Song analysis 2

Song Analysis # 2

Colbie Calliat is a new young female artist who lives in California and interests her fans with her smooth vocals and her acoustic guitar. She began singing and playing the guitar ever since she was a little girl. Her first album release was called “CoCo” this album caused her great success and impacted all music listeners around the world. She describes her music as “peaceful and easy feeling”. A lot of people need peace and easy feeling in their lives so Calliat’s music is what hits the spot. She grew up in Hawaii and California, so the mellow lifestyle she has lived influenced her to write and sing these mellow songs. Her music has similar style and technique to the artist Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. Most of her songs are acoustic sounding and have to do with either love or heartbreak. In the song that I chose, Colbie is doing a duet with Jason Reeves. This song is called “Droplets” and only uses a few literary terms but mostly focuses on the term allegory.
Allegory is a figurative mode of expression conveying a meaning other than the literal. Many songs use this term to describe how they are feeling or their emotional being. In the first verse Colbie is singing about how she has to leave someone she has feelings for but she doesn’t want to. In the second verse, Jason Reeves is singing abut how they were in love but unfortunately they have to leave each other. The first allegory in the song is when Colbie says “Cuz im walking down this road alone” this does not actually mean she is walking down a road alone. It means in life, she has chosen the path to lead by herself. She has moved on from her old lover. Also, “my head is in a cloud of rain” is an example. This shows that she is still confused on weather or not to leave this love of hers. She wants to move on but she can’t. In the second verse where the boy is signing, he also uses allegory to describe his situation. He says “you left a mark/ I wear it proudly on my chest”. This does not mean that there is an actual mark on his chest. He is talking about his heart and how the girl is either going to break it or save it. Another example of allegory is when he says “my eyes are painted with regret and I don’t need it.” This shows that he feels bad and regrets something that he did to this girl to make her want to leave him. An allegory is a good way to express yourself without actually saying what you mean. If you are having trouble describing how you feel, people use allegories to help other people understand them.
The song “Droplets” by Colbie Calliat featuring Jason Reeves does not use many other literary devices besides allegory. This song is a love song with two different points of view from each singer. Although the song did not have many other literary terms, I believe it was a good song to choose for love and heartbreak in alternative rock because the allegories through the song help describe the love and the heartbreak the artists are experiencing.

Song analysis 1

John Mayer began playing the guitar and performing at local blues clubs at the age of sixteen. Growing up he moved to New York where he lives to this day. Ever since moving to New York, Mayer has become a very successful singer and guitarist. In 1999, he released his first album called "Inside Wants Out." In 2003, he won his first Grammy award for "Best Pop Vocal Performance", for "Your Body is a Wonderland." To continue his success, he toured North America, Asia, and Europe for three full years. In 2005, he won two Grammy awards from the song "Daughters." His type of music is soothing and yet so powerful. The sound of Mayer's voice is what draws everyone in while the powerful yet meaningful lyrics help everyone relate to his songs to a time in their own life. John's acoustic guitar and electric both entertain ages from boys and girls in their teens to older women and men. Most girls are attracted to John's "charm". But what is it? His music, his amazing guitar skills, his voice, his looks? It's everything! Mayer's three famous songs of all time are Your Body is a Wonderland, Daughters, and Heartbreak Warfare. John Mayer's "Heartbreak Warfare" contains multiple poetic devices but he mostly expresses his pain throughout an extended metaphor.

In Heartbreak Warfare, the song begins with an extended metaphor that weakens towards the end of the song. For example, at the beginning of the song it says "Lightning Strike/Inside my chest to keep me up at night." In the next verse imagery is also used when he says "clouds of sulfur in the air/bombs are falling everywhere." Another literary device that is used a lot is alliteration. Alliteration is used in second verse where he says "As i pretend to feel no pain, pain, pain." It is also used in fourth where he says "god were gonna get it right." The extended metaphor throughout the whole song is love as war. He uses alliteration to help compare these two subjects and guide the listener to the lesson of his song. Other literary devices that are used are cliche and a pun. "How come then only way you know how high you get me/is to see how far i fall." This is an example of a pun. "If you want more love why don't you say so" is an example of cliche. I believe that John Mayer shows us a new perspective on love by comparing it to war.

Overall, John Mayer has multiple famous songs that include literary devices. Heartbreak Warfare has to do with love and heartbreak throughout the whole song. Mayer did a good job by extending the metaphor of love as war from beginning to end. Although it is stronger in the beginning, the end still includes information about his pain. The love as war is describing Mayer's heart and how he is getting hurt also. I believe that this song was a good choice overall to compare to love and heartbreak in alternative music.