Superman by Five For Fighting - An Inner Journey (1 Viewer)

[raistlin]

*I'm told that this song has a relation to inner journeys. Does anyone have any notes on this material? any analysis of some sort?

(if you dont know the song, here it is...)

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
I’m just out to find
The better part of me

I’m more than a bird...I’m more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It’s not easy to be me

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see

It may sound absurd...but don’t be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It’s not easy to be me

Up, up and away...away from me
It’s all right...you can all sleep sound tonight
I’m not crazy...or anything...

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
Men weren’t meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I’m only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Yeah, inside me
Inside of me

I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
I’m only a man
Looking for a dream

I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it’s not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...

Its not easy to be me

 

[kimmeh]

I'll give you a start

+First person lyrics: Shows a delve into the persona's deepest thoughts as he recounts/recalls his thoughts
+Go and listen to the song and listen to its pace. Remember in mandatory music (year 7-8) you had to analyse the song in terms of tone colour, form, structure etc? use those as a foundation to analyse the song
+"Inside of me
Inside me"
Repetition: the persona is rethinking over and over in his mind and contemplating to himself

 

[raistlin]

here's a few notes/analysis- the song can be interpreted in many ways. therefore the following ideas maybe incorrect but its a start (i need more techniques).

comments and criticisms are most welcome. (does anyone else have any notes?)

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: i can't stand to fly
: i'm not that naive
: i'm just out to find
: the better part of me

This opening paragraph implies that the author starts to go into his dream, yet he fully knows it.

"I can't stand to fly," he's having a dream, but he's fully aware of it "I'm not that naive". He continues to dream "I'm just out to find the better part of me".

: i'm more that a bird
: i'm more than a plane
: more than some pretty face beside a train
: and it's not easy
: to be me

He's a superman in his dream with power, look, etc. Unfortunately, he realizes that these things are all illusions, so he confesses in frustration "and it's not easy to be me".

: wish that i could cry
: fall upon my knees
: find a way to lie
: 'bout a home i'll never see
Frustration...He knows that the world of supermen doesn't exist in real life "find a way to lie 'bout a home i'll never see'. In other words, he knows all of these illusions will disappear when he wakes up.

: it may sound absurd,
: but don't be naive
: even heros have the right to bleed
: i may be disturbed,
: but won't you concede
: even heros have the right to dream
: and it's not easy
: to be me
He's contradicting himself here. Even though he knows that he's better be back to reality, but he argues that he is only a human being and as such, he has the right to dream of "better part of him".

: up, up and away, away from me
: well, it's all right
: you can all sleep sound tonight
: i'm not crazy, or anything
Now, he's in the climax of his dream, but "Please," he begs, "It's a just a dream." Thus, "I'm not crazy or anything.".

: i can't stand to fly
: i'm not that naive
: men weren't meant to ride
: with clouds between their knees
Hah, men are supposed to be realistic in our world, and he knows it, but he just can't help be dreamy.

: i'm only a man in a silly red sheet,
: diggin' for kryptonite on this one-way street
: only a man in a funny red sheet
: lookin' for special things inside of me, inside of meeee..
Here he admits that he's just a normal person who is dreamming of better things in life, "lookin' for special things inside of me."

: I'm more than a man in the funny red sheet.
: I'm only a man looking for a dream.
: I'm more than a man in the funny red sheet.
: and it's not easy to be meeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
We are all humans, trying to be superman...