The song that I chose to talk about today, is called "Chandelier" by Sia. This song's meter is quadruple/ it is in 4. Before any of the music starts the song has a hum to it that sounds like a amp, then there is a quick drum role and the singing starts. With the singing there is only drums and snapping allowing for the singer to be more prominent so that we pay more attention to the words. Then there seems too be a very light synth in the background during the second verse. Then as she starts counting the music starts to get louder, relaying the feel of the song and the idea of the party getting louder. During the chorus everything get louder, more instruments are added in and the singer gets louder with the instruments with the background singers accentuating the words. The loudness directly parallels the words suggesting that the person is going to go crazy and swing from the chandelier. As the singer says "But I'm ho,ding on for dear life..." she get a bit quieter while the instruments remain loud suggesting the feeling of being drowned out by the alchoholism. Then like in the beginning of the song everything gets quiet again and we are able to feel the shame that the singer has about her problem, and we are able to sense the pattern of the 'lifestyle' that she is singing about. The singer seems to be suggesting that she is in a vicious cycle and is unable to escape, that she must "live like tomorrow doesn't exist" but she is also "just holding on for tonight". The music really accentuates this because it keeps a steady cycle throughout and does not change too much.
I also think that the music video for this song adds greatly to the message that she is trying to get across especially at 2:58 when the dancer seems to be drowning and is having trouble getting back up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vjPBrBU-TM
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/sia/chandelier.html
Julia great song choice! I agree with your statement about how the singer is in a constant cycle that never changes. I feel that this song definitely connects to the singer on a personal level. It looks as though she has problems and insecurities that cause her to drink excessively. When she is drunk, she is in another state of mind where she can't feel any pain. The message about her swinging from a chandelier could express her feelings about not caring about her decisions. Obviously, hanging from a chandelier is a dangerous act, but even if she falls the pain will be numbed by her drunken state. Drinking alcohol all the time is the artist's escape method, where she can "fly like the birds in the sky", or just be free. Regardless of what happens, she'll wake up the next morning feeling shame full, yet willing to drink again. Just like any alcoholic, their addiction makes it hard for them to break the bad cycle their caught up in.
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