'First Day Of My Life'



Winnie Cooper

Mrs. Baione-Doda

English 11

21 March 2011

"First Day Of My Life"

Performed by BRIGHT EYES

Written by Conor Oberst

Link:

Summary:

The speaker of this song is expressing his love for someone. The song goes through their first meeting, the emotions of their relationship, and how the speaker desires to build a strong relationship slowly.

Tone:

The tone of the speaker can best be described as loving and thoughtful as he expresses his feelings for this other person and reflects on the qualities of their relationship.

Literary Devices: see song lyrics

Vocabulary:

“They're spreading blankets on the beach”

In the context of the song, the word “spreading” most nearly means laying down. The people are laying the blankets on the ground at the beach, most likely creating a place to sit or to lie down themselves.

Literary Element Explanation:

This song is most developed through the use of figurative language. The entire song is an expression of the speaker’s love. The title itself is an example of figurative language in that the speaker relates the new feelings of love he has to being born. His relationship with this person and the love he feels has given the speaker a new life. The speaker illustrates his desire for their love and relationship to grow with time with the lines, “But I’d rather be working for a paycheck//Than waiting to win the lottery.” This is a metaphor comparing money (the “paycheck” and the “lottery”) to love. The speaker states he would rather grow that love in the same slow, laborious manner in which one earns a living rather than to take a chance on something that might not work out, like winning the lottery. Through these examples of figurative language, the speaker’s love and desires for a long-term relationship are developed over the course of the song.

This is the first day of my life

I swear I was born right in the doorway

I went out in the rain suddenly everything changed

They're spreading blankets on the beach

Yours is the first face that I saw

I think I was blind before I met you

Now I don’t know where I am

I don’t know where I’ve been

But I know where I want to go

And so I thought I’d let you know

That these things take forever

I especially am slow

But I realize that I need you

And I wondered if I could come home

Remember the time you drove all night

Just to meet me in the morning

And I thought it was strange you said everything changed

You felt as if you'd just woke up

And you said “this is the first day of my life

I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you

But now I don’t care I could go anywhere with you

And I’d probably be happy”

So if you want to be with me

With these things there’s no telling

We just have to wait and see

But I’d rather be working for a paycheck

Than waiting to win the lottery

Besides maybe this time is different

I mean I really think you like me

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