Poetic Analysis of Song Lyrics Essay
Poetic Analysis of Song Lyrics I chose “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” by lyricists and lead singer of the Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan as my song for the poetic analysis essay. I seemed to identify with the song the first time I heard it on the radio. The lyrics describe how many teens felt growing up in the 1990’s, myself included, hating everything around us and facing adulthood with hopes that some contentment in life will come.
“Bullet with Butterfly Wings” is one of those songs that make you shake your head when you really listen to the lyrics. The mood of the song is dark and filled with rage. Billy Corgan as a lyricist draws you into his world of thumping darkness, into a dark dungeon with a possible exit in the ceiling, the skies above, though gray, may offer up a chance to get out. In his lyric “the world is a vampire, sent to drain,” he is telling us we are drained, every day. That external forces are draining us of everything, even though we are struggling to succeed and define our lives. He even, through his lyrics, implies that we don’t want to escape the darkness, that we may have created it ourselves. The tone of the song or overall feeling is horrific and macabre with the ending chorus of “and still I cannot be saved” almost desperate and pleading. Throughout the song, Corgan has pronounced his frustration with the fact the he is destined to be damned. The progression of the song takes us from being very frustrated with our position in life and “the hand we’ve been dealt” so to speak, but by the end of the song in the lyric “tell me I’m the chosen one” there is a sense of acceptance and that acceptance slowly turns into something to own and be proud of, a very valuable life lesson. (Rock,rapgenius.com). In this essay I will endeavor to show how Mr. Corban uses simile, metaphor, and symbolism in his song “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” as poetic devices to convey his message of his own personal struggle within the music industry
“Bullet with Butterfly Wings” is one of those songs that make you shake your head when you really listen to the lyrics. The mood of the song is dark and filled with rage. Billy Corgan as a lyricist draws you into his world of thumping darkness, into a dark dungeon with a possible exit in the ceiling, the skies above, though gray, may offer up a chance to get out. In his lyric “the world is a vampire, sent to drain,” he is telling us we are drained, every day. That external forces are draining us of everything, even though we are struggling to succeed and define our lives. He even, through his lyrics, implies that we don’t want to escape the darkness, that we may have created it ourselves. The tone of the song or overall feeling is horrific and macabre with the ending chorus of “and still I cannot be saved” almost desperate and pleading. Throughout the song, Corgan has pronounced his frustration with the fact the he is destined to be damned. The progression of the song takes us from being very frustrated with our position in life and “the hand we’ve been dealt” so to speak, but by the end of the song in the lyric “tell me I’m the chosen one” there is a sense of acceptance and that acceptance slowly turns into something to own and be proud of, a very valuable life lesson. (Rock,rapgenius.com). In this essay I will endeavor to show how Mr. Corban uses simile, metaphor, and symbolism in his song “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” as poetic devices to convey his message of his own personal struggle within the music industry
Bibliography: Songfacts.com.”Bullet with Butterfly Wings” Tone Media Group. 2013. Google.com. Web. 13 June 2014 "William Patrick Corgan." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Google.com. Web. 13 June 2014. This is an internet website that gives one a nice short biography of the artist with “Billy Corgan Biography.” Angelfire.com. billycorgan@glowstar.com. 2014. Google.com Web