Stylistics Analysis of a song

Stylistics

Analysis of a song

Assignment:

2

Submitted by:

Amna Khalid

Semester:

5

Department:

English (Masters)

Submitted to:

Madam Qamar Kushi

Submitted on:

8. April.2011

 

Baby Baby by Justin Bieber

Ohh wooaah

Ohh wooaah

Ohh wooaah

You know you love me, I know you care

Just shout whenever, and I'll be there

You are my love, you are my heart

And we will never, ever, ever be apart

Are we an item? Girl, quit playin'

"We're just friends," what are you sayin'?

Said "there's another," and looked right in my eyes

My first love broke my heart for the first time

And I was like baby, baby, baby, oh

Like baby, baby, baby, no

Like baby, baby, baby, oh

I thought you'd always be mine, mine

Baby, baby, baby, oh

Like baby, baby, baby, no

Like baby, baby, baby, oh

I thought you'd always be mine, mine

For you, I would have done whatever

And I just can't believe we're here together

And I wanna play it cool, but I'm losin' you

I'll buy you anything, I'll buy you any ring

And I'm in pieces, baby fix me

And just shake me 'til you wake me from this bad dream

I'm goin' down, down, down, down

And I just can't believe my first love won't be around

And I'm like baby, baby, baby, oh

Like baby, baby, baby, no

Like baby, baby, baby, oh

I thought you'd always be mine, mine

Baby, baby, baby, oh

Like baby, baby, baby, no

Like baby, baby, baby, oh

I thought you'd always be mine, mine

When I was 13, I had my first love

There was nobody that compared to my baby

And nobody came between us who could ever come above

She had me going crazy, oh I was starstruck

She woke me up daily, don't need no Starbucks

She made my heart pound

I skip a beat when I see her in the street

And at school on the playground

But I really wanna see her on a weekend

She know she got me dazin' 'cause she was so amazin'

And now my heart is breakin' but I just keep on sayin'

Baby, baby, baby, oh

Like baby, baby, baby, no

Like baby, baby, baby, oh

I thought you'd always be mine, mine

Baby, baby, baby, oh

Like baby, baby, baby, no

Like baby, baby, baby, oh

I thought you'd always be mine, mine

I'm all gone

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Now I'm all gone

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Now I'm all gone

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Now I'm all gone, gone, gone, gone

I'm gone

Stylistic analysis

The song is predominantly upbeat, featuring Bieber’s R&B vocals over a backdrop containing a dance infused beat, full of keyboard and "disco string" synths. The song is composed in the key of E-flat major with Bieber's vocal range spanning from the low-note of G3 to the high-note of C5. According to Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone, the song "blends winks at Fifties doo-wop with hip-hop chants", comparing the style and the lyrics

"My first love broke my heart for the first time

And I was like

Baby, baby, baby, ooooh

I thought you'd always be mine"

to fifties ballads like "Tears on My Pillow", "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and "Earth Angel". Lyrically, Bieber's lines explain his distress over his lost love, and promise to get it back, featured in lines like,

"And I wanna play it cool

But I'm losin' you…

I'm in pieces

So come and fix me…”

The chorus features the distinct and repetitive "baby, baby, baby, ohhhh (nooooo)" hook. After the second verse, Ludacris comes in with the verse-rap, an anecdote of young love when he was thirteen, as it runs

"When I was 13

I had my first love

She had me going crazy

Oh, I was star-struck

She woke me up daily

Don't need no Starbucks…"

Theme

The song seems to be dedicated to a lover who has left him and he is expressing his love for her. He wants her to accept that she also loves him and tell this to every one. He is requesting her to quit playing games with him and tell him the truth. He is aware of the fact that she does not love him but he is trying his best.

Title

Baby:

          The word baby is used as slang for a girl or young woman. And as an Informal term used for Sweetheart; dear. It is also used as a term of endearment.

Repetition or Alliteration

Repetition is one of the key features of this song. With it there is also alliteration of some words.

Example #1

Baby, baby, baby (3 X)

Oh! (#1...)

Baby, baby, baby (3 X)

No! (#2...)

Baby, baby, baby (3 X)

Oh! (#3...)

Thought you would always be mine

Example # 2

I'm all gone

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Now I'm all gone

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Now I'm all gone

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Now I'm all gone, gone, gone, gone

I'm gone

Example # 3

And I'm in pieces, baby fix me

And just shake me 'til you wake me from this bad dream

I'm goin' down, down, down, down

And I just can't believe my first love won't be around

Dialogue form

At some places the song seems to b in the form of a dialogue where one questions and the other replies.

Are we an item? Girl, quit playin'

"We're just friends," what are you sayin'?

Said "there's another," and looked right in my eyes

My first love broke my heart for the first time