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.