Close Read Essay: Prep

Sometimes, it's not until a piece of art is examined in fine detail that new meanings arise. When cultural context, the artist's intentions, even your own prior knowledge, are set aside, a new way of "seeing" art can emerge. This is the purpose of a close reading, sometimes called an explication. Next week, you will conduct a close reading of a song in class. Specifically, you will conduct a close reading of a song by a female singer-songwriter. The goal is to delve deeply into this song in hopes of uncovering new ways to understand it. You will have wide latitude in how you choose to engage it. You may look at the function of the song as a whole or highlight its minute details—just as one might do a close reading of the whole of Michelangelo's Mona Lisa or consider only the hands.) As always, ground your analysis in a strong thesis, supported by evidence from the song.

Below is a list of 20 songs from various genres of music. Choose one, then bring an annotated copy of your song's lyrics to class next Tuesday (Sec. 86) or Wednesday (Sec. 03 & 23).

1. "Ode to Billie Joe" (Performed by Bobbie Gentry; Music and lyrics by Bobbie Gentry)
2. "Doll Parts" (Performed by Hole; Music and lyrics by Courtney Love)
3. "Jolene" (Performed by Dolly Parton; Music and lyrics by Dolly Parton)
4. "Stand By Your Man" (Performed by Tammy Wynette; Music and lyrics by Tammy Wynette and Billy Sherrill)
5. "Royals" (Performed by Lorde; Music and lyrics by Lorde and Joel Little)
6. "Like a Star" (Performed by Corinne Bailey Rae; Music and Lyrics by Corinne Bailey Rae)
7. "Both Sides Now" (Performed by Joni Mitchell; Music and lyrics by Joni Mitchell)
8. "Caramel" (Performed by Suzanne Vega; Music and Lyrics by Suzanne Vega)
9. "Rolling in the Deep" (Performed by Adele; Music and Lyrics by Adele and Paul Epworth)
10. "Slow" (Performed by Rumer; Music and lyrics by Rumer)
11. "Jezebel" (Performed by Sade; Music and lyrics by Sade Adu and Stuart Matthewman)
12. "Fast Car" (Performed by Tracy Chapman; Music and lyrics by Tracy Chapman)
13. "I'd Love to Kill You" (Performed by Katie Melua; Music and lyrics by Katie Melua and Ben Chapman)
14. "This Woman's Work" (Performed by Kate Bush; Music and lyrics by Kate Bush)
15. "Time After Time," (Performed by Cyndi Lauper; Music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman)
16. "Constant Craving" (Performed by k.d. lang; Music and lyrics by k.d. lang and Ben Mink)
17. "What's the Matter Here?" (Performed by 10.000 Maniacs; Music and lyrics by Natalie Merchant and Robert Buck)
18. "Waterfalls" (Performed by TLC; Music and lyrics by Marqueze Etheridge and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes)
19. "Wedding Song," (Performed by Anais Mitchell; Music and lyrics by Anais Mitchell)
20. "So Far Away" (Performed by Carol King; Music and lyrics by Carol King)