Figurative Language in Songs

1. Figurative language in songs By Ms. S

2. Figurative Language – sayings not to be taken literally, or seriously. Similes , metaphors , hyperboles and personification are writing techniques known as “Figurative Language” .

3. COMPARE one thing to another to help to describe. Simile and Metaphor Hyperboles EXAGGERATE to make a point. Personificatio n GIVES something non-human, or inanimate, person-like qualities.

4. Examples of figurative language in: “Rolling in the Deep” - Adele There’s a fire starting in my heart Go ahead and sell me out and I’ll lay your ship bare The scars of your love remind me of us We could’ve had it all rolling in the deep You had my heart inside your hand and you played it to the beat I’m gonna make your head burn Think of me in the depths of your despair Throw your soul through every open door Count your blessings to find what you look for Turn my sorrow into treasured gold

5. You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me You have knocked me off my feet again Got me feeling like a nothing You, with your voice like nails on chalkboard You can take me down with just one single blow You with your switching sides and your wildfire lies and your humiliation Somebody made you cold Cause you can’t lead me down that road Examples of figurative language in: “ Mean” – Taylor Swift

6. Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind Do you ever feel you’re so paper thin, like a house of cards, one blow from caving in? Do you ever feel already buried deep? You’ve just gotta ignite the light and let it shine Just own the night like the fourth of July Cause baby you’re a firework Come on let your colors burst Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed so you could choose the one that leads you down the perfect road Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow Examples of figurative language in: “ Firework” – Katy Perry

7. After all the jacks are in their boxes And the clouds have all gone to bed You can hear hapiness staggering on down the stream Footprints dressed in red And the wind whispers, “Mary” A broom is drearily sweeping up the broken pieces of yesterday’s life And the wind, it cries “Mary” The traffic lights, they turn blue tomorrow And shine the emptiness down on my bed And the wind screams, “Mary” Will the wind ever remember the names it has blown in the past And with its crush, its old age and its wisdom, it whispers, “no, this won’t be the last.” Examples of figurative language in: “The Wind Cries Mary” – Jimi Hendrix

8. My heart’s a stereo, it beats for you so listen close Hear my thoughts in every note Make me your radio and turn me up when you feel low This melody was meant for you, so sing along to my stereo If I was just another record on the shelf, would you blow me off and play me like everybody else? Furthermore I apologize for any skipping tracks, its just that the last girl that played me left a couple cracks Holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts Keep me stuck inside your head like your favorite tune If I was an old-school 50 pound boom box, would you hold me on your shoulder wherever you walked? You never know, we come and go like on the interstate Examples of figurative language in: “Stereo Hearts” – Gym Class Heroes