I'm going to evaluate the argument put forth in Cheap Trick's "I want you to want me"
1. The argument is basically that they want the person they are singing to to want to be with them.
2. The audience is someone that the singer really wants to be with.
3. The argument is very straightforward. In terms of logos, they first talk about what it would be like if they could be together. The singer would be willing to shine his shoes, put on a brand-new shirt, and come home early from work if this girl would love him. The he points out that she's already lonely. He saw her crying because she was without a friend, so she might as well be with him. Ethos is pretty easy too. He just keeps repeating it. We are definitely sure halfway through the song that he loves her and then he even keeps going. "I need you to need me" is a pretty strong statement. He can't go on without her in his life. I would be touched if someone said that to me. Ethos is kind of lacking, because we don't know the background of the singer. How reliable is he? Does he say these kinds of things to a lot of girls or is it a rare occurence for him? Is he someone who keeps his emotions inside or someone who says whatever he feels, whenever he feels it? I think his argument isn't sufficient, because he doesn't say much. He just keeps repeating himself. But I actually think that the repetition works in his favor. Sometimes it works to just say things over and over and over again, which is exactly what he does. I think his argument is typical, because he doesn't say anything too out of the ordinary. He is a typical guy, in the fact that he makes promises of what he'll do if she'll just agree. He also is typical because saying how much you like someone isn't a crazy occurence. I think his argument is accurate, because he does really like her. What else is more accurate than just saying what you feel? The argument is relevant, because he talks about loving her, which is exactly the point he's trying to make.
4. I think this argument is pretty effective (I may be a little biased because I love the song, though!). Repetition is a very valuable tool to use and his upfront honestly is also very appealing.
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2 comments:
To me, the kinds of things that the singer talks about seem to fall a lot under ethos/pathos as well. The everyday character of 'shine my shoes, come home early from work' helps to establish the character of the singer as an everyday, humble, stable sort of guy. The "everyday" style also evokes a kind of nostalgia for me, as far as emotional appeal goes.
Perhaps it's just some odd hang-up for me, but it would be really interesting to know: A) If Cheap Trick wrote this song, B) If they did, what was the songwriter going through. I'm always fascinated by the motivating factors behind someone's art. Good analysis, though I always took the song as more of a guy just trying to say/do the right things to get what he wants then move on.
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