Fiction Write

                The sounds of her screaming, the distasteful manner; I remember everything. When we brought him in, he wasn’t smiling, but there was also no sure sign of grief to be seen by the naked eye. His clothes were obviously dirty from being worn for days. His hair looked tattered from attacks of paranoid rage. This recent event is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. At this point I asked him to start from the beginning of the story and not to leave anything out. The day I met her was the day I fell in love, and I loved everything about her; she had no flaws. Everything about him screamed that he was mourning. This is the worst thing I could have ever imagined. People think I’m going crazy, but I’m not. This man seemed to be changing his story a lot. Everything would change in the matter of a second; his mood, voice, facial expressions…everything. I didn’t appreciate his tone at certain points of the interview, but I guess I can understand what he was feeling. Nobody got me like she did, and I mean no one. I could confide in her about anything. She knew secrets that I could never tell anyone; especially you people. He was avoiding the story whenever he could; he didn’t want to tell me what really happened. So we were on our way to our hotel where we were going to be staying for the next couple weeks. She seemed to be avoiding a lot of conversation. Well, it might have been just me; I was nervous, for I was going to propose that very night. I was worried she might have guessed my plans, so I decided to do it right when we walked in the room. As he kept on writing he seemed to tense up a little bit. She refused…said we were going too fast. She also said she wasn’t rea-. His pencil broke. dy for a serious relationship. I didn’t believe her so I asked again and again and again and again. I admit I may have taken it a bit too far, but that’s not a crime. He was given a break and when he came, escorted by the guards, I saw him breathe a sigh of relief. This confused me; he was not even close to getting out of the tiny room; no windows, one door, and a two-way mirror. He was trapped. The room was stuffy and wreaked of desperation and sweat. He wanted out. I asked him to write down what happened after she said no. She decided it would be better if we took a break from each other for a while. I immediately came to the conclusion that I was dreading right from the beginning. She was a beautiful girl, and there was no way she could resist other men; she was cheating on me. Much to my surprise, he started crying…he kept crying for about an hour. He told me there was no concrete proof that she was cheating on him…he said that Satin himself had told him of these affairs. I went along with the story. He started to show more signs of depression and post traumatic stress. I inquired about her love affairs...she denied any involvement with any other men. I pushed her, kept asking, and pushed further. Still no budge. But I knew the truth; I had been spoken to, and it was a voice that could only come from the one and only Devil himself. He was definitely showing sure signs of paranoia and possibly mental illness. As this interview crept on, he was becoming more and more fidgety. A knock came at the door, it was my supervisor. I was told there was something I needed to know about this man…his fingerprints matched up to three other unsolved cold case murders. I could feel the blood drain from my face; I was locked in a room with a possibly mental cold-blooded killer. I could hear voices telling me bad things. I didn’t want to hear them, but I couldn’t help it... I was just told that they have new information involving the case…I admit it. The voices that I heard were ones telling me to kill her. My bodily self did kill her, but my soul was not in my body. You see, all I remember is that I couldn’t hear or see anything; everything went blank. I came to the conclusion that I was possessed to commit this act, and I thought I didn’t have to turn myself in. The love that I felt her for her made me absolutely crazy…I didn’t mean any of the things I did to her. The confession went rather smoothly. I think he thought we were going to let him go. We took him out of the room, he seemed relieved but he quickly sank his head when he found out where he was going. 

(Sorry for the confusing color scheme and points of view. It made sense in my head. I know it may not seem like this has anything to do with the song I chose, but it's just what i thought of.)

Fiction Write Lyrics

Gone, she got me gone

girl you know you got me gone

Nelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

boy you know you got me gone

Remember that chick that used to live right up the block from me

I seen her yesterday and she still fly

she still right, still tight, still fine

yep I still wanna make her mine

I want much more than just a moment

she I aint tryna lease or try to rent I’m tryna own it

yeah, this time I’ll make my move, this time I’ll show improve

to prove that I’m really irreplacable

plus I don’t know if she’s ever been told

but I got whatever she needs, yeah

and whichever way we go

no one could ever take what we’ve got right here between one another

don’t care what they say, you could be my lover

and if its in love baby, I wanna fall

just promise me baby you’ll be here, through it all

I’ll do it again if I have to

throw this money at you,

girl you know you got me gone

I’ll do it all again if I have to

you aint gotta ask boo

boy you know you got me gone

Kelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

girl you know you got me gone

Nelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

boy you know you got me gone

You know I still got the love for you baby (baby)

you still be driving me crazy (crazy)

and all of my heart will forever be yours

and no one could ever break what we’ve got right here between one another

don’t care what they say, you could be my lover

and if its in love baby I wanna fall

just promise me baby, you’ll be here through it all

I’ll do it again if I have to

throw this money at you,

girl you know you got me gone

I’ll do it all again if I have to

you aint gotta ask boo

boy you know you got me gone

Kelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

girl you know you got me gone

Nelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

boy you know you got me gone

Look shawty I’ve done told you once

pay attention I’mma tell you twice

I’ve been around the World but I’ve never met a girl like you in my whole life

there’s some you need to know

you make me wanna get physical

you make me wanna get intimate, into it

I’m fixing the plug

All my heart and all my time

I give you everything that you wanted baby, just name your price

mine is yours and yours is mine

trust me thats a fact girl

you aint gotta ask cause

I don’t know if you’ve ever been told

but I’ve got whatever you need, girl

and whichever way we roll

no one could ever take what we’ve got right here between one another

don’t care what they say, you could be my lover

and if its in love baby, I wanna fall

just promise me baby you’ll be here, through it all

I’ll do it again if I have to

throw this money at you,

girl you know you got me gone

I’ll do it all again if I have to

you aint gotta ask boo

boy you know you got me gone

Kelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

girl you know you got me gone

Nelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

boy you know you got me gone

boy you know you got me...Gone X14

I’ll do it again if I have to

throw this money at you,

girl you know you got me gone

I’ll do it all again if I have to

you aint gotta ask boo

boy you know you got me gone

Kelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

girl you know you got me gone

Nelly got me gone, gone, gone, gone

boy you know you got me gone

Song Analysis 2

               

        Contrasting an inquisitive and demanding tone, in “Mrs. Right”, Mindless Behavior produces an example of the journey of love through a desperate mood, modern imagery, and an ongoing case of paradoxical irony to exemplify the fact that one’s true love is out there, one just has to “travel all across the world just to meet” their soul-mate.

         Desperation is hard to explain, but this song almost perfectly portrays the definition of it; it’s done through the emotion that the song makes one feel. The speaker shows his intense desire for his “Mrs. Right” by asking “where is Mrs. Right, I gotta see her, travel all across the world just to meet her”. His need for “Mrs. Right’s” love is so great that he will go anywhere and do anything to have her.  He’s so desperate, he says “we don’t discriminate girls know we love ‘em all”. This is obviously an exaggeration as well, but the fact that he says this shows that he loves the idea of the female gender itself. At one point he discloses that he doesn’t even care if she’s “light skinned, dark dark skinned, long hair don’t care long as your heart’s in it/ looking for my Mrs. , enough to drive me insane”. Her looks shouldn’t matter in the first place, but he is showing that if he loves her and she loves him back, then that works for him. Also, he wants to find his “Mrs.” so bad that he’s almost living his life unhealthily. He’s sacrificing his mental health just to find his prefect girl; now that’s what I call desperation.
         The imagery in this song not only gives the listener a picture in his or her head, but gives us a view of what is important to the speaker when looking for a girl. When the speaker says that “shawty say you don’t, but I bet you do, MB on your ringtone, posters in your room, sassy little thing/like like the way you talk, heard you got the goods go ahead show ‘em off, take a picture quick/ send it to my phone, dimple in your cheek, white Gucci stunnas on”. This is showing that he knows what he wants, and he knows that he is someone that the girls want too. When the speaker tells his “Mrs.” to “open up your Mac Book, put me on your lap, stay sending me smiley faces on the chat” this imagery is the perfect example of how society has changed and how things that are important have changed. Instead of something intimate being important, he wants her to chat with him as if that’s the ultimate way to show one’s love toward someone. Also, this quote is a technological pun. At first glance, this quote seems like it’s just talking about using a laptop, but, in fact, it is also saying something else;  lap could mean one of two meanings in this case. In context, the word lap could be taken as short for laptop or her literal lap on her body. The imagery in this song definitely makes you understand the mindset of this young man when trying to find his girl, and it’s easy to know and recognize what he means throughout the whole song.
        Throughout this song, the speaker clearly states his love for the female gender; it’s easy to see. Contradicting this very present fact is the idea that he put forth that it’s “driving him insane” trying to find his “Mrs. Right”. Though it’s ironic that he would put both of these ideas into our heads, he has a valid point. By extracting different lines in the song, I came to the conclusion that this event in itself is irony and a paradox. It’s ironic that he would say he likes all women and it’s still hard for him to find his “Mrs. Right”, but this can be explained. You could say that it’s hard for him to find his right girl because of the fact he finds all girls appealing; this entails that it’s hard for him to choose which one of the millions of girls he’s attracted to to choose from.
         This song is an exemplary way to fully explain the confusion and bewilderment of young love. The speaker’s journey to find his “Mrs. Right” is a tough and sorrowful battle, but in the end he knows it will all work out for him. By using the devices stated, and many more not listed, the speaker fully grasps and explains the common misconception that love is easy. Love takes work, and this young man is willing to travel all across the world until he finds his perfect girl…his “Mrs. Right”.

                               

Song Analysis 1

               

                In “Stereo Hearts”, Travie McCoy uses intimate imagery, a solitary music-based pun, and revealing characterization in order to reinforce his desire to be more than friends with the girl of his dreams, and his need for her to feel the same way.

                The speaker, affectionately and intimately, displayed his love for this girl through imagery. He says “now sing it softly in your ear and grab you by the hand”. Showing his soft, loving side, the speaker is explaining how he wants her to feel special, just as she makes him feel. When someone’s in love they know it; they can’t concentrate or think about anything else. The speaker wants his love to be “stuck inside your head like your favorite tune”. By comparing two instances where someone can’t concentrate on anything else, love and having a song stuck in your head, further helps the speaker’s metaphoric examples as well. Also with this thought in mind, the speaker queries “if I was an old school 50 pound boom box/ would you hold me on your shoulder wherever you walk”. He wants her to feel like he’s with her at all times, and he needs her to know that he will always be ready to help her in tough situations.

                Solitary and simple is how I would describe the pun in this song: “if I was just another dusty record on the shelf/ would you blow me off and play me like everybody else/ if I asked you to scratch my back could you manage that” The listener is able to interpret that word play as actually playing a record or playing him as in making a fool of him and tricking him. The listener could also see that “scratch my back” could be viewed as scratching the back of a record to play it or scratching his back as in literally scratching his back or also as in doing him a favor of some sort.

                Characterization, being the most prominent device, is very useful in this song. The speaker has a laundry list of traits that can be analyzed throughout this song. The pun, previously mentioned that states “if I was just another dusty record on the shelf/ would you blow me off and play me like everybody else/ if I asked you to scratch my back could you manage that” is the perfect example of rare traits in a man: cleverness and humor. Using another piece of characterization is when the speaker says “further more I apologize for any skipping tracks/ it’s just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks” shows the apologetic and sensitive side to this love struck man. “I only pray you’ll never leave me behind/ because good music can be so hard to find” displays a sense of desperation because he knows he found the right girl, and he doesn’t want to let her go.

                This song, after dissecting it, shows the sorrowful but blissful journey of finding your love. The speaker goes through some ups and downs but in the end know that he’s found “the one”. Using these three devices, and many more further exemplify the true meaning of this song, and also is impactful for many listeners: especially ones in love.

Irony Analysis

         

          In “Funny the Way It Is”, Dave Matthews Band portrays potent imagery, singular allusion, and dramatic irony to display the idea that the world is “funny the way it is”.

          Dave Matthews Band uses many cases of extremely potent imagery. They use a dual approach to show the broad spectrum of positive and negative events that happen each day all around the world. Using positive imagery they describe the day as having “sunshine in the grass, and the children play”. On the other hand, they say that “someone is screaming and crying in the apartment upstairs”. Using these two very different examples of imagery definitely portrays the surprising way the world works. Other imagery includes different senses as well. “You hear the laughter while the children play war”. This gives you the disturbing image of children “killing” each other and laughing about it. Dave Matthews Band appropriately uses and places this device to further impact the listener.

          A less important, but oh so prominent, device that is also in this song is allusion. The allusion to the song “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” by War is subtle but the idea is reinforced once it is heard. “And that war song is playing ‘why can’t we be friends?’” is not only a form of allusion, but is also a small example of irony.

          Irony has to be the most prominent and known device in this song. “One kid walk 10 miles to school, another’s dropping out” might suggest that I one kid is willing to walk 10 miles to get an education, another kid would be grateful enough to stay in school. Another way Dave Matthews Band uses irony is by saying that “somebody’s broken heart becomes your favorite song”. The reader might expect that somebody’s broken heart will make you feel remorse, but instead they’re saying that you enjoy their pain just for the sake of listening to a good song. An example of irony, that is also paradoxical, is when the band explains how “on a soldier’s last breath his baby’s being born.” This would suggest it’s ironic that the soldier, who is fighting to keep this country safe, is killed before he ever gets to see his child. The paradoxical side would explain this line by using the theory of the circle of life; everyone dies, and babies are born everyday.

          The world is “funny the way it is” because you never know what could happen; life’s a game of chance. Dave Matthews Band masterfully shows us the day-to-day gamble of living using these three literary devices. The song shows us that it also is the people that are “funny”, not just the world.

         

Stereo Hearts by Travie McCoy f/ Adam Levine



[Adam Levine]

My heart's a stereo
It beats for your, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every note

Make me your radio
Turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo

[Travie McCoy]

If I was just another dusty record on the shelve
Will you blow me off and play me like everybody else
If I ask you to scratch my back, could you manage that
Like it read well, check it Travie, I can handle that
Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks
This the last girl that play me left a couple cracks
I used to used to used to used to, now I’m over that
Cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts

If I could only find a note to make you understand
I sing a song and the image grab me by the hands
Keep myself inside your head, like your favorite tune
And know my heart is a stereo that only plays for you

[Chorus]

My heart's a stereo
It beats for your, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every note

Make me your radio
Turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo

Oh oh oh oh To my stereo
Oh oh oh oh So sing along to my stereo

[Travie McCoy]

If I wasn't old school, fifty pound boombox
Would you hold me on your shoulder, wherever you walk
Would you turn my volume up before of the cops
And crank it higher everytime they told you to stop
And all I ask is that you don't get mad at me
When you have to purchase mad D batteries
Appreciate every mixtape your friends make
You never know we come and go like we're on the interstate

I think finally found a note to make you understand
If you can hear it, sing along and take me by the hands
Keep myself inside your head, like your favorite tune
And know my heart is a stereo that only plays for you

[Chorus]

My heart's a stereo
It beats for your, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every note

Make me your radio
Turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo

Oh oh oh oh To my stereo
Oh oh oh oh So sing along to my stereo

[Bridge]

I only pray you never leave me behind
Because good music can be so hard to find
I take your hand and pull it closer to mine
Thought love was dead, but now you're changing my mind

[Chorus]

My heart's a stereo
It beats for your, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every note

Make me your radio
Turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo

Oh oh oh oh To my stereo
Oh oh oh oh So sing along to my stereo

Thesis: In Stereo Hearts Travie McCoy uses extended metaphor, symbolic imagery, and a solitary music-based pun in order to reinforce his desire to be more than friends with the girl of his dreams, and his need for her to feel the same way.