Reflections on Billboard

The first song I chose to reflect on on the Billboard top 100 is "Down" by Jay Sean and featuring Lil Wayne. This song is featured as number One on the chart. The beginning of the song indicates that the song is written in first point of view perspective with the lyrics "Baby are you down?" The singer, Sean, is after the heart of a girl and wants her to go out with him for the night. The poetic device hyperbole is shown through the lines " So come on and fly with me as we make our great escape." Sean is exaggerating that he wants this girl to drop everything for the night and go out to be with him. He obviously does not literally mean he and she can fly away. A oxymoron is seen through Lil Wayne's lines "I'm a battlefield of love." When one thinks of a battlefield they think fighting, weapons, war, death etc and saying "battlefield of love" is two contrasting ideas that do not normally fit together. Also, Lil Wayne's lyrics " I'm down like the economy" is an example of a simile because he is comparing himself as being "down" for the night like the present economy is suffering today. This song, although containing a famous rapper, is more popish sounding and says a lot of modern American culture. The song is upbeat with lyrics that are repetitive and easy to follow along with. "Down" is definitely a song that is way over played on the radio and a song that people can sing while traveling in their car. Just saying that this song is number One, says that music consumers download, listen, and like this song. Like I said before, the song is upbeat and featuring the major hip hop/rap artist of this time Lil Wayne.
The second song I chose to reflect on is "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. This song is featured as number Nine on the Billboard top 100. This song is written in first point of view perspective. The group expresses through their lyrics "You know that I could use somebody" that everyone in the world needs someone to love and care for. There is an example of assonance in the lines, " Countless lovers undercover of the street." Throughout the entire song, the band stresses that every single person has to be with someone in order to feel complete. This song has themes that have become very popular in modern American culture. The idea that one must find love to be happy is reoccurring in a lot of songs being written today. Success is measured by popularity and this band is becoming quite popular. Not only does America love this song, but many are hoping and many have seen them live in concert.
The last song I chose to reflect on is "You Belong with Me" by Taylor Swift. This song is featured as number Seven on the Billboard top 100. The song is written in first point of view perspective and tells the narrative of Swift trying to get the attention of the boy she loves. There is an example of hyperbole in the lines " And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town." Swift is over emphasizing that this boy has an amazing smile that is so white it could light up her entire town. Throughout the entire song, Swift repeats over and over again that this boy belongs with her over the snobby, high maitenence, and popular girl. This generation loves popish sounding songs involving teenage romance. Many of Swift's songs are about this topic, and that is why she is so popular and successful in the music business. Many kids want to be able to relate to a song to listen to over and over again and her songs are just that.