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William Click

Professor Steele

English Composition II

9 May 2021

Discord of the Past and Present

One of the great accomplishments of music is how the same emotional words can ring

true despite being applied to two totally different situations. Brenda Russell sings “I know,

caught up in the middle/ I cry just a little/ When I think of letting go” in her video for “Piano in

the Dark'' describing her relationship - over thirty years later, Flo Rida uses the same lyrics to

face his childhood hometown in “I Cry.” While Russell’s “Piano in the Dark” targets individuals

with relationship experience and Flo Rida’s “I Cry” targets those who have lived through black

America, individual rhetoric and unique emotions expressed by the singers unite themes of

feeling trapped in situations based on each’s own history.

Brenda Russell’s 1979 original “Piano in the Dark” focuses on targeting an audience

experienced in relationships. Immediately, the smooth, simple instrumentals and resonant vocals

introduce the listener to the somber and mellow mood. The black and white video shows

Russell’s emotional turmoil as she breaks down trying to perform various tasks around her

house, with her thoughts drawn back to a long-haired man playing piano. Her lyrics exemplify

her conflicted emotion: she claims in the first verse that “I never think about all the funny things

you said/ I feel like it's dead” whereas later, on her attempting to leave, she calls out “...pull me

back/ Back to love you.” The lyrics and images of the video emphasize the conflict that Russell

is experiencing, particularly her desire to leave her partner despite her previously strong feelings

keeping her from doing so. No listener will have had the exact experience Russell sings about,
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but through her straightforward diction, emotional tone, and somber atmosphere of the video,

any audience member that has experienced the emotions of a relationship in turmoil will be able

to understand what Russell is singing so passionately about.

Flo Rida’s interpolation of Russell’s lyrics in his 2012 song “I Cry” was reminiscent of

themes of the original, but instead related them to the experience of growing up in an

underdeveloped community. Initially, this video contrasts Russell’s in its upbeat, quick

instrumental, with fast-paced rap lyrics following the slow rendition of Russell’s chorus. It

makes sense for Flo Rida’s intended audience, though, as similarly paced hip-hop music had

been used for decades to highlight struggles in neighborhoods like those where Flo Rida grew

up. In fact, the video features him revisiting this town, Carol City, following his success as a

mainstream artist. However, upon seeing the town’s continued poverty-stricken conditions, he is

forced to consider the history of Black America along with his own, thus further saddened by the

persisting difficult conditions. On-screen depictions of these circumstances as well as flashes of

well-known events relating to African-American history help the audience understand Flo Rida’s

depression, even outside of the context of Carol City. Creating a general picture while staying

true to the artist’s experiences ensures that those who know the events and have experienced the

hardship will understand Flo Rida’s song.

This second video differs from the first in that it ends with a theme of hope for the future

instead of continuing the theme of uncertainty. Flo Rida’s video depicts him swimming out of a

“sea of tears'' and walking out to the local people, with the lyrics “When I need a healing, I just

look up to the ceiling/ I see the sun coming down, I know it's all better now” ringing in the

song’s bridge. While his massive success may be Flo Rida’s way to help his community, his

inspirational and simplistic lyrics and imagery are relatable, keeping the idea open to his broad
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audience. Despite this change, the overlapping theme between the two videos remains consistent.

Like Russell, he is caught in his past, in this case as a Carol City resident and black American

but still remains uncertain on how the future will play out (even with his intervention), just like

Russell depicts in her relationship.

Perhaps most central to these claims, though, are the rhetorical appeals used by each

within their respective songs and videos. Inherently, Russell relies heavily on pathos to express

her primarily emotional themes to the audience. Her lyrics about being torn between leaving her

partner as well as the dramatic imagery of her depression in the video are purposefully designed

to evoke emotion. Russell doesn’t present what would be considered traditional “evidence”, yet

the audience is meant to understand what she is going through, and perhaps relate it to a time in

their own lives. This feeling of emotional connection is what allows Russell’s rhetoric, and the

pillar of pathos as a whole, to be effective.

Flo Rida’s version also puts a heavy reliance on pathos in conveying his message,

although here it is not the sole rhetorical device. Images flashing in the video of the

impoverished Carol City along with evocative scenes of the miserable rapper invoke pathos by

highlighting his melancholy feelings, while imparting why others should feel the same concern

for the world and small communities like his. Once again, however, this version makes itself

distinct by additionally applying the other rhetorical pillars. Flo Rida introduces ethos when he

speaks as an individual who grew up in Carol City and, therefore, is qualified to speak on its

status; the video’s flashing of various historical events invokes logos, connecting how America

has progressed to have myriad areas like Carol City. All three of these pillars coincide to present

the rapper’s claim to his audience: the impossible circumstances of both growing up in black

America and thus wanting to help fix it.

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In a way, the two songs are not entirely different: one discusses being trapped in emotion,

while the other explains being trapped in oppression. Through deliberate and effective usage of

rhetorical pillars, lyrics, and visuals, listeners are drawn to empathize with the singers’ emotions.

People will listen to the lyrics and watch the videos and hope that the singers truly will find a

way to “let go” of burdening sentiments and move toward a better future.
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Works Cited

Russell, Brenda. “Piano In The Dark (Official Video)”. YouTube, 16 June 2009,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7u5GtSIC5k. Accessed 21 March 2021.

Dillar, Tramar L. “I Cry [Official Video]”. YouTube, 28 September 2012,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLuWHr6-0YQ. Accessed 21 March 2021.