Happiness in Modern Music

The Best Day
Taylor Swift

One of today’s most popular country music artists is Taylor Swift. She is an extremely talented singer, guitar player, and song writer. Her song The Best Day form her album Fearless is a great example of her many talents. She was able to incorporate a number of poetic devices that amplified the songs purpose

The song contains some poetic devices that create a more enjoyable mood to the song. The whole song is a narrative; it tells of certain memories she has that involve her and her mom starting when she was five years old and progresses through thirteen and up until the present. The lines “I'm five years old, it's getting cold, I've got my big coat on” “I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean” and “There is a video I found from back when I was three” are the beginning lines of her memories. Imagery is also used to set the mood of the memory; the line “Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides, look now, the sky is gold” is a beautiful image that people can relate to because everybody has seen a sunset and most people have gone to a pumpkin patch. She also includes allusions to Snow White in the lines “Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away” and “It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs”. Everyone is familiar with the story of Snow White so this reference is comforting and reminds listeners of their childhood. Also the lines “I don't know why all the trees change in the fall” and “And now I know why the all the trees change in the fall” suggest a motif in the song; the first line occurs early in the song and then in the very last stanza of the song there is another reference to it. There is also a sophisticated rhyme scheme throughout the song.

Narration, imagery, allusion, motif, and rhyme are some important poetic devices used in Taylor Swift’s song The Best Day from the album Fearless. All the devices used create a comfortable mood and make the message clearer. Taylor Swift is an amazing singer and songwriter and this song especially shows her musical abilities.

All I Have to do is Dream

The world famous husband and wife song writing team Boudleaux and Felice Bryant was a talented duo who wrote many huge hits for the Everly Brothers and other artists. One song in particular that was a huge hit for the Everly Brothers written by Boudleaux was All I Have to do is Dream. This song contains a good amount of poetic devices demonstrating Bryant’s natural song writing ability.

All I Have to do I s Dream contains some basic poetic devices used in a sophisticated manner. The lines “Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream” and “When I want you in my arms” are two basic examples of alliterations. The alliterations in this song help to express what the singer is feeling. “Only trouble is, gee whiz I'm dreamin' my life away” this line is a hyperbole because it is saying that he is dreaming so often that he is dreaming his life away but that is an over statement because he is not dreaming every minute of every day of his life. Another example of a hyperbole is in the line “I need you so, that I could die”; here he is saying that he needs this person so much that he could die without that person which is not true because it is impossible to die from not being able to be with someone. Some other poetic devices used in this song are metaphor in the line “I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine” by saying this persons lips are made of wine. There is also imagery in “taste your lips of wine”, motif in “Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dreamDrea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream”, and a rhyme scheme in “When I feel blue in the night; And I need you to hold me tight” and throughout the whole song.

All the poetic devices used in this song benefit it in many ways. The hyperbole's especially make the song better because they help to express the passion the singer has for this person in a sweet and romantic way.

I've got to keep on pushing (mmm-hmm)

I can't stop now

Move up a little higher

Some way, somehow

'Cause I've got my strength

And it don't make sense

Not to keep on pushin'

Keep on pushin'

Now maybe some day

I'll reach that higher goal

I know that I can make it

With just a little bit of soul

'Cause I've got my strength

And it don't make sense

Not to keep on pushin

'Now look-a look (look-a look) -Alliteration

A-look-a yonder

But I've got my pride

And I'll move on aside

And keep on pushin'

Keep on pushin'

Keep on pushin'
What I say, yeah
Keep on pushin’
Well, that’s alright

Many artists of the 20th century are considered to be some of the greatest artists of all time. The music of these artists inspired people in many ways to achieve things they thought were out of reach. One especially influential artist was Curtis Mayfield.
Curtis Mayfield was and R&B soul artist whose songs have inspired many other artists over the years. His work also influenced many politicians. Mayfield wrote songs of love and ones about racial and social equality. He started in a band called the Impressions, but he left them behind to pursue a solo career in 1970. His music both with the Impressions and in his solo career influenced many other artists such as Bob Marley, who lifted lines from Mayfield’s song People Ger Ready to populate his own recording One Love. Mayfield’s song Keep on Pushin’ was a civil rights anthem and a favorite of Martin Luther King Jr. His unique style of music attracted many people and gave them hope for a better tomorrow when times were tough.
Curtis Mayfield was a beautiful song writer whose work inspired a lot of people and fellow artists. The music of the Impressions and Curtis Mayfield will be remembered as ballads of love and racial and social equality for many generations to come.

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