Analyzing Songs

I was listening to Rachael Yamagata's "Quiet" today and noticed something that I have often noticed, definitely articulated on occasion, and felt to be true. I think the song proved it to me again today and now I want to share.

In the song, she says over and over, "I don't expect anything," but this repetition shows her expectation to be more of an issue than it sounds at a first listen. She isn't trying to convince him that she expects nothing, she is trying to convince herself.

I know because I've done this. "No it's okay, it's going to be okay. I'll be fine." We say these things with the hope that our saying it enough will turn our words into our truth.

Likewise, the repetition of a vow of sincerity sounds like insincerity trying desperately to be sincere.