Two

"Mama Said Knock You Out" - LL Cool J** Don't call it a comeback I been here for years Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear Makin the tears rain down like a MON-soon Listen to the bass go BOOM Explosion, overpowerin Over the competition, I'm towerin Wreckin shop, when I drop these lyrics that'll make you call the cops Don't you dare stare, you betta move Don't ever compare Me to the rest that'll all get sliced and diced Competition's payin the price
 * Aggressive:

//[Chorus:]//

I'm gonna knock you out (HUUUH!!!) Mama said knock you out (HUUUH!!!) //[REPEAT 4X]//

Don't u call this a regular jam I'm gonna rock this land I'm gonna take this itty bitty world by storm And I'm just gettin warm Just like Muhummad Ali they called him Cassius Watch me bash this beat like a skull Cuz u know I had beef wit Why do u riff with me, the maniac psycho And when I pull out my jammy get ready cuz it might go BLAAAAW, how ya like me now? The river will not allow U to get with, Mr. Smith, dont riff Listen to my gear shift I'm blastin, outlastin Kinda like Shaft, so u could say I'm shaftin Old English filled my mind And I came up with a funky rhyme

Shadow boxin when I heard you on the radio (HUUUH!!!) I just don't know What made you forget that I was raw? But now I got a new tour I'm goin insane, startin the hurricane, releasin pain Lettin you know that you can't gain, I maintain Unless ya say my name Rippin, killin Diggin and drillin a hole Pass the Ol' Gold

Shotgun blasts are heard When I rip and kill, at WILL The man of the hour, tower of power, I'll devour I'm gonna tie you up and let you understand that I'm not your average man when I got a jammy in my hand DAAAAAM!!!!! Oooooohh!! Listen to the way I slaaaaay, your crew Damage (UHH) damage (UHH) damage (UHH) damage Destruction, terror, and mayhem Pass me a sissy so suckas I'll slay him Farmers (What!!!) Farmers (What!!!) I'm ready (we're ready!!!) I think I'm gonna bomb a town (get down!!) Don't u neva, eva, pull my lever Cuz I explode And my nine is easy to load I gotta thank God Cuz he gave me the strength to rock HARD!! knock you out, mama said knock you out

LL Cool J is totally picking a fight with some guy in this song. The entire lyrics are him boasting about how strong, dangerous etc. he is. Also realizing that this is a rap song implies that it includes a strong bass accompaniment showing an aggressive tone. LL Cool J uses an aggressive tone by using words such as destruction and terror and mayhem. This song also includes some violence which shows anger which is included in aggressive.

Great song choice! Make specific lyrical references to words and phrases that best support your analysis of the tone. Better effort needed in analysis--who authored this piece?

**"Dear Mr. President" - Pink (feat. Indigo Girls)**
 * Critical Natalie Giguere:**

Dear Mr. President, Come take a walk with me. Let's pretend we're just two people and You're not better than me. I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

This song opens with soft vocals and an acoustic guitar. This simple melody and soft voice serve to highlight the sharp lyrics. The lyrics seem humble but have a deeply rooted implied anger. When she sings "lets pretend you're not better than me" she is saying with her s arcasm  and tone how dare you pretend you are better than the every day man. What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street? Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep? What do you feel when you look in the mirror? Are you proud? the verses of the song ask a serious of rhetorical questions which give the song it's critical tone. Over and over Pink asks how a man can watch his home and country which he has sworn to protect suffer. How do you sleep while the rest of us cry? How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye? Here she makes a reference to the war in Iraq as she critics the army's losses through the eyes of a mother who has lost a son. How do you walk with your head held high? Can you even look me in the eye And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President, Were you a lonely boy? Are you a lonely boy? How can you say No child is left behind? We're not dumb and we're not blind. They're all sitting in your cells While you pave the road to hell. Here Pink sharply criticizes the No Child Left Behind Act. In a soft unwavering voice she applies the adage "good intentions pave the road to hell." What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away? And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay? I can only imagine what the first lady has to say You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep at night? How do you walk with your head held high? Dear Mr. President, You'd never take a walk with me. Would you? //This song written during the second term of the Bush presidency uses critical tone to employ a basic American freedom and responsibility, As americans we have the right to criticism our leaders because no matter what they promise any other foreign nation our leaders ultimately answer to the every day person. //

Pay closer attention to capitalization and grammatical errors. Remember--this class focuses heavily on writing skills. Nickelback-If Today was Your Last Day**
 * Curious : Casey Koch

If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late Could you say goodbye to yesterday? //- This line shows a tone of curious because it asks if u wud be able to let go of your past days which really makes you think if you would really do that if it was your last chance. // Would you live each moment like your last? //- This line follows the cliche of "living like you will die tomorrow." which is a very profound statement to ask someone and it makes you look deep in yourself and what your gut feelign would do in a situation like that. It also makes you think if that is a quote you should live by everyday as a way to get the most out of life. // Leave old pictures in the past Donate every dime you have? Would you call old friends you never see? Reminisce of memories Would you forgive your enemies? Would you find that one you're dreamin' of? //- This whole section questions if you would try and patch things up with friends and enemies. It also asks if you would find your true love if you only had one more chance. This shows a curious tone because it causes you to think of what you would before you left earth. It really makes a person reflect on what and who is really important in their lives and causes them to learn that you should hold onto everything you care about because you never know when it will be your time to go. // Swear up and down to God above That you finally fall in love If today was your last day

Overall, the questions asked in this song show the tone of curious. It forces the mind to wonder about something tragic like death, but amazingly your mind comes up with optimistic things that you would do to be able to leave this world and be happy with the mark you made. What really stuck out with this song to me which made it curious was the deep thinking aspect of it. There are about a dozen questions in this song that bring up good points, not only about what you would do if it was your last day, but what is really important in life and what you value most. The actual recording of this song is acoustic so it adds to the tone of curious because of the lightness and raw guitar causes room for your head to think about the questions asked in the song.

Outstanding breakdown of the lyrical choices behind the tone.