Tone in Song

When listening to the songs “Rock n’ Roll Band” by Boston and “Have a Cigar” by Pink Floyd, one might notice at first how similar the songs are. They have the same subject matter and even similar symbols. If one were to listen to the tone of the songs, however, they could be considered opposites of each other. The tones of the song are able to create the correct message the writers wanted.

The lyrics of both the songs may seem very similar. Both are about the bands being offered record contracts. The two songs even contain the same symbol, a cigar, which is meant to represent success and celebration. Both have the potential for success. The tones that the songs give are what make them extreme differences. Boston’s song gives off a tone of excitement and happiness even though they go through hard times to be able to play their music. Lines such as, “No, we didn’t have much money/we barely made enough to survive/But we got up on stage and got ready to play/People came alive” show how performing their music was worth their troubles. Their clear use of exclamation points like, “You’re gonna be a sensation!” are clear examples of their happy tone. Pink Floyd is able o convey a completely different tone in “Have a Cigar”. Floyd tries to highlight a more cynical side of the music industry. They portray a man trying to sign them that overcompensates with kindness for the little knowledge he has of the band. An example of this is when the man says to them, “The band is just fantastic/that is really what I think/ Oh by the way, which one’s Pink?” Floyd goes on to sing about how, “Everyone else is just green,” and how the manager is pressuring them to move forward for his own selfish reasons. Both of the songs are about beginning in the elite world of music, but they both have clear and different tones.Listening to these two songs really show the importance of understanding tone. Without their tones, many would not understand the bands intentions. Floyd’s more cynical idea of being signed might be confused by some to be the same as Boston’s idea of it being exciting. Although both songs share the same subject matter, the tones of each song set them apart.