Tom Waits Song “Day After Tomorrow”, Essay Example

I decided to scrutinize Tom Wait’s song “Day after tomorrow.” He is a singer/songwriter who in the album named Real Gone contained his first precise political song after a career spanning thirty years. The song is written on the viewpoint of a disheartened young soldier, geared the Iraq war. Tom Waits who always had a voiced opinion on the Iraq war, it was not for long before he voiced it to his fans through a song. He has never supported the war in any kind of way. His song Day after tomorrow expresses claims on the war and how the participants are dispirited and nostalgic to get home. The purpose of this remorseful articulation is to reach out to his listeners and persuade them that it not worth fighting. He argues that the war he is fighting is for his life not freedom or justice. We all worship the same God and He does not choose whom to answer. He call for his listeners to forget the political elements, trying to fight for justice and freedom, he wishes them to focus on the greater picture. The worth of this life is what matters most.

Tom’s argument is projected to his fans that vary in age, for this song, he seems to dedicate it to the younger audience. His other song “Road to Peace” follows this song on the course theme. In that song, Tom clearly brings in two young boys in the picture. His planned listeners would want to listen and acknowledge what he has in his songs. He is the kind of artist who does not force his views to his fans (Longaker & Wslkr, 2010).

To Tom Waits, generation is his top most priority, and that age group can make a difference. Since Tom Waits is a well-known musician, he has the ability to use the music mechanism and reach most of his listeners. His popularity helps his authority and integrity immensely. His spirit is powered by his prominence. People become more attentive to his music because of these pleas. His statement is clearly set and his affirmations are accounted for by the hundred years of evidence that has the history of brutality in the Middle East based on the quest of achieving freedom and justice (Jacobs, 2006). Tom Waits may not have tangible evidence, statistics, or facts in his song, but there are those who do not make it back home. The young soldiers join the battle and few are luck to get home in one piece.

Tom Waits strongest plea in his disputation is his emotional appeal. Sentiments are a very persuasive part of an argument and he points at two important emotions: sadness and fear. In the second stanza of his song, he appeals with these emotions,”Don’t want to die anymore/Then we do, what I’m/Trying to say is don’t they pray/to the same God we do (Tom, 2004)”. Tom Waits is playing on the plea of fear by saying that he has died many deaths such that he fears to die one more time. Then the sadness of having to pray to God after the blood has been spilled. Sadness that one might not make it back home. This part of Tom Wait’s argument is his powerful.

Everyone, not just his fans and listeners, feels his appeal to the sadness. Tom Waits makes a handful of debatable assertions throughout his song as his major claims; a war where they are not fighting for justice and freedom brings fatalities and will never be won. Tom Waits might not actually prove his affirmation, but a song is a strong means to prove and acquire listeners of the message being conveyed. It is a claim with many controversies where everyone will voice an opinion on, but his popularity enables him a voice that for most people would never be recognized. To reinforce his declaration, he applies his image as a celebrated well-known musician to build his trustworthiness (Bakke, 2010). Tom Waits also tacitly uses some logos, which may differ on opinion of the song and scrutiny. His appeal to sadness is his strongest suit, because it deals with emotions that everyone can recount.

The logos aspect of Tom Waits disagreement deals mainly with morals and values. In the opening stanza of his song, Waits says, ”And I miss you all so much here/I can’t wait to see you all/I’m counting the days dear (Tom, 2004). He is so nostalgic about home that he wishes to see them soon. The wars that he is forced to fight have become too demanding in such a way he contemplates on defying orders. He still even has not known what to be a soldier is. History explains that the wars fought with no cause have no winners, only bloodshed. Tom Waits argument is based on the coming events of war. That he would be coming soon to rejoin with his family. This logos view of Tom Waits feud is viewed as the weakest part of the disputation as it lacks hard evidence and facts. His song is short, but their strong emotion brings attention to the listener.

Reference

Bakke, M. (2010). “Concord and Peace”: A Rhetorical Analysis of the First Letter of Clement with an Emphasis on the Language of Unity and Sedition. Michigan: Mohr Siebeck

Jacobs, J. (2006). Wild Years: The Music and Myth of Tom Waits. New York, NY: ECW Press

Longaker, M. & Wslkr, J. (2010). Rhetorical Analysis: A Brief Guide for Writers. London: Longman Publishing Group

Tom W. (2004) Day After Tomorrow, Proper Records. London: Routledge