Carrie Underwood is an extremely talented artist who enhances her compositions by applying literary and poetic devices into her pieces. Underwood’s song, Wasted, hit number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs in April 2007, and was a track on the fastest selling album debut in Nielsen Sound Scan history. Some literary and poetic devices Carrie Underwood incorporates into her song Wasted include similes, alliteration, diction, imagery, allusion, and ambiguity.
Alliteration, several words with the reoccurring same consonants, is present multiple times throughout this song. For instance, “she said sometimes love slips away… for one split second… so she took another step and said” all has an alliteration with the letter ‘s’. A southern, twangy diction is also evident with the way words are sung. Such as “wanna’, gotta, gonna’, cause’, ain’t, and drivin’”. Instead of saying the endings and prefixes Underwood illustrates her southern drawl by changing the way the words are pronounced. Similes, a comparison of two things using the words like or as, are also portrayed in Wasted. One example is in the first stanza: “one tear hit the hard wood, it fell like broken glass”. Underwood compares a tear drop falling from one’s face to a glass falling and breaking on the floor. The simile also symbolizes the pain and heartbreak the narrator is feeling. Another simile appears in the second stanza: “For one split second she almost turned around, but that would be like pouring rain drops back into a cloud”. The simile is basically proving that it would be pointless or improbable to go back. Imagery is briefly apparent when Underwood sings about the drunk, loved one. For example, “so he stumbles to the sink and pours it down the drain”. One can vividly picture this drunken man tumbling to the sink and finally ending his drunken habits. “He looked in the mirror and his eyes were clear for the first time in a while” alludes to the fact that the man no longer drinks and he is sober for the first time in a long time. The song title, Wasted, is also a use of ambiguity because it can mean that the singer does not want to waste their life, and it could also be referring to the drunken man who spend most of his life wasted and no longer wanted to waste his life being drunk.
In conclusion, Underwood’s educational use of literary devices and mastery vocals in her song Wasted is only a few of the main reasons why her songs are hitting the top billboard records all over the nation.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
'Concrete Angel' by Martina McBride Analysis
Well-known country soprano singer, Martina McBride, is famous for her inspirational compositions based on women and children. McBride grew up in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, a small rural town which inhabited 200 people. Growing up around country music, Martina McBride instantly fell in love with the ‘twangy’ southern drawl. Her father had started a small band, and at the age of eight she joined them; singing only at first, and then being promoted to more challenging jobs, such as playing the keyboard. McBride loved nothing more than singing in her father’s band. After her first semester away at college, on a full scholarship, she soon realized that she would rather make a career of singing instead, and left her college experience. Martina met John McBride, a crew member of a country star, got married and her career in the music business gradually picked up. Martina McBride’s, Concrete Angel, contains literary device such as alliteration, irony, allusions, and similes.
This emotionally moving song begins with a young girl packing her own lunch for school, wearing the same clothes she did the days before. Sadly, however, one can come to the conclusion that this young girl is neglected by her parents and even abused: “she hides the bruises with linen and lace”. Ironically, ‘linen and lace’, also alliteration, is usually viewed as a symbol of innocence, and perfection, when in reality the girl is hiding behind this ‘perfect image’ an abused body, and the pain that follows. The young girl seems so strong and normal as if nothing bad is happening to her at all. For example, “she stands hard as a stone” is a simile which illustrates how she tries to stay strong and not let abuse from her own ‘loving’ parents get to her, even though it is killing her inside, physically and figuratively. An allusion, or an indirect reference to something, occurs when McBride sings, “When morning comes it will be too late”. Thus, portraying that by the time morning occurs, one can infer that the young girl would have been beaten as much as her little body could take, and that she has passed away: “her name is written on a polished rock”. “Bearing the Burdon of a secret storm”, and “a statue stands in a shaded place” are both examples of alliteration.
In conclusion, Martina McBride writes beautifully and touches the hearts and souls of all her listeners. Her emotionally evocative songs and use of literary devices demonstrate what makes her such a phenomenal artist.
This emotionally moving song begins with a young girl packing her own lunch for school, wearing the same clothes she did the days before. Sadly, however, one can come to the conclusion that this young girl is neglected by her parents and even abused: “she hides the bruises with linen and lace”. Ironically, ‘linen and lace’, also alliteration, is usually viewed as a symbol of innocence, and perfection, when in reality the girl is hiding behind this ‘perfect image’ an abused body, and the pain that follows. The young girl seems so strong and normal as if nothing bad is happening to her at all. For example, “she stands hard as a stone” is a simile which illustrates how she tries to stay strong and not let abuse from her own ‘loving’ parents get to her, even though it is killing her inside, physically and figuratively. An allusion, or an indirect reference to something, occurs when McBride sings, “When morning comes it will be too late”. Thus, portraying that by the time morning occurs, one can infer that the young girl would have been beaten as much as her little body could take, and that she has passed away: “her name is written on a polished rock”. “Bearing the Burdon of a secret storm”, and “a statue stands in a shaded place” are both examples of alliteration.
In conclusion, Martina McBride writes beautifully and touches the hearts and souls of all her listeners. Her emotionally evocative songs and use of literary devices demonstrate what makes her such a phenomenal artist.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Just a Dream by Carrie Underwood Analysis
Carrie Underwood, country singer and song writer, is a talented, multi-platinum selling record artist. Underwood was not originally born into fame however. Her stardom began after she won the fourth season of American Idol. Carrie Underwood grew up in the small, rural town of Checotah, Oklahoma, where she was raised by her parents. Growing up, Underwood sang at many talent shows and churches, where she graced her audiences with her delicate, yet powerful voice. Carrie Underwood’s tragic narrative, Just a Dream, is emotionally evocative and incorporates many literary devices.
The song alludes to a young girl’s wedding when it states that she had “six pence in her shoe, something borrowed, something blue”, which is traditional for a woman to have on her wedding day for good luck. Alliteration is clearly demonstrated when Underwood sings about the congregation and the flag. For instance, “all stood up and sang the saddest song that she ever heard”, and “handed her a folded up flag”. A simile, comparison of two things using the word like or as, is demonstrated right before the chorus is sung: “then guns rang one last shot and it felt like a bullet in her heart”. Underwood compares the pain she feels inside as a bullet to her heart, illustrating the immense amount of heartbreak she is suffering from. Overall, Just a Dream, is ironic because the song is about a young girl getting ready to marry the man she loves and spend the rest of her life with him. Although, he unfortunately dies unexpectedly while serving for his country: “all dressed in white, going to the church that night… she heard the trumpets from the military band and the flowers fell out of her hands”. Ironically, and also quite unfortunately, the man she planned on spending the rest of her life with died, and she is left on her wedding day, the happiest day of her life, not only alone but also a widower.
Just a Dream creates a touching, arousing, emotional mood which leaves the listener with a sympathetic feelings towards the young girl in the song. Carrie Underwood sang with an expansive range and was emotionally evocative, leaving the audience with pure amazement wanting more.
The song alludes to a young girl’s wedding when it states that she had “six pence in her shoe, something borrowed, something blue”, which is traditional for a woman to have on her wedding day for good luck. Alliteration is clearly demonstrated when Underwood sings about the congregation and the flag. For instance, “all stood up and sang the saddest song that she ever heard”, and “handed her a folded up flag”. A simile, comparison of two things using the word like or as, is demonstrated right before the chorus is sung: “then guns rang one last shot and it felt like a bullet in her heart”. Underwood compares the pain she feels inside as a bullet to her heart, illustrating the immense amount of heartbreak she is suffering from. Overall, Just a Dream, is ironic because the song is about a young girl getting ready to marry the man she loves and spend the rest of her life with him. Although, he unfortunately dies unexpectedly while serving for his country: “all dressed in white, going to the church that night… she heard the trumpets from the military band and the flowers fell out of her hands”. Ironically, and also quite unfortunately, the man she planned on spending the rest of her life with died, and she is left on her wedding day, the happiest day of her life, not only alone but also a widower.
Just a Dream creates a touching, arousing, emotional mood which leaves the listener with a sympathetic feelings towards the young girl in the song. Carrie Underwood sang with an expansive range and was emotionally evocative, leaving the audience with pure amazement wanting more.
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