Poetry in Music - The Cave the surface, Avicii’s song, Wake Me Up seems to be about someone who is overburdened by the world and just wants to sleep life away, wanting to be awoken

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Mr. Kelly

English 421

September, 2014

Feeling my way through the darkness Guided by a beating heart

I can't tell where the journey will end But I know where to start

They tell me I'm too young to understand

They say I'm caught up in a dream Well life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes

Well that's fine by me

23/09/2014 MRHS English 2

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So wake me up when it's all over When I'm wiser and I'm older

All this time I was finding myself And I didn't know I was lost




I tried carrying the weight of the world But I only have two hands

Hope I get the chance to travel the world But I don't have any plans

Wish that I could stay forever this young

Not afraid to close my eyes Life's a game made for everyone

And love is the prize


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Didn't know I was lost I didn't know I was lost I didn't know I was lost

I didn't know (didn't know, didn't know)


On the surface, Avicii’s song, Wake Me Up seems to be about someone who is overburdened by the world and just wants to sleep life away, wanting to be awoken when it’s all over, because the speaker can’t seem to handle the stresses of life. But upon closer analysis, we find there is much more to these lyrics.

While this was a SMASH hit, it actually has a deep, important lyrical meaning about the power of dreams


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The poetic voice here may not necessarily be Avicii, or Blacc (the vocalist). It appears to be someone unknown who is reflecting on his or her own life and how to live it.


It has been reported that Avicii and Aloe Blacc wrote the song in only one night. Blacc was stated as saying:

"I started writing the lyrics at the top of 2013, travelling back from Switzerland. I started in hip hop music back in the 90s and I never expected to be singing and have an actual career as a musician but I'm travelling all over the world and I thought 'Life is a dream, wake me up when it's all over'.


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The title for this song seems to be fitting as the words ‘wake me up’ are repeated throughout the song. One

might think it is a suitable title as the speaker seems to feel that life is but a dream, only wanting to ‘wake up’

when it’s all over (which does seem like a bit of an oxymoron).


On might think the conflict that arises in these lyrics come from this line:

They tell me I’m too young to understand, they say I’m caught up in a dream

It appears ‘they’ would be the older generation (perhaps the speaker’s parents), telling him/her that if they don’t start getting serious about life, then he/she is wasting their time (or something along those lines).


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“I tried carrying the weight of the world, but I only have two hands”

Another source of conflict in this song would be the speaker feeling the immense pressure of the world. It almost seems as if he will soon be suffocated unless he frees his mind of all these little problems, such as worries.


This song is generally fairly upbeat and the lyrics seem to try and inspire the reader/listener.

It is trying to create a mood of inspiration and a will to live your life the way you wish. (Carpe Diem, perhaps?)


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There are many figures of speech within these lyrics, which help give it a much deeper meaning than what may come across on the surface:

“Making my way through the darkness, guided by a beating heart.”

Imagery

“I can’t tell where the journey will end, but I know where to start.”

Oxymoron

“They say I’m caught up in a dream.”

Metaphor


There are many figures of speech within these lyrics, which help give it a much deeper meaning than what may come across on the surface:

“All this time I was finding myself, and I didn’t know I was lost.”

Verbal irony

“I tried carrying the weight of the world.”

Hyperbole

The poem is also full of rhymes with an “ABCB rhyme scheme


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While there are many interpretations of the theme or lesson from this song, one interpretation could be:

“It’s okay to dream in life, since that can be your saving grace.”


“Feeling my way through the darkness / Guided by a beating heart / I can’t tell where the journey will end / But I know where to start / They tell me I’m too young to understand / They say I’m caught up in a dream / Well life will pass me by if I don’t open up my eyes / Well that’s fine by me.”

That sentiment celebrates the fact that life is a journey and not just the destination and that sometimes, throwing caution to the wind is the best thing you can do. There’s nothing wrong with being a dreamer, because dreams can and do come true. Dreaming is not a waste of time, especially if the dreams are an escape from a harsher reality.


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“So wake me up when it’s all over / When I’m wiser and I’m older / All this time I was finding myself / And I didn’t know I was lost.”

The chorus is catchy, and it’s lyrically simple but powerful. Sometimes, you learn the most and find out who you really are when you didn’t even know you were looking.

Blacc is essentially singing about experience making you who you are. The only way to know life is to live it. Sometimes, that requires living it in your mind, when you are bound by circumstance and can’t just take the first step of the thousand-mile journey whenever you feel like it.


“I tried carrying the weight of the world / But I only have two hands / Hope I get the chance to travel the world / But I don’t have any plans.”

Again, Blacc sings about going with the flow and moving with the wind, without any firm plans. It also suggests that the narrator might not have the chance to travel the world due his situation or station in life. Perhaps he is poor. Perhaps he is committed to a family. Perhaps he doesn’t have the means. Even so, that shouldn’t prevent him from thinking and dreaming about what could be.

Sometimes, when you are in a situation over which you have zero control, the best faculty you have is your mind, and even your daydreams can help make that harsh reality a little bit better.


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While I really enjoyed just listening to and rocking out to this song, singing along in my truck, or with friends, I never took much thought as to the deeper meaning of this song.

Avicii and Blacc seem to think that we need dreams in life and not to worry too much about all of the small things in life. We need to sit back and enjoy the ride, wherever that may take us. For just like everything else, it will end at some point, so we may as well make it worthwhile.


Now that you’ve seen Mr. Kelly’s analysis of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up”, it’s your turn to do the same, but the song choice is up to you. Here are the specifics…


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This will be presented exactly like Mr. Kelly just presented to you.

Start by playing the song, with accompanying lyrics in your slideshow.

Then you will explore all of the aspects in this slideshow: First Impressions/On The Surface Poet/Poetic Voice

Context

Title

Conflicts

Tone and Mood

Show at least FIVE instances of figures of speech Analysis of the theme

Final thoughts


You may do this independently, or work in partners. However, Mr. Kelly reserves the right to absolve any partnerships if they are proving to be unproductive.

Your very best work is expected, and presentations should be well rehearsed and well designed.

Presentations will take place in class during our very own English 421 Poetry Jam Session.

The Jam Session will take place on Thursday, October 2 and Friday, October 3.


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The rubric as to how you will be assessed will be delivered in the coming days.

No music with foul language – keep it school appropriate!

Songs choices will come on a first come, first served basis.


Documents

Poetry in Music - The Cave the surface, Avicii’s song, Wake Me Up seems to be about someone who is overburdened by the world and just wants to sleep life away, wanting to be awoken