Song Lyrics and Poetry: Student Choice

1. Pick a song that you would like to analyze.

Salt by Bad Suns

2. Paste the song lyrics into the box below:

Stuck inside of the wrong frame

I don't feel attached to this name
My body, I must reclaim
With different eyes and no shame
Try, try to just hear me out
Don't ask why, why
I'm taking this route
It's alright, right?
That's what I tell myself, but I don't know know
So I ran 'til I couldn't & I screamed, until my voice was gone
I believed what I shouldn't have, I don't know why
These memories are nothing to me just salt
Look in the mirror and tell me
What it is like to be free
How do I grasp reality
When I don't have an identity!
Who, who can I look to 'cause I'm not like you, you
And I don't believe in the truth, truth
Because all of my life's built on lies
So I ran 'til I couldn't & I screamed, until my voice was gone
I believed what I shouldn't have, I don't know why
I know what you're implying
I'm trying to get my feet off the ground
I know - I know, I'm trying - I'm trying
These memories are nothing to me just salt!
Stuck inside of the wrong frame,
I don't feel attached to this name
How do I grasp reality

When I don't have an identity!

Who, who can I look to 'cause I'm not like you, you
And I don't believe in the truth, truth
'Cause all of my life's built on lies, uh!
So I ran 'til I couldn't & I screamed, until my voice was gone
I believed what I shouldn't have, I don't know why
Yeah, I ran 'til I couldn't & I screamed, until my voice was gone
I believed what I shouldn't have, I don't know why
(I'm trying to get my feet off the ground)
These memories are nothing to me just salt in the wound
3. Highlight 5 examples of figurative language
above.

4. In the box below, explain why each of

those five is figurative language. Use
complete sentences.

The first and second lines in the song go together and both are figurative
language because they are idioms. Theyre idioms because the speaker can not
literally be stuck inside the wrong frame and attached to a name.
The 10th line is figurative language because it is a hyperbole. The speakers
voice can not literally be gone, it may be hoarse, but not gone forever.
The 12th line is figurative language because it is a metaphor. It is a metaphor
because the speaker is comparing memories to salt.
The 15th line is figurative language because it is an idiom. The speaker can
not literally grasp reality.
The 19th line is figurative language because it is an idiom. It is an idiom
because the speaker could not have literally built their life on lies.
5. Underline diction in the song that helps you
understand the tone above.

6. Italicize diction in the song above that

helps you understand the mood.

7. In the box to the right, write a short

paragraph describing the tone of the author
and its effect on the readers mood by quoting
(and citing) examples.

The tone of the author greatly affects the

mood the reader feels. The words, Stuck,
grasp, and wound, (Bad Suns, Salt.) set
a miserable tone because those words make
it sound like the speaker is not content with
their life and are desperate to make it better.
Therefore, this generates a mood filled with
pity toward the speaker because he/she are
miserable.