THE PRETENDERBy: The Foo Fighters

Why did I choose this song?

Interpretive

Enjoyable

Speaker

Person under corrupt leadership

Finally speaking out against this corruption

Man or woman

Adult

Keep you in the darkYou know they all pretend

Keep you in the darkAnd so it all began

”you” – corrupt leaders

The followers pretend they do not see what the leaders are doing and pretend the corruption does not exist.

”So it all began,” this is how the leaders were able to rise to power, by the citizens not taking action.

Send in your skeletonsSing as their bones go marching in again

They need you buried deepThe secrets that you keep are ever ready

Are you ready?

Using an army of supporters (skeletons) who do whatever the leaders tell them to do.

The people need the leaders to continue hiding what they are doing.

Leaders keep many secrets from their people.

”Are you ready?” = A challenge to the corrupt leaders. Showing that the speaker is prepared to stop them.

I’m finished making senseDone pleading ignorance

That whole defense

”Making sense” - The other people consider the smart thing to do to put it aside like they are doing.

“Done pleading ignorance” – The speaker is done pretending he/she does not know what is going on.

Spinning infinityBoy, the wheel is spinning me

It’s never ending, never endingSame old story

Cycle that does not stop

The leaders continue to do the things that make them corrupt

Chorus

What if I say I’m not like the others?What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?

You’re the pretenderWhat if I say that I’ll never surrender?

The speaker is not another one of the people who are just going to let it happen

The speaker is not going to let the leaders use him/her and “play” him/her

Calling the leaders “the pretender” because they are acting like they are not doing the things they are doing

Shows he/she is willing to do anything to achieve his/her goal

In time or so I’m toldI’m just another soul for sale, oh wellThe page is out of print, we are not

permanentWe’re temporary, temporary

Same old story

The leaders consider their people “souls for sale” and they use them for their own benefit.

The leaders use the people and then are done with them

“same old story” – this is what the leaders always do

I’m the voice inside your head you refuse to hearI’m the face that you have to face, mirrorin’ your

stareI’m what’s left, I’m what’s right, I’m the enemyI’m the hand that’ll take you down, bring you to

your kneesSo who are you? Yeah, who are you?

Yeah, who are you? Yeah who are you? The speaker is saying that the leaders have a conscience that they refuse to listen to and that he/she is forcing them to realize that what they are doing is wrong

“mirrorin’ your stare” – the speaker is fighting back with the same force they are using

The speaker is the result of what the leaders are doing to their people.

“the hand that’ll take you down, bring you to your knees” – the speaker believes he/she is capable of stopping them

The speaker questions the leaders to make them consider what they are doing to others

Keep you in the dark, you know they all pretend

Chorus x 4

So who are you? Yeah, who are you?Yeah, who are you?

“Keep you in the dark” – The people put their knowledge of what the leaders are doing in the dark where they can not see it.

“you know they all pretend” – The people pretend they do not recognize what the leaders are doing.

The speaker questions the leaders again to ask who they are that they can do this to other people.

These questions are the ending to the song to stand as a lasting impression on the leaders and leave them considering the questions.

First and Second Person

What if I say I’m not like the others?What if I say I’m not just another one of your plays?

You’re the pretenderWhat if I say that I’ll never surrender?

Ex:

Allows the speaker to get his message across with a more personal tone

First Person Point of View - Narration from the perspective of "I" or "We."  Narrators may be involved with the action or may simply observe it; they may also be reliable or unreliable.

Second Person Point of View - The story or the piece of writing is from the perspective of “you.”

Repetition

It’s never ending, never endingSame old story

We’re temporary, temporarySame old story

Ex:

Adds emphasis

The repetition of “never ending” and “same old story” helps to illustrate that these two phrases mean it keeps on continuing

Repetition - The return of a word, phrase, stanza form, or effect in any form of literature. Repetition is an effective literary device that may bring comfort, suggest order, or add special meaning to a piece of literature.

Symbolism

Spinning InfinityBoy, the wheel is spinning meIt’s never ending, never ending

Same old storyEx:

The wheel represents the ongoing cycle that the speaker is undergoing

The symbolism helps to get across the speaker’s point

Symbolism - The use of one object or action (a symbol) to represent or suggest something else.

Similar to Underclass HeroBy: Sum 41

Both songs are about overthrowing leaders who are controlling them. Do not want to be controlled by the people trying to control them. Both speakers feel they are being unfairly treated.

Common theme: Be a leader, not a follower. Do not let others take advantage of you. Stand up for yourself.

http://www-03.ibm.com/software/lotus/symphony/gallery.nsf/GalleryClipArtAll/9391496711374B06852575950059E181

http://hardmoneybankers.com/real-estate/beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt/

http://blog.journals.cambridge.org/2013/04/psst-do-you-want-to-know-a-secret/