Lyrics analysis‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia

History:

• The song was originally written by a band called ‘Ednaswap’ comprised of musicians: Anne Preven, Phil Thornalley and Scott Cutler; and featured on their debut album in 1995.

• The version of ‘Torn’ recorded in 1997 for the album ‘Left of the Middle’ by Natalie Imbruglia, is the most well known cover of the song.

Lyrics – what is the song about?

I thought I saw a man brought to lifeHe was warm, he came around like he was dignified

He showed me what it was to cryWell you couldn’t be that man I adored

You don't seem to know, don't seem to care what your heart is forBut I don't know him anymore

There's nothing where he used to lieMy conversation has run dry

That's what's going on, nothings fine I’m torn

I’m all out of faith, this is how I feelI’m cold and I am shamed lying naked on the floor

Illusion never changed into something realI’m wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn

You’re a little late, I’m already torn

So I guess the fortune tellers rightShould have seen just what was there and not some holy light

To crawl beneath my veins and nowI don't care, I have no luck, I don't miss it all that muchThere's just so many things that I can't touch, I’m torn

Her partner now has become

unrecognisable as she

notices the negative traits

he has. Ending

relationship has affected her badly but

she is reassured by remembering

his bad points.

The first lines describe the

beginning of a relationship that

seemed to be going well. She was

impressed by her partner.

(Important use of the past tense).

She admits her own feelings as a result of

the break up and possibly how she was deceived during the

relationship. She has now “woken up” from a delusion but feels hurt. The experience

may even affect future relationships.

A similar concept to the chorus – she understands

her partner was no good but

can’t forget him easily.

She implies she would have rather not experienced this relationship compared to the

impact it has had on her when trying to

move on.

I’m all out of faith, this is how I feelI’m cold and I am shamed lying naked on the floor

Illusion never changed into something realI’m wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn

You’re a little late, I’m already torn. torn.

There's nothing where he used to lieMy inspiration has run dry

That's what's going on, nothings right, I’m torn

I’m all out of faith, this is how I feelI’m cold and I am shamed lying naked on the floor

Illusion never changed into something realI’m wide awake and I can see the perfect sky is torn

I’m all out of faith, this is how I feelI’m cold and I’m ashamed bound and broken on the floor

You’re a little late, I’m already torn, torn.

The word “naked” is symbol of vulnerability and suggests she feels stripped of self-worth

through her failed relationship. “Lying on the floor” implies she feels inferior due to her bad judgement

whilst dating this man.

She continues to list his many faults that have justified ending

the relationship.

Suggests any future relationships she has will be affected by her negative experiences

from this one.

This is a disturbing

image where she wants us to picture her as

being helpless. The alliteration draws further

attention to the phrase and both words

suggest she is in this state

because of him. E.g. Broken as

if he has played with her like a

child would with a toy and

then left it there after it breaks.

“Bound” either suggests his treatment has restricted her of entering other relationships/

moving on. Or it could mean she has tried to “mend” herself but it

still broken.

Lyrics – what is the song about?

Narrative:

• The song is written in the first person.

• The listener is located as a subject of the song as the singer sometimes refers to them as “you”. However they are sometimes refered to in the third person as “he” because the singer is expressing her previous feelings for this person in the form of a monologue.

• Arguably suspense is created by the singer as she changes from refering to the subject as first or third person. Furthermore the tense in which the lyrics are written also changes which creates an element of mystery to the concept. On the other hand, the singer seems to be very open in the song about her experience she refers to and therefore this defeats the object of there being suspense.

• There is only one viewpoint presented in the song as essentially the song itself could be considered as a monologue.

• The way the song begins seems to “set the scene” as a verbal equivalent of an establishing shot of a film. The way in which the song ends clearly concludes her story as we believe she has accepted her situation.

Structure and form:

• The structure of the song conforms to that of most mainstream songs. The song is formulaic and has the form of opening-verse-bridge-chorus-second verse-bridge-chorus-instrumental-bridge-chorus-second chorus-outro.

• The song also fades out at the end which is common for most pop songs as they focus mainly on the artist or group’s voice(s) unlike perhaps rock music where all the musicians either strop playing abruptly at the end or one by one which enhances the musical texture of the song.

• The language in the lyrics is simple in order for the song to be understood by the widest possible audience (off different age groups) and in order for the lyrics to rhyme. The words of the chorus are repeated four times in which the word “torn” is featured which is significant as it is the title of the song and lends the piece a sense of identity. The repetition of the chorus has the impact of familiarising the listener with the lyrics and the melody of the song which encourages its popularity as a media product through being easily recognisied by the public.

Voice and tone:

• There are many emotions expressed in the singer’s voice, the main ones however are sadness and shame. As the lyrics of the song actually comprise of the singer describing her feelings throughout, it is important for the singer to express these emotions through her performance which is convincing.

• The vocals are relatively distinctive as the singer has a very clear female soprano voice with an impressive vocal range.

• The voice of the singer does create an impact on the listener as we are drawn into the song through the way in which it is sung. At the beginning of the song it feels as though she is telling the listener a personal story as she is quiet but then becomes more emotional as the story unfolds and the dynamics of the vocals increase to accompany the expressive tone in which the song is mostly sung in.