Are Song Lyrics Equivalent to Poetry: Song Lyrics “Hey, Good Lookin”

In what way are song lyrics equivalent to poetry? This question requires thorough investigation. Traditional song lyrics have very much in common with traditional poetry. Both song lyrics and poetry are focused on the work of imagination and the expression of emotions. As a rule, song lyrics stand for impressive rhyming or good poetry. Many song lyrics are poetic (Roberts 76). The song lyrics that will be analyzed in this paper is Hank William’s “Hey, Good Lookin”. The song was written and recorded in 1951.  The analysis will be based on literary construction of the work (prosody, rhyme schemes or patterns, metaphors, personification, etc.) because these elements fit the lyrics of songs and poems. In other words, all songs can be viewed as poems if tunes are taken away. The song “Hey, Good Lookin” belongs to the country music genre, but its lyrics are so appealing that can reflect the meaning of the song in a proper way.

Lyrics analysis for the song “Hey Good Lookin” is based on the on literary construction of the work, including such elements as prosody, rhyme schemes or patterns, metaphors, personification, etc. According to David Brackett, “lyrics occupy a privilege space in the discourse of fans and critics of country music”(77). The narrative character of a country song depends on the conversational delivery of the lyrics. In fact, the lyrics of the song “Hey, Good Lookin” can be interpreted in the following way. There are three major modes of address that reveal the key idea of the song. These three modes provide information regarding the song’s object. Verses 1 and 2 of the song lyrics develop the theme of flattery and invitation, verses 3 and 4 reveal promises of future relationship and the bridge section provides information regarding some material goods that should be offered to the narrator’s addressee. Here is verse 1 of the song:

Say, Hey, Good Lookin,

What you got cookin’?

How’s about cookin’ somethin’ up with me?

The word cookin’ is used to reify the hoped-for relationship. There is pun in the verse 1 which is represented in the form of word play that suggests some more meanings. According to David Brackett, “the use of puns and clichés in the song introduces another prominent aspect of country lyrics: the way in which ordinary language is denaturalized” (81).

In the verse 2 of the song, there is an invitation to start a new relationship:

Hey, sweet baby,

Don’t you think maybe,

We could find us a brand new recipe?

The narrator uses metaphor to create an effective visual representation of the future friendship relationship that can be interpreted by means of the phrase “to find a brand new recipe”.

In the bridge section of the song, the narrator expresses his desires, placing emphasis on the massive opportunities provided to his addressee:

I’ve gotta hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill

And I know a spot right over the hill

There’s soda pop and the dancin’s free

So if you wanna have fun come along with me.

In fact, the hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill can be interpreted as two important details in attracting a woman (Soto-Morettini 34).

Prosody in the song lyrics is very important as it reflect the rhythm of the speech and affects the emotional state of the song lyrics. In the song “Hey, Good Lookin”, prosody is used to reinforce the key message of the narrator in a direct manner, adding some amazing shade meaning to the song lyrics. The narrator is ready to lure his beloved woman away from a domestic scene in order to established new relationship.

The song lyrics of “Hey, Good Lookin” are aimed at positioning a female as a commodified image, which reflects the feeling of love. The rhyme scheme is aabb. Actually, the rhyme has been done well as it can add a musical element to the song lyrics. Moreover, the rhyme scheme helps to make song lyrics easy to memorize.

The main difference between the song lyrics and poetry is concluded in the style of writing. The song lyrics of “Hey, Good Lookin” include such words as “hey”, “wanna”, “gotta”, “cookin’” and other words, which can be categorized as conversational words used in casual dialogues. As a matter of fact, in poetry, these words are often replaced by more appropriate words.

Conclusion

Thus, it is necessary to conclude that song lyrics are not a distinctly different creation from poetry because there are many elements in a traditional song lyric that can be found in a poem. The narrative character of the song lyrics is aimed at focusing the listener’s attention on the singer’s voice. In the song “Hey, Good Lookin”, the literary construction is similar to that of a poem. However, the narrative character of the song demonstrates the conversational delivery of the lyrics, while most poems do not have the elements of the low conversational style in the lyrics. In general, song lyrics are equivalent to poetry in meaning, themes and rhyming, but there are certain differences in the use of dictionary.

 

Works Cited:

Brackett, David. Interpreting Popular Music. University of California Press, 2000. Print.

Roberts, Edgar V. & Zweig, Robert. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Pearson College Division, 2014. Print.

Soto-Morettini, Donna. Popular Singing and Style. A &C Black, 2014. Print.

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]
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