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K.A.R.D - Trust Me (BM & Somin Version): lyrical analysis

12/18/2017

Every once in a while, there comes a song that positively affects your life and makes you re-evaluate how you are living. “Trust Me” by K.A.R.D is one of those songs. The melody, the message, the instrumentation, and the way the song is overall produced is indescribable. It all meshes together so well to form a brilliant song that will move anyone and reduce almost any person listening to it to tears. In this lyrical analysis, I will be dissecting the BM and Somin version because I am completely at awe with BM's rap. I may come back and dig into J.Seph's rap one day, but today is about BM and Somin. “Trust Me” delves into a relationship where each member needs a reassurance of their trust and love for each other. The song lyrics are written like a conversation between those involved.

Hurry here, I missed you
How was your day?
You did a good job
Did anything happen?
Why are you avoiding my eyes?
Look at me
You have something to tell me, right?

A series of questions to start the song out. That's the right kind of hook. From one lover to the other, asking questions about their day, but tinged with some discomfort. “Why are you avoiding my eyes?” is a deliberate dig into what is happening. It seeks out information but also pries into the unseen factors of someone's life. It is fueled by anger, jealousy, and self doubt.

I get scared when you get serious sometimes
Because you’re always so bright

But to turn around those negative jabs, the lover shows a sign of concern. You always seem “so bright” but something is different and you aren't acting like your normal self.

Strangely, today
You’re just sighing without much words

Another stress on the difference of self. A noticed attribute being expressed much greater than usual.

Whenever things upset you
You told me honestly
When you are tired
You actually smiled more

The lover seems nervous because the honesty that was once there doesn't seem to be there anymore. So far, the song has been one-sided. It has been Somin's personality trying to understand what is going on with her lover.

What happened?
You don’t look so good
I know you’re hiding something
I guess your heart is aching

“I know you're hiding something” is sort of another jab at BM's personality. She is assuming that he is up to no good or else he would have told her. However, she sort of retracts her previous statement by saying, “I guess your heart is aching” which shows compassion from Somin.

Trust me, hug me
Trust me, tell me
That you love me

I won’t ever be disappointed so
Trust me
Will you keep looking at me warmly?
Trust me

My love won’t ever change so
Trust me
Whatever happens
Trust me
I will protect you
Trust me

Trust me, hug me
Trust me, hug me
Trust me, tell me
Trust me, tell me that you love me
Trust me

Trust me, hug me
Trust me, hug me
Trust me, tell me
Trust me, tell me that you love me

The chorus is Somin begging BM to trust her with all of his problems. She loves him and she wants the reassurance that he loves her.

I know I’ve been a li'l distant lately
Been trying to figure things out in my life
Negative thoughts in mind
Been a little bit crazy
Trying to find a place to let it out right

BM chimes in finally with this rap verse saying that he understands why she's worried, but he's “trying to figure things out in [his] life”. Because he has these negative thoughts and feelings, he doesn't want to burden Somin with all of them, so he's “trying to find a place to let it out right”.

It’s a cold world and I’m tired of bull[sh*t]
A lot of ups and downs
A lot of pushin' and pull, [sh*t]
Reality hits, pressure pain walk hand in hand
Still gettin' used to this [sh*t], I

(So I don't know if this is what the lyrics intended originally, but I added the “sh*t” in because it makes more sense with the flow.) This stanza in BM's rap is essentially him complaining about the way the world is.

I would never wanna put the weight
Of my world on you

These two lines confirms my previous statement about BM not wanting to burden Somin with the problems he has and “the weight of [his] world”.

But stress got me feeling real out of place
Life moves a li'l faster than we anticipate
And I’m havin' trouble controllin' the pace

In this segment, BM is talking about the pace of life and how time marches on. It slows for no one and will not be stopped.

You the only real thing in this [f*cked up] world
I love you and you know it
I appreciate you and I hope you know
I’m always trying to find ways to show it

BM says that Somin is the light to his world. Everything else is dark and he would never change the way he feels about her.

No matter what I be going through
You bring back to senses the way
You put words together and though
I don’t mention this side of myself too much
I don’t need to 'cause you know me better

He continues to show his appreciation through his words saying that she knows him better than anyone else, so she was right to believe something was wrong.

Lose faith in me never
Know that I’m a go-getta
When I say Imma get it
Yeah I mean every letter
Promises were made and I intend to keep 'em
Today may be an L but Imma bounce back
Harder than ever

BM continues by stressing things about himself that Somin already knows. She knows that he's not a quitter and that when he promises something, he “intend[s} to keep 'em”.

'Cause the right time can lead to a life time
Vivid pictures of livin' makin' killin'
With you by my side
You help me stay true to myself
What you provide could never
Amount to any wealth

It is stressed once again that Somin is the reason BM is the way he is. She keeps him staying true. He shows his appreciation once again with the words “what you provide could never amount to any wealth”. I think those words can mean a lot to a woman.

This could be the realest verses I wrote
In my dark days girl it’s you
That shows me hope
They say the sun don’t shine forever
But through any weather we’ll make it
As long as we make it together
Ain’t nothin' better

Somin is the light in BM's dark days and he ends his rap by saying “through any weather, we'll....make it together” right after suggesting that the world and the sun won't be around forever, but they will make it together.

I won’t ever be disappointed so
Trust me
Will you keep looking at me warmly?
Trust me

My love won’t ever change so
Trust me
Whatever happens
Trust me
I will protect you
Trust me

Trust me, hug me
Trust me, hug me
Trust me, tell me
Trust me, tell me that you love me
Trust me

Trust me, hug me
Trust me, hug me
Trust me, tell me
Trust me, tell me that you love me

I missed you
How was your day?
You did a good job

The last stanza of the song is a sort of refrain from what Somin was saying at the beginning. However, now understanding, she finishes it off with “you did a good job”.

[Lyrics from: www.colorcodedlyrics.com]

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IU - Dear Name: lyrical analysis

12/17/2017

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2017 was a year of contenders for some of the best songs and best albums, but there is an album that stands out in my mind. I don't know if it will make best album of the year for my list but I can tell you that it deserves that spot. I'm so glad Palette by IU won album of the year at the Melon Awards because there is one specific song that needs to be an anthem for the lost, the alone, the heart broken, the hurt. If you still don't know what song I'm talking about, it is “Dear Name”, the final song on IU's incredibly moving album. I fell in love with this song instantly and I already know what the song is about. It's about the lives of those related to victims of the Sewol Tragedy. The song talks about their pain and struggles to move on after the incident. However, I'd like to take a stab at looking at the lyrics without the tragedy in mind. I just want to read the lyrics as if I was IU writing them.

The voice I long for even in my dreams
I call out the name but there’s no answer
Only the tearful echo returns
And I listen to that sound by myself

IU starts out this phenomenal song by expressing her desire to be with a loved one that is no longer around. “The voice I long for even in my dreams” makes the assumption that the person doesn't exist on the earth anymore. She continues singing “I call out the name but there's no answer” confirming the non-existence of this person in this world. The last two lines dwell on the empty feeling of missing someone and possibly not having closure with that person.

Even if it’s so cold, it feels like it’ll break
I won’t ever let go this time
The hands of that day that has gotten so far away
Through the night that was endlessly long and thick and dark
I know your wish has silently disappeared
I’ll wait for a long time, I will definitely find you

IU is thinking to herself that if she had a second chance to keep that person nearby, she'd never let go. She regrets the day that she lost this person. The last line of the stanza “I'll wait for a long time, I will definitely find you” is basically IU saying that she'll meet this person again in Heaven. In death.

Even if you’re so far that I can’t see you
Let’s go, to the place at the tip of dawn
The child who stands in front of me without fail
Head hanging low but never crying
When I sadly hold out my hand, the child runs away
So I hold onto the empty air by myself

This stanza is incredibly sad. The imagery here is so profound. “Let's go to the place at the tip of the dawn”. I like to imagine this line is saying she wants to meet this person at the edge of dream and consciousness. That moment before you wake up. “When I sadly hold out my hand, the child runs away so I hold onto the empty air by myself”. To be presented with a concept such as this within a song that is so short is unbelievable. She's telling the listener that she reached out, in her dreams, for this person, this child and the only thing that remains is the cold, empty air.

Even if it hurts so much
I won’t forget this time
The words that waited so long by itself

This portion of the song changes with each refrain and IU is singing about not letting go of the memories even though they may hurt and may be hard to keep, she will keep holding on.

Through the night that was endlessly long and thick and dark
I know your wish has silently disappeared
I’ll wait for a long time, I will definitely find you

Even if you’re so far that I can’t see you
Let’s go, to the place at the tip of dawn
Through the endlessly lost, cold and cruel days
I know your name that has silently been forgotten
I won’t stop, I’ll shout out several times

Even if you’re so far that I can’t believe it
Let’s go, to the place at the tip of dawn

[Lyrics from: www.klyrics.net]

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Choa - Flame: lyrical analysis

12/11/2017

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Sometimes, every once in a while, an artist creates music outside of their parent group and in doing so, blesses us, the fans with something spectacular. Unfortunately for Choa of AOA, not many people actually knew about this song at its release. “Flame” is a song by Choa that, if I”m not mistaken, is a remake of an older k-pop song. This is one of my favorite songs attached to the AOA name. It has a heartbreaking message about trying to erase the pain of losing a loved one.

The pain starts as soon as I open my eyes
Every time I think of you, my heart aches
I guess all the heartbreak before wasn’t a heartbreak
I’m learning that this is a true heartbreak through you

The song starts off with pain and the stinging of tears. “The pain starts as soon as I open my eyes” makes me believe that Choa has been crying. She continues by stating that all other heartbreak before this one weren't actually heartbreak. “You” are the one who is causing this “true heartbreak”.

Everything that happened in my room with you becomes a movie
In that movie, you’re the star of my love
I don’t wanna see the end of this love that is coming to an end
So I rewind to the beginning and take you out again

Her memories are like a movie. However to prevent the hurt, she wants to go back and erase “you” from the entire thing. This means that she would take being happy and never knowing “you” than having those joyful memories and having it come crashing down.

When the moonlight covers my tears
My one and only love comes to an end
I try to burn you from my heart to forget, to erase it all
But like a flame,
you wrap around me, you cruel love

Choa is trying everything in her power to erase “you” from her memories but “you” are cruel and won't let her go. “But like a flame, you wrap around me, you cruel love”.

My sad love became a sad poem
You’re so bad, you left me for just one mistake
If only I could forget you with just one tear drop
Then I can cry for 365 days

“My sad love became a sad poem” is connected to the idea of a poetic tragedy. Greek poems were written with myths and a lot of the time, those poems and myths ended in tragedy; hence the reason they were called the Tragedies. Her love ended tragically, becoming one among the Greek tragedies. “If only I could forget you with just one tear drop then I can cry for 365 days” meaning that the effect he had on her is so tremendous that even being able to erase his memory with one tear, she would have to cry for a full year to forget him completely. That is intense.

When the moonlight covers my tears
My one and only love comes to an end
I try to burn you from my heart to forget, to erase it all
But like a flame,
you wrap around me, you cruel love

Go away, go away
You used to be my love at one point

When the starlight gets locked in the ocean with a strong sigh
My sad and quickened breath will stop
My last monologue will get carried away by the wind
To a faraway place where I’ve left to because
you’re not here

In this stanza, the lyrics turn to become very metaphorical. She starts off by singing “when the starlight gets locked in the ocean with a strong sigh”. I think she's saying that the light emitted from stars becomes drowned in the depths of the ocean. Something so brilliant and distant becoming faded and burnt out in the waves of our ocean. In the last three lines, she is expressing her desire to fade out like these stars. She wants to die because of the absence of her lover. Her breath will stop and her “last monologue” meaning her last words, will “get carried away by the wind”.

When the moonlight covers my tears
My one and only love comes to an end
I try to burn you from my heart to forget, to erase it all

But like a flame,
you wrap around me, you cruel love

[Lyrics from www.colorcodedlyrics.com]

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Offonoff - Cigarette: lyrical analysis

12/9/2017

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An artist I came to love by the end of the year was Offonoff of HIGHGRND. Him and Millic both have chill beats that capture a unique style and sound. One of my favorite songs from Offonoff this year was “Cigarette” featuring Tablo of Epik High and Miso. The song takes the addiction and brilliance of love and uses cigarettes as the metaphor to explain how powerful this addiction can be.

Smoke up a glimpse of heaven
Smoke up a glimpse of heaven

The lines “smoke up a glimpse of heaven” brings two thoughts to mind. One of them has to do with death and smoking taking you closer to death with each puff. The second one is connected to the addiction to nicotine. I've never smoked in my life, but people who are addicted to nicotine tell me that it calms their nerves and brings them momentary peace, or heaven.

I smoked 2 packs till the night
Sip on red wine I fall back
Can’t stop this attraction
I can’t see a thing

The first two lines of this stanza give me a relaxed feeling. I imagine a man outside on a chilled night, smoking. The imagery for “sip[ping] on red wine” also brings to mind a person over drinking and passing out from the alcohol. The first and the third line seem to have a correlation whereas the second and fourth do the same thing. “Can't stop this attraction” has to do with the addiction to the nicotine and “I can't see a thing” is tied to the blurry vision that comes with becoming drunk.

Laying with you I feel like
Moving clouds high in the sky
It’s been too long since I
Realized you’re real

Being together with this loved one “feel[s] like moving clouds high in the sky”. There's that euphoric rush of being with someone you care about. The last two lines feel like the singer is talking about the love being temporary similar to the rush or high you get from smoking cigarettes.

Two heart come together
We were truly there
I fall down then I fall down

Again I believe this section is focusing on that temporary feeling of nirvana for those who smoke. “Two hearts come together....then I fall down”. There's the rush of love, but it only lasts for a while.

Puff of heaven
I feel like I’m in a day dream
I go up then I go up

Smoking to the smokers feels like heaven. I've mentioned that several times in this analysis and I'll probably mention it several more times. It's about getting that high and when you come down, wanting that high again. It's about never wanting to be down, but always wanting to be high.

I could I could be there for you
I could I could be the one to
I’d be your cigarette

Love is a reason you can get high. It's a high without the nicotine. The singer is suggesting they'll be like a cigarette.

I would I would be your light and
I would I would
shine you brighter
Oh I wish I be your last
cigarette

Again, this is talking about love and the high it gives you but it's also talking metaphorically. It's suggesting that the singer would be a light as in brilliance and goodness, but also talking about a light for a cigarette.

Smoke up a glimpse of heaven
Smoke up a glimpse of heaven
She’s got the dance floor
hella lit Then
she steps out for a cigarette
and I’ve been prayin’ all night
that like God
she gives life to my world with a
Can I get a light
Ignite a match
She leans in to catch it
We’re the only spark in the dark
like a chandelier with no
ceiling but the sky
As the smoke from her lips
bleeds into the atmosphere
No ashes here no dust
This moment is forever
Even though each puff will take
us further from together
She’ll have me
until the very last drag
Come to think of it love is
like a cigarette
Burning at the tip of it
but quick to burn out
Like a cigarette
it may get you sick
but you’ll never get sick of it
so light one up now

This section of the song is Tablo's part and honestly my favorite part. He is using a cigarette and the addiction to cigarettes as a metaphor for love. “Like a cigarette, it may get you sick but you'll never get sick of it, so light one up now” stresses the effect love has on the brain. Love can make you sick but it's such an addicting thing that you'll never get sick of it.

I could I could be there for you
I could I could be the one to
I’d be your cigarette

I would I would be your light and
I would I would
shine you brighter
Oh I wish I be your last
cigarette

I want you addicted to me
I was one of your cigarettes
the smell
of your pastel breathing
just make me love you even more
my love is on fire

I could I could be there for you
I could I could be the one to

I would I would be your light and
I would I would
shine you brighter

I could I could be there for you
I could I could be the one to
I’d be your cigarette

I would I would be your light and
I would I would
shine you brighter
Oh I wish I be your last
cigarette

I could I could be there for you
I could I could be the one to
I’d be your cigarette

[Lyrics from www.klyrics.net]

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HyunA - Lip & Hip: lyrical analysis

12/4/2017

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Number three on my list is “Lip & Hip” by Hyuna as requested by my good friend @jeremo9sone. You can read my thoughts on the music video and song right here:
https://www.openthekpop.com/k-pop/hyuna-lip-hip-music-video-review
Here is my sort of kind of not close reading into the lyrics of “Lip & Hip” by Hyuna. I hope you enjoy.

I want to dress up specially today
I don’t really feel like myself Yeah
A little more hot, my mind is more bold
It feels like things are working out for me today

The first line of the song talks about Hyuna wanting to “dress up specially” which I take to mean she wants to feel special. She wants to be noticed, but not as something crazy, but as herself which is confirmed in the second line of lyric. The way I see it, Hyuna wants to feel sexy while being herself rather than what others tell her to be.

A trendier accessory
And my eyes that match its twinkling ~kling
Even your friend falls for you
My gaze is only on your lips
Today I’m queen queen queen
When you stand in front of me, I’m King king king
There’s a lot of men who want me but I pick you
Pick pi pi pi pi pick

Hyuna is filled with a bit of jealousy in the line “even your friend falls for you”. There is a fatal attraction that Hyuna has for this guy and it seems like she's not giving up. “There's a lot of men who want me, but I pick you” straight up states the fact that she's not going down without a fight for this guy.

This might be the last time, I won’t hide anymore
Time is fast and it doesn’t wait for us
Wherever you’re led, whatever you want
Don’t stop

“This might be the last time, I won't hide anymore” is where Hyuna confesses that she's going after this guy. She's not going to shy away from the fact that she likes this guy and wants only this guy. Then the song lyrics mention “time” and how time is a constantly moving thing. It will continue to move on and it leaves everyone behind, therefore she says “don't stop”. But is she saying this to the guy or to herself? I feel like the last two lines of this stanza are more for her than for the guy.

Lip and lip
My lips will melt you sweetly
Hip and hip

This stanza I take as being somewhat explicit in the content. She's saying “lip and lip” and “hip and hip” which I take to mean lips to lips as in kissing and hips to hips as in sexual activity. I could be mistaken but that's what it seems to be for me.

Spinning and spinning out of control

Lip and lip and lips
Hip and hip and hips
Lip and lip and hips
Woo I got fancy lip and hip

Lip and lip and lips
Hip and hip and hips
Lip and lip and hips
Woo I got fancy lip and hip

The chorus focuses on that scene of lip and lip and hip and hip. At the beginning of it, the lyrics are “spinning and spinning out of control” which essentially sums up what I was saying in the previous section.

Every day I want you to express to me honestly
It feels like you’re not yourself
Sometimes I’m sexy, my walking is more confident
It feels like things are working out for me today

In this stanza, it sounds like she was caught up on this one guy and she's getting what she wants. “...I want you to express to me honestly” makes me think that the guy she's after actually wants her but isn't being honest. Then she closes off this verse by singing “it feels like things are working out for me today”. In my mind, she's seducing him and it's working.

This might be the last time, I won’t hide anymore
Time is fast and it doesn’t wait for us
Wherever you’re led, whatever you want
Don’t stop

Lip and lip
My lips will melt sweetly
Hip and hip

I can’t explain it in words
I don’t think I’m in my right mind

Lip and lip and lips
Hip and hip and hips
My lips will melt you sweetly
Lip and lip and lips
Hip and hip and hips
Spinning and spinning out of control

Woo I got fancy lip and hip
Woo I got fancy lip and hip

[www.ilyricsbuzz.com]

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Taeyeon - Time Lapse: lyrical analysis

12/3/2017

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I'm here today with my second Lyrical Analysis. Taeyeon is my absolute favorite singer in k-pop because of the raw emotion that she projects with each breath of lyric. She is my favorite and my favorite song from her is a B-side track called “Time Lapse”. The song is full of the explicit emotion being delivered in a powerful way through the voice, the instrumentation, and the combination of the two.

Birthdays

This song is obviously talking about birthdays. Before we move on, birthdays are a movement of time. Like the title suggests, a time lapse.

Are always the same
Many of them have passed
I feel like I’m becoming an adult
But still, when I think of your name

She's accepting her growth into adulthood. When she mentions “birthdays are always the same”, she seems indifferent or even disappointed by her birthdays because of the movement. She's getting older. But, there is a but. “When [she] think[s] of your name”, is she taken back to younger days? Does she reminisce on a certain birthday because she thought of you?

Tears well up and when I close my eyes
I see you and even though everything changed
You’re always at the same place, looking the same
Making me cry

Birthdays are apparently a sad time for her because she sees this person. In the third line of the stanza, it reads “you're always at the same place, looking the same” which leads me to think a loved one or a memorable person has passed away or maybe, at that time, disappeared from Taeyeon's life. So she's sad because of the loss of this person. I'm not sure what loss it is.

The seasons are still the same
Though many have passed
Now it’s time that
I got used to being without you

“The seasons are still the same” makes me think of a time lapse montage. She's upset because she lost this person, but time marches forward. She's been upset for years and she needs to move on with her life, without this person.

But still, when I think of your name
Tears well up and when I close my eyes
I see you and even though everything changed
You’re always at the same place, looking the same
Making me cry

Yeah, that’s how all break-ups are
It’s about erasing all
The happy memories of being together

A little more is revealed in this stanza, stating that the loss was a break-up. She's coming to terms with the fact that she needs to “[erase] all the happy memories of being together”.

But when I try to forget
Tears well up (tears well up)
On top of those tears
You flow down and time stops
My feelings that I tried to hide
Quietly raises its head
Calling out to you with a longing voice

This stanza is probably my favorite because of the vivid emotion within the words. Even though, at this birthday, she's trying so hard to forget the ex, her emotions get the better of her and he takes over her thoughts. “[He] flow[s] down and time stops”. Her personification she used for her feelings is incredible. “My feelings...raises its head, calling out to you...”

Yeah, that’s how love is
The start and end are always so different

This part seems like it's looking back and sort of like a third person narrator summing all of the things we've heard into a moral. The interesting thing is, it didn't tell us the start of the relationship. In fact, the only thing we know about this relationship is the fact that it ended on Taeyeon's birthday.

Yeah, that’s how all break-ups are
A deeper love comes and makes you cry

Yeah, this break-up keeps making me cry

[Lyrics from www.colorcodedlyrics.com]

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K.A.R.D - Trust Me (BM & Somin Version): lyrical analysis

IU - Dear Name: lyrical analysis

Choa - Flame: lyrical analysis

Offonoff - Cigarette: lyrical analysis

HyunA - Lip & Hip: lyrical analysis

Taeyeon - Time Lapse: lyrical analysis

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