Throughout this unit, we’ve explored song analysis by looking at 3 elements of songs:

lyrics, sounds/instruments, and samples. For this assessment, I want you to analyze a
song of your choice that was not used in class and that you did not use for the
Inductive reasoning practice. Using at least 1 of these 3 elements to aid your
analysis, your analysis can be about 1 (or more) of the following: the message of the
song, how your song relates to another song, or another topic of your choosing (run the
topic by me beforehand). Your analysis should be about a paragraph, meaning it should
be at least 4-5 sentences.

Example: You could write about how the silence in the beginning of Intro by Lil’ Durk
aids the song’s message about hearing voices in one’s head.

Here are 2 examples based on what we discussed in class, one that uses
sound/instrumentals to aid in the analysis and one that uses samples to aid in analysis.
There is a website called Who Sampled that you can use to help find samples in songs if
you choose to do so.

Song: Intro by Lil’ Durk

The song Intro by Lil’ Durk looks at the damages that come from not taking care of your
mental health. In the beginning, the song is silent, with the phrase, “the voice” being
repeated over and over. This is meant to represent the concept of hearing voices in your
head, which is a negative side effect many people with poor mental health can face. The
silence is used to emphasize the importance of this moment. The music playing seems to
end the voices, so the music can be seen as healing, as if the music is healing your
mental health.

Song: Cheers (Drink to That) by Rihanna

Some people think Cheers (Drink to That) by Rihanna is just a party song, but the
samples used tell a much deeper story. Rihanna samples I’m With You by Avril Lavigne
in this song, which is a sad song. Rihanna could have chosen any song to sample, but she
chose a sad song. This leads us to believe that in this song, Rihanna isn’t just partying to
party, Rihanna has faced some tragic moments, but she has overcome them. Cheers
(Drink to That) is not your typical party song, it is about celebrating your ability to
overcome hardships.