Songs with Social Relevance

Unwritten ~ Natasha Bedingfield

This song is about going for your dreams and not letting other people dictate how to live your life. This is socially relevant because this is something everyone can relate to, and it is a positive message: be yourself. The song is really just about living and loving life, and doing so in your own way. This is shown in lyrics such as "Life your life with arms wide open" and "No one else can feel it for you/Only you can let it in." Sometimes in our society today, people are afraid to be their selves for whatever reason, and this is the perfect empowerment song to encourage all people to not be afraid to just be themselves.
The title of this song, "Unwritten," refers to the singer's "book" being "unwritten." Basically, she is saying that she still has life left to live, and she can write her book however she wants. She also tells the listeners that this is true for them as well: "Today is where your book begins." At the beginning, she also says, "I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined." This means taht she "marches to the beat of her own drum"; she is her own person and won't let other people write her life for her.

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Imagine ~ John Lennon

John Lennon may have written "Imagine" in 1971, while America was in the midst of the Vietnam War, but its message is still just as socially relevant today. "Imagine" is not a complex song to understand, it is simply telling listeners to just imagine what life would be like in a peaceful, non-troubled world. Lennon tells us to imagine what life would be like without warring countries, fighting religions, greedy people, hungry people, and everyone living as one. The main message of the song is especially shown in the lyrics at the end of each verse: "Imagine all the people" and then "Living for today" (1st verse), "Living life in peace" (2nd verse), and "Sharing all the world" (3rd verse).
In the chorus, Lennon adresses the fact that his vision of the ideal world may not come true right away ("You may say I'm a dreamer"), but he is holding out hope that it will happen someday ("I hope someday you'll join us"). Today, almost 40 years later, it still has not happened, but that is what makes the song still very relevant in our society today. In fact, America is again in another not-very-widely-supported war, just like Vietnam was. The song is just as relevant today as it was back when Lennon was alive and peforming this song.

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Stupid Girls ~ Pink

Pink's "Stupid Girls" may not be about quite as weighty an issue as world peace, but it is still very relevant in today's society. "Stupid Girls" is about how sometimes girls feel as if they have to be stereotypical "girly-girls" who don't care about anything except looks, being skinny, and getting guys. The singer is afraid that there isn't going to be enough "outcasts and girls with ambition" left, and she is upset that there aren't enough girls left that aspire to be the next president, that care about the issues the world faces, that are actually smart.
Throughout the song, Pink keeps repeating that she doesn't want to be one of the "stupid girls," but she also says that maybe she should "flip her blond her back," etc., like they do, then "maybe that guy will call [her] back." Perhaps with this she is saying that other girls face this same decision, but unfortunately, some end up going the route of becoming one of the "stupid girls." This song is relevant because the fact is that there are girls like that out there (in particular some of the famous ones), and society does put pressures on girls to be thin, to be conventionally attractive, etc.

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The World in 6 Songs

The six kinds of songs (from The World in Six Songs) are friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion, and love.

Friendship:
Lean on Me ~ Bill Withers

This song is about being a friend to someone. The singer is telling another person, who is sad and troubled, that they can "lean on" him for support. The singer will always be a true friend to the other person by being there when he/she needs it. He also says, that someday, the roles might be reversed, and he might need someone to lean on. He would have that in his friend.

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Joy:
Walkin' On Sunshine ~ Katrina and the Waves

This song is about the joy that love and life bring. The chorus frequently repeats, "I'm walking on sunshine...and don't it feel good!" "Walking on sunshine" is an metaphor (that also uses imagery) for being happy. Sunshine usually has a positive, happy connotation, and this song uses that to its fullest. In its essence, this song is really just about being happy.

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Comfort:
Let It Be ~ The Beatles

This song is about letting your hardships be in order to get through them. While the song is kind of sad, because it may remind you of troubles, it is also very comforting and uplifting because it inspires you to just "let it be." The singer of the song is comforted by "Mother Mary...speaking words of wisdom," and the listener is in turn comforted by the song.

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Knowledge:
How to Save A Life ~ The Fray

In this song, the singer is telling the listener "how to save a life." This is a knowledge song because it transmits this knowledge. While the song does not necessarily tell how to save a life in the literal sense, it does tell of a person who is trying to say how he tried to help his friend, but couldn't, and is now trying to describe that to the listener so that maybe they can use that knowledge in the future to save their friend's life.

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Religion:
Angel ~ Sarah Mclachlan

This song can be interpreted in different ways, such as about dying of a drug overdose, or maybe someone who was depressed and committed suicide, but one thing that it is definitely about is that person being "in the arms of an angel." This is where the religious or spiritual aspect comes in, because angels are very spiritual (in a positive way). This person may have had a lot of struggles, but now they are in heaven with the angels.

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Love:
I'm Yours ~ Jason Mraz

This song is simply about being in love. One of the lines says "look into your heart and you'll find love, love, love." I think this line sums up the song and love in general. Another line that I think serves this same purpose is "It's out God-forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved." It's really just about the beauty and joy of being in love.

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Pun

Funhouse ~ P!nk

In this song P!nk uses a pun on the lyrics "This used to be a funhouse/But now its full of evil clowns." The word "funhouse" is a pun because it can be taken literally as a funhouse, like at a carnival, or as a "fun house," meaning things used to be good or fun, but now they aren't.

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Breakeven ~ The Script

In this song a pun is used in the line "When a heart breaks, no it don't break even." The word "breakeven" or "break even" is a pun because it can be interpreted as the heart is not breaking evenly, or that there is no "breakeven" point in the break-up.

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Euphemism

Take A Bow ~ Rihanna
While some parts of this song are rather rude, there are some euphemisms in it as well. For instance, "take a bow" is a nicer way of saying something like "get lost" or just "leave." In addition "that was quite a show, very entertaining" is a more polite (albeit sarcastic) way of saying what could be said there.
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Love Drunk ~ Boys Like Girls
The main euphemism in this song is "I used to be love drunk/But now I'm hungover." This is a nicer way of saying, "I used to love you, but now I don't. Sorry." Or something like that. "I'll love you forever/Forever is over" is another way to say the same thing without sounding so blunt/rude.
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