Analysis of Place in Music

Place can be depicted in several ways and interpreted in a large variety of ways as well. The use of music and other art forms is a common and powerful way to represent a sense of place and certain things that affect how different places correlate to different emotions. In the song “Home” by Phillip Phillips, the artist portrays a place as a mentality and how people can contribute to this state. The artist uses a variety of metaphors, a reassuring tone and upbeat music to uplift or motivate the audience to create a home out of the people around them and create a more positive environment even in hard times. Phillip expresses in his song about the deprivations of life and how they can bring people down but then uses his strategies to reinforce that positivity will thrive. In this essay these strategies will be discussed and analyzed to show how Phillip Phillips' portrayal of place is both accurate and inaccurate along with the effectiveness of his strategies. Since Phillip Phillips was portraying a mental place rather than a physical one, his depictions are not only accurate but the strategies used are very effective.

Throughout the song, the use of metaphors and powerful lyrics are used to convey how negative places can be turned positive with the help from people around you. This strategy will have the biggest impact on the audience as it not only is a form of verbal encouragement, but uses descriptive analogies as a way to illustrate both the good and the bad in places. Primarily, we see Phillips’ use the phrase, “Don't pay no mind to the demons--they fill you with fear” (8-9). This expression uses the term demons to describe what we would say are life's hardships or dark times in someone's life. Along with fear meaning negative thoughts or stresses that could be brought on from a physical place or a state of mind. This is a great depiction of what a bad place could be for someone. Even though this metaphor is showing the bad side of a spot, this quote tells the audience to not pay mind to the bad, but instead to focus on the good. Another representation of someone who may be in a lost state of mind could be when Phillips sings, “As we roll down this unfamiliar road--and although this wave is stringing us along” (2-3). This is also very effective in depicting a sense of loss or confusion as an unfamiliar road and how some people seem to just let life get by them so they don’t have to face their problems. The singer/songwriter does a great job at explaining what it may feel like for someone who is not in such a great place. In most cases, these things go just a little deeper than Phillips has touched but the overall sensation brought upon by these lyrics is pertaining to what a dark place may be like.

However, after Phillips makes a great portrayal of poor places, he uses blunt language to motivate the audience that things get better in the quote, “The trouble it might drag you down--if you get lost you can always be found” (9-10). The troubles dragging people down can be many things depending on their place and situation. Whether it be other people in their lives, an unhappy home life, a bad job or even self depreciation, this lyric can conform to anyone in the audience depending on their hardships. He then uses the opportunity to reassure his listeners yet again by stating that no matter how toxic an environment or mentality can be, things can always get better. He then reintroduces a state of place directly in the chorus with, “Just know you’re not alone--I’m gonna make this place your home” (11-12) as a delineation of how the positive things (also depending on the listeners personal experiences) can conform a negative place into a happier one. Even though the people in someone’s life may either positively or negatively affect the environment, many things that make up a place are coming from an internal mindset. While Phillips touches upon this throughout the body of his song and in his main message, the chorus, or the main part of the song, is where he brings in how others affect surroundings where he should’ve dove deeper into what he started when explaining personal mindset. Even though these positive messages may not be completely accurate, they fill the author's purpose in uplifting the listeners.

Another important factor in sending out his message to the audience is by using the melody and beats in the song. The song is in C-Major (notediscover.com), a classic beat for many other uplifting songs such as “Let it Be” by the Beatles, “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go'' by Wham! and “Imagine” by John Lennon (spinditty.com), which is another great depiction of place in music. All of these pieces are also known to be uplifting and bring positive vibes to those who listen to them. The key of C-Major is usually used in songs that want to get people up and dancing or in a better mood. In this case, it was used to uplift and motivate the listeners. As each verse carries on the lyrics get more positive along with the slow uprising of the music before the beat drops to the chorus which contains the main message of the song. Along with the key, tempo is used in the song to convey a positive message. The song is 120 BPM(notediscover.com), or 2 beats a second. This faster pace emphasizes that the song is not meant to make listeners correlate negative feelings with it. These factors along with the beat of the drum keep the pace of the song going and almost force the positivity and motivation through those listening. It is fair to say that most people cannot argue that a song in the key of C-Major and a song that is filled with cheery instruments and beats. 

Even though effective strategies are used throughout the song, it fails to acknowledge that a sense of place is not just determined by people, but by several other factors as well. Traditions can create a sense of place through familiarity and comfort of the known. Physical attributes in an environment such as smells, appearances and even personal belongings can create a sense of place. The only physical attribute that Phillip portrays in his song are the people around us and how they can be beneficial to one's when creating a sense of place. With this, he also forgets to acknowledge that this can be on the contrary in certain situations. While there are many great people in some lives, there are also bad people as well. These people can affect an emotion correlated with a place as well by emitting their negativity onto those around them. However, for the song's purpose, Phillip uses his strategies effectively to show how people can make better places or mentalities simply by lending out a helping hand. As Phillips was not talking about a physical form like a shop, a school, or even an actual home, (which is ironic as it is in the title of the song) none of these aspects matter. The word “home” in this song was a representation of comfort or familiarity in someone's mind. Some might even call it a peaceful state. In the end, the song “Home” meets all requirements or criteria for explaining a place of mind and motivating the audience in an effective way.

Moreover, the song “Home” by Phillip Phillip’s is a great depiction of a positive mindset on a sense of place. While the song is mostly targeting a place in someone’s mind rather than a physical place like someone’s hometown or an environment, the message of the song is greatly portrayed with the use of lyrics, metaphors along with the music and beat. Overall, the song “Home” by Phillip Phillips is successful in exhibiting how a sense of place is affected by one's mentality and how others can change this by motivation.

Works Cited

“Home ● Phillip Phillips.” Key & BPM/Tempo of Home by Phillip Phillips | Note Discover, www.notediscover.com/song/phillip-phillips-home.

Ray. “50 Songs in C Major.” Spinditty, Spinditty, 6 Aug. 2021, spinditty.com/playlists/Songs-in-C-Major.