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.