For this assignment, I am using a song as a piece of literature. I decided to go with this
cause this song got me into what is one of my favorite bands within the world of
hardcore and metal, which I am VERY passionate about.
[Verse 1]
I was so naive and fearful of the substantive
Of the greying days, of carrying endless weight
And what it really meant to truly mean something
To really be someone who could be loved
[Verse 2]
So lost in darkness, in and out of selfishness
Hoarding all my dreams was just no way to be
Then you gifted me such a precious thing
A chance to be someone who deserved love
[Chorus]
I heard
(A single tear)
Your cry ring out
(A single tear)
It showed me what
(A single tear)
Real strength could be
(A single tear)
[Bridge 1]
As a single teardrop fell
And was swallowed by the sea
You outshined the best there was
Rewrote who I could be
You outshined the best there was
Rewrote who I could be
[Bridge 2]
When I held you for the first time
I knew I had to survive
When I held you for the first time
I knew I had to survive
[Bridge 3]
As a single teardrop fell
As a single teardrop fell
As a single teardrop fell
As a single teardrop fell
[Chorus]
I heard
(A single tear)
Your cry ring out
(A single tear)
It showed me what
(A single tear)
Real strength could be
(A single tear)
[Outro]
A single tear
A single tear
A single tear
A single tear
Exercise 1: This song uses language to create meaning by using a tear as a
symbol/metaphor. The song is about how the singer, Jacob Bannon, found meaning in
life through becoming a father. Shedding a tear is a moment of vulnerability, so a man
who felt lost in darkness shedding a tear realizing how much his kid means to him
showcases this perfectly.
Exercise 2: In the song, Jacob Bannon’s real-world experience of becoming a father is
used as inspiration to create a fictionalized/condensed version of this experience. He
wasn’t literally lost in actual darkness, nor was the tear swallowed by the sea. The
imagery conveyed by these lyrics are meant to convey the emotional truth that
becoming a father brings change.
Exercise 3: The aesthetic power of the song lies with how the emotionally direct
language and use of repitition is used to hammer home the emotional message of the
song. When listening to the song, the blunt/hardcore vocal delivery highlights how
powerful this song is in your face and powerful. I also like how each part of the song has
a different vocal delivery as the vocal intensity shifts throughout the song. The verses
have him almost speak to the listener while the chorus has background chants of “a
single tear” and more intense vocals. The writing ties in with the way the song sounds
really well overall.
Exercise 4
A Single Tear counts as a lyric poem as it focuses on the emotional aspect instead of a
fleshed-out narrative. The song also is a hardcore song, and the band Converge in
general is about conveying emotion. They have a lot of repetition and intensity in order
to convey the thoughts and feelings of the singer, Jacob Bannon.
Song link