I'm Clifford Stumme, and I use literary analysis and research to explain the deeper meanings of pop songs. Feel free to leave a comment or to email me at clifford@popsongprofessor.com with questions or ideas!
All tagged literature
SONG MEANING: "Sorry" by Justin Bieber is about personal regret for something wrong. It's not just about apologizing to a woman either--the woman may be a metaphor for the world. Want to find out how I know this? Keep reading!
Justin Bieber is coming out with a new album, and it's called Purpose. "Sorry" is the new single off the album--the second one released so far. It's co-written by Bieber, Julia Michaels, and Justin Tranter, and it's produced by Skrillex and BLOOD.
SONG MEANING: "Focus" by Ariana Grande is about acceptance and focusing on someone on a deeper level--finding out who they really are beyond the way they look or their preferences. Keep reading to find out more and to hear Ariana explain it herself.
Ariana Grande's new album Moonlight is set to come out in 2016 though a more specific time isn't set yet. In preparation, Ariana has released her first single from that upcoming album: "Focus." The music is sassy and energetic, which is perfect because the message is also sassy and energetic. The music video isn't quite appropriate for all ages, so I've found a concert video for you. Listen to it and then continue reading!
SONG MEANING: "Army" is about Ellie Goulding's best friend of ten years. It's a song to that friend, letting her know how much she means to Goulding. But my theory is that it's also to her fans. Keep reading to see why and to see Ellie Goulding's Instagram account post about this song.
Ellie Goulding's putting out a new album, and I couldn't be more excited. I love her music, and I'm a fan of the way she crowd-sourced "Lights" and other songs, allowing anyone to freely remix them. Her grass-roots tactics and awesome fresh pop sound have served her well, and now she's released "Army" on her route to releasing her album Delirium, which is coming out in four days!
SONG MEANING: "Hello" by Adele is a post-breakup song about going back over the past and seeking closure. Want to find out more? Keep reading!
Four years after her last album, Adele is finally back! She's releasing singles from her upcoming album 25, the follow up to 21 which she released last. About the distance and the changes in material between albums, she (according to Wikipedia) said, "My last record was a break-up record, and if I had to label this one, I would call it a make-up record. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did. 25 is about getting to know who I've become without realising. And I'm sorry it took so long but, you know, life happened."
SONG MEANING: "Somewhere in Stockholm" is Avicii's ode to his hometown; no matter where he goes or what he does, he still thinks about Stockholm and misses it. Continue reading to find out more.
Now that "Stories" is out, I can't stop freaking out. I showed the album to my college students before class today and reminded them all that they NEED to listen to it. Avicii has created something very special here, and it's well worth the listen. The whole album is, I think, an ode to stories, and many of the stories are very personal: "Somewhere in Stockholm" is very autobiographical, and I think it's even Avicii doing the singing in it. You're going to love this song about returning home.
SONG MEANING: "Magnets" is about a relationship that's weakening. Lorde, as the lead singer and narrator, doesn't want it to end and urges her lover to fight on. Keep reading to find out more! "Magnets" was dropped on Friday, September 25th. The song is hypnotic and dreamy with plenty of synth and an almost African/Caribbean dance floor beat. The song's going to make good dancing for a lot of parties this fall, and the constant refrain of "[l]et's embrace the point of no return" will only contribute to the two-stepping madness.
Song meaning: Wiz Khalifa's Billboard destroying hit single "See You Again" that features Charlie Puth is a tribute to the actor Paul Walker who died in a car accident while filming Fast and Furious 7. Read on to find out more! The song was originally created by Charlie Puth, and then Khalifa was invited to add rap verses to the song. It plays at the end of Fast and Furious 7 as Paul Walker and Vin Diesel's characters drive separate ways. The official music video for the song shows this scene as well.
