Lyrical Rap Song: Feel Good Inc. Gorillaz

     The rap song I chose to analyze is entitled Feel Good Inc. sung by the band known as the Gorillaz. Released in May 2005, the song quickly became globally popular. Understandably, the musical instruments and beat alone allowed the song to reach top 10 on billboards. However, it was not until  further analysis of the song lyrics did I realize how  rhythmical and lyrical the song was. After  examining the track, one can identify the constant use of rhyme and repetition within it allowing the song to sound more appealing and therefore more popular.

    Beginning with the first stanza, consisting of eight lines, one can see there is a lot of end rhyme associated within it.   The rhyme scheme  is patterned as AA, BB, CC.... with a combination of masculine and feminine rhyme. Some examples are back and wack or style and smile. From just looking at the structure with the first stanza, one can see that the song is a narrative piece. The song focuses on the idea of being physically trapped or confined. While the narrator longs to be free, he will never escape the chains around him. He says that the city around him is crumbling and he is desperate to leave, however he is conflicted with the reality he will never make it out of his prison.

A: City's breaking down on a camel's back. (Male) ---> City is crumbling apart
A: They just have to go 'cause they don't know wack  (Male)
B: So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see (Male) ---> His freedom is appealing
B: You won't get out the county, 'cause you're bad and free (Male) ---> Reality is we will never escape

C: You've got a new horizon it's ephemeral style. (Female)
C: A melancholy town where we never smile. (Female)

     The second stanza or the chorus consisted of again eight lines and again focuses on end rhyme, AA, BB, but ever other two lines. Some examples are land and hand or free and me. All the rhymes however, are male rhymes consisting of one syllable. However, within the chorus there is a lot of repetition such as the word windmill, used four times,  hand and land ,each used twice, forever, three times, and love, twice. The stanza continues with this idea of the narrator being confined as he relates love and freedom to a windmill. The imagery often associated with windmills is that of a positive and peaceful landscape. The song begins by saying the windmill turns hand in hand. This being said, the narrator longs to live in a world such as that, where everyone live in peace, hand in hand. However, the song then goes on to say it is ticking falling down, relating this particular line back to the city idea in the first stanza, where the world around the narrator is crumbling. He says love and freedom are forever, and he wished to continue to "turn forever" trying desperately to ignore the harsh reality.

A:Windmill, windmill for the land. (Male)
A:Turned forever hand in hand (Male) ---> Narrator wishes to live in a world hand in hand (peaceful)
Take it all in on your stride
It is ticking, falling down ---> Narrator knows the reality is the world around is crumbling
B:Love forever love is free (Male)
B:Let's turn forever you and me(Male) ---> Trying to escape confinement/reality  and live peacefully)
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?


     The third stanza is seven lines long and similarly follows a AA, BB, CC rhyme pattern with a mixture of female and male rhyme. Although there is end rhyme such as here and year there is also internal rhyme such as hazmats and cats. Furthermore, there is also rhyme between the words, attack, track, and crack all with the same ending of "ack". There is also another case of internal rhyme between stepping, and reppin' which although located in two different lines have similar sounds. Additionally, there is even an example of rich rhyme where care, and bear sound the same but have different endings.  Another example is heart and harder where both posses the same "ar" sound. Overall, this stanza is filled with rhyme.


Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats, ---> Internal rhyme

A: Lining them up like ass cracks, (Male) ---> End rhyme

A: Lay these ponies at the track (Male) ---> End rhyme
A: It's my chocolate attack. (Female) ---> End rhyme
B: I'm stepping in the heart of this here (Male)
B: Care bear reppin' it harder this year (Male) ---> Care/bear same sounds
Watch me as I gravitate

    The forth and last stanza is similar to the third with end rhyme, repetition, and rich rhyme with similar vowel sounds. an example of similar sounding rhyme s that of town and sound with both having a long "ow" sound within. A similar example is in lines five and six where dust and us, share the similar sound of "us" in them. An example of repetition is found in the first and second line where the word town is repeated. Within line nine, get it, get it is similarly repeated twice too.  Additionally, yo is also repeated in the first and last lines too as well as sound, in the third and seventh line. This stanza also goes back to the idea that the narrator is tying to escape. The song says that we are gonna go  ghost town...gonna bite the dust, can't fight with us...so don't stop. This illustrates that the narrator realizing that he is truly confined is leaving his chains, arguing there is nothing you can do to stop me, and I will not stop until I am free.

A: Yo, we gonna go ghost town, ---> Town repeated
A: This motown,---> Similar sound with sound
A: With your sound
You're in the blink
B: Gonna bite the dust ---> Similar sound with us
B:Can't fight with us
With your sound
You kill the INC.
So don't stop, get it, get it ---> Repetition
Until you jet ahead.
Yo, watch the way I navigate

     Overall, Feel Good Inc. incorporates multiple rhyme patterns and repetition which allows the song to sound so appealing. The song by any means is fantastic, brilliant and a well developed rap song making perfect for this assignment.

Rhyme Websites:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~aarios/formsofverse/furtherreading/page2.html
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/learning/glossary-term/rhyme

A Recipe For Love

A Recipe for Love

The taste of love is simply one you cannot beat.

It hides in every nook and cranny,

Pot or pan

In every boiled stew.

But how does one construct such a perfect concoction?

How does the chef know what ingredients to choose?

How about I tell you a little secret,

He does not nor anyone else do.

For not every stew is perfection

Not every vegetable handled with care

Or maybe the spices are sour

When you were hoping for something sweet

Not every stew you taste will ever be a feast.

That is not to say give up,

Don’t pour them down the drain.

For you might find

Some extra ingredients form you

Can create your perfect stew

Because what is better than a meal shared and created by two

Theme Within the Poem: The Traveling Onion

   

     In the poem The Traveling Onion, Naomi Shihab Nye uses multiple techniques such as imagery, diction, and quotations from other resources to express the theme, that we should never take anything for granted, even the smallest of things, as everyone and everything are  important in one way or another. The use of the quotation at the beginning of the poem from the Better Living Cookbook expresses how far of a journey the onion has over come. It is almost ironic that something so small could have overcome such a large journey. Despite being small and a common everyday vegetable "in Egypt it was an object of worship" (Nye). This idea illustrates to the reader that everything is important, needed, and vital no matter the size or shape. Nye also uses words such as "miracle" and "honorable" ( Nye, 4, 17) to describe the onion. Such words are associated with positive connotation. Furthermore, the fact that the onion is described as a miracle and worshiped illustrates that it is relied upon and is needed by others. This portrays the idea that even small and common things are depended on by others and have a positive influence. However, Nye's description and image of the onion shifts from the beginning of the poem. She initially describes it as "a... miracle, crackly paper peeling on the drainboard, pearly layers in smooth agreement" (Nye 3-5).  However, towards the end of the poem Nye uses words such as "forgotten" and "disappear" (Nye 3, 19) in association with the onion to illustrate to the reader that people are taking things for granted and forgetting to be thankful for what they have "now limp, now divided" (Nye 16). Although a simple poem, the theme and ideas within it are related and seen in today's society. Nye does a great job of portraying this idea  using a  variety of techniques within the poem and relationship with the onion.

Blog Portfolio One:

Blog Portfolio 1: Blog Portfolio One

I. Coverage

1. ‘The Bet’: A New Ending

2. Theme of "August 2026..."

3. The Scarlet Ibis VIP

4. Response to Stephen King Commentary

5. Looking at Diction in The Catcher in the Rye

6. Descriptive Post: Allie’s Mitt

7. Diction and Syntax in The Catcher in the Rye

8. Book Review

9 Greek Masks

10.Tragic Hero (6&8 only)

II. Depth I chose to use this particular blog post as my depth example because I chose to do additional research online in order for myself to better and further understand the importance and relevance of Greek masks.I was then able to develop my understanding on the relationship between Greek theater and the class activity I participated in, where upon I constructed my own mask. The background research I did helped me to construct a realistic replica of a Greek mask. Without the research, I would not have properly understood the task at hand. For example, I wanted to construct a women's mask for the class activity. I then took it upon myself to research Greek tragedy masks. After looking at multiple sources and collecting the desired knowledge I needed, I was then able to conclude what this particular mask should look like, therefore replicating a realistic Greek tragedy mask. Thus, more appropriate for the activity. The Greek tragedy post in my opinion, is able to capture the exact idea of a depth post, as I did further research to conclude my point. Without it, my mask and knowledge would not be as strong.

III. Discussion I chose to use my blog post on the ideas associated within the story August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury because I found it sparked many controversial ideas with regrades to the dependency of technology in modern societies. The idea of technology with regrades to the  positive and negative side affects of it, is a topic seen in today's society. Because of this, many can relate to the topic. After discussing the theme in my post, I determined, technology when over used, has negative side effects. This conclusion caused a debate among peers. Although many agreed, there were those who had different opinions. As the discussion carried out, many voiced there own opinions and even linked websites with other online debates about the issue. The comments that followed my posts showed many perspectives thus, capturing the idea of a true discussion. 

V. Xenoblog The comment I made on Kimberly's blog was able to demonstrate my ability to provide thoughtful and new ideas and/or perspectives. In her post regarding the brother's relationship within the Scarlet Ibis she stated the brothers relationship was one sided. Selecting multiple pieces of evidence from the short story and linking other posts with similar arguments, I brought forth a new perspective on the matter illustrating both brothers are heavily dependent on each other.This allowed Kimberly to expand on her post and view a new side to the story. My comment helped develop new ideas regarding the story as well as providing hard examples and evidence from the text. 

VI. Review I chose to review the book Ready Player One written by Ernest Cline’s, because it was an interesting distopia novel that I have hoped to encourage many people to read. The novel was filled with adventure and drama and in my opinion had a true cliff hanging ending. The book was well developed and had many interesting ideas. In my review I retell the beginning plot and express my  personal views on the book as well as the theme. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and writing the review. I encourage others to do the same.

Ready Player One Book Review

February 1, 2014
System Overload
By: Julia Seck
Ready Player One
Ernest Cline
348 Pages


     Ernest Cline’s thrilling dystopia novel Ready Player One is a plot twisting sci-fi drama which takes place in the year 2044 when the world’s economy and government are in ruins. The only slight comfort is OASIS, a massive multi-player online video game in which all individuals take refuge in and shelter themselves from the destruction that has overtaken civilization.

     James Halliday, the creator of OASIS, died a multi-billionaire. In his last will and testament he left all claims to his fortune and rights to OASIS to the first player who could complete the quest he designed within the virtual world. The objective was simple, collect three different keys in order to unlock a series of gates, before reaching the final stage and in the process outlasting all other players in the game. The novel begins several years after the Halliday’s death, where the reader is introduced to the main character known as, Wade Owen, who is the first player to ever obtain one of the three keys needed. Wade soon finds himself competing against the clock as many other players quickly discover the hidden clues. With others who will stop at nothing to retrieve the ultimate prize, Wade is conflicted with who to trust, hoping to unlock the secrets Halliday left behind before his enemies overtake him.

     As the story progresses it becomes apparent, the lengths to which one will go in order to retrieve what one desires. This brings up the question does the end justify the means? As the pressure for wealth increases greed and corruption play a large role in the demise of many. The theme of the story illustrated by Cline revolves around these motifs. They portray the idea that there is no end to what one will overcome if they desire something enough. When pressured with harsh conditions, one is willing to overlook their own morality to obtain it. This causes the reader to think about their own morals and to what lengths they might go when pressured. This theme is timeless making this novel relevant to any period allowing the audience to connect and engage with its characters. Because of this the novel is much more exciting and realistic.

     Personally I found this to be a thrilling adventure story. The plot is unexpected and one is always left hanging at the end of each chapter. Honestly, this was one of those books you could never put down. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy sci-fi themed novels and who is also familiar with many common video game characters which the e story incorporates. One does not need know every computer game but knowing some of the basic games one’s help with some of the terminology used within the novel. l. Another issue I found is that the novel uses harsh language in several chapters and therefore I would not recommend it to young readers. Overall, the book is very easy to read and understand. It is exciting, dramatic, and possesses an overall sense of adventure.