Lyric analysis - You could be happy (chosen song)

To develop concepts that had relevance to the song we thought it important to understand what the message the song was promoting was. Below are the lyrics.

You could be happy and I won't know
But you weren't happy the day I watched you go
And all the things that I wished I had not said
Are played in loops 'till it's madness in my head

Is it too late to remind you how we were
But not our last days of silence, screaming, blur
Most of what I remember makes me sure
I should have stopped you from walking out the door

You could be happy, I hope you are
You made me happier than I'd been by far
Somehow everything I own smells of you
And for the tiniest moment it's all not true

Do the things that you always wanted to
Without me there to hold you back, don't think, just do
More than anything I want to see you, girl
Take a glorious bite out of the whole world.

Meanings, connotations, symbolism

Without doing any research we attempted to analyse the lyrics our self. We sound got a sad and depressing vibe as the tempo is slow and melodic. The choice of words and construction of the sentences creates a very gloomy and a definite feeling that the singer is heart-broken due to a failed relationship. Although the lyrics reflect upset emotions about a break up, they do not suggest anger resentment towards his 'ex' lover.

After analysing the lyrics our self we decided to due a survey on yahoo answers to get additional information.

"The singer is thinking about their relationship and how most of it was good, but he also knows that it could have been better. He knows that she wasn't happy but he wishes he could have stopped her. He misses her but wants her to be happy. He wants her to go on with her life and all the things she couldn't do before while in the relationship....I love the last line of the song "Take a glorious bite out of the whole world"" - a member of my media group


"It's like he’s looking back on the relationship and saying she can now go and do the things shes always wanted to without him there to hold him back." - classmate

"My favorite track on the album. The message is easy enough: let go of the person who wants to be happy without you, but never let go of the happy memories. What's exceptional is the way it achieves this message, its pairing of lyrics and music." - Yahoo Answers


"The lyrics are simple and bitter/sweet. They are sung with a tiredness and loneliness that is very appropriate. The music is simple too, but almost cute and child-like. Absolute sweetness and absolute caring with undertones of sadness, truth." - Yahoo Answers


".. he realises that it's too late to mend their relationship but he still has an ounce of disbelief.. he's giving her closure, getting it for himself.. saying i loved you, i love you and i want you to be happy in doing all you ever dreamt but never imagined you could with me by your side.." - family member


"maybe it is about him actually killing - he wishes so much that he hadn't, Or maybe he or she just died. And he feels like there was nothing he could have done. As days go on he realises what they had was amazing and he realises how much he loved her or him. But it also kinda sounds like he died.Or.....killed himself to get out of the way. He wanted the best for her. But saw that killing himself was the only way to achieve this." - classmate


"The beginning of the song has a childish lullaby sound to it, and it reminds me of how when a relationship is over, after all the crying and blaming, sadness, and anger you're left feeling little and wanting someone to hug you and tell you it's okay; you find comfort in the things that remind you of the past." - family member


"As for the lyrics themselves, they just blew me away because of how much they reminded me of the end of my own relationship. "And all the things that I wish I had not said / Are played on lips 'til it's madness in my head", the person is thinking of all of his or her mistakes, the would haves and should haves of the end." - Yahoo Answers

Our response

Now we have some idea of the lyrics meanings and connotations we can sit down and develop some ideas of what imagery and concepts we should include. This information will not only have an effect on the development of our main music video but also our ancillary tasks. (Digi-pak and Website).