Top Ten Songs

1. "(Dont Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult, explanation within top song choice.
2. "Desolation Row" by My Chemical Romance
This song was initally written by Bob Dylan, and My Chemical Romance took it and adapted it to create a cover song for the movie "The Watchmen."
ETHOS: This song was initally written by Bob Dylan, which helps to assist in the credibility of the band, as well as the fact that it was used within a popular movie. This song alludes to famous figures, such ass Romeo, Cinderella, and Bette Davis, which also provide credibility through the accumulated credibility of the characters referenced.
Pathos: This song appeals to a wide range of emotions. It appeals to feelings of oppression, injustice, angerm and a need for action, as well ass desolation itself.
Logos: References to instances to injustice, however embellished, still provide examples of injustice. Many people have experienced injustice as a result sometimes of unjust ruleing or corrupt aspects of government, and have experienced desolation or desperation as well.
3. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
Pathos: appeals to many emotions, including sadness, desperation, overwhelmed, grief, and sympathy
Logos: by telling the story of a young boy, the song is able to show how easily people were forgotten and their injustices going unheard, and put to death when they could easily have been saved. Historical instances of this have occured several times throughout history, such as in the French Revolution.
Ethos: Popular song, appears on several top song lists, alludes to Galileo which assists in establishing his crediblilty through the credibility of this historical figure.
4. "Carry on Wayward Son" by Kansas
Ethos: Famous band, still famous song, also utilizes the story of a father and son to further convey their meaning, and establish credibility
 Pathos: acceptance, love, sadness, slight regret
Logos: many people have love, experience sadness, and ultimately learn to move on and accept what has happened and what they cannot change
5. "Hotel Callifornia" by The Eagles
logos- utilizes the story of a man checking in to a hotel to show consequences of actions, and that every action has a consequence, whether it is positive or negative.
Pathos: sadness, delusion, diversion, regret, oppression, initial happiness, confusion
ethos- popular band, and a very popular song to this day, also utilizes a story of a man, relys on his credibility as well
6. "Sing" by My Chemical Romance
ethos- popular band, alludes to several groups of people to utilize their credibility and allusions to add to their own credibility in the telling of the song
logos- many people have at one point experienced opression, or have bee aware of others who have struggled or faced injustices. Calls to action under reasonable and just cause
7. "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
logos- about a legitimate historical event, the draft to the Vietnam War
ethos- about an actual event in history, band is telling the story of those affected by the draft
pathos- injustice, anger, slight grief/acceptance of why it happened to them
8. "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson
logos- many people have felt the need to change, or have not been entirely happy with the person that they have become, and wish to change.
Ethos- story of himself, very popular artist, lasted through the decades, feelings anyone could experience shown through himself
pathos- acceptance, grief, call to action
9. "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
ethos- extremely famous band, utilizes the character of jude to further tell their story and their credibility
pathos-love, grief, sadness, accptance
logos- many people have felt these emotions, and the song encompasses many actions that a lot of people have done or attempted
10. "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who
logos- many emotions and actions utilized, encompassing numereous groups of people\
pathos- grief, sadness, understanding
ethos- popular band, tells the story through the eyes of a sad man, establishes more credibility through this character

Top Song

(Dont Fear) The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

for lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/blueoystercult/dontfearthereaper.html

This song is about the eternal existence and power of love, along with the impossibility of evading death, and ultimately learning to accept death without fearing it.

Death affects everyone eventually, and no one is able to escape it, causing everyone to be able to relate to this song

ETHOS

“Here but now they're gone Romeo and Juliet Are together in eternity”
The narrator utilizes the well known couple of Romeo and Juliet, and states how they are now together for eternity. He states that they will no longer be pulled apart by earthly bounds, and will now be together forever. By relating to these famous literary characters, Blue Oyster Cult is able to allude to eternal love.

“Valentine is done Here but now they're gone Romeo and Juliet Are together in eternity”

He also uses the example of the infamous Valentine, the Roman Saint who is associated with love, and had the holiday of “Valentine’s Day” created after him. By using this example, he appeals to the thought of everlasting love through alluding to a well known example of a famous figure.

The narrator personifies death as “The Reaper,” who is not a scary or dark figure, and he is not in any way frightening. He merely comes when someone dies to lead them away, he doesn’t kill the individuals himself or harm them in any way. Death is personified as a figure who leads people into the afterlife, and has no part in their deaths.

LOGOS

“40,000 men and women everyday”

Every single day, 40,000 people are dying. You cannot escape death, and every single day thousands of people die, and it can’t be prevented.

There is no sense in fearing death when it cannot be avoided, and it does not necessarily mean the end. Everyone is eventually affected by death, and nearly everyone is affected by some form of love, which causes everyone to be able to relate to this song.

PATHOS

This song strongly appeals to the emotions of undying love and how that love carries on and exists after life.

Blue Oyster Cult alludes to the well known literary couple of Romeo and Juliet to further express the depth of love, as well as Valentine, the Roman saint associated with Valentine’s Day. Following suit, the emotions of acceptance are utilized as well, as the song preaches for acceptance of death.

Fictional Story Assignment- based on Paradise by Coldplay

Nicole Miller

                                                            “Paradise” by Coldplay

            Case Study, classified. Available to members of the American Psychiatric Association only for review.  Below contents entail the case of patient Alyssa Grimes and diagnosis. Case to be reviewed and examined for accuracy of the primary assessing psychologist.

Case Study of Alyssa Grimes, eighteen years of age. Requesting case review for accuracy of diagnosis.

From my experience and three years spent working with the patient, instances that have concerned me have been surfacing at an alarming rate. Currently, symptoms of schizophrenia, severe depression, and psychosis have been developed and spotted as recently as six months ago. I would like advice on the proper course of action as well as the evaluation of my current actions.

            Patient Alyssa Grimes, eighteen years of age, has been exhibiting strange behaviors that are not normal. Up to recent months, she has been rather healthy, with only slight changes in her demeanor and minor non-severe issues emerging occasionally. Currently, Alyssa has been exhibiting signs of severe depression, psychosis, and schizophrenia. Alyssa uses her dreams as a form of escape, and thus has been forcing herself to sleep much longer than necessary with over the counter substances. She is exhibiting extremely unhealthy behavior, and her desire to escape into her subconscious fantasies are affecting her life. Patient has formed an unhealthy association of sleeping and fictional fantasies, and is verging on addiction with sleep aids. I am concerned that she may end up overdosing accidently in attempt to remain in her constructed “reality,” or that her depression may take a turn for the worst. The patient is extremely volatile when discussing a lessening of her time asleep, and she is having difficulties separating her delusions from actual reality.  I am requesting an evaluation on my actions up to date, as well as recommendations on a future course of action.

Case Study:

Patient: Alyssa Grimes, eighteen.

Current Diagnosis: Psychosis, schizophrenia, and depression.

Starting as early as six months ago, Alyssa has been exhibiting concerning signs of psychological disorders. She has constructed delusional realities in her dreams, and believes them to be a better alterative to actual reality. Her need to escape from reality into dreams has sparked an addiction with sleeping aids, and she has been sleeping between twelve-twenty hours each day. Her obscene amount of sleep has begun to effect her everyday life, and she has frequently been missing school. Alyssa has an unhealthy definition of sleep, as she uses it as a way to hide from reality and life in a dream-world that she has created. Alyssa claims this dream-world to be her paradise, where she has everything she has ever wanted and achieved every goal she has ever set for herself. She believes this delusion to be real, and an alternate reality where she chooses to live for the majority of her days. She is loosing her grip on reality, and continues to state how she can no longer take it. Reality is too much for her to bear, when she can choose to live in paradise instead of the real world. Every time she wakes from her dreams, and leaves this paradise, reality becomes harder and harder to bear. Every time she is forced to wake up, she realizes that she is not actually in this delusional paradise, and is stuck again and again with the realization of actual reality. I am afraid that soon she will no longer be able to take actual reality, and may attempt suicide to escape.

Symptoms and reasons for diagnosis:

            Alyssa has an unhealthy view on sleep, as she views it as a portal to an alternate reality that is extravagant. Her delusional paradise is where she chooses to spend the majority of her time, and she is beginning to lose her grasp on reality. Her excessive sleeping is a symptom of her depression, as her delusional fantasies and alternate reality is a symptom of her psychosis.

            Additional symptoms of Alyssa’s depression include persistent feelings of sadness and loneliness, her decreased energy when she is forced to wake up from her dream-world, and her feelings that she is unable to change her reality and her actual life outside of her perfectly constructed paradise are instances of hopelessness. Alyssa has also been exhibiting alarming signs of possibly contemplating suicide, as her time asleep has escalated to twenty hours, and she continues to talk about her need to remain asleep in her dream-world. She also discusses how reality is too much to bear when she can live in her delusions.

            Symptoms of Alyssa’s schizophrenia include delusions, social withdrawal, suicidal thoughts accompanied by her depression, and depersonalization. She has constructed a world of fantasies with all of her hopes and desires already obtained, which she strongly believes to be an alternate reality. Occasionally, she cannot sort between this constructed delusion and actual reality. She does not associate with others, as she sees no point when presented with her delusions. Following suit, she has been showing signs of suicidal thoughts, as she discusses her dream-world and how she wishes she could remain there forever. Her final symptom is depersonalization, which is shown from her intense anxiety when told to choose between delusion and reality, as well as her feelings that reality is not real; it is her delusions that she believes to be true.

I am requesting for the review of my current case study, and alternate opinions on my findings. I am concerned about Alyssa, and would like other perspectives on her case to offer further insight, as well as thoughts on treatment courses.

Tone Analysis- dramatic irony in "Paradise" by "Coldplay"

Through the use of a dramatically ironic tone in “Paradise,” Cold Play utilizes dismal hyperbole, employs disheartening figurative language, and contrasts slumbering imagery to tell the story of a girl whose dreams far surpassed her reality, “so she ran away in her sleep.”

            Throughout the song, there are instances of dismal hyperbole that help to further intensify the dramatically ironic tone. “She expected the world,” “dreamed of paradise…every time she closed her eyes,” and “every tear a waterfall” consist of “Paradise’s” hyperboles. “When she was just a girl, she expected the world” causes the effect of her running away in her dreams to escape reality to have more of an impact and evoke more emotion, as the innocent young girl expected far more than reality could actually grant her. Following suit, “dreamed of paradise…every time she closed her eyes” alludes to the girl’s strong desire to constantly escape to her dream filled paradise, which she can only escape to while she sleeps. By exaggerating and saying that every single time she closes her eyes she will go to this paradise, Coldplay is able to stress the girl’s distaste in reality and her desire to escape. As the young girl is unable to make this dreamscape a reality, she becomes disheartened every time she awakes. Showing this, “Life goes on, it gets so heavy…every tear a waterfall” portrays the burdens of her reality that depress and discourage her, causing her to cry. By stating that every tear is a waterfall, the narrator is able to stress just how saddened this child is by the life she is living. By employing dismal hyperbole, the dramatically ironic tone is able to be enhanced by the exaggerations of the child’s desire to escape reality and her depression of the life she is living.

            Following suit, the disheartening figurative language that presents itself throughout the song causes the dramatically ironic tone to evoke more emotion from its audience and further intensify its meaning. The narrator objectifies the girl’s life so that he is able to show the physical effects that these intangible aspects have. “Life goes on, it gets so heavy” allows the concept of life to become like a burdening object that weighs down on the girl, further showing how her life is nothing like her paradise dreamscape, and how it burdens her every time she is forced to wake up from her dreams. She does not enjoy the life she has, and it is nothing like she expected, but the dramatic and tragic irony of the situation is that she is able to obtain what she wants, but only while she slumbers. Following suit, the narrator utilizes personification to show the dreams and desires of the girl. “When she was just a girl, she expected the world but it flew away from her reach so she ran away in her sleep” personifies the dreams of the child, and is able to further enhance the irony of the situation by allowing her dreams to “fly away” from her until they are entirely out of her reach, but once again, she can reach these expectations in her dreams. Due to her ability to reach these expectations in her dreams, but not in reality, the ironic tone is further enhanced.

            Alongside hyperbole and figurative language, the narrator contrasts slumber-like imagery to a “stormy night” to enhance the tone and show the contrasting relationship between her reality and dreams. While the girl slumbers, she is able to achieve all of her hopes and far surpass her expectations, but in reality, she can never do this. To enhance this relationship, the narrator creates a stormy, dark night in which the narrator sleeps and escapes to her paradise. “In the night the stormy night she’ll close her eyes in the night the stormy night away she’d fly,” and “lying underneath these stormy skies” paints the vivid landscape of a turbulent, dark night that conflicts with the internal paradise of the girl, showing the conflictions of her fantasy and reality. Through this use of imagery, the narrator is able to create an atmosphere that visually compares the fantasy and reality of the girl. This enhances the dramatically ironic tone as well, as it is able to show how everything is pleasant in her dream-world, but reality awaits when she wakes up with the “stormy skies” and unpleasant truths.

            Through the use of a dramatically ironic tone, the narrator is able to tell the story of a girl whose dreams far surpassed her undesirable reality. She is unable to reach her goals and expectations in real life, but she is able to live in them while she sleeps.  As her dreams are the only place that she can be truly happy, so when the sun in reality sets, the sun in her dreamscape rises, and so lying underneath those stormy skies, she knows the sun must set to rise.

Irony in Alternative Rock- "Teenagers" analysis

Nicole Miller

Irony in Alternative Rock- “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance

            Contrasting the stereotype of teenagers to the ludicrous idea of fearing them, in the song “Teenagers,” the band “My Chemical Romance” utilizes an interesting rhyme scheme, an ironic tone, and personal points of view to portray the absurd phobia of teenagers.

            Throughout the song “Teenagers,” an enrapturing rhyme scheme is present in nearly every single line. The last words of each line rhyme with each other to produce an aabb scheme. The repetitive rhyming allows the song to flow more smoothly and provide a rhythm for when the song is sung. For instance, “They’re gunna clean up your looks, with all the lies in the books to make a citizen out of you” and “the boys and girls in the click, the awful names that will stick, you’re never gunna fit in much kid” flows smoothly and with a steady beat, allowing the song to have more of an impact when it is sung. As the repetitive rhythm causes the song to be more enjoyable and flow easier, it allows for the song to be more memorable. By becoming more memorable and enjoyable, the song is able to evoke more emotion from the listeners, and allows the meaning of the song to have more of an impact.

            Following suit, the ironic tone throughout the song allows the audience to realize how ludicrous it is to fear a specific age group. The band mocks themselves throughout the song, characterizing themselves as people fearful of “teenagers.” Instances of mockery and irony include “they’re gunna clean up your looks with all work they gunna give you a smirk,” “teenagers scare the living sh!t out of me, they could care less as long as someone’ll bleed, so darken your clothes or strike a violent pose, Maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me!” These instances point out some of the fears that people supposedly have regarding teenagers, characterizing them as a whole. The fears include that they will lie through their teeth, that they carry weapons at all times, do drugs, and are excessively violent. They would do anything to get what they want, and the only way to stop them is to blend in or become violent yourself. The fear of one specific age group is ridiculous, and to classify all teenagers as villainous blood-shedders is absurd. Just because some individuals of a certain age may be profiled as such does not mean that the group as a whole all share the same malicious characteristics. Through exaggeration and irony, My Chemical Romance is able to portray how nonsensical it is to judge a whole group of people by a few outlying individuals.

            Along with ironic examples and hyperbole, the use of personal points of view allow for the listener to be more connected to the song, and therefor more emotion may be evoked from its meaning. Throughout the song, both the first and second points of view are used. The second person point of view draws the listener into the song by directing actions towards them, such as “so darken your clothes or strike a violent pose,” “but if you’re troubled and hurt, what you got under your shirt we’ll make them pay for the things that they did,” and “maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me.” The lyrics characterize the listeners as a teenager themselves, causing them to be the victims of this prejudice, and further understand how it is wrong to characterize an entire population based on a few outlying individuals. Following suit, the narrator forces himself into the persona of another teenager, causing a sort for the things that they did” utilizes both the first and second person point of view, as the listeners and narrator are forced into the victims of “teenage malicious.” By using personal points of view and forcing the listeners into the song and actions within it, the messages within the song carry a deeper meaning and cause the listeners to further understand how it is wrong to carry prejudice.

            As the listeners are forced into the persona of a teenage victim, they are forced to feel the effects of prejudice. This allows them to understand how it is wrong, and to act against carrying prejudice in the future. Regardless that a few teenagers rest outside the norm, the majority of teenagers could care less about violence and revenge, and are therefor not “another cog in the murder machine.”

Little Green Analysis

Nicole Miller

                                                “Little Green” analysis

           

Shifting from the description of a child to the loss of parenthood, Jodi Mitchell in “Little Green” utilizes naturalistic imagery, objective points of view, and a hopeful tone to show that good things can come of bad beginnings.

Through her use of naturalistic imagery, Joni is able to further convey her ideal that sorrow will present itself on occasion, regardless of the circumstances. When Joni utilizes naturalistic imagery, she is describing a scene in nature to the point where the listener is able to picture the scene in their head. Some instances of this imagery is “like the color when spring is born,” “there’ll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow,” and “like the nights when the Northern lights preform, there’ll be icicles and birthday clothes tomorrow.” In all of these instances of imagery, some aspect of nature is shown. For instance, “like the color when spring is born” evokes the images of bright, vibrant colors and green grass filled with flowers, images that are typically associated with spring. Also, crocuses are flowers that emerge in the spring, further emphasizing the verdant nature of spring. Spring follows after the cold of winter, and begins with torrential rain. Through enduring the bad beginning of winter and drowning rain, the life and fresh start of spring can be enjoyed. Following suit, “like the nights when the Northern lights preform, there’ll be icicles and birthday clothes tomorrow” brings about the internal pictures of cold, snow-covered landscapes and green, vibrant lights. The Northern lights show across the North Pole region, where the landscape consists of a snow-tundra and bright, starry nights. The North Pole is frigid and desolate all year long, but the beauty of the Northern lights and starry nights can only be enjoyed in this region through enduring the cold long days. The aspect of birthday clothes follows along with the winter-like imagery because winter is about starting anew, and birthdays are about entering another stage in life, essentially starting fresh as well. Through enduring the struggles of the past year, one can start fresh when another comes along. Within these naturalistic instances of imagery, a hard start and struggle leads to the enjoyment of the spoils that follow.

Joni only utilizes objective points of view, avoiding first person point of view to keep her emotions out of the picture. She suffered through hardships that resulted in the birth of her daughter, and does not want her emotions within this time to alter her telling of “Little Green’s” story. She speaks from both the second and third perspective, but never allows herself to tell her own story. Instances of Joni using the second person perspective include “call her green,” “choose her a name,” “so you write him a letter,” weary of lies you are sending home,” “so you sign the papers,” and “you’re sad and you’re sorry but you’re not ashamed.” By directing the actions at her listeners and speaking as though her actions were committed by the audience, she successfully utilizes the second point of view. She tells her audience to “call her,” and “choose her a name,” as well as stating actions that the audience preformed, like “ you write,” you are sending,” and “you sign.” This way, Joni is able to tell the story by acting as though the audience is herself, and remaining able to be objective through using her audience as a median. Through directing her actions at her audience, Joni is able to remove herself and her emotions from the song. Joni also uses third person point of view to avoid letting her emotions taint her story-telling. Examples include “he went,” “he sends” and “child with a child.” The actions stated are performed by a man and a child, thus allowing the story to be told by others rather than Joni. By using the bystander point of view as well as the third person perspective, she is able to avoid making the song more personal, and able to take on the role of an objective story teller.

            The hopeful mood of the song also assists in her portrayal of the idea that good things can happen through tough beginnings. Hopeful, in and of itself, is the hope that something good will come of a bad situation. It happens in the face of hardship, and can evolve into good fortune. The use of a hopeful tone allows the listener to believe that something good is to come, and that the struggles of Joni’s life can result in something good for her child. Instances of particularly hopeful lines in the song include “be a gypsy dancer,” and “have a happy ending.” A gypsy is a person who is extremely free spirited, and lives their life exactly the way that they wish to. By wishing that her child is a gypsy dancer, Joni wishes that the child follows her dreams. Following suit, by wishing that she lives a happy ending, Joni hopes that she lives a good life and does not let the sorrow that occasionally occurs affect her from enjoying her life. Through the sadness of giving her child up for adoption, Little Green is able to live a far better life than she would have been able to with Joni and her limited recourses. Although she was given up, she was able to reunite with her parents and have a happy life. Through instilling hope into her song whilst telling the story of a struggle, she is able to allude to the theme that good things can come about from bad beginnings.

Throughout the song, the theme of fortune coming from struggles presents itself. Little Green was born under stressful conditions, but was able to grow up and lead a happy life, as well as be reunited with her parents. From Joni’s experiences, listeners can learn how they should not lose hope in the face of hardships, “regardless that “sometimes there’ll be sorrow,” as good things can come out of the worst situations.

Popular Music as a Reflection of Culture

According to Rolling Stone, the top forty songs mostly consist of pop, alternative, and hip-hop. These songs were judged as the most popular currently based on radio airplay, sales pertaining to a certain distributer “Neilsen,” and by streaming music activity related to online music sources. Songs like “Call Me Maybe,” “Wide Awake,” and “Payphone” are currently within the top five on the list. All of these songs are of the pop genre, and are all based around the first person point of view. Viewing the rest of the top songs of 2012, the vast majority are written and sung in the first person point of view as well. Most of the songs on this list are songs that you would expect to hear at a club and would dance to, having the repetitive bass beat holding the rhythm. As a whole, these songs are based on love, whether it be finding love, losing it, or trying to hold on to it. “Call Me Maybe” is about a girl finding someone she is interested, and trying to pursue that love. “Wide Awake” is about falling from love. Following suit, “Payphone” is about trying to rekindle his love, and “What Makes You Beautiful” is about young love. Keeping the theme, “Where Have You Been” is about searching for and finding love. All of these songs are within the top ten, as well as all have to do with love in some way. Reviewing the rest of the songs, the overwhelming majority has to do with some aspect of love. As a reflection of our culture, our current taste in music shows the importance we place in love and experiencing it. We aspire to find love, and to hold on to it. These songs represent that my generation desires to love and be loved, as well as to have music that contains a steady bass beat to dance to. Also, poetic devices and symbolism are used to portray the universal ideas in this year’s top songs. For instance, in Elli Goulding’s “Lights,” the line “I had a heart then but the queen has been overthrown” is symbolic and interesting, as it alludes to someone losing their heart and way due to a certain event, relating to the overthrowing of a queen. Another line that contains poetic merit is in “Titanium” by David Guetta. “You shoot me down but I won’t fall, I am titanium,” Guetta is attempting to show how strong he is by saying that he is titanium. In this instance, the titanium is a symbol for courage and strength.