AN ANALYSIS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN JAMES BAY'S SELECTED SONGS 'BETTER' AND 'SILENT LOVE': ITS CONTRIBUTION TO TEACHING POETRY

Sulistyo, Prio Adi. 17420050. 2024. “AN ANALYSIS OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN
JAMES BAY'S SELECTED SONGS “BETTER” AND “SILENT LOVE”: ITS CONTRIBUTION TO
TEACHING POETRY”. Final Project, English Study Program, Faculty of Languages and
Arts Education, Universitas PGRI Semarang. The advisor is Dr. Nur Hidayat,
M.Hum., and the second advisor Dr. Jafar Sodiq, S.Pd., M.Pd,.
Key words: Figurative Language, Songs Lyric, Poetry, James Bay
Language in a song refers to the choice of words, expressions, and literary devices
that a songwriter uses to communicate emotions, tell a story, or convey a message. It
goes beyond the basic meaning of words to include how they are arranged, the
rhythm and sound they create, and the imagery they evoke. Through metaphors,
similes, repetition, and other poetic techniques, the language of a song can transform
simple lyrics into something that resonates deeply with listeners. It allows the artist to
express complex feelings and ideas in a way that music alone cannot, making the
song more impactful and memorable. Language in songs serves as a bridge between
the artist's intentions and the listener's emotions, creating a shared experience that is
both personal and universal. The objectives of this study are: 1) To identify and
categorize the types of figurative language used in the selected songs by James Bay.
2) To analyze the function and significance of these figurative expressions within the
context of the songs. 3)To explore how the findings of this analysis can be utilized in
the teaching of poetry, particularly in helping students understand and appreciate the
use of figurative language. The study used descriptive qualitative, that is a type of
qualitative research. The research belongs to library research. The first step is
downloading selected James Bay’s songs “Better” and “Silent Love”. The second step
is listening to the songs repeatedly. The third step is analyzing figurative languages in
songs “better” and “Silent Love”. The fourth step is identifying the kinds of figurative
languages in purpose song. The fifth step is finding out the messages of figurative
languages in songs “Better” and “Silent Love”. The result showed that James Bay's
songs "Better" and "Silent Love" offer significant contributions to teaching poetry,
particularly in the exploration of figurative language, emotional expression, and the
structure of modern lyrical poetry. Both songs are rich in figurative language, which
is a fundamental aspect of poetry. By analyzing these songs, students can develop a
deeper understanding of poetic techniques and learn how to apply them in their own
creative writing.