Lose to Win
Lose to Win
Karla O. Pleas
Keiser University
Lyrics have but used for many years to describe a variety of things from areas that we live in, to how we feel, or an event in time, an allusion so to speak. Depending on the area of focus in a song it can help the composer determine the flow or direction of a song or the placement of the lyrics or stanzas which can also aid in a captivating point to get the audience caught up in that allusion. Yet, when we listen to some songs that can be special in some way or another, and as they explode across the music airway, have you ever evaluated these same lyrics as simple poetry. When famous rappers recite lyrics or rhymes as what they feel are lyrical masterpieces, what do we hear in those stanzas? Can one see what message the artist is truly trying to convey to us? What makes some artist sing these songs the way that they do? Or is this all just different ways of expressing poetry? Entertainment per say.
Let’s take a look at Fantasia Barrino’s, Lose to Win, a song of pure emotion. When Fantasia aired singing this song on American Idol a few weeks ago, one can observe how the audience was captivated by her emotions in this song that it brought her to tears and some of her viewers as well. Was it the love that she lost and won that brought her to tears or the passion of the allusion thereof? For some would say it was literal imagery for Fantasia knowing the hardships she has encountered with various relationships with men in her life. But at the same time it was both literal and symbolic imagery for many of her viewers. In her second stanza,“You ain 't here for dinner; Like I 'm a beginner; Love you for your inner, inner, inner; And your next guy is out there......somewhereeeee; But you won 't dare, cause your too scareeeeeed (Barrino, 2012).” Here the rhyme scheme flowing perfect, somewhat like a limerick, clearly the metaphor is many women have been left at the dinner table waiting for
Karla O. Pleas
Keiser University
Lyrics have but used for many years to describe a variety of things from areas that we live in, to how we feel, or an event in time, an allusion so to speak. Depending on the area of focus in a song it can help the composer determine the flow or direction of a song or the placement of the lyrics or stanzas which can also aid in a captivating point to get the audience caught up in that allusion. Yet, when we listen to some songs that can be special in some way or another, and as they explode across the music airway, have you ever evaluated these same lyrics as simple poetry. When famous rappers recite lyrics or rhymes as what they feel are lyrical masterpieces, what do we hear in those stanzas? Can one see what message the artist is truly trying to convey to us? What makes some artist sing these songs the way that they do? Or is this all just different ways of expressing poetry? Entertainment per say.
Let’s take a look at Fantasia Barrino’s, Lose to Win, a song of pure emotion. When Fantasia aired singing this song on American Idol a few weeks ago, one can observe how the audience was captivated by her emotions in this song that it brought her to tears and some of her viewers as well. Was it the love that she lost and won that brought her to tears or the passion of the allusion thereof? For some would say it was literal imagery for Fantasia knowing the hardships she has encountered with various relationships with men in her life. But at the same time it was both literal and symbolic imagery for many of her viewers. In her second stanza,“You ain 't here for dinner; Like I 'm a beginner; Love you for your inner, inner, inner; And your next guy is out there......somewhereeeee; But you won 't dare, cause your too scareeeeeed (Barrino, 2012).” Here the rhyme scheme flowing perfect, somewhat like a limerick, clearly the metaphor is many women have been left at the dinner table waiting for
References: Barrino, F, Harmony (2012) Lose to win [Recorded by Fantasia Barrino]. On The side effects of you[CD]. RCA ABS Staff (2013). Fantasia releases new single, Lose to Win, from upcoming album. http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/01/09/fantasia-releases-new-single-lose-to-win-from-upcoming-album/