Introduction
Rhetoric’s main objective is to persuade, and its elements can be traced in song lyrics, where the authors use rhetorics to communicate an idea to the listener. Persuasion is especially important in songs that discuss social change. In the songs “The Times They Are A-Changing” and “The Wind of Change,” the authors use the symbols of wind and water to demonstrate the nature of social change, and the metaphors in these songs help understand that the transformation is unavoidable.
Comparison of Lyrics Rhetoric
“The Times They Are A-Changin” was written during the 1960s that is most notable for the increasing social awareness of racial discrimination. “The Wind of Change” is another song with a theme of social change. It was written in response to a transformation that happened in Europe during the 1980s when the Soviet Union’s leaders established a policy of openness. Therefore, these songs share a similar theme, although they were written at different times.
“The Times They Are A-Changin” by Bob Dylan is written to reflect the changing social landscape of the author’s era. Firstly, Dylan uses an allegory in the following lyrics — “and admit that the waters Around you have grown.” Here, water is a social movement that has developed around the traditional practices and beliefs of some individuals. This song was written in the 1960s, where the movement for equal rights of all ethnicities became especially strong, and in Dylan’s song, the movement is the water. Dylan uses an allusion to water throughout the song, for example -” and accept it that soon, you’ll be drenched to the bone.”
In this part, water is mentioned in the same context as a counter-movement that will overtake society and affect people who refuse to change. The main point is that the majority of people understand that the changes towards equality are necessary, and those who fail to accept it will be “drenched” or will see that the transformation has already occurred. Notably, Ovid states, “Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence,” which in analogy to Dylan’s use of water means that social change occurs without violence (“Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (Roman Poet)”). Instead, it takes time and persistence for people to make small transformations within the society, but these changes will have a significant impact.
The allusion is also used in the lyrics of “The Wind of Change” but in a different context. In the first lines of this song — “I follow the Moskva, down to Gorky Park,” the author refers to a specific place in Russia (Scorpions). This is an allusion since the listener is not actually in the park; they can only hear about this place and imagine it while listening to this sign. Moreover, the Scorpions use allusion as the central element of their song, since there are many implicit references to its actual theme – the social and political changes in the Soviet Union. For example, in the lines “An August summer night, soldiers passing by,” there is a reference to the political instability of the era. However, the authors do not directly state it or name the events. Therefore, there is a contrast in the way the two lyrics use allusion because in “The Times They Are A-Changing” it is used in reference to water as a social change, while “The Wind of Change” uses it throughout the lyrics to hint at the theme of the song. In “The Wind of Change” lyrics, the main rhetoric element is the symbol of the wind. The phrase “the wind of change” refers to the social transformation and is used to depict the change of political order. The allegory with the wind used by the Scorpions conveys a different meaning than the use of water in Dylan’s song.
Dylan also uses epizeuxis, which is a repetition of words that allows placing more emphasis on a specific idea. The phrase “for the time they are a-changing” is used six times in different parts of the lyrics, and Dylan uses it as a final element. He encourages diverse groups of people to come together and uses epizeuxis to explain why they should do so — because social changes already happened. Notably, it is common for songwriters to use repetitions in their songs. In comparison, the Scorpions use the phrase “the wind of changes” in different variations, such as “listening to” and “in the wind of changes.” In this case, the two lyrics similarly use the epizeuxis – to emphasize the central theme of the work.
Dylan uses personification to water. In the lyric, “the water around you has grown,” water cannot grow. However, in this part, Dylan uses personification to show how social change has developed over time to become significant. The Scorpions use personification in the first lines of their song — “I follow the Moskva,” referring to Russia’s capital as if it is a person followed by the author. Next, they use the same rhetoric element in the phrase “stormwind that will ring the freedom bell,” where the author personifies the wind and uses a metaphor to refer to freedom. Later on, The Scorpions refer to “balalaika” and guitars” that can sing or speak, which aims to depict the unification of different nations, represent through these musical instruments. Therefore, “The Wind of Change” uses personification in many instances to demonstrate the idea of unity.
A simile is used in the line where Dylan encourages people to come together. To those who refuse to respond to the social change, the author argues that they will “sink like a stone,” meaning that they will drown if unable to accept the social transformation. This is a simile because a comparison is made between a person’s characteristics and the properties of a stone. In contrast, the Scorpions use simile when stating, “we could be so close, like brothers.” The main idea of this line is that political transformation can bring different nations closer to one another, making the relationship comparable to family. The two songs use similes differently, focusing on either people or objects.
Conclusion
Overall, this paper examined “The Times They Are A-Changing” and “The Wind of Change” as examples of songs that highlight important social issues. Dylan uses the metaphors and allegories referring to water and its properties to compare it to social ideas of racial equality that slowly changed society. In “The Wind of Change,” there are many references to personified objects, such as the capital, the wind, and others that help disclose the author’s experience of sensing the significant social and political transformations. The two songs use a variety of rhetorical elements, including metaphors, symbols, similes, and personification.
Works Cited
Dylan, Bob. The Times They Are A-Changin’. Bob Dylan.
“Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (Roman Poet).” Inspiration Quotations.
Scorpions. The Wind of Change. Genius. Web.