Carry On
LyricsNot enough to eat, barely shoes on her feet
She’s hardly getting by these days Her clothes are thin and worn, another child is born She wonders how she’s going to raise |
AnalysisThe objective of the first verse is to depict the life of a woman in poverty. Often viewed solely as statistics, the verse takes a look at what it actually looks and feels like to be in poverty. Likewise, the verse dabbles in women's rights as well, as it is obvious she does not have the resources to raise the child. The lyrics, "...clothes are thin and worn," also alludes to the idea that her soul too is thin and worn, much like the physical aspect of her clothes. Her clothes however, are more tangible than a soul, and are therefore used to symbolize the soul.
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When she feels she can’t go on, and all hope is gone Carry on, Carry on
Feel it deep down inside you, just believe that you will pull through You are strong, so carry on You can rise above, just carry on. The world is so unkind, to one who’s lost his mind Strange is all they’ll ever see Locked-up in his head, still the people said Thank God it’s him and not me When he feels he can’t go on, and all hope is gone. Carry on, Carry on
Feel it deep down inside you, just believe that you will pull through You are strong, so carry on You can rise above, just carry on. There's a lesson in defeat, There is power in the pain Wear your face of courage Have hope and... Carry on, Carry on
Feel it deep down inside you, just believe that you will pull through You are strong, so carry on You can rise above, just carry on You can rise above, just carry on You can rise above, just carry on. |
The woman is obviously worn, much like her clothes, and listeners are able to see that here, as the lyrics explicitly state, "...she feels she can't go on." However, since the child is dependent on the mother, she is given no other choice but to carry on, even though all hope is gone. People in the situation of poverty, and many others, are not given the choice if they want to quit, but must continue to move forward.
The catchy chorus is used as an anthem for those struggling in hard situations, and due to its generic nature, it is able to be applied to many lives. For example, the lives of those affected by terrorism, LGBT discrimination, and cyber warfare. It is able to give hope, as it states, "You are strong...You can rise above..." The chorus is not catchy by chance, but since the chorus is often the most remembered part of the song, we designed it be catchy so people can remember it as they possibly struggle.
The second verse depicts the struggles of another individual. Instead of poverty, this man is struggling with discrimination due to his mental health. As the lyrics imply, the people are "unkind" and only view him as strange. Again, in today's society, most people do not know what it is like to struggle with a severe mental illness, but by hearing the story from the man's side, listeners are able to hear and feel the effects of the discrimination. Due to this, feelings are evoked and created, giving more power to the song.
Similar to the woman in the first verse, the man struggling with mental illness discrimination simply does not feel he can continue, with little hope that things can change. This puts him at a "low point," which is the objective of this pre-chorus.
Right after the man reaches a low point, the anthem takes over and gives the man hope. Although his situation seems dismal, the chorus helps give him hope. The line, "You can rise above..." is given as inspiration to the man that hopefully he can rise above the juvenile discrimination to enjoy and embrace who he truly is, and not let his mental illness define who he is.
This bridge is similar to the chorus, but without the pop/anthem feel. Due to this, the bridge is able to "dig deeper" and further encourage people who are struggling to have hope, even though they have reasons to simply give up. As the man and woman feel defeated, the bridge ensures there are lessons learned in defeat, and there is a power that is birthed from the pain. Even though they may have no courage left to give, the bridge encourages them to put on that act and have hope, because if they do, then perhaps good can emerge.
The song ends with the anthem-like chorus, pushing for hope. The idea of carrying on is clearly evident throughout the song. However, one may ask what does "carrying on" imply? The truth is that having to carry on can range from a physical, emotional, and social aspect. You may have to physically move on from a city, or perhaps you need to emotionally let go of someone, and socially find new friends. Due to this, the idea of carrying on can be applied to millions of lives here in the United States alone, making the song very relatable and likable. Likewise, the many people in tragic situations across the globe (people who are affected by our group's individually selected issues) must not dwell, but continue to carry on with their lives, and have hope they can rise above, just like us and our struggles. This song ultimately connects people together, no matter what their struggle. That truth makes this song truly incredible and amazing.
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Theme's relation to world issues
Poverty. Terrorism. Child soldiers. These topics and others are upsetting to imagine, yet are still permitted to affect millions of people worldwide. Everyday, people face difficult situations like these and are given a choice: to give up or to hold on to that shard of hope that allows them to carry on. For many of the affected, they choose the latter. It could be bills, dependencies, or perhaps other forces that leave the despondent no other choice but to carry on. Although each day can be a struggle, they still manage it. Due to their hard work, the tides are beginning to shift and there is hope that things will improve. Until then, these people will continue in their daily struggles. With this song, we not only recognize the suffering of those throughout the world, but we salute and admire them for their continuous acts of valor, in spite of having every reason to give up. This song and its powerful message of carrying on is dedicated to those who do the unfathomable each and every day.
In the first verse, the woman mentioned is facing poverty--one of several issues our team of students has diligently studied. Poverty strongly relates to the message that things can get better as we carry on. This is illustrated by the fact that poverty in Latin America, the geographic focus of our study, has been steadily improving. In Columbia, for example, where an estimated 2.5 million people have been lifted out of poverty in recent years due to an increase in job demand. This improvement is a direct result of the hard work people in Latin America have conducted. Likewise, another focus topic within our group was terrorism. Although terrorism remains a tragic issue, anti-terrorism tactics have improved globally during the past decade and a half. New strides in the international community have made it easier to thwart terrorist attacks before any damage can be done. Moreover, the United Nations, a large representative of the international community, has also tightened up on the use of child soldiers. Recently, the judicial sector of the UN made a landmark decision in sentencing a man for his enlistment of child soldiers. The increasing global awareness of this issue is truly symbolic of how things are changing.
Another issue studied by our group was the issue of cyberwarfare. Although many citizens do not experience cyberwarfare on a daily basis, they are able to feel its effects--which have the potential to be catastrophic. Nonetheless, many organizations and agencies are devoted to ensuring that cyber attacks are eradicated and servers are protected from those with villainous intentions. This new urge for better protection is a change that is well welcomed. Although people may not directly feel the effects of cyberwarfare, they can be directly affected by the discrimination of those with mental illnesses, like the boy mentioned in the song's second verse. A studied topic of our group was specifically the effects of this type of discrimination in Africa. Although the United States and other developed countries are working to combat mental health discrimination, those in Africa are experiencing a more delayed response. This response is delayed mostly by a lack of medical and technological infrastructure (slowing the treatment of those with these illnesses). International organizations are working to help the affected, yet the African countries have still been slow to provide aid. Another section of the world that has been somewhat slow to change is Southeast Asia on its view of women. Historically, women have had little rights in the region, and are much less represented on the political level. However, more women have begun to challenge these social ideals and many have become involved in politics. In fact, the Philippines has had two females presidents, one widely regarded as one of the most influential women of all time. Lastly, the topic of LGBTQ+ rights is not only controversial, but very intense, as people in certain regions, specifically the Middle East, are being executed. Although people continue to be discriminated against for their sexuality, strives have been made globally to extend rights for LGBTQ+ individuals. Although these improvements are regarded as minor, they are still improvements, and continue to give hope.
In the first verse, the woman mentioned is facing poverty--one of several issues our team of students has diligently studied. Poverty strongly relates to the message that things can get better as we carry on. This is illustrated by the fact that poverty in Latin America, the geographic focus of our study, has been steadily improving. In Columbia, for example, where an estimated 2.5 million people have been lifted out of poverty in recent years due to an increase in job demand. This improvement is a direct result of the hard work people in Latin America have conducted. Likewise, another focus topic within our group was terrorism. Although terrorism remains a tragic issue, anti-terrorism tactics have improved globally during the past decade and a half. New strides in the international community have made it easier to thwart terrorist attacks before any damage can be done. Moreover, the United Nations, a large representative of the international community, has also tightened up on the use of child soldiers. Recently, the judicial sector of the UN made a landmark decision in sentencing a man for his enlistment of child soldiers. The increasing global awareness of this issue is truly symbolic of how things are changing.
Another issue studied by our group was the issue of cyberwarfare. Although many citizens do not experience cyberwarfare on a daily basis, they are able to feel its effects--which have the potential to be catastrophic. Nonetheless, many organizations and agencies are devoted to ensuring that cyber attacks are eradicated and servers are protected from those with villainous intentions. This new urge for better protection is a change that is well welcomed. Although people may not directly feel the effects of cyberwarfare, they can be directly affected by the discrimination of those with mental illnesses, like the boy mentioned in the song's second verse. A studied topic of our group was specifically the effects of this type of discrimination in Africa. Although the United States and other developed countries are working to combat mental health discrimination, those in Africa are experiencing a more delayed response. This response is delayed mostly by a lack of medical and technological infrastructure (slowing the treatment of those with these illnesses). International organizations are working to help the affected, yet the African countries have still been slow to provide aid. Another section of the world that has been somewhat slow to change is Southeast Asia on its view of women. Historically, women have had little rights in the region, and are much less represented on the political level. However, more women have begun to challenge these social ideals and many have become involved in politics. In fact, the Philippines has had two females presidents, one widely regarded as one of the most influential women of all time. Lastly, the topic of LGBTQ+ rights is not only controversial, but very intense, as people in certain regions, specifically the Middle East, are being executed. Although people continue to be discriminated against for their sexuality, strives have been made globally to extend rights for LGBTQ+ individuals. Although these improvements are regarded as minor, they are still improvements, and continue to give hope.
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Works Cited
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Fung, Brian. "What Washington Can Learn from Colombia’s Genius Plan to Lift Millions out of Poverty."
The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
"ISIS Fast Facts - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 24 Apr. 2015. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
Oleaga, Michael. "Poverty in Latin America: One-Third of Region's Population At Risk of Falling Into Poverty."
Latin Post. N.p., 27 Aug. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.