'Sara Beth' Song Analysis (using two sentence types)

Rascal Flatts, a group of country singers, are famous for their heartwarming yet heartbreaking songs, which really touch listeners. The three men that make up this phenomenal trio all provide different vocals to the group, which enables a nice balance in the songs they sing. The majority of Rascal Flatts songs, although they may be upbeat and fun, relate to real life tragedies and struggles individuals are forced to face everyday. Their song, Sara Beth, is an emotional song which reveals a young lady being diagnosed with cancer, and the challenges she faces as the aftermath.

Sara Beth is a teenage girl, still attending high school, with dreams and wishes just like everybody else. One day she fell and got a bruise that wouldn’t go away, and decided to get it checked out by her doctor. Although, “Between the red cells and white, something’s not right” (12-13), but the doctor’s tell her they will do everything they can to take care of her; thus, alluding that something was wrong with her, and she will discover later that she was diagnosed with cancer. At this point, Sara Beth, along with her parents, are dumbfounded. All Sara Beth can think about is dancing, free, with the boy she loves, dreaming about her magically night at prom, which now seems to be ruined. For instance, “And she dreams she dancin' around and around, without any cares, and her very first love, is holding her close, and the soft wind is blowing her hair” (20-24). Sara Beth, although she is concerned about her health, is more worried that no one would want to take a girl with no hair to the prom. The most heartbreaking part of this song is when for the first time, Sara Beth actually understands what is happening to her, and it finally becomes ‘real’ that she has cancer, when her hair falls out. For example, “For just this morning right there on her pillow, was the cruelest of any surprise, yet she cried when she gathered it all in her hands, the proof that she couldn't deny, Sara Beth closes her eyes” (30-34). As Sara Beth prepares for prom, all she can think about is her bare head, and how she’s so scared to go to the dance and be rejected by her peers. "It's quarter to seven, that boy's at the door, her daddy ushers him in, and when he takes off his cap they all start to cry , cause this morning where his hair had been, softly she touches just skin” (40-45). Having heard of the incident, the boy she loves shaves his head for her, knowing that she would be uncomfortable and feel as though she would be out of place with no hair on her head. Immediately, Sara Beth begings to free some stress she had about attending the dance, and her love for this boy grows stronger. Although she was put through cancer, her night at prom was not ruined because the boy she loved made her feel accepted, and showed how much he cared about her by shaving his own head just so she would feel more comfortable in her own skin and unfortunate situation.

In conclusion, the song ‘Sara Beth’ illustrates real life situations people face, and how others adjust their own life’s to make others feel more welcomed. Rascal Flatts is an amazing group with many talents and are able to portray these tear jerking moments and situations to the world, while still allowing it to have a happy ending.