Sal Messina English 200 Christine Olding November 5th, 2013 Rhetorical Analysis: An Exploration of Ones self Four

Year Strong, a punk rock band from 2001 and Queen, practically a household name, both have been through the struggles of the music industry. But how can both of these bands be related if they are more then 30 years apart? Both of these bands have produced songs that are more connected than may be perceived at first glance. The exploration of ones self has allowed musicians to explore the meaning of what it means to be human and how we interact with the world that surrounds us. Queen, formed in 1971 in London, England, started as a pop/rock band. With Brain May on guitar, Freddie Mercury on vocals, John Deacon on base, and Roger Taylor on drums, the band had carved out their own niche in Britains rock culture. Being heavily influenced by David Bowie and Led Zeppelin, Queen had incorporated a combination of glam and rock into their music performances. Debuting in 1975 on Queens A Night at the Opera Album, Bohemian Rhapsody rose to the top of the charts. More specifically, Bohemian Rhapsody had used themes like opera and symphonic sounds in their hit. By expanding their sound, they had expanded their fan base. Queen is notably one of the most influential bands of their time because of their ability to challenge critic reviews at the time and gain a household name. Four Year Strong, formed in 2001 in Worcester, Massachusetts, as a pop punk band. Taking influence from bands like Lifetime, Gorilla Biscuits, and New Found

Glory, Four Year Strong built an aggressive and melody-riddled combination of hardcore, emo-pop, and pop-punk (All Music). Members of the band include Dan OConnor on vocals and guitar, Alan Day on base, Joe Weiss on drums and Jake Massucco on the synthesizer. In 2011 Four Year Strong, FYS debuted their newest album, In Some Way, Shape or Form, on which the song Stuck in the Middle was released. Criticized for their straight-faced, more serious version of the band still knows how to crank out some solid songs, but it would seem that, in maturing, FYS have lost their way (All Music). As we all grow up, we mature and our priorities change. Both bands have expressed the exploration of ones self and the use of the art of lyrics and song to express themselves. Lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury of Queen had set the image the band will portray for rest of its days. With his exotic and theatrical stage performances it was not a huge shock to the modern people of the 21st century of Freddies sexual orientation. But to the people of the 20th century, Freddies death of AIDS came as a shock wave to many. Freddies exploration of ones self and his sexual orientation is a great example of his ability to progress and grow as a human. Just like Freddie, Queen experimented and grew as a band throughout their time together. Showing this growth in Bohemian Rhapsody, the use of opera and the sound of a full symphony can be heard throughout the song. Representing themselves as a young boy who has reached his wits end, they have shown their authority by backing up their claim with emotional appeal and lyrical proof. In the third verse the lyrics go, Pulled my trigger, now hes dead, Mama, life had just begun, But now Ive gone and thrown it all away(Queen). These lyrics feed into the mental thought process that occurs after killing another person, not an easy task for any moral

person. Although this doesnt make Queen credible on first hand experience, they do an excellent job envisioning the scenario. By appealing to the emptions of death, Queen is able to connect with the audience, as we all experience death in our lives and learn to cope with it. As the listeners try work through Queen lyrics, they are overcome with emotion. The tone of the music can be described as slow and extremely melancholic. Queen uses their instrumentation as a way to lull their listeners into a sense of security and then lets their lyrics strike the full attention of the listener. Allowing the lyrics to digest within the listener only furthers their understanding as they continue to listen. Queens values are based on those of society, although they sing about the killing of a man, they feel remorse and regret. The audience does not know the events that led up to killing of this man, so they cannot judge the action they not only seen. Queen preys on the emotions that are evoked on the infringement of morals. Appealing to logic, Queen use supporting evidence to help further their point. This evidence can be seen within Queens lyrics and performances, both on stage and within their music videos. The claims made in Bohemian Rhapsody are unclear and not specific, but the growth of ones self is evident. This can be proven by the story told within the song, as the man journeys through life and ultimately death. Bohemian Rhapsody shows the progression of life and a higher understanding of the value of life. Representing themselves in Stuck in the Middle, Four Year Strong has introduced the idea of fighting off all your person demons. By making this statement in the first verse of the song FYS, put their fears out in the open for everyone to see. Being the authority on this subject of self-exploration, they are made credible through their

lyrics. This is evident in the lyrics, I wrap myself in cellophane, to blend in to the streets (FYS), and the band feels that they are the outcasts in society. They feel that in order to fit into society they must conform to everyone else. Stuck in the Middle is telling the world that it is okay to be different. It is this idea that allows FYS to make that connection to its listeners. Anyone who listens to the lyrics can instantly feel the liberating sensation that is being driven with the rest of the music. Striking the emotion of carpe diem and living for yourself, Four Year Strong has always been that band to break the social norms. By using a tone that ranges from normal singing style to a gnarly growl; Four Year Strong is able to stress certain lyrics. By being able to change the style of the singing the band is able have a different tone for each topic they may choose to sing about, making them very diverse. Four Year Strong is able to make this claim of anti-conformity on the argument that everyone is different and we cannot be a cookie cutter society. They assume that their audience agrees with them because no one wants to be forced to be something they are not, which would go against human nature. The vocal representation adds to the meaning of the song lyrics because depending on how they choose to present the lyrics affects how they are received. If the lyrics are harsh and loud they can be perceived as important, so the band chooses to show them in a different way. Just as any singer chooses the style of the lyrics, FYS has chosen a different way to present theirs. Logically, the claims made by FYS can be interpreted many ways. There are many factors that go into determining the logic behind the songs meaning. By combining the presentation of lyrics, tone and style, the song could have a totally different meaning. By having a story line structure to the song the band furthers its logical approach to what

they are trying to say. After listening to the song, it is clear that the band wants to break free from societys norms. Although, this is what FYS is all about breaking free and exploring ones self. Both bands use the ideas of pathos and ethos to build the bridge between their music and the audience. Striking emotion in a different way than Queen, Four Year Strong uses the presentation of lyrics as the driving force behind their meaning, where as, Queen, just uses the lyrics and their meaning to connect with their audience. Presentation of each bands style and sound is completely different but what they are singing about is similar, which truly makes music a timeless thing. Being from two totally different generations, Queen and Four Year Strong are both bands that have tried to express the exploration of ones self through song. Each doing it different from the other, they still have a striking similarity in a way that is trying to convey a message. It does not matter, whether it is 1971 or 2011, people are always looking to express themselves and what better way then the power of music.

Works Cited

Apar, Corey. "AllMusic." AllMusic. All Music, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.