Chris Stapleton - Ally Roberts
If you have ever stared out a car window at night pretending you were in a music video, Chris Stapleton already makes sense to you.
Lyrics and Media Links
Lyric Sources
Stapleton, Chris. "Starting Over." Genius, https://genius.com/Chris-stapleton-starting-over-lyrics.
Stapleton, Chris. "Traveller." Genius, https://genius.com/Chris-stapleton-traveller-lyrics.
YouTube Sources
Stapleton, Chris. "Chris Stapleton - Starting Over." YouTube, uploaded by ChrisStapletonVEVO, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3svABDnmio.
Stapleton, Chris. "Chris Stapleton - Traveller (Official Audio)." YouTube, uploaded by ChrisStapletonVEVO, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kBnFgLP8po.
Analytical Discussion Question
How do Chris Stapleton’s songs “Starting Over” and “Traveller” use narrative voice, imagery, and repetition to make the simple idea of being on the road feel like a story about real-life choices, and why do these songs make listeners feel like they are riding in the passenger seat with him?
Answer
In “Starting Over,” Stapleton writes like he is talking directly to a person he cares about, and that first-person narrative voice pulls the listener in right away. The imagery of throwing a few things in a bag and heading down the highway feels like the beginning of a movie where you do not know what will happen, but you want to keep watching. He repeats the idea that they can “start over” in the chorus, and that repetition makes the song sound confident, almost like a promise instead of a plan (“Starting Over”). Nothing about the lyrics is complicated, yet they feel important because they are about everyday courage. The road in this song becomes a symbol for taking a chance on love and on yourself. Even if someone does not normally listen to country music, the feeling is easy to recognize because everyone has wanted a fresh start at some point. That is what makes the song work as literature and not just background music.
“Traveller” uses the same road image but flips the emotion completely. The speaker sounds alone, and the first-person voice feels more like someone thinking out loud late at night. Stapleton fills the song with imagery of long miles and space, and those pictures make freedom feel heavy instead of exciting. He describes himself as a “traveller on this earth,” which makes the song feel bigger than just one road trip and more like a whole life (“Traveller”). This song came from Stapleton’s early solo years after he spent a long time writing for other singers, and that context makes the lyrics feel like a man figuring out his own story. The repetition in the chorus does not sound like a promise this time, but more like a question he keeps asking himself. When you listen to both songs together, it is almost like watching the same character on two different days of his life. Stapleton matters because he can take ordinary moments and turn them into songs that feel bigger than one person. He keeps traditional country storytelling alive for modern audiences, and he proves that songs about regular life can still feel poetic and important.
Prompt Responses
1. What words, phrases, and images struck you and why?
The images that stuck with me were all the normal, everyday things like suitcases, tires, and motel lights. Stapleton uses imagery the way a storyteller would, and it makes the songs feel real instead of dramatic for no reason. In “Starting Over,” the idea of packing light made me think about how people carry too much from their past and how freeing it would be to leave some of it behind. In “Traveller,” the picture of driving with no real destination made me feel restless, like when you keep scrolling on your phone and do not know what you are looking for. I also noticed how the repetition in each chorus changes the mood. One sounds like hope and the other sounds like loneliness, even though the words are simple. Those details made me want to listen again instead of just hearing the song once.
2. Personal connections and why someone should listen
Listening to these songs made me think about car rides with the windows down and music playing too loud, the kind where you start thinking about your whole life for no reason. Even if someone has never chosen a country song on purpose, Stapleton does not feel like the stereotype people expect. His voice is rough but calm, and it sounds like a real person instead of a radio character. The songs made me realize that good music does not need fancy effects to matter. If any of you have not listened to him before, try playing “Starting Over” when you are in the car at night and “Traveller” when you are in one of those quiet moods where you just want to think. They hit differently depending on where you are, and that is how you know a song is actually good.
Works Cited
Stapleton, Chris. "Chris Stapleton - Starting Over." YouTube, uploaded by ChrisStapletonVEVO, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3svABDnmio.
Stapleton, Chris. "Chris Stapleton - Traveller (Official Audio)." YouTube, uploaded by ChrisStapletonVEVO, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kBnFgLP8po.
Stapleton, Chris. "Starting Over." Genius, https://genius.com/Chris-stapleton-starting-over-lyrics.
Stapleton, Chris. "Traveller." Genius, https://genius.com/Chris-stapleton-traveller-lyrics.
Hi Ally! I think you did a great job answering the question, I might add a few more pieces of evidence that I noticed that you could add. For example, "Starting Over," I think that you can add "But nobody wins afraid of losin'/And the hard roads are the ones worth choosin' " (Stapelton). I think that you can use this lyric to help describe how his narrative helps to compell the reader. He seems to use the rhythym through his voice to create a sense of choice within the reader. It gives a feeling that the reader is with them through using his voice to resonate with common experiences people hold. In "Traveller" I think you could argue that his lyric, "I'm just a traveller on this earth/Sure as my heart's behind the pocket of my shirt" (Stapelton). Through this lyric his imagery is creating an image in the mind of the reader. This allows for a connection with the reader by estabilishing the reality of the situation, in that everyone is simpling living their lives on this earth, as a traveller.
ReplyDeleteHi Ally! I also love Chris Stapleton, and I think he has a summertime feel to his music, which is a great vibe for rolled-down windows, like you said. To answer the analytical question of "How do Chris Stapleton’s songs' "Starting Over” and “Traveller” use narrative voice, imagery, and repetition to make the simple idea of being on the road feel like a story about real-life choices, and why do these songs make listeners feel like they are riding in the passenger seat with him?" I would say his repetition makes him have more of a narrative voice. His use of imagery with lyrics like "Cause every turn reveals some other road" (Stapleton) puts that picture into your head. It also makes you think of the deeper meaning of his knack for not wanting to stay in one place. These songs make you feel as though you're in the passenger seat with him because he is very direct in his lyrics. One of my favorite songs by him is "What Am I Gonna Do" and I think it's another great song that shows his flexibility in lyrics. The way he writes his music is a more traditional take on country music, and that makes his song all the more comforting, just like you're in the passenger seat with him. Overall, his imagery, narration, and repetition all add to his comforting way of writing his songs.
ReplyDeleteHi Ally, I think you answered the question well and it is interesting how he wrote both of these songs from a first person narrative yet one sounds like he is speaking to someone and the other sounds like he is speaking to himself. I think lyrics you could add to demonstrate the imagery in "Starting Over" is "This might not be an easy time / There's rivers to cross and hills to climb". To me, I can picture the rivers and hills that he mentions in these lyrics which represents it not being an easy thing to cross. In the song "Traveler" the lyrics "I couldn't tell you honey, I don't know / Where I'm goin' but I've got to go", which are towards the end of the song, stood out the most to me. Although you said this song seems like he is thinking out loud, this lyric makes it seem like he is talking to someone else. However, I do agree with you that the rest of the song seems like he might be thinking out loud to himself. I like how you end your response that listening to both songs seems like the same character but on different days. I agree that Chris Stapleton does a good job telling traditional country stories that still connect to the modern audience while also making poetic songs about regular life occurrences.
ReplyDeleteHi Ally! I also like Chris Stapleton, actually one of my favorite songs from him is Traveller. I also think that your answer to the analytical question was very well written! To answer the question myself, Stapleton uses a narrative voice by speaking to his partner as "honey" (Stapleton). Using this nickname makes the trip in "Starting Over" feel shared and together. The imagery of "rivers to cross", "hills to climb", and "rolling the dice" (Stapleton) not only makes it easier to visualize the song but it also connects to the idea that there are big things coming in life. This is also why he talks about the "hard roads are the ones worth choosing" (Stapleton). Something I really like about Stapleton's writing is how he adds extra details in his lyrics. For example, "the rubber turnin' on the ground" and the "sunrise creepin' in" (Stapleton) makes the song easily visual-able. Lastly, the repetition in both songs is the titles. Every time those phrases repeat in the songs I think about how his journey or his trips keep him constantly moving. All of these different things make the listeners feel like passengers because of how he talks and describes his lyrics. I think your blog was great and I am happy to know someone else likes Chris Stapleton too!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Ally! Your big question was so descriptive, and it made a really fun prompt to answer, kind of like you used imagery yourself! I agree with how you answered it as well. The first-person perspective really makes for a personal feeling in a song. Allowing a person to be able to envision that they are a part of a music video, or even living the story of the song themselves. The examples you used from the songs, especially in starting over perfectly support this too!! When you said " The imagery of throwing a few things in a bag and heading down the highway feels like the beginning of a movie where you do not know what will happen, but you want to keep watching." (Roberts) I also agree with that, the way that he tells this story, using imagery and descriptive language throws you into the song.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I accidentally hit publish for some reason. The other example you used, “Traveller,” also used great imagery!
DeleteHi Ally! I think your response to your question was very good. Especially how you explained the “passenger seat” feeling in both songs and how he uses imagery to get this feeling. I think adding the lyric “But nobody wins afraid of losing’ ’” from “Starting Over” would make your point about choices a stronger argument. The line about “rivers to cross and hills to climb” also makes it easy to picture what he’s talking about and shows how he uses imagery in his song. In “Traveler,” when he says “I’m just a traveller on this earth,” it gives the listener the vibe that everyone is just figuring life out. I also agree that repeating the song titles shows how he’s always moving and never really staying in one place. The word traveler in itself just seems like he is always moving. The little details about roads and sunrises make the songs easy to imagine because you can easily picture those things. His lyrics just make you feel like you’re riding right there with him and he does a very good job of using imagery throughout his lyrics.
DeleteI want to start off by saying that I think the question you asked were good ones and your analysis was strong. One critique that I have is you didn't really seem to answer the second half of your question. So the second half of the question is where I will start. In starting over I think that the reason you feel like your in the car on the road with him is because his constant use of words like we and you. For example "And it don't matter to me Wherever we are is where I wanna be" and "Well, the road rolls out like a welcome mat To a better place than the one we're at" (Stapleton, starting over). It really feels like he and the listener are having a conversation. In the song the traveler he uses pieces of nature as symbols. Like the lyric "Sure as my heart's behind the pocket of my shirt I'll just keep rollin' 'til I'm in the dirt" (Stapleton, Traveler). In this line the dirt represents the low points in his life that his actions bring him to. I really enjoyed the music you shared despite it being a genre I typically don't like, so thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Ally, I really liked how you explained the different emotions in both songs. You did a good job answering the question and I agree with what you said. In Starting Over, when he sings, “It don’t matter to me, wherever we are is where I wanna be” (“Starting Over”), it makes the choice feel less about the road and more about the relationship. That line shows how the first person voice turns the journey into a real life decision about love and commitment. In Traveller, the lyric “My heart’s on the run, keeps a hand on the gun” (“Traveller”) adds a different kind of imagery. It makes the road feel more restless and unsure instead of the hopefulness from Starting Over. I think that contrast is what makes listeners feel like they’re in the passenger seat, because in one song he sounds ready to build something, and in the other he sounds like he’s still searching for where he belongs. I am also glad you picked Chris Stapleton, he's a great artist!
ReplyDelete