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= __NO BRAVERY__ - **//James Blunt//** =

Video:
media type="youtube" key="cbFr8mc9rj4?fs=1" height="575" width="720" align="center"

(If you can't see the video, click on the link below: [|No Bravery - James Blunt])

Lyrics:
There are children standing here, Arms outstretched into the sky, Tears drying on their face. He has been here. Brothers lie in shallow graves. Fathers lost without a trace. A nation blind to their disgrace, Since he's been here.

And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. Only sadness.

Houses burnt beyond repair. The smell of death is in the air. A woman weeping in despair says, He has been here. Tracer lighting up the sky. It's another family’s turn to die. A child afraid to even cry out says, He has been here.

And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. Only sadness.

There are children standing here, Arms outstretched into the sky, But no one asks the question why, He has been here. Old men kneel and accept their fate. Wives and daughters cut and raped. A generation drenched in hate. Yes, he has been here.

And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. Only sadness. 

INTRODUCTION:

I chose to analyse this song because I think it has a great meaning under it and it is very moving and touching. I don't even like the singer, James Blunt, and this is not even close to my favorite type of music, but I think its lyrics are splendid and this video simply speaks for itself in a shocking way.

"No Bravery" is a song from James Blunt's album called "Wisemen", which was released in 2005. He was born in 1974 in Tidworth, England, in a family with a long history of military service, dating from the 10th Century. Blunt's father was a Colonel in the British Army Air Corps, and therefore helped his son gain an army-sponsored place at University of Bristol, where he   studied Aerospace Manufacturing Engeneering and Sociology. Once he finished his studies, he was obliged to serve a minimum of 4 years in the British Armed Forces as a return for their favor, so he was sent to Kosovo to serve under NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) during the conflict there in 1999. Blunt had brought his guitar along with him and, during the meals he shared with the peacekeepers he had to fight at daytime, he performed songs which Blunt himself composed while on duty. One of these songs is "No Bravery". About this song, in an interview, James Blunt said: "I﻿ wrote it lying by my tank in my sleeping bag with my boots on, the song is pretty fatalistic. The rest of the album is fatalistic."

There in Kosovo, he was also introduced to the work of Doctors Without Borders, and he has been supporting them in all of his concerts since then.

ANALYSIS OF THE LYRICS:

“No Bravery” by James Blunt speaks about war in general, and about al the misery it leaves behind on its way. The song was written directly by him while he was fighting in Kosovo, and so its main aim is to convey the audience what he lived through during the period he was on service in a shocking way, to make us think about the pain war causes. He has successfully achieved his objective with his superb lyrics and its fantastic use of imagery, accompanied by the perfect deep and strong piano symphony to reinforce its depressing message. It has a really powerful chorus that carries the entire message of the song, and that is repeated several times to emphasize its meaning. The line “No bravery in your eyes anymore” is really touching and makes the audience think. It refers to the soldiers in first person, as if Blunt was speaking directly to them. This makes the merciless soldiers look human after all, and so clearly says that the soldiers are also victims of war. It suggests that soldiers, which are seen as strong and invincible man are no longer proud of serving their country, as all the pain they’ve created has made them weak, and the patriotic joy which filled them previously has tuned into sadness, which is all they’re left with. “Only sadness.” This contrast between what soldiers are and what they actually feel, gives the poem a deeply dramatic effect, which succeeds to move the audience. However, the rest of the song has also managed to shock its audience with its strikingly harsh images of the effects of war on whole families and people. James Blunt has used sketches and very direct images to achieve his aim, and he certainly has. “Brothers lie in shallow graves. Fathers los without a trace.” These two different images are especially effective, as the words ‘brothers’ and ‘fathers’ have been used to show that families are being destroyed, and that innocent loved people are being killed and murdered with no compassion. “Wives and daughters cut and raped” the word ‘raped’ suggests a more personal and violent approach, suggesting pleasure and vice on some soldier’s acts, which makes war seem even more disgusting and horrible. James Blunt often makes reference to young children throughout the song to make it even more compelling, using them as a symbol for innocence. “There are children standing here, Arms outstretched into into the sky” This second verse suggests that children, which don’t exactly know what’s going on, desperately pray to God for salvation and peace. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">One stanza is constantly being repeated, and its the following: "He has been here." For me, this is the most awful metaphor in the song, as it refers indirectly to WAR. This allusion of the word war makes it look like a taboo, being such a detestable and meaningful word that it can't even be said. This phrase is repeated a lot and in different situations, and being said by different people who have been victims of 'him'. It is also a personification, as it is said to have been somewhere, so this could also suggest it is referring to all the mean soldiers who have caused all the suffering too. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Part of the first stanza is then repeated close to the end of the poem, but with some elements changed. "But no one asks the question why, He has been here" This image shows how people involved don't even know why they are fighting for and tells it is probably not for a reason good enough to put up with all the damage caused by it.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The structure of the song doesn't really add much to it, despite the fact that the chorus is made of only 3 lines, and breaks the pattern of the other verses. However, what certainly adds to the meaning of its lyrics is the music itself. The powerfulness of the piano's melody, which starts off as a soft tune turns into a much more angry and energetic melody which conveys the singer's feelings of hate and disgust really clearly.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">James Blunt hasn't failed to impress me with this magnificent song composed by him, which greatly achieves to criticize war, classifying it as pointless and painful for both sides involved in it.

<span style="background-color: #808080; color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 150%;">THE HANDOUT:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 150%;">﻿- Tasks:

__1.) Circle the right word and fill in the gaps where necessary:__
NO BRAVERY - James Blunt

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">There are children //living/standing/stepping// here, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Arms ............................ into the sky, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Tears drying on their //face/race/trace//. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> He has been here. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> ...................... lie in shallow graves. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Fathers lost without a //race/trace/face//. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> A nation blind to //their/there/they're// disgrace, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Since he's been here.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> And I see no ......................., <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> No bravery in your eyes a//nyone/any form/anymore.// <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Only ........................

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Houses //burned/burnt// beyond re........... <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> The //smell/taste/noise// of death is in the air. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> A woman weeping in despair says, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> ................................................ <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Tracer lighting up the sky. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> It's another family’s turn to ............ <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> A child //afraid/afreid/afried// to even cry out says, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> He has been here.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> And I see no ........................, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> No bravery in your eyes a//nyone/any form/anymore.// <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Only .......................

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">There are children //living/standing/stepping// here, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Arms ............................... into the sky, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">But no one/no-one/none asks the question why, <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> ..................................................... <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Old men kneel and accept/acept/axcept their fate. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> .................. and ........................ cut and raped. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> A generation drenched in hate. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Yes, he has been here.

<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> And I see no ..................., <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> No bravery in your eyes anyone/any form/anymore. <span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Only ........................

<span style="font-size: 1.066em; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">__2.) What is 'He' a metaphor for?__
<span style="color: #808080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">﻿.........................................

<span style="color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: x-large; line-height: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;"> <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; font-size: 20px; line-height: 29px;">﻿Summary - Main Points:


 * Why I chose this song
 * Brief Introduction to it
 * Analysis of the lyrics:
 * //Difficult Words//
 * Main message
 * Chorus
 * Sketches presented
 * Structure / music
 * Conclusion