THEME REFLECTED THROUGH METAPHORS AND IDIOMS IN …

THEME REFLECTED THROUGH METAPHORS

AND IDIOMS IN LECRAE’S SONG “BACKGROUND”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

ELISABETH EMMANUELLA INGRACITA HARYADI

Student Number: 154214050

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

ii

THEME REFLECTED THROUGH METAPHORS

AND IDIOMS IN LECRAE’S SONG “BACKGROUND”

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

ELISABETH EMMANUELLA INGRACITA HARYADI

Student Number: 154214050

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019


vii

THIS

TOO

SHALL

PASS


viii

For Oma, this is for you.

For Mama, Daddy, and the whole family,

Thank you for the constant support and love.

I love you always.

-emmaingracita-


ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This acknowledgements page is dedicated to all the people who have

given me constant support, love, and have helped me through this whole process.

First thing first, I thank God for all the love and blessing He has given me and

keeping me alive and well through this whole process of writing this thesis.

I would also express my sincere gratitude to my thesis advisor, Adventina

Putranti, S.S., M.Hum for the help, support, encouragement and care throughout

the whole process of writing this thesis. I also would thank Wedhowerti S.Pd.,

M.Hum as my co- advisor for the help and further advice in completing this

thesis.

I would also thank my mom, dad, and the whole family for always loving

me and supporting me through thick and thin. Thank you for always praying for

me and being by my side in every situation. I would not be successful without all

of you. Also, I thank you for being the source of strength every time I’m down.

Last but not least, for all of my friends and the squad, thank you for being

the rainbow in my life. You all bring joy everyday in my university life. This

university life becomes meaningful because of you. Once again, thank you for the

laughter and the smiles. You guys rock!

Elisabeth Emmanuella Ingracita Haryadi


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ........................................................................................................ ii

APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................. iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ........................................................................................ iv

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ..................................................................... v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH .. vi

MOTTO PAGE ................................................................................................... vii

DEDICATION PAGE ........................................................................................ viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................ ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................... x

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................... xii

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................ xiii

ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... xiv

ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................. xv

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1

A. Background of the Study ................................................................................ 1

B. Problem Formulation ...................................................................................... 3

C. Objective of the Study .................................................................................... 3

D. Definition of Term .......................................................................................... 4

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................... 6

A. Review of Related Studies ............................................................................. 6

B. Review of Related Theories ........................................................................... 9

1. Theory of Semantics ................................................................................... 9

2. Theory of Idioms ...................................................................................... 11

3. Theory of Metaphor .................................................................................. 12

4. Theory of Theme ...................................................................................... 13

C. Review of Related Background .................................................................... 14

D. Theoretical Frameworks ............................................................................... 15

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 17

A. Object of the Study ....................................................................................... 18

B. Approach of the Study .................................................................................. 18

C. Method of the Study ..................................................................................... 18

1. Data Collection ......................................................................................... 18

2. Data Analysis ............................................................................................ 19

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ........................ 21

A. The Meaning of the metaphors and idioms found in the song lyrics

“Background (ft. Andy Mineo)” by Lecrae. ................................................. 21

1. The Meaning of the Metaphors................................................................. 21

2. The Meaning of the Idioms....................................................................... 35

B. The Theme of the Song ................................................................................. 37


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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ........................................................................... 44

REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 45

APPENDIX ........................................................................................................... 48

Appendix: The lyrics of the song ............................................................. 48


xii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

KJV : King James Version (The Bible)

MWD : Merriam-Webster Dictionary

NOAD : The New Oxford American Dictionary


xiii

LIST OF TABLES

No. Table Page

1. Table 1 The Shared Concept in The Chorus 38

2. Table 2 The Shared Concept in The First Verse 39

3. Table 3 The Shared Concept in The Second Verse 41

4. Table 4 The Shared Concept in The Third Verse 42


xiv

ABSTRACT

Haryadi, Elisabeth Emmanuella Ingracita, (2019). Theme Reflected through

Metaphors and Idioms in Lecrae’s Song “Background”. Yogyakarta:

Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

People have many ways to express themselves. They may use poems,

songs, short stories, and many other ways to escape reality or share stories

through their works. This study focuses on a song. Besides being a medium to

express ourselves, a song can also be a medium to communicate with each other

since behind most songs there is a meaning behind it. In this analysis, the writer

strives to find out the theme, the main idea or message in a literary work, of a rap

song, sung by Lecrae, entitled “Background (ft. Andy Mineo)”. This song is

unique because it has religious message whereas other rap songs are usually about

social ills (party, drugs, alcohol).

There are two research questions proposed in this study. The first one is

finding the meaning of the metaphors and the idioms found, and the second one is

discovering the theme of the song.

In this study, the writer utilizes purposive sampling method, which is

taking deliberate samples. The approach used is semantic approach. The first step

is the attempt to discover the connotative meaning and associative meaning of

each line of the lyrics. After finding out the meanings, the second step is the

writer seeks to discover the shared concept between the connotative and

associative meaning. Lastly, this shared concept is then related line by line to find

out the theme of the song, which then serves as the base of discovering the theme.

There are twenty one metaphors and four idioms found in the song lyrics.

Fourteen metaphors found in the lyrics talk about how powerless the song writer

is. Other four metaphors are about how the song writer wants to be a good person.

The last three metaphors talk about how powerful God is. In addition, all of the

idioms are also about the song writer’s lack of power.After doing the analysis, the

writer finds out that the possible theme of the song is “Let God lead our lives”.

Keywords : metaphors, idioms, theme, rap song


xv

ABSTRAK

Haryadi, Elisabeth Emmanuella Ingracita, (2019). Theme Reflected Through

Metaphors and Idioms in Lecrae’s Song “Background”. Yogyakarta: Program

Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Orang mempunyai banyak cara untuk mengekspresikan diri. Mereka dapat

memakai puisi, lagu, cerita pendek, dan banyak cara lain untuk lari dari kenyataan

atau berbagi cerita melalui karya-karya mereka. Studi ini berfokus pada lagu.

Selain menjadi media untuk mengekspresikan diri, lagu juga dapat menjadi media

untuk berkomunikasi satu sama lain karena kebanyakan lagu mempunyai arti

dibaliknya. Dalam studi ini, penulis berusaha untuk menemukan tema, ide pokok

atau pesan yang terkandung dalam karya literasi dalam hal ini sebuah lagu rap

yang dinyanyikan oleh Lecrae, berjudul “Background (ft. AndyMineo)”. Lagu ini

dipilih karena keunikannya yaitu bertema religius sementara biasanya lagu rap

lainnya bercerita tentang hal-hal yang tidak baik (pesta, obat-obatan, minuman

keras).

Ada dua pokok permasalahan yang diskusikan dalam studi ini. Yang

pertama yaitu mencari tahu arti dari metafora dan idiom yang ditemukan di lagu,

dan kedua mencari tahu tema dari lagu tersebut

Dalam studi ini penulis menggunakan metode purposive sampling,

pengambilan sampel secara disengaja. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah

pendekatan semantik. Pertama-tama, penulis berusaha untuk menemukan arti

konotatif dan arti asosiatif dari setiap baris lirik. Setelah menemukan arti

keduanya, penulis berusaha untuk mencari konsep yang sama diantara arti

konotatif dan arti asosiatif. Kesamaan konsep ini lalu dihubungkan baris demi

baris untuk dapat menemukan tema dari lagu. Ini juga adalah dasar untuk

menemukan tema dari lagu.

Ada dua puluh satu metafora dan empat idiom yang dapat ditemukan di

lirik lagu. Terdapat empat belas metafora yang berbicara tentang ketidakmampuan

penulis lagu. Empat metafora lainnya berbicara tentang bagaimana penulis lagu

ingin menjadi orang yang baik. Tiga metafora yang terakhir membahas tentang

kuasa Tuhan. Idiom yang ditemukan dalam lirik lagu juga berbicara tentang

ketidakmampuan penulis lagu. Setelah melakukan analisis, penulis menemukan

bahwa tema yang memungkinkan untuk lagu ini adalah “Izinkan Tuhan

memimpin hidup kita”.

Kata kunci : metafora, idiom, tema, lagu rap


1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

People have many ways to express themselves. They may use poems,

songs, short stories, and many other methods to escape reality or share stories

through their works In this study, the writer wants to focus on a song. Quoting

from The New Oxford American Dictionary (NOAD), a song is “a short poem or

other set of words set to music or meant to be sung” (2005, p.1616). Many people,

especially the youngsters, listen to music these days. Since there are so many

people listening to songs these days, many artists convey their message through

their work. “Our favorite singers captivate us with lyrics that have powerful

messages and sounds that touch us in some special way” (Warren, 2014, para.1).

In addition, a song can be meaningful to the listeners, and the message of the song

can be inspiring. Since a song has a meaning and/or a message, a song can be a

media of communication.

As mentioned previously, a song is like a short poem. Based on The New

Oxford American Dictionary, a poem is “a piece of writing that partakes of the

nature of both speech and song that is nearly always rhytmical, usually

metaphorical, and often exhibits such formal elements as meter, rhyme, and

stanzaic structure” (2005, p.1308). Ryan (2017, para.2) states that one of the

important characteristics of a poem is the figurative of speech or also known as

figurative language. In a song, one of the key elements is the lyrics. The lyrics of


2

a song often has figurative language in it. In this study, the writer focuses on the

metaphor and the idiom. Both are included as figurative language.

Figurative language can also found in rap songs. These days, rap song is

popular because it combines beats, rhythm and rhymes in the lyrics. Composing a

rap song is considered difficult because the song writer has to consider the rhymes

of the lyrics. Therefore, rappers like to use figurative language like metaphors or

even idioms so that the lyrics can rhyme. Besides the difficulty of writing it, a rap

song is similar to poems in the sense that both have rhymes and rhythm. Also,

both rapper and poet usually have message that they want to convey through their

work. Donohue states that

With poets and rappers, one of the biggest similarities is their desire to

convey a message. The content may differ, but the need to evoke an

emotional response is the same. It's typically driven by their view of the

world or society and wanting to state their point of view. There is often the

use of metaphors within poetry and rap to convey their message and some

is written that allows readers or listeners to make their own interpretation.

(2017, para.4).

Rap song or rap music is a part of the hip-hop culture. Hip-hop culture is

close to African-American culture. “Hip-hop, cultural movement that attained

widespread popularity in the 1980s and ‘90s; also the backing music for rap the

musical style incorporating rhytmic and/or rhyming speech that became the

movement’s most lasting and influental art form” (Tate & Light, 2018, para.1).

Tate and Light (2018, para.2) also state that in late 1970s, hip-hop came from the

African-Americans who lived in South Bronx, section of New York City. In

addition, according to Crawford, “rap lyrics tend to follow a set of themes, such

as boasting raps, insult raps, nonsense raps, and party raps” (2017, para.4).


3

In this study the writer chooses a rap song written by Lecrae as the topic

because it is unique. As it has been mentioned before by Crawford, the lyrics

written in the rap song is usually not religious. However, there is a devout

Christian named Lecrae Devaughn Moore (the stage name is Lecrae) who writes

and sings a Christian rap songs, which have positive messages in the songs.

According to Jones, “For the first time in his young life, Lecrae found other

young, inner-city kids like himself that were changed by Christ. He asked God to

get him out of his current lifestyle and was answered a short time later with a car

wreck that should have killed him, but instead, left him without a scratch. Moore

started living his life for Jesus (2019, para. 5).

B. Problem Formulation

In order to understand more about the song “Background” by Lecrae, there

are two research questions which are formulated in this study as follows:

1. What are the meanings of the metaphors and idioms found in the song lyrics

“Background” by Lecrae?

2. What theme is reflected from the metaphors and idioms found in the song?

C. Objectives of the Study

This study has two objectives. The first objective is to find the meaning of

the metaphors found in the song “Background (ft. Andy Mineo)” by Lecrae. By

finding out the meaning of the metaphors, the writer is able to know the song


4

better. In order to discover the meaning of the metaphors, the writer has to define

the words used in the lyrics using the theory of metaphor and semantics.

The second objective is to discover the theme of the song. After solving the

first objective, the writer attempts to discover the theme of the song that is

reflected through the metaphors.

D. Definition of Terms

In order to limit the misunderstanding by the reader, the terms used in this

thesis are going to be explained in this part. The first term to be explained is hip-

hop. So many people have mistaken hip-hop as a genre of music.

Hip-hop is used as a noun or an adjective. It is often used interchangeably

with the word “rap” to describe urban spoken word music. It is also used to

describe clothing, language, attitude, and customs. In short, hip-hop is a

culture. However, hip-hop was not always such a boardly defined

term.Originally, hip hop referred to the culture of the Latin and African-

American youths centered around the Bronx, New York who were graffiti

artists, break-dancers, turntablist, and emcees. (Riesch, 2005, p.2)

Therefore, hip-hop is not a genre of music, but a culture and rap is close with the

hip-hop culture.

The second term is rap. Rap or rap music is a genre of music. Rap music

refers to the combination of speaking fast, rhyme, and beats. “Rap music mainly

involves speaking or rhyming lyrics set to beat even with the music of drum,

piano, with lots of bass” (Union, 2016, para.2). People also know rap as “street

poetry” because of the rhyming lyrics. “As rap music mainly include no vocals

but it includes stories of their own or the people, or any recent event” (Union,

2016, para.2). Therefore, besides being known as “street poetry”, people also


5

think rap music as “story telling”, because when a rapper raps, the rapper also tells

stories.

The third term is metaphor. Metaphor is a figure of speech that is used by

people to describe an idea or an object easily but it cannot be taken literally.

Torgny (1997, p.5) states that “The most general description is that metaphor is an

expression with two conceptual domains (knowledge fields) - where one is

understood in terms of the other. (Gibbs 1979) The two concepts are referred to as

”source” and ”target”, where the source is the domain where the actual statement

is generated, and target is the domain that will be used to explain the statement.

Often, the two domains even help to explain each other. (Fauconnier, 1996)”

The forth term is theme. Theme is the main idea or the main message of a

literary work. According to Wiehardt (2018, para.1), “In works of fiction, a theme

is the central idea or ideas explored in the story. Literary themes might be

the subject matter or present itself or a message within the larger story”.

The fifth term is idiom. Idiom is a figurative expression that cannot be

translated word by word. “An idiom is a figurative expression whose meaning is

different from, or more than the sum of, the meanings of its elements (eg. Kick the

bucket). Idioms were long seen as dead, frozen metaphors, a view that has been re

examined and challanged during the past few years (Lakoff 1987, Gibbs 1990,

1992: 485, 1993: 57-61, Kövecses and Szabó 1996)”(Mantyla, 1997, p. 176).


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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

This part discusses about other related studies that have been done

previously and have similar topics, methods, or author. The first one is a journal

written by Cundiff, entitled “The Influence of Rap/Hip-hop Music: A Mixed-

Method Analysis on Audience Perceptions of Misogynist Lyrics and the Issue of

Domestic Violence” (2013). The journal discusses how the message in the rap

lyrics can influence the listener’s attitude towards violence. The theory that is

used by the writer to help her examine the effects of the hip-hop or rap music on

shaping the attitude of the listeners towards the violence is the cultivation theory.

The object of the journal is the hip-hop and rap songs that are on the “Billboard

Hot 100” between the year of 2000 and 2010. The writer wants to know about

how the college students perceive and respond to the portrayal of women when

exposed to the misogynistic lyrics and whether gender impacts the college

students in interpreting misogynistic message that is found in the song.

After doing the research, the writer found out that listening to rap music that

contains misogynistic lyrics can affect the listeners’ attitude towards violence and

it affects their perceptions towards the misogynistic lyrics. The writer also found

out that when the listeners are exposed continuously to the rap music that contains

misogynistic lyrics, their attitude towards women also changes negatively. Many

of the respondents also think that most of rap music views woman as someone

who can satisfy man sexually.


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This thesis study and the journal have a similarity and some differences. The

similarity between this thesis study and the journal is the writer analyzed the same

field which is about hip-hop/rap music. The differences are this thesis study

discusses the message of a Christian rap song whereas the journal discusses about

the misogynistic lyrics. Another difference is the song that is being analyzed. This

thesis study analyzes a song from a rapper named Lecrae, while the journal is

using the popular hip-hop/rap songs from “Billboard Hot 100”.

The second is a journal entitled “Message in the Music: A Lyrical Analysis

of Rap, Country, Pop, and Christian Music”, written by Ben Stickle in 2015. This

journal is discussing about the differences between rap, country, pop, and

Christian music. Besides studying the differences between those four genres of

music, Stickle also wants to know the effects of those songs to the listeners. The

writer picked out twenty five most popular songs in Billboard Magazine for each

genre during year 2013 to be the object of the study. After doing his analysis, the

writer found out that rap music has misogynistic and violent lyrics in the songs.

The lyrics of rap music also contain plenty of swear and inappropriate

words. Not only do those words (misogynist, violent, swear words, and so on)

exist in the song, but the writer also found that the lyrics in rap music often

consist of drugs and alcohol abuse in it. In short, the message in rap music is

mostly negative.

The writer also finds out that pop music has broad topics and styles. The

topics of the lyrics in pop music can be varied with different styles. Another

finding is about the country music. Country music usually talks about falling in


8

love and how life is meaningful when you have a relationship with someone. In

short, we can also say that country song is romantic song.

The last finding is about the Christian music. The Christian music tends to

encourage people to get more intimate with God. Since the lyrics are more

religious and mostly about God, Christian music is the easiest to distinguish and

the opposite of the rap music. In short, every music genre has different style and

the message contained in the lyric is also different.

A similarity and some differences can also be found in this thesis study and

the journal written by Stickle. The differences are this thesis study discusses the

message that Lecrae wants to convey through his Christian rap song, while the

journal is only about the differences between four genres of music. Another

difference is the song used as the object of the study. This thesis study uses one

particular song while the journal uses a number of songs from Billboard

Magazine. The similarity is both the thesis study and the journal discuss about

music (hip-hop/rap music and Christian music).

The last related study that is going to be reviewed is a thesis study entitled

“An Analysis of Metaphors Found in Bring Me The Horizon’s Selected Song

Lyrics”, written by Laurentius Jalu Waskitho Jati in 2018. The aim of the thesis

study is to determine the message of the songs. The songs that are discussed in

this thesis study are entitled “Drown” and “Throne” sung by “Bring Me The

Horizon”. The theories used are metaphors and the denotative and connotative

meaning. The approaches that are used in this study are formalist approach and

biographical approach. The writer also uses theory of song to support the study.


9

There are twenty two metaphors in total and the mostly used is the

conventional metaphor since there are eleven conventional metaphors found in the

selected songs. The writer also finds out the meaning of the song “Drown”. There

are so many terms used in the song that is about someone feeling hopeless and

lonely. While the second song is about a child who suffers but is able to build

success from the criticism. Therefore, the song “Throne” is not only about the

story of a child but also the story of the author.

A difference and a similarity can be found in both thesis studies. The

difference is in the songs that are analyzed. The similarity is that they both

analyze song lyrics and metaphors.

B. Review of Related Theories

In this part, the related theories used to answer the research questions are

reviewed. The four theories used by the writer are the theory of semantics,

metaphors, idioms, and theme.

1. Semantics

Semantics is a branch of linguistics that deals with meaning. “Semantics is

the study of the meaning of words, phrases and sentences” (Yule, 2010, p.112). In

addition, Griffith says, “Semantics, the study of word meaning and sentence

meaning, abstracted away from contexts of use, is a descriptive subject. It is an

attempt to describe and understand the nature of the knowledge about meaning in

their language that people have from knowing the language”. (2006, p.15) Yule

further states, “We can go further and make a broad distinction between


10

conceptual meaning and associative meaning” (Yule, 2010, p.113). Conceptual

meaning is the literal meaning or the definition taken from the dictionary.

Associative meaning deals with characteristics or qualities attached to the word.

Each person may have different association to a word. For example, the word

“book”. In the NOAD, “book” means “a written or printed work consisting of

pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers” (2005, p.193).

However, people may associate it with school, library, or even homework. The

dictionary definition is the conceptual meaning and how people associate it is the

associative meaning. In this study, the associative meaning will be analyzed

further.

In semantics, there is a term called “semantic features”. Semantic features is

the properties that reflects speakers knowledge about certain words. This semantic

features can also be used to describe part of the meaning of the words. The term

minus [-] and plus [+] is used to know either the word has the characteristic or

not. Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams say, “Semantic features are a formal or

notational device that indicates the presence or absence of semantic properties by

pluses and minuses”(2002, p.177). For example, the word “children” has

[+animate] and [+young] as semantics feature.

Although the meaning of a word can be studied in semantics, not all

meanings are clear and easy to be understood. In semantics, there is a term called

anomaly. Anomaly is an expression that does not follow semantic rules. Metaphor

and Idiom are considered as anomaly. According to Fromkin, Rodman, & Hyams,

“We would like to examine three ways in which meaning may be veiled or even


11

absent. They are anomaly – expressions that appear to follow the rules of syntax,

but go awry semantically; metaphor, or nonliteral, indirect, but often creative

meaning; and idioms, wherein the meaning of an expression is unrelated to the

meaning of its parts through it is conventionally understood” (2002, p.201).

2. Idioms

Idioms are expressions that cannot be taken literally. Although the phrases

may be the same with ordinary phrases, they cannot be translated words by words

and have to be translated as a whole. “The usual semantic rules for combining

meanings do not apply. All languages contain many such expressions, called

idioms, or idiomatic phrases,” (Fromkin, 2002, p.206). Translating idioms phrases

as a whole can result a different meaning, rather than translating each word of the

idiomatic phrases. “An Idiom can be defined as a number of words which, when

taken together, have a different meaning from the individual meanings of each

word” (Seidl & McMordie, 1988, pp.12-13). Vasiljevic also mentions similar

definition for idioms. She states, “Idioms are traditionally defined as fixed multi-

word phrases whose meanings cannot be predicted from the literal meanings of

individual words that constitute those phrases” (2015, p.1).

The characteristics of idioms are: the order of the words is fixed and the

meaning is usually metaphorical. “They must be entered into the lexicon or

mental dictionary as single items with their meanings specified, and speakers must

learn the special restrictions on their use in sentences. Most idioms originated as

metaphorical expressions that establish themselves in the language and become

frozen in their form and meaning” (Fromkin, 2002, p.207). Another writers,


12

Saberian & Fotovatnia, also mention that “Definitions such as these are abundant;

however, they all agree on two common characteristics: (a) idioms have a fixed

word order, which implies that they are socially accepted expressions, and (b) it is

impossible to guess the meaning from the individual words that make up an

idiom”(2011, p.1231). For example, the idiom “Busy as a bee”. According to

Merriam-Webster dictionary, this idiom means to be very busy and active. The

example in a sentence is “Look at you, Sam! You are busy as a bee since this

morning”.

3. Metaphor

Metaphor is a figure of speech which we can apply to a word or a phrase to

describe an action or an object. Based on The New Oxford American Dictionary,

metaphor is “ a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object

or action to which it is not literally applicable; a thing regarded as representative

or symbolic of something else” (2005, p.1066). Lakoff and Johnson also say,

“Because so many of the concepts that are important to us are either abstract or

not clearly delineated in our experience (the emotions, ideas, time, etc.), we need

to get a grasp on them by means of other concepts that we understand in clearer

terms (spatial orientations, objects, etc.)” (2003, p.115). Another writer, Ritchie,

agrees that metaphor can be used to describe one thing as something else. He

states, “For the present, I will continue to follow the definitions proposed by

Burke and Semino, and understand metaphor as seeing, experiencing, or talking

about something in terms of something else “ (2013, p.8)


13

According to Punter, “Here, then, we are within a process of metaphor; a

process, to use the most common definition of all, by means of which one thing is

another thing” (2007, p.2). The purpose of using metaphor is to make people

understand something more easily by using another word that has samilar

characteristic with the word that the speaker wants to say. Lakoff and Johnson

also state,” Metaphor is principally a way of conceiving of one thing in terms of

another, and its primary function is understanding” (2003, p.36). As it has been

mentioned before, since people sometimes have difficulties to describe something

that they want to say, they often use another word or another phrase that has

similar meaning. For example, “She has a glass skin”. It does not mean she has a

skin made of a glass, however, this sentence means that her skin is so flawless and

smooth, like a glass.

4. Theme

Theme is the main idea or the central message of a literary work. Wiehardt

says, “In works of fiction, a theme is the central idea or ideas explored in the

story. Literary themes might be the subject matter or present itself or a message

within the larger story”(2018, para.1). The theme of a litrerary work is important

because it is the one that holds the work together. Roberts says, “Themes are so

named because throughout the composition called a theme there runs a basic or

central idea˗˗a theme˗˗that unifies the paper into logical whole” (1969, p.xxi).

Robert also mentions, “A theme should not ramble in any way, but should be

clearly united around a dominating thought or central idea” (1969, p.xxi).


14

Theme is essential to a story because if a story does not have a theme, the

plot will be unclear because there is no main idea or the exact message that is

followed by the writer in order to make a good plot of a story. In addition, Forey

states that “Theme is the ‘glue’ that structures and binds the ideational and

interpersonal meanings. In studies of theme in children’s writing and in writing in

the workplace, the choice and representation of theme is seen as a crucial element

related to the success of a text (Martin, 1985/89, 1992b, 1993b; Martin and

Rothery,1993; Berry, 1995, 1996; Stainton 1996, amongst others) (2002, p.49).

The theme also has to be facts and true because when a story consist of lies, it is

not a real story, but an imagination. Stanton states that “The theme must appear

within the facts; and it is our job to find it there” (1965, p. 5).

Holman and Harmon also states that ”In poetry, fiction, and drama, it is

abstract concept that is made concrete through its representation in person, action,

and image in the work”(1986, p.502). Therefore, in order to reveal the theme,

each word in the work has to be analyzed and therefore the representation in the

work is able to be seen.

C. Review of Related Background

The background of Lecrae will be discussed since it can help the writer to

answer the research question because by understanding the biography, the writer

can infer what Lecrae experienced in his life which leads him to write the song

and enable the writer to draw better conclusion about the message of the song.


15

Lecrae is an African-American rapper who was born in Houston, Texas on

October 9th

, 1979. His birth name is Lecrae Devaughn Moore. The beginning of

his life was not really good. He had a rough life. His father left him and his

mother when he was a child. Growing up, he was familiar with drugs. He was

used to get drunk, involved in fight, did drugs and became a gang member at the

age of sixteen. He even went to jail when he was in high school.

He was nineteen years old when he accepted Jesus as his Savior. The

turning point of his life was when his friend invited him to a youth conference.

For the first time in his life, he saw so many young people saved by God. Since

then, his life got better. After graduating collage, he started to write lyrics about

his life and his struggle.

He has released twelve albums, one EP, three mixtapes, and more than fifty

songs until this day. The solo albums are called: “Real Talk” (2004), “After the

Music Stops” (2006), “Rebel”(2008), “Rehab”(2010), “Rehab: The Overdose”

(2011), “Church Clothes” (2012), “Gravity” (2012), “Church Clothes Vol.2”

(2013), “Anomaly” (2014), “Church Clothes 3” (2016), “All Things Work

Together” (2017)”, and the most recent album is “L13*”(2019). The songs which

are written by Lecrae are mostly about his life, Christianity and Jesus. Some songs

that are about Jesus are “Jesus is Alive”, “Give Him Glory”, “Our God”, “Lord Be

With Me”, “Nothing Without You”.

D. Theoretical Framework

In this part, the contribution of the theories used in this thesis study is

explained. The theories used are semantics, metaphors, idiom, and theme. The


16

writer explains briefly about the reason why the selected theories are picked and

used in this study.

First, the writer uses the theory of semantics, theory of metaphors and

theory of idiom to answer question number one which is about the meaning of

metaphors. The writer utilizes the theory of semantics, the study of meaning, by

Yule and Fromkin, in order to discover the meaning of the metaphors and idioms

in the song. The theory of metaphor employed in this study is based on the theory

of metaphor written by Lakoff. Then, the theory of idiom used in this study is

taken from the theory written by Fromkin. Last, the writer uses the theory of

theme written by Holman and Harmon to discover the theme of the song, which is

the answer to question number two. Afterwards, the writer analyzes all of the

meaning of the metaphors to discover the theme reflected in the selected song.


17

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, there are three parts which are discussed. The first part is the

object of the study. This part explains in more details about the objects of the

study. The second part is the approach that is used in the study. This part

elaborates the approach further and the reason why it is used. The third part is

method of the study. In this part, the way the data is collected and analyzed is

explained.

A. Object of the Study

The object of the study is a rap song sung by Lecrae. The song “Background

(ft. Andy Mineo)” is written by Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Alex Medina, George

Ramirez, and Joseph Prielozny and was released in 2010 in the “Rehab” album. It

is Lecrae’s fourth album that was published under label “Reach Records”. This

album was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards for the Best Rock or Rap

Gospel Album and at the 42nd

Annual GMA Dove Award for Rap/Hip-hop Album

of the Year. The song itself was also nominated for Rap/Hip-hop Recorded Song

of the Year.

The song consists of 45 (forty-five) lines. Most of the lyrics contain

metaphors and idioms which becomes the reason why this song is used for the

study. The linguistic elements analyzed are words, phrases, clauses, and sentences.


18

B. Approach of the Study

Semantic approach is chosen for this study. As it has been mentioned in the

previous chapter, Semantic is the study of meaning. Yule says that “Semantics is

the study of the meaning of words, phrases and sentences” (2010, p.112). This

approach is used to help the writer identify the meaning of each word or phrases

in the lyrics. The meanings identified are connotative meaning and associative

meaning. However, this study focuses more on the associative meaning. Besides

identifying the meaning of each word, this approach is used to analyze the

metaphors used in the song. When the meaning of the metaphors is discovered,

the writer will then be able to reveal the theme of the song.

C. Method of the Study

This part discusses two smaller parts, the data collection and the data

analysis. The data collection is about how the data is collected and the method to

collect the data. The data analysis is about how the writer analyzes the data and

what the steps of analyzing the data are.

1. Data Collection

The method of collecting data used by the writer was purposive sampling

method or also known as judgement sampling. The sample of the data for this

method was not chosen randomly. This method does not need many samples

either. By using this method, the writer believed that the sample has enough data

for the study, even though the data sample was not as many as what other methods

require. Etikan, Musa, and Alkassim states “The purposive sampling technique,


19

also called judgment sampling, is the deliberate choice of a participant due to the

qualities the participant possesses. It is a nonrandom technique that does not need

underlying theories or a set number of participants” (2016, p.2).

The data that were analyzed was a song entitled “Background (ft. Andy

Mineo)” sung by Lecrae. There were 21 (twenty-one) metaphors and 4 (four)

idioms found in the lyrics of the song. The metaphors found in the song varied

from one to another.

2. Data Analysis

The first step of the analysis was finding out the meaning of the metaphors

in the lyrics. In order to reveal the meaning of the metaphor, the writer looked for

the meaning of each word in the lyrics in the dictionary. The main dictionaries

used by the writer were The New Oxford American Dictionary (NOAD), and

Merriam-Webster Dictionary (MWD). After that, the writer listed all of the

meanings and compiled them orderly based on the part of the song.

Next, after listing the meaning of the lyrics, the writer elaborated the

meaning by using the theory of semantics to find the conceptual meaning and the

associative meaning of each word. In order to find out the associative meaning,

the writer also uses a King James Version (KJV) of the bible as the reference

because of the song writer’s background as a Christian. After the meaning was

found, the lyrics were able to be understood. The writer also uses semantic feature

to describe the shared concepts (the same characteristics that is possesed by both

meanings). Then, the writer applied the theory of metaphors and idioms.


20

Last, after finishing the analysis of the meaning of the metaphors, the writer

could understand more about the song. By relating the lyrics line by line, the

writer was able to reveal the main idea or the central message conveyed through

the song. The theory of theme was applied in this step.


21

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter consists of the analysis of the two research questions

mentioned in the first chapter. There are two parts of analysis and discussion. The

first part discusses the first research question that is about the meaning of both

metaphors and idioms. The second part is the analysis and the discussion about

the theme reflected through the metaphors and idioms.

A. The Meaning of The Metaphors and Idioms Found in the Song Lyrics

“Background (ft. Andy Mineo)” by Lecrae.

The first objective of the study is to find the meaning of the metaphors and

idioms found in the song “Background (ft. Andy Mineo)” sung by Lecrae. In

order to find the meaning of the metaphors and the idioms, the theories of

semantics, metaphor, and idioms are used.

1. The Meaning of the Metaphors

In this part, the writer discusses about the conceptual meaning,

metaphorical meaning, and the shared concept between the conceptual meaning

and the metaphorical meaning. The conceptual meaning is based on the

dictionary. The metaphorical is inferred from the associative meaning reflected

through the biography of the singer.

As mentioned in the previous chapter about the biographical background

of Lecrae, before he knows God, his life was terrible. He was involved in drugs,


22

fights, gang members to the point that he went to prison. However, after he knows

God his life becomes better. He can produce music and inspire other people. He

even got nominated for the Grammy.

The explanations in this part are separated into three. The writer explains

about the connotative meaning and the associative meaning first. After explaining

both meanings, the writer explains about the shared concept and it is written using

the semantic features. Each point shows one line of the lyrics. The words or the

phrases written in bold is the ones which being discussed.

a. I could play the background

Based on NOAD, the word “play” means “engage in activity for enjoyment

and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose” (2005, p.1301). However,

with the correct grammar, the verb “play” needs an object, usually in the form of a

name (for example, “I play Cinderella”) or a characterization (for example, “I play

the good police”). The word “background”, based on NOAD, means “the area or

scenery behind the main object of contemplation, esp. when perceived as a

framework for it” (2005, p.117).

The conceptual meaning of the word “play” means “to represent a name or

characterization” and the associative meaning of the word “background” is

someone who is less important, supporting the lead roles, and at the back. Since

the word “play” needs an object, the word “background” changes meaning from

representing scenery behind main object into a role of someone.


23

The metaphor meaning of this line is that the song writer wants to be just at

the back and to support the leader. The shared concept between the conceptual

meaning and the metaphorical meaning is that they both are [-important].

b. I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines

Based on NOAD, the word “cue” means “a thing said or done that serves

as a signal to an actor or other performer to enter or to begin their speech or

performance” (2005, p.411) or, in short, “A signal for action” (2005, p.411). Then,

based on NOAD, the word “miss” means “fail to attend, participate in or watch

(something one is expected to do or habitually does” (2005, p.1084). Therefore,

“miss my cues” means fail to participate in reading the signal that is given. Next,

the words which being discussed are the words “forget” and “lines”. The word

“forget”, based on NOAD, means “fail to remember” (2005, p.660). The word

“lines”, based on NOAD, means “the words of an actor’s part in a play or film”

(2005, p.985).

The metaphorical meaning of this line is that as a human, the song writer

often forgets his purpose. He also forgets what he has to do. The word “cues” and

“lines” are usually used in a play performance, film, and skit. Therefore, it can be

concluded that this line refers to a play or a film.

When an actor fails to catch the signal and remember his lines, it means

the actor fails to do his job. The shared concept between the conceptual meaning

and the metaphorical meaning is that both are expressing failure. It is symbolized

as [+ failure].


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c. I’m sticking to your script, and I’m reading all your signs (Aye)

Based on NOAD, the word “stick” means “be fixed in a particular position

or unable to move or be moved” (2005, p.1663). The word “script”, based on

NOAD means “the written text of a play, movie, or broadcast” (2005, p.1524).

The metaphorical meaning of this line is that the song writer is affixed to

something that has been planned and written. A script controls the storyline and is

difficult to be changed. It takes time and effort to change a script. If there is a

change in the script, the director, actors, and all staffs have to reach an agreement

about that part, or maybe the whole crew has to do another rehearsal to practice

the new script. The shared concept of both the conceptual meaning and the

metaphorical meaning are unchangeable. It is symbolized as [-change].

d. Why gain the whole wide world, if I’m just going to lose my soul?

Based on NOAD, the word “gain” means “obtain or secure (something

desired, favorable, or profitable” (2005, p.688). In the line, the thing that is gained

is the whole wide world. The word “whole”, based on NOAD, means “all of;

entire” (2005, p.1918). Then, based on NOAD, the word “wide” means “to the

full extent” (2005, p.1920).

Moving to the next sentence, based on NOAD, the word “lose” means “be

deprived of or cease to have or retain (something)” (2005, p.1002). Next, based on

NOAD, the word “soul” means “a person’s moral, or emotional nature or sense of

identity” (2005, p.1619). Since it represents the sense of identity in a person, soul

is an important thing for human. Therefore, “lose my soul” entails that the person

loses everything, as a person. The reason why the writer states that the person


25

loses everything is because one’s soul is the most important thing in life. This line

also refers to the Bible - Matthew 16:26 KJV, which says “For what is a man

profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a

man give in exchange for his soul?”. The meaning behind this line is that there is

no use to gain something but losing everything in the end. The shared concept

between the conceptual meaning and the metaphorical meaning is [- everything].

e. And my ways ain’t purified, don’t live according Your Word

Based on NOAD, the word “way” means “a person’s characteristics or

habitual manner of behavior or expression” (2005, p.1900). Next, the word

“purify”, based on NOAD, means “make ceremonially clean” (2005, p.1375).

However, one’s characteristics or habitual manner cannot be purified. One’s way

can only be straightened. Therefore, the metaphorical meaning of “my ways ain’t

purified” is the song writer’s characteristics or habitual manner is still not pure.

By “not pure” means that the song writer still makes many mistakes and sins so

that his ways are impure.

Next sentence is “don’t live according to Your Word”. This sentence refers

to the previous sentence. It is the reason why the song writer’s ways are not pure.

Based on NOAD, the word “word” means “a command, password, or motto”

(2005, p.1934). The word “You”, based on NOAD, means “used to refer to the

person or people that the speaker is addressing” (2005, p.1951). The identity of

the person addressed by the song writer is God since the word “you” in the lyric is

capitalized.


26

Based on the explanation above, the whole sentence means that the song

writer’s ways are still not pure because he does not live according God’s

command. He still makes many mistakes and commits sin. Both the conceptual

meaning and the metaphorical meaning share the same concept that is [-innocent].

f. So word to every dancer for a pop star

Based on NOAD, the word “word” means “a command, password, or

motto” (2005, p.1934). The word “dancer”, based on NOAD, means “a person

who dances or whose profession is dancing” (2005, p.427). When someone

dances, he or she follows the song that is being played. For the word “dance”, it is

also stated in Collins English Dictionary, “when you dance, you move your body

and feet in a way which follows a rhythm, usually in time to music” (2019, para.2).

The point of dance is “follow”, a dancer follows the beat/ music when he/she

dances.

Then, the word “pop star”, based on MWD, means “a person who sings

popular music” (2008, p.1253). The metaphorical meaning is that a command for

every follower of a famous person. The word “follower” is represented in the

word “dancer” because a dancer is someone who dances and follows the music.

The role of dancers in a singing performance is only addition to the performance.

They are not the main performer. They almost always placed at the back, behind

the main performer. Their job is to support the main performer so that the main

performer can perform well on the stage since the stage will not look so empty.

Both the conceptual meaning and the metaphorical meaning shared the same

concept that is [- lead].


27

g. ‘Cause we all play the background, but mine’s a rock star

Based on NOAD, A “rock star” is “a famous and successful singer or

performer of rock music” (2017, para.1). In NOAD, it is stated that a rock star is

“a person treated as a celebrity, especially in inspiring fanatical admiration” (2017,

para.2). Referring to the previous line, a rock star is more famous and more

powerful than pop star because he can make other people admire him. The

metaphorical meaning is that the song writer has someone who is very famous,

powerful, and inspiring, that is God. This line also refers to the Bible - Psalm 62:2

KJV, “He only is my rock and salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly

moved”. Therefore, based on the Bible verse, God is known for “The Rock”. In

order to match the song, the song writer uses the word rock star. Both God and a

Rock star are influential people. It does not talk about the song writer is having

influence.

Therefore, based on the song writer point of view, he is not influential. In

conclusion, the shared concept between both the conceptual meaning and the

metaphorical meaning is that both are [-influential]. God has influenced the life of

His followers, including the song writer, and rock stars have influenced their fans

on the stage where they perform.

h. Yeah, so if you need me I’ll be stage right.

Based on MWD, “stage right” means “on the right side of a stage when

you are on the stage and facing the audience” (2008, p.1594). The metaphorical

meaning of this line is that when people need him, he will be ready. This is related

to his job as a famous rapper or celebrity. The celebrity is prepared to perform.


28

Both the conceptual meaning and the metaphorical meaning have the same

concept that is [+ ready].

i. Praying the whole world would start embracing stage fright

Based on NOAD, the phrase “stage fright” means “nervousness before or

during an appearance before audience” (2005, p.1648). The word “embrace”,

based on NOAD, means “accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) willingly

and enthusiastically” (2005, p.552).

The metaphorical meaning of this line is that the song writer hopes that

people will accept their feelings. Most people must have experienced the feeling

of nervousness before doing something new, especially when they are watched by

many people. Just like a stage that has many audiences in front of it, that is how

we live in this populous world these days. The things we do are often observed by

others.

The shared concept between the conceptual meaning and the metaphorical

meaning is that both are expressing fear when experiencing new things. The

shared concept is symbolized as [+fears].

j. I’m who I are, a trail of stardust leading to the superstar

Based on Collins English Dictionary, the word “stardust” means “dusty

material found between the stars” (2019, para.1). The word “trail”, based on

NOAD,”a route planned or followed for a particular purpose” (2005, p.1786). The

phrase “a trail of stardust” means that he is a route or a path for people to the

superstar. The song writer refers to himself as a star dust. A dust is a very small

particle. Therefore, the metaphorical meaning of this line is the song writer


29

considers himself as insignificant since he is not the star and he only lead people

to “the star”. He is no one. However, although he is just no one, he can lead the

listeners to the superstar.

A “superstar” or “big star”, based on NOAD, is “a high-profile and

extremely successful performer or athlete” (2005, p.1698). It means that a

superstar is a great person. For the song writer, God is a great and powerful person.


meaning is that they both are ways to meet the super star or the great person.

Therefore, the symbol for the shared concept is [-great] because the song writer

refers himself as someone who is not great, just a way to meet the great person.

k. Yo, I had a dream that I was captain of my soul

Based on NOAD, A “captain” means “the person in command of a ship”

(2005, p.255). In this line, the song writer uses a particular context, which is the

life in a ship. He imagines himself as a captain. It means that he had control of his

ship. He could make any decision regarding his ship. In this case, the ship is his

soul. The metaphorical meaning of this line is that the song writer dreamt that he

has control of his life and he can make any decision regarding his life. He can do

anything with his life. However this is only a dream and it is not real.

The conceptual meaning and the metaphorical meaning shared the same

concept; both have control over everything, but it is only a dream. It is not the

reality which happens in the song writer’s life. Therefore, the symbol for the

shared concept of both is [- control].


30

l. I was master of my fate, lost control, and then I sank

Based on NOAD, A “master” is “a person who has dominance or control

over something” (2005, p.1043). In this case, it is his fate. Fate, based on MWD,

is “a power that is believed to control what happens in the future” (2008, p.600).

The line “I was master of my fate” means that he has full control of his life and

decides everything in his life. However, then he “lost control”. It means that he

lost the ability to control what happens in his life. After losing control, he sank.

Based on NOAD, the word “sink” means “cause to fail” (2005, p.1585).

The sentence “and then I sank” means that he fails. The metaphorical

meaning of this line is that the song writer used to have full control of his life;

however he failed to do so. Both the conceptual meaning and the metaphorical

meaning have shared the same concept that is [+failure].

m. So let me shadow you, just let me trace your lines

Based on NOAD, the word “shadow” means “follow and observe

(someone) closely and typically secretly” (2005, p.1555). Referring to the

previous lines, the person to whom the singer refers is God. Therefore, the

metaphorical meaning of this line is that the song writer wants to shadow God. He

wants to follow God. Then, based on NOAD, the word “trace” means “copy (a

drawing, map, or design) by drawing over its lines on a superimposed piece of

transparent paper” (2005, p.1783). The key point of tracing is in the word “copy”.

The word “copy”, based on NOAD, means “a thing made to be similar or

identical to another” (2005, p.376). Identical means that it is exactly the same. The


31

metaphorical meaning of this line is that the song writer wants to copy God, doing

everything exactly like God. He wants to do what God does.


meaning is that they both express the idea of copying someone or something so

they have similar results. Therefore, the shared concept of both meaning is being

symbolized as [+identical].

n. Matter of fact, just take my pen, here, you create my rhymes

Based on NOAD, the word “create” means “bring (something) into

existence” (2005, p.396). The word “rhyme”, based on NOAD, means

“correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, esp. when

these are used at the ends of lines of poetry” (2005, p.1453). The phrase “create

my rhymes” means that someone is making a poem. The poet will decide how a

poem will sound. The song writer imagines God as the poet because God is The

One who decides everything in his life and God is The One who has plans for

everything in this world.

Therefore, the metaphorical meaning of this line is that the song writer

wants God to use his instrument to convey HIS message. Referring to the sentence

“just take my pen”, the song writer wants to be used by God so that he can fulfill

what God has planned, just like when a poet uses a pen. The shared concept of the

conceptual meaning and the metaphorical meaning is that both are [+plan].

o. Paving a road to nowhere, pour your life for nothin’

Based on NOAD, the word “pave” means “cover (a piece of ground) with

concrete, asphalt, stones, or bricks” (2005, p.1249). A road, based on NOAD,


32

means “a wide way leading from one place to another, esp. one with specially

prepared surface that vehicles can use” (2005, p.1463). The word “nowhere”,

based on NOAD, means “not in or to any place; not anywhere” (2005, p.1166).

Therefore, “paving a road to nowhere” means that he is not making a way to any

place.

The metaphorical meaning of this phrase is doing a useless thing because

there is no use of making a road that does not go to anywhere. This phrase is

being strengthened by the next phrase “pour your life for nothing”. The key point

is “for nothing". Someone has done everything he can with any way he knows

(pour your life), but it is for nothing. It means that the effort that he made is

useless.

Both the conceptual meaning and the metaphorical meaning have shared

the same concept that is useless act. Therefore, the symbol for the shared concept

of both meaning is [+useless].

p. You pulled my card, I’m bluffin’, You know what’s in my hand

The context of this lyric is like card games. “You” is the one who pulled

the card, so “You” knows the card. The word “know”, based on NOAD, means

“have knowledge or information concerning” (2005, p.937). It means that “You”

has the information regarding the cards that “I” has.

The metaphorical meaning of this sentence is that God knows everything

about him and what happens in his life. The word “You” refers to God because

the word is capitalized. The song writer uses the concept of card games in order to

make his points easier to be understood by the listeners.


33

The conceptual meaning and the metaphorical meaning have shared the

same concept that is both have known the other person or have the knowledge of

the other person. Therefore, the symbol for the shared concept between both

meaning is symbolized as [+knowledge].

q. Me, I just roll and trust you, You cause the dice to land

Based on NOAD, the word “cause” means “a person or thing that gives

rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition” (2005, p.272). A dice, based on

NOAD, is “a small cube with each side having different number of spots on it,

ranging from one to six, thrown and used in gambling and other games involving

chance” (2005, p.469). The word “land”, based on NOAD, means “reach the

ground after falling or jumping” (2005, p.950). When a dice lands, it means that

the result is out. The conceptual meaning of the lyric “You cause the dice to land”

is that “You” is the one who makes the dice to land, so the result depends on

“You”.

The metaphorical meaning of the lyrics is what happens in the song

writer’s life depends on God. The word “You” refers to God because it is

capitalized. The shared concept of both conceptual meaning and the metaphorical

meaning is that [+ control]. Both “You” and God control the result of something

that happens.

r. And I ain’t got no time to play life’s foolish games

The word “play”, based on NOAD, means “engage in activity for enjoyment

and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose” (2005, p.1301)”. Next,

the word “foolish”, based on NOAD, means “(of a person or action) lacking good


34

sense or judgment; unwise” (2005, p.655). Last, the word “games”, based on

NOAD, means “a thing that is frivolous or amusing” (2005, p.691). The song

writer imagines life as a game, where everyone has a chance. There is a chance to

win and be successful, but there is also a chance to lose and fail. Many people do

not take their life seriously and just enjoy their life. However, the song writer is

different and he does not want to take his life easily.

The metaphorical meaning of this lyric is that the song writer wants to live

his life seriously. The shared concept of both the conceptual meaning and the

metaphorical meaning is that both want to be serious. He does not want to play

games. Therefore, the shared concept for both meaning is seriousness. The symbol

for the shared concept of both meanings is [+serious].

s. Don’t even cling to you, take time to sit and glean from You

The phrase “take time” is actually and idiom. Based on MWD, “take

[+obj]” means to need or require (something)” (2008, p.1673), therefore “take

time” means “to need or require time”. The word “glean”, based on NOAD,

means “collect gradually and bit by bit” (2005, p.716). The word “You” is

capitalized, so it represents God.

The metaphorical meaning of this lyric is that the song writer wants to

pray to God. The idea of praying is expressed in the lyric “take time to sit and

glean”. When people pray, they usually sit down on the chair or bed in their room.

In addition, people pray to look for answers from God. However, it is a difficult

thing to do because we do not see God in person. The shared concept of both


35

meanings is both getting information from the activity and is symbolized as

[+information].

2. The Meaning of the Idioms

There are four idioms found in the lyrics. Idiom is an expression that

cannot be taken literally and has to be translated in a whole. It is also like a frozen

metaphor. The meaning of idioms can be found in the dictionary. In this part, the

writer discusses the meanings of the idioms and the semantic features or the

concept of the idioms. The meanings of the idioms are aforementioned in the

dictionary.

a. ‘Cause I know sometimes I get in the way

The first idiom is found in the lyric ”‘Cause I know sometimes I get in the

way”. The phrase “get in the way”, based on Collins English Dictionary, means

“to make it difficult for it to happen, continue, or be appreciated properly” (2019,

para.1). The meaning of this line is that the song writer realizes that sometimes

“he” makes something difficult to happen. The semantic feature for this lyric is

[+prevent].

b. So won’t You take the lead, lead, lead

The second idiom is found in the lyrics “So won’t You take the lead, lead,

lead”. The meaning of the idiom “take the lead”, based on MWD, is “to take a

position that is ahead of others: go first” (2019, para.1). The song writer asks God

to have the position that is ahead, which is a leader. He asked God to be the

leader. The word “leader” alone, based on NOAD, means “the person who leads

or commands a group, organization, or country” (2005, p.962).


36

The word “You” is capitalized. Therefore, it is referring to God. The song

writer asks God to be the leader, not he himself as the leader. The semantic feature

for this lyric is [-lead], based on the song writer’s point of view

c. It’s evident you run the show, so let me back down

The third idiom is found in the lyrics “It’s evident you run the show, so

let me back down”. The idiom “run the show”, based on MWD, “run [+obj]”

means to use and control (something)” (2008, p.1426).

The meaning behind the lyrics is that someone has control over

everything. The lyrics is using the word “you” instead of “I”, it means that this

lyrics is talking about someone else being in control, not the song writer himself.

The next sentence also strengthens the point that the song writer has no

control. The sentence use the pronoun “me” that refer to the song writer. The

word “back down”, based on MWD, means “to withdraw from a commitment or

position” (2019,para.1).

The lyrics mean that the song writer chooses to withdraw from being the

leader, the one who is in control. In short, this lyric stated that the song writer has

no control. Both meanings show that the song writer actually has no control.

Therefore, the semantic feature for this lyric is [-control].

d. If ignorance is bliss, it’s because she never heard of this

The last idiom is found in the lyrics “If ignorance is bliss, it’s because she

never heard of this”. The idiom is “ignorance is bliss”. The meaning of the idiom,

based on WBD, is “used to say that a person who does not know about a problem

does not worry about it” (2019, para.1). Therefore, the meaning of the lyric is that


37

when someone has not heard about a problem, that person will not be worried

about it. The reason why the person does not know is because she has never heard

of the problem. It is mentioned in the sentence after the idiom. The semantics

feature for this lyric is [-knowledge].

B. The Theme of the Song

The theme of the song is identified from the metaphorical meanings and

the shared concept that have been discussed in the previous subchapter. The

discussion of the theme of the song is arranged according to the order of parts in

the song. The order is chorus, then the verse one, verse two, and the last is verse

three. The song lyrics will be attached in the appendix.

The first part of the song that will be discussed is the chorus. There is one

metaphor and two idioms found in the chorus. The chorus is the part of the song

that is repeated. Usually, song writers write the points that they want to emphasize

in this part. In this part, the song writer is talking about what he feels and his

opinion. The song writer thinks that he is “better be at the back” because he feels

that he is being an obstacle and preventing good things from happening. He also

asks God to be the leader.

The shared concepts that are found in the chorus are [-important],

[+prevent], and [-lead]. From these three shared concept, it can be conclude that

the song writer is not important and not the leader. He also prevents things from

happening. The summary of the explanation is shown below in the table. The

table is divided by song parts so that the story behind each part can be harmonious


38

and coherent. The first table is the chorus because it is the heart of the song.

Usually song writer put their main message in the chorus since this part usually is

repeated through the song. Move on to the verse, the verse is the part where the

song writer tells their story and brings the listeners deeper to the song.

Table 1 The Shared Concept in The Chorus

Figurative expression Meaning Shared Concept

I could play the

background

The song writer wants to

be at the back, supporting

the leader.

[- important]

‘Cause I know sometimes I

get in the way

The song writer thinks that

he prevents something

happens.

[ + prevent]

So won’t You take the

lead?

The writer wants God to be

the leader.

[- lead]

The second part is the first verse of the song. This verse has many

metaphors and one idiom. There are eight metaphors in the first verse. In this

verse the writer is talking about what he desires.

The song writer talks about how he has no power to change something. In

addition, he also feels like he still makes mistakes and commits sin therefore, he

cannot be considered as a leader and he will just follow the plan that has been

made. He thinks that although he is not great, he hopes he can lead people to God.

As his job is a celebrity, he has some influence and he wants to use his job to help

people to find God. This point is reflected through the line “I’m who I are, a trail

of stardust leading to the superstar”.


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The shared concept that is found in this verse are [-control], [+failure], [-

change], [-everything], [-innocent], [-lead], [-influential], [+ready], [+fear], [-

great]. These shared concept shows that the song writer has no control. He cannot

change everything and he sometimes fails. Proven by [- control] and [+failure].

Because of that, he cannot be the leader. This statement can be proven by [-lead].

He also has no influence although he is ready. Although he is ready, he has not

done anything yet, so he has no influence. It can be proven by [-influential] and

[+ready].He has fear and is not great. Proven by [+fear] and [-great]. The

summary of the explanation is shown below in a table.

Table 2 The Shared Concept in The First Verse

Figurative expression Meaning Shared concept

It’s evident you run the

show, so let me back down

Someone is in control of

everything.

[-control]

I know I miss my cues,

know I forget my lines

The song writer fails to

fulfill his job.

[+fail]

I'm sticking to your

script, and I'm reading all

your signs (Aye)

Following the plan that is

hard to change.

[-change]

Why gain the whole wide

world, If I'm just going

lose my soul?

Gaining something but

losing everything.

[-everything]

And my ways ain't

purified, don't live

according to Your Word

The song writer still makes

mistakes and commits sin.

[-innocent]

So word to every dancer

for a pop star

A command for every

follower of a famous

person

[-lead]


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'Cause we all play the

background, but mine's a

rockstar

The song writer has an

influential person behind

him.

[-influential]

Yeah, so if you need me I'll

be stage right

He is not doing anything

yet.

[+ready]

Praying the whole world

would start embracing

stage fright

Accept their feeling or fear

to do something new.

[+fear]

I'm who I are, a trail of

stardust leading to the

superstar

The song writer is just a

media for people to meet

the great person.

[-great]

The third part of the song that will be discussed is the second verse. The

second verse consists of six metaphors. In the second verse, the song writer wants

to talk about his dream and the reality. In his dream, he feels so powerful and in

control of everything. However, it is different from the reality. In the lyrics, he

writes “Yo, I had a dream that I was captain of my soul. I was master of my fate”.

He imagines himself as a master and captain. Although he has full control, it only

happens in a dream. This point can be proven by the semantic features found in

the lyrics which are [- control].

However, in the next lyrics, when he talks about the reality, he actually

fails. Besides that, he talks about how he wants to let God take control of his life

and to be the leader in his life. This point can be proven by the semantic features

found in the lyrics, which are [+plan], [+ knowledge], and [+control].

The song writer also wants to live like God (live positively). This point is

reflected in the lyric “So let me shadow you, just let me trace your lines”. The act


41

of shadowing a people and tracing the lines have the same semantics feature,

which is [+ identical]. A table consist of the summary of the explanation is shown

below in order to get a better understanding.

Table 3 The Shared Concept in The Second Verse


Yo, I had a dream that I

was captain of my soul

The song writer dreams

that he has control.

[- control]

I was master of my fate,

lost control, and then I

sank

He was in control but

failed.

[+ failure]

So let me shadow you,

just let me trace your

lines

He wants to be like God [+identical]

Matter of fact, just take

my pen, here, you create

my rhymes

He wants to be used to

convey His message.

[+plan]

Paving a road to

nowhere, pour your life

out for nothin'

Doing useless things. [+useless]

You pulled my card, I'm

bluffin', You know what's

in my hand

God knows everything. [+knowledge]

Me, I just roll and trust

you, You cause the dice

to land

God is in control of

everything.

[+control]

The fourth part of the song that will be discussed is the third verse. There

are two metaphors and one idiom in the third verse. In this part, the song writer


42

talks about how he trusts God and how he wants to live his life seriously. The

seriousness of the song writer can be seen to the lyrics “And I ain’t got no time to

play life’s foolish games“ and how he wants to make time to just collecting

information from God, which can be seen in the lyrics “take time to sit and glean

from You”.

Beside the lyrics, it can also be proven from the shared concepts found in

the third verse. The shared concept are [+ serious], [+information], [-knowledge].

Since the song writer has no knowledge, he wants to be serious and also have

information. The summary of the explanation is being shown below in a table in

order to make easier understanding.

Table 4 The Shared Concept in The Third Verse


And I ain't got no time to

play life's foolish games


live his life seriously.

[+serious]

Don't even cling to you,

take time to sit and glean

from You


pray to get information.

[+information]

If ignorance is bliss, it's

'cause she never heard of

this

When you do not know

about something, you will

not care about it.

[-knowledge]

Theme is the main idea of a literary work. In this study, the writer tries to

find the theme by relating the shared concepts found. The shared concept can be

found after analyzing similarities between the connotative meaning and the

associative meaning of the lyrics. After analyzing the whole lyrics by relating the


43

shared concepts found, the possible theme of the song is Let God lead our lives.

This theme is strengthened by the background of the song writer as a devout

Christian. This theme is also reflected from the analysis of the metaphor and

idioms on the previous subchapters.


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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

In this study, there are two research questions that are being discussed.

The first research question discusses about the meaning of the metaphors and

idioms found in the song lyrics. The second research question discusses about the

theme of the song. The song that is used for the study is a rap song entitled

“Background (ft. Andy Mineo)” sung by Lecrae.

Answering the first research question, there are twenty one metaphors and

four idioms found in the song lyrics. Fourteen metaphors found in the lyrics talk

about how incompetent the song writer. Other four metaphors are about how the

song writer wants to be a good person. The last three metaphors talk about how

powerful God is. In addition, all of the idioms are also about the incompetent the

song writer is.

The second research question is about the theme of the song. The writer

relates the song line by line and the semantics features that are analyzed

previously in order to discover the theme of the song. The writer finds out the

possible meaning, which is “Let God be the leader of our life”. The background

of the song writer as a devout Christian strengthens the result of the analysis.


45

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APPENDIX

Appendix: The lyrics of the song

(*) I could play the background

I could play the background

'Cause I know sometimes I get in the way

So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?

So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?

And I could play the background, background

And you could take the lead

It's evident you run the show, so let me back down

You take the leading role, and I'll play the background

I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines

I'm sticking to your script, and I'm reading all your signs (Aye)

I don't need my name in lights, (Aye) I don't need a starring role

Why gain the whole wide world, If I'm just going lose my soul?

And my ways ain't purified, don't live according to Your Word

I can't endure this life without Your wisdom being heard

So word to every dancer for a pop star

'Cause we all play the background, but mine's a rockstar

Yeah, so if you need me I'll be stage right

Praying the whole world would start embracing stage fright

So let me fall back, stop giving my suggestions


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'Cause when I follow my obsessions, I end up confessin'

That I'm not that impressive, matter of fact

I'm who I are, a trail of stardust leading to the superstar

Back to *

Yo, I had a dream that I was captain of my soul

I was master of my fate, lost control, and then I sank

So I don't want to take the lead, 'cause I'm prone to make mistakes

All these folks who follow me, goin' end up in the wrong place

So just let me shadow you, just let me trace your lines

Matter of fact, just take my pen, here, you create my rhymes

'Cause if I do this by myself, I'm scared that I'll succeed

And no longer trust in You, 'cause I only trust in me

And see, that's how you end up headed to destruction

Paving a road to nowhere, pour your life out for nothin'

You pulled my card, I'm bluffin', You know what's in my hand

Me, I just roll and trust you, You cause the dice to land

I'm in control of nothing, follow You at any cost

Some call it sovereign will, all I know is you the boss

And man, I'm so at ease, I'm so content

I'll play the background, like it's an instrument


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Back to *

I know I'm safest when I'm in Your will, and trust Your Word

I know I'm dangerous when I trust myself, my vision blurred

And I ain't got no time to play life's foolish games

Got plenty aims, but do they really Glorify Your name?

And it's a shame, the way I want to do these things for You, yeet

Don't even cling to you, take time to sit and glean from You

It seems like You were patient in my ignorance

If ignorance is bliss, it's 'cause she never heard of this

Back to *


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