Billy Joel's Use Of The Juxtaposition In Goodnight Saigon

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For centuries, writers of both poetry and prose have sought to entertain and educate their readers as well as evoke specific emotions by detailing events from the human experience to which they can relate. Similarly, composers have sought to do the same albeit through the combination of music and lyrics. In his 1982 release, “Goodnight Saigon,” singer/songwriter Billy Joel, through the use of sound, imagery, symbolism and the juxtaposition of opposites, brings images of the Vietnam War to the forefront and in so doing, provides his audience with insight into the human experience.
Unlike his musical contemporaries like Bruce Springsteen and Bono from U2, Billy Joel stayed away from writing songs which showcased his political views and never served in the military himself. Consequently, when he was approached by veterans to …show more content…

It is at this point that Joel begins to use the juxtaposition of opposites to “allude to the fruitlessness of the American efforts in Vietnam” (CITE A SOURCE) and to illustrate the general feeling of powerlessness felt by the soldiers stationed there. For example, when they initially arrive at Parris Island, the soldiers describe themselves as “soulmates”. Upon leaving Parris Island to embark on their tour in Vietnam, however, they describe themselves as “inmates from an asylum”. In addition to long hours in a military classroom, a soldier’s basic training on Parris Island consisted of learning how to march, dig foxholes, use various weapons such as firearms, bayonets and explosives, and practice hand-to-hand combat CITE A SOURCE. All this compounded by the fact that this was probably the first time that many of them were away from their home and their families, most likely left them feeling lonely, confused, and frightened by what lay

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