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Schule > Englisch > Ausarbeitungen, Interpretationen und Zusammenfassungen > Analysis-Cat Stevens "If you want to sing out, sing out"

If you want to sing out,sing out - Song by Cat Stevens, Analysis

"If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out is a song by Cat Stevens. It first appeared 1971 in the film Harold and Maude. The lyrics were written by Cat Stevens himself. The genre of music is between folk rock and pop rock. The song was released in December 1984. The message of the song is to make your dreams come true, because it is not just possible but easy.
Cat Stevens is now called Ysuf Islam since he converted to the Islamic religion 1977 .

The song can be divided in three stanzas with two chorus and at the end of the song there is a line repeated four times. There is no orderly rhyme scheme recognisable, but nevertheless there are some rhymes in this song. Every stanza has its rhymes in the middle, similar to the embracing rhyme, abbc " sing out (a) - be free (b) - to be (b) - there are (c) (ll. 1-4). In the refrain you can find rhyming couplets "way (a) - today (a) - true (b) - undo (b) (ll. 11-14). In the other lines we have free verses, especially in the refrain. The first stanza appears again at the end of the song and the line "You know that there are (l. 38) is repeated quadruply (cf. ll. 39-42) and after every stanza as well. The stanza is made up of four lines and the refrain up of nine.
Here we can see that even if you just look at the structure you notice that the song is very easy and short as well. There are rhymes but not always, so your life should not be that ordered as well and of course just simple. If you want to have a rhyme, then find one - if not, then leave it alone. It is Cat Steven's song, he decide, it is your life, so you decide. Do not make your live perfect and suitable.
The choice of instruments is simple as well - only a piano and a guitar. It is easy to play because the music is nearly the same all the time except for the chorus, there it changes but you still can hear the same musical score. Here we have a leitmotif, a part of the music we hear all the time.
We can conclude from that that the music should be remembered. The memorable structure and now the music makes this song catchy and we will listen to it over and over.
Generally, there are plenty repetitions. For example at the end of the first two lines in the stanzas the last words are repeated "sing out, sing out - be free, be free (ll. 1,2). There are anaphoras " and if..- and if../ you can..- you can.. (ll. 5,6 / 12,13 ). The stanzas consists almost completely of parallelisms "Well, if you want to sing out, sing out - And if you want to be free, be free (ll. 1,2). Also this last phrase " You know that there are (ll. 4,8,21,25,38-42) is repeated again and again through the song.
These repetitions make us feel that everything is possible. If you want to do that, then do it. First it says what you maybe want to do but it put the emphasis on the second part. Although it has the same content it means something different. It is the part where the singer says "just do it. Not only wanting something but really to suit the action to the word. The anaphoras shows us how many "ands there are and that life is full of undiscovered possibilities. The song signifies with the recurring " You know that there are (l. 4) phrase that we already know it but we do not want to admit it because we are afraid of everything new and maybe it is time to have the courage to try something new.
As opposed to this there are contrasts and antithesis. We can live high but also low, that is an antitheses and a contrast (cf. ll 5,6). We also can say yes or no and this is an antithesis as well (cf. Ll 18,19). Here the song shows us again how many opportunities our world has. There is a lot to discover and if you do not like this one - than take the other one. We should not fall into despair if something does not work but rather try something different until we are pleased. The world is full of opposites and everyone can attain happiness.
This " You know that there are (l. 4) phrase or the "live low(l.6) part sounds better because of the use of an alliteration and it is easier to keep this phrase in mind as well. " It's easy (l. 33) sounds also soft and really easy because of the consonance.
The addressee in this song is obvious, we - the listeners - are the addressees. In every line there is the word "you (l. 1 ff). Even though many people are listening only you feel personally addressed. That gives us the feeling that just we can decide about ourselves and especially "You can do everything, not we altogether.
The song contains many imperatives. If something is in the imperative it is absolutely necessary or required and also something that demands attention. It is like an order: Not just listen but do it! Start straight away and do not think about it.
There is a hyperbole in the song for five times and it always starts with "million "million things to be / million ways to go / million things to do (ll. 3,7,20,24,37). Cat Stevens could choose every number but he choose a big one and nobody would count so far. All our opportunities are limitless, it is not only that we can do what we want to also there are a lot of things to do. There are boundless options and we have the freedom of choice.
The language is rather colloquial than formal especially because of the " 'cause (l. 3) and "well (l. 1) . The song is written in a every day language with a simple syntax without full stops. Everyone is able to understand the song and its message. It is addressed to the whole world and even if you are learning English just for a few years you will understand the song without any problems. The song is simple and life should be simple as well.
To sum up, one could say that Cat Stevens made a catchy song that makes everyone feel happy and although it is an ordinary song it still makes you think about your future and helps you not to despair because you are able to do everything and the world is full of opportunities.

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