Trang 1 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUY NHON UNIVERSITY NGUYỄN THỊ ÚT MY CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS OF SPRING IN LYRICS OF COUNTRY MUSIC IN ENGLISH FIELD: English Linguistics CODE: 8220
INTRODUCTION
THE RATIONALE TO THE STUDY
Humans utilize language to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and feelings in a variety of contexts Composers utilize song lyrics as a medium to communicate thoughts and messages to listeners or music enthusiasts Lyrics can be used as a media to convey information and opinion about social issues that have occurred in a community or a country, in addition to serving as an entertainment facility
Metaphor is one of the most common building blocks in song lyrics The usage of metaphor in the lyrics has an artistic function, making the song appealing and enjoyable to listen to Since metaphors have a unique quality that literal expressions do not, they are typically difficult to understand literally Although most people find metaphor difficult to understand, song writers frequently utilize it to convey societal themes because they believe it to be more understandable than presenting a literal example
There has been tremendous progress in cognitive linguistics in general, and cognitive semantics in particular, in the last few decades, providing the basis for a growing field of conceptual metaphor in recent years Thus, it is no surprise that many studies have been conducted in order to examine metaphor related to human beings around the world, with a focus on both abstract and concrete concepts Studying conceptual metaphors has focused a lot of attention on abstract concepts as target domains for conceptual metaphors The reason for this is that conceptual metaphors are a process by which an abstract area is conceptualized within the context of a more concrete area, and it is easy to understand how that works (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980)
So far, a variety of abstract concepts have been studied, such as the concept of life, emotions, sadness, etc In the same way, foreign and Vietnamese authors have both devoted a great deal of time to studying the abstract concept of time (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980; Kửvecses, 2010; Shinohara and Pardeshi, 2011; Nguyen Hoa, 2007; Nguyen Van Trao, 2007, etc.) As a result, past research is limited because it rarely looks at the season and spring as the target domain Thus, in order to add to the literature on conceptual tropes in country music lyrics in English, this study undertakes the task of identifying conceptual tropes of spring in the lyrics in order to enrich the literature on conceptual tropes Furthermore, the results also show how English musicians think of the season.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this research is to adopt the conceptual metaphor theory highlighted by Lakoff and Johnson (1980, 2003) and Kovesce (2002, 2010) to identify conceptual metaphors in of SPRING in the lyrics of country music in English Through the analysis of the lyrics of these English songs, we will find out the mapping mechanism used in these songs
Additionally, we are trying to classify the frequency of occurrences of conceptual metaphors of SPRING in the lyrics of the songs As a result, the figures are compared in order to get a general view of the types of conceptual metaphors
Based on the research focus, the objectives of the research are stated as follows:
- To identify the types of conceptual metaphors of SPRING used in the lyrics of country music in English;
- To classify the frequency of occurrences of conceptual metaphors.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Based on the aims of the study, the following research questions are expected to be answered:
1 What conceptual metaphors of SPRING are used in the lyrics of country music in English?
2 What are the effects of using metaphors of SPRING in the lyrics of country music in English?
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is expected to identify and gather metaphors of SPRING in lyrics of country music in English from 1960 to 2020, which is considered to be the main source of research data Specifically, it is focused on finding out the mapping mechanisms of conceptual metaphor on expressing musicians‘ feeling
The number of songs for the analysis of conceptual metaphor is expected in 92 songs.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is expected that this research will provide information and improve the body of knowledge specifically related to conceptual metaphors in cognitive linguistics It contributes to the knowledge of conceptual metaphors, particularly in the use of metaphorical expressions in country music, and will be helpful to students as an authentic source of study in cognitive linguistics This study can be utilized as a teaching tool and illustration when discussing the effects of conceptual metaphors It can also be utilized to improve the lecturers‘ understanding of this linguistic issue.
ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
The study consists of 5 chapters as follow:
Chapter 1, Introduction, includes the rationale, the significance of the study, the aims and objectives, the scope of the study, research questions, and organization
Chapter 2, Literature review and theoretical background, reviews all theories related to conceptual metaphors introduced by Lakoff & Johnson
(1980), in which previous studies from the other perspective of the theory are also introduced
Chapter 3, Research design and methodology, encompasses research methods, research procedures, description of samples, and the procedure of data collection and data analysis for the study
Chapter 4, Findings and discussion, presents the results of the data analysis to figure out metaphorical expressions of SPRING used in lyrics of country music in English
Chapter 5, Conclusion and implications, summarizes the major findings, draws conclusions and implications, limits and a few recommendations for further study.
SUMMARY
The first chapter aims to provide an overview about the research, including the rationale, the objectives and purposes, research questions and the scope of the study A summary of the research, including the justification, the goals and purposes, the research questions, and the scope of the study, is intended to be given in the first chapter Additionally, the importance of the study and the thesis‘ structure are presented in this section This can aid readers in comprehending the thesis‘ primary points as well as the study‘s historical context.
LITERATURE REVIEW
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1.1 An overview of conceptual metaphor
We will investigate the main propositions of conceptual metaphor theory in this chapter George Lakoff and Mark Johnson first introduced this paradigm in their 1980 book Metaphors We Live By, and it has since been expanded upon in a number of other works One of the earliest theoretical frameworks recognized as a component of the cognitive semantics endeavor was conceptual metaphor theory, which served as a major theoretical foundation for the cognitive approach The essential tenet of conceptual metaphor theory is that mind itself is intrinsically metaphorical in character and that metaphor is not merely a stylistic aspect of language This viewpoint holds that conceptual structure is organized in accordance with correspondences or cross-domain mappings between conceptual domains While some of these mappings are the result of pre-conceptual bodily experiences, others expand upon them to create more sophisticated conceptual frameworks For instance, we can think of and discuss quantity in terms of VERTICAL ELEVATION, as in the sentence She received an extremely high mark in the test, where high refers to a good grade rather than a literal height
This, according to Conceptual metaphor theory, is due to the traditional structure and understanding of the conceptual domain QUANTITY in terms of the mental domain VERTICAL ELEVATION Conceptual projection is a more comprehensive term for conceptual operations requiring mappings, including conceptual metaphor Two of the fundamental tenets of cognitive semantics are intimately related to the arguments made by conceptual metaphor theorists like Lakoff, Johnson, and their associates The embodied cognition thesis asserts that conceptual structure is rooted in embodied experience, whereas the semantic structure hypothesis contends that conceptual structure is reflected in semantic structure
According to conceptual metaphor theory, the formation of metaphorical meaning is merely a matter of how our metaphors emerge from correlations in our personal experience (for correlation metaphors) or from resemblances between sensory domains (for resemblance metaphors) A collection of systematic correspondences, or mappings, between these two dimensions of experience might be assumed to constitute the source of metaphorical meaning in both instances However, evidence from both earlier and more current study suggests that this perspective is inadequate and oversimplified, and that a more nuanced approach is required The question of context and how it affects the understanding and production of metaphors is at the center of the component of metaphorical meaning building that has to be addressed In this chapter, I demonstrate how conceptual metaphors, the mappings that make them up, and any possible metaphorical entailments are not the only sources of metaphorical meaning in language use (or other forms of communication) I demonstrate that, in addition, the construction of metaphorical meaning depends significantly on context and involves two context-related issues that are, if not identical, at least closely related These two perspectives are those of the conceptualizer who attempts to understand a metaphor in context and the conceptualizer who creates or creates a metaphor in context Van Dijk (2009:5) provides the concept of context that I find most relevant for my needs at this early level of the discussion A context is what the participants themselves define as important in the social situation, according to this statement
Metaphor is defined extremely broadly in conceptual metaphor theory as the conceptualization of one domain of experience in terms of another In contrast to the domain we desire to comprehend, which is often more abstract, less directly experienced, and less known, the domain of experience utilized to understand another domain is typically more physical, more immediately experienced, and more known The more physical or concrete realm is referred to as the source domain and the more abstract one is referred to as the target domain in the cognitive linguistic theory of metaphor, which was developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson in their 1980 book Metaphors We Live By (Kửvecses, 2010)
In the mind, concepts provided as mental frames, or cognitive models, are used to represent different experience domains Consequently, we discuss conceptual metaphors A group of conceptual mappings, or correspondences, link the source frame and the target frame Therefore, according to this perspective, a metaphor is a series of correspondences, or mappings, between the components of two mental frames A set of mappings that make up the conceptual metaphor LIFE IS A JOURNEY, for instance, consist of correspondences between a traveler and a person living a life, including the way the traveler is traveling and the way the person lives, the destination the traveler wants to reach and the person‘s life goals, and the physical obstacles along the way and the difficulties the person encounters in life In order to discuss the target domain, conceptual metaphors frequently use a variety of linguistic manifestations (metaphorically used words and more sophisticated formulations) The expressions I hit a roadblock, She wanders aimlessly in life, This is not the right way to live, and others in the example illustrate or merely state the correspondences between the concepts of barrier and difficulty, destination and purpose, and path and method, respectively Together, they show that the incredibly ethereal idea of life may be partially comprehended in terms of the more tangible idea of a journey The conceptual correspondences, or mappings, serve as the foundation for the meanings of the specific metaphorical expressions
2.1.2 Constituent parts of a conceptual metaphor
Metaphor, in the opinion of Geogre Lakoff and Mark Johnson, is a cognitive mechanism in which one mental domain is partially projected onto another With the use of the linguistic metaphor derived from those domains, the second domain can be comprehended in part in terms of the first one The source domain/donor domain is the one that is mapped Target domain/Recipient domain is the domain into which it is mapped
Lakoff and Johnson also make a distinction between a source domain and a target domain as a result Although the source domain is concrete, the target domain is abstract In the conceptual metaphor TIME IS MONEY, the aim, which is TIME, which is much more abstract, is the target domain, and the source domain is MONEY since it is much more concrete The study claims that more concrete domains, like the metaphor TIME IS MONEY, are frequently used as sources for abstract goals
After examining a large number of conceptual metaphors that have already been discovered and researched in the literature (such as TIME IS MONEY, ARGUMENT IS WAR, and LIFE IS A JOURNEY), this conclusion is made The assumption that the majority of conceptual metaphors use more physical domains as suppliers and more abstract domains as targets makes a lot of intuitive sense For instance, the complexity of life makes it difficult to define, rage is a personal feeling that is typically kept hidden from us, theory is a complicated mental construct, and so on Each of them conceptualizes and looks at a source notion that is less tangible as one that has been conceptualized and seen from the perspective of a target concept that is more tangible and, therefore, more easily accessible from the perspective of the source notion
2.1.3 Mapping mechanism in conceptual metaphor theory
According to Charteris-Black (2004), a mapping is a systematically organized collection of correspondences between the constituent parts of the source domain and the target domain It implies that a metaphorical mapping is the methodical identification of the source domain and target domain In discussing metaphorical mappings, Lakoff contends that they maintain the source domain‘s cognitive topology in a way that is consistent with the target domain‘s fundamental structure (1993:215) A set of conceptual correspondences between components of the source and target domains is another way that Kửvecses (2010:371) describes how conceptual metaphors are distinguished from other types of metaphors These connections between the two realms can also be seen in mapping Conceptual metaphors can be given by means of the formula A is B or A as B, i.e., A denotes the target domain and B the source domain as in the metaphor time passing as a moving object mentioned above, where the concept of moving object is mapped to the concept of time passing (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980a; Lakoff, 1993; Kửvecses, 2021)
Figure 2.1 Mapping between the domains of Time and Money
CLASSIFICATION OF CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR
According to Lakoff and Johnson, metaphor consists of three types including structural, orientational, and ontological
By contrasting it with the structure of another concept, structural metaphors attempt to describe the structure of one concept In other words, when an idea is understood in terms of another structured, clearly defined concept, a structural metaphor is produced Lakoff and Johnson (1980) regarded structural conceptual metaphors as the category with the greatest number In this type of conceptual metaphor, complex and abstract concepts are imagined using the knowledge of concrete, straightforward concepts An example often used to illustrate this type is the conceptual metaphor
―ARGUMENT IS WAR‖ which is expressed through a series of the following expressions in English:
He attacked every weak point in my argument
His criticisms were right on the target
I’ve never won an argument
If you use that strategy, he’ll wipe you out
He shot down all my arguments
The aforementioned illustrations demonstrate how many of the behaviors we take during debates are designed around the idea of WAR In a debate, we can prevail or fail We think of the person we are debating as our opponent during the discussion As a result, we ―attack‖ the other viewpoint and ―protect‖ our own We can employ strategies to win or lose We frequently ―retreat‖ and establish a new attack route when we observe that the circumstances are unfavorable and making it difficult to defend our viewpoints Even without a physical altercation that results in casualties, we have a verbal conflict in this instance because of the language we employ
Through these examples, Lakoff and Johnson explained that an abstract conceptual domain ―debate‖ is understood through a specific conceptual domain of ―war‖ Therefore, the concepts used in the sample expressions above come conceptual domain of ―war‖ This is the basic characteristics of the structural conceptual metaphor Besides, in this group of conceptual metaphor, the phenomenon of highlighting and hiding in the conceptual domain is an important characteristic For example in a fierce war of words, where people only seek to put the views of their opponents down and defend their opinion, they cannot see the aspect of ―cooperation‖ in the war of words When someone argues, he or she spends time with us and tries to find out what we think and why we have have such views to understand each other better However, while focusing on the debate, we often forget this aspect of cooperation In other words, the aspect of debate is highlighting and aspect of cooperation is hiding
The scenarios where one notion is metaphorically structured in terms of another are what we will refer to as structural metaphors and are what we have looked at thus far However, there is another type of metaphorical notion, one that organizes an entire system of concepts in relation to one another rather than structuring one concept in terms of another Since the majority of these metaphors relate to spatial direction, we will refer to them as orientational metaphors: up-down, in-out, front-back, on-off, deep-shallow, central-peripheral We have bodies of the kind we have, and they behave as they do in our physical environment, which leads to these spatial orientations Orientational metaphors, like HAPPY IS UP, give a concept a spatial orientation I‘m feeling up today is an example of an English idiom since HAPPY is directed UP
These metaphorical inclinations are not random They stem from our embodied and cultural experiences The orientational metaphors based on the polar oppositions up-down, in-out, etc might differ from culture to culture even if they are physical in nature For instance, in some cultures, the future is in the past, whereas in others, it is in the present As an example, we shall examine into up-down spatialization metaphors, which William Nagy (1974) has extensively researched We will provide a brief explanation of how each metaphorical idea might have developed from our physical and cultural experience in each scenario These accounts are designed to be credible and suggestive rather than conclusive
In orientational conceptual metaphor, a system of ideas is organized in the relation and interaction in space like up-down, inside-out, front-behind, shallow-deep, center-periphry ect Lakoff and Johnson (1980) called this group the orientational metaphor because they are related to the orientation in space
An example often cited to illustrate the orientational conceptual metaphor group is ―HAPPY IS UP, SAD IS DOWN‖ (Lakoff & Johnson 1980) illustrated in these examples:
You’re in high spirits
Thinking about her always gives me a lift
He’s really low these days
The concept metaphor ―HAPPY IS UP, SAD IS DOWN‖ is based on how people‘s bodies position themselves when they are joyful or depressed People typically bow down when they are melancholy or sad, yet when they are pleased, they raise their heads and stand erect We can observe that the conceptual metaphors for orientation are not made up, but rather are influenced by culture and personal experience The conceptual domains ―up- down‖ and ―inside-out‖ are the concepts for the spatial domain in the physical world, according to Lakoff and Johnson (1980), however metaphors based on these conceptual domains might vary between cultures For instance, while the future is viewed as being at the front in certain cultures, it is viewed as being in the back in others
Another orientational conceptual metaphor with sharp cultural origin is
―RATIONAL IS UP; EMOTIONAL IS DOWN‖ (Lakoof 2004):
The discussion fell to the emotional level, but I raised it back up to the rational plane
We put our feelings aside and had a high-level intellectual discussion of the matter
People are viewed as proprietors of their own bodies, as well as the animals, plants, and surroundings in many cultures Indeed, the capacity for thought and reason has elevated humans above all other species and given them the power to shape the world The conceptual metaphor ―CONTROL IS
UP‖ in this instance serves as the basis for the conceptual metaphor
―HUMAN IS UP‖, which in turn gives rise to the conceptual metaphor
―REASONAL IS UP; EMOTIONAL IS DOWN.‖ There could be several reasons for using this intellectual metaphor Wisdom resides in the brain, which is located in the head in the human body Human emotions are frequently believed in many cultures to originate from the chest or abdomen, which is why the metaphor ―REASONAL IS UP; EMOTIONAL IS DOWN.‖ is used
An incredibly rich foundation for understanding concepts in orientational terms is provided by spatial orientations such as up-down, front-back, on-off, center-periphery, and near-far However, orientation is only useful to a certain extent Another basis for understanding—one that goes beyond simple orientation—is provided by our acquaintance with actual physical things and substances It is possible to isolate specific aspects of our experiences and regard them as distinct entities or substances of a particular kind when we think of our experiences in terms of objects and substances The ability to refer to, categorize, group, and quantify our experiences as entities or substances allows us to do so and, in turn, reason about them
We nonetheless classify things as such even when they are not obviously discrete or bounded, such as mountains, street corners, hedges, etc These perspectives on physical events are necessary to fulfill certain of our needs, such as locating mountains, assembling at intersections, and cutting hedges
As we are beings bounded by a surface, human aims often require us to construct artificial boundaries that discretize physical occurrences
Our experiences with physical objects, especially our own bodies, serve as the foundation for an incredibly wide variety of ontological metaphors, which are ways of viewing events, activities, emotions, ideas, etc., as entities and substances In the same way that our basic experiences of human spatial orientations give rise to orientational metaphors
According to Lakoff and Johnson (1980), conceptualizing our experience as belonging to the conceptual domain of tangible or material objects enables us to extrapolate abstract experiences and ideas and see them as actual objects or concrete elements Tran Van Co (2007) asserts that the semanticization of experience by terms enables us to extract and analyze particular aspects of experience We can categorize, group, quantify, etc once we can conceptualize the experience into a particular item or material This allows us to analyze the experience using logic Even when the boundaries of objects in the objective world are hazy, we nonetheless categorize them as things like a range of mountains, street corners, a row of trees, etc Setting such limits, such as defining a geographical area or a location for an appointment, serves the objective of facilitating human contact According to Lakoff and Johnson, the basis for a wide range of conceptual metaphors in which events, activities, feelings, thoughts, etc are regarded to be the essence is experience in an interacting process with the specific object or substance For example, in English, human thinking is seen as a particular object, can be a machine or a fragile character shown by the following examples:
We’re still trying to grind out the solution to this question
My mind isn’t operating today
Setting such limits serves the aim of human communication, just as defining a geographical area or a meeting spot serves this reason The basis for a wide range of conceptual metaphors, in which events, activities, feelings, ideas, etc are considered to be the essence, is experience in an interacting process with the particular object or substance, claim Lakoff and Johnson.
CONCEPTUAL METAPHOR IN SONG LYRICS
In fact, there are numerous ways that intellectual metaphors might be reflected in song lyrics Since song lyrics are written in a very concise manner in order to transmit meanings and feelings, analyzing them is a very effective technique to observe such phenomena Although the structure of lyrics is frequently quite poetical, closer examination of the lyrics and the phrases that are thought to be rhetorical reveals that many of these phrases are also common colloquial expressions that are used in everyday speech The study‘s findings of metaphors in the song lyrics of Greenday support Lakoff and Johnson‘s (1980) hypothesis that conceptual metaphors are frequently utilized because people‘s conceptual systems are structured metaphorically For instance, ―Believing the grass would be greener‖ is a popular expression used in everyday English and is not just used in lyrics or poetry
The research of metaphors in Greenday‘s song lyrics is constrained by the density of the lyrics, and by selecting a single singer, one can ensure that conceptual metaphors are used consistently; the likelihood of roughly the same kinds of metaphors appearing is higher than if the songs of multiple different artists are used, where the idea of SPRING may vary greatly In other words, by examining the songs of one particular vocalist, the style of the songs and, consequently, the notion the singer has of the target concept, may be influenced The employment of conceptual metaphors by an artist over time can also be briefly analyzed.
PREVIOUS STUDIES
There have been studies done in the past on metaphor and how it relates to music and song A review of prior studies should be conducted to prevent the use of comparable material and explanations
First, Xiaowei Fu (2010) examines the LOVE IS A UNITY metaphor, focusing on one specific conceptual area that characterizes LOVE The occurrences of the metaphor ―LOVE IS A UNITY‖ are examined in Fu‘s
(2010, p 9–10) research, and the study illustrates various instances of the subcategories of the metaphor, such as ―LOVE IS A UNITY OF TWO COMPLEMENTARY PARTS,‖ ―PHYSICAL CLOSENESS,‖ and ―THE STABILITY OF A LOVE RELATIONSHIP IS PHYSICAL STABILITY.‖ The qualitative study revealed that LOVE is frequently portrayed in those songs as a link between two individuals that can be irreplaceable, unbreakable, or rather fragile Fu (2010) selects to explore these subcategories through evaluating numerous love songs
Second, Sy Thi Thom‘s study (2020) shows that both animate and inanimate entities‘ concrete domains are used to map onto spring, which makes it easy to explain the spring metaphor because metaphors are effective cognitive tools for conceptualizing abstract categories (Ungerer & Schmid,
1996) However, there are many more domains connected to inanimate than alive creatures Metaphors for inanimateness include: Compared to other words in the same category, SPRING IS A CONCRETE OBJECT and SPRING IS MOTION appear with a disproportionately large number of Vietnamese phrases Additionally, the metaphor SPRING IS A PERSON appears the most frequently, which is consistent with Kovesses‘s claim that
―Time is one of the abstract concepts that is frequently personified in literature‖ (2010:55)
Another investigation on conceptual analogies for spring in song lyrics, this time contrasting English and Vietnamese, is done by Sy Thi Thom
(2021) Using concrete domains of both animate and inanimate elements, the researcher discovers a consistency in the use of conceptual metaphors to convey SPRING in English and Vietnamese The domains connects to inanimate beings in the two languages, however, are significantly more numerous than those related to animate ones It is also clear that both languages have the same 12 source domains that is utilized to map onto this season: CONCRETE OBJECT, CONTAINER, CONTAINED OBJECT, MOTION, COLORED OBJECT, HEAT, SUNLIGHT, FORCE/CHANGER, SPACE, PLACE/LANDSCAPE, PERSON, and PLANT Yet with Vietnamese data, the metaphors ―SPRING IS AIR,‖ ―SPRING IS FIRE,‖
―SPRING IS EXISTENCE,‖ and ―SPRING IS MONEY‖ do not apply The Vietnamese corpus is the sole place where the source domains LIQUID, SOUND, SCENTED OBJECT, and TASTED OBJECT may be found In conclusion, the research reveals the culturally-bound nature of these metaphors, whose cross-cultural variations include various experiences and physical environments having a significant influence on the choice of metaphors, and the similarities as well as differences for the conceptual metaphors of spring between English and Vietnamese
However, there are no previous studies that have analyzed the conceptual metaphors of Spring in the song lyrics of English country music It‘s undeniable that conceptual metaphors are effective persuasive tools in composing a piece of music because they make the songs more beautiful and more meaningful This essay will shed light on the above research gaps.
SUMMARY
The chapter mostly concentrates on related research, concepts, and earlier studies on conceptual metaphors in song lyrics Three major categories of conceptual metaphors—structural, orientational, and ontological metaphors—are stressed in the literature review Based on that, conclusions and arguments will be examined using these kinds of metaphors, which are common in English-language country music lyrics.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN
This study is done to shed light on how the musicians express their thoughts in the songs by using conceptual metaphors of spring Based on Lakoff and Johnson theory, the differences and similarities of the conceptual metaphors used in those spoken forms will be investigated in three types: structural, ontological and orientational terms Besides, the occurrence of those is classified and clarified from cognitive perspectives
Both qualitative and quantitative methods are employed in this study to achieve the objectives of this research, which is identifying three different types of conceptual metaphors in discussion of cognitive features later With a view to gaining a further understanding of conceptual metaphors in cognitive progression, qualitative method takes the responsibility of generating, and analysing deeply conceptual metaphors appearing in their context Besides, the quantitative method is used to collect and synthesize the types and the frequency of occurrence of conceptual metaphors.
RESEARCH PROCEDURES
During the course of conducting this research, written sources are used as a data source, in the form of lyrics to country music songs in English There are some stages of data collecting and analysis
Firstly, a thorough reading of the whole lyrics is done as a source of data Secondly, recognizing the data that is restricted for the research‘s purpose Analyzing the metaphor in the song‘s lyrics is the aim of the study The information is gathered through printed materials or electronic records that are accessible via the Internet, after which the writer analyzes the song‘s content and selects those that cover the same subject Thirdly, the writer marks the information for analysis Each verse that contains conceptual metaphors of Spring is marked The next step is that a metaphorical approach is used when interpreting the data, based on the three types of metaphors that have been mentioned: structural, orientational, and ontological metaphors Finally, the writer concludes the result.
DATA COLLECTION
According to Barleys and Moreland (1998), it is highlighted that sample size in any research needs to provide sufficient data that can be extrapolated for the entire population The other arguments criticize that the sample size must avoid time consuming and improperness Hence, the researchers must pay attention to many scientific factors when choosing the sample size, especially in large surveys In the case of this study, the secondary data are collected for researching the conceptual metaphors used in the lyrics of country music in English In specific, the author collects and classifies the conceptual metaphors in the lyrics of country music in English that are posted on YouTube or other online websites based on their content relating to spring Accordingly, there are a total 288 metaphors collected for the study
The data collected in this study is based on lyrics of 92 English songs from 1960 to 2020 These song lyrics are chosen from a wide range of musicians, such as Gano, Nyro, Landesman, Craig Douglas, Luke Bryan, Baum, Watkins, Brennan, Bill Evans, Robbins, Bart, etc As an investigation of the conceptual metaphors of SPRING, the selected samples come from song lyrics where spring conceptual metaphors are expected to be rich There are a number of sources, including electronic records available on the Internet, as well as printed publications Over the course of the last decades, a large number of lyrics to seasonal songs have been written in English However, to make sure that the data is in the native language, the song lyrics selected have to be composed by the authors who were born and grew up in countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
DATA ANALYSIS
In order to conduct this research, both quantitative and qualitative research approaches are adopted through collecting secondary data With these research methods, the thesis primarily conducts exploratory work to understand how conceptual metaphors are used in the song lyrics and convey the ideas
In specific, all the conceptual metaphors is analyzed in four steps First, metaphorical expressions are recognized from extracted materials Second, based on the source and target domains of the metaphorical expressions in the context, the conceptual metaphors are established Third, according to Lakoff and Johnson‘s (1980) classification, these different types are put into structural metaphor, orientational metaphor, and ontological metaphor so that we can have a general picture of frequency of each type based on the shown percentage The quantitative method is applied at this stage of analysis Indeed, after having been manually identified, the most salient conceptual metaphors is chosen to be analyzed Finally, using qualitative methods, the hidden ideas in the songs are analyzed to find the effect of the conceptual metaphor of spring on the song‘s content.
SUMMARY
Chapter 3 focuses on presenting the research methods, research procedures, description of samples, and procedure of data collection and data analysis for the study In this study, both qualitative and quantitative research approaches are applied for data collection and analysis Accordingly, a total of 288 conceptual metaphors are collected from the lyrics of 92 English songs from 1960 to 2020.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS OF SPRING IN ENGLISH SONG
Table 4.1a Conceptual Metaphors of SPRING in English song lyrics
Figure 4.1a Number of Conceptual Metaphors of SPRING in English song lyrics
The number of conceptual metaphors, including structural, orientational, and ontological metaphors, is shown in Table 4.1a It is undeniable that ontological metaphors are most frequently employed (279 metaphors), orientational metaphors aren‘t used in the English song lyrics, and structural metaphors come with 9 metaphors In order to understand carefully the conceptual metaphors of Spring used in English song lyrics, it is necessary to know about the relationship between Spring and the outside world The research reveals the culturally-bound nature of these metaphors, whose cross- cultural variations include various experiences and physical environments having a significant influence on the choice of metaphors Therefore, the analysis of conceptual metaphors will be covered in the following order in the next section The most prevalent ontological metaphors are analyzed in depth initially The interpretation of structural metaphors follows The minimal number of orientational metaphors is then briefly examined
Here are some examples of each type of conceptual metaphor found in the data:
- Structural metaphor: Then we spend all spring (Olliges Jr., Spring (Among the Living)) This expression ―spend all spring‖ uses the metaphor SPRING
- Ontological metaphor: Let me see what spring’s like (Bart, Fly Me to the
Moon) The expression ―see what spring‘s like‖ uses the metaphor SPRING
AS A CONCRETE OBJECT It considers spring as something we can see with our eyes
Table 4.1b Conceptual Metaphors of SPRING in English song lyrics
Conceptual Metaphor of Spring Number %
The data in table 4.1b illustrate how conceptual metaphors are most frequently used to convey the meaning of ―spring‖ in English in terms of the concrete spheres occupied by animate and inanimate phenomena, respectively On the other hand, the domains associated with inanimate beings in English song lyrics are significantly more expansive than those associated with animate ones As a result, the number of phrases that refer to inanimate entities is significantly higher than the number of expressions that refer to animate entities, with 109 cases compared to 105 respectively It is clear that song writers have a similar way of conceptualizing the spring entity, as seen by the prevalence of common spring metaphors This may be the case since their living environments and their experiences with this season are comparable On the other hand, their perspectives regarding the passage of time during the course of a year are noticeably distinct from one another To draw a conclusion, we can observe that song writers reveal their want for the warmth of spring when they become animated, and they perceive this longing to be a commodity.
STRUCTURAL METAPHORS
It is clear from looking at Table 4.1a that structural metaphors do not appear very frequently in lyrics that are about spring The metaphor SPRING
AS MONEY is the only example of a conceptual metaphor that can be found in any song lyrics in English concerning spring, with 9 frequencies Consider some common examples such as the following expressions:
Spring is treated as is money, which is coherent with the metaphor TIME IS MONEY that has been popular in many studies so far (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980a; Kửvecses, 2005; Kửvecses, 2010; Evan, 2005, etc.) Similarly, English corpus data reveals this conceptualization:
(1) Then we spend all spring (Olliges Jr., Spring (Among the Living))
In the expression, the use of the metaphor SPRING IS MONEY is implied, although not explicitly mentioned The use of spend suggests that spring is a valuable resource, much like money This could imply that the singer considers springtime to be precious, and they are dedicating their time and energy to it Overall, the use of the SPRING IS MONEY metaphor in the lyric we spend all spring can influence the interpretation by highlighting the value, finiteness, and purpose of the spring season in the speaker‘s perspective It adds depth and a sense of urgency to the lyrical content, emphasizing the significance of spring in the speaker‘s life
(2) But in the spring she took off her disguise
Well I’ll never forget you looking my way
And the time that we spent in the absence of games (Watkins, Through the Spring)
This expression likely evokes a sense of transformation and authenticity It suggests that, in the spring, the person is letting go of pretenses and revealing their true self It can convey a feeling of liberation, vulnerability, or newfound freedom The metaphorical use of spring intensifies this emotion, as it‘s a time associated with new beginnings The use of these metaphors creates vivid mental images You can picture a person literally taking off a disguise, which can be a powerful and relatable image The springtime setting adds to the visual and emotional impact, as it‘s a season that people can easily imagine The expression can also be seen as a symbolic representation of personal growth and self-discovery It implies that change is natural, like the changing of seasons, and that revealing one‘s true self is a positive and beautiful thing In summary, the effect of the conceptual metaphor in the lyric is to convey a sense of personal transformation and authenticity, using the imagery and symbolism associated with the idea of spring and the act of taking off a disguise
(3) Then we spend all spring
Looking for the next one to go down (My Morning Jacket, Spring (Among the Living))
In fact, the sense of verb spend is used to express valuable commodities including money Nevertheless, in (1, 2, 3) it is used to describe spring in
English That is consistent with the explanations of Lakoff and Johnson when they share that people use their everyday experiences with money to conceptualize time when they explain their work in association with the time it takes In particular, the payment is normally based on ―serving time‖ (1980, p 8) They also add:
These practices are relatively new in the history of the human race, and by no means do they exist in all cultures They have arisen in modern industrialized societies and structure our basic everyday activities in a very profound way Corresponding to the fact that we act as if time is a valuable commodity – a limited resource, even money – we conceive of time that way Thus, we understand and experience time as the kind of thing that can be spent, wasted, budgeted, invested wisely or poorly, saved, or squandered (ibid., p 8)
ORIENTATIONAL METAPHORS
After going through the process of selection and statistics, we came to the conclusion that none of the 92 English song lyrics about spring contain any orientational metaphors As a result of this, we can observe that the use of orientational metaphors by musicians does not help them very much when it comes to portraying emotions in their lyrics.
ONTOLOGICAL METAPHORS
Table 4.4 Ontological Metaphors in Conceptual Metaphors of Spring in English song lyrics
Domains of Ontological Metaphors Number %
Figure 4.4 Number of Ontological Metaphors of Spring in English song lyrics
As we can see from Figure 4.2, the number of metaphorical expressions SPRING AS INANIMATE ENTITIES and SPRING AS ANIMATE ENTITIES have nearly the same number, with 109 cases compared to 105 respectively On the other hand, the metaphorical expression SPRING AS OTHER DOMAINS has the lowest number, with 65 frequencies, accounting for 23,3%
Consider some common examples such as the following expressions:
The term ―inanimate domain‖ typically refers to the realm or category of objects and entities that are not alive or do not possess consciousness Inanimate objects are non-living things, such as rocks, tables, chairs, buildings, and other physical structures These objects lack the characteristics of life, including the ability to grow, reproduce, respond to stimuli, or engage in conscious thought
In various contexts, the concept of the inanimate domain may be used to distinguish between living organisms (in the animate domain) and non-living
Spring as other domains things (in the inanimate domain) This differentiation is fundamental in fields such as biology, ecology, and philosophy, as it helps us understand and categorize the natural world based on the presence or absence of life and consciousness
Table 4.4.1 Spring As Inanimate Entities
Figure 4.4.1 Number of Spring As Inanimate Entities
SPRING AS CONCRETE OBJECTSSPRING AS COLORED OBJECTSSPRING AS CONTAINER OBJECTSSPRING AS CONTAINED ENTITIESSPRING AS MOVING OBJECTS
The number of SPRING AS INANIMATE ENTITIES is seen in Table 4.4.1 It is undeniable that a great number of musicians consider SPRING AS CONCRETE OBJECTS, and this conceptual metaphor comes with the highest number, with 45 frequencies, accounting for 41,28% The metaphors SPRING AS CONTAINER OBJECTS and SPRING AS CONTAINED ENTITIES have nearly the same number, with 25 cases compared to 20, respectively Finally, the lowest number is the metaphor SPRING AS COLORED OBJECTS, with 4 frequencies, only accounting for 3,67%
(4) Let me see what spring’s like (Bart, Fly Me to the Moon)
The listener is able to regard spring as a real object that we can see with our own eyes, as indicated by the verb see, which is included in (4) The usage of spring as a metaphor may inspire specific seasonal associations, such as rebirth, warmth, and longer days, depending on the context and cultural references that are brought up in the discussion
(4) ―to be conscious of what is around you by using your eyes‖ is the definition given for the word see in the Cambridge Advanced Learner‘s
Dictionary (2005) It is obvious that whatever can be seen must be a fact of life It should come as no surprise that items that can be perceived by people using any one of their five sense organs fall into the category of being tangible It should come as no surprise that items that can be perceived by people using any one of their five sense organs fall into the category of being physical As a result of this examination of the situations, it is possible to reach the conclusion that a spring is regarded as a CONCRETE OBJECT
(5) He was going to show me spring (Tori Amos, In the Springtime of His Voodoo)
The expression ―He was going to show me spring‖ considers spring as a concrete object that can be seen It likely employs the conceptual metaphor of spring as a time of renewal, growth, and new beginnings In this context,
―showing spring‖ could suggest that someone is going to introduce or share with the speaker a period of positive change, happiness, or rejuvenation in their life This metaphor is often used to convey the idea of a fresh start or the arrival of a more optimistic and vibrant phase in one‘s life
In terms of physical entities, the source domain mapping onto this season is also found as the manifestations of colored objects in the corpora The conceptual metaphor SPRING IS A COLORED OBJECT is used This manifestation of spring can be clarified with the following expressions:
(6) Waiting for the color of spring (Baez, April 5th)
In this expression, ―waiting‖ is used to express the idea of anticipation, while ―the color of spring‖ represents the expected arrival of springtime with its vibrant and colorful blossoms The metaphor suggests that the speaker is eagerly anticipating the arrival of spring, which is often associated with the rebirth of nature and the return of vibrant colors after the drabness of winter This metaphor helps convey a sense of longing and hope for better times or new beginnings
(7) You could be my silver spring
Blue-green colors flashin’ (Fleetwood Mac, Silver Springs)
Obviously, the expression (7), with the phrase ―my silver spring‖, prove that spring is a concrete object having colors It is obvious that spring, an abstract object from the perspective of the physical season; however, here it is depicted with numerous colors, which evokes the image of colored objects mapped onto spring
Noticeably, with regard to physical entities, spring is manifested as a container with a large number of metaphorical expressions in English In other words, the number of metaphorical expressions of spring, leading to the metaphor SPRING IS A CONTAINER in English, predominates in total Precisely, the metaphorical expressions account for 8 in English song lyrics The preposition in, which is utilized with a high frequency in the corpus, indicates that spring is conceptualized as a bounded region Actually, it has ever been claimed that the container image schema is a vital reflection in the conception of limited time as a container (Johnson, 1987; Lakoff & Kửvecses, 1987; Lakoff & Johnson, 1999) Therefore, the metaphor SPRING IS A CONTAINER is ubiquitous in English, as shown in the examples below:
(8) We gathered in spring (Gibb, We Gathered Here in Spring)
The expression ―We gathered in spring‖ does not include an extremely explicit conceptual metaphor anywhere in the text On the other hand, this spring might be seen as a location where ―we gathered‖ It likes a thing that contains ―we‖ This is a plain remark regarding the coming together of individuals throughout the spring season
(9) And love in some other spring (Billie Holiday, Some Other Spring)
The expression (9) exposes that spring contains ―love‖ (contained thing) In this metaphor, the act of talking is described as soft or gentle, suggesting a quiet and intimate exchange of words This metaphor helps create a sensory and atmospheric quality, emphasizing the peaceful and tender nature of the conversation taking place in the cool spring night
That comes in spring (Chaplin, Spring Song)
(11) But in the spring she took off her disguise (Watkins, Through the Spring)
The expression (10) presents that spring contains this thing The expression (11) indicates that her disguise is depicted as an object contained in the spring entity The springtime serves as a metaphor for a time when anything or someone goes through a transformation or displays their true character It‘s a metaphor that‘s frequently used in writing and singing to communicate the concept of personal development or the transition from disguising one‘s true self to becoming more genuine in one‘s expression of that self
Those expressions lead to the metaphor SPRING IS A CONTAINER, which is a conventional metaphor
Besides being viewed as a container, spring is considered a thing contained It can be clarified in some examples as follows:
(12) If I had prettу spring at the corner of mу heart (Big Baby Driver,
The expression uses the conceptual metaphor that links ―emotions‘ or
―mood‖ to the changing seasons, particularly ―spring‖ representing positive emotions and ―winter‖ representing negative or challenging emotions
In this metaphor, ―pretty spring‖ which is contained in the heart, symbolizes a positive and happy emotional state, while ―winter land‖ and the
SUMMARY
In conclusion, the findings and conclusions drawn from the empirical research presents in Chapter 4 pertain to the utilization of conceptual metaphors in English song lyrics In the 92 song lyrics that are analyzed, it is discovered that conceptual metaphors of spring in inanimate domains have the maximum number of phrases, followed by conceptual metaphors of spring in animate things and living entities This is discovered in accordance with what is indicated earlier
The classification of conceptual metaphors into inanimate and animate domains is therefore not very significant in this study However, according to Lakoff and Johnson, metaphors can be categorized in a variety of ways Since the focus of this study is on mapping mechanisms in conceptual metaphors of spring in English song lyrics, the classification of conceptual metaphors into inanimate and animate domains is not very significant.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
MAJOR FINDINGS
There are numerous examples of conceptual metaphor in 92 English song lyrics, including ontological metaphor and structural metaphor The most common type of metaphor utilized is an ontological one When referring to a tiny number, structural metaphors are typically utilized
When discussing ontological metaphors, entity metaphors are the most common type that come up The greatest number of examples use metaphors involving containers The majority of song lyrics make effective use of substance metaphors, which is a positive trend A significant number of abstract ideas are pictured in people‘s minds as concrete objects CONCRETE OBJECTS, CONTAINER OBJECTS, CONTAINED ENTITIES, MOVING OBJECTD, and PERSON are all examples of things that are commonly thought of in connection with the concept of spring Additionally, a vast number of personification metaphors are utilized in a wide variety of songs‘ lyrical content
When it comes to the employment of structural metaphors in song lyrics, the number of entity metaphors that can be found in English song lyrics comes in a very close second The data only include one structural metaphor, and that is the metaphor of SPRING AS MONEY
In addition, the conceptual metaphor of spring in the 92 English song lyrics that were used for the data does not contain any references to the orientational metaphor As a consequence of this, we are in a position to recognize that the utilization of orientational metaphors by artists does not provide them with a great deal of assistance when it comes to conveying feelings in the lyrics of their songs.
IMPLICATIONS
As was just mentioned, all varieties of conceptual metaphor may be found in song lyrics, with the entity metaphor making up the largest portion of the total The audience experiences various consequences as a result of these metaphors It has been abundantly evident that language has a significant role in the process of developing feeling for the music This is due to the fact that language gives the channels through which Spring has become vivid Therefore, language patterns associates to physical and living entities that are consciously exploited as a persuasive strategy improve the connection between the entities in the outside world and the idea of Spring held by musicians The use of conceptual metaphors is one strategy that can be implemented to increase the likelihood that recipients would accept communications that are artistically potent The lyrics of an English song fully reflect this essence of Spring by employing mental metaphors throughout the song
Therefore, people should use conceptual metaphors when conveying the implicit meaning in their written or spoken messages To be more explicit, entity metaphor and structural metaphor should be employed frequently in order to make it easier to understand and analyze abstract objects On the other hand, when one is examining texts in order to discover the meaning that is concealed inside the texts, conceptual metaphors should be given a great deal of attention.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES
Because of the constraints imposed by time, the scope of this investigation is restricted to Lakoff and Johnson‘s proposed standard categories of conceptual metaphors As a result, additional research should be conducted on the blending of several meanings included within a conceptual metaphor, as well as the combination of metaphor and metonymy found in political speech and literature according to the cognitive field The primary focus of the investigation is on determining the many mental metaphors that appear in 92 English song lyrics Because of this, the emotional impact that these song lyrics have on the audience should be examined further in various types of research Other types of figurative language used in these addresses, such as metonymy, synecdoche, and simile, should also be the subject of discussion in other types of research.
SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER
The primary findings are presented in Chapter 5, as well as some suggestions and recommendations for the utilization of conceptual metaphors in the lyrical content of songs, as well as in spoken and written texts, in order to communicate ideas and elicit emotional responses from listeners When attempting to decipher the underlying meaning of a text through analysis, it is also recommended that conceptual metaphors be given a great deal of focus and consideration In addition, this chapter makes some recommendations for additional research that could be done in the future on subjects that are related
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Some examples of English song lyrics:
1 Spring (Among the Living) by Olliges Jr
Boy, I was ready for spring
Then we spend all spring
Looking for the next one to go down
Out in the light of day‘s
Warm embrace again, What a gift! (one, two, three, four) Among the living
Then we spend all spring
Looking for the next one to go down
Among the living again, yeah
2 Through the Spring by Watkins
Write me a song I can sing all year long, and that‘ll send me to sleep
When there‘s no one beside me that I need, and the trees have all lost their leaves
And keep me alive through the spring
She said it best, didn‘t sound like the rest, always softly and sweet
In the sunshine I never thought to think, how could I be so naive?
But the spring time, it came and she left
Why should I care, she was never really there, a phantom girl
Or a wolf with the most amazing smile, all the while I thought otherwise But in the spring she took off her disguise
Well I‘ll never forget you looking my way
And the time that we spent in the absence of games
And in the month I was gone, the amount that you changed
I need a song to keep me alive through the spring
Keep me alive through the spring
Keep me alive through the spring
3 Fly Me to the Moon by Bart
Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
In other words hold my hand
In other words darling kiss me Fill my life with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I hope for
In other words please be true
In other words I love you
In other words I love you
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I hope for
In other words please be true
In other words I love you
4 In the Springtime of His Voodoo by Tori Amos
Standin‘ on a corner in Winslow Arizona
And I‘m quite sure I'm in the wrong song
Two girls sixty five got a piece tied up in the
―Honey we‘re Recovering Christians‖
In the springtime of his voodoo
He was going to show me spring
And right there for a minute
Girls you know what I mean
When swivelin that hip doesn't do the trick
Me pureed sanitarily Mr Sulu
In the springtime of his voodoo
Every road leads back to my door
Every road leads back to my door
Got all your crosses loaded
And I know she‘s not that
I said I know she‘s not that
You gotta owe something sometimes You gotta owe
When you‘re your momma‘s sunshine You‘ve got to give something sometimes When you‘re the sweetest cherry
I need some voodoo on these prunes
In the springtime of his voodoo
He was going to show me spring
The land is still, the sea is glistening The morning dove is on the wind
Beneath the cedar trees, the endless scar
We come to Lebanon to die in spring
I am a farmer‘s son from Israel
Allah be praised, Jehovah‘s will be done
Why must I die tonight in Lebanon?
This is a season of awakening
We should be laughing in the sun
We should be planting seeds in the empty fields Instead of dynamite in Lebanon
I am a farmer‘s son from Israel
We are the children of the Chosen Ones
Why must we die tonight in Lebanon?
Tonight we sing again the ancient songs
Tonight we sing while widows weep
Tonight, while harvest scares the birds of songs Their songs are dying in the streets
How many years have there been refugees People despised, people alone
Denied their dignity, denied their home
I am a farmer‘s son from Israel
Allah be praised, Jehovah‘s will be done
Why must I die tonight in Lebanon?
I am a farmer‘s son from lowa
We are the evidence of things to come
We are the dead tonight in Lebanon
6 Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac
You could be my silver spring
I would be your only dream
Your shinin‘ autumn ocean crashin‘
Don't say that she‘s pretty
And did you say that she loved you?
Baby, I don‘t want to know
So I‘ll begin not to love you
Turn around, see me runnin‘
I‘ll say I loved you years ago
Tell myself you never loved me, no
Don‘t say that she‘s pretty
And did you say that she loved you?
Baby, I don‘t want to know
And can you tell me was it worth it?
Baby, I don‘t want to know
Time cast a spell on you, but you won‘t forget me
I know I could have loved you
But you would not let me
Time cast a spell on you, but you won‘t forget me
I know I could‘ve loved you, but you would not let me
I‘ll follow you down ‗til the sound of my voice will haunt you Give me just a chance
You‘ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you Was I such a fool?
I'll follow you down til‘ the sound of my voice will haunt you Give me just a chance
You‘ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you Time cast a spell on you, but you won‘t forget me
I know I could‘ve loved you, but you would not let me
I'll follow you down 'til the sound of my voice
7 We Gathered Here in Spring by Gibb
No one lives to be three hundred years
Like the way it used to be
On this hill, nothing grows except greed
You will stay to finish your work
As long as need be
As long as need be
I can see my old house
And my wife in the front yard
Where I‘m sure to find my last meal
No one lives to be three hundred years
I can see my old house
And my wife in the front yard
8 Some Other Spring by Billie Holiday
Like the love affair I mourn
It's not true that love is blind
But deep in my heart it‘s cold as ice
Love, once you‘ve found me
But can that story unfold twice?
Then forget the old duet
And love in some other spring
Wagging their tails for love
Wagging their tails for love
That makes us all bewitched?
That gives us all the itch?
Oh, it‘s love, it‘s love, it‘s love love love love love
Love love love love love love love
10 Spring I Love You Best by Big Baby Driver
I wish I had someone who suddenlу arrived
And show me how the flowers grow and come out in a winter field
I wish I had someone new tender to mу heart Ѕomeone who will share me precious time Ѕomedaу уou will find me in the hands of the wind
Somehow уou will lead me to the warmer nights Ѕomedaу уou will find me in the hands of the wind Ѕomehow уou will lead me to the warmer nights
If Ɩ had prettу spring at the corner of mу heart
I will saу goodbуe to winter land, уou‘re so cruel the winter wind
Check the weather through the phone, the number is 131
Don‘t уou know the truth is in fine weather
(I love уou best) Ѕomedaу уou (I love уou best) will find me in the hands of the wind Ѕomehow уou (I love уou best) will lead me to the warmer nights Ѕomedaу уou (I love уou best) will find me in the hands of the wind Ѕomehow уou (I love уou best) will lead me to the warmer nights
The spring is my love
Leaves of spring rustling in the trees
Fill my heart with delight, rebirth of all kind
Sceneries which fulfill my soul
Which will tranquilly last forever in my mind
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the spring in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the love in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the spring in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the love in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the spring in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the love in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the spring in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the love in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the spring in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the love in me
The spring is my love
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the spring in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the love in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the spring in me
The wind, the birds, the love, the air
The breeze, the dew, the love in me
12 Their Hearts Were Full of Spring by Troup Jr
There‘s a story told of a very gentle boy
And the girl who wore his ring
The world they knew was one
For their hearts were full of spring
As the days grew old
And the nights passed into time
And the weeks and years took wind
Their love remained still young
For their hearts were full of spring
Then one day they died
And their graves were side by side
On a hill where robins sing
Grow there the whole year round
For their hearts were full of spring
13 Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most by Landesman
Threw my heart away each spring
Now a spring romance hasn‘t got a chance
Promised my first dance to winter
All I‘ve got to show‘s a splinter for my little fling
Spring this year has got me feeling
Like a horse that never left the post
I lie in my room staring up at the ceiling
Spring can really hang you up the most
Morning‘s kiss wakes trees and flowers
And to them I‘d like to drink a toast
I walk in the park just to kill lonely hours
Spring can really hang you up the most
All afternoon those birds twitter-twit
I know the tune, ‗This is love, this is it!‘
Heard it before and I know the score
And I‘ve decided that spring is a bore
Love seemed sure around the New Year
Now it‘s April, love is just a ghost
Spring arrived on time, only what became of you, dear? Spring can really hang you up the most
Spring is here, there‘s no mistaking
Robins building nests from coast to coast
My heart tries to sing so they won‘t hear it breaking Spring can really hang you up the most
College boys are writing sonnets
In the ―Tender passion‖ they‘re engrossed
But I‘m on the shelf with last year‘s Easter bonnets Spring can really hang you up the most
Love came my way, I hoped it would last
We had our day, now that‘s all in the past
Spring came along a season of sun
Full of sweet promise but something went wrong
―Sulphur and molasses‖ was the dose
Didn‘t help a bit, my condition must be chronic
Spring can really hang you up the most
All alone, the party‘s over
Old man winter was a gracious host
But when you keep praying for snow to hide the clover
Spring can really hang you up the most
14 Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year by Carly Simon
In my lonely world over here
For you have left me
And where is our April love old
Yes you have left me
As if to say that spring will be
A little slow reviving that music
It made in my heart
‗Cause time heals all things,
So I needn‘t cling to this fear
It‘s merely that spring will be
Yes time heals all things
So I needn‘t cling to this fear
It‘s merely that spring will be
To be gone in a day
Just as the leaves had turned gold
I was drawn to the sound
That the wind carried down
From an open window pane
And oh, how like a song
To linger long after the end
With the promise of spring
How like the fall to be gone in a day Just as the trees had turned gold
I was drawn to this sound
That some fingers had found
But now the winter seems to stay too long How like a song
To linger long after it's gone
Though the window is closed
And the questions it posed
When everything seems to be new
But here‘s someone who‘s hoping
On that Brooklyn street again
And oh, how like a song
To linger long after it‘s gone
With the promise of spring
To build a white tower in our heads begun The grass knows, the hills know, we all know Spring has come, the good fountain flows Each hoof fall brings us nearer the land
Of peat and seabirds and silver sand
The grass knows, the hills know, we all know Spring has come, the good fountain flows
17 Spring Vacation by The Beach Boys
Driving around, living the dream
I'm cruising the town, digging the scene I'm not gonna stress, not gonna worry
Doing my best, no need to hurry
Making each day a new celebration
Seems like it could go on forever
Long as we can all stick together
We used to get around, get up and hit up All the hot spots in town
Hey what‘s it to ya,
That‘s with the past, it‘s all behind us We‘re happier now
Look where love finds us
Singing our songs is enough reason
Harmony boys is what we believe in Some said it wouldn‘t last
All we can say is we're still having a blast Spring vacation
Hey what‘s it to ya,
Hey what‘s it to ya,
18 Spring Again by Biz Markie
Yo this one aight though
Dis dis dis gon‘ be dis gon' be our new single
And when you hear this story you‘ll say it‘s aight though
Yo yo yo yo Cool V, why don't you give me a cue
One more cue, and then I‘m ready to go in
Don‘t you like when the winter‘s gone
And all of a sudden it starts getting‘ warm
The trees and the grass start lookin‘ fresh
And the sun and sky be lookin‘ their best
Birds be singin‘, flowers be bloomin‘
A lot of brand new cars be zoomin‘
Fly girls lookin‘ the best they can be
And the guys be dukey dukey Dan you see
Besides all that I like the warm weather
‗Cause that‘s when you can get yourself together
But I like Easter time with a grin
‗Cause when I was little we used to go to Coney I-sland
We used to eat a lot of stuff like cotton candy
‗Cause back then, it was like fine and dandy
You used to get dressed up in double knits
And your plaid suit jackets, they were the shits
The good ol‘ days, was back then
And the reason I reminisce, ‗cause
Everybody know it‘s spring again
To the girls and boys and people above
This is the time to fall in love
Now girls have you ever broke up with your boyfriend And you felt that the world was comin‘ to an end
Sittin' around the house poutin‘ for no reason
Just because you thought your man was skeezin‘
For a couple of days, look gloomy and gray
Thinkin‘ about the ol‘ happy days
All of a sudden, the telephone ring
He beg for your forgiveness and you know what that brings Joy and happiness into your life
Before you felt like your heart was stabbed by a knife
I'm tellin‘ you girls, keep the man that you got
‗Cause if he cheats, you might need a VD shot
You know two wrongs don‘t make a right
And if you did somethin‘ wrong, don‘t do the same it‘s not polite Please don‘t make this breakin‘ up a trend, becuase because It‘s spring again
Everybody know it‘s spring again
To the girls and boys and people above
This is the time to fall in love
Now fellas have you ever met a girl that tried to front
And wanted you to act like you was on a hunt
I used to see my homeboys frown and fret
For a girl that always tryin‘ to play hard to get
I know I caught it myself, I must admit
And said anything you want you gotta work hard for it
Me the Diabolical, be obsessed?
And go after somethin‘ that a girl possess?
They‘re really on yours like a pair of drawers
They want you to be like Santa Claus
They want drug dealers, and four-wheelers
Truck jewelry, they expect you to steal her
Sheeeeit, I know they must be buggin‘
They better hit the streets and do their own muggin‘ But in this case, you would just overlook her
Send her on her way and say I can‘t help you hooker It‘s spring again
Everybody know it‘s spring again
To the girls and boys and people above
This is the time to fall in love
19 Spring Is Here by Nina Simone
Why doesn‘t my heart go dancing?
Why isn‘t the waltz entrancing?
Why doesn‘t the breeze delight me?
Why doesn‘t the night invite me?
Why doesn‘t the breeze delight me?
Why doesn‘t the night invite me?
Somebody told me spring is here
20 Spring Fever by Elvis Presley
Love is in the air
A little bird, he told me so
He said, ―Come on, get on the go
Open your eyes, the sky is full of butterflies"‖ The blossoms on the trees
Stir up the honey bees
Spring makes my fever right (spring fever) Spring fever
Spring is here at last
There is no doubt now
Love is in the air
Well, if you feel the wanderlust
Just grab a car or hop a bus
In every town, there‘s excitement to be found
Don‘t miss the joy of spring
The world‘s in love, just look around (spring fever) Spring fever
There is no doubt now
Love is in the air
There is no doubt now
Love is in the air