Loukos Scheffer

3-31-17

Mr. A

Song Analysis

St. Elmos fire is a song written by John Parr. The song was written for the
movie of the same name. The song was released in 1985, and reached the top of
the Billboard 100. The song is noted for its motivation theme and characteristics.

The intro to the song starts out with music that conveys a happy tone. The
tone of the music changes to being a upbeat tone once the bass and drums are
added in, however they both sit in the background. The first line, Growing up, you
dont see the writing on the wall, conveys a reminiscing tone. The next line,
Passin by, movin straight ahead, you knew it all continues the reminiscing tone.
The next two lines, But maybe sometime if you feel the pain Youll find youre all
alone, everything has changed, gives a tone of aloneness.

The song immediately goes to the second verse and the music still has a
upbeat tone which is conveyed by mostly trumpet, while the bass and drums sit in
the background. The next line, Play the game, you know you cant quit until its
won, gives a call to action and a purposeful tone. The next line, Soldier on, only
you can do what must be done, continues with the purposeful tone. The following
two lines, You know in some way youre a lot like me Youre just a prisoner and
youre tryin to break free, give the song a sympathetic tone. The music adds
emphasis to, youre tryin to break free, which changes the tone to be more
forceful.

After the end of the previous verse the music changes to be more driven after
the bass plays a steady rift, signaling the chorus. The next line, I can see a new
horizon underneath the blazin sky, when combined with the music has a
motivated tone. The line after that, Ill be where the eagles flying higher and
higher, continues with that tone. The following line, Gonna be your man in motion,
all I need is a pair of wheels, helps build upon that motivated tone by starting to
give a goal. The last line in the stanza, Take me where my futures lyin, St. Elmos
Fire, cements the motivated tone as finishes giving an end goal.

The next verse starts with the music continuing on with a driven tone. The
first line, Burning up, dont know just how far I can go, gives a weakened tone.
The following line , Soon be home, only just a few miles down the road, gives a
hopeful tone. The next line, I can make it, I know I can, gives again a motivated
tone. The last line of the verse, You broke the boy in me but you wont break the
man gives an determined tone.
 The chorus is played again, and as the previous time, the bass part becomes
more prominent before fading out again. The rest of the chorus is played as it was
the first time.

The next verse is the bridge, which comes right after the chorus, and acts as
a continuation of it. The first line, I can climb the highest mountain, cross the
wildest sea, continues has an empowered tone. The following line, I can feel St.
Elmos fire burnin in me, burnin in me, continues with the empowered tone.

Following the bridge there is a long instrumental where much of the upbeat
driven music, comes to the foreground. Following this a modified version of the
chorus is played. The verse starts out with the line, Just once in his life a man has
his time, and my time is now, which gives the song a rising tone, which is
especially conveyed by the voice of the singer. The next line, Im coming alive,
turns the rising tone into a tone of seizing the moment. The line after that, I can
hear the music playin, I can see the banners fly, is coupled with a driven tone in
the music, giving the line a motivated tone. The following line, Feel like youre back
again, and hope ridin high, is combined with a slowing down in the music, giving it
a hopeful tone. The last two lines, Gonna be a man in motion, all I need is a pair of
wheels and, Take me where my futures lyin, St. Elmos Fire., are the same as in
the chorus, and both convey a motivated tone.

The bridge of the song is then repeated once for conveying the same tone.

The song then reaches the outro, which acts as a continuation of the bridge.
The first line Burnin, burnin in me, I can feel it burnin continues the motivated
tone to the end of the song. Then the line Ooh, burnin inside of me is played once.

This song was and is popular for its motivational themes. Motivation is
important as it helps everybody reach their goals. This song was written to motivate
and It does that job quite nicely. By being motivated, many people go beyond what
they would usually do, and this song is a reminder of the power of motivation.