Welcome!
I'm Clifford Stumme, and I use literary analysis and research to explain the deeper meanings of pop songs. Feel free to leave a comment or to email me at clifford@popsongprofessor.com with questions or ideas!
I'm Clifford Stumme, and I use literary analysis and research to explain the deeper meanings of pop songs. Feel free to leave a comment or to email me at clifford@popsongprofessor.com with questions or ideas!
All tagged song analysis
"Tompkins Square Park" is about a relationship that ends in Tompkins Square Park in New York City, the site, according to Wikipedia, of numerous riots over the past 150 years. The park served as a gathering place for artists (Allen Ginsberg lived nearby during the 1988 riots), bohemians, and the homeless. Due to gentrification, the park has lost some of its artsy vibe, but its legacy serves well as a backdrop for the difficult subject of Mumford & Sons's new song.
Think theology has no place in pop music? "Prayer in C" by Lilly Wood & The Prick has got a lot of theological argument in its lyrics, and it's mainly anti-theological.
What's the most intense and scary song that I could find on the local top 40 station? Definitely "Take Me to Church" by Hozier. There's no question. This song is heavy and full of meaning. And it happens to be very culturally relevant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw
Mumford and Sons just released the next installment from their soon-to-come album, Wilder Mind. The song is called "The Wolf," and it's a departure from their earlier music. Gone are the days of hipster alternative blends of folk instruments and crooning, soulful harmonies. "The Wolf" retains some of the familiar harmonizing, but everything is more intense. While his voice stays recognizable, the music surrounding Marcus Mumford's vocals is much grittier and much more rockin' & rollin'.
Twenty One Pilots just came out with their next single from Blurryface, “Tear in My Heart,” and it’s a departure for them. Few of their songs are quite this upbeat or positive musically, and the lyrics are interesting because, in them, Tyler uses fairly dark imagery to suggest a positive meaning. Overall, the song’s really something special, especially for Twenty One Pilots to be creating. I think you’re going to like it.
“Fairly Local,” a single from Blurryface, was released last week, and it’s really good. While I’m afraid that it lacks a little bit of the lyrical depth of other Twenty One Pilots songs, the music is intense and interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing whether this is a precursor to a likewise album, or if they released it first because of it’s blood-pumping, energizing feel, and decided to save the even better stuff for later.
