The flow of words in a song captures a listener’s full attention. It may act as a distraction from the message. The lyrics in a song can easily be misunderstood or completely brushed off as pretty rhymes. An important point to remember is that songs are poetry. They should be read with an artistic outlook. This doesn’t mean everyone listening to music has to be a literary genius. It means art is better when you realize its full potential with the most open of minds.

People are capable of thinking so many intricate thoughts. It can be your fresh new hobby. Practice thinking outside of the box. Why not stretch the brain to its fullest potential?

Don’t hold back on investigating simple sentences just because they seem complete. A single word could have many connotations that stay hidden until they are brought to life. Every word has intention. They need to be pieced together like a puzzle.

Is it too sweet, or too sweet?

Take the song “Too Sweet” in the Unheard EP by Hozier. Here is a look at the chorus without the verses.

“I think I'll take my whiskey neat
My coffee black and my bed at three
You're too sweet for me
You're too sweet for me”

The words are like a compliment to the subject of the song. The artist is calling them “too sweet.” Now read the excerpt again. Hozier uses a double-edged sword by finishing the statement with “for me.” The listener processes the above chorus as a standalone thought. They may see this entire chorus as a positive expression.

It can be translated as you’re too good for me. This can be taken in many directions. One version is through the non-artistic eyes which see a subject out of their league. Another meaning lies just under the layer of those words. The same words can be interpreted as “you’re not my type.”

Dig a little deeper

Moments like these are where nuances are overlooked because it’s easier to follow shallow instincts rather than sitting there thinking for another minute.

Today we’ll take the time to change for the better. Describe all the lines on a piece of paper. Make your thoughts different from the original lyrics. The overall feel will give off more impressions. The initial sentiments of a love song might be swept away.

The listeners are led on a flowery journey of no thank yous. We are left with a letter listing all the reasons why the writer would not consider the person as a potential partner unless she changes completely. We can assume people can’t pull a 180-degree change in their personality.

Remember the blue T-shirt

Some strategies for navigating poetry are linked to the ability to think critically. Think back to your high school teacher asking the class about the meaning of the blue t-shirt in the assigned reading. It probably felt like overkill at the time.

Every word can and should be questioned because only so many words make up a song. What can you find out when you’re faced with a blue shirt?

There will be an opportunity for you to explore every avenue available. This journey can be started by identifying points that need to be acknowledged. Maybe something caught your eye during your first read-through of the lyrics. Go back to it for further inspection.

Rally up the words and lines with the slightest potential and expand on their meanings. Put them to the test.

An analytic lens can allow for the exploration of these new perspectives. Ask yourself what the tailor’s story is. Maybe the blue T-shirt has strange stitching that was done by hand. The shirt might fall apart with the slightest touch because it was sown with a broken needle. This sounds inconsequential but it’s all a piece of the bigger picture.

It’s up to you to figure out how what it all means. Compile all this new information to the power of Synthesising. This approach is used to get to the root of things. You want to come up with every possible scenario and find the relation with everything. This is our goal. The final boss is to get the most out of the art we consume. How many blue shirts can you find?

Find the core and learn more. There is a lesson to be found in everyone.

Wayam Essa is a Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. This experience has given her new tools to explore artistic expressions. She enjoys studying lyricism that reaches beyond the surface. With a passion for learning languages and cultures around the world, she created a diverse foundation that elevated her understanding of singing and writing. These lessons continue to follow close behind her thirst to chase meaningful musicality.