Act 1 and Act II
Introductory notes express urgency. A synthesized
drum-beat serves as a prelude to an even faster up tempo melody. Your mind
immediately thinks about something moving rapidly, possibly people running. Are
they escaping danger? The opening lyrics fit the musically enhanced feelings of
dread:
“Running hot
Running cold
I was running into overload
That was extreme”
Writers decide where to begin a hero’s story. This story begins
at Act II with describing the ordeal; skipping Act I. The hero begins a tale
about a stressful life experience from the past. The use of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ in
close proximity indicate confusion. Also, the use of temperatures give the
impression of a body fever, or possibly an illness.
“I took it so high so low so long
There was nowhere to go like a bad dream”
These verses reiterate the first four lines, but give more
insight into the struggle. This was not a brief episode. The hero hit rock
bottom and reached despair. What I really like about these lyrics is that we do
not know exactly what caused the meltdown, and neither do we
know what ‘it’ is. The use of the pronoun ‘it’ allows the audience
to fill in the blank with events from their own lives which makes the song
relevant to a large audience.
Before the next group of lyrics, I hear a decrescendo which
lightly relaxes the music’s high intensity. A positive change has
occurred:
New Attitude – Act III
The inciting event described in Act II was confronted and
resolved. By using the general word ‘somehow’, we do not know what
caused the change. Likewise, we do not know what was the ‘lesson to learn’.
Again, the songwriters use non-specific lyrics to make the song relatable to
anyone’s journey.
Bridge
“Somehow the wires uncrossed
The tables were turned
Never knew I had such a lesson to learn”
New Attitude - Act IV
Now, with this new insight, the hero details how her life
changed. The music's upbeat intensity reflects the meaning.
Chorus
“I'm feeling good from my hat to my shoe
Know where I am going and I know what to do
I've tidied up my point of view
I've got a new attitude. I'm in control
My worries are few
'Cause I got love like I never knew
Ooh oh ooo oh
I've got a new attitude”
What
caused the hero's ‘New Attitude’? ‘Cause I got love like I never
knew’. The hero found love, but she did not elaborate on what type of
love. Is it romantic love? Friendship love? Intellectual love? Self-love?
With this new love, whatever type of love it was, she has new insights
for a fruitful life. Now the hero is in control and has few worries. She feels
wonderful, hence the exuberant music that accompanies the chorus.
New Attitude – Act IV
The musical melody is primarily a repeat of
the first movement. We hear additional details about the hero’s new
life. The ‘new dress, a new hat’ could be metaphors for both new
inner and outer awareness. She has ‘new ideas’ and is ‘changed
for good’. Notice the general nouns and adjectives. By not being
specific, the songwriters allow us, the listeners, to see our personal life
experiences in the story. “I'm wearing a new dress, new
hat Brand new
ideas, As a matter of fact I've changed for good.” The
‘cold nights’ could mean the hero spent time in reflective
isolation. The ‘new moon’ and ‘night changes’ represent an
extended period of time
“Must have been the cold
nights new moon
Night changes
Or forget your love for just being like I should”
The last line, ’or forget your love for just being like I
should’, puzzles me. When I listen to the track, I cannot make out what
Patti LaBelle is singing, exactly. I believe “just being like I should” means
the hero let go of a false reality and replaced it with an authentic one.
Repeat: Bridge and Chorus
The Hero sings the end
of her story confidently and with purpose. You cannot help but be happy
for her.
Whenever I listen to songs from my youth, they reveal qualities
relevant to me now as an adult. New Attitude is not just a song with an
infectious danceable beat. Its cleverly written lyrics and engaging story
unfold as a universal hero’s myth about overcoming life’s challenges and obstacles,
and finding new reasons for living, of which we all can
relate.
References:
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