Short Story

The Coffee House

The coffee house at the end of our road was always empty, no customers, ever. So every Saturday I would walk in, grab a cup of their “famous” homemade hot chocolate, which was far from famous, and sit by the window looking out at the people walking by. Outside that window, I could see a direct view of Killington Mountain in Vermont. On snowy days, skiers gracefully slid down the long windy trails. On summer days, you could make out a pack of foxes or geese flying off in the distance. I remember one day, a man was painting a picture of the mountain and I asked if I could buy it off of him. That picture is hanging above my kitchen sink, reminding me of the day I met you.
It was seven years ago to this day, and my Saturday was turning out to be a bad day. So I headed down to that small coffee house, hoping for a sour hot chocolate to brighten up my day. Usually I’m the only one in there at ten o’clock in the morning, but today there was someone sitting ay my place by the window. He wore a green, cargo coat, a messy haircut, and bright blue eyes that seemed to burn right through the window.
So after getting my hot chocolate, I took a seat beside him. “Hey, you stole my seat.” He was confused and I explained to him my weekly Saturday routine. We looked about the same age, 24, fresh out of college.
Come to think of it, we could have been mistaken for brother and sister. We both had dark brown hair, blue eyes, and pursed lips looking for answers.
Anyways, I asked this stranger why he decided to come to the coffee house, where he was from, and his name.
“My name is John Fulham, I live right down the street from here, and I decided to come to this dreadful coffee house to find some kind of peace.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place.”
“For the past few months, this place has been my sanctuary.”
He seemed to understand. “Every now and then I would walk by here and see you sitting right here in this very spot, soaking up the mountain views.”
Every Saturday became a ritual. We would meet at approximately ten o’clock in the coffee house and talk about our week, sometimes we would get more in depth and talk about life in the past.
I learned that John grew up with two deaf parents and had one sibling, a younger sister. He is 25 years old, and works as an accountant for a local company. I also learned that he has never had a serious girlfriend.
Then one day John showed up with a wild look in his eyes. I saw he was holding something but I didn’t know what.
Quiet and uneasy he drank his coffee in one gulp. He ended up leaving early and did not come back the next Saturday.
Well, I never found out what he was holding, all I know was that it was shaped like a small box.
Now I see why John hasn’t had any serious relationships, he has cold feet.
I waited two Saturdays and finally he met up with me again. He said “ I’m sorry I haven’t been showing up lately, my mind has been in an odd place. I am moving to Maine this week and I’m afraid we’ll never see each other again.” At that sad departure, he left me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He also left me his new address.
So for the next two years I lived my life, had a few boyfriends but I could never forget the boy in the coffee shop. I continued my job, owning a small boutique in the center of Killington, Vermont.
After two years went by, the seasons changing, my mind wandering from my work, I wrote a note to John.
I reminded him of all the memories, jokes, and conversations that little coffee house provided in our time of need. I mailed it to him hesitantly and decided to forget about it, just in case he didn’t write back.
Two weeks later, I received a letter back.
He told me of his new life, he got married, had a kid, and pursued his dream, flying an airplane.
I was happy for him, truly happy. So I decided to finally move on and within the next year I thought I had found my Prince Charming.
His name was James and he tried so hard to win my heart. So after deep consideration I thought he was the one for me. We always had our little tiffs and arguments but I never thought I would let him go.
John and I were still writing back and forth and I was reminded constantly of how much I missed him and his bright blue eyes. Every time I went to the newly popular, and renovated, coffee house I looked for him at the window. He was never there and I tried to tell myself he never was going to be.
Our lives changed, the coffee house changed, and so did our letters. One day I decided not to write him back a letter. It was time to officially moved on, or that’s what I told myself.
Well, my marriage didn’t work out, we went our separate paths and I finally wrote back to John.
Turns out his wife was cheating on him. She took the kids and moved out.
After a hard decision, John thought life would be better in Vermont. I was ecstatic he was coming back, so I threw him a “welcome back” party. It was a hit and everyone we knew was there.
So now every Saturday, we meet at the coffee house. Ever since he moved back to Vermont, gave up his career, and forgave his wife, he says he has been a better man. Frankly, I’ve seen the same blue eyes I saw the first day we met.
It took some time to warm back up to each other and honestly I find it a little strange for him to leave his past in the dust, so quickly. But I don’t judge so I never ask.
It’s been two years and we are happily married. We even had a kid of our own, her name is Carla, and she is now 2 months old. We still visit the coffee house every Saturday, with Carla. The business has picked up there and the hot chocolate has improved. The window seat we always used to sit in has been taken up. Now a couple in their young twenties gazes at the mountainside views. We introduced ourselves to them and told them of our story. They told us their story and figured out that they were in the same boat we were. Small world, huh?
We never thought our lives would be where they are now. The mountainside views still creep into out thoughts sometimes. The painting of the incredible views sits above our bed in the house down the street. All our dreams have finally came true.

Bread And Water Song Analysis

There are many unknown artists that have created their own style of music genius. These artists are the hidden treasures of the music world. One of these artists, Sheila Nicholls, is unique and writes her own music. Her extraordinary sound is a mix of British rock and folk music. The lyrics of her songs are filled with a deeper meaning to life. Although she has a specific style, it relates to many people. In “Bread and Water”, by Sheila Nicholls, she expresses her lost love through the use of poetic devices, mystifying lines, and connecting with the audience.

The song, “Bread and Water“, is flooded with poetic devices. Some of the more prominent devices she uses are: objectification, hyperbole, and allusion. One line uses objectification, “You flow across me in waves of I hope to see you soon.” The line “I hope to see you soon” cannot physically flow across someone. Hyperbole is used throughout this song more than once, “I’ve kicked myself for months now.” Kicking yourself for months is an extreme exaggeration. She means emotionally she has regretted leaving or losing her lover. Allusion is a reference to an outside idea, place, person, or text. Allusion in “Bread and Water” follows along the lines of “ And everywhere I go I hear you in the words that I use, in my theories algebra and sums.” Nicholls is alluding to mathematics. Poetic devices in “Bread and Water” are plentiful.

There are a few themes indicated in the song “Bread and Water”. A noticeable theme would be lost love. Throughout the song, Nicholls sings about how she lost her love and regrets it. For example, in the line “It’s bread and water without you.” she is referring to the bread and water prisoners would be forced to eat in jail hundreds of years ago. So not only is this line an allusion and hyperbole, it is also the major theme in this song. Another theme is depression. Nicholls is sad that she is no longer in the relationship she previously was in. The last theme is “forgetting your mistakes”. To move on in life, one has to let go of the past. Nicholls is stuck in the past and needs to get out of it. “Your anchor drags behind me.” This line means that the memories of her past are haunting and weighing her down. The three themes; lost love, depression, and forgetting your mistakes are prominently used throughout this song.

Sheila Nicholls is not an extremely popular artist in the United States nor Great Britain. Her unique tone sounds depressing and forlorn but once the lyrics are read, then oneself might change their mind about the song. She connects with the audience by relating her songs to everyone. Break-up songs are very popular on the radio these days, so why aren’t Nicholls’ songs on the radio? It may be because of her witty verses and knack to break the rules. Or maybe it is that she writes her songs for herself or the audience. So much meaning is present in her lyrics that profits are second on her mind. Her songs may relate to the audience but her distinctive personality and style make her different than most artists.

In “Bread and Water” by Sheila Nicholls, the themes, poetic devices, and artist background make this song worth listening to. The hyperbole and objectification make this song mystifying and deep. The themes relate to almost everyone. Sheila Nicholls is inspirational not only because of her different style and sound but also because she writes, sings, and shares music for the pleasure of her and he audience. Money is not as important as the meaning of her music. If more artists on the top of the music world did the same, maybe the world would be a better place. Nicholls is a music genius and wholesome artist.

Backmasking Assignment

Back masking is when a hidden message is found in the backwards playing of a song. Reverse speech is the phenomenon of hidden backward messages in speech. Some would say that this is the 7th sense that some people have. A lot of backward messages are found in rock songs, such as the Beetles or Led Zeppelin. Back masking is also very controversial. Some think it is not true but others are obsessed with it! Back masking and reverse speech are found in many songs.

    Example #1: Stairway To Heaven By Led Zeppelin

    In the song, Stairway to Heaven, by Led Zeppelin, the message hat is played backwards is rather creepy. The real lyrics, “If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now it’s, just a spring clean, for the May queen, yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there’s still time to change, the road you’re on” but the hidden message is “So here’s to my, sweet Satan. The other’s little path, would make me sad, whose power is faith. He’ll give those with him 666. And all the evil fools, they know he made, us suffer sadly. “ As one can see, this finding is extremely disturbing! I believe that this subliminal message was on purpose because upon listening, the message was so clear.
   

    Example #2: Another One Bites the Dust By Queen

    Another One Bites the Dust, by Queen, also has a subliminal message in its interior. In the lyrics “Another one bites the dust, another one bites the dust, another one bites the dust.” backwards it reads “ It’s fun to smoke marijuana, it’s fun to smoke marijuana, it’s fun to smoke marijuana.” This is a profane message but when you listen to the song t is very clear and easy to hear.

    Example #3: Paparazzi by: Lady GaGa

    Paparazzi by Lady GaGa when played backward says “Evil save us, the stars above, above…we model it on the art of Lucifer.” When Gaga is singing “There’s no other superstar that I’ll be, your papa- Paprazzi. Promise I’ll be kind.” I think this is true because the lyrics are so clear!

Example #4: I’m So Tired by The Beatles

    I’m So Tired by The Beatles has threatening lyrics in its interior. When unexplainable gibberish occurs, it says “ Paul is dead. Miss him, miss him, miss him.” when played backwards. I think this was on purpose but it is a very strange message considering that Paul is alive!

   

Example #5: ...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears

    Baby One More Time by Britney Spears has a message hidden within it. Britney sings “With you I lose my mind, give me a sign.” But underlying these lyrics it is saying “Sleep with me, I’m not too young.” This is disturbing but i think it is a bunch of hogwash. When you listen to the verse, it is scratchy and doesn’t sound real at all.

   

Example #6: Beat It by Michael Jackson

    Beat It by Michael Jackson also has a satanic message in it. When Michael is singing “Tell you it’s fair so beat it.” He seems to be saying “I believe it was Satan in me.” I think this example is true because the demonic message was clear.

Example #7: Pokemon Rap

    The Pokemon Rap has a disturbing message in it. In the theme song, it says “Gotta catch em’ all, gotta catch em’ all, gotta catch em’ all.” The underlying message is saying “I love Satan, I love Satan, I love Satan.” I think this might be true because those words fit into the lyrics perfectly.

    Example #8: Hotel California by Eagles

    In Hotel California by the Eagles, the message is really strange. The lyrics are “In the middle of the night, just to hear them say.” It seems to be saying “Satan he hears this. He had me believe.” I’m not quite sure if this is true because it was somewhat clear but still couldn't be made out entirely.

   

Example #9: Nature Trail to Hell by Weird Al

    Nature Trail to Hell by Weird Al has a humorous message in it. While the song is playing indistinguishable music, Weird Al is saying “Satan eats Cheez Whiz.” I find this kind of funny, rather than demonic. But it is not very clear, so I don’t think it is true.

Example #10: My Name is... by Eminem

    My Name is... by Eminem is a great song with a message in it. When Eminem is singing “Hi! My name is...(what?) My Name is... (who?) My name is... (scratches) Slim Shady.” He is actually saying “ It is Slim. It is Eminem. It is Eminem.” Eminem seems to be having a personality crisis, but it is very clear that he is saying this message in the song. I think it might just be a coincidence though.

Myth/ Legend Bibliography

Robert Johnson:
1. Scotese, David W. “Did Robert Johnson Sell is Soul at the Crossroads?” The Mudcat Café. The Mudcat Café, 1997. Web. 22 Oct. 2010.
2. Snake, Doktor. “Robert Johnson: Did the 1930’s Bluesman Really Sell his Soul to Satan for Guitar Brilliance and Fame?” Doktor Snake’s Voodoo Spells And Conjure Shack. Wordpress, 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2010.
Ozzy Osbourne:1. “Ozzy Osbourne”. Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2010.
Abbey Road:

 Polidoro, Massimo. “A Myth that Rocks: The Premature Death of Paul McCartney.” Life Science. Techmedia Network, 2005. Web. 23 Oct. 2010.

Bob Dylan:
“Bob Dylan Goes Electric.” Newsweek. Newsweek, 1999. Web. 23 Oct. 2010.
Ohio Players:
“Love Rollercoaster.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2010. Web. 26 Oct. 2010.
Sgt. Pepper:
Julien, Oliver. Sgt. Pepper and the Beatles. Burlington, VT; Ashgate Publishing Limited, 1988. Print.

Myth/ Legends

Myths and Legends

Robert Johnson Myth

Is it possible to sell your soul to the devil? According to Robert Johnson, it is. His legend begins with a stroll through the Mississippi swampland, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a guitar in the other. Robert biggest wish was to become a famous guitar player and have an amazing life. So he decided to go to the crossroads, where apparently black magic breeds, and have a talk with the devil himself. They had a conversation and Satan decided to agree to Robert’s offer. Robert gave his soul to the devil and in exchange the devil gave him his dream to become famous. Is this legend true? All of a sudden, Robert Johnson became very famous and some think it was just coincidence while others believe the devil granted him his wish.

Ozzy Osbourne’s Taste For Doves and Bats

At one of Ozzy’s concerts a woman threw a supposedly dead bat onto the stage. The concert was at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. The Ozzy fan claimed the bat was not alive. Osbourne bit the head off of it because he said he thought the bat was rubber. The bat was actually living and bit Ozzy. He had to get rabies shots afterwards! “The Prince of Darkness” which is a popular nickname for Ozzy said the rabies shots were extremely painful. Anyone insane enough to bite a bat, living or dead, probably has a strange nickname like that. Ozzy also bit the head off of a dove but he was intoxicated while doing it. This incident caused a lot of publicity towards Ozzy. The dove was alive too! Ozzy’s taste for animals heads are just accidents, he did not mean to bite their heads off at all.
　

Abbey Road Cover

“Paul is dead” can be heard through out the Abbey Road Cover by the Beatles while being played backwards. This is linked to Paul McCartney’s well-being after a car accident. Beatles fans thought Paul had died but he actually did not. In the song “Strawberry Fields Forever” when played backwards says “I buried Paul. “This might be a coincidence but possibly not. When everyone thought Paul died, fans began to assume that the new Paul in the Beatles was William Campbell who won a Paul McCartney look alike contest. So basically the myth is that in some of the Beatles songs rumors of Paul’s death can be heard. This legend is still debatable but Paul McCartney did survive the car accident.

Bob Dylan Goes Electric

At a festival in Newport, Bob Dylan was a headliner for the concert and he only played for fifteen minutes. This upset the crown and they started to boo. Some people paid a lot of money and wanted to hear Bob Dylan play! All they other performers played for around forty five minutes so it was unfair that Bob only got fifteen minutes. He also was playing an electric guitar and that’s when the people started to boo him. Another incident was at a concert in New York. Bob played forty five minutes of acoustic guitar and when he started playing electric the weather got really windy and the temperature dropped about ten degrees! This legend is supposedly true but is still questioned.

Ohio Players: Love Roller Coaster

During the song “Love Roller Coaster” by the Ohio Players a scream is heard. The urban legend behind this is that someone was being murdered in the studio when the recording was going on. Ester Cordet (a model) had been burned in the studio from hot honey and the band manager stabbed her to death in the control room for disrupting the recording session! This may not be necessarily true but it has been a myth ever since a radio show host announced the story on his station. They decided to keep the screams in the song even though it may or may not be true. In fact, the band manager disclaimed this evidence and Ester Cordet is still alive! So, basically this may be a myth but it is not true at all.

Sgt. Pepper Cover

The legend of the Sgt. Pepper lies in the front cover. Many people believed that Paul McCartney was dead after the release of Abbey Road because in one of their songs, if you play it backwards it says “Paul is dead”. The guitar made of flowers, which is a bass guitar, is Paul McCartney’s. So, even though Paul didn’t actually die, this cover makes it look like he did. This was for publicity and it worked. Sgt. Pepper was a huge success, party because of the album cover! Paul is still alive today but his legend still baffles people. In this cover, I recognize the following: Paul McCartney (from the Beatles), Bob Dylan (famous singer), and Albert Einstein (famous for his intelligence). I am ignorant of: Marlene Dietrich, T.E. Lawrence, and Lenny Bruce. Marlene was a German- American actress and singer who liked to “re-invent” herself. T.E. Lawrence was a British army officer and Lenny Bruce was an influential and controversial American Jew who spoke his mind.

Billboard Top 100: Short Essay

All around the world music is shaping different cultures. Whether it is from rock to reggae each genre has a specific sound and meaning that appeals to individuals in different ways. In America, pop and rap seem to appeal to the majority of people compared to other genres. Rap, pop, and sometimes country appear on the top Billboard hits all the time. Since rap is usually obscene and pop is typically upbeat music this makes people want to dance and party. Sometimes these songs influence young people to make bad choices or live under the influence. Our generation seems to be addicted to the rebellious phase during their teenage years. But there are popular songs that do make American culture look respectable. The top billboard songs that I choose to evaluate were California Girls by Katy Perry, Billionaire by Travie McCoy, and Bottoms Up by Trey Songz.

California Girls, by Katy Perry, is a song about the state of California. Katy describes the good life by the ocean. Although she probably didn’t write this song, she sings about young adult girls wearing short shorts and tiny bikinis. This shows that American culture has gotten more and more indecent over the years. “Once you party with us, you'll be falling in love” American culture is obsessive with partying and just having a good time. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but maybe instead of partying we could put more time and effort into something more important.

Everyone wants to be a billionaire, especially Travie McCoy. That’s why he wrote the song Billionaire. This song is basically describing everything Travie wants to do when he becomes a billionaire. One of the lines is “I’d probably visit where Katrina hit and damn sure do a lot more than FEMA did”. So instead of just singing about all the stuff he wants to buy for himself he also includes people who don’t have a lot or lost their belongings in a hurricane. This is unselfish of the songwriter and I believe that this makes American culture look good.

Bottoms Up by Trey Songz is a typical club song. It has a smooth beat and the rap is fast paced. In the line, “Bottoms up, bottoms up, throw ya hands up”, it is showing how Americans love to party and have a good time. This song is very popular because not only does it have fast paced rap but it also has Nicki Minaj featured in it and she gives an electronic voice to the song. Our culture is obviously based around “throwing our hands up” and dancing all our problems away.

Many people in America listen to the Billboard top 100 song list. The songs that are featured on this list are either obnoxious and loud (California Girls), upbeat and redundant (Bottoms Up), or smooth and have a deeper meaning (Billionaire). These songs represent our generation and personally I think in a bad way. I feel like these songs are teaching teenagers and young adults that being under the influence is cool, but it is not. A lot of these singers are very wealthy and there is a variety of gender who sing these songs. But there are some songs that inspire people to be good. All in all, the culture in America is based on the music that influence young people.

Song Analysis #1: Who's To Say by: Vanessa Carlton

Stand up straight
Do your trick
Turn on the stars
Jupiter shines so bright
When you're around they tell us slow down,
We're too young you need to grow
The speed's the key
And they don't know who we are

And who's to say that we're not good enough?
And who's to say that this is not our love?

Mother don't tell me friends are the ones that I lose
'Cause they'd bleed before you
And sometimes family are the ones you'd choose
It's too late now
I hold on to this life I found

And who's to say we won't burn it out?
And who's to say we won't sink in doubt?
Who's to say that we won't fade to gray?
Who are they anyway? Anyway they don't know

And you say we're too young, but maybe you're too old to remember
And I try to pretend but I just feel it when we're together
And if you don't believe me, you never really knew us
You never really knew

You and I, packin' up my room, we feel alright
But we're not welcome, soon
We'll be drivin', 'cause they don't know who we are
Who's to say we won't stay together?
Who's to say we aren't getting stronger?
Who's to say I can't live without you?
Who are they anyway? Anyway they don't know

And you say we're too young, but maybe you're too old to remember
And I try to pretend, but I just feel it when we're together
Who is to say?
And who is to say?
And who are they anyway?

Stand up boy, I shine so bright when you're around

Analysis:
The graceful piano playing of Vanessa Carlton has charmed her audience and many others. Not only does she play piano but she also sings and writes her own songs. Their filled with deep lyrics that almost any young adult can relate too. Most people categorize Carlton in “classical- pop” or “light rock”. I categorize her in a genre of her own just because her music is so unique. Vanessa Carlton’s song “Who’s To Say” speaks to me and many others because of the poetic lyrics and realistic themes.

“Who’s To Say” uses personification, imagery, and hyperbole to broaden our visual and mental understanding of the song. In the line “Turn on the stars” Carlton is using personification, you can’t really turn on the stars like you would for a light bulb. Another line of personification is “ The speed’s the key”. Speed cannot be a key to, let’s say, opening a door. This whole song is imagery but there is one line that really makes you visualize it, “Jupiter shines so bright”. It’s very easy to picture Jupiter shining bright in the sky at nighttime. Hyperbole exists among this line, “Who’s to say we won’t fade to gray”. Fading to gray is an exaggeration because unless your incredibly sick than you can’t physically fade to gray. The use of poetic terms is ever-present in the song “Who’s To Say.”

The themes in “Who’s to Say” by Vanessa Carlton are rather obvious. One theme is “love” and this protrudes throughout the song especially at the end. This line describes it perfectly, “And I try to pretend, but I just feel it when we're together”. Whenever she and her lover are together they can’t help but love each other even if they try to pretend they don’t. Another theme in this song is “independence”. The narrator in this song is becoming more independent throughout the song, especially from her mother. In this line, “We’ll be drivin’, cause they don’t know who we are.” Vanessa is finally breaking free from her mother’s grip on her life and beginning to make her own decisions. The themes, independence and love show during the course of this song.

So many people who are avid Vanessa Carton fans know this song and can probably relate to it the most. Many of us have broken free of our parents (or at least tried), particularly in our rebellious teenage years. “Who’s To Say” has inspired me and I’m sure it has inspired numerous others. I think Vanessa also sounds like Sheila Nicholls and Michelle Branch. Her high-pitched voice is melancholy and easy to listen too. It also blends well with the piano, offering best of both worlds. Followers of Vanessa appreciate this song just as much as I do. The themes, poetic devices, and relations to other people explain why this song is a masterpiece. The personification and imagery help point out the specific points of interest in this song.

The themes relate to many people and the people are grateful of that. Vanessa Carlton speaks to people and I think this is why she is a semi-popular artist. Although everyone interprets this song differently we all can understand what it truly means. I believe it means that independence can be a good thing and love takes you on adventures that shape your view of life. As you can see, Vanessa Carlton and her song, “Who’s to Say” is a work of art and should be put into its own genre.