Short Story for Music and the Arts Creative Project (based on "1, 2, 3, 4" by Plain White T's)

They hadn’t had some sort of cosmic, stuff-of-legends “sandbox” meeting at White Park when they were babies. Andrew had met her, along with fifteen other whiny, sticky four-year-olds when they started pre-k together in their tiny Missouri town of Red Oak. It was an unusually chilly September day, which did nothing to ease Andrew’s nervous shaking. Andrew had been timid, afraid to be the first anything, always waiting in a corner with a race car for another kid to start a conversation with him. Carrie Walker had been different, the total opposite, in fact. She was present, always, and she made sure you knew it. She ran up to every single shy, sticky kid in that class, gleefully shouting, “My-name-is-Carrie-I’m-four-who-are-you?!” right in his or her face, her striking chin-length, white-blonde hair flowing behind her. The most amazing thing was that rather than being put off by Carrie’s energy, even the shyest kids felt strangely and immediately comfortable when she did this, forgetting their fears and making new friends.
Carrie fascinated Andrew right from the start, her intensity as well as kindness drawing him to her. Always ready for new people, Carrie greeted Andrew in her exceedingly vocal custom and then took it upon herself to introduce him to all of their now-friendly classmates. Andrew quickly surmised, even at four-years-old, that life was easier, better, brighter, “funner” as she called it, when Carrie was in it and he remained at her side from that scary first day forward.

Carrie was amused by Andrew too. He was quiet and sweet, slow as molasses, and willing to go along with her adventures. When their pre-k class was learning to count, Andrew was so excited that he was the first in their class who memorized all the way through ten that he began bellowing, “ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!...” only to trail off, embarrassed, when he realized the whole class, Miss Jessie included, was staring at him in surprise. Carrie did a spot-on imitation of this little performance and gently teased Andrew about it all through grade school. Each time she solicited the trademark blush from beneath Andrew’s chocolate-colored hair, she nudged him with her shoulder and winked to let him know that she was kidding and that he was still her best friend.

And he was. They were truly close; no matter how often their different circles of friends changed, Carrie and Andrew trusted each other and knew that nothing could separate them. Carrie depended on Andrew’s logical advice and quiet support and Andrew knew Carrie could always make him laugh and would stand up for him against anyone. Andrew realized that it was strange for a boy to have a girl best friend at their age (after all, the other boys told him, sixth-grade girls always have the most cooties), but Carrie had always been there and he was more afraid of losing her than of the other boys teasing him and calling her his girlfriend. The truth of the matter was, the boys all secretly thought that Carrie was the coolest girl ever. She was still loud and friendly – that had never changed – but now she carried herself (pardon the pun) with a subtle grace that made her the envy of all of the other girls and the desire of all of the boys in their grade. For once, the most popular girl in school was actually popular for being well-liked by everyone. Carrie’s baby cuteness had developed into all-American girl good looks, pretty without being intimidating. It seemed she was good at everything she tried, everything. She was smart and funny, and had a good voice, but could tackle you to the ground in flag football if you weren’t careful. In other words, she was the kind of girl everyone wanted to hate, but no one could because she was just too nice.

Andrew denied the boys' accusations of Carrie being his girlfriend, even though that possibility made him impressive to otherwise unimpressed schoolboys. He would only admit to himself that all through middle school, up until eighth grade, he watched her date boys in the grades ahead of them with only a slight twinge of jealousy, masking it by playing his role as the “good friend.”

“What do you think of Jordan?” she'd ask, rifling through her closet for something new to wear on her date that night with the captain of the freshman basketball team at the high school.

“Well, taking into account his scoring record, his 3.7 grade-point average, and his already-legendary lady-swooning blond hair, I'd say his prospects are pretty good,” Andrew would respond, secretly thinking that Jordan James was probably a jerk and that Carrie would reach that same conclusion by the date's end.

“Is this top okay? I feel like it makes me look...wide or something,” Carrie would fret, knowing full well that, best friend or not, fashion was not Andrew's forte, Andrew being dressed at that moment in his most worn pair of jeans, some college or sports sweatshirt, and work boots. Yet, Andrew would always reassure her, telling her that she looked perfect in whatever top she had on (because she always chose the last outfit she tried) and that Jordan or Ian or whomever was taking her out that evening would have to be crazy not to see that.

In turn, Carrie would finally relax, turning away from her full-length mirror at last to face him, sitting on her purple and blue bedspread with a fashion magazine upside down in his hands, and smile that amazing smile. She'd sigh with relief and say, “You are such a good friend, I love you, Andydrew,” reverting to her childhood nickname for her best friend, when she'd mispronounce his name and then run gleefully around him in circles. Then Carrie would put her closet right, made a disaster by her desperate search for the right first-date outfit, brush her hair, slip on her shoes, and grab her purse just as a horn honked in her driveway.

“Showtime!” she'd say with nervous-excited smile as she headed for her bedroom door. But she never forgot to give him a kiss on the cheek and say, “Thanks for all your help, buddy,” with absolute sincerity. And then she'd be gone, breezing through her house and out the door, into the waiting vehicle idling outside. Andrew would watch out her bedroom window every time, with every guy, wondering when the world would stop demanding that he share her.

* * * Four years later * * *

“I love you,” Andrew told her, just as they had always said to each other. And it was true, they loved it each other, warmly and unconditionally, like lemonade by the lake on hot days and catching snowflakes on their tongues in the winter. But somehow, his words seemed different this time and she knew it. Her reflex was to play it off, say it back like always. But somewhere along the line, something had changed between them, grown deeper; it was too heavy, too real and there was no going back. He held her gaze with impressive clarity, his sky blue eyes holding nothing new, just the truth she had ignored or misinterpreted or pretended not to see for so long. She looked back. She did love him, that much she knew. But if they went to the place he was taking them, if she gave in, they might never recover their old friendship. She had a choice to make now and it was possibly the biggest one she'd ever make. At that moment, her attention shifted to the sound coming from her pink iPod speakers. It was the song “1, 2, 3, 4” by the Plain White T's. In that moment, she remembered her entire life, a life that had always included Andrew, from learning to count in pre-kindergarten to her parents' ugly divorce to her first solo in the senior show. Andrew and Carrie had been through it all together and she knew that without him, she would not have made it. In that moment, she saw the love and the truth in his eyes and knew she could not let this pass her by. And so she gathered all of her courage, closed her eyes, and leaped.

“I love you too,” she whispered, opening her eyes to see the person she'd always loved standing before her. She smiled her Carrie smile and stared back at him with her old intensity. “I love you,” she said again, more strongly this time, “I always have.”

"1 2 3 4" by Plain White T's (Creative Project - Short Story)

1 2, 1 2 3 4-

Give me more lovin' than I've ever had,
Make it all better when I'm feelin' sad,
Tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not,
Make it feel good when I hurt so bad,
Barely gettin' mad,
I'm so glad I found you; I love bein' around you.

PRE-CHORUS:
You make it easy,
It's easy as 1,2- 1,2,3,4

CHORUS:
There's only
1 thing
2 do,
3 words
4 you- (I love you)
I love you
There's only
1 way
2 say
Those 3 words
And that's what I'll do-(I love you)
I love you.

Give me more lovin' from the very start,
Piece me back together when I fall apart,
Tell things you never even tell your closest friends-
Make it feel good when I hurt so bad,
Best that I've had,
I'm so glad I found you; I love bein' around you.

PRE-CHORUS

CHORUS

(I love you) I love you.

PRE-CHORUS

CHORUS

(I love you) I love you
1, 2, 3, 4
(I love you) I love you
(I love you) I love you.

"I Want Something That I Want" analysis (social message)

This duet is about a girl who unhealthily desires material possessions. She is not a bad person, beginning the song by stating, "I'm a girl with the best intentions." She is merely someone who sees something she wants and gets it. She does this by honorable means, making sure she pays for it, but this trait backfires when paying for things gives her a feeling of entitlement. She knows she "could shop 'til [she] drop[s] right to the floor," but she has, in a way, become addicted.

The social message in this song is demostrated best in the chorus, "And I want something that I want/Something I tell myself I need." The speaker knows she is giving into her own desires and vices. However, she convinces herself she needs the things she wants. This sentiment is very prevalent in today's consumer-happy society. People become greedy, no longer just getting the necessities and a few extras. Most of what they buy is luxury and excessive, but by telling themselves they need these things, consumers can justify and rationalize spending exorbitant amounts of money and buying things needlessly, just for the sake of buying them. With today's economy and the state of the underprivileged in our world, people need to gain new perspective and see the frivolousness of their actions.

"Piece of Me" analysis (social message)

Britney Spears's hit single hits back at all of the sleazy tabloids and photographers who've devoted their life's work to making Spears look as tragic and trashy as possible to the public. However, no matter how clueless they portray her to be, "Piece of Me" is a clear statement that Spears knows exactly what her life has become. Spears acknowledges that regardless of whether she steps into the spotlight or tries to hide, the papparazi are "still gonna put pictures of [her] derriere in the magazines." The last line of the chorus identifies Spears as being "Mrs. She's Too Big, Now She's Too Thin," lashing out at the hypocrisy of tabloids, who can never be pleased with celebrity appearance or behavior, always needing to tear them down.

Overall, the song is a message of how the media stalks celebrities and says terrible things about innocent (and maybe sometimes, not-so-innocent) people. Spears speaks up for herself and other celebrities by mocking those who have targeted her and would like nothing better than for both her career and her personal life to self-destruct, thereby giving them something really juicy to put on their covers.

"I Want Something That I Want" by Grace Potter & Bethany Joy Galeotti (social message)

I'm a girl with the best intentions
Something I should probably mention
I like to get just what I paid for
So I pay and I get and I pay and want some more, more, more

CHORUS:
And I want something that I want
Something I tell myself I need
Something that I want
I need everything I see

I'm a girl who's got a notion
I'm not gonna show you my magic potion
I could shop 'til I drop right to the floor
And I get right up and I want some more, more, more

CHORUS

Mo-o-o-o-re (more)

CHORUS x 2

"Piece of Me" by Britney Spears (social message)

I'm Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don't matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They're still gonna put pictures of my derriere in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me...

I'm Miss Bad Media Karma
Another day, another drama
Guess I can't see the harm
In working and being a mama
And with a kid on my arm
I'm still an exceptional earner
And you want a piece of me

CHORUS:
I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh My God, That Britney's Shameless
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! This Just In
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. She's Too Big, Now She's Too Thin
(You want a piece of me)

I'm Mrs. 'You want a piece of me?'
Tryin' and pissin' me off
Well, get in line with the paparazzi
Who's flippin' me off
Hopin' I'll resort to some havoc
And end up settlin' in court
Now are you sure you want a piece of me? (you want a piece of me)

I'm Mrs. 'Most likely to get on the TV for strippin' on the streets'
When getting the groceries, no, for real..
Are you kidding me?
No wonder there's panic in this industry
I mean, please...
Do you want a piece of me?

CHORUS

I'm Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don't matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They're still gonna put pictures of my derriere in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me...
You want a piece of me?

CHORUS x 2

Oh yeah
You want a piece of me

"Teardrops on My Guitar" analysis (imagery)

This song details a girl's longing for a boy who is in love with someone else.  The speaker tries to put on a front when she is with the boy, to hide the effect that he has on her.  Even though she knows that the boy has chosen someone else, she still thinks about him all day and night.  By the end of the song, she finally tries to begin to move on.  The imagery in this song is found in the title "Teardrops on My Guitar."  The phrase is a unique one and it evokes a powerful image of a young girl crying while writing a song, thus appealing to the listener's sense of sight.

"How Do You Sleep" analysis (imagery)

"How Do You Sleep" offers the perspective of a guy yearning for a girl he is no longer with. He has not seen her in a year, but he still thinks about her all the time.  He found a letter from her, and he imagines that it still has her scent on it.  This memento clearly intensifies his longing for her.  He says, "If I had my way, I'd come and get'cha, girl," indicating that he wants to be with her again.  There is imagery in this song because lines like, "I found a letter you wrote me/Still smells just like you" and "In your favorite car with the missing top" appeal to the senses of smell and sight, respectively.  The first example mentions the sense and the second example evokes a clear image in the mind of the reader.

"Teardrops on My Guitar" by Taylor Swift (imagery)

Drew looks at me
I fake a smile so he won't see
What I want and I need
And everything that we should be

I'll bet she's beautiful
That girl he talks about
And she's got everything
That I have to live without

Drew talks to me
I laugh 'cause it's so damn funny
I can't even see
Anyone when he's with me

He says he's so in love
He's finally got it right
I wonder if he knows
He's all I think about at night

CHORUS:
He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star
He's the song in the car I keep singing
Don't know why I do

Drew walks by me
Can he tell that I can't breathe?
And there he goes, so perfectly
The kind of flawless I wish I could be

She better hold him tight
Give him all her love
Look in those beautiful eyes
And know she's lucky 'cause

CHORUS

So I drive home alone
As I turn out the light
I'll put his picture down
And maybe get some sleep tonight

CHORUS

He's the time taken up but there's never enough
And he's all that I need to fall into
Drew looks at me
I fake a smile so he won't see

"How Do You Sleep?" by Jesse McCartney (imagery)

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

CHORUS:
It's been about a year now
Ain't seen or heard from you
I been missing you crazy
How do you, how do you sleep
I found a letter you wrote me
It still smells just like you
Damn those sweet memories
How do you, how do you sleep, how do you sleep

Tried my best at moving on, have yet to find a girl like you
See things now I didn't before now, I'm wishing I had more time with you
How do you stay awake, knowing all I do is think of you?
All the things we thought about that never will happen again
If I could just see you

If I had my way, I'd come and getcha, girl
In your favorite car with the missing top
Around my way where we used to park and did all those things to steal your heart

CHORUS x 2

Baby, all that I hear from my friends again and again and again (compliments 'bout you)
They say, "We saw your girl at the game and damn, we gotta say a big mistake by you"
Not only does your body bang but I miss the conversation too
Tell me that you gettin' no sleep, can't think, can't eat until I come see you

If I had my way I'd come and getcha girl
In your favorite car with the missing top
Around my way where we used to park and did all those things to steal your heart

CHORUS

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

CHORUS x 2

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

"Let Me Fall" Song Analysis #2

Bethany Joy Galeotti, née Lenz, is much more than another actress-turned-singer.  Starring as bookworm/rock star Haley James Scott on the CW hit One Tree Hill, Galeotti has a truly wonderful voice and had the opportunity to showcase her passion for singing and songwriting when her character’s storyline took her into the world of music.  Galeotti’s genuine talent and sincere likability have gained her many fans.  Though she has been apart of several soundtracks for the show, she has yet to release a full-length debut album.  She had a recording contract with Epic Records and was set to release an album in early 2006, but changes at the record company led to her being dropped from the label.  As fans eagerly anticipate a new record, they can hear her new material on Mondays at 9 pm on The CW.  Sung as Haley’s public debut on One Tree Hill, “Let Me Fall” describes a girl longing for the strength to live her life the way she wants to, even if she gets hurt.  Literary techniques devices, such as tone, hyperbole, and repetition, are used to achieve this.
The song begins by establishing what time of year it is.  The speaker describes the falling leaves of October.  The first verse also makes the listener aware that the speaker is wistful, saying that another year has passed and her life is still the same.  The chorus emphasizes the speaker's desperation.  She is pleading for her life to change.  She is tired of being afraid and living an unfulfilled life.  She wants to feel something, even if that something is pain.  The second verse is the speaker's self-analysis.  She is perfectly aware of her own flaws and is finally trying to stand up for herself and make change happen.  During the bridge, the speaker is expressing her final, desperate desire for her life to change and have meaning.  The final verse is a repetition of the first, symbolizing that despite her desires, the speaker's life has yet to change.
“Let Me Fall” expresses its themes through various tones.  The first verse conveys longing through a reflective tone.  The speaker is thinking about the past and how she wishes her life had been different in the past year.  During the chorus, the speaker expresses her longing through a desperate tone, begging an unknown force to let her feel something.  The second verse changes to a stronger tone, in which the speaker finally decides to take control of her life.  The third verse, though it is a repetition of the first verse, utilizes a more hopeless tone by stating that regardless of the speaker's intent to change her life, everything is still the same.  Hyperbole is also a key component of this song.  In the chorus, the speaker longs to feel something, not caring if she even “cr[ies] a little” or “die[s] a little.”  This statement is clearly hyperbolic, as dying is not something one would desire to feel.  In this way, the speaker conveys just how desperately she wants to feel something.  Finally, repetition is used several times in the lyrics.  The first verse is repeated at the end, in order to demonstrate the lack of change and excitement in the speaker's life.  Also, the bridge consists of the line “I wanna be somebody” repeated four times.  This sends a clear message about the speaker's truest desires and her deep longing for significance in the world.
“Let Me Fall” expresses the themes of longing and discontentment.  The song uses literary devices, including tone, hyperbole, and repetition to convey this message in a dramatic way.  The lyrics are especially relevant to Galeotti's One Tree Hill character, who longs to be somebody and tries to find her way through music.  Overall, “Let Me Fall” communicates the basic human desires to experience deep emotions and achieve greatness.

Found Poem

Based on:
Goodbye to You - Michelle Branch
Hey Stephen - Taylor Swift
Don't Forget - Demi Lovato

Never Again

Every night, I lie awake
You were my shooting star
But stars fall
You were my angel
Once so strong
Now I'm starting all over again

Holding
Holding back
Holding my hand
Tried to hold on
But never again

I still believe in the one I love
But don't forget
The tears in my eyes
And saying goodbyes
Never again

"Let Me Fall" by Bethany Joy Lenz (song analysis #2)

It's October again 

Leaves are comin' down 

One more year's come and gone 

And nothing's changed at all 

Wasn't I supposed to be someone 

Who can face the things that I've been runnin' from 

CHORUS:

Let me feel 

I don't care if I break down 

Let me fall 

Even if I hit the ground 

And if I 

Cry a little 

Die a little 

At least I know I lived 

Just a little 

I become much too good 

At being invincible 

I'm an expert 

At play it safe and keep it cool 

But I swear 

This isn't who I meant to be 

I refuse to let my life 

Roll all over me 

CHORUS

I wanna be somebody 

I, I wanna be somebody 

I wanna be somebody 

I, I wanna be somebody 

Who can face the things that I've been runnin' from 

CHORUS 

It's October again 

Leaves are comin' down 

One more year's come and gone 

And nothing's changed at all...

"Wish You Were" by Kate Voegele (alliteration)

Gone away are the golden days
Just a page in my diary
So here I am, a utopian citizen
Still convinced there's no such thing as idealism

Memories they're following me like a shadow now
And I'm dreaming 
And I've already suffered the fever of disbelief

I've seen your act
And I know all the facts
I'm still in love with who I wish you were 
It ain't hard to see
Who you are underneath
I'm still in love with who I wish you were
And I wish you were here

I was true as the sky is blue
I couldn't soon say the same for you
So now I find denial in my eyes
I'm mesmerized by the picture that's in my mind

Tell me when I'll finally see your shallow heart
For what it is
Cause I don't want to keep on believing in illusions

[Chorus]

Sometimes I can't explain
And I'm so sorry that I can't
I'll try to concentrate
On your true identity

[Chorus]

"Potential Break-Up Song" by Aly & AJ (assonance)

It took too long
It took too long
It took too long for you to call back
And normally I would just forget that
Except for the fact it was my birthday
My stupid birthday

I played along
I played along
I played along
Rolled right off my back
But obviously my armor was cracked
What kind of a boyfriend would forget that?
Who would forget that?

The type of guy who doesn’t see
What he has until she leaves
Don’t let me go
'Cause without me, you know you’re lost
Wise up now or pay the cost
Soon you will know

CHORUS:
You’re not livin’ till you’re livin’
Livin’ with me
You’re not winnin’ till you’re winnin’
Winnin’ me
You’re not gettin’ till you’re gettin’
Gettin’ to me
You’re not livin’ till you’re livin’
Living for me

This is the potential breakup song
Our album needs just one
Oh baby please
Please tell me

We got along
We got along
We got along until you did that
Now all I want is just my stuff back
Do you get that?
Let me repeat that
I want my stuff back

You can send it in a box
I don’t care, just drop it off
I won’t be home
'Cause without me, you know you’re lost
Minus you, I’m better off
Soon you will know

CHORUS

You can try, you can try
You know I know it’d be a lie
Without me, you’re gonna die
So you better think clearly, clearly
Before you nearly, nearly
Mess up the situation that you're gonna miss dearly, dearly
C’mon

CHORUS

This is the potential breakup song
Our album needs just one
Oh baby please
Please tell me

This is the potential make-up song
Please just admit you’re wrong
Which will it be?
Which will it be?

"I Can Hear the Bells" analysis

"I Can Hear the Bells" is a song from the musical "Hairspray."  In it, the speaker is fantasizing about the boy she is in love with.  This boy barely even acknowledges that she exists, but in her mind, they have a long, romantic courtship and she wins his heart.  The two end up married and living happily ever after, despite the naysayers.  The repetition in this song is epistrophe and it is found in the beginning of the song.  The girl sings, "And all because he/Touched me/He looked at me and stared, yes he/Bumped me/My heart was unprepared when he/Tapped me/And knocked me off my feet/One little touch/Now my life's complete 'cause when he/Nudged me/Love put me in a fix, yes it/Hit me/Just like a ton of bricks, yes my/Heart burst."  The repetition in this part of the song has several lines ending in "he" or "me." The epistrophe serves to emphasize the relationship she dreams about between herself and the boy.

"The One That Got Away" analysis

"The One That Got Away" tells the story of a woman who is desperate not to let a man get away from her. They are not in a relationship yet, but she feels strongly for him and she thinks he is slipping away. She speaks directly to him, pleading with him to stay and give them a chance. The speaker uses the device anaphora several times. In the first verse, she says, "Open up your heart/Open up your mind." This repetition puts emphasis on her desire for him to open himself up to her. In the chorus, every two lines begins with the same word or phrase, stressing her longing and her pursuit of him.

"I Can Hear the Bells" by Nikki Blonsky (repetition - epistrophe)

TRACY
I can hear the bells

PENNY
Tracy, are you all right?

TRACY
Well, don'tcha hear them chime?

PENNY
I don't hear anything.

TRACY 
Can't 'cha feel my heartbeat keeping perfect time? 
And all because he

Touched me
He looked at me and stared, yes he 
Bumped me 
My heart was unprepared when he 
Tapped me 
And knocked me off my feet
One little touch 
Now my life's complete 'cause when he 

Nudged me 
Love put me in a fix, yes it 
Hit me 
Just like a ton of bricks, yes my 
Heart burst 
Now i know what life's about 
One little touch 
And love's knocked me out and, 

TRACY (& ENSEMBLE) 
I can hear the bells 
My head is spinning 
I can hear the bells 
Something's beginning 

Everybody says 
That a girl who looks like me 
Can't win his love 
Well, just wait and see 'cause 

I can hear the bells 
Just hear them chiming 
I can hear the bells 
My temp'rature's climbing

I cant contain my joy 
'Cause i fin'ly found the boy 
I've been missin' 
Listen! 
I can hear the bells 

Round one
He'll ask me on a date and then
Round two
I'll primp, but won't late because
Round three's
When we kiss inside his car
Won't go all the way
But i'll go pretty far!
And then,

Round four 
He'll ask me for my hand and then 
Round five 
We'll book the wedding band so by 
Round six 
Amber, much to your surprise 
This heavyweight champion 
Takes the prize and... 

I can hear the bells 
My ears are ringing 
I can hear the bells 
The bridesmaids are singing 

Everybody says
Thet a guy who's such a gem
Won't look my way
Well, the laugh's on them 'cause
I can hear the bells

My father will smile 
I can hear the bells 
As he walks me down the aisle 

My mother starts to cry 
But i can't see 'cause Link and i 
Are french kissin' 
Listen! 
I can hear the bells 

I can hear the bells 
My head is reeling 
I can hear the bells 
I can't stop the pealing 

Everybody warns 
That he won't like what he'll see 
But i know that he'll look 
Inside of me yeah, 

I can hear the bells 
Today's just the start 'cause 
I can hear the bells 
And 'til death do us part 

And even when we die 
We'll look down from up above 
Remembering the night 
That we two fell in love 

We both will share a tear 
And he'll whisper as we're reminiscin' 
Listen! 
I can hear the bells 

ENSEMBLE
She can hear the bells

TRACY
I can hear the bells

ENSEMBLE
She can hear the bells

TRACY
I can hear the bells

ENSEMBLE
Bum, bum, bum, bum!

"The One That Got Away" by Natasha Bedingfield (repetition - anaphora) (**REVISED**)

Would you spare a minute?
Give me a single chance
To look in your eyes
Let me hold your hands
I want to get close enough,
To read you
Understand you
Open up your heart
Open up your mind
Nobody needs another stalker in your life
I'm only here to help you learn to love me,
To know me

CHORUS:
I need a hook so you won't be the one that got away
I need a look that stuns you, makes you wanna stay
Don't wanna speak, in case it comes out wrong
Don't wanna blink, 'coz in a second you could be gone
I need a twist to help me turn, turn this story round
I need a bridge to cross this dangerous ground
Meet me in the middle like I want you too.
I gotta find your heart to shoot my arrow through

Did you see me staring
You caught my eye
Don't turn around
Don't walk away
The night is young, can we get together?
Got so many questions
Feelings I can't explain
We're worlds apart
Don't even know your name
I'm longing to give you my heart

CHORUS

Turn around, don't evaporate
Like you never came
Turn around don't be a ghost
Forever never there to haunt me
Sliding doors
They are just on a train
We're alone on a platform in the rain
Theres a chance
And it won't come again
Turn around your whole life has changed

CHORUS

"Shadow" analysis

This song is about a girl who grew up feeling overshadowed by her older sister's success.  She felt lost and abandoned by her family.  She has since accepted the way things are and she now accepts herself.  She does not have a grudge against her sister or her parents and her life has turned out well.  It contains two metaphors that emphasize the overall message of the song.  The first metaphor appears in the first two lines of the chorus, “Living in the shadow/of someone else's dream.”  The shadow is a metaphor for the speaker's feelings of inferiority during her youth.  The second metaphor is also found in the chorus, “My chains are finally free.”  The chains symbolize how trapped she felt and that she is now free.

"End of the Road" analysis

The speaker is lamenting the betrayal of his lover.  She cheated on him and they have split up as a consequence.  He is sad that the relationship has come to an end.  He can't believe that what they had is really over and he still loves this woman.  He believes that she still loves him and that she was just scared to be in love for the first time.  He is in pain right now, but still feels devoted to her.  The title of this song contains the metaphor.  The speaker says that they have “come to the end of the road.”  The road stands for their relationship and they are at the end of that road because they are no longer together.  Therefore, the metaphor carries the theme of the entire song.

"Shadow" by Ashlee Simpson (metaphor)

“Shadow” by Ashlee Simpson

I was six years old

When my parents ran away

I was stuck inside a broken life

I couldn't wish away

She was beautiful

She had everything and more

And my escape was hiding out and running for the door

Somebody listen please

It used to be so hard being me

CHORUS:

Living in the shadow

Of someone else's dream

Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me

Living in a nightmare

A never-ending sleep

But now that I am wide awake

My chains are finally free

Don't feel sorry for me

All the days collided

One less perfect than the next

I was stuck inside someone else's life and always second best

Oh, I love you now 'cause now I realize

That it's safe outside to come alive in my identity

So if you're listening

There's so much more to me you haven't seen

CHORUS

Mother, sister, father, sister, mother

Everything's cool now

Mother, sister, father, sister, mother

Everything's cool now

Oh, my life is good

I've got more than anyone should

Oh, my life is good

And the past in the past

CHORUS

Don't feel sorry, don't feel sorry for me(2x)

Living in, living in, living in the shadow

Living in, living in, living in a new day

"End of the Road" by Boyz II Men (metaphor)

“End of the Road” by Boyz II Men

(spoken)

Girl, you know we belong together

I have no time for you to be playing

With my heart like this

You'll be mine forever baby, you just see

(verse)

We belong together

And you know that I'm right

Why do you play with my head,

Why do you play with my mind? 

Said we'd be forever

Said it'd never die

How could you love me and leave me

And never say good-bye? 

Girl, I cant sleep at night without holding you tight

Girl, each time I try, I just break down and cry

Pain in my head, oh, I'd rather be dead

Spinnin' around and around

CHORUS:

Although we've come to the end of the road

Still I can't let you go

It's unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you

Come to the end of the road

Still I can't let you go

It's unnatural, you belong to me, I belong to you

Girl, I know you really love me,

You just don't realize

You've never been there before

It's only your first time

Maybe I'll forgive you, hmm

Maybe you'll try

We should be happy together

Forever, you and I

Girl, you love me again like you loved me before

This time I want you to love me much more

This time, instead, just come to my bed

And baby, just don't let me, don't let me down

CHORUS

(spoken)

Girl, I'm here for you

All those times of night when you just hurt me

And just run out with that other fella

Baby, I knew about it, I just didn't care

You just don't understand how much I love you, do you? 

I'm here for you

I'm not about to go out and cheat on you all night

Just like you did, baby, but that's all right

Hey, I love you anyway

And I'm still gonna be here for you, 'til my dying day, baby

Right now, I'm just in so much pain, baby

'Coz you just won't come back to me

Will you? Just come back to me

(lonely)

Yes, baby, my heart is lonely

(lonely)

My heart hurts, baby

(lonely)

Yes, I feel pain, too

Baby, please

This time, instead, just come to my bed

And baby, just don't let me go

CHORUS

CHORUS (a cappella)