Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman

  • Submitted By: jabele
  • Date Submitted: 12/17/2013 3:23 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 1310
  • Page: 6
  • Views: 1

English Composition II
16 December 2013

Death of a Salesman
The song title, Death of a Salesman, immediately conjures images of Arthur Miller’s play by the same name. The song, composed by Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Parker, and Zak Sally, however, explores a different set of themes than the namesake stage production. It is from the LP, The Great Destroyer, published in 2005. Sparhawk, Parker, and Sally comprise the trio known as Low; a band who made their name with very sparse, slowed-down songs. Although they do not overtly preach their religion, there tends to be some Mormon undertones in many of their songs, however, Death of a Salesman expresses a theme that isn’t intrinsic with religion. The song explores coming of age, finding love, and creating a family.

“So I took my guitar | | 3 | A | 1 |
And I threw down some chords | | 3 | B | 2 |
And some words I could sing without shame | 4 | C | 3 |
| | | | | | |
And I soon had a song | | 3 | D | 4 |
I played it around | | 3 | E | 5 |
For some friends but they all said the same | 4 | C | 6 |
| | | | | | |
They said music's for fools | | 3 | F | 7 |
You should go back to school | | 3 | F | 8 |
The future is prisms and math | | 4 | G | 9 |
| | | | | | |
So I did what they said | | 3 | H | 10 |
Now my children are fed | | 3 | H | 11 |
'Cause they pay me to do what I'm asked | | 4 | G | 12 |
| | | | | | |
I forgot all my songs | | 3 | I | 13 |
The words now are wrong | | 3 | I | 14 |
And I burned my guitar in a rage | | 4 | J | 15 |
| | | | | | |
But the fire came to rest | | 3 | K | 16 |
In your white velvet breast | | 3 | K | 17 |
So somehow I just know that it's safe” | | 4 | J | 18 |
| (“Death of a Salesman.” Sparhawk) | | | |

While the song is very simply structured, it cleverly uses intonations and assonance to simulate rhymes where none exist in a stanza. In the first stanza there are no rhymes. Its format...

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