Mr. Brightside Analysis

I'm coming out of my cage

And I've been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down

Because I want it all

It started out with a kiss

How did it end up like this

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss

Now I'm falling asleep

And she's calling a cab

While he's having a smoke

And she's taking a drag

Now they're going to bed

And my stomach is sick

And it's all in my head

But she's touching his chest now

He takes off her dress now

Let me go

'cause I just can't look, it's killing me

And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea

Turning through sick lullabies

Choking on your alibis

But it's just the price I pay

Destiny is calling me

Open up my eager eyes

'cause I'm Mr. Brightside

I never

I never

I never

From Sam's Town, Las Vegas, The Killers erupted into the indie music scene with their debut album "Hot Fuss". With catchy songs driven by synthesizers and Brandon Flowers' clever lyrics, the band quickly got recognition. The song "Mr. Brightside" is a perfect example of Flowers' ability to convey emotions and create images through his words.

The song "Mr. Brightside" centers around the paranoia of the speaker, who fears his lover/love interest is sleeping with another man. At the start of the song, the speaker is "coming out of [his] cage" and "doing just fine", but this soon changes when his suspicions begin haunting him. It is implied that he has seen his lover kissing this other man: "It started out with a kiss". We are then taken into his delusional mind, where he imagines his lover "going to bed" with the other man. The speaker knows this is just in his mind--"and it's all in my head"--but he cannot help himself; his delusions continue to haunt him. The speaker's awareness to his paranoia shows a self-destructive personality; he feels like he deserves to be in this state: "But it's just the price I pay... Open up my eager eyes". The line "I'm Mr. Brightside" is actually ironic; the speaker is being sarcastic and somewhat mocking himself.

There are many poetic devices used in "Mr. Brightside", such as metaphors, imagery, and irony. The speaker's "cage", for example, is a metaphor for how he makes himself feel; his personality makes him feel trapped. Imagery is used mainly in the chorus ("Jealousy, turning saints into the sea..."). An image of what's going on inside of the speaker's mind is created. Irony is present in the lines: "And I've been doing just fine" and "I'm Mr. Brightside". Both of these lines contrast the speaker's situation; he is not "doing just fine", which is made clear by the rest of the song. "I'm Mr. Brightside" implies that the speaker is always looking at the bright side of things, which is the opposite of his reality.

"I Was Married" Song Analysis

I married in the sun
Against the stone of buildings built before you and I were born
Into my heart confusion grows against
The muscles fought so long
To control against the pull of one magnet to another

Now we look up in
Into the eyes of bullies breaking backs
They seem so very tough
They seem so very scared of us

I look into the mirror for evil that just does not exist
I don't see what they see

Try to control the pull of one magnet to another


Tegan and Sara have always strayed away from the typical, never falling into any specific genre or category and keeping their music diverse and unique. The two sisters have always written separately, putting their own style and passions into the songs they each write, and rarely collaborating in the process. Tegan's style is more forthright, with lyrics that evoke raw emotion and tell the listener exactly what she is feeling. Sara, on the other hand, generally writes more elaborate, complex songs whose meanings are sometimes ambiguous or more profound. Her song "I Was Married" illustrates Sara's style of writing and the way in which she expresses her feelings through her music.

"I Was Married" is a track from Tegan and Sara's latest album, The Con. This track sticks out from the rest for its subject matter: it is about struggling with homosexuality. Tegan and Sara Quin are both lesbians, although they rarely allude to this in their lyrics (and when they do, it is normally in a very subtle way). "I Was Married", however, deals with homosexuality more directly. The song starts off with a reference to Sara's marriage to her partner. The following lines are, "Into my heart confusion grows against; The muscles fought so long to control against the pull of one magnet to another". The confusion stems from society's intolerance toward homosexuality, and Sara tries to fight her feelings. The two magnets pulling together represent Sara's attraction to women. The next lines are, "Now we look up in, into the eyes of bullies breaking backs; They seem so very tough; They seem so very scared of us". These lines reference homophobia; people are afraid of Sara because she is gay, and they act "tough" or violent toward her. "I look into the mirror, for evil that just does not exist; I don't see what they see". Sara does not understand homophobia, and she doesn't see anything wrong with herself. The song ends with "try to control the pull of one magnet to another". In general, the song is about the struggles of being gay, and being pushed to believe that homosexuality is wrong. Sara is struggling between who she is, and who society wants her to be. But in the end, she can't fight what is in her heart.

Playlist

Playlist

Comment my playlist here!

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.

10 Facts About Simon and Garfunkel

1. Simon and Garfunkel originally went by the name Tom and Jerry, making the top 50 with their first single “Hey Schoolgirl”. The two were only 16.

2. They met when they were 11, in a school play of Alice In Wonderland. They started singing at 12.

3. The two split up several times during their careers—once after recording their debut acoustic album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.—only to ultimately reunite.

4. Virtually all of the material was written by Paul Simon.

5. Art Garfunkel, feeling overshadowed by Simon, began to pursue an acting career in 1969, and was featured in the film Catch-22.

6. In 1968, the duo’s song “Mrs. Robinson” was featured in the film The Graduate, becoming an instant hit and winning two Grammys.

7. In the late 50’s and early 60’s, after abandoning Tom and Jerry, Simon briefly reached the charts in the group Tico and the Triumphs with the song “Motorcycle”, and again with “The Long Teen Ranger” under the name Jerry Landis.

8. Their final album, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, topped the charts for 10 weeks, with four hit singles.

9. “The Sound of Silence”, one of Simon and Garfunkel’s most well-known tracks, was originally released on their unsuccessful debut acoustic album. Tom Wilson, the duo’s producer, rereleased the song, adding electric guitars, bass, and drums. The song got to number one on the charts in early 1966.

10. A planned studio album was cancelled in the early 80’s due to artistic differences.

Links:

Simon and Garfunkel official website

Paul Simon official website

Art Garfunkel official website

The Concert In Central Park, 1981 - "Mrs. Robinson"

A Simon and Garfunkel Timeline

Oct. 13, 1941 – Paul Simon is born

Nov. 5, 1941 – Art Garfunkel is born

1956 – Begin playing together as Tom and Jerry

1957-58 – Score chart hit with “Hey Schoolgirl”; both are 16.

1964 – Record their debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.; the album does poorly

1966 – Tom Wilson releases new version of “The Sound of Silence”; the song becomes a #1 hit; Simon and Garfunkel reunite; Record “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme”

1968 – The album Bookends hits #1 with the song “Mrs. Robinson”

1970 – Bridge Over Troubled Waters tops charts for 10 weeks with the songs “The Boxer”, “Cecilia”, “El Condor Pasa”, and the title track

1975 – Simon and Garfunkel reunite for Top Ten single “My Little Town”

1981 – They play New York’s Central park concert, which attracts half a million fans; live album is released

1990 – They are inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame

"The Sound of Silence" Analysis

Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” is a brilliantly written song which has profound meaning behind its beautiful lyrics. One interpretation is that the song’s meaning revolves around ignorance to art in the media. “I turned my collar to the cold and damp; When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light that split the night; And touched the sound of silence”. The “neon light” referred to represents the flashiness of the media and its ability to brainwash society. “And in the naked light I saw; Ten thousand people, maybe more; People talking without speaking; People hearing without listening; People writing songs that voices never share”. These lines clearly illustrate society’s blatant cluelessness to the world around it. “People talking without speaking” refers to the lack of depth and meaning behind people’s words—how the important aspects of life are ignored while the trivial, brainless parts are kept the main focus. “People hearing without listening” refers more specifically to the music industry, and how appreciation for true art and talent is disappearing; people are merely hearing the music, rather than listening and indulging in its meaning. “’Fools’, said I, ‘You do not know; Silence, like a cancer, grows; Hear my words that I might teach you; Take my arms that I might reach you’; But my words, like silent raindrops, fell; And echoed in the wells of silence’”. The speaker recognizes the poison of the media as the rest of the world remains ignorant. He tries to enlighten them, but no one seems to listen. “And the people bowed and prayed; To the neon god they made”. The “neon god”, again, is the flashy advertisement in the media, which seems to brainwash society to the point of unquestioning worship. “And the sign flashed out its warning; In the words that it was forming; And the signs said, the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls; And tenement halls; And whispered in the sounds of silence”. In these final lines, the speaker is saying how the truth of what lies ahead (the words of the prophets) can be found in places where people are always coming and going (subway walls and tenement halls). People always pass by these signs but never see what is right in front of them. Thus, they choose to remain ignorant. In the end, the “sound of silence” is the sound of the world, namely the media; silence is the ignorance people choose to live by, and will ultimately continue to live by, no matter what whispers attempt to disturb the peace.


Check out Simon and Garfunkel lyrics and discussion here.
Find and listen to songs here.