Song Analysis Of Dying To Live By Smallpools

Growing up in a small town, country music was always playing. It simply fit the vibe of the town. So it should not surprise anyone that it is my genre of choice. I was not exposed to much else as a child. Gradually, I became more acquainted with pop, rap, rock, etc. Most high school students nowadays have iPods full of all different types of music. Part of discovering yourself is finding which genre speaks to you. One genre I haven’t had much exposure to is indie/indie-pop music. However, I have befriended a few people who really enjoy it. They were the ones who helped me pick the song for this assignment. The song analyzed in this assignment is “Dying to Live” by Smallpools. It is an indie-pop song on the band’s debut CD. Lovetap!

The overarching message of the song is about living in the moment and enjoying life. Everyone is afraid of failing or missing out on something. We all want more time, someone to love, and to live a happy life. In doing this, we are literally killing ourselves trying to live this ideal life. Throughout the song, there are constant reminders to not worry about all of that. For example, the song goes, “And I wonder, do I look alright? Does it matter? No! All the faces will fade out (Niebla, 2015).” It is telling the listener to not worry about the little things. If you don’t enjoy the moments, they will soon be gone. This carefree message is what really hooked me on the song. Too many times I’m always running from one thing to another so caught up in the next task I forget to enjoy the now. It seems many others are also struggling with this. As I listened to this song, it reminds me to step back and breathe. Enjoy the now before it is too

The tempo of the song during the verses seem moderate, or andante. Although, during the chorus it speeds up to allegro. This is a song with a polyphonic texture. It is the combination of all of the different musical instruments and voices that causes this. They all have an equal role in the song as well. The voices themselves also follow a pattern of singing. That pattern is responsorial. It may seem a bit strange because the voices are not necessarily performing a call and response with one another. I have drawn this conclusion through process of elimination. It cannot be direct or antiphonal singing because there are four members in the band and all are heard in various combinations at various points. Therefore, this song must follow responsorial