In this Discussion
- Aleatory September 2010
- ChristelAdina July 2010
- DJRose April 2010
- squashedbanana April 2010
- ugh September 2010
- violetchaos364 September 2010
Poetry of Lyrics
Analysing the poetry of the songs. For fun. Yeah.
Not quite done with this one, but I thought I'd toss what I had up.
"It's a Disaster"
(1)
Crash and burn (3x)
Patience is the hallmark of the old and the infirm (14ish syllables)
(2)
the lived and learned (3)
outlived their lust and traded want in for concern (12ish syllables)
Crash – Good old sound word. Nice power word to start the song
burn, infirm, learned, concern: The rhyme is a long “ur” sound. Especially in song, the consonant at the end of the rhyme doesn’t have to be the same, because the when the song is sung it is the vowel sound that is extended. Vowel rhyme is assonance. In learned, the “ed” is a weak syllable and doesn’t disturb the rhyme of the “ur” sound. In poetry, a weak syllable can be and are used at the end of lines. Rhymes make the connection between the meanings stronger, makes the sound of the poem flow (like butter, so smoothly, just the right amount of rhymes) and locks together this verse like the first eight lines of a sonnet.
Part of the reason I love this song is that it flows like silk, is tight without a wasted or extra word, but there’s juxtaposition of talking about crashing and leaving, which doesn’t sound silky or tight to me.
Crash and burn: Event and result, repeated, event and result, event and result, event and result. The repeating emphases the connection of the words and the cause and effect. This happens over and over.
Old, infirm, lived, learned, their: Describing a group (the word “their”) of people. They are old (old: stuck in their ways? Used to this event and result again and again?), infirm (sick, weak, tired?), lived (again, lived with the cause/effect – “ed” makes it past tense, they have been through this before), learned (again past tense). The first “lived and learned” could even be functioning as a noun, and the repeating (emphasis and stronger connection) can function as adjectives. Not only did they live and learn (past tense) they are (could be here) NAMED lived and learned, with the naming reinforcing who they are and their past actions (or lack of actions) that continue from the past (-ed) through to now.
old, infirm: This line could be rendered “the old and infirm”, but the second “the” fills in the meter of the line/song. With music, the beat informs the meter much more than the actual words, but the second “the” fills in the meter that is there very nicely. However, I get the feeling that “the” is not just a place holding word, but that it emphasizes “infirm.”
hallmark: That word is close enough for the ear (at least my ear) to be affected with alliteration with the lived and learned in the next lines. Smooth.
outlived, lust: Continuing the alliteration from Lived and Learned, again making the connection stronger (and flow). Does “lived” mean a passive action or were they living purposely? The past tense suggests passive, it just happened and they existed through life. Lived, lived, lived repeated, then they got to OUT lived, but no mention of livING. Lust (alliteration with lived), has an active and vibrant, visceral connotation, which contrasts with the past tense of livED. “Their lust” implies that they, at one time, HAD lust – so lust being active, vibrant, ALIVE, so perhaps they did some “livING,” but since this is the only suggestion of them actually living, the repetition of the past tense livED seems stronger. In any case, the lust is gone now – outlived passively or actively?
want, concern – Want sounds active and concern sounds passive, thematically repeating the lust/active and lived/passive.
the state of the world
(one) This is the event or events, the situation that exists right now and has been in this state long enough for some people to OUTlived in some way.
(two) The reaction of some people, the old and the infirm.
singing, “that’s all right,” (x?) – “They” are singing this over and over, trying to convince themselves and others around them that this situation is okay?
(3)
so come on down (3x)
Get out your pestilence and vice and pass them round. (12ish syllables)
(4)
We’ll blow this town (3x)
Jump off this ship before the sh*t just runs aground (13ish syllables)
down, round, town, aground: four rhymes here with the “ow” type vowel sound. With the end consonants (n and nd), you could also look at it like two alternating rhyming couplets. Emphasis, repeating, locking this verse together. Again, this feels like the first eight lines of a sonnet to me. Also, down and town are often put together for “down town,” which rhymes or sticks those rhymes together even more for me.
jump, just: Alliteration for the win, sort of a beginning rhyme with juh-mp and juh-st. Not quite a rhyme I think, since they are single syllable words, but it does reinforce the alliteration.
ship, sh*t: Rhyme and alliteration, again for the win.
this, ship, sh*t, just, runs: Lots of “S”s there, flowing like silk.
the state of the world
(four) So, given the state of the world here, let’s take an action (active!), come on down (to me?). Contrasts with what the old and the infirm are doing (passive!), so is separating us and them.
(five) This is what we will do (after to come here to me?).
singing, “that’s all right,” (3x)
(5)
But it’s a disaster
its an incredible mess
but it’s all we got now
(its all we got)
(6)
Howling with laughter,
panic alarm and distress,
but it’s all we got now
Yeah it’s all we got
disaster, mess and laughter, distress: Alliterating rhyme couplets. Nicely done. Also a bunch of “S” sounds. Disaster is rhyming with laughter, but disaster seems to connect even more with distress, with the “D”s and the “S”s.
howling with laughter: Yeah, THAT sounds good and healthy (manic much?).
howling, panic, alarm, distress: Along with disaster and mess, this really, really sucks, doesn’t it? Also very active words and present tense/NOW type words, contrasting with the earlier outliving and concern.
That’s, yeah, it’s ALL we got now repeated: Following up the suggestion of leaving, thematic repeat of “it sucks” and emphasizing this is IT.
(five) But! However! Especially coming right after the repeating “that’s all right”, I’m thinking that “that” is NOT right. Disaster and mess, this is IT!
(six) Who’s howling with laughter? Doesn’t appear to be a good thing, in the middle of disaster and mess, then panic, alarm and distress. Reasons to jump ship before the end?
Have not started this next part yet (and I may not be quite done with the above bit, either!)
(7)
Oh heads or tails (3x)
Are you dumb enough to break the mold or smart enough to fail?
(8)
Happy trails (3x)
Can’t beat a little bit of envy in your sails.
Comments
Wow..can i borrow your mind when it comes to my english lit. exam? haha just kidding
Anyway i'd like to add my two cents in here if i may
Crash has almost a plosive sound to it because of its similarity to the sound that a K makes which gives a greater effect to how powerful a word it is to begin the song with. This also goes for any words beginning with D/T/P/B/G/K and this song is plentyful of plosive sounding words such as Disaster, Panic, But, Get, Trails.
Crash also has an onomatopoeic sound to it so it immediatly draws in the listener.
The repitition of certain lines such as the first line 'Crash and burn, crash and burn, crash and burn' helps the listener remember the line(s) more vividly and quickly than other lines which do not have this triplet. Because Damian had chose to write the line in this way it conveys a sense of not being able to break from the continuing cycle of 'crashing and burning', this is also true of 'lived and learned' and when the line reads 'come on down' x3 it connotates a certain or slight urgency of wanting this person to come and visit – perhaps in attempt to make this person break the habit of the last two repeated lines if only for a while or it could also be interpretted as not an urgent message but a friendly invitation to blow off some steam which can explain the next line.
The verses of the song can also be said in iambic pentametre which was a poetry technique commonly used in pre 1914 poems such as Sonnet 130 by none other than William Shakespeare. This adds to the rhythmic sound of the song coupled with the beat of the drums and rhyming couplets.
(Iambic pentametre is a line of poetry that is made up of five iambs which follow a pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable <- for those who didn't know what one is)
The line 'But its all we got now' shows some uncertainty with the 'But' beginning the line and it gives the impression that he has been stuck with what has been left with or how his life has ended up as and as you said it suggests that it sucks. The line 'Yeah its all we got' suggests to me that he has quickly accepted the fact that the disaster he has been left with is something that should be dealt with by him and this other person. Another interpretation of this line is that the disaster and mess that has been left behind is the only thing that keeps him alive and going which is keeping in tone of the song – broken and battered however full of strength and energy and very upbeat.
Thats all I can really think of right now…I'm really tired and in need of my precious sleep
I get the feeling that if Damian ever peeks at the boards, he'll go nuts over this thread.
Fascinating insights, Ladies!
Awesome! Thanks for playing with me! Let me get my last bit of the song up, then I'll reply to your stuff.
It would be really awesome if Damian saw this. And scary. =D
Also, sorry to let this drop for a few days - I've been sick and the one thing I HATE about being sick is the inability to think beyond semi-clever Facebook status lines.
Anyway:
(7)
Oh heads or tails (3x)
Are you dumb enough to break the mold or smart enough to fail?
heads or tails - common phrase, not breaking new ground here and nor should it be a new phrase. It would distract from the unique lines in the next line. As it is, the "smart enough to fail" is unique!
dumb enough to break the mold: Speculation here. I can't see that the poet would consider breaking the mold dumb. Mold, I believe, implying the "set in their ways," the normal, everyday living (or livED) that the lived and learned have. Would it be that the lived and learned, old and infirm folk from before would consider breaking the mold dumb? That may be why the line sounds backwards to me, especially the next part of the line.
smart enough to fail: (tail/fail rhyme) Nice contrast. As in, huh? Why would you need to be smart to fail? Unless perhaps its smart to try to succeed even with the risk of failing? In any case, we are still deciding whether to leave at all, I believe. Clarification questions, last bit of persuasion?
I'm a bit lost with the two phrases here. I don't know if they are supposed to thematically agree with each other or offer a contrast. Well, I'm used to that, I'm a King's X fan! (Talk about cryptic lyrics, oi!)
(6,7)
State of the World : make a decision.
(8)
Happy trails (3x)
Can’t beat a little bit of envy in your sails.
happy trails - kinda like heads/tails, common phrase. There is also a nice alliteration with heads/happy and tails/trails, plus the rhyme of tails/trails
Can't beat a little bit of envy in your sails - I really like this line. Wind would normally be in sails, and wind is the proplusion. So, envy in the sails helping your ship to go?
state of the world - buh bye!
English Lit? Ha, you blew me out of the water with "plosive." I majored in psychology, but my roommate was English/Communications. We found that our majors had a lot of overlap - human condition type stuff. Anyway, I was reading Stephen Fry's "The Ode Less Traveled" and heard "WTF?" and became enthralled in all the "I" rythmes... =D
Onomatopoeia! I could get my spell check to give me that spelling for love or money! Yes, that's exactly what I was going for.
The lyrics do suggest to me a sonnet, meter and rhyme-wise, and the fact that every syllable and every rhyme is pretty much perfectly placed.
Oopps gotta go...!
I'm back! Just having fun and loving the music and poetry therein.
In the Glass
Well at first there was,
there was just no question.
At first it was obvious. Repeated, so emphasis?
Who wouldn’t rather be their reflection?
alliteration (two pairs) –
who, wouldn’t
rather, reflection
Actually, huh? What’s obvious about this? What would be good about being a reflection of yourself? What are you seeing in your reflection that is obviously desirable? What are you seeing your reflection from or on? Water, mirror, yourself reflected in someone else?
Who WOULD rather be their reflection? What would be the benefits?
And when I got there everything was cold and perfect.
And when I got there everything was cold and perfect.
Repeated line couplet, so emphasis?
It’s not perfect but cold. It’s perfect and cold. Also, cold is the first adjective to apply to wherever “there” is. Is “there” a world where your reflection is real? Glass could be cold and reflect what is there perfectly. Perfect reflection, truth? Is truth cold?
It was clear and bright like midwinter sunlight.
c – nice hard K sound, with all the cold imagery, the hard K sounds brittle to me
bright/light – rhyme, vowel and consonant
mid – win – rhyme
Cold again. Clear and bright – I’ve felt days like this, sunny, no clouds, sun reflecting (!) off snow (midwinter). Maybe kind of fooling you – since it’s sunny, then theoretically it would be warm – but it’s now.
My heartbeat counted down the moments,
precise and quiet.
count/down rhyme,
also suggesting, a countdown. To what? What are we counting the moments to? Or why? Is he waiting for something?
cise/qui - rhyme
ments/precise - S sound alliteration
it’s a stretch (because of the distance between the words) but ‘perfect’ and ‘precise’ run together with alliteration and similar concept to me, so:
Precise, like perfectly?
Quiet, like the stillness of a world wrapped in winter?
I looked out and saw my own reflection, helpless.
I looked out and saw him overwhelmed and helpless.
Almost a repeated couplet, but slight yet important differences
own/over – ‘oh’ rhyme – runs the words and meanings together –my own, owning overwhelming feeling
flect/hel - rhyme
I looked at me, helpless
me - then switched to - him
I looked at him, separate from myself, but still my reflection?
He the Reflection appears overwhelmed and helpless to the He the Speaker, so is He the Reflection really overwhelmed and helpless
And, oh, what have I done, what have I done?
What have I done, what have I done?
My God, what have I done, oh what have I done?
Lots of repeats here -
What have I done to get in this cold and perfect place? I’m feeling, it may be perfect but it’s cold –
Connotations of cold – chilly, winter tang, hard, no warmth, no warmth of feeling, callous
Did the speaker, now in this cold world, become so cold that the reflection became overwhelmed? With what – no warmth from self?
And as time went on,
you could feel the silence solidifying and the sound of my thoughts was paralyzing.
(side note – gosh I love the sound of this lyric!)
silence/solid/sound/ - clear cut alliteration
S sound sort of runs together with: thoughts/zing (Z sound but close enough to an S sound as to affect the ear)
feel/ifying – F sound alliteration
As time went on, was the speaker’s reflection becoming harder and colder? Feeling trapped – solidifying, can’t move, thoughts, can’t move.
I tried to call out to him but the glass was perfect.
I tried to call out to him but the glass was perfect.
Repeated line couplet
The speaker tried to call out to the person he became?
But oh what I have done, what have I done?
What have I done, what have I done?
My God, what have I done,
Lots of repeats – begging to know what he did?
Why? So he doesn’t do it again?
What have I done to get so cold and perfect and hard?
and what wicked penance to get what you want, to get what you want?
Oh what have I done?
What wicked penance – usually penance is to make it up to God, but if it’s wicked and you got what you want out of it, is it penance being paid to a metaphoric devil?
Every day is the same: we’re praying for rain.
And when it finally came, and when it came, every day was the same:
still praying for rain.
Repeated, repeated!!
came/same – rhyme – even the sound of the words is the same, when it came, every day same, repeated, relentless since so many repetitions?
Caught and hopeless?
Praying, asking for rain.
Been asking questions all along. Even though at the beginning, there was just NO question.
Who wouldn’t rather be their reflection? – sounds like it would be rhetorical
What have I done?
What wicked penance (done?) to get what you want?
The P words run together for me as well. Maybe I’m hypersensitive to alliteration and rhyme.
perfect - adjective
precise - adjective
paralyzing - verb
penance - noun
Mentioned God, penance, and praying – at the end of himself (sound of my thoughts was paralyzing), reaching out to God?
~~~fiinis~~~
Just some thoughts here. I'm not trying to figure out THE meaning, just looking at what I'm thinking and what I'm FEELING from the words.
Damn it, Amber! Why'd you have to go and post something interesting and irresistible like this? I'm only here on my once-hourly "step away from the editing before you break something" 10-minute break (I knew I should've stayed on Facebook instead!). Ten minutes isn't enough time!
Perhaps I'll stay out of it altogether…
EDIT: But I can't. Obviously. Heheh. In repsonse to your second-to-last bit in the previous post, I just wanted to quickly point out a purely personal opinion on the preponderance of plosive "P"s paired with a plethora of sibilant "S" sounds and plenty of fun with "F"s and "T"s.
It's not surprising, particularly given what we are told are Damian's favourite words. Pamplemousse, Paracadute, various expletives … He's a consonnance junkie with a fondness for sibilance and explosive alliteration.
Not only do these things make for tuneful song and speech (even without the music), but they make you pay attention on more than one level.
Plus, all those sounds actually evoke emotions mirroring the figurative sensations of isolation at the same time that they suggest the physical partition and sense of seclusion in the glass.
Wow. Just wow. More proof to show that we Boardies are absolute frickin nerds? I LOVE IT.
With all the deep thoughts that have been running around, I'm going to say the shallowest thing I can possibly think of:
I really love the way that Damian says, "Um." It's lovely.
And hey, look, Pete Smolin is logged on! Hi, Pete, thanks for being awesome!
Whoa, July since I last posted?
I highlighted and colored various words and rhythms and whatnot for WTF. The thought of trying to do all that on this board (the aforementioned "crappy" board) just made me cry (btw, hyperbole is the best thing EVER!), so I'm linking my LJ.
Three parts:
http://violetchaos-364.livejournal.com/73758.html
http://violetchaos-364.livejournal.com/74218.html
http://violetchaos-364.livejournal.com/74302.html
I came down to... exactly what Damian said the song was about - the weird, uncomfortable, compelling WTF-ness of a relationship (I think a new relationship, but I can't remember where I read/heard what Damian said about it.)
So, I kinda felt like I did the math problem and came up with the solution that I intuitively knew in the first place. Kinda deflated me, but then I was thought, why was I doing this analysis thing anyway?
I'm doing this because I love the words. I love the way they run together, the sounds, the cadence, rhythm, connotations, denotations, etc.
I don't know music, but I know words. And I wanted to celebrate them.
And WTF was the reason I started this thread.
I didn't get WTF at first. I wanted to like the song, but it didn't do anything for me the first listen when I saw the video. I watched and listened again. And again.
And then I HEARD IT.
It's like I'm eye to eye with a wild lion.
All those short "i"s! It's like, weaving with sound, the pattern, the cadence. And it doesn't sound forced or trite or coy.
So, I re-listened and I got it this time. And I got the rest of the OTBCOTS, I think. The words, anyway, but I got the music part when I saw the boys in concert. =D
A couple days ago I realized I did for WTF the same sort of analysis that Damian did for OTBCOTS with the liner notes. I even used colors!
Oh, I'm a frakking nerd alright!
Prefer the term geek, though, somehow. 
violetchaos364 said:
I'm not even going to attempt to quote/fight the bold button, so cut and paste it is!
Who wouldn't rather be their reflection?
To me this means something along the lines of "who wouldn't rather be the person everyone sees me as, the person everyone else thinks I am"
YEAH! That make sense! Ok, I can wrap my head around that. I didn't even think of that.
This is something I do at work when I need a "brain break", hence the months between posts!
God, I'm so glad you resurrected this thread. I always wanted to sit down and do this sort of analysis but I never have time...maybe someday an assignment will come up and I'll have to analyze lyrics.
Oh, totally. I prefer 'geek' much more, but 'nerd' just felt right in that sentence. I think 'geek' fits more with a modifier (lyrics geek, music geek, math geek) you know, now that we're on the topic of words....
For the last week I swear I've gotten 17 on EVERY math. Maybe I should be happy, and think about "I put 42 on 17..." whatever that means ;)