My project will be centred around an up-and-coming unsigned band The Case, and in order to gain a better idea into how to best market their product to the right demographic I am going to analyse the lyrical content of one of their songs - The Fight (the song I will be producing a video promo for) - a rock ballad similar to that of a Guns N' Roses ballad.
The lyrics are as follows:
1st Verse
I think you knew what's right and you took it away from me,
The light you saw in us has pondered far from me,
Our youth you've strangled from us has brought me to this state,
It's at these times I have nothing to say,
Pre Chorus
But now you know the feeling that is high above,
The light is bringing you to do the things you've never done,
Chorus
I've got to run away and get me back my rights,
The violence and anger is bringing me to fight,
Fight for my rights,
Fight for my youth and take me far away,
I've got to get away from this fight!
Verse 2
I hate the way you strangle me it brings me to disgust,
The feeling that I once knew that brought me to,
You bore me to temptation - there's nothing I can do,
This pain and vulgar anger is hating on me too!
Pre Chorus
But now you know the feeling that is high above,
The light is bringing you to do the things you've never done,
Chorus x 2
I've got to run away and get me back my rights,
The violence and anger is bringing me to fight,
Fight for my rights,
Fight for my youth and take me far away,
I've got to get away from this fight!
Lyrical Analysis
The lyrical content of the song centers on the use of powerful imagery and extended metaphors that document the traumatic experiences of the protagonist's love life, stating how these experiences have weakened him and that he must take some sort of action to regain happiness. This action is to fight (figuratively speaking) for his rights, youth and general happiness. The verses themselves are not necessarily individually thematic, however, there is a common topic that runs through the song; escapism - the protagonist frequently alludes to the idea of 'getting away' in lines such as "I've got to run away and get back my rights" and "Fight for my youth and take me far away". This evokes a sense of empathy within the listener who may be going through similar experiences to that of the protagonist. The first and last verses bear lyrics that postulate that the protagonist has been spiritually constricted and backed into a corner, and this has been forced upon him by what we presume is his lover. This can be interpreted as a negative message, the fact that one must respond to the actions of a brutal lover by running away elicits depressive and awful thoughts from many, however, this is juxtaposed by the positive lyrics which state that the singer will not tolerate his unjust treatment, and that he will fight to regain what has been diminished by his lover. The word 'fight' is often seen in a negative light, evoking images of malicious combat and the atrocities of war, however, the word fight is also synonymous with successful political activists such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and even Rosa Parks, who all 'fought' for social change and development without the use of violence. Of course, this is looking extremely deeply into the meaning of the song, but the metaphor remains valid. The distinctive riff that is played almost as an ostinato throughout the songs entirety is strikingly similar to that of a Guns N' Roses ballad - the guitar parts create a chilling sense of foreboding that works seamlessly in conjunction with the lyrics.
Many of the themes and ideas portrayed through the lyrics will have to be considered carefully in my planning to understand how they can be translated onto the screen, and the lyrics must effectively inform my planning based not only on the song but the image of the band and something that will appeal to their target demographic. It must also address all the negative and distressing issues that one faces when they are in an unhealthy relationship and have been subjugated by someone whom they do not feel genuine affection for anymore.
The frustration of the protagonist is made clear from the very start of the song as they convey that they have been forced into submission by their lover with lyrics such as: "Our youth you've strangled from us has brought me to this state" and "I hate the way you strangle me it brings me to disgust". These images of being 'strangled' connotes that the protagonist is being emotionally tortured and has therefore been subdued by their lover and is searching for freedom. The way in which the strong is constructed makes the song catchy: by employing a pre-chorus, it allows the listener to decipher when the chorus is approaching and engages them before the chorus even commences, as sometimes songs with copious amounts of verses can be seen as tedious and cause people to switch off and stop listening.
[NEEDS MORE ANALYSIS COMMENTING DIRECTLY ON LYRICS]
