Music As Poetry Example
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Music as Poetry Project “Please Bleed” by Ben Harper
The song
10/09/09
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2
The Artist Ben Harper Combining shuddering, groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics, singer/songwriter Ben Harper enjoyed cult status during the course of the '90s before gaining wider attention toward the decade's end. As a young artist, Harper combined elements of classic singer/songwriters, blues revivalists, Jimi Hendrix, and such '90s jam bands as Blues Traveler and Phish, which meant that he was embraced by critics and college kids alike. Despite the commercial success of the radio single Steal My Kisses" in 2000, Harper continued to explore different musical textures into the 21st century, enjoying a solid fan base at home and a considerable amount of fame in Europe, where was named 2003's "Artist of the Year" by the French branch of Rolling Stone. A native of California, Harper grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, R&B, and reggae. He started playing guitar as a child, and began to perform regularly as a preteen. During his adolescence, he turned toward acoustic slide guitar, which would eventually become his signature instrument. Harper scored a deal with Virgin Records in 1992 after a steady schedule of shows in the L.A. area; two years later, he released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World, to positive reviews.
Interpretation • This lyric poem is a reflection on how one person feel when betrayed by another in a relationship. The tone is frustrated to the point incredulity and angry. It seems the person in the poem is experiencing a breakup or some other type of extreme hurt caused by a partner. One can assume that the speaker feels totally desperate, having to beg for attention by the other person, but hating feeling this way. The song is thus not a fatal attraction or obsessive reaction, but rather the speaker dislikes him/herself for feeling this way. It’s an unconscious reaction. •
10/09/09
He or she is struck in such disbelief at the other’s coldness of action that he/she is asking if the person is even real, if he/she even knows what he/she has done.
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4
Interpretation • Speaker •
10/09/09
Not much is indicated about the speaker of the poem other than it is a person feeling betrayed and desperate because of the action, or rather, inaction of the other person. The gender of the speaker is unknown, and as the situation could occur to either, is not relevant. One can assume either position, as the song is obviously sung by a male, but stereotypically a female could feel subject to these emotions.
• Tone • The tone of the song is desperate and angry. The lyrics “So as it stands I remain on my knees” show that the speaker is desperate, while the words “Never said thank you Never said please “ illustrate the speaker’s anger. Finally, the title of the song and the repetition of “Please Bleed/So I know that you are real” illustrate the speaker’s disbelief and hurt.
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5
• Theme • The theme of the song seems to be that in relationships, sometimes people can become so cold and hurtful that they don’t even realize what they are doing to other people.
10/09/09
• Title Signficance • The title of the poem signifies how the speaker wishes to know if the person recognizes what he or she has done to the speaker-after how what they may have been through, if the person recognizes his/her own destructiveness.
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
6
• Figures of Speech/Poetic Devices Song Lyrics Make me feel like a beggar Make me feel like a thief Make me feel like a battle, that cannot end in peace
Good lovers make great enemies
10/09/09
• Similes-the song begins with several similes which illustrate how the actions of the other person have made the speaker feel, like he/she is desperate • Paradox-this line in the song demonstrates a paradox, that a good lover can also be a great enemy, which is an opposite idea but contains a truth. Generally two people that are very close can not only love each other, but also know what buttons to push to facilitate opposite emotions.
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
7
Why this song? • I think this song is emotionally charged and listening to the singer perform the song always evokes a sentiment in me. I have a personal connection to the song because I have been in relationships where I was desperate for the person to understand how I’ve felt, but I think I have also been the person who did not understand the damage I’ve caused another and can see that aspect in the lines “to myself I am numb”. Also, I just love Ben Harper!
10/09/09
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
8
The song
10/09/09
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
2
The Artist Ben Harper Combining shuddering, groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics, singer/songwriter Ben Harper enjoyed cult status during the course of the '90s before gaining wider attention toward the decade's end. As a young artist, Harper combined elements of classic singer/songwriters, blues revivalists, Jimi Hendrix, and such '90s jam bands as Blues Traveler and Phish, which meant that he was embraced by critics and college kids alike. Despite the commercial success of the radio single Steal My Kisses" in 2000, Harper continued to explore different musical textures into the 21st century, enjoying a solid fan base at home and a considerable amount of fame in Europe, where was named 2003's "Artist of the Year" by the French branch of Rolling Stone. A native of California, Harper grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, R&B, and reggae. He started playing guitar as a child, and began to perform regularly as a preteen. During his adolescence, he turned toward acoustic slide guitar, which would eventually become his signature instrument. Harper scored a deal with Virgin Records in 1992 after a steady schedule of shows in the L.A. area; two years later, he released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World, to positive reviews.
Interpretation • This lyric poem is a reflection on how one person feel when betrayed by another in a relationship. The tone is frustrated to the point incredulity and angry. It seems the person in the poem is experiencing a breakup or some other type of extreme hurt caused by a partner. One can assume that the speaker feels totally desperate, having to beg for attention by the other person, but hating feeling this way. The song is thus not a fatal attraction or obsessive reaction, but rather the speaker dislikes him/herself for feeling this way. It’s an unconscious reaction. •
10/09/09
He or she is struck in such disbelief at the other’s coldness of action that he/she is asking if the person is even real, if he/she even knows what he/she has done.
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
4
Interpretation • Speaker •
10/09/09
Not much is indicated about the speaker of the poem other than it is a person feeling betrayed and desperate because of the action, or rather, inaction of the other person. The gender of the speaker is unknown, and as the situation could occur to either, is not relevant. One can assume either position, as the song is obviously sung by a male, but stereotypically a female could feel subject to these emotions.
• Tone • The tone of the song is desperate and angry. The lyrics “So as it stands I remain on my knees” show that the speaker is desperate, while the words “Never said thank you Never said please “ illustrate the speaker’s anger. Finally, the title of the song and the repetition of “Please Bleed/So I know that you are real” illustrate the speaker’s disbelief and hurt.
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
5
• Theme • The theme of the song seems to be that in relationships, sometimes people can become so cold and hurtful that they don’t even realize what they are doing to other people.
10/09/09
• Title Signficance • The title of the poem signifies how the speaker wishes to know if the person recognizes what he or she has done to the speaker-after how what they may have been through, if the person recognizes his/her own destructiveness.
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
6
• Figures of Speech/Poetic Devices Song Lyrics Make me feel like a beggar Make me feel like a thief Make me feel like a battle, that cannot end in peace
Good lovers make great enemies
10/09/09
• Similes-the song begins with several similes which illustrate how the actions of the other person have made the speaker feel, like he/she is desperate • Paradox-this line in the song demonstrates a paradox, that a good lover can also be a great enemy, which is an opposite idea but contains a truth. Generally two people that are very close can not only love each other, but also know what buttons to push to facilitate opposite emotions.
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
7
Why this song? • I think this song is emotionally charged and listening to the singer perform the song always evokes a sentiment in me. I have a personal connection to the song because I have been in relationships where I was desperate for the person to understand how I’ve felt, but I think I have also been the person who did not understand the damage I’ve caused another and can see that aspect in the lines “to myself I am numb”. Also, I just love Ben Harper!
10/09/09
template from www.brainybetty.com copyright 2006
8
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