Oxymoronic Behavior
Background: Sometimes the lyrics we hear in a song are a little predictable or formulaic. Since many songs are about emotions or people, we can kind of predict which words are going to rhyme with each other to further the song. Since we know how the world works, we can do the same for storylines within our songs. But what if the lyrics conveyed the opposite of what you thought when you turned on the song for the first time? In this blog, we will focus on the use of oxymorons in songs, or phrases that contradict one another, but still are able to tell a good story. The first three that we look at will use the oxymorons in either the verses or the hook/refrain, and the last one we look at will use one in the chorus. Of note: some songs, like James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” simply use opposites. I tried to stay away from that, but as we’ll see in my analysis of “Hand in My Pocket,” feeling conflicting ways often gives the feeling of an oxymoron being used.
“I Started a Joke” by The Bee Gees
Lyrically: This song is full of opposites. “I started a joke, which started the whole world crying.” This is a very powerful way to start off the song. You would think that if someone tells a joke, at least a handful of people would be laughing, at least assuming it wasn’t one of my jokes. But painting the picture of a hapless person, including the opposite of the first verse, when he “started to cry, which started the whole world laughing” (taking joy in his misery the way he once did), and when he “finally died” it started the whole world living. The gut punch is at the end of each verse when he says, “But I didn’t see that the joke was on me.” It shows that sometimes what you intend to do doesn’t always happen, and it can come back and blow up in your face.
Melodically: According to Robin Gibb, the melody to the song was inspired by a propeller on a plane in which they were flying. He used to tell people in interviews that they “accosted the pilot and forced him to land in a field, so they could get it recorded.” Barry dispelled this, but added, “Why ruin a good story?!” The song is written in G major, with the verses using G, Bm, C, and D, and the chorus using Em, Bm, C, G, Bm, Em, Am, and D.
Structurally: The song uses a verse, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse format. The chorus is used to express regret over what happened, as well as karma for the things he once said (falling out of bed), while the verses simply detail what happened, without expressing that remorse.
“I Started a Joke” is linked below.
2. The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel
Lyrically: The song dates back to 1964 and was written by Paul Simon in his bathroom with the lights turned off, as this helped him concentrate better. Though the song itself is an oxymoron, there are still plenty of things you wouldn’t expect, especially out of a folk rock duo: The song begins with the famous line, “Hello, darkness, my old friend,” and we often hear of people who are afraid of the dark, though this may also allude to depression, which the singer has become comfortable enough with to call a friend. Consistent with the title of the song, as part of his dream, he hears “people talking without speaking,” and “people hearing without listening.”
Melodically: The song is written in the key of Ebm. With the capo on the 6th fret, it uses Am, G, Am, F, C, with the F, C pattern played 3 times. Then it goes to C/B, Am, and closes with C, G, and Am. Instrumentally, the song contains acoustic guitar, played by Paul Simon, other guitars, played by Al Gorgoni and Vinnie Bell, bass, played by Joe Mack, and drums, played by Bobby Gregg.
Structurally: The song consists of five verses, but when the vocals go up in the second half of the verses, it gives the song a chorus-like feel.
3. “Hand in My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette
Background: While writing for this blog, I almost immediately thought of this song, another gem from Jagged Little Pill. Then I remembered that I talked about an Alanis song (“You Oughta Know”) in my last blog. And while I don’t like to make a habit of featuring the same artist two blogs in a row, she’s deservedly getting the Fountains of Wayne treatment, because this song fits the category so well.
Lyrically: The verses to this song are filled with oxymorons, for the sake of talking about conflicting emotions that she’s having. While not all of them are perfect opposites (and no, that’s not the least bit ironic), there are as many, if not more, opposites in this song as there are in the earlier discussed “Sound of Silence”. For example, she says, “I’m high but I’m grounded,” “I feel drunk but I’m sober,” “I’m here, but I’m really gone,” “I’m green, but I’m wise,” plus, of course, the visual of having the titular “One hand in my pocket,” (relaxed) and the other hand doing some other activity. Worth noting, she also said she’s, “sad (but she’s) laughing,” so it’s entirely possible she was laughing at Robin Gibb after he started to cry.
Melodically: The intro plays G throughout, while the verses use G, and Gsus4. The chorus uses F, C, G, Gsus4, and G, followed by F, C, D, G, Gsus4, and G. The instrumental uses the intro chords, played through twice. In the last chorus, the last three chords are C, D, and G, which are followed by the intro chord again (G), played through twice. Glen Ballard (the producer and co-writer), also plays guitar, keyboards, and drum machine on the track (seriously, is there anything he can’t do?). The song is written in G major.“Hand in My Pocket” is embedded below
4. “When the Sun Goes Down” by Kenny Chesney
Background: In a previous blog, I talked about “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems,” by Kenny Chesney, written by Casey Beathard. That song helped propel Kenny into escapism songs, and would guide the title track to his next album, as well as two other songs (“Outta Here” and “Old Blue Chair”) on the record.
Lyrically: “When the Sun Goes Down,” unlike the aforementioned “No Shoes,” immediately starts off on the beach, with one’s “suntanned toes ticklin’ the sand” and a “cold drink chillin’ in my right hand.” The oxymoron comes in at the end of the chorus, when he asserts that “Everything gets hotter when the sun goes down.” I was 10 or 11 when this song came out, but still prided myself on picking up on musical things. However, it wasn’t until a few years ago, while listening to the song, that I picked up on just how clever it is. The sun is hot, temperature-wise, so when it goes down, it’ll get colder, but we’ll make it hot, because we know how to have a good time. Maybe it’s subtle, maybe I’m an idiot, or maybe both, but either way, it’s a tremendously clever line.
Melodically: The song uses A, A, A, D, E, and A, D, A in the intro. The verses use A, D, E, which gets repeated 3 times in the verses, while the fourth line uses A, D, A. The instrumental interlude in between verses uses A, D, E, followed by A, D, A. The solo uses A, D, E, A, D, E, and A, D, A, which gets repeated once. The first two choruses after the false ending use A, D, A, D, E, A, D, A, D, E, and A. The last chorus does the same thing, but the last note hit as the song fades is a D. The song as a whole is written in A.
Structurally: The song uses a verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, verse, chorus, chorus, false outro, and a triple chorus to end the song for real. The last three times the choruses are sung are slightly different, and throw in some more oxymorons. And since the sun went down, Uncle Kracker (who’s featured on the track) had to self-burn, by saying, “She thinks Kracker’s sexy when the sun goes down,” and also asserts that “Uncle Kenny’s hotter when the sun goes down.”
In this blog, I wanted to focus on songs that repeatedly used oxymorons throughout the song. Although it only happens once, there is still some poetic merit to not getting bogged down by the oxymoron you used in the first hook. This is the case with Josh Ritter’s “Sawgrass,” which you can listen to down below as well as “When The Sun Goes Down”.
