Make a Change
Visit: http://www.techoclub.org/
The Techo Club at Colegio FD Roosevelt:
Our goal is to mitigate the effects of poverty in our local community through the construction of emergency homes, while educating our community about the vicious cycle of poverty in Peru and breaking down prejudices and stereotypes that plague our society
LETTER! EDITOR! ! !!from!! ! !!!!!!!the! ! ! ! !
T!
his! unit! was! not! about! convincing! students! that! music!is!poetry—they!need!no! convincing.! This! unit! also! had! little! to!do!with!music!itself.! ! Our! focus,! instead,! was! on! the! richness!of!language.!! ! While! planning! the! unit,! I! asked! myself:! would& it& be& possible& to& help& students& become& more& critical& and& appreciative& of& the& language& they’re& exposed& to& every& day?! ! Rather! than! passively! consuming!! language,! I! wanted! to!know!if!students! in! 9th! grade! could! objectively! scrutinize! song! lyrics! and! comment! on! the! effectiveness! of! what! the! writer!had!accomplished.! ! By! the! time! they! reach! this! level,! most! of! them! have! the! ability! to! catch!a!simile!like!a!fish!and!say,!“Mr.! Topf,! I! got! one!”! They! can! stare! personification! in! the! eye! and! devour! metaphors.! But! this! is! not! nearly! as! valuable! as! being! able! to! understand! why! certain! imagery! is! used,!and!whether!or!not!the!diction! is!effective.! ! That,! ultimately,! is! why! we! used! music! as! our! medium! for! exploration.! Since! students! are! incessantly! exposed! to! the! language! in!songs,!and!lyrics!range!a!great!! !
! ! ! ! ! deal! from! the! most! simple! and! superficial,!to!the!most!complex!and! profound,! it! was! easy! to! see! which! students! could! recognize! quality! language!immediately.! ! And! now,! simply! through! the! music! students! have! chosen! as! the! Best% Lyrical%Songs%of%All%Time,!it!is!clear! that! they! can! all! recognize! language! that! is! rich! in! imagery,! contains! purposeful! diction! and! structure,! and! conveys! a! compelling!tone.% ! They! have! also! dusted! off! the! lyrics!of!great!song! writers! from! the! past—Bob! Dylan,! Joni!Mitchell,!Leonard!Cohen—while! at! the! same! time! they! have! sorted! through! the! current! wordsmiths! of! our! time—Coldplay,! Florence! and! the!Machine,!Adele.! ! From!the!first!lesson!to!the!last,!this! has! been! one! of! the! most! fulfilling! units! to! teach! this! year,! and! I! am! extremely! proud! of! the! work! my! students! have! produced.! ! We! hope! you! enjoy! reading! our! magazine! as! much!as!we!enjoyed!producing!it.! ! Safaos!! ! Corey Topf ! ! ! !
Determining the true quality of language requires objective, critical analysis.
Gisella Silva – Carina Sacchi – Michela Ferrari – Maria Gracia Echevarria – Maria Plevisani – Andrea Hurtado – Lorena Delgado – Ricardo Hesse – Gonzalo Leon – Troy Diaz – Lucia Candiotti – Maria Gabriela Parra – Nicole Tinney – Edgardo Escobar – Pedro Sanchez – Ally Corlett – Jannina Kroschel – Geunhyung Ryu – Vicenzo Benham – Nicolas Sousa –
TABLE OF
“Set Fire to the Rain”, Adele “I Hope You Dance”, Lee Ann Womack “The Show Must Go On”, Queen “Time”, Pink Floyd “Someone Like You”, Adele “Shadow Days”, John Mayer “Man In the Mirror”, Michael Jackson “The Victim”, Memphis May Fire “Fix You”, Coldplay “The Show Goes On”, Lupe Fiasco “Swim”, Jack’s Mannequin “Hanging On”, Cheyenne Kimball “Breakeven”, The Script “Let It Be”, The Beatles “Had a Bad Day”, Daniel Powter “Jumper”, Third Eye Blind “Beginning to get to Me”, Snow Patrol “Dear TV”, Tablo “Still Haven’t Found what I’m looking For”, U2 “Express Yourself”, N.W.A
CONTENTS
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E
ven after a vocal hemorrhage, the
23-year-old sensation, Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, conquered her audience in the 54th Annual Grammy Awards with a breathtaking performance of her stirring song “Rolling in the Deep” (Boshoff). Adele took home awards for all six of her nominated categories, placing her next to “global superstar, Beyonce, for the most Grammy wins in a night by female act” (Boshoff). But hold on, it doesn’t end there. Adele’s smash-hit album 21, has brought her to the top of both British and American album charts (Boshoff).
According to Adele, "It broke [her] heart when [she] wrote this record, so the fact that people are taking it to their hearts is like the best way to recover. Couse [she’s] still not full recovered. It’s going to take [her] 10 years to recover [she] thinks, from the way [she] felt about [her] last relationship (Sciarretto). Therefor, Adele’s failed relationship not only inspired her to write an album about heartbreak, it motivated her to sing from that “core buried deep within her, where pain often resides” (Boshoff).
37-38). Nevertheless, even though ending a meaningful relationship filled Adele with pain and sorrow, she ultimately understood that at times we are so blinded by love that we refuse to recognize how a relationship is changing who we are and what we believe in for the worst. Being able to paint a picture in an audience’s mind is perhaps a lyricist’s greatest difficulty, yet Adele has mastered this skill. As the song flourishes and reaches a crescendo, Adele’s listeners are able to imagine every word that comes out of her mouth as if they were “dealing with the emotional devastation of heartache together” (Sciarretto). When Adele sings, “I set fire to the rain/and I threw us in
the flames” (Line 27-28), she allows the audience to envision her ending a relationship that was wearing her out and saying goodbye to a man she once loved. In other words, “setting fire to rain may be physically impossible but pairing the imagery of these words creates an unparalleled passion” (Lila Alger). What completes the song’s potent and compelling lyrics is the compassion in Adele’s voice as she sings. When Adele reaches the song’s chorus, your heart bursts into flames and you are hypnotized by the liberating sensation in Adele’s tone. As she sings at the top of her lungs, the orchestra erupts into madness, and listeners are able to feel the
music rather than simply hear it. “When she sings ‘Let it burn’ as the song fades out, you can feel flames licking at your heels and a wave of heat rushes over your skin. Adele’s voice does that to people” (Sciaretto). Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain”, is the epitome of a mid-tempo song, written and performed to perfection. The song will not only inspire you to “set fire to the rain” (Line 15), and to overcome your objective impossibilities, but it will also motivates you to exceed your personal, emotional boundaries and embrace change because you never know...it may set you free! Let your spirit soar!
SET FIRE TO THE RAIN
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins
D
espite true calamities such as war, natural disasters, and famine, human beings tend to rate heartbreak with equal fervor and few reach adulthood without experiencing at least one broken heart. Even Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was known to have let his love-life interfere with his climb to success (Isaacson). For Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, a recently established British songstress, heartbreak impacted her so intensely that she dedicated an entire album, 21, to express the misery she felt as she let go of a dear relationship. “Set Fire to the Rain”, one of the most wrenching songs from this album, describes Adele’s own personal experience in a failed relationship. Considering the number of gifted and exceptionally skilled musicians, lyricists, singers, and composers throughout the world, winning a Grammy is undoubtedly an honor. For Adele, winning all six of her nominated categories in the 54th annual Grammy Awards, established her as one of music’s most admired icons of all time. Even after vocal cord surgery, Adele never threw in the towel; she conquered her audience with a triumphant performance in the Grammy’s. Adele’s cathartic song, “Set Fire To The Rain”, is listed in the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100, and is recognized as one of the greatest songs of the 21st century because it captures the
soul of people dealing with heartbreak all around the world. By using an extended metaphor throughout the song, Adele makes it evident to her audience that she “set fire to the rain” (Line 15) by ending a relationship that was draining her. Adele used this phrase to describe how ending a relationship with a man who had lifted her off the ground when “it was dark and she was over” (Line 3) seemed as impossible as “setting fire to the rain” (Line 15). Just reading the title to Adele’s heartrending “Set Fire to the Rain”
will make you realize that the song’s powerful message is a main motive for its success. Throughout the song, Adele makes it evident to her audience that individuals establish walls or objective impossibilities they wish to overcome. And it is their choice to decide whether or not they are willing to dig deeply enough to overcome these impossibilities. For Adele, having “[thrown her love] into the flames” (Line 28) made “it burn while [she cried]” (Line 14) because she “felt something die/ [and she] knew that that was the last time!” (Line
“ I make music for the ears, not for the eyes�
-Adele
I HOPE YOU DANCE Lee Ann Womack
G
iving up. Just by listening to those two The public loves because it can connect short, uncomplicated words, my stomach to a variety of people differently. For the twists into painful knots making me feel like a people struggling with love, this song says that quitter. And quitting makes me feel ridiculous. you need to fight for love, “God forbid love It is a symbol of laziness and means I lack [will] ever leave you empty handed” (4), there courage and the ability to make a change. I are always going to be people loving you no hate it when I try my best and spend time matter what. “Lovin’ [someone] might be a working on something to throw everything mistake, but it’s worth makin’” (13) because to away. All my effort to aim higher and to do love, you must be fearless. Don’t let a failed better, just to listen to me make a fool of relationship leave you incapable of love, or myself by saying “I give up”? Doesn’t that “some Hell-bent heart leave you bitter” (15). frustrate you as well? Womack’s song gives you the strength to After I heard Lee Ann Womack’s song realize that if you are patient, one day you will “I Hope you Dance”, I began pointing out get everything right. things I could have done and dreams I could This is one of the songs you will like so have chased if it was not for the simple fact of much that you have to listen a million times to giving up. What makes this song so poignant catch all of the meaningful verses. As the soft is that it allows you to notice the infinite and catchy melody of the song drifts through opportunities you constantly let slip away just your mind, picture everything like it was a because you’d rather take the film. The imagery is remarkable and simple path in life. It is telling the things you can imagine while WHEN YOU you in the most righteous way listening to it are even better. COME CLOSE that there will be obstacles in Moreover, “I Hope You TO SELLIN’ your way keeping you from Dance” is the title of Womack’s OUT, fulfilling your dreams, but by third album. It won the Grammy RECONSIDER giving everything a second Awards for the Best Country song opportunity you can unlock a and the Country Music Award for (16)% whole new world of chances. Song of the Year (“Lee Ann Even though Womack did not write this Womack Bio”). When it won the CMA’S song, she dedicates it to her two young song of the year, Sillers said that she wants to daughters in an impassioned way, reminding thank all the fans that have “[made] the song them to find a way around their problems. The their own, it’s really taken a life of it’s own and actual writers of the song are Tia Sillers and [Mark Sanders and herself] are immeasurably Mark Sanders. Sillers wrote this song about grateful for that” (Award Show Network). her divorce, during a time were she felt small Womack has had over 20 nominations and “I and lost. While writing, Sillers realized that Hope You Dance” was rated #1 for 6 weeks when we confront our difficulties everything and heard in every radio station (“Lee Ann will be fine (“I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack Bio”). If you are not really fond of Womack Songfacts”). country music, I assure you this song awakens The greatness of this song comes from the love of this genre to all music lovers. the lyrics; they empower the listener to “give Have you ever tried your best but could faith a fighting chance” (7). Womack goes on not get it right? Or walked away a situation to say that “when you get the choice to sit out because you could not handle it? I believe “I or dance, / [you should] dance” (8-9). This Hope You Dance” is the most lyrical song ever metaphor means that road of life has some written, since it pushes me to keep going and unexpected turns and confrontations along the to stand up, because life is not about going the way, but instead of avoiding hard times, you easy way, you should try to “never settle for the should stand up and keep dancing, keep path of least resistance” (12) and push yourself moving and thinking about ways to solve into doing things you would not dream of different problems and creating new steps to doing. different beats. This is why I think that “I Hope You Dance” is truly a masterpiece.
“
”
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LEE Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack was born August 16, 1966 in Jacksonville, Texas (“Lee Ann Womack”). Her most commonly known song, “I Hope You Dance” reached #1 on the Billboard Country Chart (“Lee Ann Womack Bio”). Lee Ann Womack has been nominated for 20 Country Music Awards and has been awarded six of these. She thinks of herself as an artist who “[doesn’t] ever make records to win awards – %or even to make big statements” (Womack) yet she sings because it’s her passion and because she it’s what she likes to do. She believes country music means real life to her and symbolizes situations people can relate to. She is recently in the process of writing a new album, she hasn’t released one in four years! (“Lee Ann Womack Bio”)
Brian May
Roger Taylor and Brian May were members of a band called Smile before Queen was even thought of. Freddie Mercury was one of Smile’s greatest fans, so when the band’s bassist left, Mercury took the opportunity to be part of it (“Queen”). Taylor’s remarkable talent with the drums, Mercury’s extraordinary voice and piano skills and May’s wondrous ability to play the guitar brought them together in a world were music was the only thing that mattered. This was how Queen was born. But, in every band, there needs to be a bassist to add a perfect touch to the songs being played. John Deacon heard Queen’s debut album and immediately was hypnotized with their breath-taking music and wanted to become part of the band as well. Deacon joined in as the bassist of Queen (“Queen”).
Freddie was the one who originally came up with the name Queen. Mercury was homosexual, and it is thought that his sexual preferences were an inspiration for the band’s name (“Stories Behind Band Names Poison, Queen, KISS, Bon Jovi”). After all, a queen is exactly what Freddie Mercury would have seen himself as. But also, Mercury said that the name Queen was ”a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations” (“Mercury and Queen”).
Queen played different types of genres, including heavy metal, progressive rock, glam rock, hard rock, amongst others (Queen, Wikipedia). Some of Queen’s most famous songs are “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, “Under Pressure” and “The Show Must Go On” (“Top Ten Songs By Queen”). Two of Queen’s members have passed away since the band was started: Freddie Mercury in 1991 and John Deacon in 1997 (“Mercury and Queen”). But, even as the members grow older and leave us, their unforgettable music will always remain. Their songs have reached our hearts, and Queen has changed us all.
Freddie Mercury
Roger Taylor
John Deacon
The Show Must Go On: Best Lyrical Song Every Written By: Michela Ferrari
F
reddy Mercury, one of the four members of
the well-known English band Queen, died on September 24, 1991 because of bronchial pneumonia as a result of AIDS. Six weeks before this tragic event, the song “The Show Must Go On” was released as part of their album “Innuendo”. Mercury performed this song in his last concert, which occurred less than two months before his death. He was terminally ill and the other Queen members doubted he could even sing, but that didn’t stop Mercury: he rocked that concert as if he was in a perfect state (“Queen”). Even when the sickness had deteriorated his body to the point where he could hardly walk, Freddie Mercury’s “show [went] on” (line 7) until the day he left for good. Brian May, another member of Queen, wrote this song to support his colleague and friend Freddie Mercury, and gave the rest of the world a sense about what he was going through (“The Show Must Go On”). Its impassioned message and the profound connection it creates makes the song “The Show Must Go On”, by Queen, the best lyrical song ever written.
strength a person puts to go “on with the [it]” (41). Freddie Mercury was “in the dark… aching to be free” (22) because of AIDS. This metaphor represents the darkness as something terrible, in this case, the disease, and it shows Mercury’s desire to be healthy and free. But even though he wishes for AIDS to disappear, he knows “[he‘ll] soon be turning round the corner now” (20). This is also a metaphor in which life and death are shown as different sides of a corner, and Mercury is going to turn towards the corner of death. These metaphors and poetic devices paint clear pictures in your head and allow you to detach from reality and connect to the world of music. “The Show Must Go On” ‘s changing tone is another factor that hooks the audience. As it starts, you perceive a dark, depressed and almost melancholic tone, which progresses into hopeful and enthusiastic. At the start, Mercury is remorseful when admitting he does not know “what [we are] living for” (1) (Lyric Interpretation). But as the song develops, he realizes that the only way through what is left is to “never [give] in”(30) and be optimistic about what may happen next. We have to be strong and be positive about what is left for us. Brian May once said "It's my favorite song on the album, now. It's got that kind of sadness, but it's hopeful." (“Queenpedia”)
Not only did it rank 16th in the 75 Top British Songs for 5 consecutive weeks, but it is part of Queen’s album “Greatest Hits “It's a long story, that II”, which is the 8th most sold album in the United song, but I always felt Kingdom. It has sold over 16 it would be important million copies around the world. Celine Dion, Elton because we were John, and many other artists dealing with things have also performed “The Show Must Go On” in their that were hard to talk concerts (“The Show Must Go about at the time, but On”).
in the world of music,
So, why give up just because Even though “The Show Must Go you could do it." something bad has happened On” was written in the early 90’s, -Brian May to us? Shouldn’t we keep the message transmitted remains: living? Shouldn’t we look at you should not give up just because the bright side and “face [our problems] with a of the problems you have in life. Freddie grin” (29) like the ex-member of Queen did? Mercury followed this inspiring message, and Why should we let our dreams escape because of even though his life was becoming worse and his a disease, lose our friends because of a fight, or sickness brought him down, he “[found] the will abandon love because of a failed romance? We to carry on” (33). Mercury continued composing shouldn’t. Instead, we must let the show go on music and playing the piano, not allowing his and make the best of what we’ve got. sickness to break him apart. The figurative language and vivid imagery used in the song also create a deep connection with listeners. The whole song is an extended metaphor, representing life as a show and the
Brian May and Freddie Mercury performing “The Show Must Go On” in Mercury’s last concert
Pink Floyd
TIME Pink Floyd is one of the most influential and commercially
successful rock bands of all time (“Pink Floyd”). The band is mostly known because of their broadly developed lyrics, it´s philosophical style, and it´s unique way of composing songs. (“Pink Floyd”)
Pink Floyd first formed when Roger Barret, Roger Waters, and David Gilmour met while studying in London. They were all
virtuous guitarists that shared the same innate talent (Remember a Day). A few years later, in 1965, two
Pink Floyd has sold more than 230 million albums worldwide, including about 74.5
million only in the United States. (“Pink Floyd”). Their success grew and expanded so much throughout the years that they were inducted to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
exceptional
percussionist and keyboard players, Nick Mason and Rick Wright, were introduced in the team. This five …….. members were the ones who originally …… formed the band “Pink Floyd”, a mix between the bass players Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. (“Remember a Day”)
In the late 60`s Pink Floyd suffered a great loss. Due to personal problems involving LCD and drug abuse, Roger Barret had to abandon the band, but continued being their secret lyricist. The band managed to stay alive and continue to succeed without Barret´s presence. Roger played one last time with the group in 2002. (“Pink Floyd”)
(“Pink Floyd”) Even thirty years after they formed, they have still been enjoying their immense popularity and fame. Maria Gracia Echevarria
“Time is free, but it´s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can´t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you´ve lost it, you can never get it back.”
We always rely on time. One can see time in a wall, on our wrists, on a phone, or listen to it on the radio. No matter which is your situation, we are always dependent on every minute that goes by.
- Harvey MacKay
However, the question is are we taking advantage and do we appreciate every hour that goes by in every clock? Occasionally in life, we take things for granted, including time itself. That’s the reason why Pink Floyd wrote the intimate yet impassioned song “Time”, so it could serve as a remainder that our own time will not last forever. In 1973, Pink Floyd released the BEST
lyrical song of all time. From the album Dark Side of the Moon comes the song ´´Time´´. We are not talking about Justin Bieber´s ´´Baby´´ song, but about deep and
meaningful lyrics that give you a life long lesson. Magic has not turned this song into one of the best rock songs of all time; there is a reason why radios have been playing it since 1973. It is because of its message that has changed people´s perspectives on life. This song is about time, and it acts as a reminder on how we let it slip right through our hands and notice its importance when it´s already too late.
It’s hard to find a song that has both incredible musical and lyrical value. See, “Time” starts with a combination of sounds of different clocks that were recorded in an antique shop. (“Time by Pink Floyd”) The band itself mixed these sounds together to create the melody that comes at the start of the song. The combination of the different instruments creates an extraordinary beat that throughout the song goes hand to hand with the remarkable lyrics. Have you ever heard of a song that has real clock sounds recorded in an actual antique shop? Moreover, ´´Time´´ has been ranked as one of the greatest written songs in all history. Its album has sold over 34 million copies in the US and it has been for 14 years in the US top charts. (“Time by Pink Floyd”) It entered the charts in 193 (year when it was released) and stayed there for 741 consecutive weeks! (“Songfacts”) Even after it left the charts, it continue to sell many copies all around the world!
The point is that in life, we all have been through many situations in which we have realized how time undoubtedly flies, and we can´t do anything about it. However, we can make this time have a greater value by embracing it. I will not take more of your time, because the best and only way of liking a song and feeling it is by listening to it.
Throughout the song, the listener can interpret the message that Pink Floyd wanted to deliver. We all have a life for a purpose, and we are ´´young, life is long and there is time to kill today´´(Line 5) This metaphor is used to emphasize the idea that no matter the age someone is, we all have the time to live. Humans don´t seem to notice that ´´every day is getting shorter [and you] never seem to find the time. ´´ (Line 16). This is because as we grow, the feeling that time passes by quickly increases every day due to the fact that we have less time to live. This song is written this way to give us a lesson on how we have to value every day of our lives, because we all know that life will not last forever. Moreover, humans are “tired of lying in the sunshine and / staying home to watch the rain” (Line 9-10). The metaphor is used to reflect how some people follow a life that has no meaning. They prefer to stay home watching how the rest of the world follows along, instead of stepping outside and living life. Then, when you try to value time, “and you run and you run / to catch up with the sun” (Lines 17 – 18), its already too late. Repetition is used to emphasize the idea that, when people realize their mistake in life and try to fix it very quickly, it will not be possible to catch up with what is already lost in time. The connotation of the sun means life and light, which embodies the meaning that time is passing by. The unbelievable combination of literary devices together with the amazing musical value makes this song the greatest.
SAAC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT IN LIMA! APRIL 19-22
“I make music for ears, not for eyes”. -Adele
W
hich song became a number one single in
the UK and stayed on the chart for five consecutive weeks? Who has been the first female solo singer to be ranked at the Billboard 100, and which song has won a Grammy in 2012 for best pop solo performance? (“Adele”) Adele’s life changing song “Someone Like You”, has not only won awards and has been a hit all around the world, but has inspired people to stand up for love and to stay strong. Adele connects her songs to her experiences and her life, and that is what makes the message so personal.
In my opinion, what makes the song so distinct is the way she connects it so her past. It all started on 2009, when 20year-old Adele started recording her record but she canceled all the studio sessions due to her lack of inspiration towards her music. (“Adele”) Then, when she broke up with her boyfriend after 18 months, Adele suffered so badly that she wrote all her feelings in her songs, especially in “Someone Like You”. (“Adele”) Adele was quoted as saying “Even though I'm very bitter and regret some parts of it, he's still the most important person that's ever been in my life…”-States, Adele. The past is the past and it will always be.
BY MARIA PLEVISANI
Also Adele´s history behind each song makes the song so genuine. For example for “Someone Like You”, Dan Wilson helped Adele to write and compose it. The two of them sat next to a piano for two days looking for inspirations and for melodies and creating lyrics. (“Someone like You by Adele”) When they were writing the song, they wanted to make it really personal and emotional and that was exactly what they aimed. (“Adele”) What makes the song so heartening is Adele’s ability to connect to people. When you are listening to her songs, you feel the lyrics enter through your ears full of passion and sincerity. The song “Someone like you” by Adele is a song that transports me to my own world and helps me forget about all my problems and all the negativity in my life. The message persuades the audience that “sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead” (Line 15) and she is trying to say that it doesn’t always work out but it does not means it is the end. The singer was broken hearted and she put all her emotions, her tenderness, feelings and desires into her bestseller album 21. Moreover the most important line in the song is the name of the title itself. “Never mind ill find someone like you”. (Line 25) She has to move on and look up because life continues and you have to as well. Also by the way Adele talks about her feelings throughout the song, you can lucidly understand that she regrets many mistakes during the relationship but even though she looked down, she is ready to look up. She states “[she had to write] 'Someone Like You,' to feel OK with [her] self and OK with the two years [she] spent with him. And when [she] did it, [she] felt so free”, Adele. To let off steam, Adele writes everything she feels in her songs and expresses herself by music. Adele’s song is also full of strapping imagery that embrace you in the song and help you comprehend it. Throughout the song Adele realizes “how time flies, [and that] only yesterday was the time of our lives”. (Lines 18,19) This metaphor explains how she literally misses him from the bottom of her heart and that she was remembering when they were “bound by the surprise of the glory days” (Line 20). Love is that first feeling you feel until spiteful pieces get in the way. “Some one like You” by Adele is a song that conveys a message that love is not about what happens its about who it happens with. Love is a game that is worth playing and a risk worth taking but love can destroy you as well. One moment you are the most blissful person in the whole world and nothing could get any better, and the other one, you’re ruined. From all the songs in the world, this song helps me take in that moving on is the hardest thing you can do when you are in love but at the same time, you have to let it go and try to move on and start again, but never forget because even though it hurts, you cant change the past. The most important lesson this song has taught me it to be strong, and stay strong and always look up because as Adele says “everything happens for a reason”.
“Everything happens for a reason” -Adele dele Laurie Blue Adkins was born in Tottenham north London, England, to a single teenage mother named Penny on 5 may 1988 (“Adele”) . Adele’s passion for singing and voices began at the age of four (“Adele”). Adele states that “she is what she is today” hanks to the spice girls due to the fact that they were her inspiration and always will. (“Adele”) Adele was so interested in music that she went to The Brit school for performing arts and Technology. She graduated with her passion for singing together with Leona Lewis and Jessie J. (“Adele”) For a class project Adele had recorded a three-song demo in which she showed to a friend who posted it on My-space. The songs became very successful. So much, that Adele received a phone call from XL recordings. (“Adele”) Little by little she became more successful and she became bigger as the years passed. That was when she started with her first album “19”, which is named after the age when she wrote it. (“Adele. Biography”) Later on, she released her new album called “21” that was also named after her age and that has won
a Grammy for her album of the year in 2012. (“Adele. Biography”) in her album she has many songs such as “someone like you” and “Rolling in the Deep” that were and still are a huge success. (“Adele”) With Adele’s voice and inspiration, she has emboldened young adults in every way possible and will continue to until the end.
“I'm singing what I want to sing based on the emotion of what that day feels like. That's what comes out of my mouth and guitar. That impacts people. They know anything can happen.� -John Mayer !
!
John Mayer An extremely talented guitar player and songwriter. A man whose power, moral and talent is and example and has changed the world. (Tyrangie)
O
ne of the best and well-known artist for his spectacular guitar skills and his profound lyrics, John Clayton Mayer was born on October 16, 1977 in Bridgeport, Connecticut (United States). (“John Mayer biography”) He went to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Mayer considered on leaving college to pursue his music career, but his parents convinc him to stay on and finish his studies . When John was seventeen, he was traumatized with “cardiac dysrhythmia” (disease) and was hospitalized for an entire weekend. After thinking on the occurrence, Mayer concluded that during the incident was when the songwriter was born in him he notated that his first lyrics came from the night he got home from the hospital. Ever since he was teenager Mayer has been playing guitar; he is now a successful singer. (“John Mayer”)
J
ohn Mayer is currently living in New York. and Heavier things.In 2003 he was awarded a Grammy for best male pop vocal performer for “Your body is a Wonderland”. Mayer started his career performing mostly acoustic rock, but progressively started a shift towards the blues; in his new album “Try!” you can hear some blues inspirations. Moreover “Continuum” album was released in September 2006. For “Continuum”, in the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007 John won best pop vocal performance for "Waiting on the World to Change". John’s last album was released in November 2009, “Battle Studies”; he sold above 10 million album in the U. S and 20 million albums international. Recently the outspoken singer has let out his new single “Shadow Days”. In addition to his new music, Mayer will be also hitting the road and start with His first two albums were: Room for squares his tour. (John Mayer Streams 'Shadow Days' in Full, Announces 2012 Tour Dates) (John Mayer)
Shadow Days John Mayer
“Mayer has broken his silence by releasing his single ‘Shadow Days’ off his upcoming album Born and Raised.” (Britt Bickel) How many times have you found yourself clicking the replay button on iTunes? How many times have you listened to a song over and over again because the lyrics were stuck in your head? Was it because the song was lyrically great or simply stupendous to listen to? John Mayer’s new single, “Shadow Days”, is one of those songs that will keep you singing until your siblings tell you you’ve reached their last nerve. The song’s remarkable melody will not only conquer your ears, but the lyrics will seize your brain. “Shadow Days” by John Mayer is one of the best songs written. This new single is outstanding because of the message it conveys to its audience. “Shadow Days” represents John’s personal
struggles in life; it’s all about letting go of the past and coming back as a good man; he mentions how he “had a tough time/ got a rough start/ but [he] finally let it go” (Mayer 10 - 12). The essence of this song is that John has been overshadowed, oppressed by things or people that have detained him from being himself. In the title the message is portrayed; the connotation of “shadow” implies darkness, repression and criticism; it refers to living under the shadow of others, where your individual self
is dominated by a greater being than your own. With his inspiring single John has divulged that he’s been through a lot in life and now that “[his] shadow days are over” (Mayer 17) he’s created this song where he makes it evident that life will grant you second chances and that if you set your heart to it, you can end your shadow days. Another reason why this song is successful is because Mayer is a recognized icon in the
music industry for his ability to compose music that is both catchy and lyrically deep. In the song, he produces a remorseful mood with a search for hope in the future, portraying a peaceful, righteous tone; he states how he’s “a good man, with a good heart” (Mayer 10). Being able to create a powerfully lyrical song with a right tone and melody is an amazing ability that Mayer’s been able to develop in this song. In lines 6- 8 he says, “but you find yourself alone/just like you found yourself before/like I found myself in pieces/on the hotel floor”. W hile you listen to this lyric you can clearly imagine how John is all alone, in pieces and devastated. John’s talent woos his fans, especially young girls who love him form being so emotionally deep and personal in his lyrics. His breathy, unsupported vocal style drives everyone nuts. With his spectacular guitar skills, he is able to make a perfect match of the lyrics and the melody. The words in the lyrics mean so much more when you listen to the song. You are able to hear John’s sincere voice and amazing instrumental solos, particularly guitar. The imagery created by John Mayer is another aspect that makes this song wonderful. As you listen to the song slowly, your able to picture every single line, you can see John’s evolution and personal growth
as a person and artist. The convincing language, thoughts and metaphors that John has exquisitely written in this song make the lyrics more alive, like if the song was speaking for him. From listening to lyrics it can be concluded that the song has a very intimate and personal meaning to John because he talks about how he is “right here, and right now/[he’s] open, knowing somehow/that [his] shadow days are over” (Mayer 13-15). When hearing the track you are able to imagine how hard his life started but he’s lastly let go of his past that was keeping him in that dark place. The
"You've got to admire a man who takes the high road, and as Mayer's George Harrisoninscribed guitar melts into the sunset, his contrition is sympathetic" -The Rolling Stone
words come alive as you listen to the marvelous melody. John Mayer has not only conquered a wide audience base around the world, he has sold out concerts, won several Grammys, toured with the Rolling Stones and has become an icon in the media world. He’s become a hit, and in his 32 years he still tours and he is about to release another album, Born and Raised, in May.
“In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream And in a World filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe.�
!
KING OF Michael POP Jackson
!
! ! ! !
As the head singer of the Jackson 5 being just five years old, Michael Jackson started his unforgettable musical career. ("BIOGRAPHY on Michael Jackson") Michael Jackson was not only a great singer but one of the best entertainers of all times. As the magazine TIME states "a one-man rescue team for the music business”. ! Releasing a total of 23 different albums, such as Thriller, Bad, Off The Wall, and many others, Michael’s popularity boosted. All albums selling millions of copies and Thriller, becoming the bestselling album of all times, selling 100 million copies. Being nominated to the Grammys several times, Michael Jackson obtained 18 Grammy awards. 3992 is a huge number, and it’s the number of awards Michael Jackson received. (“MICHAEL JACKSON Secret Vault”) We all know the moonwalk, and many other dance moves Michael Jackson created. The popularity he gained, did not only come from the quality of his music but also from his passion for dancing and creating innovating dance moves which captivated everyone’s attention. ! Michael Jackson, The King of Pop, will always be admired and recalled by many.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
!!
“And my goal in life is to give to the world what I was lucky to receive: the ecstasy of divine union through my music and my dance.” !
MAN IN THE MIRROR By: Michael Jackson
“People Change, I changed”
LOREM IPSUM DOLOR LIGULA EROS SET... Malesuada quis, egestas quis, wisi. Donec ac sapien. Ut orci. Duis ultricies, metus a feugiat porttitor, dolor mauris convallis est, quis mattis lacus ligula eu augue. Sed facilisis. Morbi lorem mi, tristique vitae.
Have you ever “been a victim of a
that it is the most powerful song that MJ has
change” (28,29,30,31). “Man in the
selfish kind of love”(38, 39), greedy and
ever performed. Michael Jackson has been
Mirror” will make you realize that many
inconsiderate, just thinking of yourself?
able to conquer the world's attention with
“Man in the Mirror”, by Michael Jackson,
the thriving lyrics that this song has. Many
times we are all just “pretending not to see
the song with the greatest and most
have been able to connect to his words
powerful lyrics of all times, connotes that
thanks to the reflective and intimate tones
many of us have been blind, just thinking of
the song shows. Siedah Garret and Glen
posses, in other words, we don’t care about
ourselves, not caring for others in society.
Ballard are the lyrical geniuses behind this
others who really need help and just focus
If you really want to learn a lesson or listen
wonderful song, which conveys a touching
on ourselves. The profound message of the
to a song that will change your life, “Man in
message.
song is not only trying to teach a lesson, but
the Mirror” is the song you are looking for.
Have you ever aspired making a
We have all heard “Thriller”, “Beat it”,
change in the world, but can’t seem to find
“Billie Jean” and other extraordinary
a way to help others? Well first you should
Michael Jackson songs that are catchy but with insignificant or meaningless lyrics and messages. Instead, “Man in the Mirror” is
take a look at yourself and start by changing. “Man in the Mirror”, suggests
the most revealing and significant song in
that “[to] make the world a better place,
the album Bad, and it could even be said
first look at yourself and then make a
their needs” (12, 13), because of the insensitive and egoistical feelings we
its also very inspiring, and encouraging, “I’m gonna make a change, its gonna feel real good” (143, 144). The optimistic song, not only advises you on what to do but also inspires you to do so by being positive.
To show his definite opinion, MJ
lyrics and powerful message made it
caught people's attention again after his
uses the repetition of some phrases such
popular around the world, placing the
death, becoming #1 in I-tunes downloads
as " I’m Gonna Make A Change” (142) to
song in many single charts. Man in the
in the Us and the UK. (“Michael Jackson
reinforce the idea that the changes will be
Mirror was the number one single in the
tops album chart”). Many different and
positive. The repetition of these lyrics
album Bad. After eight weeks of being
well known artists such as The Fray,
helps the audience understand the
released it reached the number one
Whitney Houston, All American Rejects,
emphasis
the
position in the Billboard Hot 100, where
Chris Brown and other modern artists,
importance of these lines throughout the
it stayed for two weeks. (“Billboard”) This
have performed this top hit, to be able to
song. Jackson uses "Man in the Mirror"
magnificent song was not only one of the
send a message to the world. (“Man in the
as a metaphor to show the changes that
top hits in the USA but all over the world.
Mirror Song Facts”)
reflect upon the actions of each individual,
In Australia, United Kingdom, Canada
meaning that everyone can essentially
Germany and the Netherlands, the song
Mirror and wait for your life to change, by
make a change. He potentially states
was highly rated and in the singles chart.
listening to this extraordinary song. Let
"Gonna make a difference, Gonna make it
(“BBC News”)
put
in
it,
showing
right...", (4,5) meaning that these changes can positively affect the world if they are "right" decisions.
After MJ's mysterious death, the song regained its popularity and became number 11 in the UK singles chart. Also,
“Man in the Mirror” may not be
within one week, the song placed #2,
Michael Jackson’s most famous or most
exceeding the original release Even if the
known song, but the greatness of the
song seems to be old, it successfully
So now, just listen to Man in the
the lyrics touch your heart and make a difference in your life.
Memphis May Fire is an American rock band formed in 2007 from Dallas, Texas. More specifically to their genre they’re post hardcore rock. When Memphis May Fire first came out a record company, known as Trustkill Records, took them in under their label. The President of the company shared his feelings toward the band, “There is a lot of really exciting, young, dangerous music coming out of Texas right now, and Memphis May Fire is the cream of the crop. Not since Bullet for my Valentines Hand of Blood EP have we heard a more compelling set of songs for an EP, where absolutely every song is bonechillingly perfect, and timeless. These guys are on their way to something huge.” This shows that as soon as Memphis May Fire came out even there EP, which is a demo, quickly got attention within the
“I was too
BLIND
to see that, you were to
DEAF
to hear me. Just know if I could go back, this would all be different!” -The Victim Memphis May Fire
music world. Memphis May Fire’s new album, “The Hollow,” is their second full-length album and was on the top charts on Billboard for several weeks. It managed to be the top album for two weeks in a row. The song “The Victim” comes from this album and is currently on their top three best songs. This album has been one of the most successful in the past year when it was released and has gotten them a plethora of praise and recognition because of it. This greatly increased their fan base and they’re now on the path to becoming one of the best bands in their genre. (“Itunes chart lists”)
“Your excuses mean NOTHING when nothing means more than keeping YOUR WORD!”
Matty Mullins, vocalist of Memphis May Fire, is often praised for his stage performance and being able to hit the same vocal notes and stay in tune even in live performances. He is one of the most talented vocalists in recent years and offers a wide variety of style to his music.
-The Victim Memphis May Fire
The Song “The Victim” by Memphis May Fire has a vindictive and impassionate tone. The message of the song is stated clearly on the first verse of the song. It is about the author expressing his feelings of betrayal and his exhaustion toward the constant lies and hurt the person put him through during their relationship. Initially, the song starts talking about how he is willing to give her another chance after so many tries, but that he is tired and ready to leave her. He shows this throughout the song with lines like “Can you keep your word? Or is this where we go our separate ways?” (Lines 6-7) Also in the first verse lines like “Your sleight offhand is an old trick and I see right through your wits!” (Lines 34) This is a metaphor he uses comparing a sleight of hand and her tricks to her playing him over and over. Him seeing through her wits is him being use to her constant lies and is prepared and ready for it, it will not work on him again. Furthermore, he uses a strong sense of imagery and metaphors throughout the song. The author of the song, Matty Mullins uses lines such as “I was too blind to see that, you were too deaf to hear me!” (Lines 21-22) This use of the words deaf and blind send a powerful message to the listener about just how tired he is of always being lied to and played by the girl. In another example he uses metaphors in the verses such as
“I just want you to admit that you are a thief! You’re a thief!” He uses a “thief” to compare her taking the trust he once had in her. In a way his heart, as he is now left alone, is empty without anything left. Just like a thief she left him without anything to his name and left him feeling alone. Finally, the passion and power he uses with the words he wrote for the song demonstrate why it’s one of the greatest lyrical songs ever. Parts such as “Your excuses mean nothing, when nothing means more than keeping your word!” (Lines 41-42) as well as “You killed the trust all of the trust that I put in you! You killed the trust and I’ll never trust you again!” (Lines 46-49) These words are clearly, passionate and insightful of the author’s feelings towards this person. It catches his emotions and how he feels because of this situation he is in.
The song by Memphis May Fire written by Matty Mullins, “The victim,” is a great song lyrically because of its passionate use of words, the lyrical devices it uses, and just how easy it is for someone to connect to the song. Connecting to a song is something that is important for a song to be able to be one of the best lyrically and that is just what this song does.
Music
Coldplay:
ALL ABOUT IT!
Bio: Chris Martin Lead Singer “Chris Martin was born in Exeter,
performance. “After Exeter
be renamed as Starfish. Finally, on
Devon”(Wikipedia) “Being the
Cathedral, Martin boarded
1998 Will Champion joined the band
youngest out of 5 members in his
at Sherborne School, a boys'
as a drummer, multi-instrumentalist,
family, his father, who is a retired
independent school in
and backing vocalist, completing the
accountant and whose name is
Dorset”(Wikipedia), where later on
line-up. Once this group was fully
Anthony Martin; and his mother who
he also met his future Coldplay
formed, they set their band name to
is a music teacher and her name is
manager, Phil Harvey at
Coldplay”.(Wikipedia) Later on,
Alison Martin, sent Chris to start his
school. Martin continued studying
fame Coldplay knocked their doors
education at a pre-preparatory called
and pursuing his dreams at the
and they stepped up to the life of
Hylton School. After being on Hylton
University College in London
music and fame, and throughout
School, Chris was transferred on to
(Wikipedia).
time they released numerous al
Exeter Cathedral School preparatory. Meanwhile Martin was here, he formed his first band ever, The Rocking Honkies. This band started out with mates Nick Repton and Iwan Gronow, and as any other new artist, they were booed from the crowd on their first
bums and singles.
Later on, Chris formed his first concrete band with lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, naming it Pectoralz. The problem was, they knew they weren’t enough to be successful so they got a bassist named Guy Berryman to integrate to this new group that some months later would
TopfHeadlines.com| Music Section 56
Music
Fix You Have you ever felt insignificant, like you can’t accomplish anything, and your life is just not worth it? “Fix You” By Coldplay is a strong, meaningful song that will fit you. First of all, what makes this song so special, is its message. “Fix You” is a song all about how "When you try your best [sometimes] you don't succeed"(1). Going deep into the message of the song, this song mentions how sometimes you can feel discouraged, and there can be times that you feel life is stopping you from achieving your goals. However, there will always be times where “Lights will guide you home” (9). What the artist is trying to convey that there will always be somebody who will be there for you. As you can see Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, decides to use a metaphor comparing lights to people, because a person can light up your way and realize that life’s only one, and you will always, always have your friends giving you support, trying to fix you. Many people think this message is very powerful, so does our crew in topfheadlines.com. Apart from that, many people through internet forums mention the power of emotion this song has, and how many
Article By: Gonzalo Leon (Pd. 7)
People play this song on funerals because it fits into any State of depression and it calms you down. Secondarily, this song deserves being the greatest song so far in history because of its popularity. With 163,574,62 views and 72,247 likes in YouTube, this song has spread worldwide, and it has been placed in the highest position on Billboard. Accomplishing this, “Fix You” had more reasons to grow more its popularity, so people started playing it everywhere: from houses and parties, all the way to funerals, and this is how the song grew more and more, and it gave a lot of fame to Coldplay. This is what Chris Martin said about his song, Fix You:
“Because it's so unlikely that that song would have come out of that period. The rest of that album (X&Y) I like, but I don't think it's great. Whereas that song… it's the best one because it almost single-handedly got us through a really difficult two years. You could say it's too soft or whatever, but… it does exactly what it says on the tin. Even when I'm singing it, by the time I get to the end, I'm thinking, 'I like this'. -Chris Martin"(Songfacts)
Finally, it is important to highlight that this song has importance because of its intention. Believe it or not, as several sources such as Songfacts, Wikianswers, and Wikipedia mention out, this song was intentionally written by the lead singer Chris Martin, to his wife Gwyneth Paltrow, because her father had passed away in 2002 and she needed to be, let’s say, fixed. As well as writing this song for his wife, this song came out to be a sing along karaoke, radio and disco hit. To sum it up, many people rate this song as one of the best songs of all time. If you get the chance, go home, search this song in the web and play it. You will see I am talking for real, this song’s message and tone are the most impacting you will see through your whole entire life. Just remember, “When you try your best but you don't succeed”(1), never give up because the day in which “Lights will guide you home[And Somebody]” (9) will come to place and he/she will sure fix you.
TopfHeadlines.com| Music Section 57
“The Show Goes On” Lupe Fiasco Have you ever had one of those days when you feel like you’re facing a twenty foot wall you need to climb? In life, you will be approached by a number of obstacles. You will have to figure out what is real and what is fake. You could be approached by someone who you thought was your friend, then you later find out that their intentions were not as sincere as you thought. . “That glittering may not be gold, don’t let nobody play me.”(Line 22) This shows that you really have to know who your friends are and keep them close. This can be extremely difficult at times, but no matter what happens just remember “the show goes on” (1). Lupe Fiasco is an extremely talented lyricist. His ideas and thoughts convey life’s realities beyond what the average man sees. He thinks deeply about how he has affected the lives of many and how life has impacted him. “See that’s how that Chi-Town made me” (20). He grew up on the west side of Chicago, where he encountered many of life’s difficulties. Many of these difficulties were concerned with his experiences in the hip hop industry. He had been declined from record labels and later even dropped from contract with Arista Records ( http://www.lupefiascoblog.com/biograph y/). It was difficult for him to even enter the industry, much less to be seen by the world.
“The Show Goes On” is the
BEST song in the world! It gives you an amazing sense of rhythm and beat which is accompanied by Fiasco’s lyrical talents. He applies those talents in a way that has transformed rapping into not only a talent, but an innate skill set. In his song “The Show Goes On”, Fiasco talks about perseverance and not letting people keep you from doing what you want in life. “They treat you like a slave, with chains all on your soul, and put whips up on your back, I don’t switch up I just laugh” (13,14,17) People are going to get in the way of your dreams; are you going to let them? He is saying that everyone likes to hate and will try to keep you from achieving your goals in life. Fiasco then says “I don’t switch up I just laugh”, which means he doesn’t let it bother him. He just brushes it off and continues. Fiasco really appreciates life and takes care of it. He is a Muslim that neither drinks nor smokes. He believes that this keeps his mind clear and focused. The clarity he maintains through life shows up in his work particularly in “The Show Goes On”. He brings a new light to the music world through this song that is not normally present. I can easily see him in the Hip Hop Hall of Fame in the near future. If you haven’t heard of him yet, google him! If you haven’t listened to the song yet, download it!
Lupe Fiasco Lupe Fiasco or Wasalu Muhammad Jaco was born and raised in Chicago Illinois. He was born into a Muslim family which means that he is probably the only rapper that neither drinks nor smokes!!!! At first Lupe didn’t like hip hop because of the violent nature and how it degraded women. He later discovered an album that he loved called “The Firm Album”. He got the “Fiasco” part of his name from a song on the cd called “Firm Fiasco”. His mom had nicknamed him lu (short for Wasalu) which he later extended to Lupe after a friend from school. Together this made Lupe Fiasco (lupefiascoblog.com/biography/). At the age of 19 Lupe signed a contract with Epic Records. In this joined a group called “Da Pack”. They ended up releasing one unsuccessful single before splitting up. He then signed a solo contract with Arista, where he did a few guest appearances but really didn’t establish himself as a name in hip hop. From there he was discovered by Jay-Z as a very talented rapper. He was offered a place with Roc-A-Fella records which he declined because he had already started his own label, (lupefiascoblog.com/biography/). Lupe Fiasco has a different approach to rapping than most others. He is not from the ghetto and does not pretend that he is. He accepts himself for who he is and doesn’t try to blend with what a “rapper” should look like. His values are somewhat different than your average rapper. He loves to skate. How many rappers do you know can skate? He was raised Muslim, which makes him unique in thought. He doesn’t go to the club or hang out with groupies. He is committed to music and his other aspirations (lupefiascoblog.com/biography/). By Troy Diaz-Dulanto
In this amazing band, there are three members. Danny O’Donoghue is the singer and songwriter of this band. On the drums is Glen Power, and the guitarist is Mark Sheehan. (TheScriptMusic.com)
(TheScriptMusic.com)
The cure for a heart is to move along. Do you think that when two people part ways they both suffer equally? It is evident that in the song “Breakeven” by The Script, Danny O’Donoghue is trying to show the world that when he and his girlfriend split up, he went through a rough time while she moved on very fast. My friend once told me that “Breakeven” is the only song that she’d ever cried to. That is because this song is so powerful, especially to those who have “[been] in love while the other one’s leaving” (Line 21). We can all interpret this song in many different ways, applying it to our own lives which is something I love about this song. It’s the kind of song that knows exactly how you feel, even when you don’t. You can tell by listening to his thoughts that he believes “no wise words are going to stop [his] bleeding/ because she’s moved on while [he’s] still grieving” (14-15). Their feelings are clearly not mutual and now he does not know what to do since there is no one that can help him out, he is just “trying to make sense of what little remains” (25). However, you do get a sense through his tone that he’s apologizing to her. In line 6 he says “she finally met a man that’s going to put her first” showing that he regrets not treating her the way he should have by not giving her attention and looking after her properly because now he realizes that “the best part of [him] was always [her]” (9). This song is a great song, and many other people throughout the world agree with me. On YouTube, this song has 12, 408, 602 views as of today, with 47,994 likes and only 256 dislikes.It has sold millions of downloads, and on iTunes it’s rated 5.5 out of 6 stars. I know that The Script isn’t the most popular band out there, but it is definitely worth giving their songs a shot, because the words are so meaningful to whoever listens to it. I have never met a single person that didn’t like the song “Breakeven”. The instruments fit in perfectly with the songs and the words to match the verses. The tone throughout the entire song is dim because he is talking about the loss of the girl he loves when she left him. In line 23-24 he says “you’ve got his heart, and my heart and none of the pain/ you took your suitcase, I took the blame.” She loved him at one time, but when she left he took the blame, and she was just too tired of him that it was easy for her to move on. In some cases, the person that left doesn’t even care which is what hurts the most; causing you to have a sense of nostalgia knowing that “while [he’s] wide awake, she has no trouble sleeping/ because when a heart breaks, no it don’t breakeven.” (7-8). (thescript.com)
“Sometimes we don't learn from our mistakes; sometimes we've no choice but to walk away.”.
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Had a Bad Day
–Daniel Powter “Well, you need a blue sky holiday/The point is they laugh at what you say” are
Bad days. Horrible, terrible, just plain bad. We’ve all had those days, where nothing went right for us, where everything seemed to stack on each other, making our lives a living hell that doesn’t go away until everything is solved. And never in life is everything solved. We are always “[Standing] in line to hit a new low.” (Powter, Line 5)
“Had a Bad Day” by Daniel Powter, whom is the best lyricist of the last 2 millennium, is the richest lyrical song ever. It clearly states the message Mr. Powter is trying to say. The message is “While things may go wrong, stack up, and be terrible for a while, there will always be bright spots to make life worth enjoying.”
There are lines that say this, like
saying that you may need a break, but there will always be someone there to help you, which concedes well with the main message. I think that we have all “[Sung] a sad song just to turn it around” at some point in our lives, with it being our moods, feelings or expressions. The song was actually written when Daniel Powter was in the early stages of his musical career, and things weren’t going as well for him as he’d liked them too; he was heavily in debt to publishing companies, and this song turned everything around for him. The song’s creativity is praised again and again through the years on many indie webpages, like Elyrics.net and Alyrics.com. The song is the track that made Daniel Powter famous and get his career back on track. A lot of songs have this same meaning, but the reason that this song stands up above all of the other songs is the lyrics. The lyrics have a smooth and uninterrupted flow, which gives the
song a way of captivating you, even when you only read the lyrics and not listen to the song which has the beat, melody etc. The lyrics use a vocabulary that is not basic, but yet not the most complicated and uncomprehend able words that no one will understand. It is the perfect mix between simplicity and variety of vocabulary which makes this the greatest song ever written. So this song meets the criteria that we gave it to make a great song. The best song, actually. It all goes back to one message which is “While things may go wrong, stack up, and be terrible for a while, there will always be bright spots to make life worth enjoying”. While maintaining the atmosphere of the song, making it flow evenly and equally, and the lyrics are simple enough so that everyone can comprehend, but not simple enough that it is basic vocabulary and unrich, it gives off a clear message and a good inspiration to all. Best Song Ever award goes to… Had a Bad Day – Daniel Powter!
Daniel Powter wearing his trademark beanie hat to conceal burns on his head.
Daniel Powter Daniel Powter is a male Canadian Musician born in Vernon, Canada. He was born in 1971, on February 25th. He mostly does music in Pop Rock, Piano Rock, and a bit of Soft Alt Rock. The instrument he plays is mostly the piano, but it hasn’t ALWAYS been that way. When he was little, in grade school, he was bullied quite a bit by kids much bigger than him, mostly because he played the violin. In an encounter with said bullies,they broke his violin. Daniel then switched to piano, where he is today.
Third Eye Blind
Jumper
Everyone loves music. No matter whom you are, where you live, what you do, you still love music. Whether it is classical, pop, rock, alternative, or bird sounds, music surrounds us and everyone listens. So why not listen to a song that is actually meaningful and catchy? Sounds like the full package right? Well “Jumper” by Third Eye Blind is the full package. “Jumper”, by Third Eye Blind, is the best lyrical song because it has a profound message. “Jumper” is about never giving up and moving forward with your life, and that you should “put the past away” (line 18). Even if you are “icing over a secret pain” because “ you know you don’t belong” (lines 9-10) you will always have someone there looking out for you and making sure you go down the right path, even if you don’t like it and you would “not want to see [him] again” (4). While listening to “Jumper” it is hard to not visualize what the song is describing because of its clear imagery. When the artists sing “the angry boy, a bit too insane…you know you don’t belong” (7-8, 10) you can picture a boy, angry at himself for being an outsider, but also mad at the world for making him different from everyone. “You’re the flash of light, on a burial shroud” (13-14) is a metaphor that makes you imagine someone who is considering death (burial shrouds can be used to bury people) therefore shining a light on the idea. Moving through the song you can picture friends and family sitting together in a hospital where the doctor gives them the news that “[their friend is] on the table, and [has] gone to code” (25-26) giving them all shocked expressions as they realize their friend is dead and “[they] do not [know] what they are doing here” (27-28).
Below Left: The members of Third Eye Blind. Below Center: Cover of the “Third Eye Blind” album. Below Right: The members of Third Eye Blind during a photo shoot. Another reason to love “Jumper” is because people can actually connect to it. Every person has something they can connect to. Some connect to videos, others connect to friends, but most connect to songs. People who have listened to “Jumper” have said that it connects to them because of how real the cause Third Eye Blind is singing about is. Many say that jumper is a “powerful song” that has gotten through to many people that are suicidal and have shown them how their actions make the people in their lives feel. Another reason why “Jumper” by Third Eye Blind is the best lyrical song ever is because it is well known. To be deemed as the “greatest” song in the world, the song has to actually be liked. “Jumper” is a song that not only helps people, but is also very popular. According to the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 “Jumper” reached number 5 on their charts and stayed there for till the end of the year. “Jumper” has not only been in the movie “Yes Man”, but many other Third Eye Blind songs have been in ten other movies. Another reason this song is popular is because Jenkins wrote it about a true story that happened to a friend of his manager who killed himself by jumping off a bridge, which lets the audience connect more to it. If you want a song that is the best in so many ways then why not download “Jumper” by Third Eye Blind? With its catchy tune, inspiring message and overall greatness it will be five minutes well spent. Once you download it you can listen to it whenever you want, where ever you want, and how ever you want. And each and every time you press that play button you will be hearing the best lyrical song in the world.
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Dear TV
Tablo
Have you ever thought what it would be like to lose all your honor, fame and love because of a misleading rumor?
Tablo, an incredibly talented artist, fell in to a deep depression because of a deceptive rumor. Some people who didn’t favor Tablo started defaming him with academic matters; these people started creating rumors that said that his graduation papers from Stanford were falsified. All Tablo could do and did was watch himself fall apart. Consequently, he felt ostracized from Korean society and decided to create a song towards the media, “Dear TV”. In this song, he expresses his anger, confusion and emptiness about losing everything he had gained for 5 years. Throughout
the song, he criticizes how the media can destroy a person’s identity. For instance, in the last line of the song, he says “Don’t act like you know me ‘cause you recognize me, you sell my records not me” (Tablo 18-19), showing how the media is “selling” information about him, without even knowing the truth. Tablo at this point sends a direct message towards the media. In addition, the pause in the song that occurs before he says these lines emphasizes its importance and how he is willing to defy and fight back against the injustice that media has imposed on him.
To show how definite his thoughts about the incident are, he says “I’ll die standing, try breakin’ my knees, I’ll do a handstand like I’m breaking now freeze” (Tablo 16-18). This line demonstrates how he will not surrender even if the media tries to oppress him and take him down. He is successful in effectively transmitting this message to the audience because he uses various literary devices such as assonance and repetition. Assonance formed by the words “knees” and “freeze” and the repeated word “breaking” create a rhythm that is easier for the audience’s ears to catch the message.
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personification by saying “Point
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produced when he says the words “act”, “like”, “‘cause”, “recognize” and “record” in the lines 18-19 give a stronger impact to those who listens and interprets the song, clearly showing the feelings he has because of the incident.
“Dear TV” by Tablo represents more than just his situation and his feelings. It goes on to criticize the current media and how it is affecting the art; he tries to express this by sending a direct message to the “TV” (media). Anyone listening
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Tablo, or as many critics say, “a gift from heaven to the modern hip hop”, was born in July
20, 1980 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Since childhood, he showed great talents in music; he played the piano when he was 6 and changed to violin when he turned 10. His uniqueness and different style of music was criticized by his music teacher, who said “Music is communism, but you’re playing democracy”. However, he did not surrender and was able to develop his own way of music (Davis). He was even once kicked out from the orchestra after playing Jurassic Park while the orchestra was playing Brandenburg Concert No.3 in a concert (Kim).
His bright talents and uniqueness helped
him achieve a masters degree in creative writing and a Bachelor degree in English literature while he was studying in Stanford University (Kim).
Tablo not only produces music that is enjoyable to listen to, but also creates a deeper meaning into it that convinces and motivates all audience.
“I don’t want to be a person with full hands, resting from dreams. But a person full of dreams, unable to rest his hands”
TABLO OO “Cowards,!I!believe,! are!people!who!are! afraid!to!embrace! what!they!want!or! need!in!a!natural,! honest!! way.�!
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VB Article 1
Have you still not found the song you are looking for? Sometimes I feel that finding the best song is more difficult than climbing any city wall. I’ve listened to many honey songs but I did not feel the same as I did with this one. After hearing this song I was cold as stone, it had huge impact on me. You can connect, imagine, reflect, and understand the feelings while hearing the best 4 minute and 38 second song. I was inspired and excited form beginning to end. My emotions burned like fire, this burning desire. “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for” written by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and sang by U2 is this extraordinary song I’m talking about. This song was the second track forms their 1987 album “The Joshua Tree”. It was THE HIT on the US Billboard Hot 100, After “With or without you”, while peaking at number six on the UK Single Charts. When i heard this song, you could tell someone is in love and they are doing anything for that person, but then I hear “But I still haven't found what I'm looking for” so then you understand that the person he loves cannot be with him. The song exhibits influences from gospel music and its lyrics describe spiritual yearning. While reading the lyrics you well immediately understand the message. Through the song there will be lots of lines that tell you what someone has done to find or will do for someone to be with her/him. What makes this song excellent is that many of people connect with it. Also when reading and hearing the lyrics they can imagine the whole song. The rhythm in this song matches up perfect with the lyrics. It makes you get any type of emotions and also calms you down. Go ahead, hear this song, you wont regret it!
VB Article 1
U2 is the best Irish band I’ve ever heard. They were formed in 1976. The group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). All of these people make together the best band ever “U2”. This band has the best spirit I’ve seen. Everybody that goes the their concert says it is the best of all. From high colored lights to a spinning stage U2 can sing anywhere. U2’ s sounds first rooted in post punk, but eventually by becoming the favorites of many people they start to develop many genres of popular music. In their lyrics the mostly use spiritual imagery. And there is a perfect combination of The Edge’s textural guitar and Bono’s expressive vocals. When they sing they mostly focus on their personal themes and sociopolitical concerns. The way U2 uses their lyrics, chooses a rhythm and show ‘ s the message in their song, that make the best out of it and why it has the best song and why they are the best band. wikipedia
This song has many messages but the main one is about the idea of free expression. “Im expressing myself with my full capabilities/ and im living in a correctional facility” These lines are a clear example of how expressing yourself in those times, would get you to be jailed. When an African-American expressed himself he would be sent to jail and when a white, rich man expressed himself he was looked as an idol and future president.
Express Yourself N.W.A.
A secondary message is about the artists that are afraid to express themselves and try to be like other artists. “Some musicians curse at home/ but scared to use profanity/ when up in a microphone” These line are a clear example of that secondary message. This song also talks about the stereotypes about the African-American people; just because some of the black people were criminals doesn’t mean that all of them are. Dr. Dre speaks against the recreational use of marijuana “I still express yo/ I don’t smoke weed or sass/ cause it’s known to give a brother brain damage/ and brain damage in the mic don’t manage” These lines talk about how the use of marijuana damage the quality of music. Many hip-hop artist throughout history have used marijuana as an inspiration, but what N.W.A. is trying to say is that it doesn’t matter that we´re African-American hip-hop artists, we don’t smoke weed. This song also gives a clear message of what the world is with the government wanting you to be the same as the person next to you, and how everyone is trying to be similar to the person next to them and to everyone else in the world. “It’s crazy to see people be/ what society wants them to be, but not me”
Many groups of adults and teenagers around the world have used this song as an inspiration against censorship and free expression. In Australia, a radio station played this song 360 times (24 hours) to join a protest about censorship. The language in the song is colloquial, meaning from the place of the origin, in this case Compton. There is a high use of slang and contractions. This also means that words can have different meanings, depending on the economic class or location the song was written. This greatly adds on to the emotion of the song. All this messages add to the reason why Express Yourself by N.W.A is one of the greatest songs in the world.
N.W.A
N.W.A is an abbreviation for “Niggaz With Attitude”. This group was created in 1986 in Compton, Los Angeles a poor neighborhood, but one of the cradles of hip-hop. N.W.A was created by an ex-drug dealer Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Arabian Prince and DJ Yella (Years later Arabian Prince left and entered MC Ren). N.W.A. is considered one of the greatest groups in hip-hop (rank 83 in Rolling Stone´s 100 greatest artists), especially in conveying public messages. Most of the songs by N.W.A. are about the police and the government. Song like Straight Outta Compton, Express Yourself or Fuck the Police talk about this.
Top: Whole N.W.A group Below: Eazy E
In 1991 the group started to fall apart. Eazy-E acussed Dr. Dre of being homosexual, then Dr. Dre started called Eazy-E: Sleazy-E. This caused a great conflict between N.W.A. members who started taking sides. Dre made an album insulting Eazy, Eazy then made an album called “Its on (Dr.Dre)” Then another album with pictures of Dre dressed with woman outfits and make-up. This officially caused N.W.A to close
Four years later Eazy-E was sent to the hospital because he thought he had asthma, but was diagnosed with AIDS.