The following piece of
writing will analyze the meaning of the lyrics in the song “Wish you were here”
by Pink Floyd, as well the way the author includes figurative language to make
the song significant.
In the song , the main
theme is someone that the author would like to be with. The tone is nostalgic.
The song’s tone is mainly defined by the way Pink Floyd performs the song. The
70s band give a special mood to this song which we could consider a poem by
incorporating the blowing of the wind in the song.
We can observe various
examples of figurative language in this song. First, the author introduces the
song with a few antithesis to explain the way he feels with that someone
missing. For example: “So, So you think you think you can tell Heaven from Hell”,
the author in comparing Heaven, the way he feels when he has that, with an
opposite Hell which makes allusion to the way he feels without that. Then, the
author includes several rhetorical questions to note the way he feels without
that person. Like we can see on this quote “Can you tell a green field from a
cold steel rain?”, the author is noting that the difference between a green
field and a cold steel rain is the same as being with or without that person. Finally,
the whole song is a hyperbole because it exaggerates the fact of not being with
that person.
The lyrics of the song
express a feeling of inadequacy, that is a consequence of being away from that
person, nevertheless the way the band plays the music is without a doubt what
makes this song be such a meaningful piece of art. Perhaps that is why most of
this song is instrumental.
In conclusion, figurative
language is present in different types of artwork other than literature. We can
also determine that figurative language helps authors give a tone and a mood to
a piece of art.
