Analysis: Take Foster The People's Pumped Up Kicks
A song’s cheerful and upbeat structure can greatly contrast the message a song attempts to convey. Take Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” for example. “Variations on a Cloud” shares the same makeup. Both songs portray a disaster hidden behind a façade of well-being, usually hiding right under our noses. ミラクルミュージカル (Miracle Musical) has done just that, only more head-on. Through the abstract use of stylistic elements such as imagery, language, and diction, Hawley and Cantor elaborate on the dynamic psychology and the need for political leaders to have “counterfeit complaisance” in regards to disasters such as 9/11.
“Variations on a Cloud” makes use of metaphorical imagery to represent the “sociopathic” mentality of powerful people who can use manipulation during a tragedy. It opens with the line “Both of us see a cloud, or whatever we may believe” (Hawley and Cantor 1) with images of the 9/11 attacks flashing on screen. The implication is that this is stated by 2 governors (played by puppets) who see the smoke from the towers (referred to as “clouds”) as nothing more than an everyday phenomena we pay little attention to. The song also uses stacked lyrics that create a “double message” that still has the intent to criticize the integrity of a person with the responsibility of …show more content…
There are no particular words that stand out, which can support the previous use of everyday language to blow past a true meaning. Connotative diction is also used to refer to words based on their description, such as in the line “Cumulus dark you vow” (Hawley and Cantor 6) used to represent a foreboding omen for a storm. Euphonious language is also used to give the song a calm semblance. The very first line “Both of us see a cloud” (1) can be soft spoken easily. This is continued throughout the piece to give it dulcet tone that is pleasing to hear, like
“Variations on a Cloud” makes use of metaphorical imagery to represent the “sociopathic” mentality of powerful people who can use manipulation during a tragedy. It opens with the line “Both of us see a cloud, or whatever we may believe” (Hawley and Cantor 1) with images of the 9/11 attacks flashing on screen. The implication is that this is stated by 2 governors (played by puppets) who see the smoke from the towers (referred to as “clouds”) as nothing more than an everyday phenomena we pay little attention to. The song also uses stacked lyrics that create a “double message” that still has the intent to criticize the integrity of a person with the responsibility of …show more content…
There are no particular words that stand out, which can support the previous use of everyday language to blow past a true meaning. Connotative diction is also used to refer to words based on their description, such as in the line “Cumulus dark you vow” (Hawley and Cantor 6) used to represent a foreboding omen for a storm. Euphonious language is also used to give the song a calm semblance. The very first line “Both of us see a cloud” (1) can be soft spoken easily. This is continued throughout the piece to give it dulcet tone that is pleasing to hear, like