Diction: Emiliana Torrini

"Sunny Road"
Wrote you this
I hope you got it safe
It's been so long
I don't know what to say
I've travelled 'round
Through deserts on my horse
But jokes aside
I wanna come back home
You know that night
I said I had to go
You said you'd meet me
On the sunny road

It's time, meet me on the sunny road
it's time, meet me on the sunny road

I never married
Never had those kids
I loved too many
Now heaven's closed its gates.
I know I'm bad
To jump on you like this
Some things don't change
My middle name's still 'Risk'
I know that night's
A long long time ago
Will you still meet me
On the sunny road

It's time, meet me on the sunny road
It's time, meet me on the sunny road

Well, this is it
I'm running out of space
Here is my address
And number just in case.
This time as one
We'll find which way to go
Now come and meet me
On the sunny road


"Serenade"
New world forming
Picturesque in its stance
Midnight calling
Moonlight shadows start to dance

For the dark finds ways of being
Engraved in the light
And the heart bears indentations
Of yesterdays hurting child
The now we will run with smiles
The morrow will heal the night so
Morning comes
Midnight make fast with the sun
I can hear my name be reborn
On the cloud within the sky beneath the dawn

Oh I
Serenade the dawn
Serenade the dawn
Serenade the dawn

For the dark finds ways of being
Engraved in the light
And the heart bears indentations
Of yesterdays hurting child
The now we will run with smiles
The morrow will heal the night so
Morning comes
Midnight make fast with the sun
I can hear my name be reborn
On the cloud within the sky beneath the dawn

Oh I
Serenade the dawn
Serenade the dawn
Serenade the dawn

Da da da da dum dum
Da dum dum
Da da da da dum dum
Da dum dum...



Emiliana Torrini is an undoubtably gifted songwriter, with her subtle but effective vocals and dreamy acoustic sound. Despite the limited musical sources Torrini encountered while growing up, she developed a knack for songwriting that she put to use through her varying musical creations. Torrini's songs often differ in tone and feel, with some falling under the pop "trip-hop" category, and others maintaining a strong folk sound. The lyrical diction used in Torrini's songs is also distinguishable. Her songs "Sunny Road" and "Serenade" are good examples of this, each conveying a different feel through the words Torrini chooses and the way she executes singing them.

The song "Sunny Road", by Emiliana Torrini, is a beautiful acoustic song with very simple, straight-forward lyrics. The song is written in the form of a letter, implicated by the first lines: "Wrote you this, I hope you got it safe; It's been so long, I don't know what to say". It is being written to a loved one-- someone from the speaker's past that she has not been in contact with for a while. "You know that night I said I had to go; You said you'd meet me on the sunny road". The "night" is later described as happening a "long, long time ago". The lyrics stay mostly direct and forthright, getting the point across without straying into the abstract. Thus, a story-telling format is created, with a very light, easy-going mood. Torrini gets to the point with her lyrics and ends the song with a sense of closure.

"Serenade", by Emiliana Torrini, contrasts "Sunny Road" in lyrical and vocal structure. The airy tone in Torrini's voice creates a haunting and eerie feel, and her eloquent lyrics, laden with metaphors and personification, complement these vocals perfectly. "Serenade" has a great deal of substance within its lyrics, shown through lines such as: "For the dark finds way of being engraved in the light; And the heart bears indentations of yesterday's hurting child". The lyrics capture several emotions--tragedy, beauty, pain, and relief--and produce strong images of nature through descriptions of night and day. The abstract words and eerie sound create a sense of mystery.

The use of diction within songs is a notable aspect of songwriting, and a songwriter’s capability to vary their diction is important. Emiliana Torrini uses different forms of diction throughout her music, as shown between her songs “Sunny Road” and “Serenade”. “Sunny Road” is a simple song, with subtle wording that leaves little room for confusion or ambiguity. “Serenade” is a much more in-depth song, carefully thought-out and filled with imagery, personification, and metaphors. The clear contrast of “Sunny Road” and “Serenade” efficiently illustrates Torrini’s diverse style of writing between songs.