Song Analysis 3---"What would you do?"

Ashlie LaCivita
4/30/09
Period A
Song Analysis #3
Trapped
“What would you Do?” by City High portrays an important message for single mothers. It is about a woman who feels as though she has to sleep with different men to make enough money to provide for her son. The male in the song cannot believe how much she has changed since he last saw her in middle school and says, “I guess a whole lots changed since I seen you last”. He tries to make the audience realize that becoming prostitutes and strippers are not the only options for young women who are single mothers. There are plenty of other jobs out there where they can make enough money for their child, and feel as though they are respected by the people around them. Overall, City High is able to make their message more unique by using many different types of poetic devices.
City High feels as though women should be treated better than an item for men to do whatever they want with. Women deserve the same respect as anyone else, whether they are married and have children, or are single mothers. Single mothers need to receive support from people around them because raising a child on their own is not an easy thing to do. They need to know that they do not have to turn to prostituting themselves or stripping in front of people to make a decent amount of money so they can raise their child. The woman in this song believes that “thee only way to feed him is ta sleep wit a man for a little bit of money”, but the male is trying to get her to realize that is not true. He says, “Girl you aint thee only one wit a baby, that’s no excuse to be livin all crazy”. His goal is to get her to realize that there are other jobs out there that provide benefits and a decent paycheck. The paychecks at a new job may not be fast cash, but at least she would be able to feel proud of how she is making money to take care of her little boy. She then backfires at him and says that he has no clue how rough her life has been and he has no right to be giving her advice on how she should live her life. She tells him, “Me and my sister ran away so my daddy couldn’t rape us, before I was a teenager, I done been through more s*** you can’t even relate ta”. She wants him to realize that for her, it is easier said than done because she has not had an easy life. Her own father, who was supposed to take care of her, raped her and her sister, and they were forced to run away in order to protect themselves. Loni assumes that he never had to deal with any difficulties and he has no clue what she is talking about, but his mother was also a single mother; “Girl I know if my mother could do it baby you can do it”. All in all, City High makes their listeners realize that anything is possible, no matter what they have gone through.
City High makes their song even more catchy by using poetic devices. One poetic device that is used is rhyme. Rhyming can help make a song flow easier and make the song simpler to sing. Some examples from the song include; cup and buck, cash and last, baby and crazy, and eye and die. Another poetic device that is used is consonance. The line, “you do” is an example of consonance because it has the same “ou” sounding. Also, other examples include; “little bit”, and “rock now”. Finally, the last example of a poetic device that is in this song is alliteration; which is “the repeated occurrence of a consonant sound at the beginning of several words”. Some examples include, “six strippers”, “somewhere smoking”, and “what would”. Overall, these three types of devices are what make the song an all time hit.
In conclusion, “What Would you do?” by City High is a very influential song. It not only teaches single mothers that they are able to do anything they set their minds to, but also that no matter how many struggles people have been through, there is a way to get their life back on track. Also, Loni and her sister were raped by their father and in order to protect themselves, they made a hard, but intelligent decision to run away. Although she went through many difficult times, like being a single mother, the man in the song does not believe that is a valid excuse to be living the way that she is living. He believes that since his mother, who was also a single mother, was able to raise him alone with working a decent job, she can do the same thing. There is no need for her to publicly display her body just to make easy money when she could go out and find a decent job that could possibly provide health benefits for her and her son. The listener is able to realize this message not only through the poetic devices, but also through the tone, which is stressed out, tired, emotional, and angry. All in all, City High created one of the best songs that are on the radio.

City High- What Would You Do? lyrics

City High - What Would You Do?
Boys and girls wanna hear a true story

Saturday night I was at this real wild party

They had the liquor overflowing the cup

About five or six strippers trying to work for a buck

Then I took one girl outside with me

Her name was Loni she went to junior high with me

Said why you up in there dancing for cash

I guess a whole lots changed since I seen you last

She said

What would you do if your son was at home

Crying all alone on the bedroom floor

'Cause he's hungry

And the only way to feed him is to

Sleep with a man for a little bit of money

And his daddys gone

Somewhere smoking rock now

In and out of lock-down

I ain't got a job now

So for you this is just a good time

But for me this is what I call life

Girl you ain't the only one with a baby

That's no excuse to be living all crazy

Then she looked me right square in the eye

And said everyday I wake up hoping to die

She said n**** I know about pain 'cause

Me and my sister ran away so my daddy couldn't rape us

Before I was a teenager

I done been through more s***

You can't even relate ta

What would you do if your son was at home

Crying all alone on the bedroom floor

'Cause he's hungry

And the only way to feed him is to

Sleep with a man for a little bit of money

And his daddy's gone

Somewhere smoking rock now

In and out of lock-down

I ain't got a job now

So for you this is just a good time

But for me this is what I call life

Then she said

What would you do if?

Get up on my feet and let go of every excuse

What would you do if?

'Cause I wouldn't want my baby to go through what I went through

What would you do if?

Get up on my feet and stop making up tired excuses

What would you do if?

Girl I know if my mother could do it baby you can do it!

What would you do if your son was at home

Crying all alone on the bedroom floor

'Cause he's hungry

And the only way to feed him is to

Sleep with a man for a little bit of money

And his daddy's gone

Somewhere somking rock now

In and out of lock-down

I ain't got a job now

So for you this is just a good time

But for me this is what I call life

[Repeat 2 more times]

Sorry, Blame it on Me lyrics--creative proj.

Sorry, Blame It On Me
As life goes on
I’m starting to learn more and more about responsibility
I realize everything I do is affecting the people around me
So I want to take this time out to apologize for things I have done
And things that have not occurred yet
And the things they don’t want to take responsibility for
I’m sorry for the times I left you home
I was on the road and you were alone
I’m sorry for the times that I had to go
I’m sorry for the fact that I did not know
That you were sitting home just wishing we
Could go back to when it was just you and me
I’m sorry for the times I would neglect
I’m sorry for the times I disrespect
I’m sorry for the wrong things that I’ve done
I’m sorry I’m not always there for my sons
I’m sorry for the fact that I'm not aware
That you can’t sleep at night when I am not there
Because I am in the streets like everyday
Sorry for the things that I did not say
Like how you are the best thing in my world
And how I'm so proud to call you my girl
[Bridge]
I understand that there are some problems
And I am not too blind to know
All the pain you kept inside you
Even though you might not show
If I can't apologize for being wrong
Then it’s just a shame on me
I’ll be the reason for your pain and you can put the blame on me
[Chorus]
You can put the blame on me [4x]
Said you can put the blame on me [3x]
You can put the blame on me
Sorry for the things that he put you through
And all the times you didn’t know what to do
Sorry that you had to go and sell those packs
Just trying to stay busy till you heard from Dad
And you would rather be home with all your kids
As one big family with love and bliss
And even though Pops treated us like kings
He got a second wife and you didn’t agree
He got up and left you there all alone
I’m sorry that you had to do it on your own
I’m sorry that I went and added to your grief
I’m sorry that your son was once a thief
I’m sorry that I grew up way too fast
I wish I would’ve listened and not be so bad
I’m sorry your life turned out this way
I’m sorry that the FEDS came and took me away
[Bridge]
I’m sorry that it took so long to see
They were dead wrong trying to put it on me
I’m sorry that it took so long to speak
But I was on tour with Gwen Stefani
I’m sorry for the hand that she was dealt
For the embarrassment that she felt
Just a little young girl trying to have fun
Her daddy should never let her out that young
I’m sorry for Club Zen getting shut down
I hope they manage better next time around
How was I to know she was underage
In a 21 and older club they say
Why doesn’t anybody wanna take blame
Verizon backed out disgracing my name
I’m just a singer trying to entertain
Because I love my fans I’ll take that blame
Even though the blame’s on you [3x]
I’ll take that blame from you
And you can put that blame on me [2x]
You can put that blame on me
And you can put that blame on me

Creative Project

I am going to draw a picture that is inspired by the song "Sorry Blame it on me" by Akon.