Analysis of Song Lyrics
Song lyrics: looking through the window of cultural texts…
If you took the time to listen to the lyrics of a song instead of mumbling uselessly to the catchy melody, you’d notice that some bands and musical artists are informing their audience of present-time themes and issues. In today’s society, song lyrics can be used effectively to find fault with many dominant values and attitudes, somewhat protesting against social issues and the preconceived ideas that stand tall on the stage of democracy. This is why song lyrics should be considered one of the most important cultural texts of the modern age. The songs Sunday Bloody Sunday by the band U2 and Hurricane by artist Bob Dylan substantiate ideas of equality and “justice for all”, encouraging the listener to take a look at their own values and attitudes surrounding the issues presented… would the listener react differently if it were their life or integrity at stake? The song Sunday Bloody Sunday is one of U2’s most political songs. It describes the terror experienced by an observer of the conflicts in Northern Ireland, particularly the Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British soldiers shot and killed unarmed civil rights protestor in 1972, presenting themes of unity, ignorance and indifference. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan’s protest song Hurricane tells the story of the imprisonment of celebrated boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, who was falsely accused of a triple murder in New Jersey, America during the mid 1960s. The song lyric explores themes of injustice, racism and discrimination, enlightening listeners about the corruption that swarmed the democratic American legal system at the time.
You know, without realising it, the song you downloaded from iTunes the other day could quite possibly be criticising certain values and attitudes in society. The song Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 supports the argument that song lyrics should be considered one of the most important cultural texts of the modern age. Throughout the
If you took the time to listen to the lyrics of a song instead of mumbling uselessly to the catchy melody, you’d notice that some bands and musical artists are informing their audience of present-time themes and issues. In today’s society, song lyrics can be used effectively to find fault with many dominant values and attitudes, somewhat protesting against social issues and the preconceived ideas that stand tall on the stage of democracy. This is why song lyrics should be considered one of the most important cultural texts of the modern age. The songs Sunday Bloody Sunday by the band U2 and Hurricane by artist Bob Dylan substantiate ideas of equality and “justice for all”, encouraging the listener to take a look at their own values and attitudes surrounding the issues presented… would the listener react differently if it were their life or integrity at stake? The song Sunday Bloody Sunday is one of U2’s most political songs. It describes the terror experienced by an observer of the conflicts in Northern Ireland, particularly the Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British soldiers shot and killed unarmed civil rights protestor in 1972, presenting themes of unity, ignorance and indifference. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan’s protest song Hurricane tells the story of the imprisonment of celebrated boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, who was falsely accused of a triple murder in New Jersey, America during the mid 1960s. The song lyric explores themes of injustice, racism and discrimination, enlightening listeners about the corruption that swarmed the democratic American legal system at the time.
You know, without realising it, the song you downloaded from iTunes the other day could quite possibly be criticising certain values and attitudes in society. The song Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 supports the argument that song lyrics should be considered one of the most important cultural texts of the modern age. Throughout the