SONG
Can you sing an English song?
Is it difficult for you or not?
Do you have a favorite singer?
Who is he/she?
Why do you like him/her?
Do you like his/her songs, too?
O YOU
D
NO W?
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One of the best tools to learn foreign language is
using songs. The real songs can be very effective to
help us understand English. If we want to learn
English, we should listen to English songs.
English songs also contain culture and history. It's
a good way to learn vocabulary and pronunciation.
Definition of Song
A song is a short piece of music, usually
with words and combines melody and
vocals. The words of a song are called
lyrics.
Sosial Function of Song
The social functions of song are:
To entertain the listeners.
To teach moral value through the lyrics of the songs.
To provide a way of managing the relationship between our
public and private emotional life.
To express personal feeling and cultural values.
To give someone to not only shares their emotions with others,
but also to have an emotional connection that just can’t be
experienced in any other way.
General Structure of Songs
The general structure of a song consists of :
a. Intro
The introduction establishes melodic, harmonic, and/or rhythmic related to the
main body of song.
b. Verse
It is the section of the song structure that tells the story. This is the exposition,
describing the scene or the person, or an emotion. There are usually two or
three verses in a row that have the same musical structure, the same rhyme
and poetic meter, but different words. The second verse builds on the picture
painted in the first verse, etc.
c. Chorus of Refrain
A chorus is the most repeated section, so it’s the easiest remembered. A chorus
is the summary of the song’s story.
d. Break
A break is actually a brief “rest” or “pause” for the core melody within a song used
to add further dimension and excitement.
e. Bridge
This is the part of the song that shifts. It can suddenly change tempo, or volume, or
instrumentation. The bridge is the section that gives the audience time to reflect on
the story, or gives them the “climax” or conclusion of the story through verses and
chorus. Bridges can be used to give the singer a break.
f. Outré or Coda
This is the end of the road for the song. It can repeat the intro, chorus or a refrain as
an outré, or a bridge with an instrumental solo.
Language Features of Songs
The following are the language features of songs:
1. Rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds (not letters)
Example:
Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted
I fell right through the crack
Now I’m trying to get back
2. Figurative language is the use of words, phrase, or sentence to beautify or
sometimes to hide the meaning.
Example:
I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted
3. Denotation and Connotation Denotative is the real or the literal, while
connotation is the hidden meaning.
Genres of Music
Jazz Blues Gospel RnB Funk
Rock Electronis Metal
Raggae Hip Hop
Techno Pop Dangdut
Figurative Language of Song
1. Simile is a figure of speech in which one thing is explicitly compared to
another, as in “she is like a rose”
(Sebuah majas dimana suatu benda diperbandingkan secara eksplisit layaknya
benda lain, biasanya menggunakan kata “bak”, “layaknya”, “seperti”. Contoh:
Kau indah seperti purnama.)
2. Metaphor a term or phrase is applied to something which is not literally
applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “I am a rock, I am an island”
meaning I cannot be harmed and I am independent.”
(Sebuah majas dimana sebuah istilah digunakan untuk menyamakan benda satu
dengan yang lain dengan menghilangkan kata “bak”, “layaknya”, “seperti”
dalam metaphora. Contoh: Kau adalah purnama yang indah.)
3. Onomatopoeia The formation of a word, as cuckoo, boom, buzz, zip, bang by
imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent.
(Sebuah majas dimana menggunakan kata-kata yang mengambil istilah dari
alam yang menggambarkan kata itu sendiri seperti “bum”, “dem”, dll misal
Kecipak air menambah syahdunya malam ini.)
Figurative Language of Song
4. Personification The attribution of a personal nature or character to inanimate
objects or abstract notions Example: The sun opened its sleepy eyes and smiled
down on the Earth as a new day began.
5. Hyperbole A figure of speech which uses an extravagant or exaggerated
statement to express strong feelings. Example: I’ve told you millions of times to
go away.
6. Oxymoron A figure of speech in which a pair of opposite or contradictory
terms are used together for emphasis. Example: Organized chaos, a wise fool
(Majas yang menggunakan kata yang berlawanan misal “hidup matiku untukmu”)
Listen to the song I’ve given to you. And try to guess the title,
topic, and meaning of the song.
