Louisiana State University Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus Essay

With this assignment, we will do something similar, but take it a step further with our thesis and add an interpretation of a song along with connecting to an outside issue/event and personal connection. But make sure that your interpretation is not obvious. And DO NOT LOOK UP THE BAND’S THOUGHTS AND JUST TELL ME THOSE. The idea here is to come up with YOUR OWN interpretation, so don’t talk about music videos or band interviews etc. Also, make sure that you only talk about one idea per paragraph. So don’t talk about song and personal connection in the same paragraph or research and personal connection in the same paragraph. Each paragraph should be it’s own idea.

What should you NOT do for this paper? Don’t give me a super obvious meaning of a song. Like Tupac’s “Dear Mama” and talk about how he loves his mom like you love your mom. Take it further than that and give more than just what the artist may want you to think. For example, the song “Tonight We Are Young” by the band Fun. It is set up as a sort of YOLO anthem. A 21st century “gather ye rosebuds” type song. The intended meaning being something along the lines of “we should party like crazy and enjoy our youth”.

But an alternative reading of this could be of a sexual predator, planning an assault. “Tonight, we are young, so let’s set the world on fire” it states, implying that they should party hard while it lasts. He also talks about getting his “story straight” and then offers to carry [her] home when “it’s late” and she “feels like falling down”, presumably drunk. It is easy to make an argument for him being a sexual predator.  This is not what the author of the song intends, I assume, but you see how the argument can be made. Then you would connect this to an outside issue/event like Domestic violence or sexual assault on campus or acquaintance rape and then to you personally in some way.

You will include a copy of your lyrics for this song.