JOURNAL

STUDY OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE ON

JOHN DENVER’S SONG, “BACK HOME AGAIN”

Oleh:
Nama : Rifki Pratama N.R
NIM : 09122042
Program Studi : Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris

FAKULTAS KEGURUAN DAN ILMU PENDIDIKAN

UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH SURABAYA
2013
 AN ANALYSIS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE ON
JOHN DENVER’S SONG, “BACK HOME AGAIN”

Rifki Pratama Nungkar Rifandi (09122042)

English Department Teaching Training and Education
Muhammadiyah University at Surabaya
Jl. Sutorejo 59 Surabaya
E-mail rifki.rifandi@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This research is entitled An Analysis of Figurative Language on John

Denver’s Song, “Back Home Again”. The objects of the analysis are John Denver’s
song that containing figure of speech. The writer would like to analyze figure of speech,
possible meaning, and contribution of figure of speech. The lyrics of the song that
contain figure of speech are taken as data, and analyzed using qualitative methods
because it related to the object of the research. This singer and one of his songs that
entitled “Back Home Again” is chosen because not only his song is sung by many
famous singers but also he got Academy of Country Music, and John Denver was
inducted as Songwriter Hall of Fame in 1996. The result of the research shows that
many figures of speech are used in the Back Home Again song such as: Assonance,
Hyperbole, Metaphor, Personification, Repetition, Simile, Synecdoche and
Understatement. The possible meaning of the song is “Back Home Again” tells about
wish of the man to back home because the weather is bad. Contribution of Figure of
speech to the songs, it gives romantic, dramatic, strengthening, beautiful, artistic etc.

Keywords: Literature, Song, Figurative language, Possible Meaning

INTRODUCTION

Language cannot be separated from human because human uses language as

the means of communication to the others. According to Wardaugh (1977:3) language is
a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. Furthermore,
Wellek and Warren state about language as follows:

Language is the material of literature as stone or bronze is of sculpture, paints

of picture, or sounds of music. But one should realize that language is not

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 mere inert matter like stone but is itself a creation of man and is thus charged
with cultural heritage of a linguistic group (Wellek and Werren, 1949:22).

Literature also cannot be separated from human. This is because the literature
of the people is the primary element of its culture. It contains the record of the people
values, their thoughts, their problems and conflict, their whole way of life (Little,
1966:1). So, literature has a function to human states his or her thought and feeling
through literary works. In this research literature deals with figurative language.
Figurative language is used by human to express his or her thought and feeling through
a language with high level more than its literal meaning.

Harris and Hodges (in Damon, et al) define that figurative language is the
“expressive, non literal use of language for special effects, usually through images”.
Navigating one’s way through figurative language requires a deeper level of text
comprehension, an understanding beyond the literal level using analytical and
inferential skills. For either native or non native English speakers, figurative language
often seems complex and challenging (Damon et al, 2006:108).

There are many kinds of figurative language such as: (1) Assonance, the
repetition of similar or identical vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds
in stressed words or syllables (Mc Donnel et al, 1989:790). (2) Hyperbole, a figure of
speech using great exaggeration to emphasize strong feeling and to create a satiric,
comic, or sentimental effect (Mc Donnel et al, 1989:801). (3) Metaphor, a figure of
speech that implies comparison between two fundamentally different things (Mc Donnel
et al, 1989:808). (4) Personification, a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or
abstraction is endowed with human qualities or abilities (Ann, 2013). (5) Repetition, an
instance of using a word, phrase, or clause more than once in a short passage—dwelling
on a point (Nordquist, 2013). (6) Simile, a stated comparison (usually formed with
“like” or “as”) between two fundamentally dissimilar things that have certain qualities
in common (Ann, 2013). (7) Synecdoche, a part of something is used to signify the
whole, or (more rarely) the whole is used to signify a part (Abrams, 1999:98-99). (8)
Understatement, a figure of speech in which a writer or a speaker deliberately makes a
situation seem less important or serious than it is (Ann, 2013).

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 Figurative language also can be found in movie review and song. It makes
song more beautiful and full of meaning. Yamin (2012:2) states that song is a creative
writing in various expression use beautiful language with its uniqueness. Human usually
assert his or her thought, feel, mean and emotion through song. In each song, there are
some lyrics. “It’s a short poem expressing a personal basic emotion—love, sorrow, joy,
patriotism, religious feeling and any other sentiment” (McDonnel et al, 1989:806).

For the explanations above, it is concluded that in delivering his or her

thought, feeling, and emotion people do not only use direct utterance, but also indirect
utterance through the song which is the meaning of utterance is different from utterance
itself. It is because people use figurative language in their utterances or maybe in the
lyrics of the songs. Lyrics of the song are chosen in this study and the writer chooses
lyric of the song of John Denver. Therefore some of his songs are chosen because not
only his songs are sung by many famous singers but also he got Academy of Country
Music. It means that the singer and his songs are very good and awesome and makes the
writer interested in research the songs.

This study serves song analysis of John Denver songs. The study may be
useful for any readers or people because they are not only interested in the songs but
also they can take something meaningful from lyric of the songs in their life. So, the
writer is interested in research about song. The writer also would like to analyze the
songs by using figurative language theory. The song that will be analyzed is “Back
Home Again”. The song contains figure of speech that make them more expressive,
more beautiful and full of meaning. So, the writer also wants to show the possible
meaning that hidden in the lyric of the songs.

Based on the background above, the writer has problems of the research which
are formulated as follows: (1). what are the figures of speech are used in John Denver’s
song “Back Home Again”? (2). what are the possible meanings of the figures of speech
used in those songs? (3). why are the figures of speech used in those songs?

Based on the statement of the problem above, the writer intends to find the
figurative language which used in John Denver’s song and the possible meaning of John
Denver’s song. Here is formulation about objective of the study as follows: (1). to
identify the types of figures of speech which used in John Denver’s songs. (2). to find

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and describe the possible meaning of figure of speech in John Denver’s songs. (3). to
find the reason why the figure of speech is used in John Denver’s songs.

RESEARCH METHOD

In this chapter, it is presented the strategy in collecting and analyzing the data
to answer the problems in statement of the problem. This research uses qualitative
method, because it related to the object of the research. Mertens (2010:225) states that
qualitative methods are used in research that is designed to provide an in-depth
description of a specific program, practice, or setting. Qualitative research also involves
the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical materials—case study; personal
experience; introspection; life story; interview; artifacts; cultural texts and production;
observational, historical, interactional, and visual texts—that describe routine and
problematic moments and meanings in individual’s lives.

The object or data source of this study is John Denver’s song. There are almost
hundreds songs which have been created by him, but one of them are taken by the writer
because of effectiveness. In this research, the writer only takes one best of John
Denver’s songs and it is “Back Home Again” song. In this research the writer uses the
data from John Denver’s song. The data that will be analyzed in this study are kinds of
figurative language in John Denver’s song. The writer takes the data from radio,
internet, MP3, mobile phone, etc that are related to John Denver’s song. The writer
chooses only one song which is containing figure of speech like “Back Home Again”
song. So, in this research the main source of the data is the text lyrics of that song.

From the lyric of the song, the writer finds some examples of figurative
language which contained in the lyric as follows: There’s a storm across the valley,
clouds are rollin’ in (Personification) in “Back Home Again” song. In this part the
writer tells the steps of researching the data object. The research is qualitative research,
so the steps of the research stated as follows: a). Listening the object song carefully and
intensively, b). Reading the lyric of the song intensively, c). Finding out the figurative
language of each lyric, d). Analyzing the meaning of each lyric, e). Classify the
figurative language of each lyric and its meaning, and f). Taking conclusion.

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 In this part, the writer describes the way to analyze the obtain data. The data
object primary in this research is collected and analyzed use qualitative method. Then,
the writer describes it appropriate with literally process. Last, the data result is analyzed
qualitatively to answer the questions in this research.

FINDING AND DISCUSSION

1. Figure of Speech on “Back Home Again” Song

There's a storm across the valley, clouds are rollin' in (1)

The afternoon is heavy on your shoulders
There's a truck out on the four lane a mile or more away
The whinin' of his wheels just makes it colder

He's an hour away from ridin' on your prayers up in the sky (5)
And ten days on the road are barely gone
There's a fire softly burnin', supper's on the stove
But it's the light in your eyes that makes him warm

Hey it's good to be back home again

Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend (10)
Yes 'n' hey, it's good to be back home again

There's all the news to tell him, how'd you spend your time
What's the latest thing the neighbors say
And your mother called last Friday, 'Sunshine' made her cry
You felt the baby move just yesterday (15)

Hey it's good to be back home again - yes it is

Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Yes 'n' hey, it's good to be back home again

Oh the time that I can lay this tired old body down
Feel your fingers feather soft upon me (20)
The kisses that I live for, the love that lights my way
The happiness that livin' with you brings me

It's the sweetest thing I know of, just spending time with you
It's the little things that make a house a home
Like a fire softly burnin' supper on the stove (25)
The light in your eyes that makes me warm

Hey it's good to be back home again

Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Yes 'n' hey, it's good to be back home again
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Hey it's good to be back home again - you know it is (30)
Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend
Hey, it's good to be back home again
I said hey it's good to be back home again
Hey, it’s good to be back home again
I said hey it’s good to be back home again

NO LYRIC FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE

1 There's a storm across the valley, clouds Personification

are rollin' in (1); He's an hour away from
ridin' on your prayers up in the sky (5);
The happiness that livin' with you brings
me (22)

2 The whinin’ of his wheels just makes it Synecdoche

colder (4)

3 Sometimes this old farm feels like a long- Simile

lost friend (10); It's the little things that
make a house a home (24), Like a fire
softly burnin' supper on the stove (25)

4 The afternoon is heavy on your shoulders Hyperbole

(2); But it's the light in your eyes that
makes him warm (8); It’s the sweetest
thing I know of, just spending time with
you

5 The kisses that I live for, the love that Metaphor

lights my way (21)

6 Hey, it’s good to be back home again Repetition

(32), I said hey it’s good to be back home

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 again (33)

7 There's a fire softly burnin', supper's on Understatement

the stove (7); Feel your fingers feather
soft upon me (20)

8 There's all the news to tell him, how'd you Assonance

spend your time (12); And your mother
called last Friday, 'Sunshine' made her
cry (14)

2. Possible Meaning in Lyric “Back Home Again” Song

This song tells about a man’s feeling to be back home. This song is seems as
an utterance of the man. At that time the man wants to go somewhere but in the middle
of his trip the weather is cloudy and seems to be raining. He has been far from his home.
Finally, the rain is falling down and he gets a rainy day. It seems on lyrics There’s a
storm across the valley, clouds are rollin’ in, He’s an hour away from ridin’ on your
prayers up in the sky, and The happiness that livin’ with you brings me
(Personification).

He looks at the truck which is passing on him and it blows cold wind from its
wheel. He feels so cold because of it. It seems on lyric The whinin’ of his wheels just
makes it colder (Synecdoche). In the place that he takes a shelter, he looks around that
place that it is so quiet and there is no almost vehicle passes around there. There are no
sounds almost of vehicle passing because of the rain. He also gets so cold and a little bit
of warm on his body. It seems on lyrics Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost
friend and like a fire softly burnin' supper on the stove (Simile).

He wants to go back home and gathers with his family very much. He feels
that his family also feels what he is feeling now. He imagines that if his wife besides
him, the condition becomes warm and happy. He also wants to spend his time with his
wife together. It seems on lyric The afternoon is heavy on your shoulders, But it's the

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light in your eyes that makes him warm, It’s the sweetest thing I know of, just spending
time with you (Hyperbole). In this condition, the man needs embrace and kissing from
his wife. He wishes that his wife were besides him because he feels cold and alone
there. It seems on lyric The kisses that I live for, the love that lights my way (Metaphor).

He states that in this condition, it’s good to him to go back home and have a
warming with his family. He also wants to feel of caress from his wife and his children.
It seems on lyrics Hey, it’s good to be back home again, I said hey it’s good to be back
home again (Repetition) and There’s a fire softly burnin’, supper’s on the stove, Feel
your fingers feather soft upon me (Understatement). The man imagines again that what
his family doing is when the rain falls down. He imagines whether his family is happy
or sad at this moment. It seems on lyric There's all the news to tell him, how'd you spend
your time, And your mother called last Friday, 'Sunshine' made her cry (Assonance).

3. Contribution of Figures of Speech in “Back Home Again” Song

This song contains several of figures of speech such as: Personification,

Synecdoche, Simile, Hyperbole, Metaphor, Repetition, Understatement, and Assonance.

Each figure has contribution to this song. They give an exaggeration, explicit,

refinement, comparison, and poetic effect to this song. Therefore, it makes the song

more beautiful, vivid, and romantic but full of meaning.

CONCLUSION

Based on the data analysis, we can conclude that this research has some result
such as:

First, on the lyric “Back Home Again” song there is some of figurative
language such as: Assonance, Hyperbole, Metaphor, Personification, Repetition, Simile,
Synecdoche and Understatement.

Second, the possible meaning of “Back Home Again” song is the author’s
feeling to be back home. It is because the weather is cloudy and seems to be raining.
Maybe it happened when he wants to go somewhere and suddenly the weather is cloudy
and rainy. He feels cold and tired because he has to wait until it is clear. He looks at
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along the street which is quiet from the vehicle pass. So, it makes him feel to back home
and gather with his family.

Third, the reason why figures of speech are used in the song is: They give an
exaggeration, explicit, refinement, comparison, and poetic effect to the song. So, it
makes the song more beautiful, vivid, and romantic but full of meaning.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M. H. 1999. Glossary of Literary Term. Cornel: Cornel University.

Damon, Phillip, John Espey, and Frederick Mulhauser. 1966. Language, Rhetoric and
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Yamin, Afu. 2012. Figurative Language Analysis on Three of Louis Amstrong Songs.
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Little, Graham. 1966. Approach to Literature “an introduction to critical study of

content and method in writing”. Sydney: Science Press.

Mc Donnel, Helen, James E. Miller, and Russel J. Hogan. 1989. Tradition in Literature.
United States: Scott Foresman Company.

Mertens, Donna. M. 2010. Research and Evaluation in Education and Psychology

“Integrating Diversity with Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods”.
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Wardhaugh, Ronald. 1972. Introduction to Linguistics. United States: McGraw-Hill

Book Company.

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ANN. 2013. Answer Corporation “What are 20 figures of speech and each of their
examples?” Retrieved from:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_20_figure_of_speech_and_their_examples.

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Nordquist, Richard. 2013. About.com Grammar and Composition “Kinds of figure of
speech” Retrieved from:
http://grammar.about.com/od/fh/g/Figure-Of-Speech.htm. Accessed on March, 13th
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