Musical Figurative Language
By: Colin Ludwig
Simile
• “ Do you ever feel so paper thin, like a house
of cards, one blow from caving in? “, from
Katy Perry’s, Firework.
• This is an example of a simile because it
compares paper thin to a house of cards
ready to cave in which means she feels very
weak.
Metaphor
• “ You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful
nightmare, either way I don’t want to wake
up from you” , from Beyonce’s, Sweet
Dreams.
• This is an example of a metaphor because it
compares Beyonce’s lover to a sweet dream
or a beautiful nightmare. This means that
no matter what happens she will always love
him.
Alliteration
• “This beat be bumpin', bumpin‘, This beat go
boom, boom”, from Black Eyed Peas, Boom
Boom Pow.
•
This is an example of alliteration because the
letter B is repeated at the beginning of almost
every word.
Hyperbole
• “Look into your heart and you’ll find that
the sky is yours” , from Jason Mraz’s, Im
Your’s.
• This is an example of a hyperbole because
he is exaggerating saying that she can own
the sky.
Onomatopoeia
• “ Who let the dogs out? Woof woof woof
woof” , from Who Let the Dogs Out by The
Baha Men
• This is an example of an onomatopoeia
because in the background the dogs are
saying “woof” which is a sound word.
Imagery/Sensory
• “ Now look who's in trouble, as you run
through my jungle all you hear are rumbles”,
from Monster by Kanye West.
• This is an example of imagery because it is
possible to imagine someone running
through the jungle hearing strange noises.
The lyric brings the song to life.