

Who's working two jobs just to get by

Yeah, he says he'd do anything he could in this world

Just to give his young family a better life;

yeah, a better life

Oh, that's a man

That's a 19-year-old, modern-day hero man

Those two young Marines over there fighting for their country

Man, they're gonna be friends forever

They've both come back eventually

But as bonds and destiny would have it

They don't come back together

Yeah, the one who lived to tell about

Why he can't even talk about it

Keeps fighting that fight up there in his head

Ain't a day goes by he don't wonder why

Why it wasn't me instead

It could've been me instead

Oh, that's a man

That's a you don't know how hard he tried to save his buddy's life man

I don't know about you

Sometimes, I just need a little reminder

And reach down and find some understanding

Find some kind of kindness

Read about a man who said his family

Had been farming the same land in Ohio for 100 years

Felt like he'd paid for it ten times over

With his own blood, his own sweat, and his own tears

If he had to, he'd be out there on that tractor working

Seven long, hot days a week

Yeah, he's the kind of feller that people get real quiet

When he stands up in church to speak

They know when he speaks

Oh, that's a man

That's a stand tall, walk straight

Put God's share in the collection plate man

Oh, that's a man

Oh, that's a man

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This song is about the definition of a "real man". It speaks about the hardships and bravery each man in this song went through to make him real strong by caring about other people rather then themselves. An example of Epistrophe is the line "Why it wasn't me instead, It could've been me instead". This is an Epistrophe because it has the same endings repeated.I don't like the repeated verse the writter brought to this song when it says "Why it wasn't me instead, Could of been me instead" I think they could have come up with something better to start up the courus with a big bang and make the song more fast and fun.