The Power of a Metaphor (ft. Death Cab for Cutie's "Transatlantacism")
Sep 30, 2019
The power of a well-crafted metaphor can turn an ordinary story into a work of art.
In the same way that a painting or a movie score can convey an emotion without completely spelling it out, a metaphor can add layers of depth, color and perspective that can be really hard to get at with more literal language.
It’s one thing to say “I’m too strong to be hurt by you." It’s another thing to say “You shoot me down but I won’t fall. I am titanium.” (David Guetta - "Titanium" ft. Sia). '
A good metaphor makes you FEEL what the author is saying rather than just COMPREHEND it.
There are so many ways to incorporate metaphors into your songs.
You can focus on one self-contained metaphor and pepper it in throughout the song, flipping between metaphorical and literal language, e.g. “You really know how to make me cry / When you gimme those ocean eyes.” ("Ocean Eyes" by Billie Eilish)
You can use different metaphors throughout the song, creating more depth in an individual line or moment when it’s needed, e.g. “So be it, I’m your crowbar” and “When the crowd becomes your burden / And you’ve early closed your curtain / I’ll wait by the backstage door.” ("I Know" by Fiona Apple)
OR you can also do what Death Cab For Cutie did in their song, "Transatlanticism" . . .
You can write the entire song around a particular metaphor and never once break the spell.
This is not easy.
But when done well, as you’ll see below, it’s incredibly powerful. Let’s take a look!
The Atlantic was born today, and I'll tell you how
The clouds above opened up and let it out
I was standing on the surface of a perforated sphere
When the water filled every hole
And thousands upon thousands made an ocean
Making islands where no islands should go (oh no)
Ben Gibbard, the main writer/lyricist, uses literal distance (a newborn Atlantic ocean) as a metaphor for emotional distance. He paints a very detailed visual, visceral, and emotional scene. Not only do you feel what the narrator is going through, you are watching it like a movie in your mind.
Most people were overjoyed; they took to their boats
I thought it less like a lake and more like a moat
The rhythm of my footsteps crossing flatlands to your door
Have been silenced forevermore
And the distance is quite simply much too far for me to row;
It seems farther than ever before (oh no)
Without obviously stating the emotions of loneliness, disconnection and isolation, you really experience them yourself through this metaphor.
I need you so much closer
So come on; come on
We love how he ends the song with a more direct and literal emotional statement. It just takes everything that you’ve been feeling throughout this song and ties it up with a relatable and simple statement.
It’s metaphorical perfection, in our opinion!
What do you think? What are you favorite examples of metaphors in songs? We want to hear from you!
And if this is something you’ve never explored in your own songs, we encourage you to try it out. And we also encourage you to listen to this song on repeat and soak in the beautiful melancholy.
Happy writing,
Allie & Bess
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