An Interpretation of Meaning Found in Sara Bareilles's Selected Songs

Home , Kaleidoscope Heart, Kaleidoscope Heart Tour, King of Anything, No Matter How High, Once Upon Another Time, Sara Bareilles

AN INTERPRETATION OF MEANING FOUND IN SARA BAREILLES'S SELECTED SONGS

A PAPER

JOVANKA ANGGI IMANUELLA SITUMORANG

REG. NO 172202007

ENGLISH DIPLOMA 3 STUDY PROGRAM

FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

MEDAN

2020

Universitas Sumatera Utara i

Universitas Sumatera Utara

AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

I am JOVANKA ANGGI IMANUELLA SITUMORANG declare that I am the sole author of this paper. Except where the reference is made in the text of this paper, this paper contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a paper by which I qualified for or awarded another degree.

No other person‟s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text of this paper. This paper has not been submitted for the award of another degree in any tertiary education.

Signed :

Date :

Universitas Sumatera Utara COPYRIGHT DECLARATIONS

Name : JOVANKA ANGGI IMANUELLA SITUMORANG

Title of Paper : AN INTERPRETATION OF MEANING IN SARA BAREILLES‟S

SELECTED SONGS

Qualification : D-III

Study Program : English

I am willing that my paper should be available for reproduction at the discretion of the

Libertarian of the Diploma III English Faculty of Cultural Study University of Sumatera

Utara the understanding that users are made aware of their obligation under law of The

Republic of Indonesia.

Signed:

Date:

Universitas Sumatera Utara ABSTRACT

The title of this paper is “An Interpretation of Meaning Found in Sara Bareilles‟s Selected Songs”. This study describes an interpretation of meaning of five songs (Love Song, Gravity, Bright Lights and Cityscapes, King of Anything, and Brave) found in Sara Bareilles‟ selected songs. The words and lyrics in these selected Bareilles‟s songs are ambiguous. It is not easy to understand the meaning. The diction is quite hard to comprehend. Yet, the words itself really are fascinating and obviously genius words choosing. During the process of writing this paper, the writer uses qualitative method with library research to collect data information by using several books and web sites related to the problem of this paper as the references. This study is using the figure of speech approach to interpreting the lyrics. It is a method of finding meaning by the figure of speech (language style) that was used in a literary work in order to get the understanding of meaning. There are some figure of speech has been found in these six songs such as metaphor, hyperbole, irony, symbolism, and personification. Writer founds that metaphor is the most dominant figure of speech that was used in Sara Bareilles‟s selected songs. Keywords: Figure of Speech, Interpreting, Lyric, Sara Bareilles, Song.

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Universitas Sumatera Utara ABSTRAK

Judul makalah ini adalah "Interpretasi Makna Yang Ditemukan di Lagu-Lagu Pilihan Sara Bareilles". Studi ini menjelaskan interpretasi makna dari lima lagu (Love Song, Gravity, Bright Lights and Cityscapes, King of Anything, and Brave) yang ditemukan di lagu-lagu pilihan Sara Bareilles. Kata-kata dan lirik dalam lagu-lagu Bareilles yang dipilih ini ambigu. Tidak mudah untuk memahami artinya. Diksinya cukup sulit untuk dipahami. Namun, kata- kata itu sendiri benar-benar menarik dan pastinya pemilihan kata-katanya jenius. Selama proses penulisan makalah ini, penulis menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan penelitian kepustakaan untuk mengumpulkan informasi data dengan menggunakan beberapa buku dan situs web yang berkaitan dengan masalah tulisan ini sebagai referensi. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan figure of speech untuk menafsirkan lirik. Ini adalah metode menemukan makna oleh kiasan (gaya bahasa) yang digunakan dalam karya sastra untuk mendapatkan pemahaman makna. Ada beberapa kiasan yang telah ditemukan dalam enam lagu ini seperti metafora, hiperbola, ironi,simbolis, dan personifikasi. Penulis menemukan bahwa metafora adalah kiasan paling dominan yang digunakan dalam lagu-lagu pilihan Sara Bareilles. Kata kunci: Majas, Interpretasi, Lirik, Sara Bareilles, Lagu.

Universitas Sumatera Utara ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost I would like to offer my gratitude for The Lord Jesus Christ for giving me the strength, knowledge, ability, and oppurtunity to finish this paper as one of the requirement to get Diploma III certificate from English Diploma Study Program, University of Sumatera Utara. Then I would like to say big thanks, love, and appreciation to:

 Dr. Budi Agustono, MS as the Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies.

 Dra. Swesana Mardia Lubis, M. Hum as the Head of English Diploma Study

Program.

 Sir Riko Andika Rahmat Pohan, S.S, M.Hum as my supervisor, who gives me

corrections and advices to finish this paper.

 All the lectures in English Diploma. Thank you for all the knowledge and experience

that you have shared to me.

 My beloved parents B. Situmorang and Anny M. Hutapea, thank you for the

unconditional support, both financially and emotionally, throughout my life. I owe

everything to you. Mama and Papa, a million thanks to you. I love you both very much.

 My dear sisters Sandra Liviyanski Elizabeth Situmorang, S.H and family, Christy

Anastasya Margaretha Situmorang, S.Sos, and my dear little brother Riovaldo

Samuel Ignatius Situmorang. Thank you for all the advices and constant support. I‟m

eternally grateful to have you guys in my life. I love you.

 My beloved best friends Ruth Elvin Harianja, Ledi Ruth Damayanti Simanjuntak,

Maya Sari Siregar, Enjela Anggi M. Sitorus. Thank you very much for the help,

laugh, and support especially at times when things were going tough. You mean a lot to

me, guys. Thank you.

Universitas Sumatera Utara  All my friends in Diploma III English 2017, especially Eklesia N. Sinaga, T. Rezky

Rachmadhany, and Lio Naomi Situmorang. Thank you for the great time we spent

together. I will always keep the loving moment in my mind.

And finally I realize that this paper is far from being perfect. Therefore I hope that those who read this paper may give critics and suggestions for making it better.

Medan, August 2020

The writer,

Jovanka Anggi Imanuella Situmorang

Reg. No. 172202007

Universitas Sumatera Utara Table of Contents

AUTHOR’S DECLARATION ...... i COPYRIGHT DECLARATIONS ...... ii ABSTRACT ...... iii ABSTRAK ...... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... vii CHAPTER I ...... 1 INTRODUCTION...... 1 1.1 Background of the Study ...... 1 1.2 Problems of the Study ...... 3 1.3 Objective of the Study ...... 3 1.4 Scope of the Study...... 3 1.5 Significance of the Study ...... 4 1.6 Method of the Study ...... 4 CHAPTER II ...... 5 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...... 5 2.1 Song Lyric and Poetry ...... 5 2.2 Figure of Speech...... 6 2.3 Meaning ...... 7 2.4 Song ...... 8 CHAPTER III ...... 9 THE DESCRIPTION ...... 9 3.1 Figure of Speech in Sara Bareilles Songs ...... 9 3.1.1 Love Song ...... 9 3.1.2 Gravity ...... 10 3.1.3 Bright Lights and Cityscapes...... 11 3.1.4 King of Anything ...... 13 3.1.5 Brave ...... 14 3.2 Interpretation of Meaning of Sara Bareilles Songs ...... 15 3.2.1 Love Song ...... 15 3.2.2 Gravity ...... 16 3.2.3 Bright Lights and Cityscapes...... 18 3.2.4 King of Anything ...... 21 vii

Universitas Sumatera Utara 3.2.5 Brave ...... 23 CHAPTER IV...... 26 CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ...... 26 4.1 Conclusion ...... 26 4.2 Suggestion ...... 26 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 28 APPENDIX ...... 29

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Universitas Sumatera Utara CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Interpretation maybe is a rare topic for most of the people. In daily life, this word is commonly found in an article (opinion) on the newspaper or science magazine such as interpretation of data, interpretation of history, interpretation of the law, interpretation of science theory, interpretation of literary work, and many more. Particularly, for more specific, an interpretation is mostly written in the science journal.

Definition of interpretation for English Language Learners by MerriemWebster

(interpretation) is the act or result of explaining or interpreting something in the way something is explained or understood. It is a particular way of performing something. The way writer sees it, she considers that interpretation is a theoretical opinion, explanation of meaning and symbol, and understanding of an object which is created and earned by a deep thought. There are a lot of objects that can be interpreted, such as poems, book, law, bible, science theories, and even statue and panting are able to be interpreted. Generally, an expert is interpreting an object to get a more specific and deep understanding of meaning to make it clearer. For example, an ambiguous poetry and abstract painting which are hard for most of people to understand, they could be the object of interpretation. Thus, people will know what the actual meanings are contained in those objects.

Universitas Sumatera Utara Hermeren (2001:13) explains that the purpose of musical interpretation, among others, is to discover what the composer wanted, to express and communicate feelings, and to describe the historical, social, and psychological conditions for the creation of works which are being interpreted. Therefore, writer will try to find what did song-writer of these songs trying to say. The positive side of a poetry or song lyric‟s interpretation is that people will be capable of receiving knowledge from several points of view. Because interpretation is entirely dependent on the author's point of view, every interpreter likely has different results.

This study is using the figure of speech approach to interpreting the lyrics. It is a method of finding meaning by the figure of speech (language style) that was used in a literary work in order to get the understanding of meaning.

Edward Sapir said, “Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions, and desire by means of voluntarily produced symbols.”

Language is a tool for a human to deliver what is inside its brain. It can be defined as verbal, physical, biologically innate, and a basic form of communication. Language is the media to fulfill human expression. It is the most important aspect of life. By language, people can deliver their inner thoughts and emotions, understanding a complex and abstract thought to learn. In literature, language is a very important thing. Every literary work included song lyric (poem/poetry) is written using standard language (written language). Above all, good ability and knowledge of the language is the most important thing in writing literary work.

In this paper, the writer takes selected songs from Sara Bareilles. This study is interpreting five songs from Sara‟s songs by describing the figure of speech that was used in it, those are Love Song, Gravity, Bright Lights and Cityscapes, King of Anything, and Brave.

The words and lyrics in these selected Sara‟s songs is ambiguous. It is not easy to understand

Universitas Sumatera Utara the meaning. The diction is quite hard to comprehend. Yet, the words itself really are fascinating and obviously genius words choosing.

1.2 Problems of the Study

Problems of this study are

1. What are the figure of speech found in Sara Bareilles‟s selected song lyrics?

2. What are the interpretation of meaning of Sara Bareilles‟s selected song

lyrics?

1.3 Objective of the Study

The writer has some objectives in writing this study, they are as following:

1. To describe the figure of speech that is used in Sara Bareilles‟s selected song

lyrics.

2. To describe the interpretation of meaning in Sara Bareilles‟s selected song

lyrics.

1.4 Scope of the Study

This paper focuses on finding meanings behind song lyrics in Sara Bareilles‟s selected songs through the figure of speech that was used. There are a lot of ambiguous lyrics in her songs. In writing this paper, writer only focuses on interpreting five of Sara‟s songs. Those songs are Love Song, Gravity, Bright Lights and Cityscapes, King of Anything, and Brave.

Writer wrote her interpretation and bordering it on the figure of speech. This study consists of some literature aspects such as interpretation of literary work, poems, language, and stylistics.

Universitas Sumatera Utara 1.5 Significance of the Study

The significance of this description is to increase the literary understanding in terms of literary works as poetry, lyric, and the song. Practically, it has significance for the readers to understand how to interpret the lyrics of the songs.

1.6 Method of the Study

This study used qualitative method. Based on Myers (1997), “qualitative research methods were developed in the social sciences to enable researches to study social and cultural phenomena”. It is data that is usually not in the form of numbers. This method is generally used in the literature of social science. Besides, in finishing this study, writer made library research to read some theories. This study was written based on several literature theories and methods such as figure of speech and contains explanations of poem and song lyric as literary work, figures of speech, and music interpretation, in the hope that this study can be more objective. Writer also browsed data from the internet to find some kind of data about lyric and song to complete the interpretation of the lyrics.

Universitas Sumatera Utara CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Song Lyric and Poetry

According to Jan Van Luxemburg (1989), the definition of lyrics can be considered as poetry and vice versa and the definition of poetic texts is not only cover the types of literature but also expressions that are advertising, proverb, motto, prayers and song lyric. Song lyric essentially is a short poem. Obvious that it is a part of a poem. If a poem is a poet‟s expression in composing his own words, then the song lyric is a songwriter‟s expression in composing his own words with music addition. This makes these two objects are subjective because song lyric and poem are written freely. The only difference between-song lyrics and a poem is just the additional music. That is the reason for writer assumed that song is a musical poem.

Some poetical techniques, according to Alexander (1977: 5-20) which is essential in writing poems are:

 Structural Devices (repetition, contrast, and illustration);

 Sound Devices (alliteration, assonance, rhythm, mascullin ending, feminine ending,

onomatopoeia euphony, cocaphony);

 Sense Devices (imagery, simile, metaphor, personification, transpired of epithet,

symbol, metonymy, euphemism, exclamation, climax, anthitesis, irony, allegory,

hyperbole, rethorical questions, anthonomasia, astrope, oxymoron, and epigram).

Universitas Sumatera Utara 2.2 Figure of Speech

Figure of speech is a way to receive benefit from the power of language. Author‟s knowledge about language and word is really needed to choose diction in creating literature language which used in literary work. Usage of some sort of figure of speech in literature will create a more fascinating and interesting literary work. It is a peculiar way for literature authors to express their thought and feeling and also to make it more special. Figure of speech in a literary work is the art of language and literature. It is able to create the exquisite and beauty of word, sentence, and language itself.

Some of the types of figure of speech are; metaphor, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, and irony.

 Metaphor. An analogy identifying one object with another and describing to the first

one or more of the quality of the second. Also can be said as the usage of word or

phrase which contrary to the real purpose (meaning).

 Personification. The arbitrary of human qualities to an inanimate object the

endowment of abstraction with human qualities (verb). This gives impression as if an

inanimate thing is alive.

 Hyperbole. Consisting an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.

 Symbolism. Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities, by giving

them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.

 Irony. Verbal device which implies an attitude quite different (and often) opposite to

literars expressed.

Universitas Sumatera Utara 2.3 Meaning

Geoffrey Leech (1981) studied the meaning in a very broad way and breaks it down into seven types, logical or conceptual meaning, connotative meaning, social meaning, affective meaning, reflected meaning, collective meaning, and thematic meaning.

Conceptual meaning. Leech considers conceptual meaning as primary because it was comparable in organization and structure to the syntactic and phonological levels of language. At the level of semantics representation the conceptual meaning of a sentence will be explained in the form of semantic representation using the abstract symbols and contrastive features.

Connotative meaning. Connotative meaning was concerned with the real world experiences one associates with the linguistics expression one uses or hears. Conceptual meaning consist of a closed set of features which are finite in number.

Social and affective meaning. These two meaning are concerned with two aspects of communication which are derived from the situation or environment in which an utterance or sentence was produced in a language. Social meaning was understood through the recognition of different dimension and level of style within the same language. Affective meaning was the aspects of meaning which “reflects personal feelings of the speaker, includes the attitude of the listener or his attitude to something the listener was talking about.

Reflected and collective meaning. These two types of meaning are due to relation between words or interconnection on the lexical level of language. reflected meaning was the meaning which arises in cases when a word has multiple conceptual meaning or polysemous, when one sense of a word form part of our response (or reaction) to another sense. Collective meaning consists of the association a word acquires on account of the meaning of words which tend to occur in its environment.

Universitas Sumatera Utara Associative meaning. Connotative meaning, social meaning, affective meaning, reflected meaning and collective meaning have something in common. These meaning have open ended and variable character. They cannot be analyzed in clear cut either-this-or-that term.

Therefore, Leech group all these under the heading of associative meaning. While conceptual meaning was part of the „common system‟ of language shared by member of the speech community, associative meaning was less stable and varies with the individual‟s experience.

Thematic meaning. Thematic meaning was that “what was communicated by the way in which a speaker or writer organize the message, in terms of ordering, focus, and emphasis”.

The thematic meaning can also be expressed by means of stress and intonation to highlight information in one part of a sentence.

2.4 Song

According to the KBBI (2003:486) the understanding of songs has several kinds: (1) a variety of rhythmic sounds (in speaking, singing, reading); (2) struggle song; (3) films that form the basis of national film stories of official country songs. According to Rahardjo (1990:

72), songs contain 2 meanings, namely: 1) songs that are loved by certain people, and 2) types of songs that are being presented to listeners and prioritizing presentation techniques and freedom in using rhythm or type of instrument. Pursuant to Hardjana (1983: 486) explained that songs are a variety of rhythmic sounds (in speaking, singing, reading). Songs are part of music and music is one part of the artwork. Therefore, it can be said that songs are rhythmic sounds that are combined with rhythms in rhythm so that various types of songs will appear, such as keroncong, dangdut, pop, rock, jazz, hip-hop, classic, blues, and reggae.

Universitas Sumatera Utara CHAPTER III

THE DESCRIPTION

3.1 Figure of Speech in Sara Bareilles Songs

3.1.1 Love Song

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you tell me it's

Make or breaking this

Is that why you wanted a love song?

'Cause you asked for it

'Cause you need one, you see

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you tell me it's

Make or breaking this

Or you're on your way

I'm not gonna write you to stay

If your heart is nowhere in it

I don't want it for a minute

Babe, I'll walk the seven seas when I believe that

Universitas Sumatera Utara There's a reason to write you a love song

Today, today

Irony :

 Love Song. The writer founds that the figure of speech used in the title of the song is

an irony. It is because the title has the exact opposite meaning from the lyrics of the

song.

Hyperbole :

 Babe, I'll walk the seven seas. In this line hyperbole is the figure of speech that is used

in it. It is hyperbole because it is impossible, since no one can walk in the water. So

whatever reason that they give to her, she will never write a love song.

3.1.2 Gravity

Set me free, leave me be

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity

Here I am and I stand so tall

Just the way I'm supposed to be

But you're on to me and all over me

I live here on my knees as I

Try to make you see that you're

Everything I think I need here on the ground

But you're neither friend nor foe though I

Can't seem to let you go

The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down

Universitas Sumatera Utara Keeping me down

You're on to me, on to me and all over

Something always brings me back to you

It never takes too long

Metaphor :

 Gravity. The word “gravity” is a metaphor of how his existence, his affection, and all

of the things that she remembered about him is always going to pull her back to him.

It‟s like no matter how high we jump, we will eventually fell.

 Stand so tall. The lyrics “Here I am and I stand so tall” is a metaphor of saying that

she is confident that she will be okay without him.

Hyperbole :

 Try to make you see that you‟re everything I think I need here on the ground. These

lyrics is hyperbole because in reality a human needs more than just another human in

this world. A human needs money, foods, clothes, and so much more to stay alive.

3.1.3 Bright Lights and Cityscapes

Shield your eyes from the truth at hand

Tell me why it'll be good again

All those demons are closing in

And I don't want you to burn

Never mind what I said before

I don't want any less anymore

You are carbon and I am flame

Universitas Sumatera Utara I will rise and you will

Remain

For bright lights and cityscapes

And landslides and masquerades

And she'll take all you ever have

But I'm gonna love you

You say, maybe it'll last this time

But I'm gonna love you

You never have to ask

I'm gonna love you

'Til you start looking back

I wouldn't need a second chance

Metaphor :

 For bright lights and cityscapes. This line is a metaphor of saying the girl is

captivating and beautiful.

 And lanslides and masquerades. But although the girl is captivating and beautiful, but

then she is also the destruction of a landslide and the deception and falseness of a

masquerade.

Universitas Sumatera Utara Symbolism :

 I don‟t want you to burn. Burn symbolize destruction. So in this line, the woman was

trying to save him from the destruction that the girl could cause.

3.1.4 King of Anything

Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table

While I look outside

So many things I'd say if only I were able

But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by

You've got opinions, man

We're all entitled to 'em, but I never asked

So let me thank you for your time,

And try not to waste anymore of mine

And get out of here fast

I hate to break it to you babe, but I'm not drowning

There's no one here to save

Who cares if you disagree?

You are not me

Who made you king of anything?

So you dare tell me who to be?

Who died and made you king of anything?

Universitas Sumatera Utara Symbolism :

 I'm not drowning. Drowning symbolize that someone is struggling and in need for

help. So in this line, she‟s saying that she is fine with every decision that she‟s making

and she doesn‟t need someone‟s help.

Irony :

 King of anything. This is irony because the real meaning of the title is that somebody

assuming a position of authority that they do not possess.

3.1.5 Brave

Everybody's been there, everybody's been stared down

By the enemy

Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing

Bow down to the mighty

Don't run, stop holding your tongue

Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in

Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

Universitas Sumatera Utara Innocence, your history of silence

Won't do you any good

Did you think it would?

Let your words be anything but empty

Why don't you tell them the truth?

Metaphor :

 Cage where you live. The word cage is a metaphor of something that holds someone

from being theirself and free to show who they truly are.

Personification :

 Words fall out. This line is personification because it indicates inanimate objects

(words) fall out which usually fall out occurs in living things.

3.2 Interpretation of Meaning of Sara Bareilles Songs

3.2.1 Love Song

When we saw the song title maybe we thought that this song was talking about a story of a romantic relationship, but actually, the lyrics are very contradictory to the title of the song. So, after we read the lyrics and finally we understand that the lyrics seemed to described Bareilles‟ relationship uncertainty, it turns out that Bareilles said on her Twitter that this song was never about a “he” (Taken from Twitter @SaraBareilles).

According to her interview with HuffPost, a lot of the inspiration for writing “Love

Song” actually came from terrible co-writing sessions. Bareilles explains she wasn‟t able to be “authentic” in the co-writing sessions. She adds, “I gave myself a lot of heartache over it,

Universitas Sumatera Utara but really, at the end of the day, if you want anything to be different, you can just ask for that” (Taken from HuffPost).

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you tell me it's

Make or breaking this

Or you're on your way

I'm not gonna write you to stay

If your heart is nowhere in it

I don't want it for a minute

From the lyrics we can see the firmness of Bareilles to refuse writing a love song.

She didn‟t afraid of being different and just keep doing what she believes is the best for herself. The lyrics also really shows the young Bareilles‟s stubbornness and braveness in expressing her feelings.

3.2.2 Gravity

This song actually tells about Bareilles‟s heartbreak story. As writer founds on the internet, in her interview with Bustle, she told them that she had a high school boyfriend who she was madly in love with, a man that was like a magnet for her. She tried to move on from him but she couldn‟t. It felt like there was a force that keeps pulling her back to him (Taken from Bustle).

So the word “gravity” is a metaphor of how his existence, his affection, and all of the things that she remembered about him is always going to pull her back to him. It‟s like no

Universitas Sumatera Utara matter how high we jump, we will eventually fell.

Set me free, leave me be

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity

Here I am and I stand so tall

Just the way I'm supposed to be

But you're on to me and all over me

These lines captured how she just wants to be set free from the emotional chains he still has around her. „Stand tall‟ according to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, means to be proud and ready to deal with anything. So the lyrics “Here I am and I stand so tall” is a metaphor of saying that she is confident that she will be okay without him. She honestly thought she was done with him and had moved on but she just can‟t stop thinking about that man and she can't help it. He is like an addiction to her.

I live here on my knees as I

Try to make you see that you're

Everything I think I need here on the ground

But you're neither friend nor foe though I

Can't seem to let you go

The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down

Keeping me down

On these lines we can also found metaphor as the figure of speech that is used in it .

“I live here on my knees” is a metaphor of how she‟s still can not move from him. She is willing to put everything into something to try to make him see what he means to her. She didn‟t care if he‟s her friend or enemy, she just can‟t let him go. He melts any walls she had

Universitas Sumatera Utara built around her heart. “Keeping me down” shows that he‟s holding & keeping her.

Whenever she wants to run but when he touches her it calms her restlessness.

You're on to me, on to me and all over

He appears on her thoughts like an addiction, she'll never move on and her thoughts are constantly thinking of him. He has the ability to comfort her in her thoughts without him being around.

Something always brings me back to you

It never takes too long

Every time she thinks she‟s finally over him, something pulls her back in. He somehow comes back into her life, geographically, emotionally and it just never takes long.

Because there are still some lingering memories about him in her mind and body.

3.2.3 Bright Lights and Cityscapes

In writer‟s interpretation this song tells a story about a woman who is in love with her best friend, but this best friend is in love with another girl. This man is always asks for advice from her but the bad thing is that this man is in love with someone who hurt him and he always try to give this girl a second chance. She has always wanted the best for this guy, but he never listens to her advice, and this infuriates her.

Shield your eyes from the truth at hand

Tell me why it'll be good again

Whenever the man asks her some advice, he probably listens to her and agrees with her, saying that the girl was really bad for him, that he deserved better, that he will never make the same mistake again, and he probably knows this is the truth.

Universitas Sumatera Utara All those demons are closing in

And I don't want you to burn

She is simply saying that she cares about this man, and she wants nothing but the very best for him, and she knows that this girl is a bad news for him. She didn‟t want the man to experience the same horrible feelings as before.

Never mind what I said before

I don't want any less anymore

I believe she has told this man many times that he is playing with fire. She gets angered by the man who keeps returning to the girl. She is also angered by the man's ignorance toward her well-informed opinions and advice as she can see everything crash and burn before her eyes. She is beyond angry at this point. She's threatening to leave and not be there for the man anymore because she does not want any less than to be respected and have her opinions valued by this man.

You are carbon and I am flame

I will rise and you will remain

This metaphor is to show how the whole situation honestly seems to affect this woman more than the victimized man. She wants to defend and protect him, so she has no problem rising, fighting with this girl when she is angry about the way that girl has been treating the man. But then the man keeps making the decisions to remain with this girl, to return to this girl, after all of the awful things she has done for him.

For bright lights and cityscapes

And landslides and masquerades

Universitas Sumatera Utara And she'll take all you ever have

But I'm gonna love you

You say, maybe it'll last this time

She's is trying to remind him what happened the last time he was with that girl, but he won‟t hear it. So the woman shows the man although the girl is "Bright lights and cityscapes", captivating and beautiful, she's also "landslides and masquerades". She is saying that this girl is toxic, she is a landslide waiting to happen. This girl plays life like a game, pretending to be someone she is not. Putting on a masquerade, pretending to want the best for this man, when she only cares about herself. Pretending that she loves him, but she does not love anyone besides herself and how she'll "take all you ever have", how she'll hurt him all over again and it will just end up a relationship of downfalls and hidden truths.

Again, this man keeps saying, ”maybe it'll last this time”. He is blind to the things the girl does. Even though it hurts him. He believes that she will change and will never do the same mistakes. He gives another second chance for another pain.

But I'm gonna love you

You never have to ask

I'm gonna love you

'Til you start looking back

All this time she has been waiting for an opportunity to show him what true love is.

She wouldn‟t disappoint him as the other girl did. All she can do is love him, be there for him when things fall apart—yet again.

Universitas Sumatera Utara I wouldn't need a second chance

I wouldn't need a second chance

These lines have with several lines of "I wouldn't need a second chance”, to really get the point across to this man. Her repetitiveness has such a clear point, she is really trying to make the man listen, to make him understand. What she is trying to say is she wouldn't need a second chance because, unlike the girl he just keeps going back to, she has no intention of hurting him and a second chance wouldn't be necessary with her.

3.2.4 King of Anything

This song is quite easy to understand. It is obvious that this song tells about how people should stop minding and commenting about other people‟s life and start mind their own business. We all have our own opinions on how to live life well, but we cannot agree on what is the right way to live it. Who cares if other people disagree? We should be able to live the way we want to and not let other people‟s words controlling our life.

Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table

While I look outside

So many things I'd say if only I were able

But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by

Writer‟s interpretation of this line is that every time she met her friends or family or maybe her boyfriend, they try to give her more unsolicited advice. But she continues to ignore them while she wishes she could say something to them but she doesn't.

Universitas Sumatera Utara You've got opinions, man

We're all entitled to 'em, but I never asked

So let me thank you for your time

And try not to waste anymore of mine

And get out of here fast

These lines show that Bareilles knows that everyone has the right to give an opinion, but there are times when you should just keep those opinions to yourself, especially when no one asked for it. She is done listening to them and she didn‟t want to waste any more time.

I hate to break it to you babe, but I'm not drowning

There's no one here to save

On these lines it pretty much saying people to stop with all of the opinions, she is fine, she is okay, she can make her own decisions, she is not helpless. She believes her own thing and she doesn't need to be „rescued‟.

Who cares if you disagree?

You are not me

Who made you king of anything?

So you dare tell me who to be?

Who died and made you king of anything?

Our life obviously depends on ourselves. We can make our own decisions and we don‟t need someone else‟s approval. We know what is best for ourselves, we understand

Universitas Sumatera Utara ourself more than others. This line “Who died and made you king of anything?” is a sarcastic response to somebody assuming a position of authority that they do not possess. It means that someone acts like they know everything and they‟re entitled to anything.

3.2.5 Brave

Brave is a song about speaking your mind. Being able to feel comfortable saying what you want to say is something that unfortunately most people will never experience. It has powerful effects no matter which angle you see it under and probably is a reference with bullying which is such a common problem today. Bareilles explained in a video interview that the lyrics were inspired by a close friend who is struggling with coming out. "There are so much honor and integrity and beauty in being able to be who you are” (Taken from

Songfacts). Everyone is unique and it does take bravery to say what we want to say, but when we do, only then are we truly free. This song is the anthem for living free in mind, body, and spirit.

Everybody's been there, everybody's been stared down

By the enemy

Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing

Bow down to the mighty

These lines here are very encouraging to those that have lived in fear, that just because you have "fallen for the fear", it doesn‟t mean that you are destined to “bow down to the mighty” or that bully for the rest of your life. The bully does not have to hold that fear over you, and you can stand up to them.

Don't run, stop holding your tongue

This line means that we have to stop being scared and speak up. Stop holding back what you want to say. Just say it, there is nothing to be afraid of. Let them hear you. Don't be

Universitas Sumatera Utara scared to be who you wanna be just because someone doesn't approve of the real you.

Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in

Show me how big your brave is

And then writer‟s interpretation of these lines is, if you try to speak up for yourself, maybe there will be hope for you. Even when you find it hard to let everyone knows who you really are, it doesn‟t matter if you are weird or different, just be brave.

“Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live”, the word „cage‟ is a metaphor of something that holds you from being yourself and free to show who you really are. So this line means that if you try to speak up then maybe people will accept you as the way you are or maybe people will stop bullying you.

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

You don't have to care about what other people‟s thinking, just say anything that you want to say, don't keep it in. Don't let people‟s feelings hold back your opinion for what you believe in. Show them what you really are and be confident about it.

Innocence, your history of silence

Won't do you any good

Did you think it would?

You don't have to be silent. You need to speak up and let the whole world know what is within you. It won't do you any good if you're just going to keep your thoughts. If you know that what you are thinking is worth it, just say it. There's no harm in saying the truth.

Universitas Sumatera Utara Let your words be anything but empty

Why don't you tell them the truth?

It means your words should mean something to people and you should all have a word and say it in every argument you're in and you should stand up for yourself. "Why don't you tell them the truth", tells the people you should come out and be honest with your family, friends, teachers, or maybe the people that bullied you.

Universitas Sumatera Utara CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

4.1 Conclusion

In this study, there are various meanings and figure of speech that found in these six songs. The song lyric is a tool to express our feeling and thought. Through these songs, the songwriter expresses her thoughts about love and the reality of life. All the songs contain several figure of speech such as metaphor, hyperbole, irony, symbolism, and personification.

In the song entitled Love Song, the writer founds two kinds of figure of speech which are irony and hyperbole. Then in the song Gravity the writer founds two figure of speech that was used in it which are metaphor and hyperbole. In the song entitled Bright Lights and

Cityscapes, the writer founds two figure of speech that was used in it which are metaphor and symbolism. Hence, in the song entitled King of Anything the writer founds two figure of speech in it which are symbolism and irony. Lastly, in the song Brave the writer founds two figure of speech that was used in it which are metaphor and personification. The writer concludes that Bareilles frequently used metaphor as the figure of speech in her song lyrics. It proves that she loves using metaphor in order to express those lyrics.

4.2 Suggestion

After describing Bareilles‟s selected songs lyrics, the writer hopes this paper will be helpful for the readers who want to know the meaning of lyrics in Bareilles‟s selected songs and their knowledge about interpreting and figure of speech. In describing figurative language in song lyrics, we need to pay attention to words or sentences in song lyrics and

Universitas Sumatera Utara listen to the song over and over again so that we can identify which part of the song lyrics use figurative language according to the characteristics and types of figurative language. The writer also hopes that this paper can help the readers as references in their education.

Universitas Sumatera Utara BIBLIOGRAPHY

Amsler, R. A. (1981). THE STRUCTURE OF THE MERRIAM-WEBSTER POCKET

DICTIONARY.

Davies, S. (1997). Introduction (Art and Its Messages: Meaning, Morality, and

Society). Art and Its Messages: Meaning, Morality, and Society.

Myers, M. D. (1997). Critical ethnography in information systems. In Information

systems and qualitative research (pp. 276-300). Springer, Boston, MA.

Oishi, E. (2003). Semantic meaning and four types of speech act. PRAGMATICS AND

BEYOND NEW SERIES, 135-148.

Luxemburg, J. V. Bal, Mieke. Westseijn Willern G. 1989. Pengantar Ilmu Sastra.

Pöchhacker, F. (2016). Introducing interpreting studies. Routledge.

Sapir, E. (1921). An introduction to the study of speech. New York: Harcourt, Brace.

Silverman, D. (2019). Interpreting qualitative data. Sage Publications Limited.

Sulistiyawati, A. (2016). Metaphors Contribution Towards Theme Development on Sara

Bareilles‟ Songs.

Universitas Sumatera Utara APPENDIX

BIOGRAPHY OF SARA BAREILLES

Sara Beth Bareilles known as Sara Bareilles born on December 7, 1979, in Eureka,

California, to Paul Bareilles, an insurance adjuster and logger, and his wife, Bonnie, is an

American singer-songwriter and actress. The youngest of three girls, childhood was not always easy for Bareilles. "I grew up a fat girl," she later recalled. "I had to change schools at one point because the kids were so mean to me. I still often feel I just don't want anyone to notice anything about me."

Still, despite a preference to go unnoticed, Bareilles had an unmistakable passion for music and theater. She performed in her school choirs and played Audrey in a high school production of Little Shop of Horrors. Following high school, she attended the University of

California, Los Angeles, where she majored in communications. More importantly, she found her singing voice as a member of an acapella group at the school.

Universitas Sumatera Utara After graduating in 2001, Bareilles, who remained in southern California, set out to pursue her dream of making it as a musician. Over the course of the next three years, she worked the club scene, performing at open-mic nights, landing a few paid gigs, and eventually performing at festivals.

Her 2007 hit single "Love Song" reached no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2010

Bareilles released Kaleidoscope Heart, featuring the single "King of Anything," for which she received her third Grammy nod. In 2011 Bareilles was added as a celebrity judge to the third season of The Sing-Off. She left the show prior to its fourth season and went on to release projects like Once Upon Another Time (2012) and The Blessed Unrest (2013).

She composed music and wrote lyrics for the Broadway musical Waitress, for which she earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score in 2016, and a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theatre Album. In April 2018, Bareilles received an amazing response for her portrayal of Mary Magdalene in NBC's live television concert adaptation of Andrew

Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, for which she was nominated for the 2018 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a

Limited Series or Movie.

Universitas Sumatera Utara

Universitas Sumatera Utara “LOVE SONG”

Head underwater

And they tell me

To breathe easy for a while

Breathing gets harder, even I know that

Made room for me It's too soon to see

If I'm happy in your hands

I'm unusually hard to hold on to

Blank stares at blank pages

No easy way to say this

You mean well, but you make this hard on me

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you asked for it

'Cause you need one, you see

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you tell me it's

Make or breaking this

If you're on your way

I'm not gonna write you to stay

Universitas Sumatera Utara If all you have is leavin'

I'ma need a better reason

To write you a love song

Today, today, yeah

I learned the hard way

That they all say

Things you want to hear

My heavy heart sinks deep down under

You and your twisted words

Your help just hurts

You are not what I thought you were

Hello to high and dry

Convince me to please you

Make me think that I need this too

I'm trying to let you hear me as I am

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you asked for it

'Cause you need one, you see

I'm not gonna write you a love song

Universitas Sumatera Utara 'Cause you tell me it's

Make or breaking this

If you're on your way

I'm not gonna write you to stay

If all you have is leavin'

I'ma need a better reason

To write you a love song

Today

Promise me you'll leave the light on

To help me see

With daylight, my guide, gone

'Cause I believe there's a way

You can love me because I say

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you asked for it

'Cause you need one,

You see

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you tell me it's

Universitas Sumatera Utara Make or breaking this

Is that why you wanted a love song?

'Cause you asked for it

'Cause you need one, you see

I'm not gonna write you a love song

'Cause you tell me it's

Make or breaking this

Or you're on your way

I'm not gonna write you to stay

If your heart is nowhere in it

I don't want it for a minute

Babe, I'll walk the seven seas when I believe that

There's a reason to write you a love song

Today, today

“GRAVITY”

Something always brings me back to you

It never takes too long

No matter what I say or do

Universitas Sumatera Utara I'll still feel you here 'till the moment I'm gone

You hold me without touch

You keep me without chains

I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love

And not feel your rain

Set me free, leave me be

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity

Here I am, and I stand

So tall, just the way I'm supposed to be

But you're on to me and all over me

Oh, you loved me 'cause I'm fragile

When I thought that I was strong

But you touch me for a little while

And all my fragile strength is gone

Set me free, leave me be

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity

Here I am, and I stand

So tall, just the way I'm supposed to be

But you're on to me and all over me

Universitas Sumatera Utara I live here on my knees as I try to make you see

That you're everything I think I need here on the ground

But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go

The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down

You're keeping me down, eh ooh

You're on to me, on to me, and all over

Something always brings me back to you

It never takes too long

“BRIGHT LIGHTS AND CITYSCAPES”

Hold my breath and I'll count to ten

I'm the paper and you're the pen

You fill me in and you are permanent

And you'll leave me to dry

I'm the writer and she's the muse

And the one that you always choose

She will falter and gift her blame

And it starts all over again

Again again again

Universitas Sumatera Utara She is bright lights and cityscapes

I'm white lies that care for gates

And she'll take all you ever have

But I'm gonna love you

You say maybe it'll last this time

But I'm gonna love you

You never have to ask

I'm gonna love you

'Til you start looking back

I'm gonna love you

So right

I wouldn't need a second chance

Shield your eyes from the truth at hand

Tell me why it'll be good again

All those demons are closing in

And I don't want you to burn

Never mind what I said before

I don't want any less anymore

You are carbon and I am flame

Universitas Sumatera Utara I will rise and you will

Remain

For bright lights and cityscapes

And landslides and masquerades

And she'll take all you ever have

But I'm gonna love you

You say, maybe it'll last this time

But I'm gonna love you

You never have to ask

I'm gonna love you

'Til you start looking back

I wouldn't need a second chance

“KING OF ANYTHING”

Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table

While I look outside

Universitas Sumatera Utara So many things I'd say if only I were able

But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by

You've got opinions, man

We're all entitled to 'em, but I never asked

So let me thank you for your time,

And try not to waste anymore of mine

And get out of here fast

I hate to break it to you babe, but I'm not drowning

There's no one here to save

Who cares if you disagree?

You are not me

Who made you king of anything?

So you dare tell me who to be?

Who died and made you king of anything?

You sound so innocent, all full of good intent

Swear you know best

But you expect me to jump up on board with you

And ride off into your delusional sunset

I'm not the one who's lost with no direction

Universitas Sumatera Utara But you'll never see

You're so busy making masks with my name on them in all caps

You got the talking down, just not the listening

And who cares if you disagree?

You are not me

Who made you king of anything?

So you dare tell me who to be?

Who died and made you king of anything?

All my life I've tried to make everybody happy

While I just hurt and hide

Waiting for someone to tell me it's my turn to decide

Who cares if you disagree?

You are not me

Who made you king of anything?

So you dare tell me who to be?

Who died and made you king of anything?

Who cares if you disagree?

You are not me

Who made you king of anything?

Universitas Sumatera Utara So you dare tell me who to be?

Who died and made you king of anything?

Let me hold your crown, babe

“BRAVE”

You can be amazing

You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug

You can be the outcast

Or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love

Or you can start speaking up

Nothing's gonna hurt you the way that words do

And they settle 'neath your skin

Kept on the inside and no sunlight

Sometimes a shadow wins

But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

Universitas Sumatera Utara And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

I wanna see you be brave

Everybody's been there, everybody's been stared down

By the enemy

Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing

Bow down to the mighty

Don't run, stop holding your tongue

Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in

Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say

Universitas Sumatera Utara And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

Innocence, your history of silence

Won't do you any good

Did you think it would?

Let your words be anything but empty

Why don't you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

Universitas Sumatera Utara I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you

See you be brave

I just wanna see you

Universitas Sumatera Utara