Prompt Thoughts #7— Drake’s Verse from Ela É do Tipo (Remix) by Kevin O’ Chris

Much Shorter verse, but pushed GPT a few times to see what I could get, in a different way. I think this is a good example of how I improved the prompt I used to get this result:

Bold is my input.

Made with ChatGPT 3.5 Turbo

examine this verse line by line from a linguistic and other appropriate literary device perspective:

[Verse 1: Drake]
First time I saw you, I wasn’t thinking of you and I
I was just thinking of I
First time we fucked was at my place, it was a couple years late
But it was fate and I think you feel good about it
So now we end up in this place we both hate
And I think it takes a sacrifice
Not fair, it’s not right, it’s impractical
For you to leave that man and come and just be mine

— -

Let’s analyze each line of the verse from a linguistic and literary device perspective:

First time I saw you, I wasn’t thinking of you and I

• Anticipation: The use of “first time” creates a sense of anticipation and introduces a narrative element.
• Repetition: The repetition of “you and I” emphasizes the connection between the speaker and the person being addressed.

I was just thinking of I

• Self-reflection: The line highlights the speaker’s self-centered thoughts and suggests a lack of initial focus on the other person.

First time we fucked was at my place, it was a couple years late

• Informal Language: The use of explicit language and slang (“fucked”) adds an informal tone and reflects the rawness of the situation.
• Chronological Reference: The mention of the “first time” and the time lapse of “a couple years late” adds a sense of narrative progression.

But it was fate and I think you feel good about it

• Determinism: The reference to “fate” suggests a belief that their encounter was predestined or meant to happen.
• Assumption: The speaker assumes that the other person feels positive about their past encounter.

So now we end up in this place we both hate

• Irony: The juxtaposition of being in a place they both hate suggests a complicated or conflicted relationship.
• Parallelism: The repetition of “we” and “both” reinforces the shared experience and emotions between the speaker and the other person.

And I think it takes a sacrifice

• Opinion: The speaker expresses their belief that the situation requires some form of sacrifice.
• Generalization: The statement is broad and lacks specificity, leaving the nature of the sacrifice open to interpretation.

Not fair, it’s not right, it’s impractical

• Repetition: The repetition of “not” adds emphasis and reinforces the negative evaluation of the situation.
• Evaluation: The speaker expresses their view that the circumstances are unfair, unjust, and impractical.

For you to leave that man and come and just be mine

• Persuasion: The speaker urges the other person to leave their current partner and be with them instead.
• Possession: The phrase “be mine” suggests a desire for exclusivity and possession of the other person.

In this verse, linguistic elements such as repetition, informal language, and evaluative statements are used to convey the speaker’s perspective and emotions. The verse also features elements of persuasion and introspection, adding depth to the narrative and highlighting the complexities of the speaker’s relationship with the other person.

— -

go more in depth

Certainly! Let’s delve deeper into the linguistic and literary devices used in each line:

First time I saw you, I wasn’t thinking of you and I

• Anticipation: The phrase “first time” creates anticipation and establishes a narrative starting point. It suggests that something significant is about to unfold.
• Pronoun Usage: The repetition of “you and I” emphasizes the connection between the speaker and the person being addressed.

I was just thinking of I

• Self-reflection: The line highlights the speaker’s self-centeredness and introspection. It suggests that, at the initial encounter, the speaker was primarily focused on themselves rather than the other person.

First time we fucked was at my place, it was a couple years late

• Informal Language: The use of explicit language and slang (“fucked”) adds an informal tone and reflects the raw and direct nature of the situation.
• Chronological Reference: The mention of the “first time” and the delay of “a couple years late” adds a sense of narrative progression and suggests that the speaker and the other person have a history.

But it was fate and I think you feel good about it

• Determinism: By referring to the encounter as “fate,” the speaker implies that their connection was meant to happen, possibly suggesting a belief in destiny or a higher power guiding their relationship.
• Assumption: The line suggests that the speaker assumes the other person had positive feelings about their past encounter.

So now we end up in this place we both hate

• Irony: The statement creates irony by highlighting the shared dislike for the current situation, despite their history together. It suggests that their relationship has evolved into an unpleasant state.
• Parallelism: The repetition of “we” and “both” reinforces the shared experience and emotions between the speaker and the other person. It emphasizes their mutual dissatisfaction.

And I think it takes a sacrifice

• Opinion: The speaker expresses their belief that resolving the situation or moving forward in their relationship requires some form of sacrifice. The speaker implies that both parties have to give up something significant.
• Generalization: The statement lacks specificity, leaving the nature of the sacrifice open to interpretation. It can refer to emotional, personal, or relational sacrifices.

Not fair, it’s not right, it’s impractical

• Repetition: The repetition of “not” adds emphasis and reinforces the negative evaluation of the situation. It amplifies the speaker’s discontent and criticism.
• Evaluation: The speaker evaluates the situation, considering it unfair, unjust, and impractical. This evaluation reflects their perspective on the current circumstances and indicates their dissatisfaction.

For you to leave that man and come and just be mine

• Persuasion: The speaker attempts to persuade the other person to leave their current partner and choose to be with the speaker instead. The line expresses a desire for exclusivity and possession.
• Possession: The phrase “be mine” implies a desire to have control or ownership over the other person, suggesting a possessive attitude towards them.

In this verse, the use of linguistic devices such as anticipation, repetition, informal language, and evaluative statements enhances the emotional impact of the lyrics. The verse also explores themes of introspection, determinism, irony, and persuasion, providing insight into the speaker’s perspective and the complexities of their relationship with the other person.

This has such large implications for teaching, and I find its “thoughts” and “opinions” to be really insightful in terms of its content, and also how it ‘interprets’ poetry. To have something to challenge students minds and bring in new insights a student wouldn’t bring in, just right here, is valuable for a students future, and their ability to think and interpret literary pieces of work is endlessly valuable for an individuals day to day life, when they are constantly bombarded with media that looks to push an agenda or product onto them.