ISSN: 2302-920X

Jurnal Humanis, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Unud

Vol 17.2 Nopember 2016: 203 - 208

The Analysis Of Intrinsic Elements Of Song Lyric “Things Will Get Better” By Agnez Mo

Putu Adhitya Dhananjaya1*, Made Budiarsa2, I Nyoman Tri Ediwan3 123English Department, Faculty of Arts, Udayana University 1[[email protected]] 2[[email protected]]

3

3[[email protected]]

Corresponding Author

Abstrak

Tulisan yang berjudul The Analysis Of Intrinsic Elements in Song Lyric “Things Will Get Better” By Agnez Mo ini difokuskan pada analisa unsur-unsur intrinsik dan pesan yang terdapat di dalam lirik lagu “Things Will Get Better”

Studi ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dan metode deskripsi. Data yang digunakan dalam studi ini berupa lirik lagu dari Agnez Mo. Teori yang digunakan untuk menganalisa data adalah teori dari Smith (1985) dalam buku “Inside Poetry”, Warren dan Wellek (1956) dalam buku “Theory of Literature”, serta Knickerbocker dan Williard Reninger (1963) dalam buku “Interpreting Literature”.

Temuan dari studi ini menunjukan bahwa terdapat unsur-unsur intrinsik dalam lirik lagu yaitu 3 aliterasi, 2 jenis Bahasa kiasan (kiasan dan personifikasi), diksi dan symbol. Dalam menganalisa arti lirik lagu, lirik lagu ini memiliki arti cinta yang penuh pengharapan dan perjuangan. Pesan yang terdapat dalam lirik lagu ini adalah usaha tidak akan mengkhianati hasil, tetapi kepercayaan dan saling memaafkan dalam suatu hubungan adalah kunci atau cara agar hubungan yang dijalin akan baik-baik saja.

Keyword: unsur intrinsic, lirik

  • 1.    Background of the Study

Lyric is words in a song. The meaning of lyric can be implicit or explicit, and sometimes lyric has abstract meaning which is hard to understand. The analysis and understanding of what song lyric is about depends on how people could make interpretation. People may guess the typical or the character of the writer of the recorded text. By knowing the character of the song writer, it helps us understand the lyric of the song, even though it is not as perfect as what we really want.

Agnes Monica, known by her stage name AGNEZ MO (now) is an Indonesian singer and actress. Her song Things Will Get Better was chosen because the lyric seems

so touchy and appears personal meaning and message while listening through the song. And for some people, they only know that the song is a love ballad song and sung in piano acoustic arrangement by only listening repeatedly the song without knowing and exploring what are the exact story and experience behind that made Agnez create this song. To know the exact meaning, message and experience of this song, we need to analyze the intrinsic elements found in this song lyric.

  • 2.    Problems

Referring to the background illustrated previously, two research questions are the focus of the current study:

  • a)    What are the intrinsic elements found the song lyric?

  • b)    What message does the author want to convey in the song lyric?

  • 3.    Aims

  • a)    To persuade the reader and listener that this song has intrinsic element which can make it has aesthetic value and easy listening

  • b)    To tell the reader that the song “Things Will Get Better” is not only about love song but also about struggle and forgiveness.

  • 4.    Research Method

The primary data in this undergraduate paper was a song lyric from Agnez Mo entitled “Things Will Get Better”. The song was written and produced by Agnez Mo itself in the middle of 2013. The method and technique used to collect data were the documentation method. The data in this study were analyzed qualitatively and descriptively based on the theories applied. The theories were proposed by Smith (1985), Wellek and Warren (1956), and Knickerbocker and Reninger (1963)

  • 5.    Result and Discussion

This part deals with the result and the discussion of the data.

  • (a)    Sound Pattern

  • 1.    Alliteration

I'm the one that's always been here

The word “the” and “that’s” have the same consonant pronunciation ‘th’ in the beginning of the word.

Every step seems just a lil better

The repetition of the sound ‘s’ also completes the harmony of the lyric in the third stanza, line one.

Your mistakes don't really seem to matter

In the third stanza, line two, the words ‘mistakes’ and ‘matter’ have the same pronunciation ‘m’ in the beginning of the word.

  • (b)    Diction

  • 1.    The word ‘brave’ in “...brave the tide” was the chosen word.. (1st stanza)

  • 2.    The word ‘lil’ in third stanza, line one was chosen to create different standard language in the lyrics. (3rd stanza)

  • 3.    The words ‘work it out’ in the fourth stanza, line two were chosen by the writer to mention that we can fix all our problems in relationship. (4th stanza)

  • 4.    The words ‘broken glass’ in the fifth stanza, line two were chosen by the writer to function as a symbol and to make personification.

  • 5.    The word ‘face’ in sixth stanza, line one was chosen by the writer to have similar meaning to ‘pass’ and ‘deal with’.

  • (c)    Symbol

  • 1.    And brave the tide (line three of the first stanza)

‘Tide’ can be taken as a symbol of human life; sadness, sickness, bitterness

  • 2.    The mirrorʼs never been so clear (line one of the fifth stanza) ‘Mirror’ is a symbol of non human being

  • 3.    Every shadow like a broken glass (line two of the fifth stanza) ‘Shadow’ is a symbol of human circumstance, better or worse.

‘Broken glass’ is a symbol of non-living thing

  • (d)    Figurative Language

  • 1.    Simile

ʻevery shadow like a broken glassʼ. This sentence was used to compare two things that have similarity, between shadow and broken glass. By using simile, the writer tried to explore the diction and compare it with something which increases the deepest meaning.

  • 2.    Personification

The 1st stanza : ‘ I’m ‘ is a subject of or belonging to Agnezmo itself who has written this song. Agnez wrote this song and the lyric based on her true story and she wanted to tell to her fans and the listener that this song was her true story. ‘Brave’ is one of human’s behaviors, which means to head up, tough, strong to face and deal with the bitterness of life. ‘Tide’ which means to wave, however, in this song lyric ‘Tide’ itself can be assumed as human problem in life.

The 5th stanza: ‘Shadow’ is an activity that can be done by human being. In this case, ‘shadow’ can be assumed as human circumstances which mean sadness.

  • (e)    Meaning and Message

  • 1.    The meaning of the song lyric

The meaning of the song lyric Things Will Get Better described by Agnez Mo is the bitterness, unhappy situation in love relationship. Agnez Mo tells in the lyric that she keeps fighting and stand up for her love with her boyfriend. Whatever happened in the past, even the problems always smashed them down and broke everything, she believes that she can make it up and rebuild the new chapter of the relationship with the same person if they get each other to face it all.

  • 2.    The message

The message of the song lyric Things Will Get Better is that Agnez Mo wants to convey and reveals as if we found and got some crucial problems in our relationship, we have to face it together instead of go away. Problems should be solved and faced, even it is going to take a little bit longer time, just believe in ourselves it will be fine if we take it together. Effort will not betray the results, the faithfulness and forgiveness in love is the key that the things will get better.

  • 6.    Conclusion

According to the data analysis above, it can be concluded that the song lyric Things Will Get Better by Agnez Mo presented the sound pattern (alliteration), diction, symbol, figurative language (simile and personification), meaning and message. The figurative language and diction that is found has its own meaning. The message that we 207

get from the song lyric is if we find and get some crucial problems in our relationship, we have to face it together instead of go away. Problems should be solved and faced, even it is going to take a little bit longer time, just believe in ourselves it will be fine if we take it together. Effort will not betray the results, the faithfulness and forgiveness in love is the key that the things will get better.

Mostly, the chosen words that she used in the song lyric are not complicated yet simply words that hopefully the listeners and the reader can get the message and the meaning easily. From the analysis of the meaning, we can conclude that the song lyric Things Will Get Better has meaning of struggling in love and love in full expectation.

  • 7.    Bibliography

Agnez Mo. 2013. Things Will Get Better lyric. Available from : www.azlyrics.com

Knickerbocker, K.L.& Reninger, H.W. (1963). Interpreting Literature. United States of America: Holt, Renehart and Winston, Inc

Smith, S. (1985). Inside Poetry. Kyodo Shing Loong Printing Industries, Singapore.

Wellek, R. and Warren, A. (1956). Theory of Literature. Harcourt, Brace & World Inc, New York.

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