Train in Vain Analysis

Andrew Morse Shifting from a break up to remembering his relationship in "Train in Vain" the Clash utilizes a personal point of view, subtle narrative, and essential characterization to portray an accusatory tone. Train in vain is about a break-up between the speaker and his partner. The person that would have the most knowledge about that event would be someone how was involved, so the song comes from the point of view of the person betrayed in this relationship. The subject matter of the song becomes more real this way but the song is also in the second person so it is directed to the person that broke the speakers heart. This helps the song to achieve the accusatory tone because being directed to a specific person makes the song almost like a conversation between the two with one person telling the other what they did wrong. The song contains a deep narrative or a very concise one depending on how it is looked at. Some listeners may think the song is repetitive but it could also narrate the events the speaker went through after they split up. The song shows the harshness of the speakers heartbreak and how his life deprecated without his partner. The speaker says "I see all my dreams come tumbling down / I won't be happy without you around" which shows he is hurt but when he says "Now I got a job / But it don't pay / I need new clothes / I need somewhere to stay / But without all these things I can do / But without your love I won't make it through." Now the speaker has reached an all time low and has had downward spiral and is almost pleading his partner to return to him. It displays how things have just kept getting worse for him. For a relatively short song "Train in Vain" contains a deep characterization of the speaker and a minimal characterization of his former partner. The characterization of the speaker shifts in the song. At the beginning he seems to be angry and accusing the other person. As the song goes on he reveals how much he needed the person and how much he relied on them. In the first verse of the song he says "You said you love me and that's a fact / Then you left me, said you felt trapped" It is obvious that he is upset but he comes across as more angry then sad. Later in the song he says "But without all these things I can do / But without your love I won't make it through" showing how much he relied on them and how it is their fault he is sad contributing to the accusatory tone of the song. Train in Vain is a great song by the Clash. With a quick glance it may appear a simple and repetitive song. However it is full of emotion and one can really get a sense of the feelings and the tone that was intended to come across even though the music itself doesn't appear angry or slow and sand. Also like every piece of art or literature the song tells a story with a common subject matter that many can relate to and can understand the feeling associated with the song.

Train in Vain by The Clash lyrics

"Train In Vain" Say you stand by your man Tell me something I don't understand You said you love me and that's a fact Then you left me, said you felt trapped Well some things you can explain away But my heartache's in me till this day [Chorus] Did you stand by me No, not at all Did you stand by me No way All the times When we were close I'll remember these things the most I see all my dreams come tumbling down I won't be happy without you around So all alone I keep the wolves at bay There is only one thing that I can say [Chorus] You must explain why this must be Did you lie when you spoke to me Did you stand by me No, not at all Now I got a job But it don't pay I need new clothes I need somewhere to stay But without all these things I can do But without your love I won't make it through But you don't understand my point of view I suppose there's nothing I can do [Chorus] You must explain why this must be Did you lie when you spoke to me? Did you stand by me Did you stand by me No, not at all Did you stand by me No way Did you stand by me No, not at all Did you stand by me No way

Slinky by 311 song analysis

Shifting from a near hopeless attempt at getting a girls attention to fantasizing about their relationship in "Slinky" 311 utilizes lucid imagery,subtle hyperbole, and concise narrative to show that she "has the power" and "that's okay". The song "Slinky" although having many short verses rather than fewer longer ones is still full of imagery. At the beginning of the song when the speaker is first noticing this girl one receives a good description of the events. When the speaker says "I don't smoke, but I asked her for a cigarette" one can get a good idea of what happened. One could picture him going up to someone and asking them for a cigarette just as an excuse to start a conversation. This line also contains indirect characterization; this excuse the speaker has created shows that this girl makes him nervous and he doesn't want to blow it. This shows how much she means to him because he is a mess for a guy who is usually confident. Hyperbole is used in the song to show how hard the speaker has fallen for this girl and show how much power she has over him because he would do anything for her. The speaker says "She can move me and that's okay, Has the power to turn paper inky". This displays her affect on the speaker, she could likely actually pick up the speaker and move him but the lyrics are ment in a figurative sense. Also she has the power to turn paper inky is just a figure of speech and an exaggeration used to show how much control she has over the speaker. "Slinky" is structured so that there is a short verse than the chorus following every verse. Even though there isn't a lot of words in each verse the song still manages to contain a narrative that explains the speaker's encounters with this girl. The speaker first meets her a club and uses a lousy cigarette excuse to start a conversation. This first scene depicted displays how they meet and the awkwardness involved in meeting someone new. The next verse is the speaker talking about how much he likes this girl. He says " She's the one girl that I just dig, love" and he proceeds to talk about how amazing she is. In the final main verse he talks about how she is in control "She stole my brain, Girls that do me like that, there's not many". The song ends without clearly informing the listener if the events in the second and final verse actually happened. The most likely outcome was that the speaker had met her and was just thinking about her and fantasizing in the third verse like the second. For a relatively concise song "Slinky" is able to tell a story about a man's pursuit of a girl he meets at a club. Although on the surface it appears a simple narrative it goes deeper than that. With a second look a hidden ambiguity is revealed. From there it is left to the listener to interpret the lyrics and decide if the song has solely a literal meaning or if the speaker was simply imagining parts of the song.

Slinky by 311 lyrics

"Slinky" I was at this club minding my tea I saw this fine young thing so I thought that I would see I don't smoke, but I asked her for a cigarette I know it's lame, but I haven't got a better one yet You guess the rest, I'm not the type to fess I sing this song because I tell you she's the best That slinky girl is in my brain Now I'll never be the same No one can ever see What that slinky girl means to me So I'll just pretend But I feel like Mackadocious, she's sweet and precocious She's the one girl that I just dig, love, yes, I'm not above this You think that's whack then, bro, you lack You bore me that macho crap makes me snore, see, me, I'm all about the females, the women, the jewels of this world Those flowers like that slinky girl That slinky girl is in my brain Now I'll never be the same No one can ever see What that slinky girl means to me So I'll just pretend But I feel like Well I met her one night I'd seen her before She stole my brain then showed me the door Girls that do me like that, there's not many But I've met one, that's plenty I'm glad to say that she gets her way She can move me and that's okay Has the power to turn paper inky The girl has me and she's so That slinky girl is in my brain Now I'll never be the same No one can ever see What that slinky girl means to me That slinky girl is in my brain Now I'll never be the same No one can ever see What that slinky girl means to me Uh-oh So I'll just pretend But I feel like All right, break it down

Little Green Analysis

Andrew Morse Block: A Transitioning from her final goodbyes to her realization of her child's fate, in "Little Green" Joni Mitchell utilizes naturalistic figurative language, dichotomous mood, and innate characterization to show that "there'll be sorrow" before Little Green can "have a happy ending." Throughout little green there is many references to nature and the environment. Even the title "Little Green" is a direct reference to nature. The imagery is almost all in relation to nature, "Call her green and the winters cannot fade her." Joni Mitchell isn't really going to name the child green she is just figuratively speaking and the imagery in the line relates back to the theme of spring and nature. There are also several other instances where figurative language is used; "Like the nights when the Northern lights perform." This line features personification because it is saying that the northern lights perform however the lights cannot do that for they are innanimate. A unique feature of "Little Green" is the dichotomous mood. The mood starts out somewhat optomistic then transitions into a more sad and sorry mood. In the first verse the last line is "Little green, be a gypsy dancer." This is Mitchell's way of telling her child to do whatever she wants as long as it makes her happy. Later in the song the mood shifts, "He sends you a poem and she's lost to you", "You're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed. The subject matter shifts to Mitchell's realization of her child's fate which takes away her optimism. Like any song "Little Green" possesses characterization. However ,unlike many songwriters and authors, Mitchell doesn't devote any part of her song to characterization. "Little Green" tells the story of Mitchell's daughter that she was too young to support and had to put up for adoption. There is an emotional narrative in "Little Green", especially for a short song. As one experiences the story the recieve all of the characterization they need at the same time. After hearing the song one could give a good description of Mitchell, her daughter "Little Green" and the father of her child who walked out on them. "Little Green" is a deep and personal song for Mitchell. If one simpily listened to the song they might not have been aware of the true subject matter of the song. However with a thorough analysis one suddenly is aware of a dark and personal time in Joni Mitchells life. This realization is reserved for the attentive and those who can decipher the hidden literary devices packed throughout the song.