Lyrics Analysis: “The Day Before You Came” – ᗅᗺᗷᗅ

Disclaimer: I do not have any background in music theory and composition, so do not expect this post (and the following ones to come) to be a technical music review/critique. It is best to treat this piece as fan’s appreciation of the featured song. Likewise, this will only an analysis of the song itself and not the content of its music video.

ABBA: their brief yet brilliant foray into pop music history continues to draw attention to this day. From Waterloo to One of Us, the Swedish group has shown the world that they’re capable of singing about anything—from teenage-like love to a heartbreaking story of a couple who’s on the edge of separating. It’s a well-known fact by now that the evolution of their music reflected the tides in their interpersonal affairs (i.e. the couples in the group eventually falling part).

Almost half a century after they parted ways, there remains so much to be praised about the musical complexity behind ABBA’s songs. Scholars and fans alike still revere the heavenly voices of Agnetha and Frida and praise the songwriting prowess of Benny and Bjorn.

As I start this project of analyzing their songs verse-by-verse, I’d like to begin where it all ended: analyzing The Day Before You Came – the last song recorded by ABBA.

Writing Storyboard Content in 10 Steps (Or Less)

May it be a complicated animation, a convincing testimonial, or a detailed documentary, writers also have to go through the typical video creation process, but wait!

Before the camera starts to roll, you’ll need to have your content finalized. This is a daunting task, especially if your video is a lengthy one, but it’s not impossible to do!

In the beginning, there was conceptualization…

Okay, maybe not that kind of conceptualization, so follow me down the rabbit hole to know the materials you’ll need and the direction you should be taking when you’re working on a video project:

Documentary Now! SNL Legends Armisen & Hader Back with Comedy Magic

Don’t you just love mockumentaries when they’re executed perfectly? It’s always the false serious tone in these comedy gems that tickles my funny bone. This is why I’m so stoked today when I discovered that Bill Hader and Fred Armisen currently star in Documentary Now!, a television series featuring parodies on famous documentaries. Watch the hilarious trailer here:

Know where to watch this all-new series by checking out IFC’s Documentary Now webpage. 

British Phrases I’ve Learned From Karl Pilkington

Alrite—you could be reading this post for two reasons: Either you know who Karl Pilkington is or you’re just interested in expressions almost exclusively used in the UK. If it’s the latter, I do not jest when I say you’re definitely missing out on the comedy gem that is this chimp–I mean, Karl Pilkington, whose head is described to be a [insert expletive here] orange.  Just watch this:

Not convinced? Well, okay. I’m not writing this to persuade you into thinking Karl’s a really funny bloke. If you don’t find that head annoyingly round, though, then I’m cross with you.

Okay. *clears throat* As someone who’s not a native UK English speaker, I found many of Karl Pilkington‘s British slang a bit confusing at first. As I got to read more of his books, I’ve picked up the meanings of these phrases through context clues and research (but primarily, context clues). So without further ado, I give you a list of British expressions I’ve learned from the one and only KP, arranged randomly:

Watch & Learn: TED-Ed Videos All About Cats

If millions (or billions) of cat pictures that are uploaded and shared every day on the internet isn’t a proof that humanity has fallen prey for the feline race, then I don’t know what is.

There’s more to cats than their cute appearances and fluffy bums (See featured image above fur ze pruf) that you just wanna hug, though. Cats can be cunning, seeking adventures even at home (or in lolcat speak, WE LUV ADVENCHUR) or outside. Maybe it’s not just their magnetic looks that draws you to them.

If you want to explore more about these lovable, cuddly kitties, leave those macros and GIFs for the meantime and let’s watch some TED-Ed videos featuring cats!

Why do cats act so weird?
Those weird habits of your cat aren’t there simply to amuse or annoy you.

Is there a disease that makes us love cats? 

Or: how I found out that I could be having toxoplasmosis and still shrug it off… because CATS.

I know, I know. This one is so predictable, but this thought experiment is all over the place anyway. What can Schrödinger’s cat teach us about quantum mechanics?

Aaaaand… one more. Schrödinger’s cat: A thought experiment in quantum mechanics

Dont’ forget to look after your cat while watching these videos, or else:

Enjoy! 🐱

Watch & Learn: CGPGrey’s Bitesize Infovideos

If you want to get smarter each day without spending a penny or even hours on it, hop in.

YouTube isn’t just an amalgamation of funny pet clips, free movies, and music videos. For one, educational videos are on the rise and given acknowledgement through YT’s Creator Academy. I mean, if you’re just going to procrastinate in the office or while studying, why not watch a video like this instead?

I bet this clip is shorter than most of newly released music videos today.

And these videos aren’t just narrators simply reading through a script while slides are presented—YT educators present their topics in attractively entertaining ways (maybe you’d be nodding as you hear a culture reference or laugh at a meme inserted). It’s also an effective alternative to learn about facts, stories and events that you won’t even take a second look at when you’ve encountered them in a book.

Among my favorite (and widely renowned) YT educators is CGP Grey, who creates short videos on a mélange of topics including technology, politics, geography, and history.

For example, here’s CGP Grey explaining LotR:

What I like about watching videos like the ones made by CGP Grey is that you can learn so much in such a short period of time. There’s a lot more videos that you can view for free on his channel, so go ahead and watch!

Discovery Drink: Elle and Vire’s Yaggo Milky Drink

I like vanilla. I also like milk…so why not have the best of both worlds?

I’ve been doing grocery shopping lately as our new office location is far from the strip of restaurants and convenience stores that would have provided food in an instant. I ended up on the dairy section once again, thinking if I should get panna cotta, when I saw Elle and Vire‘s Yaggo Milky Drink. Now, I know there are a lot of milk-based drinks out there, but this one grabbed my attention because it’s vanilla flavored! 

The Copywriter’s Music List: June 14 Finds

I didn’t expect that The Ramones would sound less harsh than the Sex Pistols–in a good way. It’s the kind of noisy music that you can tolerate while focusing on your writing.

I think their music is enough to keep  you awake and engaged in your task at the same time. Of course, they don’t sound anywhere near those cheesy music played during a montage, but their steady rhythm and Joey Ramone’s voice are something you won’t get easily tired of.

Here’s their first album:

The Copywriter’s Music List: May 26

Reading through this thread on /r/music, I got introduced to some of the best Post-Beatles songs by its own ex-members:

Ringo, I’m sorry I doubted your songwriting skills.

The Copywriter’s Music List: May 24

Rediscovering the mellifluous music that is The Beach Boys’ works: