Long Goodbye Analysis

Long Goodbye Analysis

Brooks & Dunn, have been on the country music scene for almost twenty years. Kick Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are a dynamic duo, with Brooks being the voice behind the lyrics, as Dunn backs him up with his guitar, only singing once in a while. An older song of theirs, “Long Goodbye” is a saddening song about learning how to let someone go. Their cheerless lyrics, in this song, open up their listeners to feel what their lyrics are trying to convey.


Their song opens with, a well placed idiom, we’ve all heard it before but it can sometimes be true, “I know they say if you love somebody/ you should set them free,” but sometimes that is also easier said than done. Their idiom continues when they sing, “I know they say if it dont come back again/ then its meant to be.” However, he goes on to say, that that gives him little comfort, he still wants his love back. “I spend each day here waiting for a miracle,” here Brooks uses a hyperbole, for his reader to understand his pain. “This is the long goodbye,” is a metaphor, they aren’t really saying goodbye this whole time, but he is still letting go. He then goes on to sing, “Somebody tell me why/ two lovers in love cant make it/ just what kind of love keeps breaking a heart?/ no matter how hard I try/ I always make you cry,” two lovers in love is a sort of paradox, also love breaking a heart is personification. Their poetic devices, though few, still important, “Sometimes I ask my heartDid we really give our love a chance?/but I know without a doubt/we turned it inside out.” Here he uses a hyperbole and imagery. “But it tears me up inside,” could be considered a paradox with tears, being related to crying. They close out with a repetition of their chorus, to enforce the message of their song.


Brooks & Dunn are a great example of the talent that country music contains. The "Long Goodbye" is a melancholy song about losing love. Their guitar rifts and mellow vocals, which enhances their song. Overall, the "Long Goodbye" is a great song that is about learning to move on.

Love Remember's Analysis

Craig Morgan is not usually the first artist people relate to country music. His contributions to country music as a whole are definitely worth noting, but he is not a huge star such as Tim McGraw or Toby Keith. His latest single, “Love Remembers” is a downhearted song about the end of a relationship. Morgan has been a part of country music for about ten years now, with many hits. However, “Love Remembers” is one of his best in a long time because of how the music mirrors his depressed and lonely state.

Almost the entire song is made up of personification; the title alone is an example. One could even argue that the whole song is an extended metaphor, where love is actually the speaker, or Morgan being the “love” who remembers and, interchangeably being the woman who left him. “You can't forget what love was wearing/ when it walked out your front door,” here is a clear example of love being the woman who left. Morgan goes on to sing about trying to let go, “You can lie and tell yourself/ you're over it and someone else will take love's place.” He then goes on to use a paradox when he sings about lying in bed, “Close your eyes and still get no rest.” The whole chorus is filled with imagery, “The smell of a summer day/ lying in a hammock over fresh cut grass.” The lyrics he uses gives the listener vivid images to picture. The next verse Morgan goes on to sing about trying to drown his sorrows in alcohol, “There's shelter in a bottle/ for a while there it might numb the pain,” he then goes on to admit that love is still gone. Morgan ends his song with the repetition of his chorus two more times. As a whole, “Love Remembers” is a sentimental song which uses mainly metaphors and personification to express his loss.

Craig Morgan’s guitar skills and song writing ability allow for him to be a more relatable artist. The poetic devices, though they may be simple, create a heartfelt song. It is easy for the listener to feel Morgan’s pain, as well as relate to the song even. Even if that listener hasn’t felt that kind of pain, they can feel for Morgan.

Love Don't Live Here Anymore Analysis

Lady Antebellum, aka Lady A. just recently busted out on to the country music scene this past year. Their self-titled debut album is doing very well. Their first hit, off of their album, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” is an up beat I’m so over you kind of song. The country trio is made up of Charles, David, and Hillary, all of which work together to write their own songs. Even though they aren’t veterans of country music, they are definitely making a name for themselves.
“Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” has a lovely combination of different literary terms. Charles, the lead vocalist, has a deep voice that lulls his listeners. Immediately in the first two lines there is a metaphor being sung, “this heart of mine/ has been hardened like a stone,” clearly he was upset. But this song is not about being pitiful, it’s about “movin' on/ and you don't haunt my dreams.” His heartbreaker came back to town to try to rekindle their love, but he knows better, “you’re just passin' through/to claim your lost and found/but I'm over you,” this is also a metaphor. The chorus is Charles and Hillary singing about how they’ve been fine and don’t need their heartbreaker anymore. The line, “love don’t live here anymore,” is an example of personification. When they sing, “and I've been down this road/too many times with you,” this is a hyperbole as well as another metaphor. Overall Lady A. doesn’t need anyone that’s not going to appreciate them and their love.
Charles, David, and Hillary bring all of their talent to the country table throughout their entire album, not just in this single. “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” is just one of many songs that clearly show their talent in song writing, as well as instrumentally. The roaring guitar is enough to make the listener want to get up and jam out!

Praying for a Miracle

Nicole Nelson
Song Lyrics Story

Praying For a Miracle

White flakes catch the light of the street lamps as she looks out the fifth story window; Christmas Eve makes a hospital a quiet and forlorn place. Worn-out, festive cardboard decorations are half-heartedly taped to the walls and doors all down the hallway. Sterile fumes of bleach and Lysol fill her lungs as she deeply inhales and exhales with a heavy sigh, much like her heart. Sheryl’s eyes then fall upon her helpless little girl lying in the hospital bed. Amy’s limp body looks much like a skeleton’s under the thin cotton blankets. Her skin pale and translucent compared to her mother’s healthy skin tone. Why now, Sheryl ponders as she slowly moves her aching body from the chair by the window to the bedside of her failing daughter. Aching from emotional pain, and aching for a miracle. Sheryl folds her chapped hands tightly in her lap and begins to pray…
The doctors say that there is little hope for Amy; her leukemia has spread too far. Well I’m sure you already know that, but they’re just doctors, you have the final say. I’m not ready to lose her, she’s all I have and more than I have ever deserved. Please don’t take her from me, I’m begging you; she’s only six. She’s my little angel, all mine, you can have her once I’m gone and once she’s lived her own life. Graduated high school, fallen in love, gotten married, had babies of her own. Take her then, but not today. How could you take a little girl from her mother? I know you know what’s right, but taking my child away from me isn’t. I’m sure you must hear this all the time when other precious babies are taken by you, for your own reasons, from their mothers. But this is all I have left to do. I’m not doctor, and if I could I’d give her anything to make her better, even my life I would-but I can’t. This…you are my only hope now God I hope you hear me...
The doctor just grazes Sheryl’s shoulder, she immediately awakens, her eyes dart directly to her daughter. The machines keeping her alive-still beeping, that sound that she has been clinging to for hope. Muscles in her neck straining for movement from the uncomfortable sleeping position they were in. She then turns her attention to the warming brown eyes of Amy’s doctor. His voice like a hark angel, bringing her sanguinity. “There is hope,” he says, “there is a new treatment we are willing to try.” Sheryl whispers “thank you” as the doctor silently closes the oak door behind him.

She Wouldn't be Gone Lyrics

Red roadside wild flower if I'd only picked you
Took you home set you on the counter
Oh, at least a time or two
Maybe she'd thought it through.

Yellow sunset slowly dipping down in the rear view
Oh, how she'd love to sit and watch you
I could have done that a whole lot more
If I hadn't been so stubborn, been so selfish
Thought about her more, thought about me less
Joked and maked her laugh, held her when she cried
A little more that.. maybe I...

Wouldn't be driving like hell flying like crazy down the highway
Calling everyone we know stopping any place she might be
Going any place she might go beating on the dash
Screaming out her name at the windshield tears soaking up my face
If I had loved her this much all along, maybe maybe, yeaa maybe...
She wouldn't be gone.. she wouldn't be gone..

She warned me it was coming said if I didn't change
She was leaving
I just didn't believe she would ever really walk out,God, I believe her now
Called her mamma, cried like a baby to her best friend
If they seen her they ain't sayin, they ain't sayin...
Now, I'm cursing like a fool, praying it ain't too late
All I wanna do is fix my mistakes.

Find her beg her for one more try, until then damn it I"ll..
Be driving like hell flying like crazy down the highway
Calling everyone we know stopping any place she might be
Going any place she might go beating on the dash
Screaming out her name at the windshield tears soaking up my face
If I had loved her this much all along, maybe maybe, yeaa maybe...
She wouldn't be gone..

I wouldn't be beating on the dash
Screaming out her name at the windshield tears soaking up my face
If I had loved her this much all along, maybe maybe, yeaa maybe...
She wouldn't be gone..

Red roadside wild flower if I'd only picked you
Took you home set you on the counter, oh at least a time or two
Maybe she'd thought it through...

She Wouldn't be Gone Analysis

Blake Shelton, a wistful country star, is known for his southern drawl and soulful lyrics. His latest song, “She Wouldn’t be Gone” is a song about a broken heart. For those of you music lovers out there who don’t know Blake Shelton, he first broke out on to the music scene in 2001, and has been in many country fanatics hearts ever since. His influences include famous country stars, Travis Tritt and Hank Williams Jr. Shelton is ranked up there with other country singers like Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and Keith Urban. Overall, both his sad and upbeat songs are equally eloquent and meaningful.

Opening his first verse with a line of imagery, Shelton vividly creates a picture in his listener’s head, when he says, “Red roadside wild flower if I’d only picked you.” This creates an image of red wild flowers. Shelton sings the first verse as if he is singing to the flowers; they could have been symbols of his adoration. The next verse says, “Yellow sunset slowly dipping down in the rear view” this also is imagery and partially personification. He is reminiscing about his ex-love and thinking about all the things she liked to do, “Oh, how she’d love to sit and watch you.” He also regrets being selfish and not making her happier when she was in his life. In the chorus he says “wouldn’t be driving like hell flying like crazy down the highway,” this is an example of similes, general comparisons. “Screaming out her name at the windshield tears soaking up my face,” this is also an example of personification of his tears. It also helps develop an image for his listener. In the third verse, he sings about how his ex-love warned him that if he didn’t change then she would leave, but he didn’t believe her until it was too late. In the last line of the verse he says, “Called her mama, cried like a baby to her best friend,” this is an example of a simile as well. In the following verse he explains that no one is helping him find her, “Now I’m, cursing like a fool, praying it ain’t too late” this is another perfect example of a simile where he compares himself to cursing like a fool. The chorus then repeats as well as part of the verse before. He then repeats the first verse to emphasis his sadness and close out the song the same way it started, he’s still in the same position... alone and regretful.

Shelton’s lyrics and deep voice come together to create vivid representation in the listener’s minds of his emotions. He combines his guitar and great writing ability to reel in his audience. He’s a great contributor to country music and song writing as a whole, “She Wouldn’t be Gone” is a perfect example of his masterful skills. His examples of imagery, personification and similes, all help emphasis his lyric writing style.

Back Masking

1.) Artist: B 52’s
Song: “Detour through my Mind”
Message: "I buried my parakeet in the backyard. Oh no, you're playing the record backwards. Watch out, you might ruin your needle."
I believe that this particular song is an example of back masking. You can understand much more clearly what they say when the song is played backwards, much more than others.

2.) Artist: Led Zeppelin
Song: “Stairway to Heaven”
Message: “Oh here’s it my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is Satan. He’ll give you give you 666. There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.”
I believe that this song is also an example of back masking. Some songs the listener cannot understand the backwards message at all, but this one, if played slow enough can be understood.

3.) Artist: The Beatles
Song: “I’m so Tired”
Message: “Paul is a dead man, miss him, miss him, miss him"
I believe that this song is another example of back masking. John Lennon is quoted saying, after smoking marijuana that he experimented with back masking.

4.) Artist: Queen
Song: “Another one Bites the Dust”
Message: "it's fun to smoke marijuana"
I believe that this example is just a coincidence. All members of Queen have denied the claims. Also when it is played it is very hard to understand.

5.) Artist: The Eagles
Song: “Hotel California”
Message: “Yeah Satan, he organized, oh, he organized his own religion. Yeah, when he knows he should, how nice it was delicious, he puts it in a bet he fixes it for his son which he gives away”
I believe that there is too much coincidence between, the history and background of the song, as well as the CD cover for this to be anything but back masking.

6.) Artist: The Electric Light Orchestra
Song: “Fire on High”
Message: “The music is reversible, but time isn't. Turn back! Turn back! Turn back! Turn back!"
When the song is played forwards it is jumbled words that no one can really understand. I believe this is also an example of back masking, Not to mention the message itself seems way to obvious to be anything else.

7.) Artist: Mindless Self Indulgence
Song: “Backmask”
Message: “Respect your parents." / "Clean your room." / "Do your homework." / "Don't stay out too late." / "Eat your vegetables." / "Put away your toys." / "Don't sit too close to the TV." / "Take the dog for a nice walk." / "Hurry up! Get dressed for church."
Clearly, by just looking at the title, one can tell this is an intentional back masking example, especially with the message. It is ironic and makes fun of the general idea of back masking.

8.) Artist: Petra
Song: “Judas Kiss”
Message: “What are you looking for the devil for, when you ought to be looking for the Lord?"
It is said that many Christian rock bands in the 1980s put messages in their songs. If one listens to the message, and looks at the message it is clear that this is an intentional example of back masking.

9.) Artist: Pink Floyd
Song: “Empty Spaces”
Message: “congratulations. You've just discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to Old Pink, care of the funny farm, Chalfont”
Once again, this is an example of back masking because of its blatant message, it may be hard to understand at first but it is there.

10.) Artist: Tool
Song: “Intension”
Message: “Work hard. Stay in school. Listen to your Mother. Your Father is right."
Lastly, this is an example of back masking because of the clear message. It is said to be the bands non-official response to claims of hidden messages.

Overall I do not believe in reverse speech. I do however believe in back masking-the intentional hidden messages. Some songs, however I believe people try and stretch as an example of back masking.