21 August 2013

Call Me Maybe



Note: I have chosen this video as opposed to the official music video on purpose. If we consider the official video, there are whole other layers of this song and what the artists were trying to create to consider. To keep things simple, I decided just to post this lyrics video.

Analysis Method: "8 Questions"
Lyrics:


I threw a wish in the well, 
Don't ask me, I'll never tell
I looked to you as it fell,
And now you're in my way


I'd trade my soul for a wish,
Pennies and dimes for a kiss (What!?) 
I wasn't looking for this,
But now you're in my way


Your stare was holdin',
Ripped jeans, skin was showin'
Hot night, wind was blowin'
Where you think you're going, baby? (This whole paragraph seems like nothing more than out-of-control hormones)


(Chorus) Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe?


It's hard to look right,
At you baby,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe?


Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe?


And all the other boys,
Try to chase me,
But here's my number,
So call me, maybe? (The key question I ask is: what is she looking for out of this relationship? Based on the lyrics, it seems like she doesn't want anything more than physical satisfaction.) 
---------


You took your time with the call,
I took no time with the fall (I'm not 100% sure what she's getting at here... it seems like she didn't immediately get what she was looking for, and so she had a huge emotional reaction. This seems to be confirmed  by the lyrics below.) 
You gave me nothing at all,
But still, you're in my way


I beg, and borrow and steal
Have foresight and it's real (To me, this is clearly expressing an "end justifies the means" sort of worldview. She is attracted to this guy, she wants some physical pleasure and emotional rush, and she will get it whatever the cost.)
I didn't know I would feel it,
But it's in my way


Your stare was holdin',
Ripped jeans, skin was showin'
Hot night, wind was blowin'
Where you think you're going, baby?


(Chorus)

Before you came into my life
I missed you so bad (I suppose this is the closest the song comes to being "poetic," but I am not totally convinced. The issue is not one of "love at first sight;" I am not out to argue for or against it. The problem I have with how incredibly shallow the expression of this song is.) 
I missed you so bad
I missed you so, so bad
Before you came into my life
I missed you so bad
And you should know that
I missed you so, so bad


Chorus

1. Is there anything good I can hold on to from this song?  I am trying really hard to find something, but I honestly don't see anything.
2. Is there anything true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, or praiseworthy in this song?  It is true that God has made us to have incredibly strong emotions. When this is felt in the context of a relationship that has his glory in mind, it is an amazing and truly wonderful thing. Unfortunately, I don't see any traces of that in this song.  
3. Does this song cause me to conform more to the patterns of this age?  Absolutely. The pattern that I see promoted all over the world is to avoid commitment, seek pleasure, and look for fulfillment in relationships outside the bounds of healthy courtship and marriage.
4. Does this song cause me to set my mind on things above or on earthly things?  While relationships are certainly a thing of Heaven - and the Scriptures tell us that marriage is a picture of God's own relationship with people - but the focus of this song is only on the temporary, physical side of relationships. Because of that, I find it difficult to think about the spiritual side of relationships when I listen to this song.
5. Is this song leading me to feel anger, rage, malice, or slander?  On a whole, no. The second verse seems to hint at possible anger because of the way this guy did (or didn't) react.
6. Does this song contain filthy language or encourage me to use filthy language?  No; I don't really hear filthy language in this song.
7. Is this song calling me to pursue youthful passions?  Absolutely - I would say that "youthful passions" is a good summary of this song. I do not see that it is calling me to maturity. Instead, I would say it is encouraging me to be rather childish in my thinking - very self-centered, wanting on pleasure, etc.
8. Can I listen to this song in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him?  I cannot. I don't see very much redemptive value in this song. Instead, I see a lot of people buying into the beats and catchy tune to the ignorance of how empty the song's view of relationships is.

Musically speaking, I must say that when I hear this song, the word "catchy" always comes to mind. Even though I don't care for this song, if I hear it then I have it stuck in my head. This probably has to do with the timing of the rests in the drum groove mixed with the syncopation of vocals in the chorus.

3 comments:

  1. From Nael
    1) Had you heard this song before? Do you listen to this song often?
    I use to like this song but now I am bored of it because its too lame.

    2) What is unclear about the post - or, what do you not understand?
    I understood most of the parts of the song and the intrepertation you made to the song. It seems kind of weird because it seems like the guys in the video is gay and that just ruins the whole song.

    3) What do you agree with in the post? What do you disagree with in the post? Write your reasons. The word catchy that you used would fit this song espeically the chorus. Because Carly Rae Jepsen just hooks us to the lyrics and it is very cool that a song could have lyrics like that.

    4) If someone asked you for your opinion about this song, what would you say to them?

    ReplyDelete
  2. From David
    1. Yes I have listened to this song before. I usually listen to this song often but now I'm not.

    2. I agree with Mr. Rice that I didn't understand one of the lines in the lyrics where it says, "Pennies and dimes for a kiss" was this referring to money? Can love be bought by money?

    3. I basically agree with the posts, and strongly agree with number 1 on "Is there anything good from this song? No.".

    4. My opinion about this song is that I like the beat and the sound, but with the lyrics, the music is not so great.

    ReplyDelete
  3. From Sergio
    1)Yes I've heard this song. I have heard it quite a bit (to my annoyance).

    2)There is nothing that I don't really understand :)

    3)I agree with basically everything. The one thing I do not agree with is the rage/slander/malice question. This is because it makes me mad that anyone can write a song this vain.

    4)I would say never, never, never, ever listen to this!

    ReplyDelete