Rap
Run-D.M.C - Peter Piper
"Peter Piper picked peppers,
but Run rock rhymes"
What is Alliteration?
The P and R consonant sounds are repeated
The Hives - Tick Tick Boom
"Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, boom"
What is Onomatopoeia?
This is the sound of a timebomb counting down then blowing up
Taylor Swift - Our Song
"Our song is the slamming screen door,
sneaking out late, tapping on your window"
What is a metaphor?
The sounds of sneaking out to see each other are directly compared to the sound of music, something people enjoy hearing, specifically a song important to the both of them
Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball
"I came in like a wrecking ball"
What is a Simile?
Miley compares her role in the relationship to the destructive force of a wrecking ball that destroys things using the word "like"
Charli XCX - Boom Clap
"This must be love.
Boom Clap
The sound in my heart"
What is Onomatopoeia?
The "boom clap" represents the sound a heart makes when beating very fast due to being in love
Nicki Minaj - Roman's Revenge
"RAAH, RAAH,
like a dungeon dragon"
What is Onomatopoeia?
These are the sounds that a dragon would make when roaring
Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark
"If heaven and hell decide
that they both are satisfied,
and they illuminate the "no"
on their vacancy sign"
What is personification?
Heaven and Hell are just places, they can not actually decide or do anything. We are treating them like people by saying they have decided to be "full"
John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads
"Country roads, take me home
to the place I belong"
What is Personification?
The roads of the countryside are being treated like a person, asking them if they can take him back home even though they can't actually physically guide him back home
Katy Perry - Firework
"Baby you're a firework,
come on let your colors burst"
What is a metaphor?
A person is directly compared to a firework, showing they are both bright, shining, and should show it off as they are beautiful
Sade - Your Love is King
"Your love is king,
crown you with my heart,
your love is king,
never need to part"
What is a Personification OR Metaphor
The other person's feelings of love are personified to act like a human who serves a king, ruling over everything.
These feelings are directly compared to the power a king has over other people
Lupe Fiasco - Superstar
"and you better wear your shades,
the spotlights here can burn holes through the stage"
What is Hyperbole?
The spotlights' brightness is exaggerated extremely by saying they are so bright and hot, they can melt through the stage they shine on
Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
"I walk a lonely road,
the only one that I have ever known"
What is Hyperbole?
This is an extreme exaggeration to highlight how long he has been on this road. He has definitely seen and been on other roads throughout his entire life.
"Baby you're a song,
you make me wanna roll my windows down, and cruise"
What is a Metaphor?
The singer's lover is directly compared to a song you would play loudly with the windows down, this shows his lover makes him feel free, happy, carefree, and full of energy
Taylor Swift - Bad Blood
"So take a look what you've gone
Cuz baby now we got bad blood"
What is an Idiom?
"having bad blood" means having feelings of anger or hostility towards another person, typically after previously being friendly
Frank Ocean - Thinkin Bout You
"A tornado flew around my room,
before you came,
excuse the mess it made"
What is a hyperbole?
His room and life are sooo messy before meeting this person, it is like a literal tornado came through and blew everything all over the place
Lil Wayne - 6 Foot 7 Foot
"Real G's move in silence like lasagna"
What is a simile?
Like the silent letter "g" in the word spelling of the word "lasagna", they never let anyone else know what they are up to
Paramore - Misery Business
"Second chances they don't ever matter,
people never change"
What is Hyperbole?
It is an extreme exaggeration to say firmly that people never change because some people do. By being so firm about it, they highlight how rarely people do change
Johnny Cash - Big River
"The tears I cried for that woman,
are gonna flood you big river.
And I'm gonna sit right here until I die"
What is a Hyperbole?
The idea of crying so many tears that it floods an entire river is an extreme exaggeration, along with saying he is so sad that he will stay in one place until he dies. This exaggeration strongly emphasizes just how sad and upset he is about losing his love
Michael Jackson - Thriller
"You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before you make it,
You start to freeze, but horror looks you right between your eyes"
What is a personification?
The ideas of terror and horror are personified to act like someone who is holding you and won't let you talk or act
Chris Brown - Deuces
"Tryna see eye to eye,
but it's like we both blind"
What is an Idiom?
The expression, "seeing eye to eye" means to get along and agree. By saying then that they are both blind, he is saying they may never actually get along together
Kanye West - Diamonds from Sierra Leone
"I'm guessing I can sell CDs
I'm not a businessman,
I'm a business, man.
Let me handle my business, dang"
What is a Metaphor?
He directly compares himself to the entire business of the music industry, saying he is more than just a small part of it (a businessman), but that the entire business relies on him to function at all
Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings
"The world is a vampire,
sent to drain"
What is Metaphor?
The world is directly compared to a vampire, something that only causes pain and suffering by literally draining blood and life force. This metaphor is saying that, like a vampire, life in our world and society is constantly draining and making us weaker and weaker.
Miranda Lambert - The House that Built Me
"won't take nothing but a memory,
from the house that built me"
What is Personification?
The house she grew up in is personified to act like it actually created her, itself. The memories she made growing up in this house play such an important role in her life, it is almost like the house, itself, played a vital role in raising her.
Lady Gaga - Poker Face
"Can't read my, can't read my,
no he can't read my poker face"
What is an Idiom?
"Poker face" is an expression meaning that somebody is trying to keep a neutral face that displays no emotion at all. In the song, the man can't read the face that shows no emotion
SWV - Rain
"Rain down on me,
let your love just fall like rain"
What is a Simile?
Love is compared to rain using "like" to highlight how she wants to be loved completely just like how you may end up soaking wet when standing in rain. Just like how rain showers down and refreshes the earth and nature, love can do the same to a person.