Jerod Packard

5/6/12
Period 6
Lang. Arts
Mr. Fishback

The Broken Hearts and Twisted Minds

We all learn to make mistakes, and run from them, from them, with no
direction
~Misguided Ghosts by Paramore
Songs are powerful forms of expression. They are for the most part (excluding rap
and techno since most of it doesnt have a point) driven by the human soul to convey a
message deemed important. You can hear joy or sadness emanating from the singers
voice and that, combined with the message of the song, can create a hit. For example,
Shake It Out by Florence + The Machine is a powerful song, and tells the struggle of one
woman to overcome the mistakes she has made in her lifetime. You can hear the pain in
her voice as she sings, giving the song validity. This emotion proves to the audience that
this isnt just a song written for the singer to make money; it proves that she actually
relates to this song. 'Mistakes' is a great theme for a song, considering that everyone in
this world makes them. Whether these mistakes are big or small, each one can add up.
Some can be emotionally or mentally damaging, but others are so insignificant that they
just dont even matter. It is impossible to do everything right or please everyone, and
when you try to do right and everything back fires, it is disheartening. I found three
songs that all centered on the dark abyss of mistakes. These songs have a legitimacy that
you cant argue with.
As the first song I chose, Misguided Ghosts by Paramore starts out, you hear
someone set the pace for the song with a traditional 1, 2, 3, 4 as the counter taps the
side of the guitar. An acoustic guitar strums out the main tune of the song for four eight
counts. Next you hear the first lines of the song. I am going away for a while, but Ill be
back dont try and follow me. Cause Ill return as soon as possible. See, Im trying to find
my place, but it might not be here where I feel safe Being a teenager, I can relate to
these first lines. Although I know the solution Haley Williams (the singer of the song) is
talking about is not the smartest decision, I am sure that the thought of running away
has crossed every single insolent and nave adolescent mind after some silly and childish
squall with his/her parents or legal guardians. However, these first lines also leave some
mysteries, such as why does she feel like running away? We all learn to make mistakes,
and run from them, from them, with no direction How difficult it is to not make a
mistake. At some point in our lives, we have or will make a mistake that makes us want
to flee from the world. This single mistake makes you want to disappear from the
universe and become non-existent. The singer paints this mistake to her audience, not
telling you exactly what has been done, but she expresses her pain to you through her
voice. Cause Im just one of those ghosts, travelin endlessly, dont need no roads, in
fact they follow me, and we just go in circles These particular lines express the
singers wish to fix her problem, but it also shows the stubbornness in her personality.
Some people want to fix their problems, but it is difficult for them to fix them, because

they are too stubborn to ask for or accept help. These lines also state that because the
singer is too stubborn to be helped, the problem will continue to exist; it will get better
and worse in a never ending roller coaster of mistakes, or, as Williams refers to it, going
in circles. And now Im told that this is life, and pain is just a simple compromise, so we
can get what we want out of it These lines are disturbing to me, but they are also very
true. People believe that it is okay to be in emotional pain, and the pain is just a simple
step towards your goals. The reason I find these lyrics disturbing is because you should
never keep yourself in harms way to achieve something, yet people still do. If the path
you are on is hurting you, find a different route. What Williams is talking about, on the
other hand, is that however hard she tries to fix her problems, everything keeps
backfiring and causing her and everyone around her more pain and suffering. This route
is adding tally marks to her mistake count. Would someone care to classify, our broken
hearts and twisted minds, so I can find someone to rely on At this point, Haley
Williams is finally asking for help. These lyrics hold truths to the disastrous
consequences of some the mishaps she has commited. The line Our broken hearts and
twisted minds shows the dire consequences of all of the pain this one mistake has
caused. So I can find, someone to rely on, and run to them, to them, full speed ahead,
oh you are not useless these lyrics show that Haley Williams has found the person she
can trust, and is beginning to work out the issues that have been presented. These lyrics
also show that there was some kind of falling out between her and the person she trusts,
because she is telling him that he is not useless, as if she is trying to keep this person
from leaving. We are just, misguided ghosts, travelin endlessly, the ones we trusted the
most, pushed us far away These lyrics are referring back to the amazing journey that
has unfolded. And theres no one road, we should not be the same, but Im just a ghost,
and still they echo me, they echo me in circles. These last lyrics conclude this incredible
journey to mental and emotional recovery as well as they repair of broken relationships.
Basically what the singer is saying in these final words is that there were multiple ways
for Williams to recover from the mistake that altered the world as she knew it. She is
also saying that even though her road worked for her, that no two people are alike, and
that you should find your own path to recovery. The last thing she is saying is that even
though everything is resolved and repaired, she is still haunted by her past mistake.
When you really dive deep into the true meaning and story behind this song, is like an
odyssey, but the rewarding understanding of the it is much greater.
The next song that I have chosen is more focused on the misery and sorrow that a
big mistake can cause. My second song is called Glass Ceiling by Metric. Only know
what Im told, only know what Im told. Fast asleep daydreaming. Start to push, break
your own glass ceiling. Cant catch the pieces falling These first lyrics start the song
off on a grim note. Already you can tell that something has happened just from the first
four lines. When the singer says Start to push, break your own glass ceiling From the
way these lyrics are phrased, it makes it seem as if the person the singer is talking about
tried to do something good and all it did was backfire and shatter the world around
him/her. Cant catch the pieces falling This particular line shows that he/she tried to
fix what they had caused, but they were unable to. Who let it end up on the ground?
How am I gonna know youre letting me down? How did I end up on the ground? These
particular lines show that the person who has made the mistake has began to drag the
singer down with her as well. Only do what I am told, only do what I am told. Last to
leave cold calling. Youre gonna lose your arms, amputate plasticine. Theres no knight

in silver armor shining. These lines are ones that show the pain that this one person
has caused the singer. Last to leave cold calling This line shows that the singer was
dragged down with the person who made the mistake, and finally had given up on that
person because they were only making things worse. Youre gonna lose your arms,
amputate plasticine shows that the singer knows that the mistakee (the person who
made the mistake) is heading down the wrong road and will have some big consequence
for his/her actions. It also shows that the singer knows that the falsetto that the
mistakee had created is fake; hence the reference to plastic through a more complicated
and made up word plasticine. Theres no knight in silver armor shining is a grim
way of the singer stating that she and the mistakee cannot be saved like a damsel in
distress, and that they will have to work to get back on their feet. Then the chorus
repeats (the second thing I analyzed), but there are two lines added at the end, How did
he end up on the ground? Face down on the ground These lines show that the
mistake the person had made had finally caught up with him/her, and now, the
mistakee has hit rock bottom. Only go where Im told , only go where Im told. Inches to
inches crowding. We cant leave, its the last road open. Every speed on our knees
crawling. This last stanza is showing the slow climb back up to redemption that awaits
the singer. This stanza also shows how she is only climbing inch by painfully slow inch,
and that there is no way to reach her goal of redemption quickly.
The last song that I chose focuses on the incredible power that just forgetting
your mistakes can give you. The last song I chose is called Shake It Out by Florence +
The Machine. Regrets collect like old friends, here to relieve your darkest moment. I
can see no way, I can see no way, and all of the ghouls come out to play The first lyrics
to this song show that the singer, Florence Welch, is haunted by all of the mistakes that
she has made in her life time, or her darkest days. And every demon wants his pound
of flesh, but I like to keep some things to myself. I like to keep my issues drawn; its
always darkest before the dawn This stanza states that Welchs mistakes and
problems are eating away at her, and that she keeps everything bottled up inside,
because she doesnt want to burden others with her problems. And Ive been a fool and
Ive been blind. I can never leave the past behind. I can see no way, I can see no way. Im
always dragging that horse around These lyrics show that Florence realizes that it was
yet another mistake for her to keep burdening herself with her blunders from the past,
and that she is always carrying the weight of the world around with her. All of these
questions, such a mournful sound. Tonight Im gonna bury that horse in the ground. So
I like to keep my issues drawn, its always darkest before the dawn This is like the
turning point in the song. Florence realizes that she needs to forget the past and look to
the future, and bury her mistakes or her horse in the ground. Shake it out, shake it
out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa. Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it
out, ooh whoa, and its hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off, oh
whoa This powerful chorus is the point at which Florence is enlightened by her
shaking off the devil on her back. Basically she is relieving her soul and passing off the
weight of the world to Atlas so she can finally live her life without being burdened by the
past. I am done with my graceless heart, so tonight Im going to cut it out and then
restart. Cause I like to keep my issues drawn its always darkest before the dawn. This
stanza is another way of Welch saying that she is going to forget about the past and start
anew. And its hard to dance with a devil on your back, and given half the chance, I
would take any of it back. Its a fine romance, but its left me so undone, its always

darkest before the dawn This stanza shows the apologetic side of Welch, trying to
reach everyone who was affected by her mistakes and apologize to them, and make
everything better between them and her. It also mentions a new twist in the song: a
romance. This romance must have been great, but then ended badly, for she states that
it had left her undone." After this stanza Florence and the background singers
melodically shout Oh whoa, and then wait eight counts before saying the same thing.
Then my favorite stanza in the song is sung. And Im damned if I do, and damned if I
dont, so heres to drinks at the dark end of my rope. And Im ready to suffer and Im
ready to hope, its a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat. Cause looking for heaven,
found the devil in me, looking for heaven found the devil in me. Well what the hell Im
gonna let it happen to me This is my favorite stanza because it shows that she is ready
to do whatever she can to be happy, and it shows the determination she possesses; it
also shows how strong of a woman she is.
Everyone makes mistakes; they are an inevitable part of life. I feel trapped in this
world by the mistakes of my past and future, since I can never seem to get anything
right. I am constantly disappointed in myself, and feel like I constantly let down my
parents by not comparing to my sister. These songs show me what can happen when a
person makes big mistakes, but they also show me that they can be fixed. Although they
can be fixed, nothing will be the same, and by realizing the odyssey of these songs, I
have set a goal to fix any and all mistakes I make, and prevent new ones from arising. I
will be a better person for the future, and I will fix my broken heart and twisted mind
and repair the broken bonds between my family members.