Peeking my eyes through the cracks of the fence, encasing me in the dugout, I catch sight of the crowd filling in the seats, the camera crew following each step we take, the innumerable “Go East!” signs accompanied by ecstatic, yet anxious, family members, friends, and strangers; with sweaty palms, weak knees, and heavy arms, I can attest to the association between my distressing once in a lifetime opportunity and Eminem’s. This week, I present rap’s greatest song, “Lose Yourself” by Eminem, a song that aptly prompts relatability to its listeners through raw aggression, admittance, and self-encouragement.

By asking his audience “Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted, in one moment would you capture it, or just let it slip?” Eminem initiates a raw account of the hardships he endured to exemplify the significance of the opportunity he prepares to write about. By beginning with this question, he attempts to humanize his audience by validating its credibility to real life by relating it to the significant opportunities people must either choose to tackle or let dwindle. Of course most people would respond favorably in that they would seize the moment, so Eminem educates them on the consequences that come with it: sweaty palms, weak knees, heavy arms. Is it worth it? To him, of course. On the basis thereof, this song deservingly sits on my list of favorite songs.

Although the mere message of the song is enough to impress me, its relatability to my hyperactive, yet vivacious softball roller coaster ride at 12/13 years old is what makes its meaning so profound. Yes, Eminem’s “one chance” he sings about and the golden opportunity he highlights is a little more intense than my softball experience, my softball experience deems a little more intense than the sports’ experiences of my peers and of most kids that age due to incessant practice, rigorous conditioning, and sacrifice. At 12 or 13 years old, I was lucky enough to play on a little league softball team that had the skills set to win their way to the little league softball world series and while there, win their way to the semi-finals, the game that was broadcasted live on ESPN. Undoubtedly it represents one of the best moments of my life, but also the most nerve racking.

Presenting a serene infusion of soft piano ballads and ghastly hymns, Eminem alludes to the composure one feels while still in denial, prior to the big event. Before my live game, I remember almost hearing this melody he introduces while sitting in the grass with my teammates under a big Oregon tree, picking the dandelions that you make wishes with–carefree. Abruptly, as if showcasing the speed of time, a guitar interrupts with intensity and anxiety as Eminem asks the question I previously mentioned to introduce the opportunity he plans on rapping about, thus resembling the intensity I felt as time raced and i was suddenly on the field with an astronomical amount of people in the stands and watching on television, inducing the great fear I felt. Letting anxiety build, Eminem depicts the significance of his opportunity just before finally speeding it up with a production of more instruments to build up the moment; the transition of the beat coupled by the transition of his words create the dramatic effects often conveyed in movies when the character begins walking and suddenly snaps into a determined sprint, ready to combat some challenge. That scene he allows me to craft in my mind likewise was created in reality–the song’s ability to coincide with my experience elevates its significance as I slowly stepped out of the dugout to present myself shyly to the audience, yet continuing with an explosive sprint to my position as this transition of the song plays out in my mind. Running out to the field, I respond “yes.” In response to his question, my answer is I would choose to capture this moment.

In spite of the 5 minute, 26 second detailing of success driven by hardship, the most meaning stems from the beginning of the song from the tranquil introduction to the building apprehension of fear and exuberance. With his smooth transition from breathlessness and the fear of choking to his refusal to give up emphasizes his imperative message of pushing through conflict to ultimately succeed. Albeit a common message among people who have prospered, Eminem succeeds with “snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity” to again humanize his emotions to convey to his audience that he isn’t indestructible and that although he refuses to give up, his panic and uneasiness still lingers. This tactic and tender admittance of his emotions represents my admiration for the song.

Running out to the field, i felt comforted knowing that despite his unrelenting drive, he endured colossal fear and pressure just as I did. In fact, he admits that if he refused this opportunity, he would just return to his dismal mobile home and go back to the “lab” as he expresses just as if i refused the opportunity, I would be back in New Jersey, a regular softball player starting 8th grade; however, just as Eminem became globally recognized by his unwillingness to quit, I became 3rd in the world and i owe part of that accomplishment to him.

Succeeding the heart-aching ballad, “All Too Well,” that Taylor Swift rawly construed, I precariously present a comparable analysis of another dispirited song by an artist much different, but yet similarly forced to endure the heavyweight of a heart-crushing heartbreak. Today, I will outline the intricacies of Post Malone’s brilliant song, “I Fall Apart,” to convey the innumerable aspects that gift it a position within my top seven favorite songs.

Believe me, not all of my favorite songs are depressing and soul smashing, but you’d have to agree that sentimental elements employ a profound effect on an audience due solely to human nature. For instance, a music artist’s use of rhetoric is most commonly conveyed through an appeal to emotion, or pathos, in hoping that a slight tug on an individual’s heart strings can produce a colossal response. In Post Malone’s case, he fearlessly weaves a short list of what “she” did to permanently damage him; in fact, he even suggests that her actions cut him too deep that he can’t heal, but is scarred rather. In spite of its evident sadness that some people may not to relate to on such a level, he continues to admit his brain’s encompassment of distressing thoughts of their downfall, thus clarifying his relatability to the audience. In doing so, his audience is given the opportunity to deeply sense his heart’s deterioration or they may rather divulge in the mere stress and frustration of having to bear incessant negative thoughts refusing to exit; either way, he prompts feeling. Isn’t that the prime motif of a successful song?

Not only is the song successful based on its sole content, but the contrast between his previous rap hits and “I Fall Apart’s” emotional details ensued surprise in the best possible way. Further, in addition to contrasting content, Malone also surprised his audience with powerful vocals. Although outlining a series of simple sentences in the first verse, including “she told me that i’m not enough” and “she left me with a broken heart,” Malone stretches his vocals to drag out each sentence to add complexity in the midst of simplicity. Additionally, succeeding each “i fall apart” in the chorus, he almost screeches “down to my core” in a painful tone infused with an impressive vocal range in comparison to some of his other rap songs that don’t go very far beyond mere talking.  

Although this breakup anthem doesn’t convey as much meaning as Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” from my previous blog post, his wavering tone between sad and angry creates a greater emotional appeal than solely the lyrics. Defeatedly listing the detrimental effects of their broken relationship and alluding to drinking, Malone creates a pitiful scenario to evoke sadness from the listeners, however, he quickly switches to anger by pairing his former girlfriend with the devil to enhance the reaction he wants from the audience. And while he prevails in making the souls of his audience ache with each word, he ultimately supports each lyric with the soft ballad of an acoustic guitar and intense pumps of some sort of deep beat to accompany the build of his emotions over the course of the heart wrenching song.

In spite of its supreme superiority, I deemed it appropriate to present the intricacies of Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” for my first blog post to juxtapose the presentment of fall ascending this month and Swift’s depiction of fall that commences the heart-wrenching narrative that she delicately, yet powerfully weaves. But, before I boast about maple lattes, autumn air, and fall sweaters, let’s take a look at Swift’s background as a music artist in today’s society.

From the outset of her career, Swift had established a truly common and relatable theme, transcending throughout all of her records: love. More specifically, the following breakup. Due to this unfailing motif that attracted the interests of innumerable people, residing all over the world, Taylor Swift achieved 23 awards in addition to the record-holding title of most billboard music awards to date.

Although succeeding in her career and thriving with her depiction of the impossibility of unrequitable love, her reputation began to alter as a result of criticism from judgmental cynics, urging to beware the serial-dating psychopath, undertaking her duty to lock-in and manipulate her next victim. As menacing and ridiculous as these claims may seem, they likewise became prevalent in regard to Taylor Swift’s reputation. However, unflagging in her efforts to defend not only her honor, but her success thus far, Swift countered these attacks with her single, “Blank Space,” off of her 1989 album in 2014. Characterizing the insanity that the media condemned, Swift showcased an exaggerated portrayal of a girl gone crazy in effect to a breakup, most notably acknowledged by the lyric, “baby i’m a nightmare, dressed like a daydream,” which became almost everyone’s caption on instagram during that time.

In the midst of quarrel, however, fixed the lyrically profound breakup ballad, “All too Well” that focused on a theme uncommon for Swift, thus failing to succumb to the accusing nature critics claimed she employed. Differing from her traditional concept, Taylor Swift details the consequences of memory, while simultaneously pondering the cause of deterioration. In fact, her uncertainty and specific imagery made the song even more heartbreaking than crafting a broken victim of a destructive relationship (although we do appreciate those as well). Initially, Swift comforts us by presenting cold air and the feeling of home; however, the preceding line foreshadows a breakup by her claim of leaving a scarf at the sister’s house and even now, it still remains there. Typically, the song’s connotation would become more negative after this admittance of an abandoned scarf, but it remains sweet…for awhile.

Swift superbly employs the sentimental nature of the beginning of the relationship with drives to upstate New York in autumn intermixed with subtle detail about her boyfriend almost running the red due to his fixation on her. Seamlessly, she creates a new scene about meeting the family, looking through old scrapbooks, and dancing in the refrigerador light at midnight. All the meanwhile, soft melodies similar to folk support her intricate lyrics, almost mimicking the “sweet disposition” of the lover she writes about.

Swift’s vivid depiction allows the audience to experience a movie of great, albeit doomed, love. Following the soft country ballads, derives subtle-rock coupled by a beating climax infused with crescendos meant to surprise the audience. The genius behind this tactic however, is its parallel to the same shock Swift felt at this point in the relationship. She even throws in multiple head bangs during her performance at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards to highlight the intensity of her heartache. Due to her inability to pinpoint the cause of their downfall, she belts “Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much!” to ensue passion and emotion regarding her colossal confusion. With a prolonged “well” at the end of the verse, you assume she’s touched the climax, but thankfully, continues with what may be her best bridge ever. Unstable and heartbroken, she recalls, “Hey, you call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest,” emphasizing the simplicity of the breakup, but the complexity of its aftermath. You think you are already broken at this point, but she ends the bridge with “i’m a crumpled up piece of paper lying here” to convey her damaged state, blaming it on her unceasing memory and emphasizing that fact by belting out 3 “all’s” just to remind her audience once again, that she can’t forget it.

After taking her audience on the destructive ride with her throughout the song, she releases us from her peril to reflect on the damage. Lyrically, she continues to impress us with her specific allusions, for instance, alluding to the immobility of time and relating it to her paralyzed state. Due to the prolonged effect ensued, Swift personally admits to being changed personally in her failed attempts to access her “old self” once again.

Finally, after a rollercoaster of emotions, we finally reach the conclusion that both parties remember it all too well. Ending strongly, Swift alters perspectives by claiming that “he” can’t get rid of her scarf because he recalls the delicacies of their relationship as well. With a saddening comprise, she ends with an “I remember it all too well” to finalize a communal sorrow.