Song Analysis
The denotative definition of the word “song” is a musical composition for the human
voice that can be accompanied by musical instruments. A song can be singed by one or
more persons. Songs have different poetic, rhyming and they can be written in verses or
free prose. The connotative meaning of a song depends on each person. People give
meaning to a song depending on what the song reminds them of. Love songs are probably
the ones that reach more people because everyone has or has had feelings toward
someone at some point of their life. These songs are considered the ones that transmit
more feelings. But songs can also talk about different
subjects other than love. Songs are used also to express
points of view, talk about history, about society or about
someone’s life. They are used also to inspire the people that
are listening to them or even change their mind. Some of
Bob Marley’s songs for example were used for this
purpose. The song I decided to analyze is by James Blunt
and is called “Goodbye my lover”.
James Blunt - Goodbye My Lover Lyrics
Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.
So I took what's mine by eternal right.
Took your soul out into the night.
It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.
You touched my heart you touched my soul.
You changed my life and all my goals.
And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.
I've kissed your lips and held your head.
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.
I know you well, I know your smell.
I've been addicted to you.
Chorus:
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
Verse 2:
I am a dreamer but when I wake,
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.
And as you move on, remember me,
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.
I've watched you sleeping for a while.
I'd be the father of your child.
I'd spend a lifetime with you.
I know your fears and you know mine.
We've had our doubts but now we're fine,
And I love you, I swear that's true.
I cannot live without you.
Chorus:
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
Verse 3:
And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bear my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.
I choose this song first because I really like the singer and second because this beautiful
song is very deep. He wrote it after breaking up with his girlfriend and that’s one of the
reasons why the song is so deep. When he wrote it, he was feeling it, is not just another
commercial song created only to sell; it actually means something for the singer. The
singer delivers all his emotions to the audience by telling his ex-girlfriend how he feels
about her; how much he loves her, what he would have done for her, and how he feels
without her. He begins the song with two questions that express his uncertainty about the
break up, “Did I disappoint you or let you down? Should I be feeling guilty or let the
judges frown?” He doesn’t understand what went wrong, he doesn’t know if he did
something to cause the situation or if it was her fault. In the same verse, James Blunt tells
the girl that even if they aren’t together anymore, he still has the same feelings towards
her; he still loves and would do anything for her, the only problems is that apparently she
doesn’t want all that from him anymore. After this he reveals how much his life changed
after meeting her and how because of falling in love with her, the saying “love is blind”
became true.
James Blunt introduces the second verse telling her that by leaving him, she is taking all
his dreams with her, because she was his dream and he already had plans for the future
where she was included, “I’d be the father of your child, I’d spent a lifetime with you.”
That sentence is actually at the end of the verse but refers to what I explained before. In
the second verse also James tells her how well he knows her and reminds her of how
much they shared, how many moments they had together and how well he knows her. He
finishes the verse by saying “I cannot live without you”. That’s the first time he expresses
his feelings towards her so directly. During all the song Blunt implies that he loves her,
but is not until this pint where he actually says it.
In the last verse the singer expresses his resignation towards the situation. He knows that
he won’t have anymore but he still loves her, and even if it has to be in his dreams, he is
going to be with her. Blunt says “And I still hold your hand in mine. In mine when I’m
asleep.” He concludes the song saying goodbye to his lover and by comparing himself
with a hollow; he expresses how empty he is without her.
Clearly, this song focuses on the emotion and the heart and I’m sure a lot of people have
like the singer sometime. That’s why this song affects me so much. Because what he is
singing about is something real, something that can happen to any of us. We can identify
ourselves with him and that makes the song powerful.