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Bethany Graham

Lisa Cook

English 1101.217

15 February 2018

Keep Your Head Up

You are driving down a country road listening to the radio and a song you never heard

comes on. You start feeling the beat and your head starts to sway back and forth. The lyrics to

the song are exactly how your days going, great. You get to your destination and you can’t seem

to get the song out of your head. You love it so much you end up looking up the artist. You start

listening to other songs by them and find yourself disappointed. The rest of their music sounds

nothing like the song you liked. You come across songs you love everyday, however it’s rare

when you come across an artist where you truly enjoy all their music.

My friend and I used to go to this small bar every week on Sunday. We liked to go when

it wasn’t busy because we got to control the music that was played. This bar has the digital

jukebox that hangs on the wall and has endless amounts of music to pick from. One night while

playing our usual music a suggestion box popped up with the artist “Ben Howard.” We thought

why not and ended up playing a song called “Keep Your Head Up” by him next. The song

playing ended and this amazing guitar intro started. From the beginning of the song till the end

we jammed out. The song was fun and beautifully written. This is the first artist that took my

heart away, Ben Howard.

Ben made the first album that I had ever listened to from beginning to end. Not only does

Ben draw you in with his utterly beautiful lyrics, but his guitar solos will melt your heart away.

Most songs heard on today’s radio are made up of nothing but electric beats and meaningless

words. Some artists don’t even write their own lyrics these days. It’s nice when you come across
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an artist that does and helps you connect more with yourself. That is the way Ben’s song “Keep

Your Head Up” makes me feel.

Similes and metaphors are used throughout “Keep Your Head Up.” In the beginning of

the song he is trying to figure out who he is. He is explaining the emptiness he feels and looking

for ways to make himself feel better. Through it all, he finally comes to the realization that this

entire time he had just been searching for himself. When he has this enlightenment of finding

himself, he starts singing the main chorus, “keep your head up, keep your heart strong.” Now

that he has this strong foundation and understanding for himself, he is now encouraging others.

No matter how rough it gets and how lost you are, you’ll eventually figure it out. The next section

of lyrics talks about running into an old friend. The old friend can tell he has been through some

hardships by just looking into his eyes. He responds with how he has “been away,” explaining

how he has not been himself lately. The old friend smiles at him and tells him “I’m happy to have

you home.” The statement shows that the friend understands what he has been through, but is

happy to see he got through it and isn’t in a dark place anymore.

Ben Howard’s genre is singer-songwriter. To be considered for this specific genre, not

only do you sing the song, but you write the lyrics and perform it as well. It’s rare to come across

an artist that does everything to compose the music they are writing. When someone is the sole

composer of a song, their music becomes more intimate; they are sharing a piece of their soul

to you. They aren’t writing music for other people to enjoy, they are writing music because it is

their passion. When people are passionate about what they are doing, you can feel it more.

Ben’s music is so meaningful to me because of that exact reason. When you are listening to his

music you can relate to what he is saying. He wants you to not just listen to the song, but feel

the song.

Ben’s lyrics are what may draw you in, but what sets the mood is the guitar. The guitar

skills that Ben possess are out of this world. Ben will lay his guitar down flat across a table or his

legs and play an entire song sideways. He doesn’t utilize any other instruments in the song
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really except for the guitar. The guitar notes from “Keep Your Head Up” make you want to close

your eyes and pretend your in a huge field with a bunch of like minded people all dancing along

with a huge smile on their face. The guitar notes played are fun and catchy. The tone of the

music goes perfectly with what Ben is trying to get across in this feel-good song.

When you come across an artist as humble and passionate as Ben Howard, it is hard

not to fall in love with all the music. Listening to music made solely by one person can get pretty

personal. You connect with the song and it makes you think of the inspiration the artist felt to

write this song. “Keep Your Head Up” is a very inspiring song and I think Ben wrote that not just

for his audience, but for himself. His music goes deeper than just nodding your head along to a

beat.

Ben Howard- Keep your head up - lyrics

I spent my time, watching

The spaces that have grown between us

And I cut my mind on second best

Oh the scars that come with the greenness

And I gave my eyes to the boredom

Still the seabed wouldn't let me in

And I try my best to embrace the darkness

In which I swim

Now walking back, down this mountain

The strength of a turnin' tide

Oh the wind so soft, and my skin

Yeah the sun so hot upon my side

Oh lookin' out at this happiness

I searched for between the sheets

Oh feelin' blind, I realize

All I was searchin' for, was me

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Oh oh-oh, all I was searchin' for was me

Oh yeah, keep your head up, keep your heart strong

No, no, no, no, keep your mind set, keep your hair long

Oh my, my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong

Na, oh, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways

Keep your heart strong

Now I saw a friend of mine, the other day

And he told me that my eyes were gleamin'

Oh I said I'd been away, and he knew

Oh he knew the depths I was meanin'

And it felt so good to see his face

All the comfort invested in my soul

Oh to feel the warmth, of his smile

When he said, 'I'm happy to have you home.'

Oh oh-oh, I'm happy to have you home

Oh yeah, keep your head up, keep your heart strong

No, no, no, no, keep your mind set, keep your hair long

Oh my, my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong

No, no, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways

Well keep your heart strong

'Cause I'll always remember you the same

Oh eyes like wildflowers, oh with your demons of change

May you find happiness here

(Keep your head up)

(Keep your heart strong)

(Keep your head up)

(Keep your heart strong)

May all your hopes all turn out right

Keep your head up, keep your heart strong

No, no, no, no, keep your mind set, keep your hair long

Oh my, my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong

No, no, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways

Keep your heart strong

'Cause I'll always remember you the same

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Oh eyes like wildflowers, oh with your demons of change