Figurative Language (Partner Activity)

Woke Sloths:
1. Fidelis Neo A. XID / 11
2. Jason Putra W.S. XID / 15
3. Matthew Verrel P. XID / 20
4. Valentino Gilbert C. XID / 26

1. Select one of the following four songs to study.

a. Which song did you choose?
Growing Up (Sloane’s Song)
b. Who is the lyricist?
Ben Haggerty, Tyler Williams, Ed Sheeran, Ryan Lewis, Joshua Rawlings, Owuor Arunga, Joshua Karp

2. Read your lyrics all the way through to get an overall impression. Additionally, you may listen to
the song on your cell phone.

3. Read again, this time with a highlighter and a pencil close by. Circle key words and make notes in
the margins. Discuss your findings with your partner.

4. What is the overall mood of this song?

At one side, the writer, especially Ben Haggerty is afraid because he is going to be a father of his
daughter. He worried whether he would be a good father or not. He also worried that he couldn’t
attend when his child was born because he was busy with the tour. But at the other side, he also
inserts some advices in this song for his daughter, like “Tell the truth, regardless of the
consequence”, “The quickest way to happiness? Learning to be selfless”, and the others. It means
that he was ready to be a father, but he still worried whether he would be a good father or not.

5. Describe the persona of the singer/narrator.

The singer's persona in this song is a father who had been worried to become whether a good
father or not, but he tried to educate his daughter not to be a person like him, but to be a person
who's better for the people around him and his significant others. This persona is inspired the writer
(Macklemore) who once was a drug addict but recovered from it and the persona within this song
tried to show his commitment to change and be better person for the people around him and be a
good father for his daughter also be a breadwinner who is responsible for his family

6. Does the lyricist use any figurative language? (Look for metaphors, similes, personification,
symbols, allusions, etc.) Quote your example below. Add the line number where you found this
figurative language in parentheses.
 Don't wanna be a dad that's living in FaceTime (line 15-24)
 For your sweet 16, you get a bus pass (line 25-26)
 Get back to community that raised you up (line 29)
 Read Langston Hughes, I suggest "A Raisin in the Sun" (line 30)
 Listen to Sam Cooke, a change gon' come (line 31)
 I recommend that you read The Alchemist (line 44)
 Listen to your teachers, but cheat in calculus (line 45)
 Do yoga, learn 'bout karma. Find God, but leave the dogma (line 53-54)
 Study David Bowie, James Baldwin and 2Pac (line 57)
 Times are changing, I know, but who am I if. I'm the person you become. If I'm still growing up,
up, up, up. I'm still growing up, up, up, up
 The quickest way to happiness? Learning to be selfless. Ask more questions, talk about yourself
less (line 55-56)

7. Analyze this figurative language. What is being compared? How does it enhance the song’s
message?
 Don't wanna be a dad that's living in FaceTime (line 15-24)
Macklemore will do his best to be there for his child as they grow up, but he knows it won’t be
easy because his musical career needs to move forward. Much like a parent does with their
child, Macklemore has to dedicate time and sacrifice so much in order to mold his album into
what he wants the world to see. This comes at the cost of being away from his actual child, and
although he doesn’t want be one of those dads who only sees his baby through a phone screen,
he’s got a responsibility to the millions of fans worldwide who need him as well.
 For your sweet 16, you get a bus pass (line 25-26)
In USA, 16 is the age that you can first apply for a driver’s license. Sometimes teens also
receiving a new and expensive car as a birthday gift. Macklemore plans on teaching Sloane the
importance of humility by instead buying her a bus pass.
 Get back to community that raised you up (line 29)
Mack reminds his daughter to never forget where she came from and to return to share her
experience.
 Read Langston Hughes, I suggest "A Raisin in the Sun" (line 30)
A Raisin in the Sun by Langston Hughes told us that there could be serious consequences when
peoples' frustrations accumulate to a point where they must either surrender to their dreams
or allow circumstances to snuff out their aspirations. Mack tries to give advice to his daughter
that she must try and not easily give up to achieve what was dreamed of by her.
 Listen to Sam Cooke, a change gon' come (line 31)
A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke told us  about racism in America could come from
someone who was not black. With this lyric, Mack hopes that the world will change and lose its
prejudice by the time his daughter grows up
 I recommend that you read The Alchemist (line 44)
The Alchemist is a 1988 novel by Paulo Coelho. Originally published in Portuguese, it has been
translated into over 60 languages. It tells a philosophical story of a young shepherd who travels
to pursue a prophetic dream and learns about his “personal legend.” It is most famous for the
quote, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Mack hopes that his daughter can achieve what she dreams of and make her believe that if his
daughter dreams to achieve something, people around her will help her to achieve it
 Listen to your teachers, but cheat in calculus (line 45)
Macklemore encourages his daughter to pay attention to her teachers as they are an essential
part of childhood and inspire their students. Calculus is a math application used to quantify
change and is often regarded as the most difficult high school class.
 Do yoga, learn 'bout karma. Find God, but leave the dogma (line 53-54)
By using the active command verbs “do”, “learn” and “find”, Mack tasks his daughter to
prioritize her spiritual walk. Yoga is a meditative exercise technique designed to enrich both the
body and the soul. Although in the western world it has been associated with women’s fitness,
yoga is beneficial for both genders. Karma is often simplified in western society into an
equivalent of the biblical maxim “You reap what you sow.”  Mack wants his daughter to dig
deeper, and learn the true depth of Karma. Actively finding God involves more than just
accepting closed-minded doctrines (“leave the dogma”); it means rejecting labels, and striving
to experience God’s true personality and power.
 Study David Bowie, James Baldwin and 2Pac (line 57)
David Bowie and 2Pac are revolutionary figures in the music world, influencing rock and rap
respectively. James Baldwin is a writer whose work addressed racial issues during the civil rights
movement of the 1960s. All three men pushed boundaries – Bowie turning pop music into
something truly visual and groundbreaking, 2Pac expanding the horizons of rap, and Baldwin
challenging society on its views on social justice. Mack wants his daughter to be willing to push
boundaries as well.
 Times are changing, I know, but who am I if. I'm the person you become. If I'm still growing up,
up, up, up. I'm still growing up, up, up, up
Macklemore suffered from a drug relapse in 2014. The lyrics reflect the fear that he will pass his
personal demons to his daughter unless he learns to change.
 The quickest way to happiness? Learning to be selfless. Ask more questions, talk about yourself
less (line 55-56)
Mack want to remind his daughter that she mustn’t be selfish. “Do nothing from selfish
ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you
look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”, said St. Paul

8. Does the lyricist employ any unique words? Look for a word with multiple meanings or a word
used in a surprising way. Quote your example below. Add the line number where you found
these words in parentheses.
 FaceTime (line 23)  Calculus (line 45)
 A Bus Pass (line 26)  Yoga, Karma, God, Dogma (line 53-54)
 A Raisin in The Sun (line 30)  David Bowie, James Baldwin, & 2 Pac
 A Change Gon Come (line 31) (line 57)
 The Alchemist (line 44)  Helmet & Jaywalk (line 59-60)
 Teachers (line 45)  Sled, trash the hills, festivals, camp, fall in
love, & dance (line 62-63)

9. Analyze this word choice. What made it surprising, interesting, or thought-provoking?

 FaceTime
FaceTime in this song means Macklemore doesn’t want be one of those dads who only sees his
baby through a phone screen.
 A Bus Pass
A Bus Pass shows that Macklemore wants to teach his daughter about modesty, Macklemore
prefers to buy his daughter a bus pass rather than a luxury car that is usually bought by parents
in USA for their children celebrates his/her 16 th birthday.
 A Raisin in The Sun
A Raisin in The Sun mostly told us about achieving a dream. With this word, Macklemore wants
his daughter to be tough in any situation and not easily give up in achieving dream.
 A Change Gon Come
A Change Gon Come contains about racism in America which done by white people.
Macklemore hopes that his daughter wouldn’t do that and he also hopes that racism would
disappear by the time his daughter grew up.
 The Alchemist
The Alchemist is a 1988 novel. It tells a philosophical story of a young shepherd who travels to
pursue a prophetic dream. By using this word, Mack wants his daughter focus on her life goals
and always believes that the people around her will always help her to achiever her life goals.
 Teachers
As we know, teacher is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence
or virtue. By combining this word with listen, Macklemore encourages his daughter to pay
attention to her teachers as they are an essential part of childhood and inspire their students.
 Calculus
Calculus is a math application that often regarded as the most difficult high school class. Mack
combines calculus with cheat, it means doing bad things is necessary, but after this line Mack
writes “Tell the truth, regardless of the consequence”, which means after doing something bad
we must confess and accept the consequences.
 Yoga, Karma, God, Dogma
These 4 words refer to spiritual strength which is very needed in this life. Mack wants his
daughter strives to experience God’s true personality and power through religion.
 David Bowie, James Baldwin, & 2 Pac
All these three men pushed boundaries – Bowie turning pop music into something truly visual
and groundbreaking, 2Pac expanding the horizons of rap, and Baldwin challenging society on its
views on social justice. Mack wants his daughter to be willing to push boundaries as well as
these three men.
 Helmet & Jaywalk
Helmet & Jaywalk have similar meanings in this context. Jaywalk means cross or walk in the
street or road unlawfully or without regard for approaching traffic. With these 2 words, Mack
wants his daughter always be careful when did something. Mack lets his daughter to do what
she likes, but Mack wants his daughter to always think carefully what the impact that will result
from her actions.
 Sled, trash the hills, festivals, camp, fall in love, & dance
Mack ends the verse with a list of exciting and fun times that he hopes his daughter will be able
to experience. He hopes that she will live her life to the fullest, unafraid to take chances, and fill
her life with things that she likes (fun things)

10. What is the lyricist’s overall message?

This song is addressed to Macklemore’s (Ben Haggerty) two month-old daughter (when the
song was released), whom he assures he’ll do his best to raise even as he attends to the demands of
his careers. This song also shows about two realities that merging between Ben (Macklemore’s real
name) the Dad and Macklemore the Rapper. The song very endearingly speaks about how proud he
(Macklemore) is to be a father and how he would do everything in his power to turn her into a good
human being. “Growing Up” beautifully expresses how a father should raise a daughter with love,
care, and protection. By this song, Macklemore wants to teach his daughter to enjoy the beauty of
life and that life is not always about material things.

11. What else did you discover that surprised you?

We discovered that Macklemore was a drug addicts. In August 2008, Macklemore admitted
himself into rehab for drug addiction and alcoholism and celebrated three years of sobriety before a
brief relapse in 2011, which he describes in his song "Starting Over". He spent most of his time trying
to combat his addictions and destructive way of life. That’s why he released this song, through this
song, he wanted to express his concern whether his past will influence him to become a good father
or not. Therefore, he tried not to let of his past affecting him and he does his best to be a good
father to his children and is able to divide the time between work and family time. Until now,
Macklemore has a happy family with 2 daughters. In addition, Macklemore not only became a
famous rapper but also became a good father to his two daughters
 Growing Up (Sloane’s Song)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

They say boys don't cry (1)

But your dad has shed a lot of tears
They say I should be a strong man
But baby, I'm still filled with fear
Sometimes I don't know who I am (5)
Sometimes I question why I'm here
I just wanna be a good dad
Will I be? I have no idea
They say girls shouldn't be tough
And moms should raise their kids at home (10)
But baby, I know that that isn't true
Cause your momma's the toughest person I know
I wanna raise you to be like her
And watch you show the world how to do it on your own
I'm still tryna figure out who I am (15)
I don't wanna mess this up or do this wrong
I'm gonna be there for your first breath
I don't know if I'll be there for your first step
I can promise you that I'll try to work less
But the tour's routed, and I got this album (20)
Put in so many hours, and I just want the outcome
To be something that I can look back and I can be proud of
Don't wanna be a dad that's living in FaceTime
But I've got a world to sing to and you at the same time
I won't spoil you, you can trust that (25)
For your sweet 16, you get a bus pass
Had your heart broken? Been there, done that
I love you and I can't give you enough of that
Get back to community that raised you up
Read Langston Hughes, I suggest "A Raisin in the Sun" (30)
Listen to Sam Cooke, a change gon' come
You put the work in, don't worry about the praise, my love
Don't try to change the world, find something that you love
And do it every day
Do that for the rest of your life (35)
And eventually, the world will change

I'll be patient, one more month

You'll wrap your fingers round my thumb
Times are changing, I know, but who am I if
I'm the person you become (40)
If I'm still growing up, up, up, up
If I'm still growing up, up, up, up
I'm still growing up
I recommend that you read The Alchemist
Listen to your teachers, but cheat in calculus (45)
Tell the truth, regardless of the consequence
And every day, give your momma a compliment
Take your girl to the prom
But don't get too drunk hanging out the limo
Slow dance with your woman in your arms (50)
Sneak her in after but boy, you better tiptoe
Don't wake your mom up,
Do yoga, learn 'bout karma
Find God, but leave the dogma
The quickest way to happiness? Learning to be selfless (55)
Ask more questions, talk about yourself less
Study David Bowie, James Baldwin and 2Pac
Watch the sun set with best friends from a rooftop
Wear a helmet, don't be stupid
Jaywalk, but look before you do it (60)
If it snows, go outside, build a jump, get some help
Get a sled, thrash the hill with your friends till it melts
Go to festivals, camp, fall in love and dance
You're only young once, my loved one, this is your chance
Take risks, cause life moves so fast (65)
You're only young once, my loved one, this is your chance

I'll be patient, one more month

You'll wrap your fingers round my thumb
Times are changing, I know, but who am I if
I'm the person you become (70)
If I'm still growing up, up, up, up
I'm still growing up, up, up, up

I'll be patient, one more month

You'll wrap your fingers round my thumb
Times are changing, I know, but who am I if (75)
I'm the person you become
If I'm still growing up, still growing up, still growing up
If I'm still growing up, still growing up, still growing up
I'm still growing up
I'm still growing up, ooh (80)
I'm still growing up
I'm still growing up